SimisolaDoubleday Canada, 1997 - 336 pages Black residents are highly visible in a small English country town like Kingsmarkham. Yet Dr. and Mrs. Akande's daughter, Melanie, fresh from university but a disappointment to her career-driven parents, has disappeared into thin air. She was last seen at the Employment Centre, where she has just signed on for social assistance, when she inexplicably vanished. Now Inspector Wexford finds himself with an investigation complicated by Melanie's feckless boyfriend, his own eye for a too-pretty employment counsellor, and a bizarrely incompetent burglar...as well as a systematic adulterer, a vengeful wife, a treacly politician... and a perplexing corpse. The case will take Wexford from a sunny, soigne garden party to the greyness of unemployment in a derelict shack and finally onto the streets. Here his endless fascination with the peculiarities of human nature leads him from a volatile mix of motives and suspects straight into an explosion of snobbery, sexism, racism--and brutal murder in blood both hot and cold. |
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Page 93
... took her to an hotel , he said he couldn't afford it . After that trip past the house in the boyfriend's car Ingrid ... took another look at the house , at the signs of prosperity about it , the evidently recent rooftop extension , the ...
... took her to an hotel , he said he couldn't afford it . After that trip past the house in the boyfriend's car Ingrid ... took another look at the house , at the signs of prosperity about it , the evidently recent rooftop extension , the ...
Page 221
... took over from Burden in the evening . He brought with him a computer game belonging to his son and a Spanish exercise book . He was learning Spanish when he managed to make it to the evening class . In response to a peremptory summons ...
... took over from Burden in the evening . He brought with him a computer game belonging to his son and a Spanish exercise book . He was learning Spanish when he managed to make it to the evening class . In response to a peremptory summons ...
Page 287
... took no notice . ' On the Thursday morning , very early , you saw this young chap who looked a bit like Mr Burden here come out of the house with a big box in his arms . ' Percy Hammond nodded vigorously , ' About four - thirty it was ...
... took no notice . ' On the Thursday morning , very early , you saw this young chap who looked a bit like Mr Burden here come out of the house with a big box in his arms . ' Percy Hammond nodded vigorously , ' About four - thirty it was ...
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Common terms and phrases
Akande's Annette Bystock Annette's Anouk Khoori Benefit Office British National Party Burden called chair client Cookie d'you dark daughter dead Dora Dr Akande Epson Euan eyes face father flat gave girl gone hair hand happened head High Street husband Ingrid Pamber Inspector Wexford Karen Kashyapa Kimberley Kingsmarkham knew Ladyhall Court laugh Laurette Akande Leyton living looked Marks and Spencers Mavrikiev mean Melanie Akande Mhonum Mike Miss Bystock morning mother murder Mynford Myringham Neil never night Ollerton Percy Hammond perhaps Peter Stanton police Raffy Range Rover remember road round Ruth Rendell seemed seen smile Sojourner someone Stanton Stowerton suppose sure Swithun Sylvia talk tell There's thing told took tracksuit Vine voice waiting walked Wednesday Wexford asked Wexford thought wife window Winster woman women Yoruba young Zack