Fox Evil

by Minette Walters

Book Overview

Minette Walters's ninth novel, Fox Evil, set in the seemingly bucolic English countryside, establishes a blistering new standard for contemporary suspense. When elderly Ailsa Lockyer-Fox is found dead in her garden, dressed only in nightclothes and with bloodstains on the ground near her body, the finger of suspicion points at her wealthy husband, Colonel James Lockyer-Fox. A coroner's investigation deems it death by natural causes, but the gossip...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399150544
• ISBN13: 9780399150548
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons
• Length: 369 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

lighter than her other works, but still a great read

Previous reviews have covered the plot outline quite thoroughly, so no need for me to do that. I just wanted to voice my opinion that I totally enjoyed this book, aside from the fact that I started it as bedtime reading and ended up staying up to 3AM to finish it. I haven't said that about a mystery in quite a while. Granted, fans of Walters' earlier books may be disappointed by the lighter tone she uses in "Fox Evil", but I was completely satisfied with the characters interactions, the plot, the ending, the quality of the writing. Those who love the "English village" style of mysteries and shun the gruesome will find this a delightfully fresh adaptation....no Miss Marples (not that I don't enjoy her in the right mood). Only warning is references to animal cruelty, but Walters did not beat you over the head with it and for those who avoid brutality in mysteries, those passages are easy to gloss over. I was left at the end wondering how the cast of protagonists got on (though there were plenty of hints). I can't remember how long it has been since I cared enough about one character, let alone an ensemble, to wonder about their futures. I even wondered about what happens to some of the "bad" chacters. "Fox Evil" is not "The Sculptress" or "The Scold's Bridle", but I bet there are many who would enjoy it.

always a pleasure to read a book by Walters

The plot summary on the jacket cover describes the death of an elderly woman, found outdoors wearing only her nightgown, with blood on the ground nearby. I was expecting to read an investigation into the circumstances of her death. But, since Minette Walters is the author, I should not have been surprised to find much, much more going on here, and the book jacket blurb doesn't even come close to summing this one up.Set in a small rural community in the southwest of England, with an uneasy mix of residents. Farmers and wealthy landowners who have lived in the area for several generations now have neighbors who moved out from Britain's larger cities, investing retirement funds in country houses, and imagining themselves the new lords and ladies of the manor.New arrivals on the scene are a group of "travelers" who live in camper type vehicles, moving from place to place. Their self appointed leader has discovered a small plot of land with an uncertain ownership history, and has convinced the group that if they manage to inhabit the plot long enough, they can claim ownership.The stage is now set for what follows. The plots in Walters' books are always hard to categorize. This is not precisely a murder mystery, although we eventually do learn the true circumstances of the woman's death, and it wasn't pretty. "Fox Evil" is a portrait of sadistic manipulation and psychological torture. The itinerant leader together with residents of the community embark on a campaign to badger the elderly widower unmercifully with an eye to obtaining all his wealth. His two estranged adult children may or may not be part of what is going on.His attorney and granddaughter struggle to convince the old man to fight against his attackers, and are eventually assisted by a woman who is a member of the "travelers" group.The novel also addresses animal rights, child abuse, the rights of adoptive children, embezzlement, and privacy issues. The local police force is portrayed as insightful and efficient.Some features of "Fox Evil" harken back to "Shape of Snakes" as Walters doesn't flinch at portraying cruelty to animals. But like the conclusion of "Acid Row" she portrays a softer, gentler side. Some of the characters whom the reader grows to admire, like and respect also get their just rewards. And I was smiling as I read the last few pages.

Engrossing page-turner

Minette Walter's can always be counted on for delivering a satisfying psychological thriller and FOX EVIL is no exception. All of Walter's novels are a pleasure to read because they are so well-crafted. There is a wonderful array of characters in FOX EVIL, all fleshed-out and wonderfully alive on the page. Only the ending is a bit of a let-down. I don't want to give anything away because trying to figure things out is half the fun, but the ending seemed a bit safe for a Walter's novel. All and all, a page-turner of a book that keeps you guessing. With a better resolution to the plot, this would have been a five star book for me.

Excellent book - couldn't put it down!

Minette Walters just keeps getting better and better! I highly recommend this book to both Walters fans, and those new to her work. No need to describe the plot of this book - its been so admirably done already. Unlike so many authors, her novels are stand alone rather than series book. And also unlike so many authors, as her popularity grows she just doesn't repeat her plots, nor seem to be selling out or "phoning it in". Yes, the ending is a tad trite - but only just a tad, and thank heavens since the rest of the book is anything but. More of a psychological roller coaster.Excellent stuff, and hopefully there'll be more of it very soon.

fascinating melodrama

In the small village of Shenstead, England Colonel James Lockyer-Fox, decorated war hero and ex prisoner of war, mourns the death of his beloved wife. During the funeral, his children ignored him and walked away from him without saying a word to him. This gives rise to rumors that the colonel murdered his wife. After the police question him for two days, the post-mortem proves she died from natural causes and the blood found near her body was that of an animal.Some of the villagers think he is guilty no matter what the police says and start harassing him by phone, claiming ugly things about his children and the illegitimate granddaughter that was given away at birth. He believes it is his two children who are out of the will that are supplying the neighbors with information that only they should know. He falls into a deep depression that lifts when he is reunited with his granddaughter who gives him a reason to live. What he doesn't know is at least two people living in the village are willing to go to any lengths to destroy him.The queen of Gothic, Minette Walters, has written a fascinating tale that explores the nature of true evil; a story that captures the essence of the human condition when confronted with a person so demonic that the rules of acceptable behavior don't apply. There is no hero in this enthralling melodrama, just an ordinary individual trying to survive the death of a loved one and a feeling of being left behind and all alone with no friends to help him.Harriet Klausner