Reviews

The Master of the Priory by Annie Haynes

kjcharles's review

More of a sensation novel than a murder mystery in feel. Very angsty drama about a woman suspected of murder who vanishes and reappears under another name. It's not a particularly challenging mystery at all: the point is really the sense of fear and hounding as the investigators try to chase her down. The victim, btw, is an abusive man who hits and exploits women, and it is notable that the book does not give one good god damn for his death. We are solid that he had it coming, and numerous characters try very hard to ensure the possible killers get away with it. Highly satisfying also is the (unusual for a detective novel) epilogue set a few years later, which exists only to kill off a particularly annoying and malicious character in a piece of delightful authorial vengeance. I do like Annie Haynes' style.