The Assassins' Village by Faith Mortimer

This was a well-composed book and I can best describe it as an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery. Set in a sleepy, small Cypriot village, I half expected Hercule Poirot, Jane Marple or even Inspector Barnaby from Midsomer Murders to pop up at any time. The group of characters was well constructed, each of them well described, as was the setting for this thriller, so much so, I could almost feel the sultry heat of the Cypriot climate and even the sun’s rays bouncing off the white-washed walls – the author’s knowledge of Cyprus was certainly evident and used to advantage. 

Each chapter had a pertinent quote from Macbeth in its title and I particularly liked the Dramatis Personae – I referred to it for at least 30% into the book. The characters were varied and interesting and whilst the suspects for the crimes each had compelling motives, you are kept guessing until the very end. It was a bit like a very nearly finished jigsaw and you can’t find the last piece. The end of this book was just like that – you reach the final page, but you feel slightly uneasy, because a crucial piece is missing – until you turn one more page ….and there it is. Brilliant.