Stella Darnell runs a cleaning company; her friend, Jack, is a late night train driver who witnesses a man jump under his train. Together they work as detectives and are approached to investigate the suicide of a man’s brother. The same suicide victim from Jack’s train.

This is my first exposure to the work of Lesley Thomson and I quite enjoyed this story. It cracks along at a nifty pace, throwing surprises up along the way, and builds to a pulsating finale. The characters of Stella and Jack are unique, their mannerisms, foibles and fears are well expressed , making them an interesting and likeable pair. The supporting cast help to build a satisfying plot full of twists and turns that keep you eager to discover more.

Interweaved into their investigation of the suicide is a decades old mystery of an unidentified body found in a local water tower. A tower into which Jack has recently moved.

I liked this tale but, at times, found myself somewhat puzzled about the characters, their motives and relationships to each other; especially Jack’s references to “True Hosts’ and Stella’s family. As this is the third book in the series, I found myself wishing I’d read the earlier stories to help make sense of things.

This is a story that, despite my confusion, I found rewarding. The two mysteries, past and present, combine cleverly with a suitably chilling cast of suspects revealing themselves. I’m not sure I’d bother reading the first two books but I am certainly interested in seeing how the series develops.

The-Mustachioed-Reader

My Rating: 3.0* out of 5.0*

ANTICIPATED PUBLICATION DATE: April 2015

Published by Head of Zeus

Lesley Thomson website.

For more reviews of great books, wander over to LoveReading and follow them on Twitter