DYING TO TELL by ROBERT GODDARD

DYING TO TELL

BY ROBERT GODDARD

THE BLURB:-

Lance Bradley, idling his life away in the little Somerset town of Glastonbury, suddenly receives a call for help from the eccentric sister of his old friend Rupert Adler. Reluctantly, Lance goes to London, to discover that Rupe's employers want him tried for fraud. A Japanese businessman claims he has stolen a document of huge importance. And a private detective is demanding money for trying to trace, on Rupe's behalf, an American called Townley, who was involved in a mysterious death at Wilderness Farm, near Glastonbury, back in 1963.

No sooner has Lance discovered that whatever Rupe was up to is too risky to get involved in than he finds that he already is involved, and the only way to get out is to get in deeper still. Where is Rupe? What is the document he has stolen? Who is Townley? And what happened at Wilderness Farm nearly thirty years before that holds the key to a secret more amazing than Lance Bradly could ever have imagined?

THE REALITY:-

I haven't read a Robert Goddard book for... oh, it must be over fifteen years now. I can't remember the exact story behind Set In Stone but do remember that it was based around a weird, circular building called Otherways and was really great. I might have read one or two other novels of his around the same time, but would have to do my research into that.

This was a thriller in the truest sense of the word, with a fast pace, a few killings and a fair few near misses. The quest to find out the contents of “the letter” created the urge to keep turning the pages. I had to put this book down after the first chapter as I developed viral conjunctivitis, which made it nigh-on difficult for me to read for the best part of ten days, what with the state of my watery, streaming eyes, but I easily managed to pick up the thread. You have to keep on your toes with a thriller, as so many different characters come into play in such a story- it helps to have a good memory!

I loved the descriptions of the cities Lance visited and it was enough to make me want to visit Berlin, San Francisco and Japan (especially Kyoto, home of the Geisha- bucket list!) What happened to Rupert was sad- the price you pay for meddling- but I'm glad that a member of his family avenged that particular crime. With interesting twists and turns right to the end, one of the most interesting involved Mildred's relationship with her simpleton brother Howard. Unsavoury, disturbed and plain unwell older brothers play a theme in my next novel. Those of you who know me well will know where my inspiration for this theme springs from.