Ellen Curtis
runs a decluttering business, going around to people’s
houses and helping them break hoarding habits and get rid
of junk. She is used to dealing with those on the margins
of society and when her friend asks her to help sort out the
property of a lady whose son has been in prison for murder,
she agrees. But amongst the rubbish is a dead body, somebody
who Ellen has herself had an unpleasant brush with in the
past. The police think the released prisoner must have done
it, but what was his motive? Ellen is about to add detecting
to her list of skills…
I have long been a fan of this author’s
Fethering series, so was eager to try the first entry in his
latest series. I wasn’t disappointed, as this cozy mystery
is clearly the polished work of an experienced writer. Expect
the right amount of plot twists, interesting character development
and a believable list of the type of situations (apart from
the murder) that a declutterer would be involved in. Ellen’s
work not only involves a bored wealthy woman but also an elderly
lady trying to cope on her own, a young mother with a history
of trouble and of course the ex-prisoner. We also gradually
get to learn Ellen’s own history and, like the case
itself, this gets revealed bit by bit. I found this to be
a real page turner, set in a recognizable contemporary Britain,
and liked the way that not all the surprises related to the
case. I will be looking forward to the second outing for Ellen
Curtis.
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