‘Loose Ends’ by Susan Moody

Published by Severn House,
June 2012. 
ISBN: 978-0-7278-8227-1

Since Kate’s father, stepmother and eight-year-old sister were killed in a mysterious car accident in South America, when Kate was nineteen, Kate has been drifting. Although she was a passenger in the car, she has no recollection of what actually happened.

This is the story of a number of people who appear initially to be unconnected.  There is Kate unsettled and in need of a ‘proper job, who is currently a waitress following her divorce living with her brother Magnus. There is retired Dora Harding who on her early morning dog walking routine encounters something surprising. There’s Janine, formerly ’plain Jane’ who has been determined to ’make something of herself’; And Jefferson,  who wanted to be a detective, but ended up with a high-powered job at a merchant bank in London.

The unwanted attentions of a customer in the bar where Kate works spark off a chain of events that bring these unconnected characters together and eventually lead back to the accident in Ecuador ten years previously.

Cleverly plotted and with marvellous characterisation, Susan Moody is a gifted story-teller, as she draws the reader into the lives of each of the characters.  And then skilfully pulls the threads together, but slowly, so that as the truth began to emerge, I was turning the pages faster, eager to learn what happened on that fateful day.

Compelling reading.

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Reviewer: Lizzie Hayes

Susan Moody was born in Oxford is the principal nom de plume  of Susan Elizabeth Donaldson, née Horwood, a British novelist best known for her suspense novels. She is a former Chairman of the Crime Writer's Association, served as World President of the International Association of Crime Writers, and was elected to the prestigious Detection Club. Susan Moody has given numerous courses on writing crime fiction and continues to teach creative writing in England, France, Australia, the USA and Denmark.  In addition to her many stand alone books, Susan has written two series, on featuring PI Penny Wanawake (seven books) and a series of six books featuring bridge player Cassie Swan.