I was not sure what to expect when I read this. I had seen on social media that the book was supposed to be good, I just didn’t know why. I prefer not to read about a book before I read them – so I come to it fresh with no preconceived ideas. Of course sometimes that is just not possible.
I can’t remember now if I even knew it was a murder mystery!
I did know it was probably going to have something to do with an advice columnist though – I think the title tells me that.
I have to say that the story itself is quite ridiculous – but it works. The way in which everything centred on the columnist – Lydia – made it look as though she was seeing murderers in everything she touched. But I also think it was obvious that there were connections and everything was not as ‘simple’ as her deduction that ‘he did it and is after me’.
Add in her failed relationship – she was obviously ‘a wrong un’ and her mutual attraction with the star of the college, plus the suspense and incidents and it made a good story.
It was a little like a wholesome murder set in the 1950s, but with modern day technology. Perhaps it was the advice columnist job and the letters that were sent in that gave it that feel for me. Oh, and by referring to the murderer as the ‘RSM’ every time my head read it as regimental Sergeant Major which I then had to rethink into the ‘ Red Scarf Murderer’.
But anyway, I really enjoyed it. I read it on the train – I started it as I left Kings Cross – and by York I had finished. A good distraction from a rainy train trip.