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DEATH OF AN ORDINARY GUY: A DERBYSHIRE CID MYSTERY
JO A. HIESTAND
ISBN# 0-373-26568-9
June 2006
Worldwide Mystery
225 Duncan Mill Rd. Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3K9
Paperback
$5.99 U.S./ #6.99 Can.
268 Pages
Mystery
Rating: 3 Cups
Steven Pedersen travels to Upper Kingsleigh in England to visit his college friends, Kris and Derek Halford. During his visit, the village celebrates The Catchpool Dole, Mischief Night, and The Guy Hawkes Festival, a three day affair culminating in a bonfire in which an effigy of the infamous Guy Hawkes is burned. This year will be different when it is discovered that the straw dummy is in fact Mr. Pedersen with a knife stuck in his chest.
Detective Chief Inspector Geoffrey Graham and Detective Sergeant Brenna Taylor are sent to the quaint village to investigate the murder. The questioning started with Arthur Catchpool, Lord-of-the-Manor and benefactor of the village. The events caused a yearly row between Talbot Tanner, who felt entitled to a share of the fortune, Arthur Catchpool, and of course, Derek Halford, who received a yearly stipend because of an accident his father had. Were any of these three men responsible for Steve Pedersen’s murder?
Then there is Pedersen's brother-in-law, Tom Oldendorf, to consider. Tom blames Steven for the death of his sister. And then there is the curious observation that Derek Halford and Steve Pedersen look like brothers instead of just good friends, and that brings up the possibility that Steve Pedersen could have been mistaken for Derek Halford. Could the murderer have killed the wrong man?
Ms. Jo A. Hiestand has written a complex mystery with several possible suspects with equally valid motivations. The imagery takes you to the English moors with its low lying mists. The characters, all with their individual personalities, create a community and backdrop for murder, with all of them having an opinion. This is a great mystery to get wrapped up in, and will keep any reader guessing until the end.
Kathy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books