The seventh title in the Libby Sarjeant murder mystery series based in the fictional village of Steeple Martin, Kent. New edition includes map of Steeple Martin, cast of characters and a bonus chapter from the next title in the series.
When sleuth-come-pantomime director Libby Serjeant learns of threatening letters sent to Cy, a friend of her friend Harry, at first she assumes it’s just anti-gay prejudice.
With her partner Ben having moved in to her cottage, and son Adam also at home nursing a broken leg, as well as having the panto to cope with, Libby is at first reluctant to get involved. However, when murder follows, Libby and her psychic investigator friend Fran are drawn into another investigation in which the shadows of the past have a dramatic effect on the present, with dangerous consequences for them both.
Murder Imperfect is another great murder/mystery in the Libby Sarjeant series - and, imo, the most cleverly plotted yet. Old crimes mirror the new ones and Libby, aided by Fran, has to delve into some pretty murky goings-on - both past and present. Some of the scenes really racked up the tension, the red herrings were brilliant - and I thought I knew who'd done it, and why - but I didn't! The links between what seems at first to be a very modern murder and the horrific events in the past are intricately woven - but they all unravel beautifully and tie up tidily at the end. Oh, and the lovely Harry features a lot in this book - which made me very happy! Highly recommended.
- Christina Jones
Lesley started writing almost as soon as she could read, and filled many exercise books with pony stories until she was old enough to go out with boys. Since she's been grown up, following a varied career as a model, air stewardess and disc jockey, she's written short fiction and features for a variety of magazines, achieved an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Wales, taught writing for both Kent Adult Education and the WEA and edited the first Sexy Shorts collection of short stories from Accent Press in aid of the Breast Cancer Campaign. She lives on the Kent coast and has four grown up children and a deep interest in community theatre.
Customer Reviews:
Reviewed by: Christina Jones
on 20th April 2012 4:26PM
Murder Imperfect is another great murder/mystery in the Libby Sarjeant series - and, imo, the most cleverly plotted yet. Old crimes mirror the new ones and Libby, aided by Fran, has to delve into some pretty murky goings-on - both past and present. Some of the scenes really racked up the tension, the red herrings were brilliant - and I thought I knew who'd done it, and why - but I didn't! The links between what seems at first to be a very modern murder and the horrific events in the past are intricately woven - but they all unravel beautifully and tie up tidily at the end. Oh, and the lovely Harry features a lot in this book - which made me very happy! Highly recommended.
Reviewed by: Jane G.
on 20th April 2012 4:23PM
What I particularly like about Cookman's books is the background of interesting characters who develop & change through each book. Libby Sarjeant, the main character, has an interesting life of amateur theatre, her new partner (so a little romance), her psychic though down-to-earth sidekick, and the varied friends she has eg. the gay couple who run the local vegetarian restaurant (and who refer to Libby as "you old trout"). Libby is definitely a character with flaws & seems more real for that. The stories are always interesting to hold the attention & yet feel 'cosy' and comfortable at the same time. These are not gory or forensic detective (horror) stories, nor are they Inspector Morse-style intellectual puzzles, just easy reading whodunnits with style.
