The Corpse with the Silver Tongue

By: Cathy Ace

Publisher by: TouchWood Editions

Cover Image: stocknshares, istockphoto.com

The Corpse with the Silver Tongue is author, Cathy Ace’s premier edition in the Cait Morgan mystery series.

Protagonist, Welsh - Canadian criminal psychologist and Professor, Cait Morgan’s life is forever altered in this tale of murder, mayhem and menace. A colleague, Frank McGregor, is incapacitated in a mountain bike accident and Cait is asked to step in for him to present his paper at a symposium in Nice. An all expenses paid long weekend in the south of France, what’s not to like? That is until Cait meets her old employer and is embroiled in a convoluted nail biter of history, mystery and murder.

I try to be very selective about the books I choose to review and of those only a slim minority will grab my attention and hold it captive right to the final page. This one did just that. There is just enough wry humour to keep the story from becoming too dark and ample suspense with twists and turns you won’t see coming to keep you glued to the pages.

Her characters are superbly drawn and atmosphere so well crafted you will feel the steamy warmth of the Hauts-de-France, hear the sounds of traffic, breezes rustling the palm fronds, the delicious scent of fresh baked croissants, cigarette smoke and a mix of piney shrubs, spicy herbs and sweet flowers.

Just when you think she is wrapping up the ace wordsmith, Cathy Ace, will plunge you once more into the abyss and take you on an emotional roller coaster.

I’m glad I started with Ace’s first book in the series so that I have been introduced to the provenance of the main characters Cait and her trusted ally and friend Bud Anderson. I’m hooked on the Cait Morgan mystery series and I know if you love a well written whodunit you will be hooked too.

James D. A. Terry