Crombie brings her married detectives, Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James, outside their home turf in A Bitter Feast.

The Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent and his Inspector wife are having a lovely weekend with their three children in the Cotswolds’ Glouchestershire valley, courtesy of Melody Talbot, Gemma’s sergeant.

Melody’s palatial family home, Beck House, befits the publisher of one of London’s largest newspapers. A charity harvest luncheon will take place this weekend, catered by local chef Viv Holland, once at a Michelin-starred restaurant, now running a local pub.

But a car accident coupled with several resultant murders have a deep impact on the gathering, and lead Duncan and Gemma to lead the sleuthing, helping the locals. It’s soon apparent that there’s a strong connection to Viv’s pub, and the weekend gets getting extended as the couple, along with members of their team, try to figure out who’s doing the killing, and why.

One of the hallmarks of Crombie’s series is how deeply she researches the neighborhoods of her mysteries, and the rolling hills and golden stone homes are a delight. Vintage Crombie.