Bitter Blue by
Cath Staincliffe
hbk out July 03
Published by Allison Busby
at £17.99
This well-paced novel is the sixth outing for Mancunian single mum and private eye
Sal Kilkenny and to my mind it is the best so far. The usual elements of the series are
present: Sal struggles to balance the pressures of private and professional life, she
undertakes low-key but intriguing assignments and there is an ample measure of
social comment. But perhaps the touch here is lighter than in the earlier novels, the
observation of the gulf between the haves and have-nots being smoothly integrated
with the plot.
Sal is asked by recently bereaved hotel receptionist Lucy Barker to find out who is
persecuting her, and by a couple who plan to buy a house in Didsbury whether the
neighbourhood is anything to worry about. At the same time, her daughter Maddie is
having problems at school, which loom large as the story develops. Sal remains
throughout her appealing, infuriating self. She's keen on Astrid Gilberto (hooray!) but
not moustaches (shame!) and has never read an Agatha Christie in her life (amazing).
In fact, if she'd studied Christie's 'Peril At End House', she might have been quicker
to pick up a few clues to the mystery behind the campaign against Lucy. Be that as it
may, the disparate elements of the story are carefully resolved, and Sal's self-doubts
at the end of the book are credible and poignant. Will the next episode see her finally
getting together with Ray Costello? It's about time!
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
Bitter Blue by
Cath Staincliffe
