12 October 2009

Crime Fiction Alphabet: Simon Brett

This post is for the Crime Fiction Alphabet Community Meme.

This week's letter is B and I have chosen to feature crime fiction author Simon Brett.

I originally began reading Simon Brett's books with the Charles Paris series. Charles Paris is an actor given to dipsomania, and married to a school principal who is rather straight-laced and who finds him a constant source of embarrassment. all the Charles Paris mysteries take place in the theatre.
In the last 10 years Brett has been writing the Fethering series which appeals to a quirky sense of humour with alliterative titles:

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), 4.5
5. The Hanging in the Hotel (2004), 5.0
6. The Witness at the Wedding (2005), 4.7
7. The Stabbing in the Stables (2006), 4.3
8. Death Under the Dryer (2007), 4.3
9. Blood At the Bookies (2008), 4.4
10. The Poisoning in the Pub (2009), 4.5

If you've not read any, then they are definitely worth reading in order. They feature Carole Seddon, retired public servant with all sorts of hang-ups, and her neighbour the mysterious Jude, an expert in massage and natural therapies. There is a lovely development of the relationship between the two, and reading Brett's annual contribution is another case of visiting with old friends. The Fethering books are a light read, but at the same time cozy crime fiction.

Simon Brett has his own site and his 80 books are listed there.
He is "the writer responsible for the Charles Paris, Mrs Pargeter and Fethering series of crime novels, as well as radio and television series such as No Commitments and After Henry."

On his site I found out that he has started yet another series:
In May I started a new venture with a new publisher, when Constable published BLOTTO, TWINKS AND THE EX–KING’S DAUGHTER, which, as the title might suggest, is a not entirely serious crime novel. And I’m glad to say that I’ve signed a contract for a second Blotto and Twinks book.

You might like to look at some of my other postings about

7 comments:

Bernadette said...

Not an author I've tried Kerrie but I will now

Bernadette said...

Just went and mooched the first one in the Feathering series. Thanks for the tip :)

Anonymous said...

Like Bernadette, I haven't tried Brett, but his work sounds offbeat and interesting. I'll have to give it a try.

Uriah Robinson said...

Simon Brett is an extremely funny man. If you ever get the chance to hear him speak don't miss it. We were at school [ Dulwich College alma mater of so many crime writers] at the same time although we never met. He was one of the clever classics students on his way to Oxford, and I was one of the thicker science students and ended up at Bristol.

Philip Amos said...

I'm afraid one of Brett's Fethering mysteries was as much as I could take (and I wasn't too keen on Mrs Pargeter), but I mourn the Charles Paris mysteries, which he stopped writing a dozen years ago. Those I thought splendid for their neat plots, deft characterization and wry humour, and just the ticket when in the mood for something lighter. Indeed, I think I may give a few another reading, which would be their third.

Kerrie said...

I think the Fethering ones are a bit patchy in quality Philip, as if sometimes he is struggling for a plot. But I enjoy the wry humour there too.

BooksPlease said...

I found a Simon Brett mystery in the library - Murder in the Museum - good so far!

He's a new author to me - thanks to you!

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