‘Driven to Murder’ by Debbie Young

Published by Boldwood Books,
26 January 2024.
ISBN: 978-1-80483-146-5 (PB)

Sophie Sayers and her boyfriend, Hector Munro, have just returned to the village of Wendlebury Barrow after a holiday in Scotland visiting Sophie’s parents. Although they have only been away for a week quite a lot has happened in the village.

Sophie is delighted to hear that her friend, Carol, the local shopkeeper, has just got engaged and is sporting an enormous diamond ring, but like the rest of the village she is angry and dismayed to discover that the local bus service, the aptly named Highwayman bus company has decided to axe the local bus service. They say that the service is no longer viable, especially as it has been plagued by a number of mishaps or practical jokes, like the young man who released two pigeons on a bus. To make matters worse the regular bus driver on the route has been sacked after an altercation with his inspector after the driver tried to enforce the company’s no eating policy with a very awkward regular customer who lives in Wendlebury Barrow. A lot of the villagers are very upset about this, especially the older people and the children who are unable to drive or cannot afford a car. Sophie is concerned about the villagers whose lives will be so badly disrupted but she is also worried about the effect upon herself because the loss of the buses means that Hector is pushing forward the schedule for Sophie to learn to drive. Although Sophie has got her provisional license and has passed her theory test she has a deep-rooted dislike of the idea of driving herself, which stems from her relationship with a manipulative former boyfriend, and she has enjoyed being chauffeured in Hector’s Land Rover. She has to accept the validity of Hector’s arguments that learning to drive would be useful for her to take a more proactive part in promoting the bookshop in which he has just made her a partner and also for collecting stock for their latest venture, a large second-hand book department. This does not mean that she is happy when Hector pushes her into having her first lesson with him that very evening. The lesson is for from successful but when Sophie secretly makes an appointment with the only driving instructor in the village it goes even worse than her lesson with Hector, which makes it clear she needs a new strategy if she is ever to learn to drive.

Sophie joins in with the campaign to persuade the Highwayman bus company to change its mind, which involves using the bus as frequently as possible before it disappears. Some people are making multiple journeys and holding up banners, while one innovative young man intended to superglue himself to the seat although this demonstration misfires. They are all shocked when a sudden suspicious death occurs and Sophie has to turn her attention to investigating the crime, despite the fact that her probing could put her own life in danger.

Driven to Murder is the ninth book featuring Sophie Sayers. It is a delightful cosy crime novel with many likeable returning characters and an engaging central protagonist who develops in confidence and independence with every book. The transport issue at the centre of the plot highlights one of the major challenges for rural communities. This is a very enjoyable easy read, which I recommend.
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Reviewer: Carol Westron

Debbie Young was born and raised in Sidcup, Kent. When she was 14, her family relocated to Germany for her father’s job. Debbie spent four years at Frankfurt International School, broadening her outlook as well as gaining the then brand new IB (International Baccalaureate). She returned to the UK to earn her BA (Hons) in English and Related Literature at the University of York, then lived and worked for a while in London and the West of England as a journalist and PR consultant.  In 1991 she moved to the Cotswolds. In 2002, she married a Scot named Gordon whom she met in Swindon – and not, as village rumour once had it, a Swede named Scottie.  In 2003, her daughter Laura was born.  Best Murder in Show was the first in her series featuring Sophie Sayers. There are now eight books in this series.

https://authordebbieyoung.com

Carol Westron is a successful author and a Creative Writing teacher.  Her crime novels are set both in contemporary and Victorian times.  Her first book The Terminal Velocity of Cats was published in 2013. Since then, she has since written 8 further mysteries. Carol recently gave an interview to Mystery People. interview

www.carolwestron.com
To read a review of Carol latest book click on the title
Death and the Dancing Snowman