Strange Children

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 16 APR 2001

Charles (Unruly Passions; Evil Angels Among Them) departs from her popular series of ecclesiastical mysteries with this peculiar tale of blind love and murder set in contemporary London. When meek and gangly Tessa Rowan attends her ex-lover's wedding, she is startled to find herself seated next to Rob Nicholls, the bride's ex-boyfriend. Tessa and Rob hit it off, and even though Tessa knows very little about this charming, enigmatic man, she marries him a mere two weeks later. It is only after Tessa is several weeks pregnant that she begins to wonder about Rob's past namely, why he hates his mother so much. Finally succumbing to Tessa's excessive pleas, Rob agrees to accompany her to his mother's house where, to Tessa's horror, they find the woman brutally bashed to death. The police suspect Rob of matricide, but a disbelieving Tessa sets out on her own to try to clear her husband. Readers will follow Tessa's dogged search with barely contained anticipation as she struggles to uncover the nature of her stepmother's elusive "business." In addition, a solid cast of supporting characters including an oddly secretive priest, a guileless hospital porter and a warmhearted pregnant friend adds richness to the story. Although Tessa's submissiveness may prove annoying at times, Charles's intricate plot and simple yet colorful prose will captivate.