The name Tolkien certainly carries before it a weighty reputation (the author is JRR’s grandson). But THE STEPMOTHER lives up to all expectations – though a million miles away from the LORD OF THE RINGS. This novel is a psychological suspense/courtroom drama, with some cracking sexual tension between the stepmother of the title – beautiful and mysterious Greta Grahame – and the two main players – Peter Robinson MP and his teenage son. It had a very ‘classic’ mystery feel to it – part Patricia Highsmith, part PD James, part Hitchcock screenplay!