A Spider on the Stairs

Cassandra Chan

Jul 2010 · Bethancourt and Gibbons Mysteries Book 4 · Sold by Minotaur Books

About this ebook

Best friends Phillip Bethancourt, a wealthy man-about-town, and Scotland Yard Detective Sergeant Jack Gibbons are each on their way to Yorkshire over Christmas, though not together, and neither of them are looking forward to their respective trips. While Phillip is returning to his family's estate to spend the holiday with relatives---a dreaded task---Jack must determine whether a particular murder is the work of a serial killer. It looks like it most likely is. As it turns out, Jack isn't on the case for more than a day before the understaffed locals ask him to look in to another.

Jodie Farrady, a former bookshop employee who disappeared about a year ago, is found strangled in that same shop Christmas morning. The modus operandi is similar to the serial killer's, but not exactly the same. It could be a copycat. It could be a coincidence. Either way, Jack could certainly use his good friend's help as he investigates the citizens of a Yorkshire that has suddenly turned quite deadly. Luckily, Phillip is all too eager to escape his own holiday and join the hunt.

A Spider on the Stairs---Cassandra Chan's contemporary reimagining of the classic English mystery---is not only a tale that is every bit as delightful and charming as the luminaries in this beloved tradition, but by far its most worthy heir.

Ratings and reviews

It always helps an amateur sleuth to have a connection with a policeman. Philip Bethancourt, a modern dillatante, and Jack Gibbons, a Scotland Yard detective, were classmates at Oxford. Still close friends, the two often collaborate on Jack's investigations. Phillip, who's spending a dreary Christmas at his family home in Yorkshire is delighted when Jack rings up to tell him that he's been assigned a case nearby. The murder of a young girl could be one of the infamous Ashdon serial killings, and Jack must investigate. The two have plenty to keep them busy, especially when another murder intertwines with the first. Jack follows the tried and true police trail, while Phillip picks up clues from his family, friends, and the country set he's known all his life. The two good friends work well together in sorting out a tangled web of crime.

About the author

CASSANDRA CHAN has published three novels, most recently Trick of the Mind, and several short stories featuring Gibbons and Bethancourt. She lives in Port St. Lucie, Florida.