The Lady of the Lake

February 1, 2020
This is a ripping good British mystery, with murder and betrayal among the treats. But it's possible to lose sight of it that with everything else going on?like charismatic coppers, including DI Sarah Gilchrist and DS Bellamy Heap; sparkling conversation reminiscent of No�l Coward; and plenty of offbeat?maybe spurious?knowledge on display. Can you really re-create a T. rex from ostrich DNA? The fun begins in the countryside when a body is found in a lake owned by a gorgeous, reclusive former film star, the "Lady" of the title. We read on as the investigation proceeds, waiting impatiently to see more of this "enchantress," as one smitten cop calls her. Crooked real-estate deals are unearthed, plus slave labor and grand-scale theft, all relayed in high-energy, forward-pulsing prose that should be the envy of those who write in the tough-talking, mean-streets style. Blessedly, the Lady drops into the narrative from time to time, reminding us, for example, why we all once wanted to be Cary Grant. So did Cary Grant: he was really just Archie Leach from Bristol. Jolly good.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)