books

Rhys Bowen

Books: Mystery | Historical| Romance

In Farleigh Field (2017)

Anthologies

An Apple for the Creature (2012)

In Farleigh Field (2017)

Set in England in 1941

Farleigh Place is the ancestral home of Lord Westerham, and is now also home to the Royal West Kents as they prepare to be sent to the front. But even they are surprised when the body of a soldier is discovered on the grounds.

There are a lot of characters here, but the important ones are Ben and Pamma–both working for the government during the war, Ben at MI5 and Pamma at Betchley Park. We also spend time with Phoebem Westerham's youngest daughter and Alfie, a boy evacuated from London to the countryside, as well as Margot who remained in Paris after the start of the war. Plus there's Jeremy, who I disliked from the get-go, and Ben and Pamma's roommtes and co-workers and the remaining to sisters and various other family members and servants and neighbors.

"Official Secrets Act. Read this and sign here, please." He tapped a finger on the paper. "So you're saying that we have to promise never to divulge what goes on here before we know what goes on here?" Trixie asked.

It's fascinating how the various intelligence workers weren't allowed to tell anyone what they were doing–although with the war going on and the lack of background checks, it is understandable, since you really had to take people at face value.

It also, however, emphasized the problem of compartmentalization, where information didn't flow between the various intelligence agencies, because no one trusted anyone else.

Most of the characters were interesting. I especially liked Phoebe as well as Ben.

"You are both heroes," Phoebe said, "and will earn my undying thanks."

Pamela looked at Ben and smiled. "Undying thanks. We'll remind her of that one day when she accuses me of taking the last biscuit."

I disliked Jeremy from the start, which made part of the mystery extremely obvious. And I had a hard time believing that no one else found Jeremy or the rest of his family the slightest bit suspicious. It seems strange that no one would be the slightest bit suspicious of all the strange things happening in the village. That just knowing someone for your entire life put them beyond suspicion, regardless of how they acted. Yes, the suspicion of strangers was realistic, but letting everything else slide? I dunno.

The story kept me reading, but I don't think I'd care to re-read the story, and am glad I got the book on sale.

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Rating: 6/10

Anthologies

An Apple for the Creature (2012) edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L. P. Kelner

First, I hate this title. It grates on my nerves like nails down a chalkboard.

Luckily, the title is not reflective of most of the stories inside.

"Low School," by Rhys Bowen was okay, but I saw where it was going right away. I did appreciate how your opinion of the main character changed as the story went in. People are complex and do things for complex reasons, and I think this was a fabulous example of creating a very complex character. But for the most part the story left me cold.

All in all, it was a decent selection of short stories that made up for terrible title.

Published by Ace

Rating: 7/10