SOMETIMES THE WORST CRIMES ARE COMMITTED IN THE BEST PLACES.
London, 1974: the country is in the grip of high unemployment, soaring inflation and a government held to ransom by industrial strike action. Alice Filby, a young woman escaping a troubled past in rural Norfolk, comes to try her luck in the capital. When she strikes up a friendship with Sandra Rivett — nanny to the children of Lord and Lady Lucan — Alice becomes unwittingly embroiled in the terrible events which befall the Lucan family at their house on Belgrave Street.
But this is not the only threat to Alice. Just when she finds her feet in her new job at a classy Regent Street jeweller, she comes face to face with Martin Price — dressed in black and wielding a sawn-off shotgun. Wanted by the police for a series of violent robberies around the West End, Martin leads a miserable life, goaded by his gran and cousin, Billy. Manipulated by all and sundry, his fear he is about to be arrested for his crimes makes him volatile and dangerous. Alice holds the key to Martin’s liberty but she is as oblivious to this as she is to the lengths he will go to silence her.
Will Alice realise the danger she is in before it is too late?
Inspired by the real-life crime story of Lord Lucan, this is an unforgettable and gripping mystery thriller that will keep you turning the pages.
What did I think?
Ahhhh, I just adore Rebecca Griffiths ability to use real-life crime and create a story that will envelop your soul! Once again she delivers with an absolutely dark and disturbing look at a murder mystery that remains technically unsolved with the main suspect never apprehended.
Set in 1974, the author infuses guilt, secrets, gaslighting, friendships, new beginnings into the story while the main character searches for the truth. A dual timeline (all set in the past) and multiple POV’s gives the reader a rounded picture – though if I had to pick a MC it would definitely be Alice. She’s also the character I warmed to most.
Such a great opening! It was intense and sets you up for what you can expect. The psychological aspects build the suspense, gets under your skin and keeps you turning tose pages.
What I love about The House on Belgrave Street is that the Lucan case is not the main focus – the story actually revolves around other people whose lives were connected to Lucan, along with the death (murder) that occurred!
Would I recommend this story? Is Lord Lucan guilty? 😉 You bet I would. I questioned everything/one and the author threw in some clever twists that really had me gasping out loud!
Highly recommend!
Three words to describe this book: dark, haunting, twisty