The night in question by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson

In a sequel to The Agathas, Iris and Alice once again plunge into trying to solve mysteries like Agatha Christie’s sleuths, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. During a school dance at Levy Castle, where film star Mona Moody had fallen to her death in the 1940s, Rebecca Kennedy, a classmate disliked by many, is brutally assaulted and left in a medically induced coma. Alice discovers another classmate standing over her with a paper knife in her hand, but she and Iris are not convinced that she is the culprit and begin to investigate, much to the disgust of the local police.

The alternate chapters, each with a quote from Agatha Christie or from one of Mona Moody’s movies, are narrated by Alice and Iris. Their friendship is tested as they uncover clues to Kennedy’s assault that link to the mystery surrounding the death of Mona Moody and her boyfriend in 1949. It is fun reading about a mansion with a secret passage and a hidden room, a fabulous necklace and a glamorous movie star from the 1940s. However more serious topics are explored like domestic violence and the class divide between the rich and poor. Alice is forced to gradually see how unfair the power that wealthy people yield can sometimes be, while Iris must face her fear about a potential boyfriend becoming violent.

Readers new to the series would benefit from reading the first in the series to fully understand the background of the characters and Castle Cove. Fans of The Agathas will relish the return of these two detectives and are certain to enjoy the suspense, red herrings and twists and turns in the plot, and will eagerly look forward to the next in the series.

Themes: Mystery, Agatha Christie, Friendship, Domestic violence, Disfunctional families.

Pat Pledger