CHICKENFEED is a cracking tale based on the true story pf the “chicken farm murder” in East Sussex in 1924. Although Norman Thorne never confessed to killing his girlfriend, he was tried and hanged for the crime. Walters’s fictionalized account of their relationship is told from the points of view of Elsie and Norman, from their first meeting until the eve of Norman’s trial for murder four years later. Burrowing deep into an English legend, Walter creates a suspenseful tale of fiction based on fact, leaving it to the reader to decide whether Norman was guilty of the awful crime. In THE TINDERBOX, Walters tells the story of Patrick O’Riordan, who has been arrested for the brutal murder of two women. As shock turns to fury, the village residents unite against the O’Riordan family while neighbour Siobhan Lavenham remains convinced that Patrick is innocent. Jeopardizing her own position within the bigoted community, Siobhan stands firmly in denfense of the O’Riordan name. Yet when terrible secrets about the O’Riordans are revealed, Siobham is forced to ask herself if Patrick truly is capable of murder. And if so, what other lies have been hidden by the O’Riordans? As the truth unravels, it becomes clear that beneath a cunning facade, someone’s chilling ambition is about to ignite.
Author
Minette Walters (born 26 September 1949) is a British mystery writer. After studying at Trevelyan College, University of Durham, she began writing in 1987 with The Ice House, which was published in 1992. She followed this with The Sculptress (1993), which received the 1994 Edgar Award for Best Novel. She has been published in 35 countries and won many awards. The Sculptress has been adapted for television in a BBC series starring Pauline Quirke. Her novels The Ice House, The Echo, The Dark Room, and The Scold's Bridle have also been adapted by the BBC.
