Sheila Mallory is at the Doctor's surgery waiting to see old Doctor MacDonald about her ankle, when Dr Morrison is found dead in his office, and not from natural causes. Doctor Morrison had only fairly recently joined the practice having previously been in practice in London. Following some talk of a misdiagnosis of a local patient resulting in a death, the rumour mill in the village had gone into overdrive and Taviscombe was alive with speculation.
Although, not having had much to do with Doctor Morrison, Sheila Mallory=s impression of him had not been overly favourable and she like many of the village had found him to be cold and rather arrogant. However, she is presented with a very different character when she is contacted by her old school friend Nora Burton, who lived next door to Dr Morrison and who had been friends with him for a very long time.
The police have an immediate suspect, the last person to see Dr Morrison alive was a local drug-addict Rhys Hampden, who was seen leaving the surgery in an agitated manner, but there are numerous entrances in the complex that houses the surgery and anyone could have access to Dr Morrison’s room. Whilst the police pursue their enquiries along orthodox channels, Sheila goes about her work with the 'Friends of the Hospital' and the various local charities in which she is involved and picks up snippets of gossip here and there which begin to build up and picture that presents Sheila with a dilemma.
Fans of this series will delight in Patricia Gallimore's reading of this latest
book - her portrayal of Rosemary's mother is wonderful as is her interpretation
of the overbearing Anthea, and her rendition of Nora Burton had a strong touch
of the Celia Johnson. In all a marvellous entry into this excellent series,
enhanced by the characterisation provided by Patricia Gallimore.
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Lizzie Hayes