Losing Ground — Catherine Aird

The dramatic theft of an 18th Century painting is discovered just moments before the old manor house from which it was stolen -- and is uniquely depicted in the background of the portrait -- is set on fire. Making matters more grisly even is the pile of bones that is sighted in the blazing inferno moments before the roof collapses. What started as simple, if surprising, theft has quickly escalated to arson and, possibly murder, and now Detective Inspector Sloan and Detective Constable Crosby have to piece together, a puzzle which has its roots deep in Berebury's history. Although Tolmie Park, the property on which the manor house sits, has had a somewhat checkered and mysterious past there are those in the community who would fight to preserve it. There are also a number of factions within the area who have differing plans to develop the property, shrouding the fire in further suspicion. It is up D.C.I. C.D. Sloan to sift through this assortment of characters and, finally, illuminate the truth.