Though we've heard the warnings, talking to strangers sometimes can't be avoided, as Fiona Barton (The Widow; The Child) shows in her sharply plotted thriller, Talking to Strangers. Such conversations aid Detective Inspector Elise King in her many investigations in the English town of Ebbing and are business as usual for journalist Kiki Nunn. But warnings to children about avoiding unknown people sometimes go unheeded.
Chats with strangers may have led to the murder of hairdresser Karen Simmons, who ran a singles group called Free Spirits. Karen, who was well known in Ebbing, was last seen during the group's gathering at a popular pub. As Elise's inquiries ramp up, Kiki follows her own leads garnered during a recent interview with Karen about her single life. Friendly rivals Elise and Kiki clash but realize cooperation is mutually beneficial. Elise needs a successful case, emotionally and professionally, since she has just returned to duty following treatment for breast cancer, while Kiki hopes her reporting earns her a promotion. Karen's high-profile murder also piques the interest of Annie Curtis, whose eight-year-old son was murdered 16 years before, in the same place where Karen's body was found.
Elise tries to keep her health concerns from her police colleagues. Kiki worries that she neglects her daughter, while Annie wonders if Karen's murder is linked to her family. Barton effortlessly moves Talking to Strangers among the three women's points of view and delves into the personal challenges each deals with during the search for Karen's murderer, adding to the intense suspense. --Oline H. Cogdill, freelance reviewer