It is a novel adapted for television starring Inspector Vera Stanhope, a character created by the author. Julie Armstrong discovers the lifeless body of her son Luke, surrounded by flowers in the bathtub. Vera and her team take on the case, which soon becomes more complicated when the body of a beautiful murdered teacher is also found floating in the water, surrounded by flowers.

The investigation focuses on the group of friends of Professor Calvert, all of them birdwatchers: the writer Parr, the solitary Clive Stringer, and Gary Wright, a sound technician. Although secrets, jealousy, infidelities, and old grudges come to light, they do not find any connection between them and the murders. While the murders are being investigated, a girl is kidnapped in the area, and Vera’s team will try to prevent her from being killed. All of this takes up most of the book and quickly absorbs the reader.

The reading is easy and linear, and the suspense draws the reader in. It does not seem to have many literary ambitions, but it is entertaining, although some pages feel unnecessary. The novel reflects a social situation in which there is an aspiration to protect the family, but not much effort seems to be made to build trust.

Ann Cleeves (1954) is a British novelist, author of thrillers that have inspired successful television series.