Whodunnit?

In the days before publication, Fatal was advertised as a whodunnit. Entirely accurate. There is indeed a murder and many suspects to keep the reader guessing until the culprit is finally revealed. So far, so conventional. But what the author, Laura Lyndhurst, does is take the reader deep into each person’s life, laying bare their innermost thoughts, hopes and fears. And yes, the murder victim probably richly deserves his fate but he, also, is a fully fleshed-out character who perceives the world through different eyes than anyone else. Sometimes, we can almost pity him because his complete lack of self-awareness has robbed him of the rich and fulfilled life he could have had. tAnd then we realise that this is a man who, long ago, overstepped the boundaries of decency and compassion and is, in fact, irredeemable.
Fatal is a clever book, littered with rabbit holes waiting to draw in the unwary reader and I fell into a couple of them, extricated myself and revised my opinion. And, no, I didn’t guess the outcome and I don’t think you will. In the crowded genre of murder mysteries, Fatal is a breath of fresh air and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
** In the interests of transparency, I owe a debt of gratitude to Ms Lyndhurst for supplying me with a version of her book that enabled me to listen to it. Her kindness is much appreciated.