Tea and sympathy have never been so deadly.
Schoolteacher Adam Matthews just wants to help select a new headteacher and go home. The governors at Lindenshaw St Crispin’s have already failed miserably at finding the right candidate, so it’s make or break this second time round. But when one of the applicants is found strangled in the school, what should have been a straightforward decision turns tempestuous as a flash flood in their small English village.
Inspector Robin Bright isn’t thrilled to be back at St. Crispin’s. Memories of his days there are foul enough without tossing in a complicated murder case. And that handsome young teacher has him reminding himself not to fraternize with a witness. But it’s not long before Robin is relying on Adam for more than just his testimony.
As secrets amongst the governors emerge and a second person turns up dead, Robin needs to focus less on Adam and more on his investigation. But there are too many suspects, too many lies, and too many loose ends. Before they know it, Robin and Adam are fighting for their lives and their hearts.
Kimi’s Review:
If you’re a fan of traditional English murder mysteries set in small villages, this is likely to be right up your street. It was supposed to be a long, dull day of interviewing candidates to fill the headteacher’s position at the local primary school. Instead, it turned out to be a day filled with gossip, excitement, and frissons of fear as one of the candidates turns up quite dead, and on school grounds while class are in session no less. It sets the tongues to wagging and speculation is rife, which doesn’t help matters for Inspector Robin Bright when he is called to the village to investigate.
Things get even more awkward as teacher Adam Matthews is not only a potential witness AND suspect, but turns out to be utterly delectable and very, very tempting to spend time with. Adam just wants this to be all over so they get on with selecting a new head, but he doesn’t want to let the Inspector drive his car off into the sunset either, which makes it even harder for the Inspector to say no. It’s a dilemma Miss Marple certainly never had to deal with, though the mystery itself is one she would have loved to sink her teeth into. It resolves rather nicely for all concerned, bar the victims along the way, with a lovely HEA at the end.
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