Dual Enigma

Barrister Rosa Epton finds herself drawn into an investigation when a former client, Philip Atherly, is found murdered on the grounds of Easter House School, where he once taught. Obvious suspects are the headmaster, Richard Brigstock, whose wife Sally was having an affair with the dead man, and the local squire, whose daughter had been made pregnant by Atherly. Earlier, a student at the school had been killed in an apparent accident, a hit-and-run. At the same time, Rosa is peripherally involved in another case, the disappearance of a young woman whom the barrister was apparently the last person to see. Although the cases have no outward connection except geographythey all take place in SussexRosa has a hunch they are related. Accompanied by her lover, Peter Chen, and hired by Atherly's girlfriend, Rosa noses around to ferret out the truth, eventually taking the law in her own hands. Underwood ( The Injudicious Judge ) provides more detection and less courtroom drama for his protagonist this time around, in a competent but curiously uncompelling story. ( October )