Murder on North Terrace by Lainie Anderson
Murder on North Terrace, the second in The Petticoat Police Mystery series, following The death of Dora Black is another engrossing mystery set in Adelaide in 1917. Miss Kate Cocks and Ethel Bromley are again embroiled in a murder, this time the death of a board governor of the Art Gallery, whose body has been found under a controversial painting. Ethel, with her strong ties to Adelaide’s elite society, is seconded to the Detective Branch, where her knowledge of the key suspects is useful. Meanwhile Kate is left pounding the beat, following up on a terrible assault on a young girl, who was found unconscious in the parklands.
The historical background was what made this book stand out for me. Kate Cocks is a real character and it is fascinating following her as she pursues her goal of looking after women and children in Adelaide. Through her eyes the reader becomes aware of all the work that women do for the wartime effort, the maimed returned soldiers and their drinking, and Anderson even incorporates some real events that Cocks was involved in, noting these in her afterword. She uses the fictional Ethel’s life and connections to highlight the difference in the classes, the power that the wealthy Adelaide leaders have, while the poor struggle to feed themselves.
Anderson leads the reader through the steps of the two investigations, showing society’s different attitudes to the murder of a prominent member of society, which attracts media attention and multiple police resources to solve it, while the rape of a young, poor girl is left to Kate Cocks alone to follow the clues, while facing danger on the dark streets of Adelaide. Kate and Ethel are triumphant in their investigations and justice is obtained in a surprising conclusion.
Murder on North Terrace can be read as a stand-alone and is sure to be enjoyed by readers who want a well-researched historical novel, with the added benefit of two mysteries to solve.
Themes: Murder, Police, Adelaide - History.
Pat Pledger