I'M NOT THE ONLY MURDERER IN MY RETIREMENT HOME

A killing in a retirement home poses quite a problem for a resident who’s a former serial killer.

Carol Quinn was convicted of seven murders, although there might have been some that slipped through the cracks. Now 75, she’s lost the urge to kill and been released from prison, moving into Sheldon Oaks, a posh retirement home near London’s Hampstead Heath. Since only Giles Temple, the owner of Sheldon Oaks, and Elisa, the concierge, know of Carol’s past, she’s able to make friends by joining activities like the baking club, where she and the charming and erudite Margaret do most of the work while Desmond, Geoffrey, and Catherine mostly look on and enjoy the final products. After a while, Geoffrey, a former police officer, develops a nagging feeling he recognizes Carol from somewhere, and finally recalls where. He tells Margaret, who just happens to be a former home secretary, and they inform Catherine, a pathologist. Carol is an intelligent and likable character, but now that her lovely new friends know about her past, they avoid her, upsetting her no end. Then, while she’s sitting on her balcony one day, a body plummets from the roof. It’s Desmond, and Carol—against her own interests—insists he was the victim of a murder. As an experienced killer herself, Carol is perfectly placed to investigate. All she wants is a peaceful retirement, but the fickle finger of fate has a strange sense of humor. Geoffrey thinks Carol probably killed Desmond, but she’s willing to join the club her former friends set up to investigate the murder, in which they all have expertise to offer. A little digging shows there were plenty of people with motive to kill Desmond, but given her record, Carol knows she’ll end up back in prison if she doesn’t prove herself innocent. The group is loath to trust her, but cooperation may be the key to solving the crime.

A fine mystery whose mordant humor makes it outstanding.