The Hanged Man by Linda Mather is a gripping murder mystery full of twists and the fourth book in the Private Detective series. Jo Hughes’ life is quiet and she does enjoy the beauty of the countryside. She enjoys her weekly come together with Aoife, her boss at Alcott College, with whom she shares a glass of wine. When they go to their cliquey treehouse spot for their weekly catch-up, they are appalled at the sight of a man hanging from a branch. He is Seb, the college financial director. Even if Jo later finds out about the bad financial situation at the college, she still doesn’t believe that Seb killed himself. Someone must have killed him. But who? Enlisting the help of David Macy, her colleague and private investigator, the two set out to uncover the truth. But it gets more complicated when Jo finds out that Teddy, her partner, might be involved.

Linda Mather's authorial expertise shines through The Hanged Man, a compelling entry into a series that reads perfectly as a standalone novel. Fans of a murder mystery will not be disappointed with this page-turner. The narrative starts off casually with characters looking forward to their weekly encounter. They just want to bond, but everything changes dramatically with the discovery of a hanged man. The plot gets twisty from one gripping page to the next absorbing one. The prose flows gracefully and the author’s economy of word constitutes one of the strengths of this story. The Hanged Man presents a cleverly plotted story, elaborately developed and complex characters, and a unique exploration of the theme of murder.