Killing Cousins

Inspector Faro #4

by Alanna Knight

During a visit to the island where his mother still lives, Inspector Faro learns that a family friend has died of arsenic poisoning, and his investigation leads him to suspect both his teenage sweetheart and members of his family.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Victorian

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

aka Margaret Hope

Alanna Knight MBE has published more than sixty novels (including sixteen in the acclaimed Inspector Faro series, and seven featuring his daughter Rose McQuinn), as well as non-fiction, true crime and several books on Robert Louis Stevenson, numerous short stories and two plays since her award-winning first book ‘Legend of the Loch’ in 1969. A founding member and Honorary President of the Scottish Association of Writers and of the Edinburgh Writer’s Club, born and educated on Tyneside, she has two sons and two granddaughters and lives in Edinburgh.

Reviews

[Cindie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not her best effort, the ending was a bit too easy....

[Donny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alanna Knight kept upping the suspense and you just wanted to keep turning the page.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even on vacation, a policeman can't catch a break, not even when it's 1871 and Edinburgh City Police Inspector Faro is journeying to tiny (fictional) Balfray in the Orkney Islands, his childhood home. It's the type of place where everyone not only knows each other, but is related to each other, either by blood or marriage (or both), so when the death of the popular wife of the local laid turns out to be murder, the murderer -- whomever that may be -- is always uncomfortably close. Murder begets murder, especially in Scottish tragedies, so it's no surprise when another dies, and previous death thought to have been an accident is also determined to be murder most foul.

Scottish writer Alanna Knight infuses this story (4th in the Inspector Faro series) with the lore and legends of the inhabitants of Scotland's extreme northern reaches, and sets it among the rugged beauty of the Orkney Islands, which has been inhabited since prehistoric times and where remnants of Pictish customs survive. Since it's set in 1871, Inspector Faro is not only on his own administratively but there is no forensic science to speak of; one good thing about it taking place in 1871, however, is that no one can compare him to Sherlock Holmes. A well written story, with interesting characters and an intriguing locale -- well worth tracking down.

[L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mysterious death of a woman
-plus-
A simple-minded man who is devoted to the dead lady
-plus-
A seemingly devoted husband
-plus-
A priest wandering around in the background
-plus-
A bunch of animals outside making really annoying noises.

Add all that together and what do you get?

[Kt. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Good but not great. Plot meanders and I felt tugged along.

[Deborah aka Reading Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5--good Victorian mystery

[Little Red Readinghood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. Strange plot, odd ending.

[Amy Spatrisano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Major Typos!!!!

I enjoy reading this series but was so frustrated by the gross amount of typos in this book! The publishers should be ashamed!!!