Murder at Holly House

Scottish author, Denzil Meyrick, is best known for his series of DCI Daley crime novels set in Kinloch. However his new crime novel, Murder at Holly House, is set in north Yorkshire. Detective Inspector Frank Grasby has been sent to the small community of Elderby to investigate a series of robberies in the area. He soon discovers that Elderby is not your normal rural community. Frank describes the initial reaction of any visitor to Elderby as seeing a picture perfect place. 

'I don't think any visitor could help themselves loving it, with its little lanes, pretty shops - everything wrought in that grey Yorkshire stone that makes the village look as if it sprang from the earth by force of nature alone. As I am finding out, though, it's a village of secrets, mystery and death.' [page 259]

 While interviewing the landed gentry about another possible robbery he discovers a body in the chimney. This is only the beginning of a series of crimes, past and present, that Frank becomes aware of including attempts on his life. But it is when he is warned from headquarters to avoid over investigating the cases but just locate a culprit for the robberies that Frank knows that this is definitely not your normal community or normal crimes. The problem is is there anyone that he can trust?

Denzil Meyrick has written a fast paced, often humorous crime novel with so many twists and turns it is hard to keep up with what is happening. The novel is set during winter, a few days before Christmas, so there is also the weather to contend with. The effects of the Second World War remain, especially rationing. However as the novel progresses it is obvious that the politics of war still exists in this this part of northern England.