A sixteen year old girl sent as a boarder to a co-educational private school is found dead in her locked bedroom. She was a quiet and shy girl, very reserved and moody but also an accomplished swimmer and keen horse rider. However the inquest reveals drug problems, alcohol abuse, prostitution and possibly worse. Every indication is that she has taken her life, but the forensic pathologist is convinced she has been suffocated. Detective Inspector Mark Sinclair and Detective Constable Fiona Campbell are frustrated by senior officers and a lack of evidence but are determined to get to the truth of the matter aided by the irascible but kindly Dr Rawlings, the forensic pathologist.

An unusual book, very much rooted in the twenty-first century with sexual indiscretions, drugs, hints of sado-masochism, prostitution and homosexuality. However the characters and dialogue seem to belong to the 1950s/1960s. The author is not that well known (to me at least) but has written 25 crime books. He was born in 1929 and his real name is the very impressive Peter Claudius Gautier-Smith and currently lives in Somerset.

It was a straightforward well written easy read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes an uncomplicated detective novel complete with a good looking clean cut detective and a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed the book.

Geoff Jones, England
January 2008