I find crime novels easy to read as finding out further plot points grips me enough to turn pages and this debut novel was no exception. Inga Vesper has written a novel set in 1950s suburbia America looking into the front window of the white middle class setting, through the eyes of Ruby Wright, the black 'help' who cleans houses. Housewife Joyce Haney goes missing, leaving a disturbed kitchen and bloodstains on the tiled floor which Ruby discovers. She reports the scene to police and is promptly arrested purely based on the colour of her skin.
A sympathetic detective, Mick, has her released and decides to use her knowledge of the family and Joyce's friends and asks her to work with him on the case. Ruby feels connected to Joyce through the kindness and understanding shown towards her and wants to help find out what happened to the housewife. This novel has an interesting crime plot set against the backdrop of 1950s racial tension, privileges and sexism that also reflects the issues faced in our present times. I am looking forward to seeing what this author writes next, so many books, so little time!
A sympathetic detective, Mick, has her released and decides to use her knowledge of the family and Joyce's friends and asks her to work with him on the case. Ruby feels connected to Joyce through the kindness and understanding shown towards her and wants to help find out what happened to the housewife. This novel has an interesting crime plot set against the backdrop of 1950s racial tension, privileges and sexism that also reflects the issues faced in our present times. I am looking forward to seeing what this author writes next, so many books, so little time!