Clare Francis - Betrayal

Review by Brian Lowen 11th June 09.
For businessman Hugh Wellesley, the violent, waking nightmare begins with a sparse report in the morning newspaper. A woman’s body has been recovered from the River Dart in Devon and identified as that of Sylvie Mathieson – the corpse stabbed and bound.

Should he admit that she had once been his lover with whom he had an illicit affair? Or let others discover the truth for themselves? Sylvie had always been exotic, unconventional, alluring, but she had ditched Hugh some months ago.

Hugh comes under suspicion by the police as he had been in the area at the time, but then so had other members of his family who also come under suspicion.

Hugh is the joint owner of a crystal glass manufacturing company and a great deal of the book deals with a take-over of the business organised behind his back by his partner and we are dragged through the boring procedures as he tries to raise sufficient cash to instigate a management buy out.

I found the book hard going and not as good as other Clare Francis books that I have read – ie Deceit, Night sky and Red Crystal. I persevered with the story though as it was set mainly in the village of Dittisham on the River Dart which I know quite well.

Finally, the police charge Hugh’s wife with the murder but the case is thrown out for lack of evidence. She was innocent, but the real killer is not brought to justice even though we discover who it was at the end of the book. This I found unsatisfactory as I like stories to have a positive, neat ending. Even though Sylvie was an unpleasant character, I found this a poor reason for her killer not being brought to justice.
Can I suggest that if you have not read one of Clare Francis books before you start with 'Night Sky'.