Review: A DISORGANISED DEATH, Simon Brett

• 
  this edition from my local library
  
• published by Severn House 2026
• #5 in the Decluttering series
• ISBN 987-1-4483-1469-0
• 178 pages

Synopsis (publisher)

Ellen Curtis – professional declutterer, amateur sleuth and woman of a certain age – hunts for a missing will with a killer bequest in this gripping mystery from the original king of British cosy crime, Simon Brett.

Professional declutterer Ellen Curtis doesn’t do house clearances. So when Tamara Nicklin, owner of a local gastropub, asks Ellen to clear her late father’s house, she’s not interested . . . even when Tamara admits that the real reason she wants to hire Ellen is to find his missing will.

Then Ellen discovers Tamara’s husband has plans for the house. Plans Tamara doesn’t know about. And it’s clear to Ellen that this is the right job for her, after all.

Ellen dives in, and what she finds in the dead man’s house soon makes her wonder if Tamara’s father really fell down the stairs, or if he was pushed. Can she sort through the secrets and lies to find not just the missing will – but the truth? 

My Take

This is another book that takes the reader into a world with which they are probably not all that familiar, but a scenario that is becoming more common in today's culture, where most of us have simply accumulated and accumulated. Many resort to a mini-skip on the front lawn, but for others willing to pay, the services of a declutterer are required to ensure that nothing important is lost.

There are two stories in this novel, both dealing with a search for a will, and then making sure the right will is actioned.

Perhaps once again I have come into this series from the wrong end. This is #5. My own advice to readers is always to start at #1 and to allow the author to share their character development with you. I didn't particularly "take to" the main character Ellen nor to the members of her immediate family. I can see where the author is laying ground for more in the series, so I should go back and read earlier titles some time. 

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER
4.5, THE TOMB IN TURKEY
4.4, CHARLES PARIS: MURDER UNPROMPTED
4.2, CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES
4.4, THE KILLING IN THE CAFE
4.4, THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY

Major Bricket series

• 4.4, MAJOR BRICKET AND THE CIRCUS CORPSE -#1
• 4.4, MAJOR BRICKETT AND THE BODY IN THE BELL TOWER -#2 

Review: MAJOR BRICKET AND THE BODY IN THE BELL TOWER, Simon Brett

• 
  this edition from my local library
  
• published by Constable in 2026
• ISBN 978-1-40872-133-9
• 242 pages 

Synopsis (publisher) 

For Major Bricket, attending church in his village of Stunston Peveril in Suffolk is a good way to keep up with the village gossip. Having only recently retired from a career where he was privy to many international secrets, the Major likes to stay in the know.

Events take a turn one Sunday though when, after the morning service, Major Bricket notices the door to the bell tower open... and finds a body at the bottom of the stairs.

The dead man is dressed in a suit and dog collar. But who is he? And could someone in Stunston Peveril have killed him?

Perhaps predictably, most of the village residents seem more concerned with the Parish Council flower arranging rota than the mysterious corpse.

Major Bricket will have to rely on his long-nurtured detection skills, and his trusted friends Nga Luong and Rod, to solve the case.

My Take

Not quite so cozy as the first in the series: a little more violence occurs when Major Bricket is hunted down by an old Eastern European opponent. Bricket's partnership with local restaurant owner Nga Luong and teenager Rod Enright is developing nicely as are the local characters added into the story. This is a series you will need to read from the beginning. I am enjoying the quirky nature of the story.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER
4.5, THE TOMB IN TURKEY
4.4, CHARLES PARIS: MURDER UNPROMPTED
4.2, CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES
4.4, THE KILLING IN THE CAFE
4.4, THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY

Major Bricket series

• 4.4, MAJOR BRICKET AND THE CIRCUS CORPSE -#1 

Review: MAJOR BRICKET AND THE CIRCUS CORPSE, Simon Brett

• 
  this edition supplied by my local library
  
• published Constable 2025
• ISBN 978-1-40872-130-8
• 232 pages
• #1 Major Bricket Mystery

Synopsis (publisher) 

Introducing a new, but not-so-amateur, sleuth from another peaceful English village with an alarmingly high death rate! The first mystery in a new cosy series from one of the world's favourite crime writers - perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett, Robert Thorogood and M. C. Beaton.
_______________________

Meet Major Bricket, an infrequent resident of Highfield House in Stunston Peveril, Suffolk. In the past the Major's work assignments, frequently in foreign countries, have prevented him from spending much time there and a result, there is an air of mystery around him while everyone in the village speculates on the nature of his occupation.

But now the Major has retired and has come home for good in his open-topped little red sports car... and what a homecoming it is, for lying spreadeagled on his lawn in the summer sunshine is the corpse of a clown.

The circus is in Stunston Peveril for the annual village fair, yet none of their quota of clowns is missing - or at least, nobody is saying. Could the body be that of an unfortunate early guest at the village's highlight of the social calendar, the Fincham Abbey Costume Ball?

Fortunately Major Bricket's past clandestine career means that he is now very well placed to solve the mystery of the dead clown on his camomile lawn . . . 

My Take

The beginning of a new series of cozies, with a couple of characters who have had a history in espionage, but are now apparently retired. As always with Simon Brett: interesting characters, and mysteries that are sufficiently engaging without being over the top or too noir, plus slightly quirky humour.

Not as good in my books as the Fethering Mysteries, but it is early days yet. 

My rating: 4.4

BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER
4.5, THE TOMB IN TURKEY
4.4, CHARLES PARIS: MURDER UNPROMPTED
4.2, CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES
4.4, THE KILLING IN THE CAFE
4.4, THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY 

Review: THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY, Simon Brett

• this edition published by Creme de la Crime, 2017
• #18 Fethering series
• 183 pages
• ISBN 978-1-7809-101-7
• source: my local library

Synopsis (Amazon)

When an author event at the local library ends in murder, Jude finds herself a suspect in the waspishly witty new Fethering mystery.

Having been booked to give a talk at Fethering Library, successful author Burton St Clair invites his old friend Jude to come along.

Although they haven't met for twenty years, Jude is not surprised to find that St Clair hasn't changed, with his towering ego and somewhat shaky relationship with the truth. What Jude hadn't been suspecting however was that the evening would end in sudden, violent death.

More worrying, from Jude's point of view, is the fact that the investigating police officers seem to be convinced that she herself was responsible for the crime. With the evidence stacking up against her, Jude enlists the help of her neighbour Carole not just to solve the murder but to prevent herself from being arrested for committing it..
My Take:

Another lovely outing in the Fethering series with Jude and Carole. In this one Jude becomes a victim of lies told by some one she knew 20 years earlier, and then the prime suspect in the murder of her former friend's husband. After some initial sleuthing she is warned off doing any more by the police and has to hand everything over to Carole.

This is a series I have really enjoyed. Simon Brett has been publishing them now for 18 years. If you have not read any of them, I suggest you start with #1. I have listed the series below.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER
4.5, THE TOMB IN TURKEY
4.4, CHARLES PARIS: MURDER UNPROMPTED
4.2, CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES
4.4, THE KILLING IN THE CAFE

The Fethering series
1. The Body on the Beach (2000)
2. Death On the Downs (2001)
3. The Torso In The Town (2002)
4. Murder in the Museum (2003)
5. The Hanging in the Hotel (2004)
6. The Witness at the Wedding (2005)
7. The Stabbing in the Stables (2006)
8. Death Under the Dryer (2007)
9. Blood At the Bookies (2008)
10. The Poisoning in the Pub (2009)
11. The Shooting in the Shop (2010)
12. Bones Under the Beach Hut (2011)
13. Guns in the Gallery (2012)
14. Corpse on the Court (2012)
15. The Strangling on the Stage (2014)
16. The Tomb in Turkey (2015)
17. The Killing in the Cafe (2016)
18. The Liar in the Library (2017)
 

Review: THE FLOATING ADMIRAL, Agatha Christie et al - audio book

• format: audio file (Audible)
• Written by: Agatha Christie , Simon Brett - preface , Dorothy L. Sayers - introduction , G. K. Chesterton - prologue
• Narrated by: David Timson
• Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins 
• Unabridged Audiobook





Release Date:02-23-17
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Synopsis (Audible)  

Inspector Rudge does not encounter many cases of murder in the sleepy seaside town of Whynmouth. But when an old sailor lands a rowing boat containing a fresh corpse with a stab wound to the chest, the Inspector's investigation immediately comes up against several obstacles. The vicar, whose boat the body was found in, is clearly withholding information, and the victim's niece has disappeared. There is clearly more to this case than meets the eye - even the identity of the victim is called into doubt. Inspector Rudge begins to wonder just how many people have contributed to this extraordinary crime and whether he will ever unravel it....

In 1931 Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and 10 other crime writers from the newly formed Detection Club collaborated in publishing a unique crime novel. In a literary game of consequences, each author would write one chapter, leaving G. K. Chesterton to write a typically paradoxical prologue and Anthony Berkeley to tie up all the loose ends. In addition, all of the authors provided their own solutions in sealed envelopes, all of which appeared at the end of the book, with Agatha Christie's ingenious conclusion acknowledged at the time to be 'enough to make the book worth buying on its own'. The authors of this novel are G. K. Chesterton, Canon Victor Whitechurch, G. D. H. Cole and Margaret Cole, Henry Wade, Agatha Christie, John Rhode, Milward Kennedy, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ronald Knox, Freeman Wills Crofts, Edgar Jepson, Clemence Dane and Anthony Berkeley. 

First edition cover

From Wikipedia
As Sayers explained in the introduction to the book, "Each writer must construct his instalment with a definite solution in view—that is, he must not introduce new complications merely 'to make it more difficult' ... [E]ach writer was bound to deal faithfully with all the difficulties left for his consideration by his predecessors."

My Take:

This novel tends to prove that having a lot of famous authors doesn't necessarily make for a better novel.

As the novel develops, each author adds various plot elements such as "discoveries", new characters, and red herrings, so that by the last chapter the stage is very cluttered indeed. It was Anthony Berkeley's job to pull it all together at the end and to "make sense of the mess". The reader isn't really given a lot of help in deciding which things to eliminate from consideration and by the end we have two bodies, and a police Inspector who appears to be totally confused. The result is that the final chapter is more like a novella, very long, and final plot is very complicated.

It does help that the narrator, David Timson, is so good and provides a sense of continuity with his voice, as well as distinguishing cleverly between characters. I'd like to be able to say that I recognised the various styles of the authors, but I'm not sure that I did. You are told at the beginning of each chapter who has been responsible for this chapter.

I have talked to fellow readers about this concept, particularly in relation to teams of writers responsible for novels. Just recently we came across an Australian novel written by 5 authors, and two writers in a team like Nicci French, Michael Stanley, and Charles Todd are quite common.

My Rating:  4.2

Review: THE KILLING IN THE CAFE, Simon Brett

• source: my local library
  
• # 17 in the Fethering series
• first published 2015
• ISBN 978-1-78029-081-2
• 185 pages

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

The wickedly entertaining new Fethering mystery featuring chalk-and-cheese detective duo Carole and Jude

Polly's Cake Shop has been a feature of the shopping parade for many years, but when its owner announces her retirement, the Fethering residents start to worry about the loss of this popular amenity. Alarmed by rumours that the cafe might become a Starbucks, a group clubs together to form the Save Polly's Cake Shop Action Committee.

The plan is that Polly's should become a community venture, managed and run by volunteers from the village. Roped in to help, Jude finds the committee meetings fraught with petty power struggles, clashing personalities and monstrous egos. Matters take a turn for the worse when she and Carole come across a badly-decomposed body on Fethering beach - and uncover a link to Polly's. Not only do the two neighbours have to find out whodunit, they are also faced with the thorny question: is it possible to run a business on that most volatile of commodities - goodwill?

My Take

I always look forward to the next instalment in this series. They are what I call "gentle" cozies. I love their alliterative titles as well as the way they gently explore the relationship between Carole and Jude.

I think over the development of the series there has been a subtle change. While they remain busybodies who poke their noses into local affairs, Jude and Carol are now unashamedly investigators, unpaid private eyes. It seems to go without saying, without official agreement, that they will investigate any "incident", particularly a murder. They don't hesitate to make phone calls to persons of interest, to follow through threads of suspicion, and to ask awkward questions. In general they don't contact the police of their own volition until they have finally solved the case. So I guess they could be charged by a zealous policeman with withholding evidence but that doesn't seem to happen.

What I like about the stories is the gentle humour, the perceptive descriptions of village life, in particular that of retirees.

I think I have remarked before about the strange way the author brings the novel to an end. There is a sort of crystal ball aspect to it all, a summary of what happens to each of the characters, apart from Jude and Carol, in the future. In THE KILLING IN THE CAFE the summary goes as far as 10 years into the future.

So if you are not a reader of this series consider starting at the beginning - I've included the full list below to get you started. You will have a lot of very enjoyable reading ahead.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER
4.5, THE TOMB IN TURKEY
4.4, CHARLES PARIS: MURDER UNPROMPTED
4.2, CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES 

 

Fethering (per Fantastic Fiction)
1. The Body on the Beach (2000)
2. Death On the Downs (2001)
3. The Torso In The Town (2002)
4. Murder in the Museum (2003)
5. The Hanging in the Hotel (2004)
6. The Witness at the Wedding (2005)
7. The Stabbing in the Stables (2006)
8. Death Under the Dryer (2007)
9. Blood At the Bookies (2008)
10. The Poisoning in the Pub (2009)
11. The Shooting in the Shop (2010)
12. Bones Under the Beach Hut (2011)
13. Guns in the Gallery (2011)
14. Corpse on the Court (2012)
15. The Strangling on the Stage (2013)
16. The Tomb in Turkey (2014)
17. The Killing in the Cafe (2015)

Review: CHARLES PARIS: CORPORATE BODIES, Simon Brett - BBC Radio Play

• first published 1991
• this edition a BBC Radio Play available from Audible
• Written by: Simon Brett, Jeremy Front
• Narrated by: Bill Nighy, Suzanne Burden, Full Cast
• Length: 1 hr and 49 mins 
• Unabridged Audiobook

Synopsis ( Audible


A BBC Radio 4 full-cast adaptation of Simon Brett's comic murder mystery, starring Bill Nighy as the irrepressible Charles Paris.

Charles Paris (unsuccessful actor, bad husband, dipsomaniac) is currently appearing as a fork lift operator in a corporate video. It's not prime-time television or a major film, but it seems like easy money - until the fork lift is used to commit a murder. When Charles himself comes under suspicion, he decides to find out for himself who the murderer is. Meanwhile, as ever with Charles, life on the domestic front is not plain sailing. After inflicting damage upon his ex-wife's house, he finds himself offering her a berth on the houseboat he’s currently sitting for a friend. However, life on the water proves as tricky as life at work…Suzanne Burden, Tim McInnery, and Jon Glover are also among the cast in this dramatisation by Jeremy Front.

My take

Again Bill Nighy does a good job of bringing Charles Paris to life.  But the murder investigation does feel a bit low key, almost a plodding elimination of suspects, until we get down to the only person it could be, whom we should have suspected right from the start.

My rating: 4.2

I've also read
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER
4.5, THE TOMB IN TURKEY 
4.4, MURDER UNPROMPTED - BBC Radio Play 

Review: Charles Paris: MURDER UNPROMPTED, Simon Brett - BBC Radio Play

• Written by: Simon Brett, Jeremy Front
• Narrated by: Bill Nighy, full cast, Suzanne Burden
• Length: 1 hr and 51 mins 
• Radio/TV Program
• first published as a novel in 1982

Synopsis (Audible)

Bill Nighy stars as Charles Paris in a BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Simon Brett's novel.
Charles Paris is understudying in a West End production whose star, Michael Banks, seems unable to master the script.
Has Charles time to solve a murder, win Frances' heart and make it onstage by the time the curtain goes up?

My Take

Simon Brett's Charles Paris series are always a delight to read and a radio play featuring Bill Nighy doubles the delight. Nighy makes a very believable Charles Paris and he is well supported by Suzanne Burden as his wife Francis.

Just the thing for a relative short journey.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER
4.5, THE TOMB IN TURKEY 

Review: THE TOMB IN TURKEY, Simon Brett

• source: e-book, review copy provided through NetGalley by Severn House
• #16 in the Fethering series
• published in 2014
• ISBN 9781780290690

 Synopsis (NetGalley)


 Carole Seddon has never enjoyed holidays much. Nevertheless, she has allowed herself to be persuaded by her friend Jude to accept a fortnight’s free accommodation at a luxurious Turkish villa owned by Jude’s property developer friend Barney Willingdon.

But from the outset the holiday is marred by a series of menacing incidents: threatening messages daubed on the villa walls; and their host being accosted by a knife-wielding man at a local restaurant.

As Carole and Jude launch into what they do best - investigating - it becomes clear that Barney Willingdon has made plenty of enemies, with his ruthless business deals and complicated love life. Matters come to a head when Carole’s sightseeing trip to nearby Pinara is curtailed by the discovery of a body in one of the ancient Lycian tombs. And what really did happen to Barney’s first wife, Zoe?

My Take

It is no secret on this blog that the Fethering series is one of my favourite cozies. I enjoy the contrast between Carole, the prim and proper retired civil servant, and her neighbour Jude who has a rather laissez faire attitude to life and, from Carole's point of view, a rather murky past that doesn't bear thinking about.

One of the features of the plots is their unlikely nature, and this one particularly interested me because of its setting in Turkey, which I have visited at least twice, and because this is the first time that Simon Brett has taken his sleuthing busybodies outside of England.

This was perfect holiday reading, with the usual quirky humour as Brett pokes fun at his two main characters, from Jude being disconcerted by a neighbour who insists on staring at her cleavage, to Carole's need to find a purpose to having a holiday.

My rating: 4.5

I've also reviewed
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE
4.2, THE CINDERELLA KILLER

Review: THE CINDERELLA KILLER, Simon Brett

• published by Severn House 2014
  
• ISBN 978-1-78029-5
• 186 pages
• #19 in the Charles Paris series

Synopsis (author website)

Landing a minor part in the Empire Theatre Eastbourne’s Christmas production of Cinderella, Charles Paris soon discovers that his main role is gently to introduce the show's baffled American star, famous sitcom actor Kenny Polizzi, to the bizarre customs of English pantomime.

During their convivial sessions in the local pub, Charles finds himself increasingly caught up in Polizzi’s tangled affairs as the American fends off a vengeful soon-to-be-ex-wife, an obsessed groupie, and a barely-controlled drink problem. But Charles is about to be far more involved than he might wish when he stumbles across a body beneath Eastbourne Pier, a neat bullet hole in the centre of the forehead.

As the world’s press descends on Eastbourne, the pantomime rehearsals descend into chaos and he himself comes under suspicion, it’s up to Charles to put his renowned sleuthing skills to the test to find out who really killed his fellow cast member – and why.

My Take

Until Simon Brett revived the Charles Paris series last year with  THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE we hadn't heard from Charles for about fifteen years. He is still the loveable dipsomaniac and part time bit actor, viewing his world through the bottom of a Bell's bottle.

The books are flavoured by comedy and in this case obviously written by someone who knows his pantomimes. I find that underneath the murder mystery and comedy, Simon Brett also has the occasional serious point to make, the occasional observation of English life, what makes society tick.

This places the books on the lighter side of crime fiction, basically cozy, but very readable.

My rating: 4.2

I've also reviewed
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT
4.3, THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE 

Review: THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE, Simon Brett

• published 2013
  
• #15 in the Fethering series
• ISBN 978-1-78029-056-0
• 201 pages
• source: my local library

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

When Jude agrees to lend her vintage chaise longue for the local Amateur Dramatics Society's production of George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple, little does she realize she'll end up in a starring role. It's an ambitious play, culminating in a dramatic execution scene: a scene that's played for real when one of the leading actors is found hanging from the especially-constructed stage gallows during rehearsals.

A tragic accident - or something more sinister? Carole and Jude make it their business to find out.

My Take

I have to admit to being more than a little addicted to this cozy series featuring local busybodies Jude and Carole. This title is a rather sardonic look at what goes on in "amdram" societies. Simon Brett again shows his delight in exposing what makes people tick. Jude and, by default, Carole have become involved in a local amdram production when the leading man dies on stage using a prop created for the production. The police seem to have decided the death is a suicide but our sleuths are not so sure, and fearlessly go where it may have been wiser not to tread.

You'll see from my rating that these are not the best of my reading, but there is something that draws me back to each new title. I think it is partly that I want to see what plot Brett has drawn up now, but also because I enjoy the continuing background saga of the lives of the Fethering duo. The author has a quirky sense of humour, and doesn't hesitate to poke fun at Carole's expense in particular.

It probably doesn't matter whether you read this series in order, although there are references in this title to the plots of earlier ones. There is also a continuing development of Jude and Carole's characters, and the fact that I've read them more or less in order has furthered my enjoyment.

My rating: 4.3

I've also reviewed

BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY
4.6, THE CORPSE ON THE COURT

Review: THE CORPSE ON THE COURT, Simon Brett

• Published 2012 by Severn House Publishers
  
• ISBN 978-1-78029-032-4
• 217 pages
• #13 in the Fethering series
• Read an extract 

Synopsis (Amazon)


The genteel game of Real Tennis takes a murderous twist in Simon Brett’s witty and entertaining new Fethering mystery. 

 Jude’s life has been turned upside-down thanks her new man, Piers Targett, who’s keen to get her involved in his hobby – or obsession – of Real Tennis. But when one of Piers’ friends dies on the court in suspicious circumstances, Jude finds herself caught up in the police investigation.

Meanwhile, Jude’s neighbour Carole is trying to identify the human remains known locally as the ‘Lady in the Lake.’ As the two investigations become intertwined, Carole and Jude’s efforts to find the truth look set to lead to more murders.

My Take

Reading THE CORPSE ON THE COURT brings my reading of the Fethering series up to date. This was always on the cards after my recent completion and enjoyment of GUNS IN THE GALLERY.

Following the pattern of recent titles in this series the two sleuths Jude and Carole undertake independent investigations at the same time as occasionally collaborating and comparing notes.
The story is narrated largely from Jude's point of view. The main action of the story, the death of an elderly man on a real (royal) tennis court, is connected to her. She has recently become involved with a real tennis player whose past provokes the actions leading to the death. The dead man's wife requests Jude to find out why her husband was on the tennis court at the time of his death.

Once again this is substantially a cozy, no blood in evidence. A relatively quick read and underlying the story are again Simon Brett's astute observations of society. And you even learn a little about real tennis. For the first time that I remember in this series, both Jude and Carole have to make decisions about what to do with their knowledge about the mysteries they solve.

My rating: 4.6

I've also read and reviewed (on this blog)
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD
4.2, A DECENT INTERVAL
4.5, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT
4.2, GUNS IN THE GALLERY

My recommendation - read the titles in order.

The Fethering series
1. The Body on the Beach (2000)
2. Death On the Downs (2001)
3. The Torso In The Town (2002)
4. Murder in the Museum (2003)
5. The Hanging in the Hotel (2004)
6. The Witness at the Wedding (2005)
7. The Stabbing in the Stables (2006)
8. Death Under the Dryer (2006)
9. Blood At the Bookies (2008)
10. The Poisoning in the Pub (2009)
11. The Shooting in the Shop (2010)
12. Bones Under the Beach Hut (2011)
13. Guns in the Gallery (2012)
14. Corpse on the Court (2012)
15. The Strangling on the Stage (2013)

24 July 2013, On the doorstep, waiting to be read

As you can see from my list below, I am not making a lot of headway in making my TBR (To Be Read) pile diminish. Review copies are piling up, not helped by my self selected library books. Hopefully you will also find something to interest you among these. See the history of this occasional post. I'd like to also stress that there is no rhyme or reason to my selections. Please note that this listing is in no way a recommendation for you to read a title, simply a chance for you to assess for yourself whether you would like to read it. I will also try to discover whether the book is available on Kindle, particularly for Australian authors which are not necessarily available overseas.

IF I TELL YOU.. I'LL HAVE TO KILL YOU, edited by Michael Robotham
Kindle edition available July 24
Allen & Unwin paper back

Australia's best crime writers - Michael Robotham, Kerry Greenwood, Shane Maloney, Peter Corris, Tara Moss and more - share the secrets to their success, their best- ever writing tips and their favourite 'must reads'. An ideal guide for aspiring writers and crime fiction fans alike.

Description

Crime fiction is the single most popular genre in international publishing and Australia has some of the finest practitioners when it comes to walking the mean streets and nailing the bad guys.

Whether you're a fan of crime fiction, true crime or a would-be crime writer, this collection of essays will provide laughter, understanding, insight, ideas, advice and hopefully some inspiration. Learn about Shane Maloney's near-death experience in a freezer, Leigh Redhead's adventures as a stripper and Tara Moss taking a polygraph test to prove her doubters wrong.

There are stories of struggle and triumph, near misses and murderous intent, as our best crime writers lay bare their souls and reveal their secrets as never before, along with their rules for writing and reading lists.

But beware. They will have to kill you...

THE SHADOW TRACER, Meg Gardiner

A review copy from Penguin Australia
Kindle edition here.

When someone wants to find you badly enough, vanishing is no longer an option
.
Sarah Keller is a young single mother living in Oklahoma with her five year-old daughter, Zoe. Her day job is to hunt out people on the run and bring them to justice. So imagine how it looks when a school bus accident sends Zoe to the ER and tests reveal Sarah can't be Zoe's mother.

Sarah has been living a lie for years and finally the truth is coming out. Who is she? Who were Zoe's parents? And why does Zoe's identity bring the FBI down on Sarah's tail in mere minutes?
The FBI is the least of her worries, though. Sarah needs to keep Zoe off the grid, but with a sinister religious cult also preparing to attack, where on earth can they hide?

Something deadly lurks in Sarah's past and its resurrection brings terror to all it touches.

EYE FOR AN EYE, Ben Coes
Review copy from Pan Macmillan Australia
Amazon Kindle version here

When Dewey Andreas uncovers the identity of a mole embedded at a high level in Israel's Mossad, it triggers a larger, more dangerous plot. The mole was the most important asset of Chinese Intelligence, and Fao Bhang, head of China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), responds to the discovery and brutal elimination of the mole, by immediately placing a kill order on the man responsible – Dewey Andreas.

Dewey is tracked to Argentina, where he is on vacation with his fiancee, Jessica Tanzer, a U.S. National Security Advisor. A top-level kill team is sent in quickly and quietly, but their attack fails to take out Dewey. The collateral damage, however, is both horrifying and deeply personal. With nothing left to lose, Andreas is determined to have his revenge.

Once he learns who is probably behind the attack – and why they are after him – Dewey goes rogue, using all of his assets and skills to launch a counterattack. Andreas must now face the full weight and might of the MSS, Chinese Intelligence, and the formidable Fao Bhang, if he's to achieve his one last goal: revenge on a biblical scale, no matter the odds or the armies that he will have to fight his way through. Andreas – former Army Ranger and Delta – is a man of great skills and cunning. His opponent, Fao Bhang, is ruthless, determined, and with no limit to the assets at his disposal. In this conflict, there are only two possible outcomes. And only one Dewey Andreas.

DEADLY HARVEST, Michael Stanley
Library book - I need to read this for the 2013 Global Reading Challenge which I have sadly been neglecting
Kindle version available

Synopsis (Amazon)

Deadly Harvest in Michael Stanley’s beloved Detective Kubu series tracks a series of murders and a mysterious witch doctor whose nefarious potions might hold the key to a web of missing persons.

When young girls start to go missing, Samantha, a new detective on the Botswana police force suspects that muti, a traditional African medicine, is the reason. She and Detective David “Kubu” Bengu race to stop a serial killer, all as the father of one of the victims threatens to take matters into his own hands.

Weaving together a thrilling mystery with a fascinating look at modern-day Africa, Deadly Harvest is filled with elements suspense and plot twists that will keep you captivated until the very end.

GODS & BEASTS, Denise Mina
Library book - this recently won the Theakston's Old Peculier Novel of the Year Award at the Harrogate Crime Festival
Kindle edition

Synopsis (Amazon)

A Glasgow post office one week before Christmas. Martin Pavel cowers on the floor, his eyes locked on those of a terrified child. Above them a masked gunman wields an AK47 while the boy's grandfather calmly volunteers to help the robber gather the money. Then the old man stands passively, hands by his sides, while the gunman raises the barrel and shoots him to shreds.

Recently returned to work after the birth of her twins, DS Alex Morrow is called in to head the investigation. Why did the grandfather offer his help? Was it a moment of madness, a noble act of self-sacrifice, or did the old man and his killer share a dark past?

Morrow's enquiries lead her to the door of Kenny Gallagher, a politician fighting for his political life - and his marriage - after he's publicly accused of having an affair with a young employee. And unknown to Morrow a temptation too great to resist leads two of her colleagues, DCs Leonard and Wilder, to make a rash decision and leaves them at the mercy of a ruthless blackmailer.

The complicity of an old man in his own death, a promiscuous politician and a bag of untraceable money - one city, three crimes and a powerful connection that runs from Glasgow's dark criminal underworld to the international spheres of the super rich.

THE CORPSE ON THE COURT, Simon Brett
Library book - this will bring me up to date in the Fethering series.

Available on Kindle

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

Jude's life has been turned upside-down thanks her new mant, Piers Targett, who's keen to get her involved in his hobby - or obsession - of Real Tennis. But when one of Piers' friends dies on the court in suspicious circumstances, Jude finds herself caught up in the police investigation.

Meanwhile, Jude's neighbour Carole is trying to identify the human remains known locally as the 'Lady in the Lake.' As the two investigations become intertwined, Carole and Jude's efforts to find the truth look set to lead to more murders.

Review: GUNS IN THE GALLERY, Simon Brett

• first published 2011 by Severn House Publishers UK
• ISBN 978-1-78029-015-7
• 202 pages
• #13 in the Fethering series

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

Invited to a Private View of the work of controversial artist Denzil Willoughby, the good citizens of Fethering are not quite sure what to expect. And it turns out to be a lively affair, culminating in several embarrassing confrontations. But what no one could have anticipated was that the evening would end in sudden, violent death. The police seem happy to accept that it was suicide, but Fethering residents Carole and Jude remain unconvinced . . .

My Take

It is unusual for me to read two books in a row by the same author, so it is probably a mark of how much I enjoyed the last I read in this series, BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT that I have tackled the second so soon. (In fact I have a third waiting in the wings, CORPSE ON THE COURT, simply because my library had them all.)

To be honest, GUNS IN THE GALLERY is not as good as BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT but probably only marginally so. The plot takes Carole and Jude into the art world and the eco-tourism world. We meet new residents of Fethering. Not new to Fethering so much as new to us. I'm always amazed, whether it be Fethering, Midsomer, or St. Mary Mead, how there are people who pop out of the woodwork. The excursion into the world of "art" makes Carole cringe a bit, but of course Jude meets people who are her "healing" clients.

Jude and Carole see themselves as real detectives with a case in hand. The cases really provide a focus for Carole's daily existence if not for Jude. They have taken up following people, even on to train journeys and through the streets of London. I am a little uncomfortable with how they sometimes let themselves be mistaken for under cover police and I feel sure that is going to rebound on them soon. I am also a little amazed at how willing people are to tell these busybody/noseyparkers everything they want to know. They often beat the police to the resolution of the crime.

Despite all of this, or maybe because of it, followers of this series will enjoy this outing. If you are new to Fethering, do yourself the favour of starting at the beginning of this cozy series with the alliterative titles, so you get the full story. Look for THE BODY ON THE BEACH. (Read an extract here)

On the back of the copy of GUNS IN THE GALLERY that I read, there was a comment
This is a cozy with a biting social conscience.
I thought about how applicable this is to the whole series. Simon Brett is an astute observer of people, and a commentator on some of the silliness and pretentiousness we get up to, either in groups or by ourselves.  He pokes fun at how seriously Jude and particularly Carole take themselves but they are both keen observers of others, and though the books feel as if they are devoid of real time settings, they do say something about the world we live in.

My rating: 4.2

The Fethering series
1. The Body on the Beach (2000)
2. Death On the Downs (2001)
3. The Torso In The Town (2002)
4. Murder in the Museum (2003)
5. The Hanging in the Hotel (2004)
6. The Witness at the Wedding (2005)
7. The Stabbing in the Stables (2006)
8. Death Under the Dryer (2006)
9. Blood At the Bookies (2008)
10. The Poisoning in the Pub (2009)
11. The Shooting in the Shop (2010)
12. Bones Under the Beach Hut (2011)
13. Guns in the Gallery (2012)
14. Corpse on the Court (2012)
15. The Strangling on the Stage (2013)

Review: BONES UNDER THE BEACH HUT, Simon Brett

• published by Macmillan 2013
• ISBN 978-0-230-73638-2
• 316 pages
• #12 in the Fethering Series
• read an extract

Synopsis (Amazon)

The affluent seaside resort of Smalting is unaccustomed to crime. So when human remains are found beneath the floorboards of one of its beach huts, the community is awash with suspicion and fear.

Amateur sleuths Carole Seddon and best friend Jude are drawn into the mystery, and their suspicion quickly falls on attractive Philly Rose, a young Londoner newly arrived in the area, whose boyfriend has recently vanished in mysterious circumstances.

Meanwhile, Kelvin Southwest, self-appointed ‘ladies’ man’ and caretaker of Smalting’s beach huts, seems to be hiding a dark secret beneath his smooth exterior, while Reginald Flowers, pompous President of the Smalting Beach Hut Association, becomes increasingly defensive about his own history.

When the bones under the beach hut are identified, the ghosts of the past are painfully reawakened, and long-hidden secrets begin to surface. Bones Under the Beach Hut is an ingenious mystery from one of England’s favourite crime writers, exquisitely plotted, teeming with wonderful characters and packed with unexpected twists.

My take

I thoroughly enjoy these outings with Carole and Jude. They are light cozies with blood rarely in evidence, although the doughty pair of meddlers are often investigating a disappearance or even a murder. Simon Brett draws such vivid and recognisable characters. It is not really that the scenarios are particularly credible, but he manages to create mysteries and puzzles that keep you reading.

I have enjoyed the development of the characterisation of both Carole, stuffy ex-public servant, and Jude, bubbly outgoing massage purveyor, as the series has developed. The series began in 2000 with THE BODY ON THE BEACH, and this year will have its 15th outing with THE STRANGLING ON THE STAGE. The stories are mainly told from Carole's point of view, but next door neighbour Jude is an excellent foil to Carole's natural reserve.

Other reviews of Fethering titles
BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP

My rating: 4.5

Fethering Series (Fantastic Fiction listing)
1. The Body on the Beach (2000)
2. Death On the Downs (2001)
3. The Torso In The Town (2002)
4. Murder in the Museum (2003)
5. The Hanging in the Hotel (2004)
6. The Witness at the Wedding (2005)
7. The Stabbing in the Stables (2006)
8. Death Under the Dryer (2006)
9. Blood At the Bookies (2008)
10. The Poisoning in the Pub (2009)
11. The Shooting in the Shop (2010)
12. Bones Under the Beach Hut (2011)
13. Guns in the Gallery (2012)
14. Corpse on the Court (2012)
15. The Strangling on the Stage (2013)

Review: A DECENT INTERVAL, Simon Brett

• Published by Severn House in 2013
• ISBN 978-1-78029-044-7
• 202 pages
• library book
•  #18 in the Charles Paris series

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

After a long period of 'resting', life is looking up for Charles Paris, who has been cast as the Ghost of Hamlet's Father and First Gravedigger in a new production of Hamlet. But rehearsals are fraught.  Ophelia is played by Katrina Selsey, who won the role through a television talent show.  Hamlet himself is also played by a reality TV contestant, Jared Root - and the two young stars have rather different views of celebrity and the theatre than the more experienced members of the cast.

But when the company reach the first staging post of their tour, the Grand Theatre Marlborough, matters get more serious, with one member of the company seriously injured in what appears to be an accident, and another dead.  Once again, Charles Paris is forced to don the mantle of amateur detective to get to the bottom of the mystery.

My Take

It has been a decent interval since readers last had the chance to meet up with dipsomaniac actor Charles Paris. This is #18 in the series which began in 1975 with CAST IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE. Our last outing was DEAD ROOM FARCE in 1997

Nothing much has changed in Charles' life including Charles himself who doesn't seem to have aged much. He is still in and out of work, but probably much more out than in. His agent Maurice Skellern hasn't contacted him for 8 months, he hasn't talked to his estranged wife Frances for nearly five months, and he seems to have been living on Bell's Whisky. Maurice contacts him for some small part work for a documentary on the English Civil War and then he lands a job in a production of Hamlet. The main players are winners of a singing star contest.

The mystery action takes off when would-be pop star Jared Root (Hamlet) is felled by some stage scenery, and shortly after that there is what seems to be a murder.

There's an undercurrent of commentary in this novel about the state of the theatre, the difficulty of getting good plays into London's West End in the face of reality and talent shows which attract much younger audiences and encourage more audience participation. Charles has remained a bit of a Luddite as far as internet technology and social networking goes but even he comes to understand the power of social media like Twitter in sparking interest in live performances where fans can see their idols perform. The other side of the coin of course is the accountancy that drives the theatre world - if you can't make a profit, it is not viable.

Though written in the third person, we see the world and the mystery through Charles Paris's aging eyes, although to be quite honest he doesn't seemed to have aged much since earlier books. There's a peculiar humour in these novels provided particularly by review comments about Charles' performances on stage. While Charles Paris fans will be glad of this outing, I don't think it is as good as the series at its height. Simon Brett has used a tried and trusted formula to create a very readable cozy.

My rating: 4.2

Other reviews - the first three are from the Fethering series

BLOOD AT THE BOOKIES
THE POISONING IN THE PUB
4.4, THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP
4.3, SO MUCH BLOOD - a Charles Paris novel 

The Charles Paris series (Fantastic Fiction)
1. Cast in Order of Disappearance (1975)
2. So Much Blood (1976)
3. Star Trap (1977)
4. An Amateur Corpse (1978)
5. A Comedian Dies (1979)
6. The Dead Side of the Mike (1980)
7. Situation Tragedy (1981)
8. Murder Unprompted (1982)
9. Murder in the Title (1983)
10. Not Dead, Only Resting (1984)
11. Dead Giveaway (1985)
12. What Bloody Man is That (1987)
13. A Series of Murders (1989)
14. Corporate Bodies (1991)
15. A Reconstructed Corpse (1993)
16. Sicken and So Die (1995)
17. Dead Room Farce (1997)
18. A Decent Interval (2013)