When the notorious Belgian charmer Raoul Vernet is found brutally murdered in a London home, few mourn his passing. Vernet, a man whose seductive powers left a trail of broken hearts, had been visiting Matilda, an old flame. However, his visit was complicated by the unsettling suspicion that he had also been preying on young Rosie, Matilda's relative, who recently returned from Switzerland pregnant. While no family member was present at the exact moment of the killing, all seven individuals were suspiciously close by, shrouded within the eponymous 'fog of doubt' that blankets a single London mile. Distraught and determined to clear her family's name, Rosie enlists the brilliant Inspector Cockrill. What he uncovers is a dangerously twisted and eccentric clan, each member seemingly capable of both laughter and murder. As Cockrill navigates their labyrinthine secrets and simmering resentments, he must unravel a complex web of deceit to expose the killer hidden among them, before the fog consumes them all.
Critical Reception
"Praised by The New York Times as an 'outstanding tour de force,' this novel solidifies Christianna Brand's reputation as a master of classic detective fiction."