‘Murder in the Parish’ by Faith Martin

Published by Joffe Books,
14 March 2023.
ISBN: 978-1-80405802-2 (PB)

Ex-DI Hilary Greene is now back at Thames Valley Police HQ in the heart of Kidlington in Oxfordshire, working as a consultant, heading up the CRT (Crime Review Team) clearing up cold cases. Her boss is Superintendent Sale aka Rollo to Hillary.  Consigned to the basement area, her office is a former stationery cupboard, and she has two assistants  Claire Woolley, who worked for 25 years in the domestic violence and rape unit, and a new recruit, former soldier, Garath Proctor.

On this morning Puff the Tragic Wagon, her ancient Volkswagen Golf known to splutter and make alarming noises started Ok. In fact, the only noise in the car was down to Hilary coughing. Arriving at the station Rollo presents her with a new case. One that took place 30 years ago just two days before Christmas in the village of Lower Barton. The victim the much-loved Reverend Keith Coltrane was hit over the head and left to die inside his own church. The killer was never caught.

The original SIO was DI Ben Keating, now long retired.  With all cold cases the place to start was to re interview the people involved at the time.  Sometimes with the passage of time things surface that were not uncovered at the time. The only problem with this approach with this case is that many of the people around at the time will have died.

So, Hilary starts with Ben Keating, now in his 80’s but still sharp.  When told of the case, his comment was ‘odd’. He elaborated further that with some cases you never seem to get hold of the meat and gravy of it. He did have a couple of suspects, Anthea Greyling, and the vicar’s sister Moira, but no evidence against them came to light. So, who would want to harm a young man, who was handsome, charismatic, and well liked?

As the investigation proceeds, and news gets out that the thirty-year-old case is being re-investigated, several people are alarmed. What do they have to hide?  What old secrets will Hilary unearth?

And what is Hilary hiding?

I am always delighted to have a new Hillary Greene mystery, and as always, I read it in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down.   Most highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

Faith Martin is a pen name of English author Jacquie Walton who was born in Oxford. She is best known for writing a series of books set around Oxfordshire, with the starring character being DI Hillary Greene. She also has a series set in Oxford in 1960 featuring PC Trudy Loveday, who is assigned to help coroner Clement Ryder.  Writing as Joyce Cato she has published 7 books featuring Jenny starling, a travelling cook and amateur detective. And four books featuring Monica Noble, a vicar's wife with a taste for solving crimes.