The Parish Picnic Murder by Graham Hutton conjures up an image of sleepy villages in rural Essex in the 1960s, but all is not quite what is seems. Set against a picturesque backdrop of English country life, The Parish Picnic Murder contains all the elements that one might expect from a classic Agatha Christie but this novel has hidden depths and events take quite an unexpected turn.
The Parish Picnic Murder is more than just a `whodunnit'; the emergence of women detectives in the Constabulary is an interesting angle as the story hinges around the central character of Detective Sergeant Sarah Bowman. But the underlying theme surrounding the identity of the murder victim is the key point of intrigue, and Graham Hutton takes the reader on an unimaginable journey proving that people really are not quite what they seem. Cleverly crafted, this story will keep the reader guessing until the final pages as to the real story behind Henry Hall, and are we ever quite sure who is the murderer? The Parish Picnic Murder is a really enjoyable read which delivers the readers' every expectation and then some.