The Mistress of Alderley by
Robert Barnard
hbk out November 02
Published by Allison Busby
at £17.99
Robert Barnard is an acknowledged master of the light – but not superficial – mystery
novel in the traditional vein (complete with chapter headings, once almost
indispensable in detective fiction, but nowadays regrettably unfashionable). His first
book with a new publisher displays shafts of insight into character, coupled with a
teasing whodunit plot. The mistress of Alderley, in both senses, is Caroline Fawley.
She lives in the big house in a Yorkshire village with her lover Marius Fleetwood, a
genial and successful businessman who remains in close touch with his long-suffering
wife Sheila. The first hint that Caroline's agreeable life is about to be disturbed comes
with a visit from a young man who bears a striking resemblance to Marius, but
disaster ultimately strikes once Caroline's daughter, Olivia, takes a leading role in a
Verdi opera that is being performed in Leeds.
Marius goes missing and is soon found to have been murdered. As Mike Oddie and
Charlie Peace, Barnard's regular detective team, make their enquiries, it becomes
apparent that Marius was not the man he seemed. Soon the list of people with a
motive to kill him is lengthening alarmingly. One of the notable features of this novel
is that Barnard's interest in opera has enabled him to contrive an interesting and, as
far as I know, original means for the culprit to commit murder. There are one or two
unfortunate proof-reading errors (I winced at 'Defence Council'), but this is a book
which offers a welcome reminder of the accomplishments which have earned its
author this year's CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding achievement in the
genre.
(
Martin Edwards
- author of the highly acclaimed Harry Devlin Mysteries)
