1st in Belinda Lawrence mystery series.
Young Australian, Belinda Lawrence is convinced it was murder when she inherits her great-aunt's ancient cottage and garden on the outskirts of Bath, England.
An old lady's decaying body is found lying at the bottom of the stairs.
The police believe it was simply an accidental fall that killed great-aunt Jane.
But was it?
When the young Australian Belinda Lawrence inherits her great-aunt's ancient cottage and garden on the outskirts of Bath she is convinced it was murder.
Her unexpected legacy comes shrouded in mystery.
A secret room.
Unknown intruders.
A hidden ancient document.
And then a second terrible killing.
Suddenly Belinda Lawrence is plunged into a terrifying mystery.
Half of the village seem Capable of Murder.
And if she can’t find out who the killer is, she may be next.
‘Capable of Murder’ is a brilliant re-invention of the classic English village murder mystery. A lively young heroine pits her intellect against a cold-blooded and ruthless killer, both determined to solve the riddle of an ancient garden.
‘Capable of Murder’ is perfect for fans of Peter James, Elizabeth George and Peter Robinson.e/Book.
Excerpt
The woman rose a little unsteadily to her feet. The chill of the graveyard was entering her bones and she needed a warming brandy. Lurking around graveyards at her time of life was a little like tempting fate.
As she ground the half-smoked cigarette into the mud, she watched the Vicar, as he headed towards the church.
The Vicar hummed fragments of a hymn to himself. He'd not only despatched Miss Jane Lawrence from this life but also from his mind. His attention was now firmly fixed on Sunday's sermon and he was oblivious to everything around him. "Our life with its temptations and struggles is often similar to a voyage on a stormy sea" was the text, but how to put it into language that his largely geriatric land-bound parishioners would relate to?
The ancient church door swung shut, there was a moment's silence, and another figure emerged from behind the building. The woman pulled her elegant coat tightly about her, burying her chin into the gratifying warmth of the fur collar. Screwing up her eyes to focus on the man, for it was a man, a well-built athletic man, she watched as he made his way through the tombstones. For a moment, a desirable feeling of sexual anticipation warmed her, allowing her features to relax into a coquettish smile. But as the man drew nearer a frown of uneasy recognition creased her brow, adding lines to that face that had cost her dearly in cosmetic additives. Rather than confront him she turned and hurried away in the opposite direction, her black coat gradually blending into the gloomy environment.
The man had observed the funeral from the edge of the graveyard ('Serves the old biddy right. No one will miss her.') and had watched and studied the young dark haired girl who was the lone mourner.
The old lady had proved uncooperative. Her young relation might be more pliable - in more ways than one. A carnal smile twisted his lips and, certain now that he could no longer be observed, the man moved from his place of concealment and crossed the churchyard. His next step would be to contrive a meeting with the girl and discover how much she knew.
And if she proved difficult? Well, there were ways to deal with difficult women. A sudden movement in the trees alerted him to the fact that there was another mourner in the graveyard.
Hesitating, he saw a shadowy figure disappearing into the murky darkness. He recognised the swaying walk and his mocking grin developed into a snort of contemptuous laughter. So she'd got wind of the mystery as well? He wondered how much she knew. Probably very little. Still, it might pay to keep an eye on her. If she proved too inquisitive, she might have to be removed from the scene. (c)2013 Brian Kavanagh
Professional Reviews
An excellent English mystery
**** An excellent English mystery with keeps you guessing' 7 Mar 2013
By Helen
This is a new author to me and I really like his style. This is a truly great murder mystery. The author was excellent at building tension and creating vivid pictures of the various crime scenes which made it all the more real- and frightening. I look forward to reading more from the Belinda Lawrence series. AMAZON UK
Entertaining Mystery
**** Entertaining Mystery, August 30, 2013 By TomW Amazon Verified Purchase
This review is from: Capable of Murder (A Belinda Lawrence Mystery) (Kindle Edition)
Belinda Lawrence receives an envelope from her Great Aunt, whom she has met only once, telling her that she has something important to say to her and requesting that she visit. When Belinda gets to her great aunt's house, she discovers her aunt's decaying body at the bottom of the staircase. the police rule it an accident. While she is there she meets her aunts solicitor who informs her that she has inherited a sizable amount of money and is now the owner of the house. She begins to suspect that maybe it was not an accident. the letter is postmarked two days after the death. She comes back to the house after meeting with the solicitor to find that it has been ransacked. The more she asks about her aunt, the more she is convinced she was murdered. The story is set in Bath in England and the writing has a decided British style and tone. A delightfully entertaining book.
Great characters, great mystery
***** LLona Cunningham
5.0 out of 5 stars Great characters, great mystery
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2013
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I have dragged my heels on writing a review for this one -- for a specific reason. When I started reading I was busy enjoying the vocabulary and location and little differences between the characters from those in the US. The story was very good, and included a true mystery with plenty of red herrings and suspicious actions. I wasn't particularly conscious of the change when it moved from 'good little story' to 'holy cow, I can't put it down', because the pace was so smooth it just sucked me right in. But what I really find outstanding is that several days after completing the book, and in fact having read another book in the meantime, I still have those characters and that location on my mind. That is such a rare quality. I admire the author's ability to weave it into the pages. Great job!
What a wonderfully written mystery! I read it in one sitting as I could not put it down. I enjoyed the setting of the story very much and the characters were very well thought out.
I enjoyed the twists and turns as the story moved along and found myself changing my mind several times as to who the "bad guy/gal" might be. I was rather surprised at the revealing of who was involved in the murders.
Very well written and highly recommend Mr. Kavanagh's book to mystery fans.
Belinda Lawrence, a young Australian lady ex-changes Christmas cards with her great-aunt, is more than surprised when she inherits a large sum of money, a somewhat run-down cottage with an attached garden after her aunts passing. Although in shambles, the garden may or may not hold historical value that several people are apparently willing to kill for. In response to a request from her great-aunt, Belinda comes to visit only to find her aunt lying dead on the stairs. A short time later, she finds her friendly next-door neighbor dead in her kitchen and quickly realizes that someone was after her to get the garden.
Capable of Murder is a well-written suspenseful story that provides the reader with a variety of possible culprits of murder and has Belinda considering each of them as the storyline continues. This mystery is full of twists to keep the reader compelled and on the edge of their seats. Kavanagh has an easy writing style that gives his reader a puzzling plot to consider solving. The comical beginnings between Belinda and (at that time) a stranger are priceless. Capable of Murder is a wonderful village mystery that makes for a nice way to spend an entertaining afternoon reading.
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