One night, Louise is struck by a hit and run driver and suffers some broken ribs and a broken arm. The same night, Colin disappears after cleaning out their joint bank account. Louise's wish to disappear herself is granted in the form of an unexpected inheritance from her mother, Lilac Cottage. Taking only the bare essentials, plus some money she hid from Colin, Louise abandons her miserable life hoping to start anew.

While traveling to make arrangements for her new house, Louise meets journalist Andrew Sherwood and his son Nicky. Andrew is just the age her son would be and Louise begins to fantasize that Andrew is indeed her son as the three form an unusual friendship. Before she is barely settled in her new home, Louise makes a new friend, Dorothy. Dorothy immediately takes Louise under her wing. The rest of this cozy, English village also warmly welcome Louise.

Louise, however, still remains uneasy, unsure where Colin is and growing more convinced that it was Colin who ran her down in the accident. She worries further when she realizes that on several occasions, girls died in the town she and Colin were currently living in while he was not at home. An unexpected visitor in Dorothy's home while she is away makes Louise that much more skittish.

What happens next is very shocking and just when you think everything everything has been explained and neatly tied up, there are several more twists and turns to keep you reading until the end. Price of Guilt is a tautly written page turner that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Louise, unfortunately, is not one of Yorke's more sympathetic characters. She is reserved and tentative, the way you would expect her to be because of the mental abuse she suffered with Colin. But because she never made an attempt to leave, despite many opportunities and a marketable culinary skill, you will wonder what gave her the courage this time. The inheritance of a house does make this easier and the hit and run may have scared her enough, however, she does not appear to be the possessor of great inner fortitude.

Margaret Yorke's novel is recommended for all those who enjoy a tightly constructed psychological thriller in the classic British tradition. Fans of this genre and author will not be disappointed.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry