An Air that Kills

An Air that Kills, by Andrew Taylor

Hurrah! Globalization has brought Andrew Taylor and other terrific mystery authors, old and new, to the US. I became a fan of Taylor's terrific British mysteries years ago, only to find that new titles were no longer being published here. My favorite series is set around the fictional English town of Lydmouth in the years following World War II. An Air that Kills introduces journalist Jill Francis and Detective Inspector Richard Thornhill, outsiders who become allies in classic English detecting. The books replace the cozy Christie background with the brooding atmosphere of a town on the Welsh border and the puritan backgrounds of characters trying to survive in a fast-changing society. Seven Lydmouth novels have been published and another is due at the end of 2006. All have titles taken from poems by A.E. Houseman. Perfect reading for a misty, cold day in front of the fire--or a warm day on the porch.
-Marianne