Hither, Page

Hither, Page (2019) Cat Sebastian (Page & Sommers #1)

Set in England in 1946

Even Edith Pickering and Cora Delacourt, who had lived with Mrs. Hoggett, didn’t seem terribly moved, but then again they had a good deal of practice in losing people, having lived through the last time the world decided to kill off a generation.

James’s own parents had died when he was a child, and he had often wondered if that was why death took him badly. He ought to have developed a callus over whatever part of his heart was meant for mourning, but instead, it was like a wound that never quite healed.

“You don’t,” James said, when he pulled back to sit on his heels. “Set off my tripwires, that is. Murder does, but that isn’t you.”

“Sometimes it is,” Leo said. “Sometimes I’m fairly certain it’s all I am.”

I’ve missed an evil element right on my doorstep. Either my powers of observation are lamentably poor, or this evil element is so ingrained into the fabric of our lives here that it’s become invisible to me. And, James, I don’t know which is worse.

By the next station, Leo was left with a lapful of shiny foil paper, gimcrack toys, and zero intact crackers. He had unraveled his mystery and was left with nothing but trash.

Cover by Bran at Crowglass Designs

Characters: Dr James Sommers, Leo Page, Mildred Hoggett, Sir Alexander Templeton, Colonel Bertram Armstrong, Edward Norris, Mary Griffiths, Polly Griffiths, Owen Griffiths, Miss Cora Delacourt, Miss Edith Pickering, Marston, Wendy Smythe, Agnes, Mrs Clemens, Mrs Patel, Edwin Nesbitt, Sally Bright

Rating: 10/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• Final Heir, Audio Book » »
• « « Destined To Last