cover image Snare

Snare

Gwen Moffat. St. Martin's Press, $14.95 (183pp) ISBN 978-0-312-02284-6

When the redoubtable Melinda Pink, writer and former justice of the peace, comes to the small Highland crofting village of Sgoradale, she detects sinister undercurrents. Local handyman Ivar Campbell regularly implies that he may be involved in espionage and intelligence work. Most of the villagers ignore what they think is idle boasting, until Ivar's wife leaves him, and his cottage is set afire. Does he have enemies or is this a bid for attention? Meanwhile, Miss Pink has been making the acquaintance of the local gentrySir Ranald MacKay; his wife Lady Coline, a writer of romances; her teenage daughter Flora MacKenzie, who is trying to find herself; and Beatrice Swan, sister of the late Robert Swan, noted Polar explorer. A minor tragedy occurs: the beloved dog of a mentally retarded young man is accidentally killed by Hamish Knox, son of the local policeman, practical joker and friend of Flora. Then Campbell is murdered. Miss Pink investigates, using methods that might be considered questionable by police standards. Two more deaths take place before the festering sore of evil in the village can be cleansed. Moffat ( Grizzly Trail and Last Chance Country ) effectively paces her tale of modern life corrupting a small village. ( September )