Robert Barnard, A Fall from Grace

A Fall from Grace

Robert Barnard

Scribner, May 2007, $24.00

ISBN: 074327220X

Inspector Charlie Peace and his pregnant wife Felicity leave London for nearby Slepton Edge so that their children can be raised in a safe harmonies atmosphere. To Felicity's chagrin, her narcissistic romance writer Rupert Coggenhoe joins them allegedly to be near his future grandchild; though his daughter doubts his seemingly pure motive. She and her spouse soon learn the truth why Rupert chose to rusticate in suburbia as rumors abound of an illicit relationship from his hedonistic past that is about to explode back in London.

Though wary of her dad, Felicity believes he would never harm her, her unborn or her husband; his sin is that of a selfish egomaniac. Rupert needs diversion and finds it with sexy, scheming teenage Anne Michaels, who enjoys blackmail and aggravating outsiders of her drama club of teen felons. Murder shakes up the new and old townsfolk; Charlie unofficially investigates since his father-in-law who teamed up with his "Lolita" is a prime suspect.

In his eighth police procedural (though FALL FROM GRACE is not an official police procedural), Charlie seeks peace at home as his wife struggles with her father moving into suburbia with them. The storyline is fast-paced with a fascinating look at the not-so-innocence of children who can prove quite destructive. Although the key bus scene puts somewhat a brake on this fine thriller Charlie's investigation into uncovering a killer while he learns more (probably than he wants) about his wife and father-in-law and that makes for a delightful caper.

Harriet Klausner