Murder in a manor house with secrets to hide: The best Classic Crimes novels out now –
The House at Devil’s Neck by Tom Mead (Head of Zeus £20, 288pp)
The House At Devil’s Neck is available now from the Mail Bookshop
Magician-turned-private detective, Joseph Spector is back with another mystery that challenges rational explanation. A party of ghost hunters gather at a coastal manor house, connected to the shore by a narrow causeway that disappears in rough weather.
A onetime army hospital, Devil’s Neck is a magnet for those seeking contact with the departed. Among the latest visitors is a famous medium whom Spector is determined to expose. But events take a sinister turn when the medium is dispatched by what seems to be a supernatural force.
Meanwhile, Inspector Flint, Spector’s sparring partner, is faced with yet more apparently inexplicable deaths. With a plot that has more twists and turns than a coiled snake, readers are in for a thrilling exercise in mental agility.
Agent Redruth by Michael Evans (Rowanvale Books £11.99, 376pp)
Agent Redruth is available now
A thrilling spy story, set against the background of the war in Ukraine, centres on Rebecca Strong, a commercial artist whose entry into espionage is more by accident than intent. A brief affair with a raffish businessman who turns out to be a Russian assassin, pitches her into a plot to infiltrate the secrets of the Kremlin.
A plot loaded with mind-boggling complexities defies summary. Suffice to say, that while protecting the life of a double agent, Rebecca is supported by a TV reporter in hot pursuit of a scoop. Their adventures make James Bond look tame.
Having succeeded in her mission, Rebecca turns down an offer to join British Intelligence. But it is a fair bet that it will not be long before she is tempted back into international skulduggery.
The Odd Flamingo by Nina Bawden (British Library £10.99, 256pp)
There is nothing heroic about Will Hunt. A small-time lawyer, he has opted for the quiet life. But when the wife of his oldest friend makes a desperate plea for help, he feels bound to respond.
It turns out that his friend is having an affair with a younger woman who claims to be pregnant. If this is true, is blackmail her objective?
Against his better judgment, Will takes on the role of private investigator. His efforts, while clumsy and often counter- productive, leads him to the Odd Flamingo, a dive that is second home to drug dealers and addicts. After discovering a murder, his own life is at risk.
Better known as a children’s writer, Bawden was still in her 20s when she wrote this enthralling novel. With her vivid evocation of low life, her creative talent shines through.