Folly

In this dramatic series opener from bestseller Cameron, Alex Duggins returns to her native Folly-on-Weir, in the Cotswolds, after her marriage falls apart. There she buys the Black Dog, the local pub, but when she discovers a dead monk in the snow, her carefully constructed new life is threatened. Helped by veterinarian Tony Harrison, a childhood friend, Alex conducts her own investigation, to the annoyance of the police. She becomes increasingly anxious as more and more things seem to point to her as the perpetrator. Alex turns out to have secrets in her past, as does Tony. Helen and Leonard Derwinter, the local nabobs, and Will and Cathy Cummings, the pub’s former owners, likewise have their secrets. Ditto the dead monk. That’s a major suspension of disbelief for one very small town, but Cameron (Out of Body) conveys a strong sense of place and the insularity of Folly-on-Weir’s residents. (May)