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Verity Birdwood #6
Lamb to the Slaughter
"Debate rages when Trevor Lamb, convicted five years ago for the brutal murder of his wife, is released with a pardon. Passions run high, especially in Hope's End, the tiny rural backwater that is home to the notorious Lamb clan.
When, twenty-four hours after his release, Trevor Lamb is foud dead in his hometown, the police think it's an open and shut case. Privately, some think it's no more than Lamb deserved. But then matters take a shocking twist and private investigator Verity Birdwood finds herself compelled to uncover the truth."
When, twenty-four hours after his release, Trevor Lamb is foud dead in his hometown, the police think it's an open and shut case. Privately, some think it's no more than Lamb deserved. But then matters take a shocking twist and private investigator Verity Birdwood finds herself compelled to uncover the truth."
Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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About the author
Jennifer Rowe
34 books46 followersAlso known as: Mary-Anne Dickinson, Mary Anne Dickinson, Emily Rodda
Winner of the Dromkeen Medal (1995).
Jennifer June Rowe is an Australian author. Her crime fiction for adults is published under her own name, while her children's fiction is published under the pseudonyms Emily Rodda and Mary-Anne Dickinson. She is well known for the children's fantasy series Deltora Quest, Rowan of Rin, Fairy Realm and Teen Power Inc., and recently the Rondo trilogy.
Rowe was born in Sydney, Australia, and raised with two younger brothers on Sydney's North Shore. Her father was Jim Oswin, the founding general manager of ATN7 in Sydney, and was responsible for classic 1960s TV shows such as My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? and The Mavis Bramston Show. She attended the Abbotsleigh School for Girls on the upper North Shore of Sydney.
She attained her Master of Arts in English Literature at the University of Sydney in 1973. Her first job was assistant editor at Paul Hamlyn publishing. She later worked at Angus and Robertson Publishers where she remained for fourteen years as Editor, Senior Editor, Managing Director, Deputy Publisher and finally Publisher. During this time she began writing children's books under the pseudonym Emily Rodda.
Winner of the Dromkeen Medal (1995).
Jennifer June Rowe is an Australian author. Her crime fiction for adults is published under her own name, while her children's fiction is published under the pseudonyms Emily Rodda and Mary-Anne Dickinson. She is well known for the children's fantasy series Deltora Quest, Rowan of Rin, Fairy Realm and Teen Power Inc., and recently the Rondo trilogy.
Rowe was born in Sydney, Australia, and raised with two younger brothers on Sydney's North Shore. Her father was Jim Oswin, the founding general manager of ATN7 in Sydney, and was responsible for classic 1960s TV shows such as My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? and The Mavis Bramston Show. She attended the Abbotsleigh School for Girls on the upper North Shore of Sydney.
She attained her Master of Arts in English Literature at the University of Sydney in 1973. Her first job was assistant editor at Paul Hamlyn publishing. She later worked at Angus and Robertson Publishers where she remained for fourteen years as Editor, Senior Editor, Managing Director, Deputy Publisher and finally Publisher. During this time she began writing children's books under the pseudonym Emily Rodda.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 17, 2022
Lamb to the Slaughter by Jennifer Rowe is the 6th book in the Verity Birdwood Mystery series. Trevor Lamb, convicted 5 years earlier for the brutal murder of his wife, is released, mainly due to the publication of a book about the case by his lawyer, only to be murdered himself. This was one of my favourite series when it was first released and it hasn't lost any of it's appeal. An interesting mystery with a few twists, a nasty victim and a surprising ending.
September 25, 2020
Possibly the best of the Verity Birdwood mysteries?
Birdie finds herself out of her comfort zone, in a filthy rural town where a convicted wife-murderer has been released - after the dedicated urging of Birdie's old university friend, now a lawyer - on lack of evidence. It's a town filled with anger, desperation, booze, and secrets. When another murder is committed, Birdie has 24 hours to solve both the original and the new killing.
Rowe creates an engaging, deeply unpleasant milieu, parceling out the secrets and clues - fairly but deviously. As a seasoned reader, I picked up on most of the clues (some specifically, some vaguely) but couldn't piece them together to beat Birdie to the solution.
Probably best read after some of the others (although not necessary); as the final volume in the series, Birdie and her ensemble of characters are now deeply lived-in. I don't know why Rowe stopped writing these novels, and I think it was a loss to Aussie crime fiction when she did so!
Birdie finds herself out of her comfort zone, in a filthy rural town where a convicted wife-murderer has been released - after the dedicated urging of Birdie's old university friend, now a lawyer - on lack of evidence. It's a town filled with anger, desperation, booze, and secrets. When another murder is committed, Birdie has 24 hours to solve both the original and the new killing.
Rowe creates an engaging, deeply unpleasant milieu, parceling out the secrets and clues - fairly but deviously. As a seasoned reader, I picked up on most of the clues (some specifically, some vaguely) but couldn't piece them together to beat Birdie to the solution.
Probably best read after some of the others (although not necessary); as the final volume in the series, Birdie and her ensemble of characters are now deeply lived-in. I don't know why Rowe stopped writing these novels, and I think it was a loss to Aussie crime fiction when she did so!
December 29, 2023
I have not read any other books by Jennifer Rowe, I loved this one, easy to follow, easy to read.
March 21, 2018
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
March 21, 2023
Called it on the incest.
Very disturbing read, but very compelling and well-devised.
Daphne's poor family. Those poor women.
Edit: 3 and a bit years later I re-read it and I fell into the same trap as last time. There's something about a Rowe/Rodda that sets a galloping pace to finish it because of all these horrible people, only one of them could have done it.
And every time, she forges such a complex journey - mostly mental, there's not a great deal of action in this one - that I usually end up swearing at the book.
Which is what, I presume, she wants.
I'm finding it impossible to get the fifth book, but it's nice to know there's one surprise left in the world.
Very disturbing read, but very compelling and well-devised.
Daphne's poor family. Those poor women.
Edit: 3 and a bit years later I re-read it and I fell into the same trap as last time. There's something about a Rowe/Rodda that sets a galloping pace to finish it because of all these horrible people, only one of them could have done it.
And every time, she forges such a complex journey - mostly mental, there's not a great deal of action in this one - that I usually end up swearing at the book.
Which is what, I presume, she wants.
I'm finding it impossible to get the fifth book, but it's nice to know there's one surprise left in the world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews