From Publishers Weekly
In British author Bannister's absorbing fifth mystery to feature Brodie Farrell (after 2004's The Depths of Solitude), the scrappy sleuth helps Jared Fry, a petulant rock star, find a home for himself and his coterie-an ancient, former hotel known as "The Diligence," which is suitably sized for parties of gothic dimensions, and is also secluded enough to keep Fry's private life out of the public eye. Brodie is set to deposit her hefty finder's fee and celebrate, but the accidental discovery of a long-dead body of a young woman on the property is too much for the drug-addled Fry and his charismatic manager, Eric Chandos, to handle on their own. As Brodie finds herself further entangled with the irresistible Chandos (much to the detriment of her relationship with Det. Supt. Jack Deacon, the gruff local police chief), and her shy, nerdy best pal, Daniel Hood, develops an unlikely friendship with Fry, the newcomers' connection to the recently exhumed victim begins to seem less innocent than originally assumed. This pleasing page-turner has a titillating but restrained mix of sexy situations, mild violence and plot twists that satisfy without ever becoming gratuitous or excessive.
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From Booklist
When Brodie Farrell is hired by manager Eric Chandos to find a home for his client, rock star Jared Fry, she has her work cut out for her. Brodie eventually finds a place that meets most of her picky client's specifications, but that's when the trouble begins. Jared wants a swimming pool, and when the builders start digging, they find the skeleton of a young woman. Brodie's lover, Detective Jack Deacon, is brought in to investigate. The skeleton contains no clues as to the victim's identity, but eventually Deacon narrows the list of possible victims to a young female musician who disappeared eight years earlier. To complicate matters, Chandos has made a strong play for Brodie, who finds herself responding in ways she finds both confusing and troubling. When it turns out that Chandos and Fry may have links to the dead girl, and Deacon learns of Brodie's flirtation with Chandos, the plot heats up considerably. A taut story, an intriguing plot (despite some preachiness), strong characters, and some unusual twists add up to a winner from genre veteran Bannister.
Emily MeltonCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved