The Glass Room
"...brilliant observed and populated with an interesting collection of characters..."
Synopsis:
D/I Vera Stanhope is content living in her father's old house in the country. Her nearest neighbours are somewhat unconventional, but so is Vera and they rub along quite well. When Joanna disappears with only a note, neighbour Jack asks Vera to investigate unofficially. Despite discouraging this sort of unofficial activity from her staff, Vera manages to find out that Joanna has gone on a writers' course in an isolated but beautiful farmhouse. It becomes complicated when a dead body is discovered and Joanna is chief suspect. This gives Vera the excuse to investigate further. Another body is discovered and Vera battles with all the aspiring crime writers to discover the truth.
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Review:
The Glass room' very much emulates an Agatha Christie scenario with all the possible suspects under one roof, this book elegantly twists the knife by making the residents of Writers' House established and aspiring crime writers. I wonder what collection of writers sparked off this plot line? I love the character of Vera Stanhope—and I think Brenda Blethyn plays her beautifully in the TV adaptation. She is relentlessly non politically correct but possesses an extraordinary understanding of how people work. This is how she manages to solve most of her crimes, along with background knowledge and with painstaking care. Alongside her, is the very attractive sergeant, Joe Ashworth. He is the one who has to balance a normal family life with Vera's sometimes unreasonable demands. As always with Cleeves' work, 'The Glass Room' is brilliant observed and populated with an interesting collection of characters and an intricate and well worked out plot. For anyone hankering for a novel that Christie may have been writing if she was still alive today should definitely reach for 'The Glass Room'. Wonderful escapist fun.