This book has been on my bookshelf for years. Not sure what took me so long to read it as I enjoyed this one and will read others in the twelve book series.
In this title, readers meet Lane Winslow. She has moved to the country outside of a small town in far western Canada. Lane left England after WWII. Then, she worked under the Official Secrets Act and had her heart broken as the death of her lover was reported. She needed a new start and has no idea of the events that will shake her in her new home.
The story takes place in 1946, a time of party lines for the phone and no technology. This means that the policing will reflect that time.
Lane is glad for her new start and comes to know the neighbors/suspects in her new community. These include a WWI veteran who suffered the loss of his marriage and a fire on his property when he returned home, a family who has a secret and came from the eastern U.S., a family with an unstable mother, feckless son and a father who made some bad decisions, and the family from whom Lane bought her house. There is also the appropriately named Inspector Darling who will most likely become romantically involved with Lane as the series goes on.
A stranger comes to the community and is murdered. Who is he? What brought him to Nelson? Why is someone trying to frame Lane? How will his death reverberate for these characters? How will elements of Lane’s past come into play? Find out and then decide to perhaps read the next in the series. It is solid.
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Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too! 