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  Before I started reading this book, I noticed a paragraph on the back that mentioned that it was a debut novel, then all the way through I kept thinking: How on earth can anyone write anything this good at the first go? It is a really clever novel that nibbles at the edges of 'cosy crime', but is much darker than most in that genre.  There are no sweet little old ladies putting together clues in between Pilates and dinner, and not everyone in it is necessarily on the side of the police, so that gives it an interesting twist.  It seems that among the upper classes, it is quite possible to be a pillar of society while still being capable of covering ones tracks if anything unsavoury occurs. Edward, who has come from more humble beginnings, has managed to earn himself a private education through scholarships and good fortune, ending with an assisted place at Oxford.  While he was at the university he met Stanza, who was grieving for her recently deceased mother, and q...

  This book fits nicely into the 'cosy crime' genre and makes a good read for the long winter evenings.  It's a neat combination of crime and history with a touch of spooky that will keep you warm through the long winter evenings. Set in the years immediately following the First World War, it focuses on the wealthy Stilwell family living in Darkacre Hall, who have wrapped themselves up in so many lies and cover-ups that they can't even trust each other when their stories start to unravel. In the summer of 1914 a boy disappeared from the nearby village, but as the war commenced all investigations came to a halt, and it isn't until six years after the end of hostilities that a Detective Sergeant comes knocking at their door asking for help with enquiries. The family know more than they are willing to admit, and they hope they have been vague enough to keep the police away, but a twist of fate keeps the detective trapped in their old house for a few days and secrets be...