Oxford Double

Finished September 30
Oxford Double by Veronica Stallwood

I've read these completely out of order, but that is mostly okay. This is #9 in the series featuring writer Kate Ivory, and begins as Kate has come back to live in her own house after a short period of cohabitation with a man named George. Her mother Roz had lived in her house for the duration, but has now moved into her own home. Kate is on the plane returning from a short vacation in France and as she waits to get off, notices the man in front of her is wearing a wig and gloves. She is after all a person who notices things, part of her vocation as a writer.
No sooner has she arrived home than the new (to her) neighbours next door, the Fosters, invite her over for drinks later that evening. They are kind, but effusive, gossipy and bossy and Kate likes them but know she must set some limitations to keep her privacy. They also invite the neighbour on the other side of Kate, Jeremy Wells, a lecturer at an Oxford college. He seems nice enough, but a bit shy and Kate makes her escape as early as she can manage.
As she begins work on her new novel, she finds the Fosters noise somewhat distracting and resorts to earplugs and music on headphones during her work stints. As she comes out of her office one day, she is horrified and surprised to discover that the Fosters have been shot in what appears to be a contract killing. Kate's admittedly small knowledge of them doesn't see what such a thing should be, and when Jeremy comes to her looking for help in lying low, she isn't sure what to think.
Kate's natural curiosity drives her to find answers to her questions and it doesn't occur to her that she may be putting her own life in danger through her delving.
Not one of my favourites in this series, but a good story still.