Hanna is a disorganized wife and mother, taking care of her wealthy husband, his three sons, her own two daughters and a large house near Oxford. Under the disapproving gaze of her perfectionist husband, she decides to hire a housecleaning firm and also an exterminator to deal with the mice her husband continues to hear in the walls. In addition, her stepsons are more than a handful, especially the oldest, and meanest, child. Her own daughters are unhappy too, especially the eldest Tess, who decides to fight back against these adverse conditions….Deathspell is a novel of psychological suspense and crime, which I always think the British do particularly well, especially British women. I liked the slow build-up of tension in this novel, and the way the author leads the reader to the various back stories of the individuals involved. As is often the case with these types of books, though, the downside is that the reader really has nobody to cheer for; everybody depicted here is really, in one way or another, quite unpleasant. So, an interesting read, but while you’re reading it you’re keeping rather bad company. A mixed result, then. ( )

This author has a series of mysteries set in Oxford, but this was an earlier novel and is quite disturbing. If you have a view of children as innocent and good you may not care to read this book. ( )