by Susan Fletcher
SYNOPSIS
Florence Butterfield has lived an extraordinary life full of travel, passion and adventure. But, at eighty-seven, she suspects there are no more surprises to come her way.
Then, one midsummer's night, something terrible happens - so strange and unexpected that Florrie is suspicious. Was this really an accident, or is she living alongside a would-be murderer?
The only clue is a magenta envelope, discarded earlier that day.
And Florrie - cheerfully independent but often overlooked - is the only person determined to uncover the truth.
As she does, Florrie finds herself looking back on her own life . . . and a long-buried secret, traced in faded scars across her knuckles, becomes ever harder to ignore.
REVIEW
If you've followed my blog or socials then you'll know that The Night In Question is a much lighter mystery than the majority of books that I usually read. BUT... I have to say that in place of a darker murder storyline, this book provides an absolutely fascinating set of character studies of the older generation who don't have as much representation in Crime Fiction generally. I have read the Thursday Murder Club series from Richard Osman and the Marlow Murder Club series from Robert Thorogood, but this book doesn't rely quite as much on humour and felt a little more serious. If you are looking for a book that's not too dark and violent but not a dark comedy, then this is the perfect choice.
The story follows 87 year-old Florrie who witnesses an 'accident' in her residential home. When events don't seem to add up she decides to investigate, and the things that she has personally been through in her life start coming back to her as she reflects on things such as loss, love and aging. The Night In Question is very poignant and had a lot of depth to the story - especially the sections which looked at Florrie's earlier life, family circumstances, the secrets she has kept and the six pertinent relationships that shaped her future.
The Night In Question has some fantastic characters but it's no surprise that Florrie is the star of the show. This one central protagonist carries the entire story with ease and I would like to think that if I reach my 80's that I will also be snooping around solving mysteries rather than simply fading away!
Thanks to Anne Cater - @RandomTTours, Susan Fletcher - @sfletcherauthor and Bantam Books UK for the opportunity to read and review.
Publisher: Bantam Press Genre: Female Sleuths / Cosy Crime / Mystery
ISBN: 978-1787637412
Pages: 448pp