'If it bleeds, it leads,” are the words with which newspaper photographer Jude Baxendale is despatched by her editor to cover a local murder. However, her professional composure is shaken when she arrives at the scene to find the victim is the girlfriend of her son Daniel. Jude becomes a woman with a mission when Daniel begs her to find the person responsible.
As Jude's investigation progresses, she learns more about victim Lara than from their few meetings in Daniel's company. Lara's ethereal beauty and enigmatic manner cover a history of problems which have contributed to a complex character. Jude's quest becomes a need to learn the truth for her own sake as much as Daniel's. Her editor grows impatient with her reluctance to exploit the gruesome nature of Lara's murder with sensational photographs. Further trouble erupts for Jude when she protects reporter Matt Dryden from his less than ethical behaviour as they pursue the story together. Managing to upset people regularly as she proceeds, Jude faces aggression from a number of sides.
Jude is a strong character, with a sense of humour, strong principles and sensitivity. Her relationship with Daniel is comfortable; they give the impression of being good friends as well as parent and offspring. While Jude is worried about her son's severe asthma attack and the effect of Lara's murder on him, she is clearly not an over-protective, suffocating type. In fact, she describes herself as "a very slapdash mum." There are a few well-placed and refreshing references to her lack of culinary skills.
The novel is pacy, eventful and the violence is tempered by Jude's discomfort
about exploiting the human tragedy of Lara for the sake of front page headlines.
An excellent debut for Bernie Crosthwaite.
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Mary Clarke
This is the author’s debut book.