It’s 1931. Young
Drew Fartherington and his friend Nick Dennison arrive at Drew’s home in
Fartherington St. John to find his mother and stepfather throwing a house party
that’s in full swing. He’s incensed to find his own room occupied, and
occupied, no less, by David Lincoln, the man rumored to have had an affair with
his mother. The only bright spot is the arrival of his stepfather’s American
niece, Madeline Parker, whom Drew finds himself immediately drawn to.
Before the
weekend is out, David Lincoln is found murdered in the greenhouse, and Drew’s
mother has apparently committed suicide. But something seems wrong about both
deaths, and Drew begins his own investigation, with the help of Nick and
Madeline.
And what Drew
finds in Rules
of Murder by Julianna Deering are secrets buried in the distant past, a
different view of his dead father and mother, his understanding of his own life
turned upside down, the financial standing of the family firm threatened – and more
than a touch of romance.
Published in
2013, Rules of Murder is the first of
four Drew Fartherington detective novels written by Deering (two more are
scheduled for publication). Her detective in an engaging and intelligent young
man, the sole offspring of a wealthy family that owns a chemical research and
manufacturing company. The family is relatively new landed gentry. Drew’s
grandfather helped to found the firm, convinced the local town to change its
name, and built a family home specifically constructed with old building
materials and in different styles to architecture purposefully to appear old
and established.
 |
| Julianna Deering |
The author has
done her research well. The story has the air of authenticity and the feel of
the Golden Age of the murder mystery – the 1920s and 1930s. The police inspector
is not so much bumbling as off investigating other leads, so that Drew and his
friends occupy center stage in the story.
As the bodies
pile up (and they do seem to pile up), Drew gets closer and closer to the
truth, despite a plethora of red herrings tossed in his (and our) way. But the
story finishes well, and Deering has provided an entertaining, highly readable
whodunit.
No comments:
Post a Comment