First published 1991
Investigative journalist Jemima Shore arrives at a tranquil rural estate, expecting a routine assignment. Instead, she uncovers a labyrinth of long-buried secrets that threaten to explode into the present. Each story in this collection reveals a different facet of Shore's razor-sharp investigative skills, where seemingly peaceful surfaces conceal dark, complicated human motivations. From aristocratic manors to urban landscapes, Shore navigates complex moral terrains where truth is never simple and silence can be deadlier than confession. What begins as quiet observation transforms into a high-stakes unraveling of carefully constructed narratives. Shore doesn't just solve mysteries—she exposes the intricate psychological mechanisms that create them.
Genres: fiction, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: England
Period: 20th-century
224 pages · Hardcover · Bloomsbury