False Diamond: An Abbot Agency Mystery

Greed, family disharmony, and ambition come together with murderous results in Heley’s excellent eighth Abbot Agency mystery (after 2013’s False Alarm). Bea Abbot, the head of a London domestic agency, is once again in the midst of it all, and, this time, much of it is personal. Dilys Holland is very afraid of her husband, Benton, and it soon becomes obvious that his abuse of her extends to others. Benton will stop at nothing to make himself more rich and powerful at the expense of the Holland family business, and Bea learns that her son, Max, is involved with Benton’s machinations. When Ginevra Benton, Benton’s sister, starts to make trouble, more questions arise, and the body count begins to climb. Bea is no professional investigator, but Detective Inspector Durrell has come to appreciate her abilities and is glad of her help when Bea secures photos that show an attempted suicide is anything but. Suspense and betrayal combined with appealing players make this a superior series entry. (Mar.)