A Dangerous Deceit

October 28, 2013
This stately standalone from Eccles (After Clare) hinges on a long-buried secret from the Second Boer War. In rural 1927 Worcestershire, that conflict is nearly forgotten, although it’s recalled in the late Osbert Rees-Talbot’s unfinished memoirs. His grown daughter, Margaret, though stricken by the loss of her father, is planning her wedding to the Rev. Symon Scroope, who grew up on the nearby estate of Maxstead Court. The discovery of an unidentified man’s body in the snow on Maxstead land results in the brief, unwanted attention of the police. The subsequent death of factory owner Arthur Anton, who was Rees-Talbot’s batman during the Boer War, in the nearby village of Folbury brings Det. Insp. Herbert Reardon to town. The thoughtful, scarred Reardon eventually arrives at some answers, but flaccid characters and a slow-moving plot diminish the impact of these revelations.

December 1, 2013

Improbably, dead bodies are piling up around the normally tranquil British village of Folbury in 1927. Perhaps Osbert Rees-Talbot's drowning death in his bathtub was accidental. But the corpse left in a shallow grave on the estate of the Scroope family was not, nor was the demise of Cpl. Arthur Aston, who was found dead in his factory. DI Herbert Reardon, a detective with a maverick streak, and his eager young sergeant, Joe Gilmour, pursue the thin leads. When they ascertain that the previously unidentified body is of a South African man, all signs point toward a Boer War connection. Figuring out the specific motive takes longer since most folks are keen on saving face. But sins of the fathers--or, perhaps, the mothers--have a way of catching up with their descendents eventually. VERDICT Veteran author Eccles's (After Clare) latest stand-alone historical may use a familiar theme, but she cleverly intersperses her traditionally structured procedural plot with sharp observations about human behavior. Perfect for the Downton Abbey bunch.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2013
The sleepy village of Folbury is upset by not one but two recent deaths. Respected local Osbert Rees-Talbot, a distinguished veteran of the Boer War, drowns in his bath, and the body of an unidentified man is found buried on the edge of the estate of wealthy landowner Lord Scroope. The former seems to be a tragic accident, while the latter is clearly murder, but with no clues or suspects and nothing to identify the victim except a South African coin in his pocket. Then a third death occurs, that of local businessman Arthur Aston, who's found suffocated in a sandpit. Three unique cases with nothing to connect themor is there? Ambitious local copper Joe Gilmour is determined to find out. His investigation leads him back in time to South Africa's Boer War. Good period ambiance, a rich cast of characters, and numerous plot twists make this mixture of period drama and police procedural a gripping and satisfying read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)