Once Too Often

March 1, 1998
Inspector Luke Thanet's latest case involves the suspicious death of a newspaper reporter in the English village of Sturrenden. Suspects include the woman's unemployed battered husband, her estate-agent lover, the lover's angry wife, a reported neighborhood prowler, and others. Thanet's investigation proceeds with satisfying depth as he and Sergeant Lineham debate details of the case, theories about the murderer, and all the permutations thereof, but both suffer personal strain as well. As usual, Simpson (A Day for Dying, LJ 5/1/96) tailors her plot with skill and care, nicely dovetailing all the clues and reserving a special twist for the end. Strongly recommended.