FROM THE WINNER OF THE CWA DIAMOND DAGGER AWARDS, THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS DETECTIVE AWARD. THE BOOK IS THE BASE OF THE SERIES "FAITH". The secluded Writers' House on the Northumberland coast offers a course for aspiring authors, "Literary Autopsy: How to Write a Short Detective Story." For a whole week, the participants honed their skills and thought through an impeccable murder scenario. It is not surprising that one evening the body of one of the teachers is found on the balcony with a frozen grimace of horror on his face. Almost everyone in the house had a reason to want Tony Ferdinand dead, but only Joanna Tobin was seen with a knife in her hand next to the murdered man. By a lucky coincidence, she is a close neighbor and friend of Inspector Vera Stanhope, who has not had to unravel complex cases for a long time. It soon becomes clear that the woman was framed by the real criminal. Just how do you spot a killer among those who make their living by writing perfect crimes? “Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite crime writers.” – Louise Penny, author of the Inspector Gamache series “One of Britain's finest crime writers.” – Daily Express “Anne Cleeves is a master craftsman, keeping us interested and slowly moving us towards the resolution. Her simple language and thoughtful plotting make Cleeves one of the best realist writers in the detective genre." – Sunday Express