7 September 2023.
ISBN: 978-1-03540566-4 (PB)
The 25th book in this highly acclaimed series finds Libby Sarjeant reluctantly collecting former stage director Constant Matthews to attend a performance of Much Ado About Nothing. The play which is being performed as closely as possible to how Shakespeare’s company performed it, is being hosted by Libby at the Oast Theatre in the village of Steeple Martin in Kent, which along with the Manor House is owned by her partner Ben. Constance is her usual snappish self and Libby is relieved when she deposits her at the local pub, the Coach and Horses, having disabused her of the idea that she could stay with Libby.
The evening was a total success, as the audience gave rapturous applause. All except for Constance, who clearly didn’t like it, announcing that she wanted to make a complaint. Peter Parker, journalist and part owner of the Pink Geranium restaurant, said. ‘At least she didn’t manage to upset the cast’.
However, the following day they read that Constance has been slating the performance all over twitter. Taking a pragmatic view, Libby recalled Peter saying ‘No publicity is bad publicity.’
As the weather began to turn colder Libby’s thoughts turned to her newest preoccupation - that of the increasing plight of the homeless, not only in big cities but also in small places like their own. She became aware of the rise in holiday rental properties in her area, when she read of a family who had been told to leave their rented house because it was to be made into a holiday let. Her enquires led her to Lady Prudence Howe who was currently converting all her outbuildings into properties suitable for renting out.
Libby has just decided to go and have lunch at the Pink Geranium when she gets a panic call from Prue that a body has been found on her land and the police are coming to questions her. Can Libby come and help? Believe me, I would probably only make things worse, she replies, but nevertheless, she heads for her car only to be interrupted by a call from DS Rachel Trent asking ‘Can you confirm you know a Constance Matthews?’
Then Libby learns that Constance was trying to buy all the Howe Estate properties to turn them into holiday lets. As Lady Howe is the leading light in the local homeless charity she was totally opposed to the idea. Gradually it comes to light that Constance had been badgering and threatening several people in her thirst to buy up large properties, evict the tenants and convert them into holiday lets. The more Libby digs the more secrets are exposed. So, is it a dispossessed tenant, and there are a lot of them, or a defamed actor who did the murder? She is, of course as in the earlier books caught up in the police investigation. DCI Ian Connell is now desk bound and the SIO, is Acting Inspector Rachel Trent, a friend of Libby’s who finds herself rather out of her depth, in her new role.
Rich in interesting characters that leap off the page, I loved this clever and ingeniously plotted book that has a delicious twist at the end that I certainly didn’t see coming. Highly Recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
Lesley Cookman started writing almost as soon as she
could read. She’s had a varied career as a model, air stewardess, occasional
actor and disc jockey. She has also written short fiction and features for a variety
of magazines and achieved an MA in Creative Writing from the University of
Wales. She taught writing for both Kent Adult Education and the WEA and edited
the first Sexy Shorts collection of short stories from Accent Press in aid of
the Breast Cancer Campaign. She is the
author of the Libby Sarjeant series
published by Headline, of which there are now 24 books and a compilation, and The
Alexandrians mysteries, set in the
Edwardian period with a theatrical
background.
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