Narrator: Penelope Rawlins
Series: An Iris Grey Mystery #1
Published by Macmillan Audio on December 4, 2018
Source: Purchased
Genres: Mystery
Length: 13 hrs 26 mins
Pages: 449
Format: Audiobook
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A picture hides a thousand lies . . . And only Iris Grey can uncover the truth
Iris Grey arrives at Mill Cottage in a picture-perfect Hampshire village, looking to escape from her crumbling marriage. She is drawn to the neighbouring Wetherby family, and is commissioned to paint a portrait of Dominic Wetherby, a celebrated crime writer.
At the Wetherby's Christmas Eve party, the mulled wine is in full flow - but so too are tensions and rivalries among the guests. On Christmas Day, the youngest member of the Wetherby family, Lorcan, finds a body in the water. A tragic accident? Or a deadly crime?
With the snow falling, Iris enters a world of village gossip, romantic intrigue, buried secrets, and murder.
You have to feel bad for Iris. Her marriage is falling apart so she’s rented Mill Cottage to escape to. Just as she’s settling in and getting to know the neighboring Wetherby family, Dom Wetherby ends up dead, murdered. She’s drawn into the case almost as a distraction from what’s going on in her own life.
The Wetherbys are far from the perfect family they present to the world. There are secrets and jealousies and entanglements. The characters are well drawn, each with strengths and weaknesses. There are several people with motives to kill Dom and enough red herrings to keep me guessing.
The book was maybe a little long and Shaw really loves similes, but it kept my attention throughout. Iris is intelligent and observant but I do wish she had better taste in men. I also appreciated the Christmassy touches.