Celia Fremlin is one of the most underrated British mystery writers; yet, her stories share striking qualities with works by Patricia Highsmith and Patricia Flower, which provide unusual perspectives and unexpected shifts of perception. Fremlin's works also share Flower's concern with the plight of young women who find themselves caught up in seemingly ordinary situations that prove most unordinary and who find good cause to suspect their nearest and dearest. In her novels Fremlin explores the common experiences of everyday men and women and uses these experiences to create stories filled with wit, terror, and a deep understanding of the complexities of relationships. Fremlin takes the smallest details and turns them into moments of chilling significance. Her plots are sharp, allowing the reader to discover secrets along with the investigator.

Fremlin uses the psychological-thriller genre to create mysteries of domestic horror in decidedly English settings. She has said...