Last seen in Diamond Dagger Award–winner Barnard's A Fall from Grace
(2007), Det. Insp. Charlie Peace investigates deadly doings surrounding a long-running TV soap opera, Jubilee Terrace
, filmed in Leeds in a novel of suspense sharing more than a passing kinship with the world of TV soaps: the craftsmanship is never less than professional, the plot keeps percolating, but by the end, the reader is unlikely to give it a second thought. The opening roster of characters on Jubilee Terrace
and the actors who portray them is useful, since apart from Peace—who shows up on the set to look into the tip that an unpopular thespian's death might not have been accidental—and a few others, it's tough to keep the players straight. The ante escalates after a fire claims two lives, though Bernard miscalculates by tipping what should be the climactic twist too early. Fans may enjoy catching up with Peace, but other mystery buffs will find little cause for jubilation. (May)
