Casualty crossing by Kevin Hughes
In ten words or less: Police officer advocates for a runaway boy who won't talk.

Review: Toby Jenkins, known as TJ, is on the verge of losing his job at the Madison Police Department. His ex-wife, a lawyer, isn't contributing to his peace of mind, either. When a thirteen-year-old runaway turns up in a Madison hospital, beaten and claiming not to remember anything, TJ investigates. As he gains the boy's trust, he discovers the boy was abused by his stepfather. The author is a former Dane County Sheriff's Department detective.

Why bother? The boy's story is more interesting than that of TJ, a hothead with an adolescent attitude toward his work and ex-wife.