Anne Perry’s first William Monk Victorian-era novel, “The Face of a Stranger,” finds the discerning, somewhat charming detective facing a personal, life-changing problem.
Monk wakes in a hospital, fighting a case of amnesia. Not knowing his name or how he got there, Monk is reminded of his name and profession by one of the hospital staff.
With an unknown accident that has left him with no recollection of what happened and a past that has vanished from his thoughts, Monk attempts to hide the truth and returns to work as a London detective, hoping something in this unusual incident triggers his memory.
He is assigned to investigate the ruthless murder of a Crimean war hero and pillar of the community. But once Monk begins his investigation, he comes across a rash of unmanageable groups of suspects and their deadly motives for wanting the man dead.
Perry’s textured writing style is richly layered, evoking the Victorian-era horse buggies, cobblestone streets and a fog-enshrouded atmosphere, making the narrative a satisfying read.
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Penny Joelson’s “The Girl Who Wasn’t There” is a suspenseful young adult crime novel that is both captivating and disturbing.
Teenager Kasia struggles with a chronic illness that keeps her indoors most days. Easily fatigued and in need of rest, Kasia’s stay-at-home mother sticks close to her daughter’s side, caring for the besieged young woman hand and foot.
Mostly housebound, occasionally venturing outside for fresh air and exercise, Kasia stares out of her bedroom window, using the activity on the street as her joy and entertainment. One night, however, while viewing the vistas outside her English residence, she sees what appears to be a kidnapping. A young girl her age was shoved into a vehicle and driven away.
Kasia reports the incident to the police, but the next day, when Kasia’s mother delivers news from the local cops that no one had been reported missing, Kasia sets out to find the missing girl herself.
Kasia’s discovery turns up something much more horrifying than just a kidnapping.
Populated with diverse, complex characters and a representation of chronic illness in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Joelson’s approach to the crime novel is jolting in its discussion of important and timely social issues.
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Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran’s latest Murder She Wrote caper, “The Body in the Trees,” finds mystery writer Jessica Fletcher leaf-peeping, baking, socializing with neighbors and friends, and solving crimes.
Autumn in Maine invites people from around the world to relish its leaf-changing season, which is the case for the quartet of friends who travel from Florida to capture the majestic scenery.
Also on the visitor’s agenda is hiking, biking and fishing, for which Maine is famous. But when one of the out-of-towners goes missing, Cabot Cove residents rally for help to find the lost young woman.
Initially considered as a lost-only incident, it turns into a full-fledged homicide inquiry when the body of the missing woman is found tangled in tree branches along a hiking ridge on the outskirts of town by newspaper reporter Dan Andrews.
A side story involving the “Bicycle Bandit,” who bikes around town snatching women’s purses, adds character, depth and tension to the story. The central murder comes late in the story, but Moran does a good job of outwitting the reader with the culprit’s reveal. The results will change Cabot Cove and its citizens forever.