This book has a deceptively slow start but what French is actually doing is moving the pieces around on the chessboard, making sure the connections, the secrets, the king/queen are revealed subtly but incontrovertibly all the while slowly ratcheting up the tension until the inevitably hinted at crime occurs…but perhaps not the EXACT crime you expect. From there it is a race to the finish which leaves you ready & hoping for another book. Excellent.