Cathy has been reading Stardust In Nuala by Harriet Steel.
A Bombay film company is shooting a drama, based on a Ceylonese legend, in Nuala and it’s up to Inspector Shanti de Silva to make sure all runs smoothly. As some scenes are bing filmed outside, reinforcements were brought in to make sure the fascinated crowds were kept under control.
The well known film star, Dev Khan, owns the company which also includes members of his family. The final scenes have been shot and de Silva is looking forward to peace reigning once again in his normally sleepy town. Unfortunately a suspicious death puts paid to his hopes.
”Don’t you see,’ a man was saying in a low, urgent tone. ‘If we do nothing, he’ll never let us be free to make a life of our own.’
A woman’s voice answered but her words were too muffled for de Silva to make them out. He watched as the shadows the couple cast on the side of the tent drew closer to each other and merged in an embrace.’
There also seems to be something of a disturbance at the Residence, the home of Archie Clutterbuck, assistant government agent and de Silva’s superior. Small items are mysteriously disappearing and Clutterbuck’s dog is acting strangely.
The murder investigation throws up complications as the victim was known for being conceited and self centred by those who knew him. His relationship with those people close to him was difficult, and his marriage seemed to have been a turbulent one. De Silva is informed he needs to tread carefully with his investigation as news of the death would no doubt provoke much speculation and more than likely a public outcry.
Set in 1941, the war hasn’t yet affected Ceylon and life in the hill town of Nuala goes on as usual. I enjoy revisiting the characters in this series, also the wonderfully atmospheric setting. De Silva and his wife, Jane, have a lovely relationship and she enjoys throwing ideas back and forth with her husband when he’s working on a case.
Book description
A celebrated Indian film company comes to Nuala, sprinkling its stardust over the quiet little town and keeping Inspector de Silva busy. With the end of the visit at last in sight, he looks forward to returning to a more peaceful existence, but a sudden death dashes his hopes. With Jane’s help and that of a new ally, he’s drawn into the turbulent affairs of a warring family. Meanwhile, a mysterious intruder is causing trouble at the Residence.
Cathy has been reading In Cases Of Murder by Jan Edwards.
In Cases of Murder is the fourth outing for Bunch Courtney. Set during WWII, the Courtney’s home, Perringham Hall has been requisitioned by a secret division of the military which means Bunch is living at the Dower House with her grandmother. Her father is away in London for most of the time in an advisory capacity, and her desperately ill mother in a nursing home. It’s left to Bunch to run the estate with the help of a group of Land Girls. She also acts as a civilian consultant to the police, having assisted Chief Inspector Wright on more than one occasion, and it seems he needs her help again.
‘“There’s a telephone call, Miss. Chief Inspector Wright.”
Wright? What could he want? “Thank you. Tell the Inspector I’ll call him back.”
“He did say it was urgent, Miss. He called twice while you were out.”
‘“Did he indeed.” She tried a few passes of the brush across Perry’s ample rump but the moment was gone. It’s not Knapp’s fault, but dammit all the same. “All right, tell him I shall be in directly.” She tossed the brushes through the tack-room door and turned to scrub her knuckles against the sprinkle of white hairs between the Fell Pony’s eyes.’
A young woman’s body has been discovered in shocking circumstances. The police have confirmed her name as Laura Jarman and are aware of her address but the family, particularly her father, are proving to be uncooperative. DCI Wright wonders if perhaps someone local with social connections might be helpful in gathering information he’s not able to access. This latest murder has distinct similarities to several previous unsolved cases and then yet another body is discovered, again with similarities, and this young woman was Laura’s flatmate, Kitty.
Bunch’s life isn’t easy with her father rarely at home and her mother’s condition deteriorating rapidly, not to mention the challenges and dangers of war time Britain. Clues and tidbits of information are garnered slowly in this complex case, adding to an emerging picture of the people involved and the crimes themselves. Leading further afield that was expected, they were taken on a convoluted trail involving munitions factories and London clubs. The link between Laura and Kitty and gentlemen’s private parties remains elusive.
Bunch is a very likable character. She’s nobody’s fool, her heart is in the right place and she’s not averse to taking risks now and again even if she does get seriously reprimanded by Wright. Bunch still finds him difficult to fathom. She’s drawn to him but has no idea how he feels. The murder mystery is researched and set out well, characters are depicted realistically, and the nearness of war is always present adding to the intensity of life in general. In Cases of Murder is a very enjoyable addition to this series.
Book description
When the body of Laura Jarman is discovered crammed into a steamer trunk and dumped on a Brighton railway platform, members of her wealthy industrialist family are shouting for answers, but their reluctance to co-operate with the investigation arouses suspicion from all sides.
What could possibly link Laura to private gentlemen’s parties on the edge of sleepy Wyncombe village, and what are her family so desperate to conceal?
When Laura’s London flatmate is murdered in an almost identical style, Bunch Courtney and DCI William Wright find themselves racing along a convoluted trail through munitions factories and London clubs to a final shocking end.
Liz has been reading Stardust In Nuala by Harriet Steel.
It is Spring 1941 in Ceylon and in the small hill town of Nuala the war in Europe has little effect, but a visiting film crew from Bombay is very disruptive to the peace and quiet as Inspector Shanti de Silva’s small police team is responsible for controlling the excited crowd. All goes well for the final filming at the Royal Nuala Cricket Club of a dramatic, colourful devil dance. The film company is owned by the famous actor, Dev Khan, who stars as the King, with his second wife, Sunita, as the Queen. Shanti and his English wife Jane are invited for drinks by Ashok, Dev’s efficient PA, but they find Dev rather full of himself and his relationship with his two stepsons, who also work for the film company, is problematic.
When a member of the family is found dead in the grounds of their hotel Shanti asks his friend, the hotel manager, to assist him with investigations. Meanwhile at the house of Archie Clutterbuck, the Assistant Government Agent, the mysterious disappearance of small items and the distress of his dog, are alarming and of course Shanti is expected to solve this case too.
The delight of this series is the warm relationship of the de Silvas and the pleasure Shanti takes from good Sinhalese food and sitting quietly with his cat Bella on his lap. His leadership and care about his sergeant and constable are admirable and he puts his clever mind to good use solving seemingly impossible investigations. If this is the first volume of this series you read, the cast list at the beginning will be very helpful. Another intriguing mystery in a fascinating era.
Book description
A celebrated Indian film company comes to Nuala, sprinkling its stardust over the quiet little town and keeping Inspector de Silva busy. With the end of the visit at last in sight, he looks forward to returning to a more peaceful existence, but a sudden death dashes his hopes. With Jane’s help and that of a new ally, he’s drawn into the turbulent affairs of a warring family. Meanwhile, a mysterious intruder is causing trouble at the Residence.
Olga has been reading Murder At Buckskin Joe by JVL Bell
Murder At Buckskin Joe by JVL Bell
Cozy mysteries can be a bit hit-and-miss for me, but this one, with the added attraction of the historical gold-mining background setting and the fabulous cast of characters worked wonderfully for me, and I loved it. Even though this is the third book in a series, it can be read and enjoyed in its own right, as it does provide readers with all the relevant details needed to follow the story, although I confess I wouldn’t mind reading the two previous ones.
The description of the book is quite apt, although it can’t reflect the full catalogue of adventures and characters included in the novel. We have the fabulous background of the gold mining town (already running out of gold at the time of the story), with plentiful but well-integrated historical detail; we have the day-to-day drudgery of living in an outpost of “civilization” (a term I use fairly loosely here); we have the animals (I love Buttercup, the fainting goat, and don’t ask me to explain, but I am also fond of the burros [donkeys in Spanish], and even the bear… No, I’m not explaining that either); we have a sheriff who is a gifted baker (the characters aren’t the only ones drooling over his confectionery); we have secret and newly found relatives all around; we have ill-fated love stories, and others that seemed impossible but work out; we have Dom and Millie’s children, Rachel (oh, she is infuriating but such a fabulously realistic character, and I love her to bits), and Hosa (who wouldn’t worry about a Navajo boy who lost his family but only wants to go back and fight against the white men?)… And, of course, we have Dom and Minnie. Minnie is the main character, and although the story is told in the third-person, we see everything from her point of view, and it is impossible not to like her. I particularly enjoyed the fact that she is not a modern heroin transplanted to the past. Although she has her own ideas, she also hesitates, tries her hardest to conform to the norms (down to using etiquette books and all), feels conflicted about her desire to investigate and what she feels is her duty towards her husband and children, and she is not perfect. She is daring and determined, rushed at times, but she can also be frightened and even phobic about certain situations. She doubts her own skills as a mother and questions herself, and that made her a true character rather than a caricature for me. Dom, her husband, is again not perfect. He supports her, is patient with her and understands her, but he is not beyond making mistakes, trusting people he shouldn’t, and even turning on her when he gets anxious or scared. Yes, they do fight, and yes, they do love each other. It feels like a real marriage, with two people trying their hardest to make everything work in their highly unconventional family.
I have already mentioned some of the things I really liked about this novel. I enjoyed the way the characters are created, because even those who don’t play big parts are not simple cut-outs. They all have their personalities, their distinctive features, and they all keep us guessing. I also like the historical note the author includes at the beginning of the novel. I have read historical novels where I spent most of the time wondering how much of what I was reading was based in fact and how much was creative license. Here, the author covers that at the very beginning, before we start reading, and although in her acknowledgments she talks about her sources and her process of creation in more detail, we are in no doubt as to what we are reading.
I also enjoyed that, despite the many things going on throughout the novel, the actual investigation is never too far away from the centre of the action, and although, evidently, this is not a police procedural novel where everything is highly scientific and all the details are accounted for, if we take into account the era and where the action takes place, the murder mystery works well, and I loved the slightly bittersweet ending as well.
The writing is dynamic, flows well, and it combines inner reflection and observation on the part of Millie with plenty of action scenes, which keep us turning the pages. There are many amusing moments, some scary ones as well, and the dialogues bring the characters to life and make them jump out of the page truly realised. We also learn about gold mining and about the era, its social mores and the way daily life was organised, and the knowledge and research the author has done and her talent in combining a cozy murder mystery with a historical novel portraying the life in the second half of the XIX century in the Territory of Colorado shines through. It’s a winner.
I don’t really dislike anything about the book; I can only say that I hope there will be further adventures, and we’ll get to know what happened to some of the other characters we’ve met here. I am happy there are previous novels I can catch up on as well.
In summary, this is a fantastic novel. It is funny, it is informative, it is full to the brim with unforgettable characters, it has plenty of adventures, it contains historical information about gold mining that never impedes the flow of the story, and it includes adventures and action scenes to satisfy those who prefer stories that keep moving along at a good pace. And a fairly solid, if cozy, mystery. There are threats, scary moments, and even violence, although not extreme, and I would recommend it to anybody who enjoys a good yarn. It’s solid gold.
Book description
Territory of Colorado, 1865
Millie knows the raucous mining town of Buckskin Joe is no place for children, but when Dom’s Uncle George shows up needing help, the whole family reluctantly heads to South Park. George has been accused of murdering his mining partner, Wandering Will, and although Millie questions his innocence, she finds there are many suspects who wanted Will dead.
There’s fancy-girl Queeny, Will’s ex-wife, and dancehall-girl Kate, who wanted to be Will’s next wife—until he dumped her. Mountain man Kootenay despised Will enough to have dispatched him and the Odd Fellows have seized George and Will’s mine, claiming the gold inside for themselves.
Millie’s investigation heats up when Dom volunteers to visit the local saloon for some hands-on investigating of Queeny and Kate. Interruptions from hostile Utes, the children’s devilment, and the local schoolmistress chasing after Dom make this Millie’s most difficult investigation—especially when the killer decides she is getting too close.
Murder at Buckskin Joe weaves a cozy murder mystery with fascinating South Park mining history and lovable, unforgettable historic characters.
Cathy has been reading Break from Nuala by Harriet Steel
Break From Nuala By Harriet Steel
Ceylon hasn’t yet been affected by the war in Europe and Inspector Shanti de Silva and his wife, Jane are taking a short holiday at the luxuriously appointed Cinnamon Lodge in the coastal town of Galle. As always when they were away from Nuala, de Silva was a little concerned how people would view a Ceylonese man and a British woman as a married couple but any worries were soon laid to rest.
What was meant to be a restful break was soon interrupted by a couple of incidents at the hotel — a visit by the local Chief Inspector which de Silva didn’t think was routine and a group of guests, famous diver Elodie Renaud and her party, were taken ill by what appeared to be food poisoning. Seemingly unremarkable, if unfortunate, events initially, but then de Silva couldn’t help but put his policeman’s hat on and investigate surreptitiously when a nightwatchman is found dead and a guest mysteriously disappears.
‘No wonder the manager had looked so uncomfortable, thought de Silva. Were it to come out, a death on the premises, particularly such a grim one, would do the hotel’s reputation no good at all. He shuddered. It sounded like the dead man was the same nightwatchman he’d talked to on the evening he and Jane had arrived at the hotel. He might well have been killed not long after they spoke.’
Break from Nuala is the eleventh outing for Shanti de Silva, and is just as enjoyable as the previous books, although I did miss the regulars. Jane takes a more active role than usual and de Silva treads carefully as he has no jurisdiction in Galle. The cast of characters is diverse with several potential suspects. As the mystery begins to unfold and the investigation gains momentum things edge towards danger.
An enjoyable and well written cosy mystery set in a wonderful location.
Book description
It is autumn 1940, and Inspector de Silva and his wife Jane are looking forward to a well-earned holiday. But their hopes of a relaxing break in the picturesque city of Galle beside the Indian Ocean are dashed when death, mysterious illnesses, and a missing guest cast a gloomy shadow. As they’re drawn into the investigation, the mystery deepens. Is there a villain amongst their fellow guests or further afield? The search for answers will lead them into great danger that has repercussions far beyond the island of Ceylon.
Liz has been reading High Wire In Nuala by Harriet Steel
Returning to Nuala in 1930s Ceylon is always a pleasure. The courteous Inspector Shanti de Silva and his delightful wife Jane have an active social life in the pleasant Hill town and on this occasion, it includes a visit to a travelling Russian circus. Shanti is not looking forward to the performance of the snake charmer, but he enjoys watching the clowns and the high wire act, until there is a disaster. Shanti’s boss, Archie Clutterbuck, does not consider the death of a Russian a relevant problem to the local police force, but the detective is determined to check the circumstances.
This volume of the series involves Shanti in undercover work and his Sergeant, Prasanna, excels himself. Add in the fear of poisonous snakes, rivalry between two female performers and another case involving jewellery burglary and you have an exciting, action-packed tale. The story is further enhanced by detailed descriptions of parts of the locality.
Quote
“The vicarage’s mellow stone walls basked in the afternoon sunshine. As if to remind viewers of its inhabitants calling, the tall windows were set in pointed Gothic arches decorated with carvings that were more modest versions of those at the church. A vigorous soft-pink rose spread its branches between the windows, also scrambling over the roof of the deep entrance porch. The latter was decorated with a fleur-de-lis pattern of faded blue on a yellowish-cream glaze, well-worn by many years of footsteps; the front door was a massive piece of oak.”
The escapades of kittens, Billy and Bella, are a pleasant interlude between progress in the case and dire danger to our hero. I particularly enjoyed this novel and can see it as an episode in a cosy crime TV series similar to Death in Paradise.
Much to the delight of the locals, a colourful Russian circus rolls into Nuala, but the fun ends abruptly when, on the opening night, a tragic accident takes place. Shanti de Silva and his wife, Jane are among the crowd to witness the accident. Or was it an accident? Inspector de Silva senses murder, and soon, he’s juggling with the evidence. Will the trail lead to the circus’s dashing stunt rider and master of horse, Alexei Goncharov, or to Alexei’s brother Boris, its boisterous ringmaster? Throw a string of jewel thefts and some deadly snakes into the mix and the list of suspects grows. De Silva will need to keep his wits about him to unravel yet another absorbing puzzle in this charming and addictive mystery series set in the 1930s in exotic Ceylon.
Listed Dead is the third in the Bunch Courtney series and told from her perspective in the third person. There’s much more insight into the Courtney sisters’ background, the environment in which they grew up and the family dynamics in this book. Things have changed drastically for Bunch since the start of the war. The family home, Perringham House, has been requisitioned by the military and Bunch is left to run the estate with the help of Land Girls, while living at the Dower House with her Granny Beatrice.
When a body is discovered in a fatal car wreck close to Perringham House Bunch goes to investigate, hoping it’s no-one from the estate. She knows there’s something suspicious about the accident when she finds Chief Inspector Wiiliam Wright at the scene. The victim is familiar to Bunch as a friend of her sister’s, one of a group of young pleasure seekers who got together several years ago to form a supper club. When a second member of the club is found dead, Bunch finds herself acting as a police consultant (once she and Wright overcame the issue of her title) finding out what she can about the victims and those members of the club who are still around.
I enjoyed the interaction between Bunch and Chief Inspector Wright and their joint investigation. They make a good team and there’s scope for more of a relationship. Bunch is familiar with the lifestyle of the privileged younger set, who want to live as they did before the war and which couldn’t be further from the lives of ordinary people and those serving in the military. Her knowledge of people and places help, but as she invites gossip from friends and contacts someone is not happy with her interference. There’s a darker undercurrent to this story than previously and the trail leads Bunch into life threatening situations.
The writing and characterisations are realistic and authentic for the time, as is the atmosphere which is re-enforced by a strong sense of place. Bombing raids, rationing, air raid shelters and blackouts are becoming part of everyday all across the country, although the cities are hit the hardest, most notably London. The descriptions of the air raids, the shelters and life generally was very evocative.
Bunch is an extremely likeable protagonist, resourceful, determined and quick to notice things. Not much would cause her to deviate once her mind was made up. A very enjoyable read.
November 1940. The Battle of Britain has only just ended and the horror of the Blitz is reaching its height.
Two deaths in rapid succession on the Sussex Downs brings Bunch Courtney and Chief Inspector Wright together once more. What could possibly link a fatal auto accident with the corpse in a derelict shepherd’s hut? The only clue the pair have is a handwritten list of the members of a supper club that meets at London’s Café de Paris.
Two of those on that list are now dead and the race is on to solve the mystery before any more end up on the mortuary slab.
Cathy has been reading Taken In Nuala by Harriet Steel.
A grand party is taking place at The Residence, hosted by the assistant government agent and Inspector Shanti de Silva’s superior, Archie Clutterbuck and his wife, Florence, raising funds for the orphanage and introducing their American guests, the Tankertons and their daughter, Phoebe. Inspector de Silva and his wife Jane join the list of invitees. Also staying at The Residence is Hank O’Halloran and his daughter Marie.
During the festivities Marie O’Halloran is kidnapped and the party comes to an abrupt halt. The guests are questioned before leaving, while de Silva makes it his business to discover how the perpetrator was able to gain access to the house, evade security measures and take Marie, seemingly so easily. He wondered why the kidnapper chose Marie. Both men were wealthy but Tankerton even more so, and would be able to pay a larger ransom. It was clear to de Silva there was more to this than meets the eye.
He was on his way back to the front of the Residence when he met Archie.
[‘Anything to report, de Silva?’ The assistant government agent looked weary. Darcy, the Labrador, at his master’s heels as usual, wagged his tail, but he too looked as if he longed for his bed.
‘Only that I’m fairly certain the kidnappers made their escape over the balcony, sir, and there were two of them.’]
De Silva has his work cut out with kidnappings and murder, a suspicious fortune teller and several trails to follow, ably assisted by Sergeant Prasanna and Constable Nadar. Insight from Jane is always welcome as well. Some surprise twists keep the plot moving along. As always, the wonderfully described setting of 1930’s Ceylon is detailed, capturing the sense of place and time, and the contrast between the cultures adds an extra layer to the stories. Shanti and Jane de Silva are well portrayed, engaging characters and work well together. I like how Jane fits in with the English side of society and also as the wife of a Sinhalese Police Inspector with perfect ease. De Silva adores his wife, loves his garden, good food and his car. He sometimes takes exception to interference in his work by his British superiors.
I enjoy return visits to Nuala, the de Silva’s calm and well ordered home life and beautiful garden. Not to mention the delicious sounding meals cook prepares. If only…
When an American millionaire and his glamorous daughter visit Nuala, the splendour they bring to the town’s high society is soon tragically tarnished by a vicious crime.
With many avenues of inquiry to follow, including the involvement of a mysterious fortune teller, Inspector de Silva will need all his resources to unravel the evidence and avert further disaster.
A gripping mystery with lots of twists and turns set in the colourful and fascinating world of 1930s Ceylon.
Cathy has been reading Passage From Nuala by Harriet Steel
Passage From Nuala takes Inspector Shanti de Silva and his wife Jane on a long awaited holiday. Jane wants to see the pyramids very much and they were both looking forward to a relaxing cruise to Egypt, taking in the Suez canal on their journey. Away from Nuala, de Silva was conscious of his and Jane’s ethnic differences and was prepared for the possibility of some disapproval towards their mixed marriage. His fears were mostly unfounded and the first couple of days passed peacefully.
Archie Clutterbuck’s superior, William Petrie and his wife, Lady Caroline, were fellow travellers on the Jewel of the East. De Silva and Jane found them genial company and more approachable than previously. The passengers were a mixed bunch, among them a self-important older lady, a recently engaged couple who seemed quite unsuited and a gossip columnist. The Petrie’s presence on the ship proves very fortuitous when a body is discovered.
‘I’m sorry to disturb you, sir,’ the officer said solemnly. ‘I have a message for you from Mr William Petrie.’
De Silva took the envelope the officer held out to him and opened it; the note inside it read: My apologies for the interruption to your holiday, but your professional assistance is needed immediately.
Another intriguing and entertaining instalment in the Inspector de Silva mysteries which sees de Silva solving crime in a contained environment with the help of Jane and William Petrie. On an evocatively described ocean liner with several suspects, de Silva knows time is against him. He’s under pressure as the investigation isn’t making enough progress—if he doesn’t find the murderer before they next dock, the culprit could escape.
As always, the characters are engaging and the depiction of the era is very enjoyable. The plot is well constructed and unfolds with enough twists to keep me guessing. Jane is in evidence to a greater degree in this story and it was good to see more interaction than usual between the de Silva’s I also liked the fact that de Silva is, to some extent, out of his comfort zone.
Inspector de Silva and Jane embark on a cruise to Egypt to visit the pyramids, excited at the prospect of two weeks of sun, sea and relaxation. With Nuala, and de Silva’s duties as a police officer, far behind them, what can possibly spoil their plans? Then a writer is found dead in his cabin, suffocated by newspaper thrust down his throat. Once again, de Silva must swing into action. The Inspector de Silva Mysteriesis a colourful and absorbing series, spiced with humour. Set in Ceylon in the 1930s, it will appeal to fans of traditional and cozy mysteries.
Protagonist Isobella (Ella) Bridges is a young widow whose husband died in somewhat mysterious circumstances. Two years after his death, she returns to the little village where her family spent happy holidays and purchases the Yellow Cottage after visiting with its owner—who, Ella later discovers, had already been dead for seven months when they spoke. Her cottage predecessor leaves the young widow several mysteries to solve, including a ghost cat. Ella is a perfect example of her class—posh, casually prejudiced, and so supremely assured of her place in the world that she is perfectly willing to ignore fashion and custom when it suits her while unconsciously adhering to their dictates in almost every aspect of her life.
Wikipedia defines a cozy mystery as “…a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community.” True to the definition, sex, profanity, and violence are “behind the door” and only gently referenced. Sleuth Ella is an amateur who gathers a posse of essential helpers—in this case the Police Commissioner, his chief medical examiner, and her own well-connected family.Having grown up in and around old houses, Ella accepts the ghosts with the same aplomb as she greets her quirky new neighbors. In the first book of the series, most of the action centers around London, so we also meet Ella’s brother Jerry and his wife Ginny, as well as Ginny’s “Uncle” Albert, Scotland Yard’s Police Commissioner. In the second book, we get to know more of her neighbors in the quintessentially English village setting.
One of the challenges with any ongoing series is to move the backstory forward by adding little unresolved threads, while still solving each book’s central mystery arc. For example, in A Clerical Error, the role of Mrs. Shaw, Ella’s somewhat mysterious housekeeper, is finally explained. But…
[spoiler-ish alert! If you haven’t read the first two books, you may want to skip the next paragraph…] At the end of Book 2, Ella is stunned to receive a call from John, the husband she believed was dead. In A Clerical Error, she is still, naturally, more than a bit upset about this. Without revealing too much, I have to admit I found this development and its resolution unsatisfying. While it did set up Ella’s distrust with authorities, also hinting at the global forces already moving to end the interlude between two World Wars, it was just so… off-screen, leaving me with a strong sense of “what was that about?” It wasn’t until Ella was deeply involved with the new ghosts she meets in A Clerical Error that I was able to step back and realize (or at least hope!) that John’s phone call is the setup to another ghost’s appearance.
Ella’s confusion and absorption with the shocking news about her “dead” husband makes it difficult for her to focus fully on the mysterious death of the local vicar. In her role as a consultant to Scotland Yard, she finds herself investigating the suspicious circumstances, forced to consider which of her new friends and neighbors might be the murderer in their midst.
The element that brings this series to a different level (at least for me) is that Ella sees ghosts, and even talks to them. Her cat, Phantom, is usually a ghost. Except (he’s a cat after all) when he’s not. Mixing the paranormal elements with the main mystery, and adding dessert toppings of secondary mysteries, puzzles, and mysteriously puzzling ghosts, keeps the story lively and makes the reader look forward to learning more about the characters (both living and dead). Still, even with the assistance of the occasional ghost, author J. New plays fair with her readers most of the time. If she delays in explaining a critical clue, I could usually forgive her if—as with the earlier books of the series—it sets up that most essential of cozy mystery tropes, the detective addressing the gathered suspects. Unfortunately, in this case the resolution and final confrontation with the murderer happens off-stage, reported third-hand and unwitnessed by Ella (or the reader).
With the minor exception of the third-person resolution, I still found that its setting and characters make A Clerical Error—as I said in my reviews of the earlier books—an enchanting example of a cozy mystery, a paranormal detective story, and a completely entertaining series in a historical setting. I am delighted to recommend A Clerical Error, and look forward to more adventures with Ella and her family.
When the crime scene is pure coincidence and there’s no evidence, how do you prove it was murder?
Ella Bridges faces her most challenging investigation so far when the vicar dies suddenly at the May Day Fete. But with evidence scarce and her personal life unravelling in ways she could never have imagined, she misses vital clues in the investigation.
Working alongside Sergeant Baxter of Scotland Yard, will Ella manage to unearth the clues needed to catch the killer before another life is lost? Or will personal shock cloud her mind and result in another tragedy?
‘A Clerical Error’ is set in 1930’s England, and is the third of The Yellow Cottage Vintage Mystery series.
‘Miss Marple meets The Ghost Whisperer’ – Perfect For Fans of Golden Age Murder Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, Clean Reads and British Amateur Sleuths
J. New is the British author of The Yellow Cottage Vintage Mystery series. Set on the fictitious island of Linhay in the south of England during the 1930’s, they are an homage to the Golden Age mysteries but with a contemporary twist.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
Book reviewer and garden enthusiast. Updates from my Hampshire garden. Usually talking about books and plants. People do not forget books or flowers that touch them or excite them—they recommend them.
![Taken in Nuala (The Inspector de Silva Mysteries Book 8) by [Harriet Steel]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51qXKvRKgkL.jpg)
Rosie Amber 