Shred of Evidence

This book was a thoroughly enjoyable read, with just the right amount of creepy inexplicability in the characters, a good sense of the investigation out in a real world, and dialogue that makes sense. I was interested in the situation from the very beginning, and my interest was sustained. I'm afraid that, by contrast, the novel called Plots and Errors lacks these strengths, so perhaps Ms McGown has disappointments as well as successes. If so, Shred of Evidence must be counted as one of her successes, and in fact is a superior example of the genre.

Havers has much more to do in this one, but where Havers is, Linley can't be far behind. They work beautifully in tandem, and this is another fine book.

Jill McGown's style is quite wonderful! Her books are very carefully plotted and her character development is excellent. In this book we get to see Judy in action. Her careful attentiveness to detail, and her detailed notetaking help her solve this perplexing murder of a schoolgirl. Typical of Ms. McGown there are plenty of twists and we dont' discover the real murder until the very end. In the meantime we the readers have thought it was three or four different people as the plot unfolds. The title of the book is a pun on something quite relevant to the case. Read it and discover Ms McGown's wonderful world in the English midlands.

This book was pretty good. It was well written, the characters are lively, the plot is suspenseful, and it is an easy read. There is a nice twist at the end that will keep you wondering until the very last page. I think this author has some real talent. The story takes place mostly in the teenage world, where lovesick teenagers abound. One in particular has taken her crush on a teacher to a new depth, and another is actually having an affair with a scandalous character that is a teacher as well. When 15 year old Natalie Ouspensky winds up dead, the story unfolds like layers of an onion, peeling away one new twist after another. Natalie's best friend Kim knows something about Natalie that she wants to tell the police, but she has sworn to her friend (now dead) that she won't breathe a word. Without this information, the wrong person may be charged with the murder, and lives ruined as a result. The person I suspected all along turned out to be not the culprit, but every bit as conniving and evil. I think you will enjoy this book.

Jill McGown has created another masterpiece. She has a unique style, there is a lot of suspense and the way she portrays the different personalities of her characters is fantastic. You will love this book.