Absolute Poison — Geraldine Evans

'Well, this was a real find. Geraldine Evans knows how to make a character leap off the pages at you.'For Readers who like cozy mysteries and humorous mysteries.Superstitious British Detective Joseph Rafferty is having a bad week - not an unusual occurrence - and he can't help feeling trouble comes in threes. Also niggling in his mind is the fact that Llewellyn, his posh sergeant, has brought a 'bargain' suit from Rafferty's Ma. Sure to be stolen goods, the suit is bound to drop Rafferty in it when the holier-than-thou Llewellyn wears it on his wedding day -- with the loathed, sharp-eyed, Superintendent Bradley amongst the guests.Rafferty's first premonition turns out to be accurate when a company manager is found dead at his desk. The tyrannical Barstaple had known full well that he was hated by most of the office. But did he really deserve to be poisoned? And so horribly.Rafferty's week goes from bad to worse and worse again. And when you take the 'bargain' suit into the equation and Superintendent Bradley's anticipated reaction to this stolen piece of shmutter, the week really has gone to Hell in a handcart. And taken Rafferty with it. But maybe even Hell will be the better destination compared to the possibilities the Superintendent is sure to have in mind.ʻAn ingeniously constructed plot, deft dialogue, well-drawn characters, and a few humorous touches, make this an enjoyably intriguing read.'