Folly

March 9, 2015
In this dramatic series opener from bestseller Cameron, Alex Duggins returns to her native Folly-on-Weir, in the Cotswolds, after her marriage falls apart. There she buys the Black Dog, the local pub, but when she discovers a dead monk in the snow, her carefully constructed new life is threatened. Helped by veterinarian Tony Harrison, a childhood friend, Alex conducts her own investigation, to the annoyance of the police. She becomes increasingly anxious as more and more things seem to point to her as the perpetrator. Alex turns out to have secrets in her past, as does Tony. Helen and Leonard Derwinter, the local nabobs, and Will and Cathy Cummings, the pub’s former owners, likewise have their secrets. Ditto the dead monk. That’s a major suspension of disbelief for one very small town, but Cameron (Out of Body) conveys a strong sense of place and the insularity of Folly-on-Weir’s residents.

April 15, 2013

A determined but conflicted heroine, pregnant and in the process of getting a divorce, attracts the attention of her handsome pilot neighbor in one of Cameron's earliest works, which was first published as a Harlequin American romance in 1987. Although this 25-year-old contemporary is necessarily dated, the emotional bond between the very caring hero and the vulnerable heroine (and the baby) is strong and will appeal to readers.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2013
This timeless love story, a hardcover reissue of one of Cameron's early books, shows how she ended up becoming a beloved best-selling author. Abby Winston, pregnant and abandoned by her selfish husband, had to quit the job she loved, designing window displays, when she nearly fell from a ladder. Now she works in a laundromat and hides her suddenly single status from her close-knit family. Her neighbor, Nick Dorset, an airline pilot who has always avoided emotional entanglements, becomes fascinated by his willowy, unavailable neighbor. As Abby tries to make it on her own without letting anyone know her situation, she and Nick become friends. Cameron's romance is the perfect antidote to Fifty Shades of Grey (2011), as she makes the romance so real one can feel the electric chemistry between Abby and Nick as they both try to do the right thing. The focus is on emotional attraction and deep friendship that turns to endless love rather than on sexual desire, and this will fill a need for readers who care more about feelings than mere mechanics.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

March 15, 2015
Following a painful divorce, Alex Duggins returns to Folly-on-Weir, the English village where she grew up; buys the village pub; installs the two former owners as managers; and starts to think her future is looking rosy. Then, on an early morning walk in the woods, Alex discovers the mutilated body of what appears to be a monk, with a dartsuspiciously similar to the darts from her pubburied deep in his throat. Horrified, Alex flees the scene to call the police. Her childhood friend, local vet Tony Harrison, steps in to provide moral support, but when another body turns up, and then another, and Alex is present each time, she becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear her name and prove she's not the killer, Alex takes matters into her own hands. A fearless, feisty heroine, a touch of romance, and an intriguing look at English village life, combined with taut suspense and unexpected twists, transform what starts out looking like a British village cozy into a mesmerizing, knuckle-whitening thriller. A top-notch blending of subgenres, much in the manner of Louise Penny.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)