Single interior setting
Detective Inspector Claire North, a divorcee, is buying a flat through charming Estate Agent, Charles Johnson. Though separated from his very attractive, but mischievous, wife, Alex, she and Charles still live in the same cottage. Claire has agreed to have dinner with Charles, and having returned home with him, stays overnight. Answering her mobile early the following morning, she is summoned to the Royal Hotel where a body has been found in a bath.
When Alex's family assemble later that day to celebrate her fortieth birthday party, Claire arrives at the cottage to tell them that the body in the bath is that of Alex, who had arranged an assignation the previous evening with a man she met on the Internet, calling himself Iron Duke - the assumed killer. As evidence emerges that each member of the family was in the hotel that evening, in suspicious circumstances, all find themselves possible suspects - each having a motive. Much incriminating evidence against them is found in Alex's E-mail box, but when a second body is found in the hotel car park, that of a private investigator, with incriminating images in his digital camera, Claire has to decide who kept the Iron Duke's assignation with Alex, and who administered a date-rape drug, before strangling her and dumping the body in a bath of hot water - and shooting the investigator!
An old-fashioned entertaining whodunit with many twists and turns to the surprise ending.
‘An interesting and ingenious piece of work. It is a very clever idea and nicely developed’ (Writernet reader)
Characters:
Detective Inspector Claire North (early 40's)
Charles Johnson - an estate agent (mid 50's);
Victoria Dukes - his mother-in-law (60s)
Mary Holmes, Victoria's elder sister (60's);
William Hudson, Rachel’s husband (late 40’s)
Rachel Hudson, Mary's daughter (mid 40's)
