AustLit

'It was a particularly savage murder and all the more shocking as the victim, Leslie Hepworth, was a teenager and furthermore because he and his parents were virtual  newcomers to Little Gidding. The villagers themselves had never encountered anything like it before. The real problem was that everyone knew that the killer was one of them. Leslie was arrogant, did what he pleased and cared nothing for the distress caused  by his outrageous behaviour.

'It became an impossible task for the police. Too many people had a motive for  killing Leslie. Many more were suspected of having been targeted by him, but for their own personal reasons had kept silent.

'Doubt and suspicion spreads like wildfire and quickly takes hold with the inevitable result that Little Gidding becomes a village on trial. With the murder enquiry at a standstill, the villagers take matters into their own hands. A petition is presented to the police, insisting that the clairvoyant Edwina Charles, is requested to assist them with their enquiries, but Mrs Charles refuses to become involved. For her, the whole issue is too close to home. And then matters take an even darker turn. One of the three teenagers who had hero-worshipped Leslie disappears while delivering a blackmail note to the person all three of them consider they have good reason to believe murdered Leslie.

'A battle of wills ensues. Will the clairvoyant revise her decision and assist the police with their further enquiries into what now shows every sign of proving to be another murder, or will she stand by her word and refuse to involve herself in any way?

'The stakes are high, and no one knows this better than Edwina Charles…'

Source : publisher's blurb