The Missing Earring

by David Beard

The naked body of a young woman was found lying in the river Dart on Dartmoor. Her face had been destroyed; her jewellery had been removed, with the exception of one earring. There was no clue as to her identity. DCI Dexter Smalacombe and his sergeant began their investigations at a nearby pub and picked up on local gossip. They discovered that a couple, both famous actors, had moved into the manor house and held wild parties. This gave the detectives a lead. This was followed by a request for information on a missing woman, which gave them a break through. The young woman’s murderer was quickly identified but then there was a second murder. It was clearly connected with the first but it uncovered a host of complex issues. They found disputes between landowners, blackmail, drug habits, prostitution, connections with a London thug and people who were not who they pretended to be. All characters, and the hamlet of Longtor, are fictional.

291 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

Reviews

[Chrissie Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great detective/mystery novel. Lots of good characters and descriptions of Devon, with a solid storyline.

[LLona Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pace feels a little stiff, but sometimes British Police seem that way in TV shows too, so I just went with the flow while the two Detectives exercise their investigative prowess. The characters fit the pace. So does the story that begins when the first body is found. Then one of the suspects becomes the next victim, raising even more questions about other potential suspects, and interviews broaden accordingly. If you like British Mystery this will give you an enjoyable read.