Take a scenic British residential square in London owned by a wealthy woman, tenants selected for their character instead of their pocketbooks, a set of murders, and the two residents who are tasked with solving the crimes, and you have Nicola Whyte's fabulous debut novel, 10 MARCHFIELD SQUARE.

Audrey and Lewis are as different as can be. A people-person, Audrey is soft-spoken and always seems to know the right thing to say. She shares an apartment with Mei, an attorney she met while at university. Now Audrey cleans houses and struggles to stay solvent on her earnings. Lewis, though, is a bit curmudgeonly. He stays to himself as he tries to write his fourth novel. While his debut was a huge success, the two subsequent books flopped. To pay the bills, he has a day job he hates, which takes time away from his writing.

The story is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Audrey and Lewis. A few chapters also present the point of view of landlady Celeste van Duren, who feels she must protect her tenants and keep the square safe. That's why she asks Audrey and Lewis to investigate the murders of Linda and Richard Glead. No one is mourning the loss of Richard; everyone in the square knew that Linda was abused constantly by her husband. But when Linda passes away a few days later, everyone feels terrible. How did she die? Was it from natural causes, suicide or murder?

"If you've ever wanted to move to a small, picturesque corner of London and meet the people who reside there, here's your chance. 10 Marchfield Square is the ideal setting for a murder mystery, or even a series."

One of the many fine aspects of Whyte's writing is her depiction of the various characters. At first, Audrey and Lewis dislike each other. Lewis has stayed aloof in his apartment, working during the day and writing at night. He has met few neighbors and never attends the neighborhood activities, like watching fireworks together. Audrey, on the other hand, is warm and friendly. She cleans Celeste's house and knows the others in their small corner of London.

While Lewis has the smarts to investigate a murder, having written thrillers, Celeste knows that without Audrey smoothing the way, Lewis would alienate all those he needs to talk to in order to look into the happenings in the square. Celeste is determined to have them prove that none of the residents are killers.

As they begin their investigation, we see the humorous interactions between the two as Audrey manages to blunt Lewis’ natural tendency to blurt out questions and thoughts without regard to the emotions of others. She instinctively knows the right way to entice people to open up and share things; one might say she's gifted in that way.

As they continue to uncover various motives for the murders and talk to all those who live in the square, long-buried secrets come to the surface. They realize that some of their neighbors are not who they appear to be --- and that includes Audrey, who has secrets of her own.

The perfectly plotted mystery shows the intrepid duo haring off in different directions. As we follow their lead, we jump to conclusions about who the perpetrator(s) might be. Whyte is a definite master at leading us down random garden paths, and there are many paths in the courtyard of this London square. Lewis uses their investigation as the basis of his new novel, and we see through his writing the thoughts he has about certain suspects.

The autumn setting --- with the leaves falling into the central garden; the misty, chilling fog creeping through the square; and the old-fashioned street lights dimly lending an orange glow to the courtyard --- serves to give an appropriately spooky feel to the scenes.

I loved the fact that once we think we have the tangled threads to the murders unraveled, there's a final twist to be had. Also, my heart went out to the sweet, homeless dog Muffin, who was an important part of the mystery because of Linda's decision to adopt him and show him the love he never got. Linda, like Muffin, was deserving of a happy ending, and it's heartbreaking that neither got it.

Whyte definitely leaves an opening for a sequel featuring Audrey and Lewis, with the clever, manipulative Celeste pulling the strings. She also shows how the relationship between the two --- originally like oil and vinegar --- ends up like a fine vinaigrette, taking the best of both liquids and becoming something delicious and desirable. Audrey and Lewis, each with their own set of talents, learn to trust each other and become a solid investigative team.

If you've ever wanted to move to a small, picturesque corner of London and meet the people who reside there, here's your chance. 10 Marchfield Square is the ideal setting for a murder mystery, or even a series. Whyte's writing, her ability to draw us into the lives of the characters and feel real empathy for them, her complex weaving of motives and events to confuse us, and her brilliance in dropping clues that make us wonder what is really going on, make this a novel that is hard to put down.