Cold To The Touch

Sarah Fortune #6

by Frances Fyfield

Beautiful, volatile Jessica has long since burned her boats in the village by the sea where she was born. She longs to return, but first she needs to secure the love of the powerful man who has spurned her obsessive adoration.Sarah Fortune, her older, cynical friend, is keen to distance herself from her usual haunts and welcomes the chance to leave London in the hope that she might she be able to effect a reconciliation between Jessica and her mother. Pennyvale both charms and distracts her with hints of scandal and buried secrets, but it soon begins to disquiet her as cracks of distrust and jealousy show in the polite faades. Sarah is excited when Jessica tells her she is coming home, but she never arrives. Sarah's instinctive knowledge of Jessica leads her back to the capital, fearful of what she will find. What she discovers reveals a truth more chilling than she could have imagined, but she has to return to Pennyvale to fully understand how Jessica was finally brought home, and why...

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Paperback

First published November 5, 2009

About the author

Aka Frances Hegarty.

Frances Fyfield is a criminal lawyer, who lives in London and in Deal, by the sea which is her passion. She has won several awards, including the CWA Silver Dagger.

She grew up in rural Derbyshire, but spent most of her adult life in London, with long intervals in Norfolk and Deal, all inspiring places. She was educated mostly in convent schools; then studied English at Newcastle University and went on to qualify as a solicitor, working for what is now the Crown Prosecution Service, thus learning a bit about murder at second hand. She also worked for the Metropolitan Police.

Years later, writing became her real vocation. She also writes short stories for magazines and radio and is occasionally a contributor to Radio 4, (Front Row, Quote Unquote, Night Waves,) and presenter of Tales from the Stave.

Reviews

[Amy Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadly, Frances Fyfield sells so poorly in the States that she is no longer published here but for those of us who love her, there are often used copies from the UK to be had. Fyfield has a handful of different series; if you can find the "Helen Wests" you are in for one of the best ever. This book features Sarah Fortune (think there are 3 or 4 with her at center)--one of the most original characters ever to take center stage in a mystery series. Fyfield is a terrific writer...if I had to compare, I might choose Denise Mina, since the writing is more important than the story and the character development is wise and deep.

[Cláudia · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a boring and strange book, too confusing, too "meaty" (was it really important to the story to know ALL those details about butchers and their business??), too long for only 240 pages.
I couldn't really care less about any of the characters, the mystery is not that interesting, and then suddenly Sarah just figures it all out without an explanation, "just because".
A writer can write for just her/his own pleasure of talking about something, but please don't make us read it...

[Nancy Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I finally read an e-book, and this was it. Can’t say I prefer electronic over real book-reading, though.

I am a huge Frances Fyfield fan, and this, my sixth or seventh of her books, was again a pleasure to read, in spite of the fact that I am not a red meat eater and the graphic descriptions of a butcher shop and slaughter house (abattoir) were a bit yukky. Fyfield’s protagonist, Sarah Fortune, is a totally delightful and unique character. An ex-lawyer turned high-class courtesan who dispenses sex to lonely and unfashionable men, she forges her own brand of compassion to the dispossessed of London and the English countryside. The writing is clever and often profound, the characters unusual and imaginative but completely human.

Sarah tends to shake people up with her unconventional and surprising behavior. One of my favorite scenes is in another book where, as the lawyer handling the landed gentry’s estate, Sarah is observed turning cartwheels in the nude. And of course, with her formidable intelligence and intuition, she always solves the crime. Fyfield"s vision is so all-encompassing that even the meanest of characters is given charity and redemption in the end.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an alright read with some really good moments that lifted the overall story but it felt like it was lacking something but I'm struggling to put my finger on what. Some of the characters are developed well but others not so much, including Jess who's past and disappearance is a key part of the story but who we find out little about, plenty about her family but not so much her. Same for Sarah our lead character and crime solver who's past feels like it's only hinted at or bits given to move the story along but nothing explaining how she came to be on the streets of London in the early hours in the first place beyond her profession, which in itself feels like there is more to the story. Whether this is because this is part of a longer series and those bits are covered in earlier books I don't know but the lack of these does leave the story a little flat. I probably will try others written by Fyfield to see if this is a one off, I hope so as Fyfield's writing flows well and at times were really engaging.

[Louise Kuhlman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't love it. Main character is sort of interesting, but I was more interested in her friends. The victim's death is quite icky. The other characters are not well developed, and the plot weak.Wouldn't recommend.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eminently satisfying, if lacking a wee bit in some department or other. Lots of interesting information about butchery and Covent Garden.

[Eden Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Visit JetBlackDragonfly (The Man Who Read Too Much) at www.edenthompson.ca/blog

English writer Frances Fyfield is a previous winner of the CWA/Duncan Laurie Award (Blood From A Stone), and has been compared to Patricia Highsmith. Although the cover quotes use words like chilling and unnerving, I found her to be rather relaxed and pastoral.

Sarah Fortune happens upon a friend on a dark London street in the wee hours of the morning. She invites Jessica back to her flat and listens to another of her tales of obsessive love. Jess attracts drama, and this time it's a man who runs a restaurant and buys from London's Smithfield meat market. When Sarah remarks she dreams of a cottage getaway, Jess sets up a rental in her old hometown. Pennyvale is but a few shops and scattered houses along the coast, the end of nowhere, where Sarah wanders the shore aimlessly. She meets the local butcher, the gay vicar, and Jessica's mother who runs the town like she owns it. Which she mostly does.
Sarah thinks by being there she can resurrect and resolve the mysterious drama that caused Jess to flee many years ago - was it her Dad disappearing at sea, her sleeping with too many locals, or Jessica's unsettling outbursts? Resolution is found, though only after a dead dog and a young woman are (separately) found in the local butcher's freezer.

Sarah was a flighty figure to me, indulging in silent solace on the country trails one minute and feisty the next. She eagerly offers to paint the church for the vicar, but after buying the paint, stops. She is so enamoured with the butcher shop she offers to wash the cutting block (Can I do this every day?) then that is forgotten as well. When she finds the body in the chiller, her reaction is a sedated "poor cow... poor cow... And then, Shut the door will you? We don't want her getting warm". Quite relaxed for finding a body hung up and bled dry.
The whole tone was sedate, quite unlike the promise of a bloody tale on the cover. This was a light mystery of a seaside town with a few old skeletons seeing the light of day.

I see now that this is the sixth Sarah Fortune mystery by Fyfield. The character was a prestigious lawyer, part time mistress, part time psychologist, and part time detective. In this one she was free to vacation in a cottage. Near the end of the book, when someone called her a hooker, I thought they were joking. Maybe not. I have no idea.
Take note if you don't care for the art of butchery. Meat is a main theme in this novel, from the workings of the Smithfield meet market to the everyday practice at the local butcher. Some of the characters worked at the local abattoir, and even the church is dedicated to St. Bartholomew whose emblem is a butcher's knife. A good milieu for a mystery but not for the vegetarians amongst us.
An interesting novel with an off camera murder, but no tension or thrills.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frances Fyfield is criminally ignored and I just don't get it!! God she can write. This one was probably the one I struggled with(compared to Fyfield's other books) but I still gave it 4 stars!! Ms Fyfield is special.

[Twin Opinions · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Fyfield fan I was excited to read this book. This book was slow to start for me. Changing point of views quickly and from the point of view of Jessica who was a catter brain type of character to say the least. This is not Fyfields best but its still well worth the read.



Once we got into Sarah's life the book kicked started. I really enjoy her character. Fyfield did an amazing job creating Sarah! Pennyrate was a great community to read about the way Fyfield described it. I felt I was there with Sarah meeting the small town people.



The book has a great vibe that drags you in and has you begging to discover the mystery of Jessica Hurley. I loved many of the characters, Jeremy and Jack were a fun pair. Sam was as well.



Once I got through the first few chapters I could not put this book down. Had the beginning been as good as the rest I would give this book 4 moons for a great read. Fyfield creates a book to get lost in and hunt for the killer!

[Stephen Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book. I find it difficult to say much more about it. It's crime fiction of a sort. The protagonist is a middle-aged courtesan who plays amateur detective, but Miss Marples or Hercule Poirot she is not. There's a murder, but it's not a murder mystery in the sense that the author leaves clues lying around for the reader to pick up. The protagonist solves the crimes by her brilliant intuition by a process that is opaque to the reader, and left me feeling "So that's whodunit. So what?"

I wonder if this is really an example of the genre known as "chicklit". When I look at Good Reads's "compare books" function I can see that I score pretty low on appreciation of chicklit. So I think I'll steer clear of Fyfield in future, unless I'm really desperate.

[Vivienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fyfield is an amazing writer and this, the second of her works I have read, confirmed this for me. Her crime novels remind me some of Susan Hill's, rich in characterisation and unusual in terms of how the story is revealed and its twists and turns.

She likes to play her cards close to her chest, revealing aspects of her characters and their lives in a way which serves to challenge expectations.

This isn't a book I would recommend for those who are wary of descriptions about the meat industry and butchering. It is quite graphic in that respect.

Won't say much about the plot as it is one that needs to be approached 'cold'. I would have rather not even read the cover blurb.

[Lynn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't liked her for a while and this book doesn't change it. She writes really well but I find her plots hard to follow and have not much interest in doing so. This is fairly gruesome and hiniges on something entirely implausible.

[Debs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was more like a novel than a mystery story although it did have a cracking mystery imbedded in it. And what a surprise ending! With a unique and compelling heroine, and a brilliant writing style, I can't wait to read other books by this author.

[Lynne Elsisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I'm sure I have enjoyed previous books by this author though hadn't read one recently. But I didn't like it much; by the end it was almost a chore to read it. I will try one more of hers in the future to find out if it's her or me! Most disappointing!

[Ann Tonks · Rating 3 out of 5]

For years I was a Frances Fyfield fan and then had a couple of disappointing reads. This is a return to the insightful mysteries that I used to enjoy. A great range of characters and a story that even when you connect the dots still keeps you reading.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Fyfield's writing - but I think the style is becoming a little too formulaic. Always competent and readable, nonetheless.

[JenniferB · Rating 3 out of 5]

As for her other books, don't really like her style of writing. Compelling but not enjoyable. Bit creepy as well.

[Saya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspense at the best in Smithfield, London!