Marianne Shearer is at the height of her career, a dauntingly successful barrister, respected by her peers and revered by her clients. So why has she killed herself? Her latest case had again resulted in an acquittal, though the outcome was principally due to the death of the prime witness after Marianne's forceful cross-examination. Had this wholly professional and unemotional lawyer been struck by guilt or uncertainty, or is there some secret to be discovered in her blandly comfortable private life? Her death reveals a paucity of friends, a grasping brother and a tenacious colleague, Peter Friel, who is determined to find out if that last trial held the reason for her taking her own life. The transcript holds intriguing clues, but it is another witness at the trial who holds the key to the truth and she is far from sure that she can reveal her secrets without releasing even more deceit and destruction.
- 'A genuinely original and imaginative writer, [Fyfield] offers a fascinating read’ Literary Review *
- ‘ One of Highsmith’s true heirs’ Guardian *
- 'Blood From Stone has all the complexity you'd expect from this award-winning grande dame of crime fiction - she's up there with Rendell, James, McDermid and Walters... Simply terrific' Observer *
- ‘As always, Fyfield leaves her readers with shivers that take a long time to go away’ The Times
Hardback
Published 06/03/2008