I read this in one sitting, but it is even more bonkers than the last couple of instalments in this series. Fiona's belief (which she managed to convince her bosses was correct) that there must inevitably be a link between the death of the woman in the church and the disappearance 8 years ago of a local woman seemed to me to be completely baseless, although of course she was right, and as for that ending... ( )

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S THE DEAD HOUSE ABOUT?
The big task force that Fiona's in, trying to get at the group she's been on the heels of since book 1, is about to be shut down—they're just not getting results. Predictably, Fiona isn't dealing well with it. She needs something else to do to remind her why she's with the police.

Circumstances too elaborate to get into lead her into being a detective on-scene near a small village to oversee a found body until the local police with jurisdiction can take over—but in the end, we have Fiona alone in a room with a corpse for a few hours. Naturally, she develops a strong emotional connection with the body and becomes determined to find out what happened to this woman.

There are no obvious signs of violence—and even some signs of care—to the woman, but she's dead and she's been left in a remote location without anyone notifying the authorities. And, it turns out, she's been missing for quite a while.

Fiona needles her way into the investigation, of course (because what else is she going to)—and the path that she and the DI she's assisting leads far beyond the small town they start in and to some truly dark places. (yeah, that's incredibly vague, but I'm faced with being vague or giving you a few thousand words almost spoiling the story beats on this one)

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE DEAD HOUSE?
Yes, over the last couple of books particularly, Fiona's doing a good job on socializing, on connecting with people, on acting "normal" (a goal she longs for and yet doesn't want at all). I love seeing that kind of development, as much as we like to see damaged protagonists struggling to cope—it's always great to see them making healthier choices.

But at the same time...you put Fiona in a room alone with a corpse for too long so she develops a bond with the person she starts calling "Carlotta" (and resists using Carlotta's actual name when she's eventually identified)? I'm in. Fiona as the creepy detective who's way too interested in dead bodies is just fun to read about.

Bingham doesn't throw out all the progress she's made, Fiona just sidesteps it for a little bit. Her natural tenacity and the people skills that she's developing aid her in this investigation (and her self-destructive tendencies hinder her, too). It's really the best of both worlds as far as Fiona's character goes.

I wasn't as taken with this story as I wanted to be—as I expected to be. And when the final whodunit reveal was made, I'd been waiting for it for longer than I should have been—not because I'm all that clever, but who else could it have been? That said, when the motivation and methods behind the reveal are made clear? That blew me away and creeped me out.

I can see how this is going to help the overall arc of the series, it had some great moments—and any time spent in Wales with Fiona is a reward. But I wanted a bit more from this one. Don't start with this one if you're interested in the series, but if you've read the rest, you'll enjoy this one. ( )

I think one of the most fascinating things about Fiona — as a reader — is the nature and doubt inspired by her actions. Is she getting better, or is she getting better at hiding? Her nature gives us both, and leaves me often wondering about the final answer.

One of my favorite quotes of the book:
"I am not to be trusted." ( )

Absolutely Brilliant!

Best book yet in this marvelous series! Characters are varied and complete and the locations are so well drawn that one could step off into them whole. The story is nuanced and draws one along effortlessly. Well done, very well done. ( )

The body of a young woman is found laid out in a “dead house”—an outbuilding on the grounds of St. David’s Church in Ystradfflur. Fiona Griffiths, fortuitously, is called to the scene because the local police are busy with a major chemical tanker accident on the A40. Fiona has strong empathy with the dead and wants to know why this woman was found here. What she learns, and how she learns it, adds up to what may be her creepiest case yet.

This book was inspired by an actual dead house that is in need of restoration and for which the author’s mother has been fundraising. The history surrounding these dead houses, and the medieval and religious history uncovered by Fiona over the course of the investigation, is fascinating. The last few chapters are hair-raising and particularly difficult to tear oneself away from.

One aspect of Fiona’s personality that came to the fore in this book was her generosity. When she meets the father of a teenager who went missing several years ago, she observes that the house has been allowed to let itself go because the father is on his own (he and his wife separated after the turmoil of their daughter’s disappearance). She personally rounds up a cleaning company to get the house tidied initially and on a regular basis thereafter, and she arranges for the house to be spruced up and redecorated in case the daughter comes home. I love her impulsive, practical kindness—it is especially appreciated in these particularly angry times.

This book and the series as a whole is very much recommended. ( )