Initially, suicide is suspected, but when the autopsy is performed, the conclusion is that Tim could have not shot himself, given the angle of the wounds. Abigail and Mayo begin delving into Tim’s life and uncover many secret parts, one of which may have gotten him killed.

Tim’s wife Clare admits that their marriage was not idea. She knew Tim was affair prone and at the time of his death he was heavily in debt; he had just asked her for a loan. Clare’s family is well-to-do and her business, The Miller’s Wife (a gourmet shop) provided the family with the income needed to continue, but Clare was not inclined to lend any of its money to Tim. As the police look at Clare’s business, they realize her partner was just ending an affair with Tim and another employee had a long standing grudge against him.

Meanwhile, Abigail’s former lover Nick (a former policeman) has returned looking for Abigail’s help: his ex-wife Roz has disappeared after the death of their young son (from leukemia)and he is concerned for her safety. After Abigail learns Roz used to work for The Miller’s Wife, she too becomes concerned. Squatters in houses about to be torn down, confirmed drug dealers linked to Tim’s partner and a mysterious woman who appears to have been kidnapped and is now suffering from amnesia add to the mystery and intrigue.

Killing Me Softly is a wonderfully complex mystery: each piece of the puzzle, no matter how seemingly insignificant becomes very important in the bigger picture. The relationships of each character to another and the central relationship of everyone to Tim become very important in finally solving the mystery.

The characters are characteristically reserved, yet candid enough in private conversations to draw the reader into their cozy world. Tim’s son Richie curiously is not immediately forthcoming with information that might aid in the investigation, leaving the reader to wonder how much anger the teenager may have harbored toward his father.

Marjorie Eccles has created a wonderful story full of tangled webs with several mysteries to solve and many relationships to untangle. Killing Me Softly is a first-rate traditional British police cozy.

-- Jennifer Monahan Winberry