It is February 1986. Margery Moore, photojournalist and feature writer for the local paper, is unprepared for major news stories to unfold near her cottage, under the shadow of the mysterious and legendary Glebe Mound. When two of her acquaintances are found dying and historic documents go missing, Margery finds herself under suspicion. An eccentric recluse is arrested. Local gossip involves Margery’s Russian ‘fancy man’.Two inquests explain everything, or do they? Margery’s nosy neighbour is as perplexed as she is. Can it be down to the malignant spirits of the six witches of Havell-on-the-Marsh, who were hanged on the Glebe Mound four hundred years earlier?Angry demonstrations in the marketplace against the cancellation of the traditional midsummer fair, proposals for a bypass and plans to build on the green belt culminate in a fracas after the Valentine’s Ball. Can the detective from Scotland Yard enlisted by the mayor solve these mysteries? Or does his dismissive attitude to the provinces, legend and gossip blind him to the truth?
Jean Critchley was born in North London, and went to school in the city. She now lives in Colchester. After training in retail, she moved to Essex. In creating this novel, she hopes to share the many interesting characters she has met, together with the intriguing, mysterious and amusing experiences she has had working in fashion, advertising, publishing and journalism. She has a BA in history and literature; she volunteers for two archaeological charities and works as a tour guide.
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DEATH BEHIND THE HEADLINES by Jean Critchley
I must admit that I had never heard of this book until I found a copy when visiting a friend about a month ago. I skipped through the pages and it looked interesting, so I was delighted when she asked me if I wished to borrow it.
That evening, I sat down with a cappuccino and began to read.
Some years ago, I worked for a daily newspaper, and I found so many of the day to day situations very familiar to me. Jean Critchley has created a fascinating world, filled with fascinating characters and set in the 1980s, before publishing became completely computerised.
The story revolves around the mysterious death of a local historian, who is discovered, bereft of life at an old priory. There are numerous twists and turns, but the case is eventually solved by local journalist, Margery Moore, and DI Barker who is on secondment to the Havell Hundreds from Scotland Yard.
The author doesn’t exactly pinpoint the location of this fictional district, but I imagine that it is near the coast of Suffolk or Norfolk.
Jean Critchley’s characters are fully fleshed and thoroughly believable. DI Barker has a penchant for the dance bands of the 1920s and 30s and plays cassettes of their music in his car. Then there is the somewhat eccentric, but highly intelligent librarian, Jonah, whose greatest joy is to sit down with friends in ‘The Amicable Anarchist’ pub and sup a pint of real ale.
I must admit that I loved the book. It is well researched, well written and, perhaps most importantly, very entertaining.
I shall certainly look out for more of this author’s work in the future.
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