Francis is a "literary" writer who is using the mystery genre to take a hard look at marriage, commerce, families,morality, justice and small-town life in England today. She does so gracefully This is a grown-up thriller, highly recommended.

Hugh Wellesley is an average man with an average sort of life.He wants to save the family business from a nasty takeover, but there's the financing to work out. He wants to patch things up with his loyal wife, but there's his mistress. SyIvie, to consider.And then there's the nght he learns that a corpse has been found, floating in the river, t is Sylvie. When police question him,he ies. And to protect him, his wife and brother tell even more lies. Until suspicions swell and Hugh's once simple, even boring,problems turn interesting and dangerous and frightening...