A Murder Inside – Book Review

Set in 1969, Kate Shackleton’s story about a female governor of a open prison. She has been put in charge of overseeing the modernisation of a former men’s prison. Each of the women inmates have their own story to tell. Nell Lewis also has her own secrets, kept from those she loves the most.

On meeting her predecessor, who is a recovering alcoholic, it looks like he has something to tell her. On the day she is meant to meet him, his body is found in the grounds. There are many suspects, but whether it is prisoner or prison officer isn’t known to the end.

We find out the inmates story, one prisoner, sent to jail after murdering he room mate’s dad. Her family has disowned her, and it is only at the end of the book we find out why. Another inmate, escapes after hearing of the groundsman’s disappearance. Arthur, a quiet, unassuming man, there are links between the two.

I loved reading this story, it gave an understanding that there are many reasons why women murder. For Diane, it was her past, and saving a future. It had a sense of realism and time. 1969, another time for women, who would have to fight for anything resembling equality. There was a great sense of character, and Nell’s past helped her understand the women she was looking after.

I would give this book four out of five stars, the only reason I gave four was I wanted to know more about Diane, and it would have been good to have something in the book, which linked to the ending. It was something I sort of guessed right at the beginning. There would have been only one reasons why she killed a stranger.