Burial of Ghosts by
Anne Cleeves
hbk out March 03
Published by Macmillan
at £16.99
Ann Cleeves' latest novel of psychological suspense opens in Morocco, with a brief
encounter between Lizzie Bartholomew and an older man called Philip (she does not
know his surname). Lizzie is escaping the past and it is immediately apparent that she
is no stranger to violence. The first sentence of the book is: 'My nightmares feature
knives and blades and blood.' She comes from Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in the North
East; Philip too hails from that part of the world, and although she does not learn it
until later, he is something of a celebrity. Lizzie has trained in social work, but she too
fails to tell Philip the whole truth about herself. They enjoy a brief affair and then
return, separately, to their homes in England. Six weeks later, out of the blue, Lizzie
receives a letter from Philip's solicitor. Her lover has died and when they meet after
the funeral, the lawyer tells her that Philip has left her a bequest, attached to which is
a strange condition.
A complex mystery unfolds. Two young men die and Lizzie turns amateur sleuth as
she attempts not only to carry out Philip's wishes but also to uncover the identity of
the killer. To what extent, for instance, is a dubious organisation called the
Countryside Consortium connected with the crimes? Lizzie has a rare talent for
persuading people to unburden themselves and, bit by bit, the murderer's scheme
becomes apparent, the truth finally being revealed after a dramatic scene in which
Lizzie risks her life. One of many memorable moments in the story comes about a
third of the way in, when a detective tells Lizzie that the solicitor denies ever having
met her. Benefiting from its firmly realised setting in the North East, this is another
accomplished mystery from one of last year's CWA Dagger-nominated authors.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
Burial of Ghosts by
Anne Cleeves
