CORPSE IN WAITING
by Margaret Duffy
A holiday in Bath designed as a little break from household routine plunges the vacationers into danger.
Ingrid Langley is recovering from childbirth, and her husband Patrick Gillard still isn’t back to normal after being drugged in his last case for SOCA, the Serious Organized Crime Agency (Souvenirs of Murder, 2009, etc.). When they meet Alexandra Nightingale at the Roman Baths, she makes a dead run at Patrick. Much to Ingrid’s dismay, he seems interested enough in his old flame to help her house-hunt. Ingrid’s discovery of a run-down Bath residence that she and Alexandra both think has the potential to be the perfect town home would doubtless heighten the tension between them even without the decapitated corpse inside. The official investigation is in the hands of Patrick and Ingrid’s pal DCI Carrick, but Patrick’s untoward interest in Alexandra involves them in another case that might be right for SOCA. Alexandra claims to run an agency in London providing home help. Is it also providing cover for a group trafficking women? Uncertain about Patrick’s true feelings for Alexandra, Ingrid continues to help him investigate the white slavers, who may be associated with the Mafia. Danger lurks on every side, but the intrepid duo never give up on any of the crimes.
Duffy continues her winning ways with this pleasing combination of James Bond thriller and police procedural, sometimes predictable but never boring.