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EVIL ANGLES AMONG THEM by Kate Charles

EVIL ANGLES AMONG THEM

by Kate Charles

Pub Date: Oct. 10th, 1996
ISBN: 0-89296-639-4

The fifth in the author's Book of Psalms series (A Dead Man Out of Mind, 1995, etc.). Here, once again, detecting duo London lawyer David Middleton-Brown and artist Lucy Kingsley, his reluctant-to-commit lover, are embroiled with a troubled church congregation. This one is set in the tiny East Anglian village of Walston, where David's old friend Stephen Thorncroft is the recently installed, newly married rector of splendid, ancient St. Michaels and All Angels Church. For Stephen's young wife Becca, honeymoon bliss has been replaced by terror, inspired by a series of obscene phone calls that always occur when she's alone, and so shaming that she's been unable to report them to husband or police. The village is presently abuzz with gossip, fueled by mean-spirited neighbor Enid Bletsoe, about the new owners of Foxglove Cottage- -lesbian couple Gillian English and Louise Sutherland, along with Gillian's little daughter Bryony. There's talk, too, of the newly named Churchwarden—social worker Flora Newall—and of how the vote will go for the proposed expansion of Ingram's meatpacking plant, using Church property. All of this pales when Flora dies of poisoning after drinking tea with Gillian, and rector Stephen calls on David and Lucy for help in proving Gillian's innocence. There's another murder before the pair can both identify the real killer and expose Becca's tormentor. Charles goes to her usual extravagant lengths—with Church history, rituals, and politics; subplots galore and endless cups of tea—but still manages to keep her witches' brew a-bubble. Less might have been more, but English-village fans won't complain.