GONE TO GROUND

TITLE: GONE TO GROUND
AUTHOR: JOHN HARVEY
Pages: 388
Date: 22/08/2009
Grade: 4-
Details: No. 1 Will Grayson & Helen Walker Mystery
Library

When Stephen Bryon is found violently beaten to death in his bathroom, police detectives Will Grayson and Helen Walker at first think that it may have been the consequence of an ill judged gay sexual encounter. Soon however, they are looking at other angles. Does Stephen's ex-boyfriend have anything to do with the murder? Is it somehow related to the homophobic attacks plaguing the East Midlands? Or does the reason for his murder lie in the biography he wanted to write about Stella Leonard, an actress who was famous in the fifties? Leonard's life and death were a mystery and her family doesn't want anyone digging into her past.
As the police investigation slowly moves on, Stephan's sister, Lesley, takes a close look at Stella Leonard and makes some shocking discoveries of her own.
Although this was a well written and plausible story, I also found it a bit slow, just plodding along. it never gripped me with the urgent need to read on. However, I liked it enough to bring the second one in the series home from the library should I find it there.