November 23, 2020
Lonely widower Felix Pink, the protagonist of this droll whodunit from British author Bauer (Snap), belongs to a right-to-die group, the Exiteers, whose members assist the terminally ill who are in pain and discomfort, and quietly sit with them when they die. The families of those ailing give permission to the Exiteers to witness the self-administering of nitrous oxide through a mask, ensuring a peaceful death. Arriving at the home of a client, Albert Cann, Felix finds the key under the doormat as promised, and the oxygen mask and cylinder on the nightstand. But an unintentional mistake sends Felix into hiding from the Bideford, England, police as a murder suspect, and the Cann family looks for answers—and Albert’s will. In the subsequent investigation, Constable Calvin Bridge interviews the Cann house cleaner and the Exiteers’ founder, among others. Felix’s caring neighbor, Miss Knott, gently insinuates herself into his life, supporting his innocence and suggesting the possibility of new romance. Each distinctive character has a sense of humor sure to prompt belly laughs from the reader. Bauer knows how to entertain. Agent: Jane Gregory, David Higham Assoc. (U.K.).