C J Browne

Crime writer, Alison Joseph (Sister Agnes Mysteries) has started writing a new series of novellas. ‘Hidden Sins’ is the second in the series. When I read the description for this book I thought what a neat idea – and it was. A novel that turns Agatha Christie into an amateur detective. Although it is one of a series, Hidden Sins is just as good as a stand-alone, covering the period just after the First World War. Agatha is in her early twenties and has the sleuthing characteristics of watchful waiting, and intuitive analysis which proves useful as she finds herself alone in a hotel in Cornwall, where she is expected to solve a murder of one of the other guests. She’d prefer to be writing her first romance. We are given extracts of this and it doesn’t seem to be going that well – probably the distraction of knowing a murderer is close by. The writing is very atmospheric and I loved the Christie-like setting of a grand and somewhat faded cliff top hotel, providing the perfect ‘locked room’ scenario. ‘Hidden Sins’ is a light-hearted and enjoyable read.