#15 in the 18-strong Rafferty & Llewellyn British Mystery Series

Sophia Egerton, matriarch of a family of fashion designers, is murdered on the same day she celebrates her ninetieth birthday. DI Joe Rafferty wonders if one of her relatives thought she had lived too long because most of the suspects were present at the victim's birthday party and just happen to be the wealthy Sophia's ever-loving family. Rafferty thinks that should make it easy to solve.

Adam Chambers seems to have been selected as the family scapegoat; he's been selected as Superintendent Bradley's scapegoat, too, and the Super orders that Adam's life be given a thorough going-over, in preference to delving a little deeper into the lives of the other suspects who are far from being out of the frame.

Father Roberto Kelly, so frequently Rafferty's bête-noire, and who is ministering to his parishioner, the elderly Alice, the victim's sister, seems to know more than he's willing to share. Of course, he's known the family for years and must have learned all their secrets. And although Rafferty has discovered several secrets himself, none of them provide sufficient evidence to charge anyone. Not even the several unsuitable lovers of family members, in spite of their past brushes with the law, give Rafferty much reason for optimism.

But as the evidence against Adam Chambers accumulates, Rafferty decides he's worthy of further questioning. And it is only when a carefully fanned smoke-screen that has so successfully obscured guilt is dissolved and the previously reticent Father Kelly decides to 'cough' that Rafferty pieces it all together.

RAFFERTY & LLEWELLYN MYSTERY SERIES

Dead Before Morning #1

Down Among the Dead Men #2

Death Line #3

The Hanging Tree # 4

Absolute Poison #5

Dying For You #6

Bad Blood #7

Love Lies Bleeding #8

Blood on the Bones #9

A Thrust to the Vitals #10

Death Dues #11

All the Lonely People #12

Death Dance #13

Deadly Reunion #14

Kith and Kill #15

Asking For It #16

The Spanish Connection #17

Game of Bones #18

WEBSITE: https://geraldineevansbooks.com

NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP LINK FOR NEW RELEASES, AND BARGAIN BOOK PROMOTIONS: http://eepurl.com/beYGIP