The Missing Wife and the Stone Fen Siamese: a heartwarming cosy crime book, perfect for animal lovers

The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn is a novel by Ann Granger that follows the story of Clarice Beech, who accompanies Emily to her father's funeral. Clarice becomes drawn into the fractious world of the Compton-Smythe family, where she discovers the truth about Avril's disappearance and faces danger as someone is intent on resolving the mystery.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 02 June 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Animal lovers are in for a delightful treat with Ann Granger's captivating novel, "The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn." This captivating story revolves around a mysterious corpse that turns up in an old barn, and the various animals who become involved in the investigation.

The protagonist of the story is Clarice Beech, a ceramics evening class instructor who reflects on the absence of one of her students, Colin Compton-Smythe. Later, Emily, Colin's daughter, telephones to inform Clarice that her father has passed away during routine surgery.

Distraught, Emily opens up to Clarice about her father's wretched childhood and the day when Colin, at the age of five, returned home to discover his mother, Avril, gone. Colin never believed she would have left without him and had been searching for answers about Avril's disappearance for years.

Clarice, moved by Emily's story, readily agrees to accompany her to Colin's funeral. As they arrive at the stunning Victorian Gothic manor house, with Bellatrix, the majestic stone Siamese cat reposing at its entrance, Clarice is drawn into the complex and tumultuous world of the Compton-Smythe family.

Colin's father, Ralph, is an argumentative man, while his partner, Tessa, is equally combative. Their daughter, Dawn, is being stalked by an ex-lover, and the most unsettling aspect is the presence of Ernestine, Ralph's emotionally unpredictable sister. Additionally, there is Johnson, Ralph's menacing manservant.

As Clarice delves deeper into the investigation, she discovers that the nearer she gets to the truth, the greater her danger becomes. Someone is determined to keep the mystery of Avril's disappearance unresolved, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal.

"The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn" is a thrilling and suspenseful tale that will keep animal lovers engaged from start to finish. With its captivating characters, intricate plot, and atmospheric setting, this novel is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a touch of animal magic.

Weight: 582g
Dimension: 162 x 242 x 35 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780349135212