There are two basic stories:

One story is the story of the investigation. That part of it almost, but not quite, makes the reader feel part of the investigating team. We see copies of reports and we follow them as they try to figure out who did it.

As in a real investigation, there is a lot of contractary evidence. The victim wasn't well liked and, whilst most people interviewed paint a very unsympathetic picture, the various images are not coherent. Who is lying and who is telling the truth?

Based on stastical, and other evidence, the police quickly home in on two potential suspects: an actor who was on the scene when the body was discovered and the husband of the dead woman. Was it one of them? Was it someone else?

Walters seems to be setting out to explode myths. Her police characters talk a lot about how victims of murder (and rape) are usually attacked by someone they know.

The main subplot is the relationship between the local constable, PC Nick Ingram, and a local woman.

In the end, probably like a real investigation, the ending is anti-climatic. There are a few surprises.

This is my first Minette Walters book. I don't normally read detective novels but Walters has persuaded me that I may be missing out there.

Review: I have to second the sentiments of everybody else who found this very dull. It didn't grip me at all. Walters didn't seem to be able to decide whether it was a mystery as to "whodunnit" or a Prime Suspect style thriller where we know the murderer but want to see how the police get their man.
In addition to this, both the Walters books that I have read seem to be riven with an upper-middle-class snobbery against anyone even vaguely working class - she really seems to dislike anyone who seems "lower" than her. Very distasteful.
I've enjoyed the TV versions of her books and so this seems to be the only occasion where I would tell people that the original books are worse than the programmes. Maybe it's true - second rate books really do make the best sources for films and TV.

Review: This book is just terrible. It reads more like a journalistic account of events than a novel and, although police reports and other 'source' material can add to a book's authenticity if done properly, this simply read like a dreary bundle of evidence. The characters were poorly developed and I thought that if I read the phrase, 'he smiled wryly' once more, I would throw the book out the window. Avoid this one at all costs.

Review: This was the first novel that I had read of Minette Walters, and like all new authors I have not read before I purchased my copy from the charity shop, so I did not waste too much money.
I was rather disappointed,as the result of the enquiry did seem rather predictable. I liked the idea of the reports from specialist and colleagues concerning Hannah and Kate, as I felt this gave me a quick insight into the characters, and saved a great deal of scene setting. I found that often in crime novels there are 350 pages of general, interesting and relevant detail, and then suddenly the last 50 pages clears everything up rather too quickly and easily this novel was no exception.
Overall a reasonable read, but not much doubt about why he did it.

Review: This is the first book I've read by this author and I did enjoy it to begin with. But then it just sort of dragged on without the usual surprises that leave you wanting to read more. The characters are all very unlikeable so its hard to connect with them hence care about what's happening! And the end was more of an anti-climaxa and quite disappointing. She throws you off course here and there but no major 'gripped to your seat, i wanna read on' suprises.