The Dead Letter

Martin crafts a tale of sex, murder, and political intrigue on Prince Edward Island. Anne Brown, the private detective from Martin's 2012 mystery The Reluctant Detective, is drawn into the case when she receives a dead letter, postmarked 11 years earlier. The writer of the letter, Carolyn Jollimore, believed she was in danger after witnessing a murder and asked for help. When Anne begins to investigate, she learns that Carolyn is dead. She connects her letter to the murder of Simone Villier and becomes increasingly convinced that that case, reportedly solved, is not closed. The closer she gets to answers, the more danger she faces. Skillfully weaving this mystery with aspects of Anne's personal life, from a romantic entanglement to the adolescent woes of her teenage daughter, Martin conjures an absorbing tale that has excitement and soul in equal measure. There are a few stylistic glitches, and beginning the book at the scene of the murder robs the rest of some mystery. But the obscurity surrounding Carolyn's fate and Anne's efforts to get to the truth still offer a thrill. And the charm of Anne and her cohorts ultimately make this book more about the journey than the destination. (Oct.)