In the Family — Christina James

This novel is a psychological thriller as well as a compelling crime read. The discovery of the skeleton of a young woman by workmen causes Detective Inspector Tim Yates to reopen the gruesome case of Dorothy Atkins, a woman who was imprisoned for murdering her mother-in-law, Doris Atkins, more than thirty years before. What is the link between the skeleton and Dorothy Atkins, now the aged inmate of a care home? Her former husband, Ronald, and her son, Hedley, each appears to have something to hide, and both only grudgingly co-operate with the police. What happened to Bryony Atkins, Dorothy's and Ronald's daughter, and why is everyone so reluctant to talk about her? Hedley Atkins has recently allowed a relatively new friend, Peter Prance, to move into his flat, and he is introduced to Peter's family in Liverpool. Is Peter simply a persuasive upper class scrounger, or is there something more calculated in his relationship with Hedley? Did Dorothy in fact kill Doris Atkins, or was she wrongfully imprisoned for a crime withthe killer still at large? How many murders have there been, and how many killers are there? Detective Inspector Tim Yates and his team make their debut.