The Lady of the Lake

Peter Guttridge

Jan 2020 · A Brighton Mystery Book 7 · Severn House Publishers Ltd

About this ebook

DI Sarah Gilchrist and DS Bellamy Heap are called in when the body of a man is found floating in a lake belonging to a reclusive ex-Hollywood actress.

When Major Richard Rabbitt, owner of a large estate in Sussex, is found floating in a lake belonging to Nimue Grace, a charismatic former Hollywood actress, DI Sarah Gilchrist and DS Bellamy Heap are called in to investigate - and quickly discover Rabbitt was a notoriously difficult man to deal with.

Rabbitt was hated by his estranged wife, had several rivalries with residents of the area, and was involved in a number of deals with other shady businessmen . . . such as Said Farzi, a ‘criminal’ according to many, and the corrupt politician William Simpson – the father of Heap’s girlfriend.

With numerous suspects and many refusing to cooperate, Gilchrist and Heap must stay on their toes to unravel all the connections. Who stood to gain the most from Rabbitt’s demise, and who can be trusted?

Ratings and reviews

A body of a man is found floating in a private lake owned by a retired actress. The man who found him was swimming naked, hoping for a glimpse of the actress. DI Sarah Gilchrist and DS Bellamy Heap are called in to investigate when they identify the victim ... Richard Rabbitt, owner of a large estate. Who wanted Rabbitt dead? his estranged wife who hated him? Residents in the area who didn't like him at all ? Businessmen he'd had some slimy deals with ? a corrupt politician ... the father of Heap's girlfriend ? There are multiple suspects .. all with motives ... and most of them refuse to co-operate in any way to find the man's killer. And he's not the only victim they will come across. How to do all these people connect? This is a well written crime fiction with baffling twists and turns. The characters are finely drawn. I enjoy how Gilchrist and Heap interact with each other with humor ... and loyalty to each other. Suspense starts on the very first page and doesn't stop until the very last page. Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

About the author

Award-winning comic crime author Peter Guttridge turned from the Daft Side to the Dark Side for his Brighton mystery series, which started with City of Dreadful Night and continued most recently with Swimming With The Dead. He was also the Observer's crime fiction critic for twelve years, and so has read far more crime fiction than is good for him.