The Body on the Train: A Kate Shackleton Mystery

When Scotland Yard hits a dead end in Brody’s intricate 11th Kate Shackleton mystery (after A Snapshot of Murder), private detective Kate takes over investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an unidentified man discovered on a goods train at London’s King’s Cross Station in 1929. The Yard refuses to share any more information, citing national security. Kate’s initial inquiries reveal another unsolved murder at about the same time, and she must feel her way as she seeks answers while not treading on official toes or alarming a skittish populace. Her investigation leads her to the Midlands, where she speaks with farmers, miners, and others over a broad spectrum of society. Kate is determined to get to the truth before an innocent young man becomes a convenient scapegoat to mask bureaucratic ineptitude. This well-told tale is enriched with vignettes of daily life at a time in England when threats of strikes and fears of communist incursion were rampant. Readers must be on their toes to catch the subtle hints Brody skillfully drops. Agent: Rebecca Winfield, Rebecca Winfield Literary. (Nov.)