British veteran Fraser’s artfully plotted seventh Rona Parish mystery (after 2008’s Next Door to Murder
) focuses on the hunt for brilliant artist Elspeth Wilding, biographer Rona’s latest subject, who’s been missing for 18 months. A child prodigy, Elspeth first exhibited her pictures at age 13, but years later she became depressed after her best friend and fellow artist, Chloë Pyne, apparently threw herself under a train. Elspeth’s sister, Naomi Harris, hopes Rona’s research on Elspeth’s biography will somehow bring Elspeth back home. When Rona interviews artist Nathan Tait, a colleague of Rona’s artist husband, Max Allerdyce, Nathan blames Elspeth for Chloë’s death. After someone bashes in the head of Elspeth’s housekeeper at the artist’s house in Buckford, Rona realizes she’s on to something dangerous. The abrupt, far-fetched ending may disappoint some cozy fans, but most will be satisfied and surprised by the identity of Chloë’s killer. (June)
