The Killing of Ellis Martin

While not perhaps scintillating, The Killing of Ellis Martin is an engrossing crime novel. Published in 1993 it introduces Inspector Ross. Still mourning the death of his young wife from disease, Ross has moved from Scotland Yard to a country police force. There he is confronted with the murder of a wealthy, young woman, Ellis Martin. Ellis was part of a social group that was deeply divided by permission granted by the local government to build a hauling depot in a former beauty spot. Ellis had her own set of enemies though as she trampled friends and neighbors carelessly underfoot in her pursuit of happiness. Nicely atmospheric, with a good cast of eccentric characters, The Killing of Ellis Martin deserves to be better known.