In 1918 England, feminists rejoice that for the first time women can vote and run for public office. Nell Bray wants to be one of the few female candidates, but one month before the election Nell remains an independent, still seeking party support and the backing of her friends. Without a party, Nell knows she has no chance of winning a seat in Parliament.

As Nell tries to obtain backing, a member of Parliament Charles Sollers sets off fireworks at a celebration. However, a tragic accident occurs and Charles dies. Charles's widow Lucinda believes the political rival of her spouse murdered him. Lucinda backs Nell with financial support. Meanwhile, even as she runs for office, Nell begins to investigate what really happened to Charles.

The Nell Bray historical mysteries represent some of the sub-genre's best works of this decade. The current tale, ABSENT FRIENDS is an entertaining look at the point where success has visited the suffragette movement in England. Nell remains a warm, intelligent protagonist who cannot resist amateur sleuthing. Though the story line may meander a bit too long from its main plot, Gillian Linscott brings to her readers the detail and fervor of the era wrapped inside an enjoyable novel.

Harriet Klausner

I'm an unabashed feminist, and the Nell Bray mystery series is definitely one of my favourites. Gillian Linscott is absolutely brilliant at mixing politics, a socio-historical commentary of early 20th century England, with a mystery plot. And this latest Nell Bray mystery, "The Perfect Daughter" does not disappoint at all.

It's the summer of 1914, and Nell Bray is, as usual, busy fighting for the vote, when she receives news that her niece, Verona North, is missing. Verona, according to her parents, is perfect: young, attractive and intelligent, and dutiful. So that it came as quite a surprise to her parents when Verona decided that she'd like to go to London and enrol at an art school. Fortunately for the Norths, Nell lives in London, and although Verona's father, Benjamin, does not approve of Nell and her suffragette cause, Alexandra (Verona's mother) asks Nell to keep and eye on Verona. Nell is of course a little irritated -- she has enough to do without having to look out for her 'perfect' niece. But then six months later, Verona seems to have vanished. And when Nell goes down to Devon to discuss Verona's disappearance with Alexandra, she stumbles onto Verona hanging in the family boathouse, an apparent suicide. But that is not all: the autopsy finds Verona doped up with opium and two months pregnant.

While Nell feels a little guilty for not keeping a more vigilant eye on Verona, she also instinctively finds it hard to believe that Verona did take her own life. Sensing that the solution to all her questions lies in London, Nell sets off to question Verona's friends and acquaintances. Suddenly Nell finds herself being not only watched by Scotland Yard because of her suffragette activities, but by another more shadowy and sinister organisation. What exactly was Verona doing in London? Did she commit suicide or was her murder covered up by some very powerful people? Nell Bray is determined to discover all and bring Verona's killers to justice.

This is a really great series that gives you an idea of what the suffragettes went through in order to obtain the vote for women; and Gillian Linscott also does a deft job of painting the political and social changes that were coming to the fore in early 20th century England. And as for her unique creation, Nell Bray, well she might not be to everyone's taste -- she is intelligent, feels she's always in the right, and sees no neccessity to cater to the male ego. But she is also passionate in her beliefs, and a loyal friend. And this makes her, strong beliefs and all, a very likeable character. This novel is well written and tautly paced, and with well developed characters. "The Dutiful Daughter" is an exciting and enjoyable read, and will definitely provide you with a couple of hours of delight.

#1's plot summary is generally correct, although she is confused about the time and manner of Nell's discovery of the corpse. I do not agree, however, with her conclusion that Gillian Linscott "writes outside the sub-genre box". I think DEAD MAN RIDING gives the classic English country house mystery an interesting twist while hewing faithfully to its conventions.

Linscott has placed her story in an earlier era -- the last year of Queen Victoria's reign. It begins at a student production of Love's Labour's Lost, a clue to what will happen when an idealistic group of Oxford students set off to spend their summer break studying Plato in rural Cumberland. Not the kind of motivation that usually draws characters in a murder mystery to an English country estate. The country estate is very different too. A rundown house with no spare bedrooms for the guests, with outdoor plumbing, and scant meals of rabbit stew and oatcake.

Linscott showers the reader with clues and suspects galore, in the classic mystery tradition, while obscuring their true import until the very end. Her evocation of Cumberland circa 1901 is brillant and the mind-set of her late-Victorian characters is entirely believable.

I take this to be a prequel to Nell Bray's later adventures as a sleuth. If so, it is a very attractive beginning.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Nell Bray attends Somerville College at Oxford University with her best friends Imogen and Midge. The three female pals are also close to Alan, Nathan and Kit. So when Alan invites them to his uncle's home near Skiddow during the summer break, they gratefully accept. Also, going on the trip is Oxford Don Michael Meredith, a brilliant scholar who wants to take part in the group's planned philosophy discussions.

The villagers openly detest Alan's uncle with some believing he is a murderer because he shot at a mob on his property and one of the participants Arthur Mowbry turned up missing. One night when Nell takes a walk, she stumbles upon Alan's uncle's body, which is tied to his horse. Nell desperately wants to believe it was suicide or that someone she doesn't know killed him but she cannot close her mind to the possibility that one of the people she calls a friend is a murderer.

DEAD MAN RIDING is more than just a mystery; it is a story about the friendship and the lives that bind people together. At the same time the background is at a point in history when women realize that they are the equals of men and deserve the same rights. The heroine is the most intellectual of the group because she is determined to obtain answers despite the fact that she might not like them. Gillian Linscott is a talented storyteller who writes outside the sub-genre box.

Harriet Klausner

When suffragette Nell Bray visits an old acquaintance working at a psychiatric hospital in Wales, she is soon embroiled in a puzzling mystery. Between shell-shocked soldiers on medical leave from World War I, doctors espousing Freudian techniques she does the agree with, and a fanatical supporter of the war who considers the patients shirkers, Nell has her hands full solving the crime. "Hanging on the Wire" is an interesting mystery investigated by an even more interesting amateur detective.