Although I don’t read a lot of thrillers, having a preference for mysteries, I’m glad I read this one.  The novel casts a suspenseful spell and has a plot that presents unexpected twists and turns until the end.  Without giving away anything, a family in England has their home invaded by two men bent on preventing the man in the family from publishing a book revealing sensitive information about their boss.  At least this is the way it appears.

The characters are well developed and the scenes are carefully set.  Aside from the Walking Man sections, that introduce a jarring supernatural note, the book is a taut and satisfying thriller.  I would go back and read others in this series.

This is a French mystery.  I don’t often have the opportunity to read contemporary French mystery writers, and sometimes French novels don’t cross the Anglo-Saxon cultural divide very well.  This one, however, is superbly translated and fits nicely into the police procedural category as Inspector Gilles Sebag finds himself playing cat and mouse with a serial killer targeting Dutch women in France.

The plot is intriguing and Sebag is an interesting character to get to know.  One typically French aspect is that Sebag suspects his beautiful wife of having a lover. However, Sebag decides not to pursue the truth when the occasion arises because he knows that his wife loves only him.  Perhaps a more civilized approach?  All things considered this is a story that will capture the interest of a reader regardless of country.

This is the latest installment in the Hamish MacBeth series, which follows the exploits of a Scottish highlands policeman.  I should admit up front that I am a fan of Beaton, enjoying both her stories about MacBeth and her Agatha Raisin series.  Her books are relatively short and mostly plot driven, although she has a knack for describing a character in a sentence or two.  Those who love literary mysteries will probably find this rather thin fare, but they do carry the reader along through multiple twists and turns to a generally satisfying conclusion.  These books will not reach your soul, but they will provide enjoyable entertainment.