‘Funeral Expenses’
by Pauline Bell

Published by Constable Crime. March 2006.

ISBN-13 978-1-84529-223-2

The wake of the late Edgar James Smith was held on a Tuesday afternoon at the home of his daughter Diane. Diane Bates was known for doing things right, which was her purpose in life, unlike her sister Lorraine who was exactly the opposite. Indeed, even at the funeral of her father, Lorraine runs true to form, drinking too much and ending up being half-carried upstairs to sleep it off.

When some hours later Lorraine is found dead in her sister’s spare room, Detective Chief Inspector Benedict Mitchell and his team are called in to investigate. Although Lorraine was liked, despite her peccadilloes, the suspects quickly mount up. Her son Philip is engaged to Glenda Grant, daughter of Victor Grant who owns the firm for which Philip worked - a highly desirable marriage. But Lorraine was continual embarrassment to them both. Lorraine’s estranged partner Nick Felling was endeavouring to obtain custody of their daughter Donna. Even Donna says that if her mother was a friend’s mother she would like her greatly but having an alcoholic parent was not much fun. Then of course there is the will......

I always enjoy books that deal with family murder - so fascinating, as we firstly see the characters at face value then watch as the writer slowly peels back the facades and displays the truth beneath. Although no startling twists, this is a really good whodunnit, one that you have to find out just who did it. - the fact that one can make a case for all the suspects makes it all the more delicious when the culprit is finally revealed. A enjoyable read. Recommended.

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Lizzie Hayes

Pauline began the series about policeman Benny Mitchell with The Dead Do Not Praise in 1990 and is now up to number twelve with Funeral Expenses. The other titles are: Feast Into Mourning, No Pleasure In Death, The Way of a Serpent, Downhill to Death, Sleeping Partners, A Multitude of Sins, Blood Ties, Swansong, Nothing But The Truth.

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