The Arsenic Labyrinth: A Lake District Mystery

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (01/07) Martin Edwards in "The Arsenic Labyrinth" has integrated a unique cast of characters with an intriguing plot. The story is centered on unraveling intricate relationships and secrets from the past. A drifter, a journalist, a historian, and a police inspector, all play significant roles in uncovering this unsolved mystery from the cold case file. The setting for the story is Coniston, a small community in England's Lake District. Edwards has created a group of characters with distinctive personalities, many of whom were in his earlier Lake District Novels. The carefully developed plot is moved along through the medium of dialog. Edwards's use of astute interrogations and his elaborate detail of police investigation procedures match the classic writers of this genre. Ten years after the disappearance of Emma Bestwick, a newspaper article and an anonymous phone call stir up interest in the unsolved case. The police reopen the cold case file and begin revisiting family members, relatives, and those even remotely involved at the time of Emma's disappearance. The inquiry takes DCI Hannah Scarlett and her team to the Museum of Myth and Legend and to the ominous Arsenic Labyrinth, a succession of stone tunnels previously used in removing arsenic from tin ore. There are numerous unexpected and complex plot twists. A second body, buried in the mine for 50 years, is discovered near Emma's corpse. New clues and multiple speculations turn up during the new investigation. Suddenly the reader is faced with another unexpected turn of events that leads to a suspenseful surprise ending. The plot is well implemented and the narration is outstanding. I found "The Arsenic Labyrinth" an enjoyable read and am eager to read more of the works of Martin Edwards.