Carol Quinn arrives at her new retirement village by taxi straight from prison. She was pleasantly surprised that the management had agreed to take her given her record. I am surprised she can afford such luxury. All is revealed later in the book.
Very soon after her arrival, she is quietly sitting looking out at the extensive gardens when a resident passes her window, having fallen from the roof.
The residents hear about Carol’s background. The rumour is Sir Desmond Crisp did not fall from the roof but that Carol is up to her tricks as a serial killer and pushed him. To clear her name – for this murder – Carol decides to investigate. The police, as is usual in a cosy crime, are floundering. They arrest a 90-year-old, but release her when another murder occurs. The wonderful absurdity piles up with police corruption, Mafia involvement, an aged femme fatale with a toy boy lover, dreadful karaoke, and even a visit to MI5.
This book has just 260 pages and short, sharp chapters. It is well paced and fast moving. There’s humour and, often, laugh-out-loud hilarity. ‘Belinda tossed her hair around like an armless woman with nits’ is one of the many witty lines in the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy crime novel and was sorry when it ended.
Reviewed by Clive Hodges
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Craig Fergus is a multi-award-winning actor, author, comedian, and writer for television. I’m Not The Only Murderer In My Retirement Home is his third novel. He lives in London.
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