The Best Corpse for the Job

November 1, 2014
Childhood wounds don't always heal, and in this engaging English mystery-romance, Inspector Robin Wright's are abruptly reopened when he returns to St. Crispin's, the scene of his bullied boyhood miseries. A murder has shocked everyone there, including the school's governors, assembled to select a new headmaster from the second round of applicants. St. Crispin's' shocked souls (and some spouses) are suspects, except, Wright hopes, Adam Matthews. This handsome teacher, a material witness, is conveniently home when the inspector drops byfrequentlyostensibly to gather any newly recalled details but also to ignore official rules by sharing the case's developments. No fraternizing with a witness, Wright reminds himself, citing yet another rule, though the two's growing attraction sweetly combines yearning with fear of discovery. Another murder escalates suspense, keeping pages turning and Wright busy as he and Adam are at growing risk from the murderer. Cochrane, known best for her Edwardian Cambridge Fellows series, offers a genuinely entertaining read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)