Vicky is surprised to see a fly-by-night undertaking service and only Scarlett’s husband Doug in attendance. Just after the brief service ends Doug’s high school sweetheart, Eunice, pulls into the parking lot and tells Vicky that she knows that she and Doug can now be together. As far as Vicky knows, Scarlett and Doug were very happy and she instantly becomes suspicious of Scarlett’s death. 

When she tries to write the obituary Vicky learns that Scarlett had prepaid a very large, lavish funeral and that there is a discrepancy as to where and how she died. Doug says that Scarlett was en route to a posh spa in Spain, but Vicky isn’t able to track down the death she grows even more suspicious. 

It’s also snail racing season in Gipping and a monetary award will be made in memory of a man who recently died, but when Vicky gets an inside tip as to the winner and the award is made to someone else, something smells fishy, besides the snail race contestants. Vicky decides it’s up to her to straighten it all out and get another exclusive out of the deal.  

Exposé! is an entertaining slice of small town life in Britain. Vicky encounters many oddball characters, from Topaz the tearoom owner who is also a Lady of the Manor, to her naval hunk and the local constabulary who has begun to take a shine to Vicky.

Vicky is naturally inquisitive, but when her colleague and nemesis from the paper takes a preternatural interest in her, she is afraid her cover will be blown. Vicky is the daughter of a Pink Panther-esque thief who is on the lam in Spain and she is trying to keep the authorities from her parents and to live as normal a life as possible at the same time. 

The circumstances surrounding Scarlett’s death are pretty easy to figure out, especially once Vicki learns the Flemings were in dire financial straits. The snail racing adds local color as does the return of hedge jumper David and EMT Steve who is very interested in Vicky who does not reciprocate his feelings. A trip to the red light district during the investigation, coupled with a care package drop-off to Vicky’s landlady’s wayward daughter expands Vicky’s horizons and ultimately helps her solve another crime. 

Exposé! is a fun trifle for those who favor British village cozies with a little bit of absurdity.                                                                          

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry