Kim Wright

This is a novella rather than a full novel and as such is classed as "4.5" in the Thursday Night Murder Games Club series. It's just before Christmas in 1889, and some of the members of the club are round at Geraldine's house, decorating it in the latest Christmas fashion - a tree in the hall with candles on it, which most of the men see as a fire hazard. This cozy group is interrupted by the arrival of Tess, with a plea to rescue her daughter Anna, who has disappeared off to Hever Castle with a bohemian portrait painter who may well have already compromised her reputation.

Within 24 hours, Trevor and Rayley are on their way to Hever Castle, where they find a disturbing set up - LaRusse clearly has a dominating hold over everyone in the group, but especially the women, who are all at the mercy (sexually and otherwise) of any and all men in the group. The two men undertake their own investigations, and during the solstice party (when the rest of the community are getting drunk), the two investigate LaRusse's lving quarters. There they find a portrait that is, to all intents and purposes, of Anna, but has the face of someone else. Their investigations are interrupted by doors slamming, lights going out, and a figure in white disappearing into the distance.

There is much to learn with regards to the painter's work, including the processes of mixing their own paints (including the use of the madness inducing lead when making white), whilst in town Geraldine makes investigations of her own.....

It's a novella, so by definition rather short. Some situations and characterisation is shortened, and this is the 4.5 in the series, so many of the characters will/should have been already established. The tale itself was a much stronger story than I thought it would be, considering the length and position (.5 books are often short fillers between their bigger siblings and are therefore usually light to the touch). I have not read others in the series, but would certainly consider reading more, in order to see if the standard is even higher than this!… (meer)

This is a novella rather than a full novel and as such is classed as "4.5" in the Thursday Night Murder Games Club series. It's just before Christmas in 1889, and some of the members of the club are round at Geraldine's house, decorating it in the latest Christmas fashion - a tree in the hall with candles on it, which most of the men see as a fire hazard. This cozy group is interrupted by the arrival of Tess, with a plea to rescue her daughter Anna, who has disappeared off to Hever Castle with a bohemian portrait painter who may well have already compromised her reputation.

Within 24 hours, Trevor and Rayley are on their way to Hever Castle, where they find a disturbing set up - LaRusse clearly has a dominating hold over everyone in the group, but especially the women, who are all at the mercy (sexually and otherwise) of any and all men in the group. The two men undertake their own investigations, and during the solstice party (when the rest of the community are getting drunk), the two investigate LaRusse's lving quarters. There they find a portrait that is, to all intents and purposes, of Anna, but has the face of someone else. Their investigations are interrupted by doors slamming, lights going out, and a figure in white disappearing into the distance.

There is much to learn with regards to the painter's work, including the processes of mixing their own paints (including the use of the madness inducing lead when making white), whilst in town Geraldine makes investigations of her own.....

It's a novella, so by definition rather short. Some situations and characterisation is shortened, and this is the 4.5 in the series, so many of the characters will/should have been already established. The tale itself was a much stronger story than I thought it would be, considering the length and position (.5 books are often short fillers between their bigger siblings and are therefore usually light to the touch). I have not read others in the series, but would certainly consider reading more, in order to see if the standard is even higher than this!… (meer)