Inspector Thanet plods through this mystery with his usual grouchiness. The plot is more elaborate and entertaining than most Dorothy Simpson mysteries, but the resolution is not satisfying. Modern readers may be distracted by the subplot of the Inspector being terrified that his wife might take a job and not be available to cater to his every wish; an attitude that the (female) author treats sympathetically.The writing is disjointed and over elaborate. All in all, a middling Dorothy Simpson.

I had read this series when it was first published back in the 80's. The details faded but the feeling of having enjoyed a satisfying series never left me. Time has not tarnished that feeling and I'm happily re-reading them. Luke Thanet is a family man, a good policeman and has a very sharp mind. If you like the style and pace of Agatha Christie, be sure to give this series a try. The pace is slower with less flash. Characters are well developed, not flat cardboard cutouts. The setting of the small towns and villages, the close knit communities and neighbors who know a bit more than is good for them - it was good to return to that slower pace. Given that there are fifteen books in this series, I will have plenty more to enjoy.

This debut mystery from Simpson was the accomplishment of having 3 novels fail to make publishing. She came up with a new detective, gave him an affable side kick, a lovely wife and kids, and put him in the Kent she knew so well, and as they say, the rest was history, as the series evolved into 15 novels, before she stopped writing.

This first books offers up a open door/closed room mystery, a la Christie, and one that offers a good many red herrings, that allow the reader to start feeling for Simpson's writing style, and Thanet's thought process. It was an enjoyable page turner and for the reader of the series, a welcome look back at where it all began.

The Night She Died is the first novel in the Inspector Thanet series. A pretty housewife is found murdered in her home....a knife sticking out of her chest. She was stabbed through her coat and clothes. Her husband, supposedly returning home soon after Julie Holmes was killed, found his wife's body on the floor. As Inspector Luke Thanet begins piecing together information from Julie's last few days, he finds that this case might just be more complex than it looks. Apparently Julie was a witness to another murder 20 years before. Could it be that the killer came back after two decades to stab the only witness to a long-cold murder case? Or is it someone in Julie Holmes' present day life that killed her?

I am impressed by this book. I love a great detective story, but this one stands out from the crowd. Mostly because the Inspector is talented at his job, but not portrayed as perfect. He makes mistakes, sometimes rushes to judgement, and can be overwhelmed by his emotions at times. He's human. The story not only shows him investigating the case, but also shows how his home life supports him and offers him a haven away from it all. He loves his wife and his kids....and they try to understand when he has to be away from them. Luke Thanet is portrayed as a well-rounded, human character which gives this story depth that some detective stories just don't have.

The mystery is well-written, with plenty of suspects, intriguing plot twists and an excellent ending. It is neither too simple nor too complex to be believable. The plot seems realistic, keeping my attention throughout. Both Inspector Thanet and his new sidekick, Sergeant Mike Lineham, are likable, professional, and skilled at their jobs. They are occasionally at odds with one another, but in the end work together perfectly to solve the case.

There are 15 books in the Inspector Thanet series. The series was originally published starting back in the early 1980s, but Open Road Integrated Media is releasing new ebook versions of the novels. Before being approved to read this first ebook release by Open Road, I was unfamiliar with this series. I'm so glad I read this first book! I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!

**I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book from Open Road Media via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.**

I was delighted to see that Dorothy Simpson's books have been re-issued. I read and enjoyed them the first time around and they have stood the "test of time." For readers who enjoy British police procedurals and getting to know the lead detective and his family, these books are recommended. Welcome back Luke Thanet!

This was a reread for me, about nine years ago I had read it and enjoyed it. This weekend, I tried again and by the time I was half way through, I could not bear it any longer and jumped to the end to see who had murdered Julie Holmes. I would have thought that some parts of the book would have seemed familiar, but I could not pull any part of this book from my memory.

This is the first book in the Inspector Thanet series which find Mrs. Julie Holmes dead in the entryway of her home from a single stab wound. Told in a back and forth, with a little bit of sideways thrown in, manner, Thanet and his sidekick Lineham, interview suspect after suspect, coworkers, neighbors and even people from Julie’s past where it was discovered that as a child, she was a witness to the never solved murder of her caregiver.

By the time that I had jumped to the ending to see who was guilty, there was no surprise, this person had stood out in the beginning as being a bit stand-off’ish and when Thanet finally pulled the pieces together, those that were not thoroughly farfetched, rounded out the story.

Originally published in 1981, this book reads as if it was much older and just does not hold the interest that I had remembered from my first reading.

The first of the DI Luke Thanet mysteries is a throw-back to the days of stay at home moms, and career dads, and exceptions to the rule were objects of wonder or pity. Although the settings are anachronistic, the character development and plotting of these stories are both careful and absorbing. Overall, a fun read in the cozy detective novel genre!

First published in the 80's, they are now being re-published this year.

Set in Britain in the 80's, this book introduces Inspector Luke Thanet. I really liked him as a character. He has a solid family life to ground him while he's out solving crimes. He's a good man but can be gruff at times. He reminded me a little of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. Actually, the whole book reminded me of Christie's books. This had a good mystery to it. Nothing powerful in nature but just a good old-fashioned crime novel. This will be a new series that I continue reading.

**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.