Crime in question

the long version

From Publishers Weekly: Creating believable characters worthy of interest, Yorke has long been a favorite among fans of the British mystery/thriller. In her latest, teenaged Denis, a petty thief, is hired as a part-time gardener by Yvonne and Charles Davis in a London suburb. Meeting Len, an inmate of the area's open prison, Denis suggests they rob the Davis house, but the plot fails. Their second choice is elderly Mrs. Bannerman's home, where a basically decent if weak convict, Jim, does odd jobs for the lonely woman. While Denis waits outside one night, Len gets into Mrs. Bannerman's house, killing her when she surprises him. Denis runs away from the scene and Len follows, intent on killing the boy, a possible informer. But the police are hot on the trail of innocent Jim, who had foolishly escaped before his parole. This is bona fide, edge-of-the-chair suspense in which the author compels total attention to characters linked and altered forever by chance.