The second book in the series, The Girl In the Gallery can absolutely be read as a standalone, although there are some hints of what happened in the previous book. And now, I want to read book 1! 

The story opens with Beth Haldane visiting her absolutely favourite place - the local art gallery. However, among the beautiful paintings Beth discovers more than she bargained for and so once again becomes embroiled in another mystery. A young girl is left barely alive and nobody seems to be looking for her. This book sees Beth thrown together once again with Inspector Harry York who is struggling to determine who the girl in the gallery is, the reason for the way she was displayed and just who could carry out such a heinous act. He begins to lean on Beth's sleuthing skills more and more, opening up to her despite knowing that she probably shouldn't be part of an official investigation. Each time the pair think they've solved one aspect of the case, other clues leave them feeling lost once again and doubting that they will ever get to the bottom of the case. Both see a different side to each other the longer they become involved in the case.

If you like a good old mystery then I'd recommend this book. Set in Dulwich in London, Alice Castle has created a wonderful cast of characters with very interesting back stories. Some of the residents of Dulwich appear to live in their own little universe, oblivious to the real world. They feel they are almost untouchable. After all, this is Dulwich! Real life doesn't happen here! Crime doesn't happen here! Love it! Even the exclusive schools spend more time thinking about their reputations than their duty of care to the pupils. 

The book is well paced to make you want to rush through it to find out what on earth has been going on. Alice Castle writes beautifully and draws the reader into the story without overloading them with too much information. Its a book with some good old fashioned twists, turns and dead end clues. Some sensitive issues are touched upon in the book and done very well to highlight such issues as social media dangers and body image problems. The author has managed to draw attention to the horrors that can befall even the most privileged.  Its an easy read and perfect for snuggling up on the sofa on a horrible rainy night.