Not just a classic cosy murder mystery but a beautifully written exploration of the relational dynamics in a small secluded group. With this, the third of the Stanley Messina whodunnits, Jon Neal has ripened into a fine writer.
The setting is a stately home on an estate in the Sussex countryside. The owner is a former Hollywood actor. The staff include his personal assistant, the housekeeper, and a gardener. The gatehouse is rented to a tenant, the housekeeper's husband helps with clearing trees. And there was another employee who mysteriously fell to his death from a tower abutting the main building. Did he fall, did he jump or was he pushed? The inquest was equivocal. Now Private Investigator Messina has a week to find a definitive answer.
It's not a police procedural; the nature of the problem rules out forensics. Instead, Messina concentrates on developing a respectful understanding of the psychology of the suspects, and thus to analyse the group dynamics. He often does this by comparing what he observes to events and challenges in his own life, for example: “It was incredible, Stanley thought, the myriad of ways a living could be made. Career paths were intensely individual — reflections of a person’s interests, skills, and experience — and yet so often followed with little appreciation or due respect.” (Ch 8)
This is where the novel takes off. Messina's approach necessitates that the characters (including the protagonist) are complex, three-dimensional and carefully developed. This is where Neal excels. He has crafted more than just a classic mystery. It develops a deep appreciation of the protagonist, a caring and empathetic man with a tortured past of his own, at a crossroads in his professional life.
But it's not just about the characters. The plot is well-paced, clues and red herrings are perfectly and subtly placed, and there is a tumble of revelations at the end, including a clever final twist. Of course all of the suspects have secrets and these are teased apart with a deftness of touch shared by author and detective.
The verisimilitude of the setting is established with a wealth of fine detail, lightly presented, for example:
- “The peacock was circling. It looked at him suspiciously before throwing back its head angrily and letting out a cry, dragging its heavy tail in its wake.” (Ch 1)
- “The ornate doorways felt like entrances to mazes, each one beckoning him to see what lurked within.” (Ch 18)
The novel is written is the 3rd person past tense, mostly from the perspective of Messina; although one chapter is a flashback from the PoV of another character.
Selected quotes:
- “The newly reinvented Alison Fencroft haunted the rooms of the gatehouse like a ghost. …Or maybe, Stanley thought with a shudder, like a prisoner.” (Ch 5)
- “One question bred another, and certainty felt further away than ever. All they could do was keep going, trusting that the path might eventually lead somewhere solid — though Stanley knew well enough that some paths never did…” (Ch 9)
- “‘It’s the real-life bit I’ve always found difficult. The messy day‑to‑day business of real life. Give me a script – with everything plotted out, all loose ends tied up neatly – and then I’m happy.” (Ch 19)
- “The apple cart, thought Stanley. The steady equilibrium. That place in life where everything was stacked just perfectly. A place of legend — and maybe also of myth.” (Ch 22)
As the author says in chapter nine, this fine novel provides "proof that his once uncertain career path had become something sustainable."
First published in 2026
This review was written by
the author of Bally and Bro, Motherdarling
and The Kids of God
Other novels by Jon Neal:
- A Twin Room: his debut
- Burnt Out: a mystery novel set in Australia
Stanley Messina novels, in order:
- The Other Path
- Death Behind Closed Doors
- A Deadly Fall
No comments:
Post a Comment