Lies that Bind

April 17, 2017
Cameron’s dour fourth Alex Duggins mystery (after 2016’s Melody of Murder) finds the owner of the Black Dog pub, in the Cotswold village of Folly-on-Weir, ambivalent about getting unduly interested in local crime. She wants to remain out of the fray, but her intense curiosity often gets the better of her, as in the case of the body of a woman discovered in a nearby wood by young Kyle Gammage, the brother of a boy who works for Alex. A number of questions remain to be answered. What is Sid Gammage, the boys’ father, hauling in the back of his truck? Who are the two people found dead in the environs of Folly-on-Weir? Will the Gammage brothers be taken into foster care, and will Det. Chief Insp. Dan O’Reilly be able to spend Christmas with his son? We are also treated to Alex’s ambiguous relationships with both local vet Tony Harrison and O’Reilly. Cozy fans who are fond of dogs and cats, and who believe that a nice cup of tea can solve almost any emotional trauma, will be rewarded. Agent: Liza Dawson, Liza Dawson Associates.

April 1, 2017
The discovery of a murder victim in a Cotswolds village puts a family at risk of being torn apart.Sid Gammage is willing to do what it takes to support his kids--teenagers, really--but the extra hours at work mean that he can't always be physically present for them. That's OK, because the town of Folly-on-Weir is invested in making sure Kyle and Scoot are looked after one way or another. Local veterinarian Tony Harrison, who's in the process of vetting Kyle for some work at his practice, asks Alex Duggins to fill him in on Kyle's home life. Not only is Alex Scoot's sometime employer at the town's only pub, The Black Dog, but she's also Tony's sometime girlfriend, and that means her word goes far with Tony. Tony's all set to take on Kyle at the practice when both of the Gammage boys suddenly need a lot more support than part-time jobs will offer: Kyle finds a body in the woods and Sid goes missing. Kyle is certain that if he tells police his father isn't home, both he and Scoot will be carted off to children's services. Alex tries to run interference, but it's not her first time dabbling in investigating (Melody of Murder, 2016, etc.), and the local police are wary about what her involvement might mean. If she can suss out the killer, the victim, or the motive, maybe she can help solve the crime and keep the boys' living arrangements under wraps until Sid returns to his responsibilities. Cameron provides several elements that will delight series fans, from an interesting frame for her story to a protagonist who can be charmingly human, a trait as rare as it is welcome in the genre.

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March 9, 2015
In this dramatic series opener from bestseller Cameron, Alex Duggins returns to her native Folly-on-Weir, in the Cotswolds, after her marriage falls apart. There she buys the Black Dog, the local pub, but when she discovers a dead monk in the snow, her carefully constructed new life is threatened. Helped by veterinarian Tony Harrison, a childhood friend, Alex conducts her own investigation, to the annoyance of the police. She becomes increasingly anxious as more and more things seem to point to her as the perpetrator. Alex turns out to have secrets in her past, as does Tony. Helen and Leonard Derwinter, the local nabobs, and Will and Cathy Cummings, the pub’s former owners, likewise have their secrets. Ditto the dead monk. That’s a major suspension of disbelief for one very small town, but Cameron (Out of Body) conveys a strong sense of place and the insularity of Folly-on-Weir’s residents.

March 15, 2015
Following a painful divorce, Alex Duggins returns to Folly-on-Weir, the English village where she grew up; buys the village pub; installs the two former owners as managers; and starts to think her future is looking rosy. Then, on an early morning walk in the woods, Alex discovers the mutilated body of what appears to be a monk, with a dartsuspiciously similar to the darts from her pubburied deep in his throat. Horrified, Alex flees the scene to call the police. Her childhood friend, local vet Tony Harrison, steps in to provide moral support, but when another body turns up, and then another, and Alex is present each time, she becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear her name and prove she's not the killer, Alex takes matters into her own hands. A fearless, feisty heroine, a touch of romance, and an intriguing look at English village life, combined with taut suspense and unexpected twists, transform what starts out looking like a British village cozy into a mesmerizing, knuckle-whitening thriller. A top-notch blending of subgenres, much in the manner of Louise Penny.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2017
Picturesque Folly-on-Weir in the Cotswolds has the unfortunate reputation of being a murder magnet, and in the middle of every case are pub owner Alex Duggins and her partner, Tony Harrison. This time a young boy, Kyle, makes the gruesome discovery of a woman's body in some nearby woods. Kyle and his brother, Scoot, are new to the area, and Alex is disturbed that the boys are left alone for long periods of time by their truck-driver dad. Since their mother deserted them years ago, this means the boys are near-orphans. Alex and Tony, with help from the villagers, take the boys in, but then Kyle is abducted, and everyone fears the worst. When Alex investigates, she has a strong feeling she's being watched. As the police begin to unravel the case, they discover a dark backstory, both disturbing and ultimately tragic. As usual, Cameron gets it just right, with a good feel for English village life, plenty of suspense, and a heroine who is both savvy and fearless.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)