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Provence, 1926. Scotland Yard detective Joe Sandilands is on leave, driving his way south to the Riviera while dropping off his niece at an ancient chateau.A troubling crime committed just before their arrival leaves a clear message that more violence is to come. To allay panic, Joe agrees to stay on and root out the guilty person. But, despite Joe's vigilance, a child goes missing and an artist's beautiful young model is murdered in circumstances eerily recreating a six hundred-year-old show more crime of passion.
Helped and hindered by a rising star of the French Police Judiciaire, Joe must delve into a horror story from the castle's past before he can tear the mask from the diseased soul responsible for these contemporary crimes.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Member Reviews
This is a Joe Sandilands mystery with the setting at a castle in France complete with the grandeur inside the castle and the breathtaking scenery. The story starts with the crime in the moment before the crime has been committed, then quickly shifts gear to the events leading to the crime and the description of various characters. Dorcas, a "niece" of Joe's, enters into the investigation, plus she discovers her own secrets. Cleverly subdues the discovery of the killer very well, but certain clues almost reveal the killer before the end of the novel. In this case, Joe works with the French police, and of course, Cleverly throws into the story many tidbits of historic significance. A delightful wandering into France and castle.
This series was much better when it was still set in India.
I will admit that the murderer completely faked me out.
I will admit that the murderer completely faked me out.
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Author Information
25+ Works 4,096 Members
Barbara Cleverly writes the Detective Joe Sandilands series and the Laetitia Talbot Mystery series. Her book The Last Kashmiri Rose was named one of the best crime thrillers of 2002 by the New York Times. (Bowker Author Biography)
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Strange Images of Death
- Original publication date
- 2010-04-01
- People/Characters
- Joe Sandilands
- Important places
- Provence, France; Luberon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France; France
- First words
- 'To wake or not to wake the pest?' was Joe's silent question.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 157
- Popularity
- 207,917
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.33)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 4
