Untimely Graves (Constable Crime) [Hardcover]

Marjorie Eccles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2001 | Series: Constable Crime

When the murdered body of a woman is found floating in flooded uplands near an isolated farm and nearby cottage, identification proves impossible and the press and police dub her the 'Mystery Woman'. No progress is made in the case until a second murder takes place - the bursar of a public school, currently involved in a controversy over a proposed entrance to the school, is found murdered at his desk. Temporarily unemployed ex-student, Celo Atkins, who will do anything to avoid taking the secretarial job her mothers arranged for her, also comes across evidence from a totally unexpected source, and ultimately finds herself involved in the investigation. Her help along with the investigation into the death of the bursar enables DS Gil mayo and his assistant, Abigail Moon, to uncover a trail that eventually leads to the true identity of the Mystery Woman and to the unexpected solution of the two seemingly unrelated murders.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Eccles' popular British policeman, Detective Superintendent Gil Mayo, continues to attract Anglophile mystery fans. His latest outing has him paired again with Inspector Abigail Moon and working to find out who killed an as-yet-unidentified woman found floating in a nearby river following a major flood. Not long after the woman's body is discovered, the bursar at the city university is found shot to death in his office. Are the two deaths connected? In a seemingly unrelated matter, young Cleo Atkins, who works for a local cleaning company, reports she has seen a gun hidden in a bureau drawer at the cottage of a local antiques dealer. Mayo and Moon find plenty of clues and an abundance of suspects, but they make frustratingly little progress in cracking the case until they link the found gun to the crimes. Good attention to detail, excellent character development, and a convoluted plot that's chock-full of surprises make this a solid choice for fans of the British procedural. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Ms Eccles is one of the stalwarts of British crime fiction' Susannah Yager, Sunday Telegraph * The Superintendent's Daughter 'The book will appeal to readers who appreciate an intiguing mystery, interesting subplots and rich characterisation, with keen insights into secondary characters' - Publishers Weekly * A Death of Distinction 'Eccles' lucid narrative and tension-building skills provide an intriguing outing for procedural fans' - Kirkus Reviews * An Accidental Shroud 'Another crime cracker from Eccles, who would get the police seal of approval for her attention to detail' - Northern Echo

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Constable (August 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841193704
• ISBN-13: 978-1841193700
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,724,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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