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Belinda Lawrence discovers the body of her reclusive great aunt on the floor of her home and becomes an heiress as the old
lady's death is labeled an accident by the police. But Belinda can't stop the niggling doubt at the back of her mind. The
problem was who would kill an old woman and why. There seemed to be nothing missing in the house.
Belinda learns there are great differences from living in the lights of the city and the darkness that descends on the unlighted
streets of the village once she claims her inheritance with the intention of living in the house.
It isn't long before an antiques dealer turns up looking for old furniture and a realtor wants to sell the house for her.
The only people who seem friendly are her closest neighbors.
A break in at the house, another murder in the house keep the action in this well crafted story moving forward as Belinda
has to decide who to trust among the people who have taken an interest in her new home. Why did the lawyer who wrote her aunt's
will disappear? Why does the neighbor feel so strongly about the overgrown garden?
These and other questions will keep the reader turning pages as they try to identify the villain of the tale and solve the
mystery before Belinda does. Recommended as a fun read written by talented author Brian Kavanagh who introduces us to a cast
of characters not soon forgotten. A story with a surprise in store for the reader.
I am pleased to recommend this book to any mystery fan. Enjoy. I did.
Review of Anne K. Edwards 09/24/06
http://www.Mysteryfiction.net
Capable of Murder
Brian Kavanagh
184 pages
ISBN-
1-905202-10-5
$12.50
BeWrite Books
Set in England, Belinda Lawrence visits her aunt but is shocked by her discovery. Her aunt is dead and her body is rotting.
From this moment on Belinda's life changes and will never be the same again. Belinda inherits her aunt's estate and doesn't
believe her aunt's death was an accident. Whilst mingling with the villagers she receives clues and soon finds some old hidden
information within the property.
The police, however, do believe her aunt's death is an accident. Belinda does her
own investigating and soon realizes she could be in serious trouble. Unsure whether to sell the estate or keep it, Belinda
knows one thing, she has to unravel this murderous mystery.
Her dear neighbors Jacob and Rosemary are generous to her.
Jacob agrees to help her with the garden and Rosemary offers Belinda a job, but soon even destruction hits their relationship.
Rosemary is found murdered in Belinda's home and it becomes obvious who the murderer is really after.
Death and intrigue
abound as the plot gradually unravels in this cleverly written book. The information slowly seeps out and the characters show
their true colors. For those who like murder mysteries, this book should really make their day. Belinda Lawrence becomes
her own detective, leading the way through the trail of death, mystery and fear.
Caroline Lake, gottawritenetwork.com
May
1, 2006copyright CL & GWN
“…a genius in designing gardens, gardens that he would never live to see in their maturity. He had an insight
that allowed him to predict the way that his work would mature…His gardens express an ideal. The native English landscape.”
A garden run amok in a small suburban village near the famous city of Bath , England waits for restoration!
Belinda Lawrence hasn't really known her great-Aunt all that well but is surprised to get an invitation to discuss something
important. Belinda hardly expects to find something highly suspicious – indeed, an English village murder rivaling the
best of Miss Marple tales. After the initial shock and brief mourning, it seems that one (or more) of three men could be the
criminal.
And it seems that everyone Belinda meets has an interest in the 80,000 pounds and cottage her aunt has left as an inheritance
– or is it only the garden? Just what is so intriguing about this particular garden and this singular spot well-known
in literary and horticultural circles of the past?
This fast-paced plot is laced with unexpected twists and turns that keep the reader enthralled and guessing to the very last
chapter! Descriptions of details fill in the gaps with more questions and answers, thus making the reader part of the enfolding
mystery! Humor and “real” personalities will induce laughter and annoyance alike, along with appreciation of the
bucolic character of this sleepy yet oh so busy country English town!
More will die before the discovery of the criminal and his or her twisted motive!
Hope Brian Kavanagh will write more sleuth mysteries in this classic mystery style and pace!
Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on March 30, 2006
With interesting characters, Brian Kavanagh's well-crafted,
seductive tale, Capable of Murder lulls the reader into a false sense of security then attacks when least expected. There
are many twists and turns as the story winds its way toward its startling conclusion. This is a must-read book. It is definitely
recommended." Review by Nancy Madison, author of Clues to Love, Never Love a Stranger and What the World Needs Now.
http://www.ebooksonthe.net .
"The reason for the mayhem is unusual, and the killer was not the one I suspected. There are splashes of excellent local colour
and descriptions." " The writing is very visual." "The first meetings of Belinda and Jacob are funny, involving spilled coffee,
bumped heads, torn clothes, seeds, and nudity. There are delightfully loopy minor characters: The gin-swilling middle-aged
antiques dealer. The malodorous, hairy-handed and rather gross bookseller who reads Barbara Cartland novels." eBook Reviews
Weekly USA.
Twists and turns abound keeping the reader from guessing the killer early on. If you are looking for a light, entertaining
mystery to get lost in for a few hours, CAPABLE OF MURDER is an excellent choice. Reviewed by Tracy Farnsworth http://www.romancereadersconnection.com
Rating: FOUR DAGGERS (Excellent) USA
"Mr. Kavanagh managed to do what one of my favorite authors, M. C. Beaton, does so well, incorporate humor within the confines
of a credible mystery. I laughed out loud several times. "Although the solution came as a shock, I did not feel as if I'd
been blindsided, because Mr. Kavanagh played fair and the clues were there to be interpreted by the discerning reader
I found Capable of Murder to be a very capable mystery." (Mary Lynn is the author of "Dear Cari.") © MyShelf.Com. All Rights
Reserved.
***
When writing a mystery, you've got to juggle a believable motive, an interesting hook and complicated characters.
In Capable of Murder, Brian manages to keep all balls in the air.
His protagonist, Belinda, leaves the city to inhabit
a cottage she's inherited from her recently-passed aunt. But there are
complications. Belinda isn't convinced that her
aunt's death was
accidental, she has conflicting feelings about her strapping
neighbor, and she soon finds evidence
that there's more to the
garden on her property than meets the eye. As if adjusting to a new life isn't hard enough, Belinda
has to follow her instincts to solve what she believes was a murder. Mayhem, as it usually does, ensues.
Capable of Murder
has all the hallmarks of a classic mystery: a
secret room, sudden disappearances, and a setting steeped in a
history
that comes to life on every page.
I found the transformation of the murderer from normal acquaintance to raving madman
a little hard to swallow, but by that point I was so involved in the story that I was willing to overlook it. Capable of Murder
is available at amazon and bn.com. If you're looking for a pleasant diversion, be sure to order a copy.
Gabriel Gregoire
- Author.
born2write Yahoo Group
Capable of Murder is a good mystery with a number of lively characters. Pat Reid - RAM Books 'n' Bytes
Ask for CAPABLE OF MURDER at your favourite book shop!
CAPABLE OF MURDER
by Brian Kavanagh.
ISBN-1-905202-10-5 Paperback.
ISBN-1-905202-11-3 eBook.
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