Strange Children

From Publishers Weekly Charles (Unruly Passions; Evil Angels Among Them) departs from her popular series of ecclesiastical mysteries with this peculiar tale of blind love and murder set in contemporary London. When meek and gangly Tessa Rowan attends her ex-lover's wedding, she is startled to find herself seated next to Rob Nicholls, the bride's ex-boyfriend. Tessa and Rob hit it off, and even though Tessa knows very little about this charming, enigmatic man, she marries him a mere two weeks later. It is only after Tessa is several weeks pregnant that she begins to wonder about Rob's past namely, why he hates his mother so much. Finally succumbing to Tessa's excessive pleas, Rob agrees to accompany her to his mother's house where, to Tessa's horror, they find the woman brutally bashed to death. The police suspect Rob of matricide, but a disbelieving Tessa sets out on her own to try to clear her husband. Readers will follow Tessa's dogged search with barely contained anticipation as she struggles to uncover the nature of her stepmother's elusive "business." In addition, a solid cast of supporting characters including an oddly secretive priest, a guileless hospital porter and a warmhearted pregnant friend adds richness to the story. Although Tessa's submissiveness may prove annoying at times, Charles's intricate plot and simple yet colorful prose will captivate. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Review A bloodstained version of the world of Barbara Pym. GUARDIAN The writing is elegant...to match the apparently normal little English town beneath which lurks the kind of emotion that stirred murder throughout the works of Agatha Christie. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH The leisurely unravelling of the dark secrets of people passionately committed to keeping up appearances produces an intelligent and convincing story. Val McDermid Tessa has but one dream in life: to be a homemaker. So, when Tessa's adored boyfriend, Ian, betrays her and marries Amanda, it's little wonder that vulnerable Tessa falls straight into the arms of Rob, who used to belong to Amanda. While the warning bells In fact, Tessa has stumbled into a veritable mire of deception. Her attempts to make contact with her mother-in-law, Linda Nicholls, are thwarted when she is found murdered. Curiously, Rob is unable to grieve. It's only when Tessa probes Linda's history t