This dropped through my letterbox this week with a letter from the author. I was delighted to receive it as I have known Vanessa as an online friend for several years. I used to purchase titles from her publishing company Fidra Books and we have blogged and chatted on Facebook and elsewhere. I knew that she was writing her first novel and I can say now that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Death will Find me begins during World War 1 where Lady Tessa Kilpatrick, war time covert operations agent, is driving her Bugatti through war torn France. She rescues Major Henderson from a barn where he is hiding out and expertly shoots a German soldier who challenges them. Fast forward three years and we meet up with Lady Tessa again, this time at a house party in Scotland. She is with her husband James and it is clear the marriage is not going well. It comes to an end when Tessa discovers him in flagrante delicto with another guest in the library and tells him she is going to divorce him.
Among the guests at the party is the Major she rescued and who we met at the start of the book. The next morning 
they go out riding and make a gruesome discovery – the body of James is found in the boat house. At first it looks like suicide but as every detective fiction reader knows it will turn out to be murder. Tessa spots that the bullet wound can only be inflicted by a right handed person and James is left handed.
Suspicion naturally falls upon Tessa as the quarrel and ending of the marriage the night before was heard by many of the guests. She is certainly the main suspect as far as Detective Rasmussen is concerned.
As the story progresses and there are further deaths it becomes clear that James murder and that of the others is linked to an episode during the War. Rasmussen soon realilses that Tessa is innocent and, though rather put out by her forceful personality and command of the investigation, works with her to find the culprit.
I am pleased to hear that there will be another Tessa book out next year. We have three excellent characters set up ready to feature in a series – Rassmussen, Tessa and Major Henderson who is in love with her.
I liked the period setting, the story, the characterisation and found the narrative was engaging and moved swiftly. I sat down with a cup of coffee and read it right through in one gulp.
Loved it.
Leave a Reply