A Conflict of Interests by Claire Gradidge
June 1944, Romsey, England.
Josephine 'Jo' Fox is at an impasse since the unwelcome return of her wayward husband Richard. So, when he disappears again, she is neither concerned nor surprised - until a burning car is discovered with a body inside. And there are signs that Richard is somehow involved.
Jo is determined to find both her husband and answers, yet with her friend Bram Nash in hospital suffering an infection of his old war wound, she must do so alone. When information comes to light that implicates Bram too, Jo finds herself on a dangerous path to the truth.
But what will be left for her when all is revealed?
About the author
Claire Gradidge was born and brought up in Romsey. After a career as, among other things, a nurse and a school librarian, she went to the University of Winchester, where she graduated in 2009 with a first class honours BA in Creative Writing. In January 2018, she was awarded a PhD in creative writing and The Unexpected Return of Josephine Foxwas written as the creative element of her PhD study. An early version of the opening 3000 words was highly commended in the Good Housekeeping Magazine competition in 2012.
She has taught at the University of Winchester as an Associate Lecturer for six years and has also had some short fictions and poems published in South, Orbis and Vortex. She has been married for 40 years and has two adult sons.
Review
‘A Conflict of Interests’ is the third book in the Josephine Fox series and it was a welcome return to Romsey! I read the first in the series ‘The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox’ but didn't manage to read the follow-up ‘Treachery at Hursley Park House’ and I found it would be easy to read this book as a standalone. Although it did mention some background details there were enough explanation given for a reader new to the series to pick up the gist. Once again Jo and Bram are thrown into an eventful investigation and I loved all the reveals, red hearings and historical details.
When Bram is called to the scene of a suspicious death Jo tags along to assist him with the case. A man has been found in a car that has been set alight but they need to determine the circumstances behind the death. Bram is suddenly struck down when his old war injury opens and he falls unconscious! Jo covered in blood has to take him to the hospital where she has to leave him. Resolved to investigate the case on Bram’s behalf she is astonished that it might have something to do with her estranged husband Richard!
This series falls into my niche favourite genre of women sleuths between the wars so I was always going to like this book! The pacing was nice and sedate as you learnt more about the characters and the situation they find themselves in and boy did it ramp up the tension towards the end! The progression or non-progression shall we say of the romance between Jo and Bram was great - I can imagine someone of Bram’s morals not wanting to be involved if there was any chance of Jo taking her husband back. The morality of the war era was looser but I can't see Bram wanting to take advantage.
I loved all the historical details immersed into the narrative and the fact that the story is set against the backdrop of the D-Day landings. Again it's the social aspect of history that appeals to be and I had never really thought about where the troops would have been sequestered in the run-up to the invasion!
As to the crime aspect of the book I think we as readers were meant to guess the killer a long time before Jo and Bram as it heightened the tension and drama of the story! However, I will say the reasons why and the psychological aspects I hadn't guessed at all!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this return to Romsey and I'm crossing my fingers hoping that there is more to come in this series!
