The Evil that Men Do (Dorothy Martin Mysteries)
American ex-pat Dorothy Martin and her British husband, retired chief constable Alan Nesbitt, are on holiday in the Cotswolds. While hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery near the village of Broadway, they discover the body of a man at the bottom of a quarry. The police learn that the victim, a local farmer, was probably pushed over the edge, but they have no suspects. Dorothy’s curiosity gets the better of her, and despite Alan’s admonition to leave it alone, she begins asking questions. A young man whom they met before discovering the body makes her suspicious. (No shrewd sleuthing there, as he was covered with blood.) Quickly it becomes clear that the insular locals do not appreciate Dorothy and Alan asking questions, which, of course, makes our heroes more determined than ever to solve the crime. Dams sticks a little too close to formula here, but she does it with style, and British cozy fans will enjoy the idyllic Cotswolds setting. --Barbara Bibel