Review: Stranger in the Village

Stranger in the Village by H.L. Marsay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At the end of the first book (view spoiler)[the body of Lucy's husband Rupert has been found in a cave, and the local MP had been arrested for stalking and threatening Lucy. Former London detective Jo, who is desperate to get back to the Big Smoke has evidence that Lucy hit Rupert with a spade on the night he disappeared, but she and Rachel swear he was alive when she left him, he was certainly gone when Rachel went back to retrieve the spade (hide spoiler)].

Meera and Rob return from their holiday in Scotland more loved up than ever, until Meera hears that a strange man has been hanging around the school asking about her son. Meera has an unexpected visitor.

Lucy seems to be making headway with booking weddings and filming at the Hall, until she finds out about the Inheritance Tax due following Rupert's official death, and gets a nasty surprise about their expenditure and also has an unexpected visitor.

Rachel is over her crush on Lucy and is loved up with the archaeologist Sarah, unfortunately Sarah has gone to Peru for the summer on a dig, but Rachel can't leave her mother, who seems to be getting increasingly forgetful.

Jo and Jack, the local publican, are getting friendly, he definitely wants more but he is just so nice (not her usual type) and she doesn't plan to stay in Hartwell so she is keeping him at arm's length, until an unexpected visitor makes her reassess her decisions.

This is the second book in a trilogy but so much happens you don't really notice its progressing lots of stories but not necessarily resolving any of them. Almost everyone has an unexpected visitor (aka stranger), some good, some not so much, but all of which are a catalyst for change.

Very enjoyable, might have to reread the third book to find out what happens - especially the secret behind Jo's necklace.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Bookfunnel.

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