Expose! (Vicky Hill 3) [Paperback]

As with the first two books I have read in this series, this was a funny, entertaining read. It's a light hearted, good murder mystery with plenty of well drawn characters. I love the fact Hannah Dennison throws in various strange hobbies: hedge jumping, snail racing to name a few!

Investigative reporter Vicky Hill's dream of the gorgeous Lieutenant Robin Berry is abruptly shattered by her mobile. An anonymous voice tells her that she should get to St Peter's where a funeral is taking place. As the Reverend Whittle is away on holiday instructions had been left that any bodies from any deaths were to be kept in the Gipping morgue until his return. Knowing that in the one hundred and forty-odd years of being in existence, the Gipping Gazette had never once missed sending a reporter to the church to record the event. Soon Vicky is astride her red Yamaha heading for Gipping church. Sure enough there is a hearse parked out side. But not the Gipping-on-Plym's funeral directors - Dust to Dust With Dignity, but a garish American Cadillac bearing the slogan Go-Go Gothic - Our Passengers Go All the Way. Convinced something is a foot Vicky is amazed to see the car of Douglas Fleming, Managing Director of Gipping-on-Plym Power Services. Even more amazing is that this early morning's unheralded funeral is for his wife, local celebrity Scarlett Fleming. And Scarlett would have wanted a funeral that everyone would remember. The whole thing looks to Vicky extremely suspicious.

Hardly has Vicky decided that there is definitely more here than meets the eye, than she is accosts by Eunice Pratt, screaming `Dougie is mine at last!'. Eunice is not one of Vicky's favourite people, a bitter woman in her sixties with a nasty temper. She is however, Lieutenant Robin Berry's adored aunt.

As Vicky heads into the office to write up the story she is informed that Hedge-jumping having ended on 30th April, from 1st May until end of August it's snail racing season, and that will be the lead story.

But our Vicky is tenacious and is determined to uncover the secret behind this hasty burial. As she investigates she discovers that Douglas is on somewhat shaky financial ground, and that surprisingly that Eunice is not the only one after him. In the midst of her investigations, prompted by her love for Lieutenant Robin Berry she agrees to something she later regrets.

Soon Vicky realises that she is chasing a killer, and could have an exposé scoop, if she can stay alive long enough. Of course she could confide in that rather nice DS Colin Probes, except that he is a policeman, and family history forbids fraternising with the law. And anyway she is in love with Lieutenant Robin Berry. But could her affections be misplaced?

A truly wonderful romp, as Vicky grapples with a mysterious death, intrigue, and snail racing season. Not to be missed.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Hayes.