"They're back again -- that terrific twosome from Death in the Morning -- Chief Inspector Quantrill, the old-fashioned country police officer, and Martin Tait, the clever, ambitious sergeant with a eye for the ladies.

"When Quantrill's daughter, Alison, returns to her quiet village house after an unhappy love affair in London, she finds a job as secretay to Jasmine Woods, a best-selling author of romantic novels. But one morning Alison finds Jasmine brutally raped and murdered, her valuable collection of jade and netsuke stolen. Quantrill and Tait, who'd warned Jasmine about her collection after an aborted break-in -- and had been attfacted to her -- soon find there is no shortage of suspects. Thee is Rodney Gifford, her cousin, an avant-garde playwright who's had nothing produced in over ten years; her brother-in-law Paul Pardoe, who, with five kids and one of the way, could use the money his wife will inherit; Jonathan Elliott, an intellectual novelist and TV critic, and his wife, Roz, a dedicated feminist; and Gilbert Smith, Jasmine's friend and live-in gardener, a poet and pot smoker who disasspears after the murder, leaving behind some bloodstained clothing. Some people disliked Jasmine's books -- even Quantrill resented the fact that his wife was more roused by Jasmine's fictional heroes than by him -- some envied her money, several had motives, and all of them had the opportunity to ki8ll her.

"Unraveling the strands of the mystery, Quantrill and Tait, who's becoming increasingly interested in Alison, are caught in a tense situation involving their personal and professional obligations. Then Alison, still in shock over Jasmine's death, runs away before giving evidence to Quantrill.

"In a dramatic climax, Alison provides the surprising solution to the murder -- along with a surprising revelation about herself.

"Once again, Sheila Radley has written a totally absorbing story of mystery, love, and death in a small town."
~~front & back covers

I think I'd read this book before, although I didn't remember the plot or characters; I did however remember the author's name and that I had thoroughly enjoyed her books. And I did again,. enough that I'm getting the rest of the series from the library to read them again. ( )

This is an excellent series, this one now from Felony and Mayhem. ( )

i got very tired of the actual chief inspector's daughter and i have no idea why she had to run away but the story was pretty good. ( )