At the end of the rainbow, a man lies dead.
The apparently motiveless murder of a man outside the home of controversial equalities activist Claud Blackwell and his neurotic wife, Natalie, is shocking enough for a peaceful local community. When it’s followed by another apparently random killing immediately outside Claud’s office, DCI Jude Satterthwaite has his work cut out. Is Claud the killer, or the intended victim?
To add to Jude’s problems, the arrival of a hostile new boss causes complications at work, and when a threatening note arrives at the police headquarters, he has real cause to fear for the safety of his friends and colleagues…
A traditional British detective novel set in Cumbria.
Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3fl0tJj
Review
Death at Rainbow Cottage is your typical police procedural as we follow DCI Jude Sattherwaite and his team through a murder investigation. Having jumped in at book four, I still found myself able to sort through most of the main cast of characters. The jumps to bystander perspectives were a little harder to follow, but at least there's a search function for when I was wondering where I'd seen a character before.
What seems like an overabundance of focus on the personal lives of the police suddenly becomes relevant as the lines between friend, colleague, and potential suspect begin to blur. There is a new Superintendent after the old one left under a cloud of scandal, and she is completing her mandate of equality and inclusion with a series of workshops facilitated by the residents of the titular Rainbow Cottage. The main character is dating one of his detectives but both of them have complications from past relationships coming up to haunt them. It all fits quite nicely into a theme of acceptance - not simply of differences, but also of oneself.
On the mystery side, I found the book well plotted though would have appreciated some maps. While I did see the murderer coming, I wasn't certain until the end, but looking back it made perfect sense. Overall, a solidly enjoyable murder mystery with an interesting cast of characters.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own
Jo Allen is the author of the successful DCI Satterthwaite series of detective novels set in and around the English Lake District, where she lives. After a career in economic consultancy she took up writing and was first published under the name Jennifer Young in genres of short stories, romance and romantic suspense. In 2017 she took the plunge and began writing the genre she most likes to read – crime. In common with all her favourite characters, she loves football (she's a season ticket holder with her beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers) and cats.
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