crime – Echoes In An Empty Room

Alice Beeton never meant to wind up single and childless on the wrong side of fifty. Like her distant relative Mrs Beeton – yes, that Mrs Beeton – she had hoped to have her own spic-and-span household by now. In reality, she lives in an immaculate but dingy basement flat in a rather shabby block in Kensington with Agatha, her fiercely intelligent, if rather over-territorial, corgi-Jack Russell cross.

Now Alice runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing discreet domestic staff to extravagant townhouses and sprawling country piles. So when Camille Messent calls in urgent need of a new housekeeper, Miss Beeton sends out new hire Enya. She’s rather forward but she does come with impeccable references and is fluent en français.

But in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Alice is rudely awakened with the news that Enya has been found dead. As the intriguing, if somewhat scruffy, Detective Rigby struggles to drum up an adequate investigation and the wealthy family and their party guests close rank, Miss Beeton takes it upon herself to solve the crime…

My Thoughts:

I loved the cover of this book, to me it looks like a cosy murder mystery and I could not wait to snuggle up and start reading. The story is about Alice Beeton, she runs an agency where her staff go into rich people’s houses and clean for them. But when Alice employs a new member of staff Enya. Little does Alice know she will be getting a phone call to say Enya has ended up dead after Alice had sent her off to clean a house. Alice is determined to set out and find out what happened to Enya. With Alice’s side kick by her side Agatha who is her dog can the pair solve the crime? This is what I call a cosy murder mystery at it’s best, I loved all the characters and the story made me feel all warm inside. I really hope Alice’s story continues into another book as it would be most delightful to catch up with her again.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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Summer 1930 and Walter Bruce is told he has a terminal disease. With nursing care and an easier job he could have five more years. With neither he may not see out the year. But he’s got a wife to keep – one too selfish and idle to be his nurse. When he finds out she’s been deceiving him about her past for years he comes to a stark decision; if she won’t take care of him he’ll have to take care of her – for good. He plans her removal like one of the chess problems he loves. It will be the perfect murder; he’ll get away with it and enjoy his last few years in comfort. But his carefully laid plans unravel, entangling him in a slowly closing trap where truth and lies become confused… Set in between-the-wars Liverpool, ‘Stalemate’ is a gripping tale of moral choices and terrible punishment.

My Thoughts:

This book was an enjoyable read about a fictionalised tale of a real-life crime. Alan has done well to put his imagination as well as the true facts together and it works well. It is set in the 1930’s in Liverpool and it follows Bruce who is a door to door salesman who is trying to stage a perfect murder for his wife. This is a book that is mysterious and intriguing. Alan Hamilton is one to look out for in the future.