I first mentioned this book in my 1800th post, where I was intrigued by the busybody victim, Frances Adams, whose motivations for unearthing everyone’s secrets diverge from the genre norm, as her reason for acting the way she does, is because Frances was once told in 1965 by a fortune teller that she would be murdered, and over the next sixty years, she tries her best to find out who her killer is intended to be. This was a plot variation which grabbed my interest, and I was keen to see how it would be developed.
Synopsis
‘In 1965, when Frances Adams was seventeen, a fortune teller told her that one day she’d be murdered. Thus began a lifetime of trying to prevent the crime that would be her eventual demise. No one took Frances seriously for sixty years – until, of course, she was murdered. But for Frances, being the village busybody was a form of insurance. She’d spent a lifetime compiling dirt on every person she met, just in case they might turn out to be her killer. In the heart of her sprawling country estate lies an eccentric library of detective work, where the right person could step in and use her findings to solve her murder. When her great-niece Annie arrives from London and discovers that Frances’ worst fear has come true, Annie is thrust into her great-aunt’s last act of revenge against her sceptical friends and family. Frances’ will stipulates that the person who solves her murder inherits her millions, and she’s challenged a group that includes Annie to prove to the world that Frances was right all along about her future.’
Overall Thoughts
The novel starts in 1965 when a fortune teller at a country fair predicts Frances will be murdered. The way Frances takes it so seriously sharply contrasts with the fakery of the setting:
‘Frances is quiet, her eyes fixed on the woman in front of her, though her two friends giggle at the terrible theatrics. From the gaudy beaded curtains adorning the tent to Peony Lane’s tacky silk turban, the whole thing screams Hollywood kitsch. Peony Lane herself can’t be more than twenty, though she’s adding a rasp to her voice in an attempt to seem ageless. It isn’t quite working. It’s all so flimsy that none of them should take her seriously, and almost none of them do. Except Frances.’
I found this an interesting way to reveal the fortune, as the external setting leans towards invalidating the reliability of the prediction, leaving me, at least, wondering if the fortune is merely a catalyst for shaping Frances’s future actions, actions which would eventually incite someone to kill her. An additional element is added to the mystery, as the prologue concludes on a surprising note:
‘But if anything is unlucky for them, it’s the number three. Because in a year’s time, they won’t be three friends any longer. One of the girls will disappear, and it won’t be Frances Adams.’
This disappearance is never resolved, and it becomes increasingly relevant to the solving of Frances’ murder in the present. I think this extra puzzle component, in the form of a cold case, is crucial in solidifying the investigation into Frances’ death. Furthermore, I would even suggest that the disappearance of Frances’ friend is more interesting in some ways and at times I would say it feels more tangible as a case. However, I am getting a little ahead of myself.
Chapter one switches to Frances’ great-niece Annie, who provides the first-person narration for the modern-day set sections. Is this type of narration more common now? Annie also fulfils another trope of modern-day mystery fiction and that is the young protagonist who doesn’t really know what direction their life is going in; they are between jobs, and they are single. You could say that from a conventional viewpoint that they “haven’t got their life together” yet. Such a protagonist seems to be getting more and more common and I wonder if it is a sign or reflection of the times. Are such characters supposed to be more relatable? Regarding the latter question I am not entirely convinced, not least because these characters are becoming clichés. Annie is currently out of paid work and is pursuing her dream of becoming a mystery novelist. I was a little alarmed when early on she reveals that she has been sending her manuscript to literary agents without editing it or getting a friend to read it first. Such naivety is not a great quality to have when you are destined to be an amateur sleuth.
The chapters tend to alternate between the present and 1966, which is another common structural feature in mystery novels these days. The second chapter moves back to 1966 and is part of Frances’ Castle Knoll Files, which she wrote for herself in case any of the notes she makes will be useful later on when trying to figure out the fortune she was given.
The reader never meets Frances alive, in person, as she is dead when Annie and the others go to her home for the will reading. Frances’ death is initially seen as being due to natural causes, but eventually with some pushing from Annie, the police regard it as a murder. Interestingly, Annie is not sure how much she can trust the police as Frances has made herself unpopular with them and other members in the community, including Detective Crane who is in charge of Frances’ case.
As I was reading the novel, I found the first hundred pages slow in setting things up. The blurb hints at the unusual nature of Frances’ will, but well over a hundred pages into the story, and the will has not even been read yet. Its absence is noticeable. The will when it is mentioned has interesting conditions, ones which influence how Annie will interact with the locals and the police, as well as her other family members. A one-week deadline is also stipulated. Personally, I think we should have arrived at the will sooner, as it really gives the plot some energy and prior to this point there are several scenes which are unnecessary. The chapters set in 1966 are a little obvious in terms of their narrative trajectory, so I think these could have been condensed. Detective Crane is one of the referees to the two contestants in solving Frances’ death, as decreed by her will, but he also presumably has to run a normal police investigation too, which adds tension to the piece.
The fact Annie is an aspiring mystery novelist is an underdeveloped aspect of her character profile. Nevertheless, Annie makes a reasonable start to her amateur sleuthing, asking the right questions, such as why would someone kill Frances now? Annie’s investigation is not the most directed or focused, but the pieces of the puzzle still manage to come together. I feel the chapters set in 1966 were overused/drawn out, as what they add which is new, slows down a lot, as the truth behind what happened in 1966 is already revealed, long before these chapters finish appearing.
This is a solid debut mystery, which does not disappoint with its narrative hook/premise, breathing life into some staple components of the genre, such as the figure of the busybody. I think the book shows promise. I would not describe this novel as a compelling read, as in one you cannot put down, since I read this over several days and I was comfortable in not immediately dashing straight back to it to read some more. I think the pacing of the piece might be a contributory factor here. However, this is a mystery with proper cluing, which is not something you are guaranteed with modern mystery novels. Yet I think Annie takes some rather big mental leaps to join up the dots regarding the murder of Frances and some of these are more convincing than others. The ending also feels rushed compared to the leisurely pace found elsewhere in the book.
Rating: 4.25/5