The Bath Street public library in Cowden is an impressive, modern facility that was only recently opened. Now, the borough council wants to close it as part of a "rationalization" package. So, one autumn night, militant library-lovers enter the building and begin unfurling their banners and bedrolls. The branch librarian locks the doors behind them . . . and the occupation of Bath Street library is underway. The mood is buoyant, full of hope and solidarity - at least, until a garrotted corpse is found sitting in the librarian's office. DI Don Packham recognizes the deceased straight away: Bert Rosen was a much-loved local character. The Cockney son of Jewish refugees, Bert was a veteran of World War II and had spent his long life fighting in the workingman's corner. Plenty opposed his politics, but it's hard to find anyone to say a bad word for the man himself. So who, amongst the anti-cuts campaigners gathered in the library that night, might have killed him? Don, outraged at plans to close the library, reckons they should forget about the murder, and just arrest the council on a charge of cultural vandalism. DC Frank Mitchell, meanwhile, despite everyone telling him that community pressure groups are an essential part of a healthy democracy, is increasingly convinced that the lunatics have taken over the asylum. And the whole investigation is complicated by the astonishing object found in the dead man's pocket . . .
Mat Coward is a Dagger and Edgar-nominated short story writer. He lives in Somerset, in the UK.
