Title: A Death in the Night
Author: Guy Fraser-Sampson
Series: Hampstead Murders #4
Publisher: Urbane Publications
[Synopsis]
Book 4 in the thrilling Hampstead Murders series!
When a woman identified as the wife of a prominent lawyer dies at an exclusive women’s club, the team from Hampstead police station find themselves thrown into a baffling investigation with very little evidence to offer any guidance.
By coincidence, Metcalfe, Collins and Willis were all attending a vintage dinner dance at the club at the estimated time of death. Can they remember anything between them which might indicate a solution?
[My Review]
A Death in the Night is the fourth Hampstead Murders novel, and the second I’ve read (I really enjoyed Miss Christie Regrets, the second in the series – here’s my review).
Like Miss Christie Regrets, the book focuses on the detectives in Hampsead and is very much a ‘whodunnit’ style of book – often my favourite – with a twist. The plot is set in the modern-day but much of the dialogue is remniscent of the golden-era of detective novels, and I love this blend of old with new.
The murder in A Death in the Night takes place in a women’s club, with guests staying overnight after a party, and various elements mean that figuring out ‘who did it’ is not so easy, as there’s been one very crucial mix up…
The characters are delightful and the story is so enjoyable to read; you can feel yourself become completely enveloped in the mystery . It’s devoid of any gore or ‘unpleasantness’, so if you like your crime gritty then perhaps this isn’t what you’re looking for – but I am one of those people and I love this series regardless. The story felt refreshinf and fun, and having now lived quite near Hampstead previously meant I enjoyed the setting (of the investigation, as the women’s club is actually in another part of London) even more.
A Death in the Night is charming and full of great characters such as Bob Metcalfe and Karen Willis, who make a welcome return along with the rest of the team. It manages to be pure escapism even when it revolves around a murder, and I would highly recommend this series.
[Rating: 4/5]
Many thanks to Guy for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.