A crime writers' workshop in a country house hotel, attended by larger than life characters, some with vaguely familiar names, is the setting for a gruesome murder in a locked room. Not an original idea, yet the author cleverly plays with this classic device, one of the joys of the book.
Verity Long is the researcher for one of the writers and sets out to resolve the mystery; she teases the reader by almost revealing the means by which the deed was done on a number of occasions before the final denouement.
A good blend of likeable and objectionable characters, and atmospheric setting, fine wine and good humour make this a worthwhile and entertaining read. The novel is the third of a series although it can be quite easily read as a stand alone novel, indeed I seem to have skipped the second, an error I shall be rectifying very soon.
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