Death and the Joyful Woman

Death and the Joyful Woman is the third of Ellis Peters' Inspector George Felse mysteries that I've read. They don't come close to being as good as her Cadfaels, but I love the Cadfaels. The Felse mysteries are good books, interesting reads. This one won the Edgar award in 1963.

from the back of the book:

Just sixteen, Dominic Felse begins to feel the painful, exquisite stirrings of first love. He's in heaven when the object of his adoration, heiress Kitty Norris, offers him a lift in her red sports car. Then a few days later his own father, Inspector George Felse of the Comerford Police, charges her with murder. An arrogant millionaire has been killed with a magnum bottle of champagne at a pub once called The Joyful Woman-and the person with motive, means, and opportunity is Kitty. Although she is obviously lying, Inspector Felse listens intently as Dominic insists on her innocence. But he doesn't see his son's desperation to find the real killer-or the dangerous deceptions a tormented heart can weave...

I think she does a particularly good job with characterization and letting us see the characters from the other characters' perspectives.