Freda and Gina are terrifically appealing characters and their interplay makes for a wonderful reading experience. The mystery itself is an interesting one but it is the roles they both play in solving it which really brings this to life.

Over the past few years Penny Freedman has rapidly become one of my favourite authors. The quality of her writing is phenomenally good and her books are full of fascinating literary quotes and clever wordplay. Her personal intellect enhances all her characters and her plots. Whilst Penny's mysteries are fairly gentle in comparison to other contemporary authors her characters are razor-sharp and opinionated.
Gina Gray is a fabulous creation and in a battle of wits would surely outsmart Jessica Fletcher, Agatha Raisin, Jane Marple and all the other well known female sleuths. Her hobby seems to be finding out people's darkest secrets and putting her knowledge to good use often at the expense of official police investigations. In recent novels her granddaughter, Freda, has become a worthy assistant and her detective partner, David Scott, is a patient sidekick. When in doubt, Gina resorts to the curative properties of cake.
If you enjoy 'escaping' into a good book make it this one.