A Pattern of Lies: A Bess Crawford Mystery (Bess Crawford Mysteries Book 7)

A horrific explosion at a gunpowder mill sends Bess Crawford to war-torn France to keep a deadly pattern of lies from leading to more deaths in this compelling and atmospheric mystery from the New York Times best-selling author of A Question of Honor and An Unwilling Accomplice . An explosion and fire at the Ashton Gunpowder Mill in Kent has killed over a hundred men. It's called an appalling tragedy - until suspicion and rumor raise the specter of murder. While visiting the Ashton family, Bess Crawford finds herself caught up in a venomous show of hostility that doesn't stop with Philip Ashton's arrest. Indeed, someone is out for blood, and the household is all but under siege. The only known witness to the tragedy is now at the Front in France. Bess is asked to find him. When she does, he refuses to tell her anything that will help the Ashtons. Realizing that he believes the tissue of lies that has nearly destroyed a family, Bess must convince him to tell her what really happened that terrible Sunday morning. But now someone else is also searching for this man. To end the vicious persecution of the Ashtons, Bess must risk her own life to protect her reluctant witness from a clever killer intent on preventing either of them from ever reaching England. Review As always, the Todds deftly juggle clues and red herrings, leading Bess and readers on a brisk chase...Their intimate knowledge of rural England and the Great War period inject Bess' first-person account with a hefty dose of verisimilitude. -- "Wilmington Star-News (North Carolina)" The seventh book in an excellent series featuring Bess Crawford. -- "Contra Costa Times (California)" Fans of the Crawford series should really enjoy this installment, and anyone who enjoys WWI or between-the-wars mysteries starring resolute women (Maisie Dobbs, for example) should get to know Bess Crawford right away. -- "Booklist" Bess' seventh case does its strong, determined heroine credit. -- "Kirkus Reviews" Rosalyn Landor is a sublime choice to narrate this seventh Bess Crawford mystery...Landor captures each character to perfection, including his or her social or military status and emotional range. Landor's best portrayals are the warm, intelligent, determined Crawford herself and her willing assistant, Sergeant Lassiter, a 'Kookaburra'-whistling Australian. Listeners will enjoy hearing Crawford use her many contacts to arrive at the truth while also getting a very personal look at the horror of the war. -- "AudioFile" From the Back Cover In 1916, at the height of the war, an explosion at Ashton Powder Mill, an armament factory in Kent, killed more than a hundred men. Two years later, the tragic event that was originally ruled an accident by the Army is under investigation for murder, and all fingers point to the factory's owner, Philip Ashton. When Bess Crawford, a friend of the Ashton family, comes to visit, she finds herself swept up in the vicious legal proceedings. It soon becomes clear to Bess that someone is out for the Ashtons' blood and is intent on concealing the true nature of the events that lead to the tragic explosion. Bess finds herself on a harrowing journey to the front lines of battle in France to find the only known witness of the explosion and uncover the truth. In the face of grave danger, Bess must rely on wits and courage to save her own life, as well as that of an innocent man. Bess Crawford must keep a deadly pattern of lies from destroying an innocent family in this compelling and atmospheric mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of A Question of Honor and An Unwilling Accomplice In 1916, at the height of the war, an explosion and fire at an armament factory in Kent killed more than a hundred men. With Ashton Powder Mill situated so close to the coast-within reach of German saboteurs-the Army investigated, eventually ruling the event an appalling tragedy. Now, two years later, suspicion, gossip, and rumor have raised the specter of murder-and fingers point to the owner, Philip Ashton, whose son is battlefield nurse Bess Crawford's friend and former patient. While visiting the Ashtons, Bess finds herself caught up in a venomous show of hostility that doesn't stop with Philip Ashton's arrest. Indeed, someone is out for blood, and the household is all but under siege. The police are hostile-the Inspector's brother died in the mill explosion-and refuse to consult either the Army or Scotland Yard. Why, after two years, has the village turned against Ashton' In France, Bess searches for the only known witness to the explosion, now serving at the Front, and tries to convince him to give evidence about that terrible Sunday morning, only to find herself and the witness hunted by someone intent on preventing anyone from discovering what-or who-is behind this web of vicious lies. Uncertain whom to trust, she can rely only on her own wits and courage, but how can she stop a killer whose face she has never seen' Philip Ashton is urged to throw himself on the mercy of the court-where he will surely find none. Time is running out. And Bess, at the point of a gun, has only one choice left: to risk her life to save the Ashtons A horrific explosion at a gunpowder mill sends Bess Crawford to war-torn France to keep a deadly pattern of lies from leading to more deaths, in this compelling and atmospheric mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of A Question of Honor and An Unwilling Accomplice. An explosion and fire at the Ashton Gunpowder Mill in Kent has killed over a hundred men. It's called an appalling tragedy#8212;until suspicion and rumor raise the specter of murder. While visiting the Ashton family, Bess Crawford finds herself caught up in a venomous show of hostility that doesn't stop with Philip Ashton's arrest. Indeed, someone is out for blood, and the household is all but under siege. The only known witness to the tragedy is now at the Front in France. Bess is asked to find him. When she does, he refuses to tell her anything that will help the Ashtons. Realizing that he believes the tissue of lies that has nearly destroyed a family, Bess must convince him to tell her what really happened that terrible Sunday morning. But now someone else is also searching for this man. To end the vicious persecution of the Ashtons, Bess must risk her own life to protect her reluctant witness from a clever killer intent on preventing either of them from ever reaching England "A horrific explosion at a gunpowder mill sends Bess Crawford to war-torn France to keep a deadly pattern of lies from leading to more deaths, in this compelling and atmospheric mystery... An explosion and fire at the Ashton Gunpowder Mill in Kent has killed over a hundred men. It's called an appalling tragedy-- until suspicion and rumor raise the specter of murder. While visiting the Ashton family, Bess Crawford finds herself caught up in a venomous show of hostility that doesn't stop with Philip Ashton's arrest. Indeed, someone is out for blood, and the household is all but under siege. The only known witness to the tragedy is now at the Front in France. Bess is asked to find him. When she does, he refuses to tell her anything that will help the Ashtons. Realizing that he believes the tissue of lies that has nearly destroyed a family, Bess must convince him to tell her what really happened that terrible Sunday morning. But now someone else is also searching for this man. To end the vicious persecution of the Ashtons, Bess must risk her own life to protect her reluctant witness from a clever killer intent on preventing either of them from ever reaching England"--Amazon.com.