Another great read from Barry Maitland. This was a mystery full of twists and turns that kept me reviewing my conclusions through to the final clue uncovered by Kathy in her short stint of braking and entering. I love the tenacious nature of Kathy and Brock, and Kathy's big picture view of all possibilities.
I was disappointed about Leon though, not because he's told Kathy he's gay but because I'm disappointed for Kathy. There were some interesting issues alluded to, how we view gender, stereotypes, gender bias in the police force (and it's militaristic structure which I've never thought to much about but am now). All sorts of human frailty is depicted in this most intriguing story of a famous, hugely successful, wealthy, egotistical and devious architect who is the main character.
Charles Verge - apparently loved by everyone and an absolute saint according to his mother. Divorced and remarried to a much younger woman who is found stabbed to death in his apartment, and now he's vanished. Did his business partner do it, or a stranger, did he really do it and then scarper?
Well that's the whole nub of the story, who did it and why and when they get a confession from Charles business partner the case is closed, police top brass all smiles because it has cleared Charles Verge from being a murderer and now his masterpiece Marchdale Prison on the fens, can safely be opened by the prince and attended by all the important people in the world or architecture, justice and society. But Brock isn't happy and neither is Kathy, there's no body, and they have their suspicions that Mr Verge is very much alive. Proving it is fraught with difficulty and obstruction which is why Kathy decides on impulse to go to Spain and break into the facilities of a Dr who changes peoples appearance, she's certain there will be evidence and indeed there is, but not quite what she was expecting. Unfortunately she gets caught, drugged, filled with booze and left in her rental car that's been run into a pole on the motorway.
Kathy has a bad habit of ending up tied up and/or locked up; or almost getting herself killed but luckily the uncovering of Charles Verge's secret and whereabouts doesn't end in tears, not for her anyway, she is released by her captors Luz and George after Luz has been given plenty of time to disappear with the secret of where Charles Verge is and eliminate all other possible forms of evidence.
So the mystery was solved by Kathy, but as there was no evidence, the confession of Sandy Clarke became the conclusion and official version of the murder of wife number 2 and Charles's disappearance.
The only question in my mind at the end, is what is going to happen to Leon?