Barking!: A Grace Smith Investigation [Paperback]

Liz Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2002 | Series: A Grace Smith Investigation

Stuart Roberts is a mild-mannered, shy accountant suffering from nightmares in which he remembers committing a violent murder (possibly two) and wants to know if they really happened. Grace doesn't want to take the case on the grounds that murders tend to mean there's someone who is prepared to kill around and she'd rather pass - thanks very much. However, these are killings with a difference: they took place nearly thirty years before Stuart was born. During his dreams Stuart becomes 'Joe' and has vivid recollections of life as a hop farmer's son, a world Stuart swears he knows absolutely nothing about. Despite her scepticism Grace has never been able to resist the lure of an unlimited expense account, so she takes the job. And then discovers that her client isn't quite what he appears to be ...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Those with a taste for oddball working-class female PIs should go for Grace Smith, heroine of three earlier mysteries from British author Evans (Who Killed Marilyn Monroe?) and now making her slightly zany American debut. Grace loves her tacky Seatoun beachfront with its perpetual fried-food smell. One morning while in pursuit of her friend Arlene's perennially flatulent and spoiled-to-death bulldog, Waterloo, and wielding a large beef bone for bait, she accidentally bashes the head of Stuart Roberts, a stammering accountant. Learning of her occupation, Stuart confides his fear that he may have killed someone and asks her help. He offers tapes of hypnotherapy sessions describing events that occurred almost 30 years before he was born to support his suspicions. Then, facing eye surgery, Arlene leaves Waterloo in Grace's less-than-enthusiastic care. The animal soon becomes an unlikely hero and instant media darling by rescuing rock star Rick Alaimo's small daughter from drowning when Grace snoops about an estate once owned by Stuart's distant relatives and now occupied by the celebrity and his supremely dysfunctional family. Caught off guard when the mild-mannered numbers cruncher appears in their midst, she begins to have second thoughts about her client as she digs deeper into his tangled past. Evans's skill at placing people solidly on their own turf, be it manor house or beach cottage, keeps the quirkier aspects of the case on a firm footing. Mystery Guild Book Club selection. (Jan. 1)Forecast: "England's answer to Janet Evanovich" states the cover blurb from the TLS, but since Grace lacks the extended family that accounts for a lot of Stephanie Plum's appeal, Evanovich fans may not be so enchanted.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In her U.S. debut, Grace Smith, one of Britain's more unnerving private eyes, raises an eyebrow when asked to verify that her client did indeed murder a woman in a previous life. Armed with tapes of the client's regression therapy, Grace begins some painstaking work while at the same time minding an unruly dog for a friend. A sprightly old lady, a large manor house fallen upon hard times, the colorful owner of a local "tip," and scintillating support characters all handled with humor and aplomb recommend this to all collections. [A Mystery Guild Book Club selection.]

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Orion; First Trade edition (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752825410
• ISBN-13: 978-0752825410
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,018,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun mystery from Britain., January 30, 2002

By 

Mary Jane Weber (New Jersey,USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barking!: A Grace Smith Investigation (Paperback)

I loved the laughs from the situations and the British jargon.
Grace Smith is an ex-policewoman who is sassy and crass, but
has a bit of a conscience. The plot is interesting, although
the story does drag a little in the middle. Over all Liz Evans
does a great job. How can you not like a story that starts with
the main character accidentally knocking out her future client
with a cow bone while trying to catch a lost dog. He then hires
her to find out if he ever murdered someone in a past life.
When you need a break from the serious British writers try this
series. Its fun!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best in the Series, October 23, 2004

By 

A Reader from Delaware "silverspring7" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barking!: A Grace Smith Investigation (Paperback)

The Grace Smith mystery series is definitely one worth reading. I almost missed out on this author because I thought the first two books ("Who Killed Marilyn Monroe?" and "JFK is Missing")had silly titles. "Barking" is the 4th book in the series, and definitely the best by far.

The book is set in England and written in the first person. One of the best qualities is the humor. I wouldn't necessarily liken the character of Grace Smith to Stephanie Plum, since I found the humor in the only Stephanie Plum book I read to be too over-the-top.

Fans of British mysteries would probably also enjoy the Anna Lee series by Liza Cody (now out of print but available as second-hand or from the library) and the Kate Brannigan series by V.L. McDermid (available at Amazon).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stephanie Plum, look out! You have competition here!, October 4, 2002

By 

Judy Smith "judylynnsbooks" (jamestown, ky United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barking!: A Grace Smith Investigation (Paperback)

This series is hilarious. Stephanie Plum has her family to help keep the laughs coming. Grace Smith has only herself. She doesn't need anyone else. This series will keep you laughing. You'll love Grace, trust me.