Fire in the Thatch by E.C.R Lorac

Fire in the Thatch by E.C.R Lorac ISBN-13: 9781464209673 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: June 5, 2018

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
The Second World War is drawing to a close. Nicholas Vaughan, released from the navy after an accident, takes refuge in Devon—renting a thatched cottage in the beautiful countryside at Mallory Fitzjohn. Vaughan sets to work farming the land, rearing geese and renovating the cottage. Hard work and rural peace seem to make this a happy bachelor life.

On a nearby farm lives the bored, flirtatious June St Cyres, an exile from London while her husband is a Japanese POW. June's presence attracts fashionable visitors of dubious character, and threatens to spoil Vaughan's prized seclusion. When Little Thatch is destroyed in a blaze, all Vaughan's work goes up in smoke—and Inspector Macdonald is drafted in to uncover a motive for murder.


My Review:
Fire in the Thatch is a mystery published in 1946 and set at the end of World War II in England. The first fourth of the book set up who the characters were and let us get to know the victim, who happened to be a nice fellow. The characters were complex and interesting.

The fire was declared an accident, yet the Scotland Yard detective is brought in to determine if it was an accident or a very clever murder. The detective thoroughly looked into every detail of the matter and questioned suspects. He's quite clever and astute about how people act. While I did highly suspect whodunit from the same scene that the detective did, the author muddied things enough that I wasn't certain until nearly the end.

There was a fair amount of bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I would recommend this enjoyable and interesting mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


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