Death in Perspective: House-Sitter in Peril

by Joan Lock

At first Berry Hill seemed the perfect place to house-sit. Jenny would be able to put the past behind her as she painted watercolours of the beautiful garden, while Robin sought that elusive job. But the house proves very isolated and all is not right. Why is one of the bedrooms locked? Where is the owner’s wife? And why does the aggravating Detective Sergeant Bridgeman pester Jenny about a missing schoolgirl? Bridgeman's ever-expanding enquiries lead to a dodgy photographer, a seedy animal sanctuary, a clothes-conscious headmistress - and his old enemy, Rolls, an acid-tongued barrister on whom the tables are now turned. Jenny's fears grow as strange and threatening events wreck her rural idyll, culminating in a heart-stopping climax.

A former nurse and policewoman, Joan Lock is the author of eleven non-fiction police/crime books, including three on Scotland Yard's first detectives. She has also written a history of the British women police – a subject on which she is an authority – as well as radio plays and documentaries. Her crime fiction includes short stories and eight novels, one modern and seven Victorian featuring the charismatic Detective Sergeant Ernest Best.

'This is an intriguing and puzzling mystery, with many twists and turns that hold the reader.' Mystery Women

'I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended autumnal read'
London Police Pensioner

207 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2001

About the author

Ex-policewoman JOAN LOCK is the author of non-fiction books and crime novels. She has been a regular contributor to the police press and the journal of the Crime Writers' Association. She has also written short stories, radio plays and radio documentaries. She lives in London.

Reviews

[Mandy Innes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I must be getting jaded with this genre of books as quite a lot of them have failed to really grab me lately, unfortunately this book is one of those! I found Jenny an irritating character and even the ‘good guys’ didn’t come across as great characters. I thought the story dragged a bit in parts with the inevitable ending. A generous 2 stars from me for this one

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a teenage girl goes missing D.S. Bridgeman is assigned the case. Complications occur when another girl disappears, and a body is discovered. But what is happening at Beeny Hill House and the house sitters there.
An entertaining modern crime story.
Originally written in 2001