St Stephens is an old-style boarding school in Norfolk, where the dorms are spartan and the school prides itself on turning out fine young men. It isn’t as wealthy as other schools, but it has a solid reputation and a long history. When a young man is found dead in his room, seemingly from anaphylactic shock, the Headmaster is keen to have it quickly determined as a terrible accident.

DI Jazmine Hunter has handed in her resignation from the Police. Her marriage has failed and she is moving to Norfolk for a new life. But as a favour, she agrees to suspend her resignation and review this one case. The young victim is from a high-profile aristocratic local family and there is considerable pressure from the school to determine what has happened. Initial investigations show he was a terrible bully, who used his wealth and profile to get pretty much whatever he wanted. When the elderly Classics Master commits suicide, and a vulnerable young student runs away, clearly things are not as simple as they may initially seem.

The Murders at Fleat House is a very entertaining novel, looking at the issues surrounding wealth, privilege and old-fashioned private education, while also being a clever and interesting police procedural. The main characters are flawed and interesting. I enjoyed the unravelling of the personal connections the key characters had to each other and the storyline. The author, Lucinda Riley, died last year, having been a prolific author with legions of fans. This is a fine swan song.

Reviewed by Lesley West