Lies that Bind
Lies that Bind
A Cotswold murder mystery
By Stella Cameron
Severn House
General Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
Pub date 01 June 2017
Review
You can count on Stella Cameron for a British village mystery that isn’t formulaic. Her mysteries are well composed and immensely satisfying. They are cozies, but they are not designed for humor. If you like Midsommer Murders or Rosemary & Thyme, you will definitely enjoy Cameron’s novels. The residents of Folly-on-Weir feel real, as opposed to being stereotypes. Also, her novels are never straightforward murder mysteries. There are murders of course, but they are simply part of the larger scenario.
Lies that Bind begins with the discovery of a woman’s body in a neighboring village. Alex is drawn into the fray because the young man who discovered the body is the brother of one of her employees. The boys have been staying alone while their father, a lorry driver, is off working. The boys are afraid for the police to discover that they have been living unsupervised. Scoot doesn’t want his younger brother to be taken into care. Alex, Tony and the rest of the villagers are determined to help, but it leads to Alex keeping important information from the police. Alex and Tony begin their own investigation.
The one aspect of the novel that is at times frustrating is that Alex continues to be profoundly stubborn. Compromise is not a word that has a place in her life. Her relationship with Tony continues to be rocky because of her being unwilling to make a commitment and her reluctance to communicate. It isn’t so much that she is stubborn that bothers me. It’s more that she doesn’t develop as an individual despite all that has happened in the previous novels.
Despite this personal quibble of mine, I really enjoyed Lies That Bind and recommend it to anyone who enjoys British village mysteries,
4 / 5
I received a copy of Lies That Bind from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Description
When a young boy finds a body in a neighbouring village, once again Alex Duggins is drawn into a case of cold-blooded murder.
When a body is discovered in the neighbouring village of Underhill, Alex Duggins, owner of Folly-on-Weir’s premier pub, The Black Dog, is determined not to get involved – for once. But when she learns that the person who found the body was young Kyle Gammage, who helps out at her friend Tony’s veterinary clinic, she and Tony are reluctantly drawn into the murder investigation.
In her desire to protect Kyle and his elder brother Scoot, Alex finds herself withholding vital information from the police. It’s a misjudgement that will have far-reaching – and possibly fatal – consequences. Her relationship with Tony under strain, has Alex’s silence put her and those she loves in danger?
