In an upmarket area of London, a grand house and its outbuildings have been converted into rental accommodation around a shared green space. The flats are owned by Celeste van Duren, who lives in one part of the old house with a commanding view of the other residents’ homes. Celeste has vetted her tenants and is worried when one of them – a serial wife-abuser, Richard Glead – has been murdered, and that suspicion will (wrongly) focus on his wife, Linda. Celeste requests two of her tenants, Audrey (her cleaner) and Lewis (a crime-writing novelist) to investigate for her.
The pair are an unlikely fit. Audrey has no investigative experience, but is fastidious in her work. Lewis, while having some knowledge of criminal proceedings, is awkward. Soon after beginning their investigations, however, Linda is also found dead. The police seem determined to find that Linda committed suicide after killing her husband, but the pair find signs of foul play. Another death – this time of Richard’s criminal associate – begins to point back to one of the Square’s residents. The dark pasts of the residents mean that any of them could be guilty. Behind the scenes, a criminal mastermind, The Fixer, is at work. But which resident has links to him?
This villain could possibly have been more decisive and brutal, but his character is in keeping with the tone of the narrative. And if the denouement seems to leave a few threads unravelled, it’s because there’s another huge twist to come. This is cosy crime with gentle humour and an ensemble cast who seem destined to continue their investigative sideline … and that’s brilliant news.
Reviewed by Bob Moore
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nicola Whyte has loved books for as long as she can remember, particularly crime fiction. She writes novels and short stories for both adults and children.
Her work has been listed for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, the Cheshire Novel Prize, the Daily Mail First Novel Competition, the BPA First Novel Award, and the Times Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition.
She lives near Stonehenge in Wiltshire with her family, a ridiculous spaniel, and two demanding tabby cats.
0 Comments