One does not associate murders with close knit village communities in idyllic Cotswolds but a series of murders of old age pensioners, doing no harm to anyone has shaken the entire area plus has left the Police confounded.
When one hits the village of Thanebury and Melissa herself is the one who finds the body, she is shaken enough to try to solve the murder herself. A crime writer by profession always out for fresh information and ideas, the fact that this old lady was found with a clown's smile on her face was outrageous and ludicrous. It is also not known to the general community at large.
Chance encounters with several people in the village all get noted down as suspects both by Melissa and her boyfriend an ex-Policeman who has not let go of his investigative instincts. The suspects however have very strong alibis and reasons as to why they should not be suspected from a group of precocious teenagers to a charismatic, flamboyant preacher, even someone who was going to be blackmailed for her past.
The final suspects were totally unexpected and typical in the style of Agatha Christie were revealed at the very end.
If you like good characterization, idyllic village settings and murder this is for you.
Sent to me by Netgalley for an unbiased review, courtesy of Bookouture.
Thanks for your thoughts on this book. I'm going to add it to my reading list and do a little arm chair travel to the Cotswolds.
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