Diana J Febry

Bells On Her Toes

     Once again, Diana Febry has produced a great work of fiction, a compelling mystery story set in England’s rustic countryside. We get to follow DCI Peter Hatherall and DI Fiona Williams as they struggle with repressed feelings of attraction for each other, strained relationships with their significant others, and the usual spate of multiple murders that demand their full time attention. Typical of Diana Febry’s stories, the English horse-raising community is populated with colorful and complex characters who continue to fascinate us with their quirky behavior. Her detectives not only have to plow through testimony from reticent and often off-putting individuals who want nothing to do with the police, but they have to surmount political and social constraints imposed by a class-based society. And finally they have to overcome their own limitations. There are no super-heroes in a Diana Febry tale: there are only people who struggle to do their best and hope that they succeed.

     Nothing in a Diana Febry mystery can be taken for granted, and the reader is assured that they will still be piecing together clues and guessing which suspect is guilty right up to the last chapter.

     What I like most about Diana Febry’s stories is that she doesn’t stop with just great character development. Every aspect of her story-writing is exemplary, from her ability to handle lyrical description to managing tense, nerve-wracking suspense scenes. Diana Febry is a talented author you should keep your eye on, and when she writes another Hatherall and Williams mystery, be sure to put it high on your reading list.

     This is the second of her Peter Hatherall Mystery stories. The series is well worth your time and investment.