Not one of us

About book: The Teifi Valley's coroner, Harry Probert-Lloyd, is struggling: with the blindness that drove him home from London, with the county magistrates and with an estate teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

He needs an escape, so when Dr Benton Reckitt is asked to give a second opinion on the apparently natural death of young Lizzie Rees, Harry willingly goes with him. But mistakes are made. Harry becomes embroiled in local rumours and in Esther Rees's search for the truth behind her daughter's sudden death.

What is Lizzie Rees's father hiding? Was somebody else in the farmhouse on the night she died? And, most crucially for Harry, will he be able to uncover the mystery, and solve personal difficulties that threaten to tear him apart?

My thoughts: Not One of Us is the fourth book in the Teifi Valley series and certainly does not disappoint. It is a well-researched historical mystery that is set in the 1850’s West Wales. This book can be read alone, but the previous three are too good to miss. The story is absorbing from the minute you pick it up from the relationships between the characters to the rich insights into the period to the plots that are intertwined.

The characters and their struggles are relatable along with the dynamics between Harry Probert-Lloyd, the Coroner and Squire, his assistant John Lloyd and Lydia Howell who has come to live in the house to work for Harry.

Harry goes along with Dr Benton Reckitt who has been asked to give an opinion on the apparent natural death of the young Lizzie Rees. John his assistant is at the Great Exhibition and mistakes are made. Harry starts to look for the truth, rumours are rife amongst the community and very soon more deaths occur. Harry and John find themselves at loggerheads and a rift threatens their relationship both at home and at work.

There were so many strands moving along at pace from the work of Coroner to the work of Squire along with Harry’s blindness. Alis kept me guessing and enthralled from start to the very end. I loved the characters and their stories. Alis is exceptionally good at drawing you into their world and making you feel that you are there with them. I cannot wait to read the next edition. I would highly recommend this book.