Thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
Reading another book in the DI Hillary Greene series is like meeting up with a beloved friend. Can't wait for the next one!
Two young boys discover the body of a young man by the side of a stream, drowned. Wayne Sutton, a young, handsome, philandering artist had been smashed in the head, then held under water, a paper cutout of a red heart pinned to his chest. The list of suspects is a long one: Wayne courted many middle-aged women who rewarded him handsomely... there are several furious husbands who had reasons to wish the wannabe gigolo dead. Interviewing members of the art group Wayne belonged to, his girlfriend and her parents, plus the husbands of his female 'fans', provide a lot of suspects, but no real leads emerge.
Hillary has a new DS, Gemma Fordham, a tall, attractive blonde who seems very qualified, but there's something about her that has Hillary's antennas quivering...an uneasy tension between them doesn't bode well for their future work together.
As usual, Hillary gets the culprit in the end...adding to her impressive list of solved cases. She's such an intriguing woman; smart and independent, she's the embodiment of the modern single woman who loves her job, is excellent at it and is comfortable in her own mid-forties skin.
This book, like all the others, can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the series in order to get the back story. You won't regret it, you'll be hooked from the first page!

Excellent story line and great main characters. I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “BESIDE A NARROW STREAM.”

DI Hillary Greene makes another appearance in the 7th book in this series. This is also the introduction of her new DS, Gemma Fordham. While seemingly smart, and efficient, she also has an agenda of her own .... one she absolutely does not want Hillary to discover.

Greene is tasked with the investigation of the murder of a young man, an artist, and a ladies' man. He's found with a huge red paper heart pinned to his chest. Suspects seem to come out of the woodwork .. mostly rich married women buying his paintings and taking private lessons.

Angry husbands, jealous girlfriends, a disapproving family, there are plenty of people who wanted him dead. Greene will have to work hard to dig through the lies and secrets.

This series has become one of my favorites. The characters are skillfully drawn. Each book is like coming home to family. Greene is tough but fair, and a terrific instructor for those under her wing. This is a well written crime fiction series filled with twists and turns and surprises the reader never sees coming.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This is an updated version of an earlier book featuring the experienced detective, DI Hillary Greene, series set in Oxford. I have enjoyed others in the series, and this was no different. This time we have the murder of an artist, Wayne Sutton, in a meadow in the beautiful old village of Deddington in Oxfordshire. Greene has acquired a new partner, DS Gemma Fordham, a partnership that proves to have its problems as she investigates this case. Wayne had numerous buyers of his work that comprised of rich women, and this includes some who partake in private sessions with the artist. This is an entertaining, and suspenseful read which I enjoyed.