More than Meets the Eye: A Lambert and Hook Mystery

In Gregson’s gripping 25th Lambert and Hook mystery (after 2011’s Die Happy), Det. Chief Supt. John Lambert and Det. Sgt. Bert Hook investigate the murder of Dennis Cooper, the curator of Westbourne Park, one of the great gardens of England, after the discovery of Cooper’s strangled body in a remote part of the property. The surprising number of suspects includes Cooper’s wife, who’s carrying on an affair with an unscrupulous businessman; the head chef at Westbourne’s cafe, who desperately wants to hide a repellent secret; a young apprentice gardener with a volatile temper; and a volunteer docent, whose past with Cooper bears looking into. Each person of interest, memorable in his or her own way, is interviewed by Lambert and Hook, who, with their subtle interplay, elicit much more than they realize. The interviews are so polite, so civilized in that British way, readers can’t help feeling rewarded. (Dec.)