Serial killer Carol, just released from prison, has found a cozy apartment at a fancy retirement home, and is looking forward to enjoying freedom and perhaps making new friends. She takes a baking class and is beginning to feel comfortable, when someone discovers her past and the other residents begin to avoid her. It’s heartbreaking. As she’s sitting alone on her balcony with her morning coffee one day, a body falls past her to his death, and she hears a scuffling sound on the roof. She’s sure it’s murder, the police are sure it’s suicide. When she puts herself forward, the police arrest her, simply because of her past.
She reaches out to one of her new almost friends, Margaret, a fluffy old lady with crumbs on her cardigan, who also happened to have been the home secretary before she retired. She gets Carol out of jail pronto and the two decide to investigate the murder themselves and clear Carol’s name. They are somewhat reluctantly joined by Geoffrey (a retired policeman) and Catherine, all from the baking class.
As Carol investigates, she discovers another killer she’d encountered once burying a body (business like nod for them) as well as a welter of clues, helped a great deal by Margaret’s connections and insider access. The two police detectives in charge of the case are halfway efficient – one is an older guy blowhard who goes for the obvious solution, the other a younger woman who is trying to investigate in a coherent manner. Carol is still a tempting suspect, so it takes lots of work for the four sleuths to get to the truth.
There are some pretty funny red herrings and, as in Richard Osmond’s books, a pretty clear-eyed look at the mechanics of aging and its limitations. The new owner of their swanky retirement home has cluelessly installed a climbing wall – for 70+ and 80- year olds – but the most popular activities are croquet, baking, and karaoke. The bittersweet with the actually sweet makes this a lovely read as the four sleuths begin to trust each other as friends.
When Carol does solve the case (as of course she does) she insists on a denouement, Poirot style, with everyone assembled at karaoke. This involves the discovery of another body or two. The resolution is as bittersweet as the entire story, but what will remain with me is the humor (author Craig does stand up) and the budding friendship between the four main characters. Finding friendship at any age is a miracle, and Craig seems fully cognizant of that fact. This was a completely enjoyable, well plotted read. — Robin Agnew