When Mattie Harris' body is found drowned in the river, everyone in Lydmouth knows something is wrong. Mattie wasn't a swimmer - it can't have been a simple accident. She was drunk on the last night of her life - could she have fallen in? Or was she pushed? Mattie was a waitress, of no importance at all, so when Lydmouth's most prominent citizens become very anxious to establish that her death was accidental, Jill Francis's suspicions become roused. In the meantime she is becoming ever closer to Inspector Richard Thornhill, and discovering that the living have as many secrets as the dead...
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'The people depicted here are real and believable and the drabness and genteel facade of Fifties England is skilfully brought to life. Taylor is, as always, adept at showing the reality beneath the surface, as the characters interact and the unsavoury truth behind the murder is gradually revealed' -- Sunday Telegraph 'How skilfully he recreates the atmosphere of the time through innuendo, attitude and detail rather than dogged description ...Taylor is the master of small lives writ large' -- Frances Fyfield, Express (on THE SUFFOCATING NIGHT 'Taylor is an excellent writer' -- The Times 'What makes these novels transcend the average mystery is the author's uncanny ability to create another era so comprehensively that the reader is walking along the same pavements and driving the same cars' -- Independent
About the Author
Andrew Taylor has worked as a boatbuilder, wages clerk, librarian, labourer and publisher's reader. He has written many crime novels as well as children's books and lives with his wife and their two children in the Forest of Dean, on the borders of England and Wales.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Reader, Very Good Story,
By Sires "I enjoy mysteries, historical and proc... (Chesapeake, OH, United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Where Roses Fade (Audio CD)
Set in a small British village shortly after the end of World War II (electricity and in door plumbing are optional in a couple of the residences visited during the course of the story) this is an engrossing mystery.
The body of a young woman who was probably no better than she should be, is found floating among the willows. At first it is thought to be a rather straight forward drowning. Then the medical examiner points out that her underwear and stockings suggest that either she dressed herself in a hurry in the dark or that someone else dressed her. Suddenly, Mattie Harris' death puts into motion a great many actions by the men of the village, most of whom seem to have something to hide. This may not appeal to fans of traditional detective fiction, but don't let the fact that it is not in the ordinary vein stop you from enjoying a leisurely stroll through a vanished time including a good dash of suspense. Taylor has a great sense of detail and very good descriptive powers. His characters are complex and fallible and almost-- forgive me-- Dickensian in their depiction. His narrative appeals to all of the senses, whether he is describing a plunge off a bridge or a leisurely bath. I listened to the unabridged audio book in this case and cannot praise highly enough the vocal skills of the reader, Sheila Mitchell. At times I almost forgot that it was not a full cast production. The only difficulty I had was with the scene shifts. They were not always plainly marked so they caused a bit of confusion at times. Otherwise I am sorry that it ended and plan to lay hands on the other books in the series whether printed or audio.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Page Turner,
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This review is from: Where Roses Fade (Lydmouth Crime Series) (Paperback)
Love Andrew Taylor. Purchased this for a good, quick summer read at the beach. I finished way too quickly!
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