Dead Weight
By Gerald Hammond
When the universally disliked Jasmine Horner is found drowned, no one is sorry to see the back of her.
In fact, there are those who feel that, after a lifetime of meddling in other people’s business, her comeuppance is long overdue.
An innocent conversation in the local pub leads the police to Alastair Branch – much to the consternation of his friend, John Cunningham. And when Alastair is arrested, John decides to take matters into his own hands, enlisting several of his young kennel hands to gather information. John’s investigations gradually uncover a series of possible clues, including a cigar butt found near the body, a suspicious looking man witnessed near Mrs Horner’s house, some fake letters she typed under false names and the sinister disappearance of a pet rabbit.
One thing is certain – Jasmine Horner had made one enemy too many in the district. And matters finally reach a crescendo when a chance discovery leads to a dramatic confrontation…
Gerald Hammond worked as an architect for thirty years, before taking early retirement in 1982. He lives in Scotland, with his wife, and has three sons and five granddaughters. He spends his time shooting, fishing and writing – ‘Anything else I do reluctantly and under protest.’ He is the author of over forty mystery novels, the most recent being Follow That Gun, Twice Bitten, A Shocking Affair and Dogsbody. He currently writes three mystery series: one featuring dogbreeder John Cunningham, one based around the gun expert Keith Calder and one set in the world of angling, featuring Walter James.