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Murder in the Village

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I also like the writing style. The novel is easy to read and there is some light humour in the dialogue. Hillary is easy to like and I, for one, couldn't help but identify with and root for her when events take a darker turn. It makes for a tense read at times. He lives in the castle's gatehouse and has recently started a job he finds thoroughly mundane - delivering dog food and treats for a business known as Doggie Delight, however, recently the area has been plagued by a slew of canine disappearances, and Harry can't help but quietly and covertly investigate. Belinda has invested in several local businesses as she understands the importance of village commerce, so when a suspicious dead body is discovered in the New Inn, the watering hole in which she is a stakeholder, she is of course concerned about both the murder and its impact on the pub. The character of Miss Marple had previously appeared in short stories published in magazines starting in December 1927. These earlier stories were collected in book form in The Thirteen Problems in 1932. However, again all members of the Lewis family similarly maintain their innocence in all aspects of the case, with Stephen claiming he had no idea about his wife's affair or homosexuality until after the murders went public.

Robert Barnard wrote sixty years later that this is "Our first glimpse of St Mary Mead, a hotbed of burglary, impersonation, adultery and ultimately murder. What is it precisely that people find so cosy about such stories?" He found the resolution a bit hard to believe, yet the story is more appealing to readers of 1990 than to those in 1930. "The solution boggles the mind somewhat, but there are too many incidental pleasures to complain, and the strong dose of vinegar in this first sketch of Miss Marple is more to modern taste than the touch of syrup in later presentations." [4] Belinda knows Harry from a previous meeting many years ago, and convinces him to join her in her investigation of Tipper’s death, promising also to help him with the dognapping gang. Harry is reluctant and wishes to leave the murder investigation to the police but agrees to join her. Belinda is excited about investigating (gleeful, almost), but behind it also is her worry about her brother’s possible involvement in the case, for just before Tipper’s death, she had overheard Tipper rowing with Marcus. Do they get to the killer before the police does? Do they manage to catch the dognappers?The Murder at the Vicarage was released by HarperCollins as a graphic novel adaptation on 20 May 2008, adapted and illustrated by "Norma" (Norbert Morandière) ( ISBN 0-00-727460-2). This was translated from the edition first published in France by Emmanuel Proust éditions in 2005 under the title of L'Affaire Prothéroe. Belinda Penshurst loves her home village Little Challham, with its shady lanes, two pubs and weekly market, and she’s determined to keep it peaceful. She may live in Challham Castle but she knows almost everything that goes on under her nose. So when irritable pub landlord Tipper is found dead in his cellar, she’s perfectly placed to investigate. Mostly, there is no determined motive as to why he would murder an entire family, with all evidence proving, at best, circumstantial. After being convicted once, Morris successfully fought for a retrial, and was convicted again. During that trial, the prosecution produced evidence via phone records proving he was at home at the time he claimed to be sleeping with Mandy. This in turn threw out the reason why his chain would be at the home. The location: the picturesque village of Lower Heyford, set in North Oxfordshire's Cherwell Valley, nestles close to the Cotswolds, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Farming country, the village has been in existence in one form or another for over a thousand years, providing a natural 'ford' for oxen over the river since medieval times. A mix of thatched and old stone and slate cottages, it is home to local families and rich 'incomers' alike. It's proximity by train to both London and Birmingham make it a very desirable place to live indeed, and both the Oxford canal and the river Cherwell run close to it, making it haven for walkers, boaters and wildlife.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of M.C. Beaton, H.Y. Hanna and Emily Organ will love the first novel in the Belinda Penshurst series!' I am a huge fan of Emily Organ so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book). The novel was adapted as a 2016 episode of the French television series Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie. He was taken in by police 18 months after the murders, when it was reported the gold chain found at the scene was his. While the plot is interesting and absorbing - I had no idea of the killer until the dénouement it is not overly complicated or taxing and the real strength of the novel lies in the ongoing saga of the characters. What will Hillary do with her ex-husband's ill gotten gains stashed in an offshore account she accidently discovered? How will she deal with DS Frank Ross, her ex-husband's best friend, who spends his life trying to do her down? Will DCI Mel Mallow and DS Janine Tyler's relationship last given their career ambitions? It's intriguing. Living in the Challham Castle, Belinda Penshurst, is kind of the Marple of the book, as she joins hand with the retired police officer Harry Powell, and starts investigating the death of a local pub owner.

Murder in the Village

Looking for a brilliant best-selling murder mystery with a feisty female detective? Then meet DI Hillary Greene, a policewoman struggling to save her career and catch criminals. Murder in the Village is the start of another brand new cosy mystery series set in the quiet, cosy village of Little Chalham and which brings together two unlikely persons together to form a crime solving duo--Belinda Penhurst an independent woman in her early forties who lives in the local castle and has financially invested in a lot of the local businesses around the village and Harry Powell, a retired police officer/detective who has recently moved to the area and now runs his own dog food business. Belinda and Harry are worlds apart but join forces after the murder of a tavern keeper is linked to a series of dognappings occurring around the village. Absolutely loved this… A great start to a new series and now waiting for number 2.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a great start to a new series!… A lively, spark-filled investigation… Wonderfully entertaining with the perfect set of ingredients.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well, he’s dead', Doc Partridge said flatly, making a note of the time […] death occurred due to a blow or blows to the head.

The plot is relatively simple, two amateurs running around asking questions to find a murderer and break up a dog napping ring. The method isn’t really my thing, as it seems to get bogged down in minutiae and circular thinking. In short, it takes a long time to get a result and I found the journey to that result a bit boring. I've been a big fan of Victoria Walters' books since I discovered Glendale Hall, and I was so thrilled when she started to write cosy crime - my favourite genre! She's an absolute natural at delivering a first class whodunnit. This one was particularly high suspense as it involved a gang from London, and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the murderer was! Harry is first on the scene to help investigate given his past career, but when the bodies begin to pile up, it seems someone is playing a very dangerous game of cat and mouse with the villager’s lives and livelihoods. This is billed as a cosy/cozy mystery but it has an edgier side to it that makes it a lot more exciting than many cosies/cozies out there but still avoids graphic descriptions and profanity. The characters are a wonderful bunch who are beautifully developed each with distinct personalities and the setting and Belinda’s castle home are described in lush, richly imagined detail.

Two cases run side by side in this novel. First off, the dog owners of Little Challam are being targeted by mysterious dognappers. The second mystery involves the murder of pub landlord Tipper, a man with no shortage of enemies, but who would want to kill him? Belinda joins forces with retired detective Harry Powell to solve both cases. I recently had the delight of reading and reviewing ‘Murder Of The Bride’ by Faith Martin, which is the previous book in the series featuring DI Hilary Greene, and I absolutely loved it. So you can imagine my excitement when I was asked if I would like to read and review ‘Murder In The Village’. Of course I said ‘yes’ and oh wowzers I absolutely loved it. In fact I think that this series just gets better and better with each book that is released, but more about that in a bit. Both of Harry and Belinda's lives change when a murder occurs in their village. They team up not just to solve that murder, but to solve the case of the missing dogs. There's not only a murderer in town, but also a dog-napper. I would like to thank #LisaCutts, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #MurderInTheVillage in exchange for an honest review.The Powers family maintain to this day, given the evidence they've seen in court, that Morris is the man responsible for the death of Dorris, Mandy, Katie and Emily. In this episode, a local man running for election as an MP is murdered in his home while his wife was out playing bridge with friends. With no DNA or other clues at the scene, Hilary and her team have to look closely at his political opponents and others who disliked him but the case is going slowly. Hillary is also keeping a wary eye on their new super, Jerome Raleigh. She’s puzzled about why he transferred from the Met and when something unplanned happens on a drug raid she is even more suspicious of him and decides to take a deeper look at his past. I didn’t find Harry particularly convincing as a former DI. Running an investigative team requires strength of character and a certain forcefulness and he’s rather passive as a personality. Belinda is more recognisable as forceful, bossy woman used to getting her own way. If there had been real chemistry between them it would have livened up the read, but it never gets there with a few musings and some lame jokes being the sum total.

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