It’s about this point in a series where I start to cross my fingers when opening a new book because I want the magic to last and I don’t want the author to come out with the obligatory dud book yet. Please not this one I’ll say to myself.

Also I knew this was the last published book in this series and try as I might my will power wasn’t up to leaving it unread on the shelf for more than a few days. Combined with the first point though at least if it did turn out to be not such a good book after all then I wouldn’t feel so bad about having reached the end of the line.

Of course it turned out to be a great book and I was pleased to find another Lydmouth book is scheduled to be published later this year. Especially pleased since this one does feel very much like an end of series book. Events in the life of Jill Francis and Richard Thornhill have been building up a head of steam through all the books come to blowing point in this one.

The plot is as competent as ever but it’s once again the realism of the way the nineteen fifties is portrayed that stands out. As seems to be usual theres a theme behind everything in the book, here it’s the way homosexuality was perceived at the time. I’m really impressed with the way Taylor manages to give people viewpoints that were prevalent at the time and are frankly repugnant today without making the people seem like they are repugnant themselves.

I wonder how much more life there is in the series but I’m pleased that the ongoing plotlines are changing rather than becoming stagnant and i hope that there’s quite a bit more of the story to be told.