Murder can happen for a simple reason such as someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time or for more complicated reasons such as revenge.

REQUIEM MASS introduces readers to a rather methodical serial killer who is more dangerous than most of your run of the mill murderers. He's got an agenda that will be carried out no matter how it all ends.

It began twenty years ago when five young girls on the threshold of womanhood went on a school outing just before graduation. Of these five girls, only four returned. The fifth somehow ended up dead, having fallen from a high cliff onto rocky seashores below, killing her instantly. Her death was ruled an accident but that's not the whole story. One of the girls thinks she knows something while another one is positive of what happened.

Now adults and living their lives, the past is firmly dead and buried for them. However, there's one man for whom the past will never be over until he's made everyone pay, and pay they will, one by one.

REQUIEM MASS is an entry into the Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Fenwick Mysteries written by the very talented British writer Elizabeth Corley. From the very first page, I was caught up in the life of the first victim. Ms. Corley takes her readers by the hand and leads them down the very mysterious path that she has created for them to travel. Once you step onto that path, you have no choice but to follow it to the end.

Ms. Corley does write in the typical British fashion, which I find can be a bit dry at times, yet REQUIEM MASS is so very engrossing and descriptive that I could actually picture myself in the locations outlined. I could feel the rain as it drenched the characters as well as the sultry heat that threatened to exhaust everyone. At turns creepy and sad, I found myself grabbing the book every time I had a few spare minutes to read. I do have to say it's much better if you can start reading it when you've got a few hours to spend with it.

REQUIEM MASS appears to have been first published in 1998 in Great Britain but you won't even notice that little detail. Do yourself a big favor and lose yourself in REQUIEM MASS. Get acquainted with DCI Andrew Fenwick. You'll get the chance to know him even better in books following in this series.