I could have sworn that Miss Maple was back, in Scottish guise. Is it ever fair to compare, possibly not, but this is very Agatha Christie-esk for the modern century. 'One Two' is a great first in series, introducing some wonderful characters of senior years. Lamprey has a very easy read style and an ironic, subtle humour that says most by what it leaves out.

The plot is complex enough with a couple of classic murders, lots of possible clues and badly attached leads, some more doggy than others. All the bits simply can't be quite put together until Edge gets a grip on the case. The older generation will enjoy this, if they can find their glasses, and the aging youths and middle readers should enjoy noting that at least at the Grasshopper Lawns, 20 miles north of Edinburgh, old age doesn't necessarily mean the end of joie de vivre not to mention a bit of nitty-gritty.

This is a relatively short read, one sitting for those that consume books at burning pace and only two or three steady reads for the plodders like me. It is nice to read about a group of suitably eccentric real feeling, mostly older, characters with hardly a whiff of the current preoccupation with Alzheimer's and other widespread dementias. Great entertainment, of it sort. This is scones and Lady Grey tea, while the daggers are metaphorically wiped clean off set. We have the makings of a very good BBC Scotland drama series to more than rival those beastly Sassenach 'Midsomer Murders'.

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