The murder at the vicarage
588168
I enjoyed this book. It was hard to find the killer. I am looking forward to reading the rest of Mrs. Marple.
755583
Good story line and it keep me reading late.  Loved seeing the stuffy Vicar and Sister put out.  The reunion with her brother was also good.
2752858
Lynley and Havers head to the countryside to deal with a gruesome double murder involving a hero of Lynley's from the past.  Much action takes place at the site and back in London as a family deals with the truth about their murdered daughter.
3520470
This book is about a murder at the Westing house. Sam Westing was mudered. But before he was murdered he made a game. Whoever figured out who murdered him would get his inheritance which was 2.1 million dollars.the fourteen heirs were paired to find who the murderer is.

I give this four out of five stars and I'm eleven my favorite part is at the begining when they went into the Westing house. Also whenever they were at Angela's shower. I highly recommend this book to you.
3154499
Tom Bowman has recently completed the renovations and building works on a cottage in Yorkshire where he plans to open a baking school.
It is on the outskirts of a small village, he has two close neighbours.
One an elderly woman called Hannah who often confuses things that have happened in the past with the present.
The other a young woman called Alys, who Tom finds himself attracted to.
Unfortunately for Tom neither neighbour likes the other, Hannah accusing Alys of being a killer and Alys hating Hannah for lying about her.
Tom becomes friends with Hannah but as Alys and Tom grow closer Hannah becomes more agitated about Toms safety.
Hannah has investigated the crimes she alleges Alys is guilty of and gives Tom  her evidence, who can Tom believe?
I enjoyed this book it was a good plot, well thought out and the characters grew on me.
Thanks to Joffe books for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I will be watching out for more by
Amanda Fleet and rate this as a 4 star mystery.
3113050
This mystery starts with Rebecca, the vicars wife, wandering around a foggy cemetery, hoisting her glass of pinot noir and visiting the angel which sits atop a tomb. As she is having her drunken talk with the angel, she spots the body of a schoolgirl. That would be a horrific surprise if you were sober, never mind in an inebriated state. Rebecca has her own issues with her husband, her home life and an affair with a local teacher. All of those troubles are woven into this mystery and investigation of sixteen-year-old Deborah Harrisons murder.

The day before, Deborah and her friend Megan are walking home in the fog. They part ways near a bridge where Deborah takes a shortcut home through the cemetery. Megan thinks she saw the shadowy figure of a man behind Deborah but the fog was so thick, she cant be sure. That was the last time Deborah was seen alive.

Since Deborah was the daughter of a wealthy and influential man the pressure is on to solve this case as soon as possible. A new detective inspector, Barry Stott, gets a lead early on in this investigation and is hot on the trail of the suspected killer. There are certainly other suspects and factors involved in this homicide and DCI Banks isn't ready to pin the rap on the first suspect.

Banks examines all the other possibilities and factors uncovered during this case. There is a vicar, accused of sexually harassing a refugee worker, who lies about his whereabouts at the time of the murder; Rebecca, his cheating wife and the schoolteacher who is her lover. There is also the accused, Owen Pierce, who has a very spiteful ex and a teen boy who was Deborahs former boy toy. He previously threatened Deborahs family and tried to blackmail them.

Lots of action in this one and as always, Peter Robinson delivers with an ending you don't figure out until the last pages.

Food wise we have many offerings. What would a DCI Banks story be without that lumbering Sgt Hatchley eating and drinking his way across the Dales?

Alf! Over here mate. Lets have a bit of service. A person could die of thirst.
If there were a landlord Hatchley didn't know by name in all of Eastvale  nay, all of Swainsdale  Stott would have been surprised.
Stott ordered a ham and cheese sandwich and cup of tea. Hatchley ordered: Ill have one of those bloody great big Yorkshire puddings full of roast beef, peas and gravy. And a pint of bitter, of course

Banks and DC Susan Gay meet a potential character witness at an Italian restaurant. After much study and consultation, Banks decided on the gourmet pizza with goat cheese, olives and sun-dried tomatoes and Italian sausage. Susan ordered cannelloni and Michelle ordered linguine with clam sauce. They also had wine.

There were also the working pub lunches with Cornish pasties with gravy and chips, Scotch eggs and the usual pints of ale and bitters. Reading these books always makes me want a vacation in England.

So many of those goodies I would love to eat, especially sitting down at a pub lunch.
Since its a British author I thought I would go with a British chef.

Nigel Slaters Pork and Fig dinner was excellent. Next time I would use less fig but more fig jam. The jam was phenomenal on those chops. Recipe may be found at Squirrel Head Manor.
www.tinaculbertson.blogspot.com
3117657
Gemma Rose, owner of The Little Stables Tearoom in the Cotswold village of Meadowford-on-Smythe, is excited to be doing her first catering job, even though it is for a funeral. Rex Clifford has passed, even though it appears his widow, Adele Clifford is feeling no loss. There is a major dust up at the funeral when the daughter, Rachel, suddenly disinherited, and the wife, Adele meet up.

That is nothing to when a stranger walks in and suddenly it appears that there may be another sibling from of all places, China. Gemma doesn't know what to make of this family, but she is receiving rave revues about her pastries. That is until...Adele falls face down into a pudding!

This book involves everyone we have grown to like in this series...the Old Biddies, Cassie, Mr. and Mrs. Rose, Devlin O'Connor, and of course our Muesli. New characters abound and you find that one you dislike instantly, and the other, just as cute, if not cuddly, as muesli.

There is a slight cross-over of the characters from Ms. Hanna's other well-received series "Bewitched By Chocolate" and the interaction was delightful.

This is a true British cozy murder mystery. Well crafted and thoroughly enjoyable to read. Give both series a read.

This book was gifted to me by the Author as an ARC. This had no effect on my review outside of my Thanks to the Author for thinking of me.
1092314
Police surgeon Felix Carswell and  Chief Constable  Major Giles Vernon are on holiday in the  spa town of Stanegate.  Soon both men's skills are required as a Spanish gentlemen dies of consumption in Felix' arms after confiding a secret and a lady's maid is found drowned in a secluded pool. Later some jewelry is found to be missing.  Could that have had something to do with the deaths?

This is another good 1840s murder mystery.  There are a lot of good descriptions of life in England at that time and the characters are well drawn and interesting. But, as in previous novels by Ms Smart, the murder mystery seems to take a back seat to the interpersonal relationships among the characters.  It starts to seem like a TV soap opera at times:

{soft organ music}
Will Mrs. Vernon recover from her recent bout of insanity with the aid of her loving husband?
Is Lady Charlotte's interest in Giles more than mere friendship?
Can Felix and Sukey find happiness together despite the vast differences in their social status?
What family secrets do Lord Rothborough and the beautiful Dona Blanca share?
What part did the mysterious Dona Blanca play in the distant past of Felix' life?

For the answers to these and other intriguing questions, tune in tomorrow, or rather, buy the book.  It really is most interesting.
2199954
Love the plot of a Vicar investigating crime in his parrish!

PBS British shows are the best.
856125
I've read most of the Richard Jury novels, and it was a real treat to read the first in the series where all the characters are introduced. A number of the characters who later become a bit frozen in their stereotype behaviour are very real in this book-- I think particularly of Vivian and Trueblood-- and it's worth reading if you're a fan just for those points alone.
When a series of grisly murders shocks the town of Long Piddleton, Richard Jury of Scotland Yard is sent to investigate. It becomes clear all-too-soon that these were not the acts of a stranger and the small town is in the grip of suspicion and fear as the death toll continues to rise.
A satisfying whodunnit that keeps the pages turning.
2718536
I am enjoying this series very much.  I love reading about this little country village in England and all the characters in it.  Max is also very interesting because he used to be an M15 agent before he became a vicar.  I'm guessing that is equal to the FBI or the CIA.  So he helps the local police solve crimes and the stories are  interesting and colorful.  If you want to read something light and fun, this will take you away.
2516234
This is a perfect little British mystery.  We have a village flower show, the British firm of Terlingham, Terlingham and Owlet and loads of tea and ploughman's lunches.  In this sparkler the village nurse/midwife is found murdered behind her fortune teller's tent at the flower show.  Who would want to kill harmless, well-liked Nurse Cooper?  Sloan and Crosby are sent to the village to discover the murderer.  It all seems to hinge around a case of verified identity for property that is to be probated.  The hardest thing that he has to determine is motive, but never fear, he manages to figure that out along with the identity of the murderer.
2514257
This was Margery Allinghams first detective story and it was serialized in the daily Express in 1927. It is a relatively short book that can be read quite quickly. In this story, a young man Jerry, picks up a woman on the road and drives her to The White Cottage, as she has a blister on her heel and can hardly walk. After dropping her off, Jerry stops to chat just down the way with a police officer. Shortly after this, there is a scream and both Jerry and the policeman rush to The White Cottage to see what has happened. They find a man shot dead and seven possible suspects. It just so happens that Jerry is the son of famous Inspector WT Challenor. He is called in to solve the mystery.

The story was entertaining and I wanted to find out who the culprit was. Everyone had a reason to kill this man as he was universally hated. The one problem I had was how quickly Jerry and Norah fell in love and actually got married. That is the problem with a short novella. As each suspect was crossed off the list, Jerry tried to convince his father to stop investigating because he did not believe that either Norah or her sister could have been the killers. I did like the ending even though I had suspected who the murder was. This book would be enjoyed by those who enjoy British crime stories in the Agatha Christie style. The publisher generously provided me a copy of this book through Netgalley.
2609664
This is a darling little mystery set in an old English manor house. It begins with an accidentally death during World War II which is covered up by the perpetrator. It is uncovered by our intrepid American/English gardener who during the course of her investigation resolves other dormant mysteries surrounding several of the local villagers.

I have read other books by this author and was not disappointed by this offering. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a relative non violent mystery.

I give it a 4 star rating.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.
3989434
This is a great series  I love Rev Annabelle and Inspector Mike Nicholls  Great  main characters
Funny, Cozy, yet still a great mystery  I recommend all 5 books in series
Looking forward to more in the series

Also, try Alison's  Inspector Graham series, 5 books so far also with great characters, can be read stand alone, as can Rev Annabelle series, but I do recommend reading in order as the characters do grow with the series
1369325
This is the second book in the series featuring Hugh de Singleton as the surgeon and mystery solver.  The setting is the village of Bampton, also featured in the first book in the series, in the year 1365.  It is spring and death has come to the village again.  This time the victim is the village beadle, a man in charge of fences, hedges, etc... as well as making sure all in the village observed curfew.  Hugh is called to look at the body.  He meets the coroner, but Hugh doubts the coroner's conclusion that the manner of death was a wolf attack.
 So begins a very enjoyable tale following Hugh as he investigates to find the truth for himself, for Lord Gilbert, as well as for the murder victim's wife.  Who would kill Alan the beadle?  Did he have any enemies?  Why was his body found in the hedges near St. Andrew's Chapel?  Is the recent poaching somehow related to the murder?  As Hugh proceeds to find clues and delve into the different relationships between some of the villagers, an enemy from his past, Thomas atte Bridge, appears to be somehow involved in this situation, but how?  Hugh is beaten, left for dead, and almost buried alive.  He must be getting close to solving the crime.  Who would have the nerve to attack him on church grounds?  Is someone in the church or its vicinity involved in murder?  Are there any other recent deaths that have occurred that at first appeared to be from natural causes, but really are murders?
 Hugh rides his trusty old steed, Bruce, to Oxford to consult with Master John Wycliff, one of his former teachers about the murder as well as about finding a wife.  They also discuss biblical matters, God, and how He speaks truth into their lives.  While there, he goes to a shop to buy parchment and ink.  He meets the owner of the shop as well as his daughter, Kate.  Hugh has been disappointed in matters of the heart with his first love, Lady Joan, recently marrying someone else.  Hugh is interested in finding a wife, but has no prospects or does he?  Kate's father has need of a surgeon, so he will be seeing more of her.  As he checks on her father's recovery from surgery, he knows he is smitten.  She seems to like him, but there seem to be others interested in courting her.  Can Hugh solve the crime and get the girl?
 This is an entertaining and interesting book that I recommend.  The third book in this series will be reviewed here.  Don't miss this series!
4374335
I love the Midieval Mysteries series and The Proud Sinner is a nice new addition.  Once again, Prioress Eleanor and her friends and foes within and without the priory happen upon awful murder and have to solve the crime.  A  good one.