A Question of Guilt by Frances Fyfield

Another semirandom kindle cheap book. This appears to be British to the point of refusing to admit the possibility of an American audience. There are bits of dialogue and discourse which are frankly incomprehensible because they are so imbedded in local slang. Still, the characters are appealing and the crime is intriguing. There is never any mystery about whodunit - the problem is proving it. Murder for hire, and the hatchet man freely giving up his contractor, but she has protected herself very well.

The principal character is Helen West, a Crown Prosecutor, I read this as the British equivalent of an Assistant District Attorney. At least, she is billed as the principal character ("a Helen West novel"). This one seems to center more on Detective Superintendent Geoffrey Bailey. Their romance is still mostly in potential stages at the end of the book.

The characters in and surrounding the crime itself receive far more attention that either of the detecting team. They are a seriously messed up bunch.

I think I will try another one or two. I really liked Helen and Geoff.