Comment

Jan 03, 2010nicollemelanson rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Barbara Cleverly delivers a taut mystery with a sufficient number of red herrings to keep you guessing, without muddling the fine structure needed for the eventual resolution - cleverly indeed. This is a mystery in the vein of Christie, not P.D. James or Ruth Rendell. There are no psychological insights, but there are nice details of history and politics and even culture. Good quality entertainment. Joe Sandilands, the protagonist, is clever and capable without being unrealistically brilliant - he has his off-moments and comes off the page as a human being. Enjoyable.