From Canada's premier author of historical mysteries, Maureen Jennings,
comes the haunting fourth novel in the DI Tom Tyler series. Set in
Britain during the darkest days of World War II, this is a must-listen
for fans of Foyle's War, Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series,
and wartime dramas.
It's late 1942; the war is still raging and the upcoming Christmas
season looks bleak. Detective Inspector Tom Tyler is settling into his
placement in Ludlow, Shropshire, a small town jammed with people sent
there by the conflict. On the outskirts is an Italian PoW camp and many
PoWs work on local farms where manpower is sorely needed. Fraternizing
is forbidden but, as Tyler knows only too well, the human heart has a
way of crossing boundaries.
Tyler's job is both to keep the peace and to enforce wartime
regulations. Magistrate's court is busy. Then a troubled old man goes
missing in a winter storm. The next day his body is discovered in a
secret hideout supposedly known to very few. It soon becomes clear that
a crime has been committed, and there is no shortage of suspects. Tyler
senses that the two evacuee children who found the body are not telling
the entire truth, but when he goes to question them further, he learns
they have taken off from their foster home. It becomes imperative that
he find them.
Showcasing her characteristic masterful storytelling and deep empathy
for her characters - from the bravest and most blameless to the
profoundly troubled - Jennings has created another outstanding novel
that is both a mystery and a rich, satisfying listening experience.
