Book Review: The Embroidered Corpse

Reviewed By: Cheryl - RAM

The Embroidered Corpse     Amazon US TPB Amazon UK PB Amazon Canada TPB
Brian Kavanagh
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Belinda Lawrence # 2
BeWrite Books, 2006

This is the second novel featuring Belinda Lawrence, Australian immigrant in England, now a comfortably-well-off woman living in the ancient cottage she inherited from her aunt.

This book, like the earlier one, suffers from some weaknesses in characterization and plot development. For example, it is hard to believe that Belinda would develop such a close personal and professional relationship with the much older and alcoholic Mrs. Whitby - and even harder to believe that Mrs. Whitby could possibly run a successful business. However, if they did have such a relationship, would Belinda and her boyfriend Mark merely report Mrs. Whitby's disappearance to the police, and take no further steps to locate her?

This adventure begins when Belinda and Mrs. Whitby come across a piece of tapestry that appears to be a fairly recent piece of work inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry. For a copy of little value, the tapestry produces an astonishing level of interest in quite a few people, some of whom are also obsessed about the circumstances surrounding the production of the original. The story advances through the discovery of various thefts and mysterious deaths, as well as the kidnapping I mentioned earlier.

These books are fast, light reads and diehard fans of the English village mystery novel may enjoy them in spite of their faults.

Cheryl - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Cheryl - RAM