I love finding new (or new to me) Canadian authors. At some point in the last year or so, blogger and author Kerry Clare had been
Here's the book's description:
Back home in the Kootenays after her Arizona honeymoon, Lane offers her assistance when neither the outgoing teacher, Rose, nor her replacement, Wendy, show up at the local schoolhouse one blizzardy Monday in December. But when she finds the teachers’ cottage ransacked with Rose unconscious and bleeding, and Wendy missing, Lane delivers Rose to the hospital in Nelson and turns the case over to her exasperated husband, Inspector Darling, and his capable colleagues, Sergeant Ames and Constable Terrell.Each story could, technically, be read as a standalone but part of the series' charm is the small community of King's Cove and the various characters found within. I made sure to browse the descriptions of each book since the first to get an idea of what was happening with the characters so I knew Lane and Darling had figured out they had feelings for each other (feelings that are barely hinted at in the first book but the tension is there) and had gotten hitched. I cannot wait to go back and read the rest of the stories to catch up on all of the King's Cove residents and see what I've missed. It will give me something to look forward to as I wait for the ninth installment!
Never one to leave a post unmanned, Lane enlists as substitute teacher for the final two weeks before the Christmas holidays, during which time she discovers a threatening note in the teachers’ desk and a revolver in the supply cupboard. But these clues only convolute the case further. Who has been tormenting these women, and where has Wendy gone?
Meanwhile, Darling finds the body of a hit-and-run victim in a snowbank miles outside of Nelson, the residents of King’s Cove are preoccupied by the possibility of a new neighbour, and Sergeant Ames is as confused as ever by the inimitable Tina Van Eyck.
I love that this is a historical mystery. It's a subgenre that I didn't know I needed! It takes place not long after the end of World War II, which we all know is a time period I love. The majority of the characters in the novel didn't face any action, given many of them are older and they're all in middle of nowhere British Columbia, not Europe, but Lane did. I'm still not sure how much because it was only just discovered in the first book, but I know she was very involved in something. I also really like that the stories give me a glimpse into small town Canadian life at that time, which isn't something I've encountered too much in the past.
I really had no idea how the mystery would be solved. I was just as confused as the police officers and Lane and I couldn't tell what kind of connection the many incidents had to each other, if any. The story has flashbacks from various characters that provide more background to their history. It sounds like it could be confusing but it works because it allows the reader to get a better understanding of their motivations in the present. I also like that the novel starts with one of the incidents and the rest of the story is spent trying to figure out the why and the who.
A Lethal Lesson was exactly the read I needed earlier this month and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Iona Whishaw has delivered another great installment to her Lane Winslow series that will keep readers guessing and entertained. The mystery is intriguing and the history is interesting. I can't wait for the next book.
*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Touchwood Editions, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*
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