Customer Reviews

Death in the Setting Sun: A John Rawlings Mystery

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Deryn Lake is a pseudonym of a well know historical novelist. Among the books she has written are the popular John Rawlings Mysteries, Death in the Peerless Pool, Death at the Apothecaries' hall, Death at the Devil's Tavern and others. As all of the titles are preceded by the word death, (unusual to say the least), this is a pretty good indication regarding the contents of the books and very good Georgian historical murder mysteries they are. `Deryn Lake' live near Hastings, in East Sussex

The character of John Rawlings has grown into an old and trusted friend and the author's clear and concise writing style makes the pages fly by. The books are good, well researched historical murder mysteries. They are easy reading and a welcome change from the crash, bang wallop of many of the books being published today. Good escapism for the reader, away from the bumps and grinds of everyday life

In this book John Rawling's loses his wife to a brutal killing, while they are both at a country house, where a play is taking place in which John's wife is taking part. Immediately following the play John goes out into the grounds to meet his wife, only to find her lying beneath a tree with a fatal stab wound. While he is cradling her in his arms other people arrive on he scene and immediately jump to the conclusion that John is the killer.

Rawling's is forcibly removed and locked in the cellar of the house but makes good his escape with the help of a young woman. After fleeing from the house and going to a place of safety for a few days john Rawlings dons a disguise and with the help of a lady friend returns to the scene vowing to find the perpetrator of the murder that his has left him a widower and his little girl asking for her mother . . .

I've read and enjoyed all of Ms Lake's series about John Rawlings but, to me, this was the weakest. I knew someone very close to Rawlings would be killed in this book so I had been anxious to read it. However, I figured out the entire plot, including the murderer and the motive, before I had completed the first 20 pages. That never happened when I read any of her other books. It reads a little too much like a romance novel as well. So, although I didn't dislike this installment, I have to admit is was my least favorite.