We review the latest block-buster novel from Delphine Montariol and ask, why do we need yet another detective story?
You could be forgiven for asking this, but as in all good detective stories, life is not what it seems. Sure we have Agatha Christie as the single sleuth – but remarkably, she is the exception. Nowadays, crime solvers go in pairs.
You could argue that it was always thus, too. Starting with Holmes and Watson – we now have Cagney and Lacey; and Starsky and Hutch – and fast forward a decade to the UK favourite, Morse and his sidekick Lewis.
And then we have location. No self respecting UK crime thriller would be complete without a nice Country House – and set in an age even before people who voted for Brexit were born. All we need is a nice fancy train, a murder before Afternoon Tea, and two new detectives – called Worthington and Spencer.
If you are looking for the classic “whodunnit” with all the rose coloured prejudices and expectations of a century or more ago, Dark Secrets is a perfect mix of elements with only one hesitation – which is; the author, Delphine Montariol – is French.
Delphine Montariol is a celebrated and known French writer. She is a History graduate. She knows more about English history than you or I ever studied at school. It is this fascination that gives the book and story line its authenticity, and it stands out because of that. Christmas is coming. Worth a read.
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