Charley Van Leeuwen returns to San Francisco, married to Jack Fairfax after a six week whirlwind romance. She has not told any of her friends of her marriage, and as she sold her house when she moved to London, she and new hubby check into the Mark Hopkins Hotel, and murder!
Starry-eyed and happy, it’s going to take a lot to burst Charley’s bubble, but Uncle Harry, Charley’s guardian is keen to take a stab at it. Although he had ceased to control Charley’s finances since she turned twenty-five it hadn’t stopped him trying to control every other aspect of her life, and a new husband in his book, comes clearly into that category. The repartee over lunch between Jack and Harry is a delight. There are of course serious overtones - after just six glorious weeks, what does Charley actually know about Jack. That he is a meteorologist doesn’t seem to cut it with Harry.
While Jack Fairfax gets on with doing what he does - just exactly what is that? Charley throws herself back into launching a new theatre production, but the writer seems to be missing!
This is a delightful piece of writing. I saw a review that said this book is
neither ‘too deep, too dark, or too cozy. It was just right for perfect entertainment’.
And I concur with that. Some marvellous characters and a tantalising mystery.
Just the ticket. Hope that there is a another in the pipeline..
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Lizzie Hayes
Margaret Dumas who is visiting the UK in March 2006, will be signing her books
at Goldsboro Books, London on March 21st and at Heffers in Cambridge on March
22nd. Do come along and meet her.