‘All Things Nice’ by Sheila Bugler

Published by Brandon,

4 April 2016.

ISBN978-1-84717-753-3

Charlotte Gleeson is not living the life she had hoped for:  locked in an unhappy marriage with Nick, their main point of agreement seems to be a mutual dislike of their daughter Freya’s boyfriend, Kieran.  Nick doesn’t make it to Charlotte’s birthday party and, as often happens now, she drinks a lot, so much that she can’t remember exactly what happened during the evening.  This presents a problem when she learns that Kieran has been found murdered, and she can’t recall much that she did.  She wants to help and support her daughter through this nightmare, but Freya is not interested.  

Nick is having an affair with Cosima, the daughter of his business partner, Pete Cooper, an unwise relationship for Nick as Pete is obsessed with Cosima.  Pete is a dangerous man to be involved with – his dubious business operations have attracted the interest of the police. 

Kieran’s murder is DI Ellen Kelly’s first major case for some time and, as she picks her way through the abundance of deceit, lies, and suspects, she has to deal with a DCI who wants quick results and an assistant whose ambitions lead her into danger.   

There are few likeable characters in this book, but they are well-drawn and the plot holds the reader’s interest through the 500+ pages of the novel.

------

Reviewer:  Jo Hesslewood

Other books by the author:  Hunting Shadows, The Waiting Game

Sheila Bugler grew up in a small town in the west of Ireland. After studying Psychology at University College Galway, she left Ireland and worked in Italy, Spain, Germany, Holland and Argentina before finally settling in Easbourne, where she now lives with her husband, Sean, and their two children. When not writing fiction, Shiela provides a range of  writing services to aspiring authors.

http://sheilabugler.co.uk/

Jo Hesslewood.  Crime fiction has been my favourite reading material since as a teenager I first spotted Agatha Christie on the library bookshelves.  For twenty-five years the commute to and from London provided plenty of reading time.  I am fortunate to live in Cambridge, where my local crime fiction book club, Crimecrackers, meets at Heffers Bookshop .  I enjoy attending crime fiction events and currently organise events for the Margery Allingham Society.