Book review: "Come and be killed", by Sally Spedding.

This murder-mystery story is slow to get going, yet builds up a a pace that keeps you turning the pages to the end. Frankie, a young woman obsessed about discovering the indentity of her true parents, murders her stepsister Shannon, then turns up as a carer for wealthy spinster sisters Evelyn and Merle.

The book has two converging strands; one involving Frankie, and the other Martin, a young man who has lost much of his future. A series of coincidences brings together Frankie and Martin in sleepy Malvern.

Although some of the coincidences appear slightly contrived at first, the pace of the book quickly picks up. It is well written, and there are some pleasant descriptions that evoke a place without getting too heavy.

The twist at the end was good, and at least partially explained some of the 'coincidences' earlier on in the story. Without the twist, the plot would have seemed much more contrived.

The two main characters, Frankie and Martin, are both very well drawn. Frankie in particular drew me in, so much so that I actually felt sorry for her at the end, despite her heionous crimes. Martin is a much more sympathetic character, although he does seem to wallow a little in his misfortune.

Sally Spedding specialises in writing creepy, dark crime stories, and this one is no exception. Indeed, there are more murders and deaths than feature in most crime books. Yet this is to the book's advantage.

I would give this 3.5 out of 5 stars. Recommended.