Wednesday 21 June 2017

Winter Downs by Jan Edwards

Reviewer: Barbara Scott Emmett (http://barbarascottemmett.blogspot.co.uk/) author of Delirium: The Rimbaud Delusion, The Man with the Horn, The Land Beyond Goodbye, and Don’t Look Down.

What We Thought: Rose Courtney, nicknamed Bunch, is in charge of the Courtney estate while her parents are away. It is 1940 and the Ministry of Defence has commandeered Perringham House so Rose has to move into the Dower House with her grandmother. Her recently widowed sister Dodo is staying with her in-laws but is not happy there and would prefer to be with Rose.

When Rose comes across the body of her friend and former lover, Jonathan Frampton, in an attitude suggesting suicide, she does not believe he has taken his own life. To do so would be against all he believed. The Coroner and the police think otherwise, however.

Rose is determined to prove Jonathan was murdered and when further bodies turn up it seems she has been vindicated. Chief Inspector Wright now agrees with her, though his investigations are hampered by the army activity at Perringham House. Meanwhile, sheep are being rustled and there is a suspicion of black market activity in the community.

Set against a wartime background, which is well-conveyed, this novel is written in the style of early 20th century writers such as Josephine Tey, Dorothy L. Sayers et al. Though a little slow at the start, the characterisation is especially good and the descriptions are vivid and apt.

Rose (Bunch) is a strong and determined character and there is a suggestion of a relationship brewing with the policeman. There are shocks and discoveries for everyone and though occasionally a little loose, the plot moves forward once the book gets going.

The text is marred by a number of typographical errors, missing or extraneous words and the occasional grammatical error. I read an Advance Readers' Copy, however, and presumably these things will have been dealt with before publication.

You’ll enjoy this if you like: Cosyish Crime, early 20th century crime novels.

Avoid if you dislike: Books written in the style of a former age.

Ideal accompaniments: Black market coffee.

Genre: Crime Fiction

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