As much a political commentary as a mystery, this satisfyingly complex novel focuses on conservative movements in both the U.S. and Britain. Replete with conscienceless politicians, bloggers, literary critics, would-be authors, a sexagenarian gourmand detective and floundering twenty-somethings looking for meaning in life, this cast of characters takes the reader on a rollercoaster of sinister maneuverings, professional jealousy and murder.

Using a “book within a book” device, revelations about past crimes become clear as the text of a semi-autobiography of a murdered man is read by one of the principals who is one of two young women brought together by the death of one’s father. A mutual attraction blossoms into a partnership to solve the mystery at the root of everything. It’s as complicated as a Dorothy Sayers train- tide -schedule conundrum that waits until the proper moment to emerge as a clear plot. Nicely done showing a clear facility with the genre, the author has provided a delightful reading experience. Afficionados of politics or mysteries will find it equally engaging. The similarities between the evolutions of conservative politics in both the U.S. and the UK are especially interesting.

With an appealing protagonist, a young woman with dreams of becoming a writer but marking time serving in a sushi restaurant at the airport, this story of a number of deaths, some apparently accidental, some with suspicious circumstances and one clearly a murder spirals into an intrigue of British politics and culture that’s sure to fascinate Anglophiles and Yanks alike. From an author with a proven track record and a string of awards this will not disappoint. With a clever and semi-transparent inside publishing joke nestled in the title and the text, this is an altogether amusing read.