‘All The Lonely People’ by Geraldine Evans

Published by Severn House.
1 June 2009.
ISBN: 9780 7278 6791 9 (HB)

This is the eighth novel in the DI Joseph Rafferty series and, as always by this author, it is a complex, clever and well-plotted yarn. In this story, DI Rafferty and DS Llewellyn investigate the fatal stabbing of a man in the car park of a local pub in which the victim's soon-to-be-married son is enjoying a stag night party. It is clear from the start that father and son were not on good terms, so the son is initially the first suspect. Although there is no shortage of witnesses, memories are poor, due to an excess of alcohol on the night in question

The two detectives, who are hard-pushed to find sufficient clues and reliable witnesses, are soon caught up in a complex case involving the victim's private and business life. The plot thickens as family rivalry and jealousy begin to emerge and the victim turns out to be a randy, unfaithful husband whom few people liked or trusted.

Whilst DI Rafferty is being hounded by his senior officer, Superintendent Bradley, for a swift result, matters are further complicated by a second crime - the brutal murder of the dead man's long-time mistress.

DS Llewellyn is sympathetic to Rafferty's personal problem involving the rift between him and his ex-fiancée and helps where he can, he is unaware of his boss's other anxiety that officers, investigating a case of stolen property, might discover that Rafferty's happy-go lucky mother could be named as a receiver of stolen goods. The plot thickens; there are many ingenious twists and turns in this book, but the solution is never apparent until the last page. The ending is as satisfactory as it is uplifting; the case is cleverly solved and DI Rafferty’s private life is problem-free once again. A very good read and highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Edna.Jones  

Geraldine Evans is a British writer of police procedurals that contain a lot of humour and family drama. Her15-strong Rafferty & Llewellyn series features DI Joe Rafferty, a London-Irish, working-class, lapsed Catholic, who comes from a family who think - if he must be a policeman - he might at least have the decency to be a bent one. Her 2-strong Casey & Catt series features DCI 'Will' Casey, a serious-minded, responsible policeman, whose 'the Sixties never died', irresponsible, drug-taking, hippie parents, pose particular problems of the embarrassing kind.

http://geraldineevansbooks.com/

Edna Jones has been writing novels, articles, book reviews and short stories for some years. Using the pseudonym Clare Dawson for crime novels and short stories, a few other pseudonyms had been used for romantic fiction etc. Born in the West Midlands she has had a variety of jobs, is now retired and lives in Cambridgeshire. She has had two crime novels published (one as an e-book) and several short stories in various anthologies and magazines here and abroad. Single. As well as reading, enjoys outdoor life, travel, and crosswords.