by Jo Walton

Imagine if Hesse’s mission to bring peace between England and Germany during the Blitz had been successful… this was thanks to the work of Sir James Thirkie and the “Farthing Set”.

Fast forward to 1949, a quickly assembled weekend in the country to Farthing, the seat of Lord Eversley. Along with several political allies and Eversley’s daughter Lucy and her Jewish husband David. When James Thirkie’s body is discovered, blame is cast on David. Scotland Yard sends out Inspector Peter Carmichael to investigate. Soon the Lord and his daughter are shot at while riding on the estate. Is this the work of communists? Jews? Or is something else afoot?

Told from the alternating perspectives of Lucy and Carmichael this is the first in a series of books set in a Britain who gave up the fight and gradually became fascist. This one is a cozyish murder mystery set at a country estate. It was believable to see the way that a country could slide towards antisemitism and fascism. And there are several good twists and turns along the way.

319 Pages

4/5