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Wicked Autumn (A Max Tudor Mystery #1)

3.35 of 5 stars 3.35 · rating details · 817 ratings · 236 reviews

What could be more dangerous than cozy village life in the English countryside?

Max Tudor has adapted well to his post as vicar of St. Edwold’s in the idyllic village of Nether Monkslip. The quiet village seems the perfect home for Max, who has fled a harrowing past as an MI5 agent. Now he has found a measure of peace among urban escapees and yoga practitioners, arti

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Hardcover, 320 pages

Published September 13th 2011 by St. Martin's Press (first published January 1st 2011)

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Feb 13, 2013 Richard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Rating: 3.125* of five

The Book Report: Sexy, haunted Maxen "Max" Tudor, former MI5 (domestic spying branch, think FBI not CIA, which any Bond fan knows is MI6) superagent and present-day Anglican priest and vicar of Nether Monkslip, revels in his obscure village's somewhat habitual somnolence, broken only by tempests in the teapot of the Women's Institute {think Junior League}. It's run ruthlessly by one Wanda Barton-Smythe, a harpy with no discernable good qualities except a fatal peanut allerg...more Rating: 3.125* of five

The Book Report: Sexy, haunted Maxen "Max" Tudor, former MI5 (domestic spying branch, think FBI not CIA, which any Bond fan knows is MI6) superagent and present-day Anglican priest and vicar of Nether Monkslip, revels in his obscure village's somewhat habitual somnolence, broken only by tempests in the teapot of the Women's Institute {think Junior League}. It's run ruthlessly by one Wanda Barton-Smythe, a harpy with no discernable good qualities except a fatal peanut allergy. Her murder unburies secrets and lies, causes no end of trouble for the allegedly retired Max because {naturally} the cops of Monkslip-super-Mare, the big town in the area, discover his past and rope him into the investigation. Who suspects the Vicar of working with the police, after all?

The village cast of crazies all walk through their days with Max, all spent at the Harvest Festival so ably and unpleasantly organised {oh dear, the Britishness of it all hath infected me} by the late Mrs. Barton-Smythe {B-S, get it? Know what I mean? She's a goer!...aaarrrggghhh it's happening again!}, only, well...let's be charitable towards all and say they're forgetful and leave out some details. Well, a LOT of details. Not all of them innocent.

Max solves the crime, brings the murdering swine to justice, and fills us in on his backstory by flashing back to the reason he decided to become a priest in the first place. He doesn't appear to be a pedophile, which is a nice change of pace. Wait, that's the Catholics...well, anyway, let's just go with the fact that his reasons for doing what he does now will either make you like him more, or strike you as silly. {I'm in Camp B.} He's given a couple of love interests, one of whom he clearly favors over the other, and the village is gifted with the usual suspects for a cozy Brit-stery: Nosy old schoolmarm, shop-lady with a troubled past, doctor who's better than he should be for such a small place, and so forth. Fans of cozy Brit-steries are urged to pre-order. It will fulfill your expectations ably.

My Review: My expectations, not so much. Competently written and plotted, the book misses out on every opportunity to surprise or jolt or do more than atmosphere-ize the deeply experienced cozy reader. Nether Monkslip is one of those towns that will, like Lumby, Washington, and its American cousins, always seem wrapped in a dense fog of Atmosphere and Sense of Place. That's fine, I want that, and even expect it from this genre; but PLEASE give me more than just that! St. Mary Mead, Miss Marple's homeplace, was a lot moer than just a swirling-point for Atmosphere, even though we saw it fairly seldom. Agatha Christie gave it some *oomph* and I want modern cozy-ers to do the same!

**********SPOILER***************SPOILER*******************SPOILER*******

And now for the obligatory grumble: When the reason for Wanda's death is revealed, her suddenly-revealed-to-be-gay son and his lover being greedy, it was such a cheap, long-telgraphed cop-out that I actually considered not reviewing the book at all. Really, Mme. Malliet? Couldn't think of ANYthing better than that? I don't think you tried hard enough, then.(less)

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May 15, 2013 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: british-charm, mysteries

This is a murder mystery set in a cozy English village. It's funny and charming and I'll definitely read more in the Max Tudor series.

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Mar 06, 2013 Nancy added it

What could be more dangerous than cozy village life in the English countryside?

Max Tudor has adapted well to his post as vicar of St. Edwold’s in the idyllic village of Nether Monkslip. The quiet village seems the perfect home for Max, who has fled a harrowing past as an MI5 agent. Now he has found a measure of peace among urban escapees and yoga practitioners, artists and crafters and New Agers. But this new-found serenity is quickly shattered when the highly vocal and unpopular president of t...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Carolyn Hill rated it 4 of 5 stars

I stumbled upon this on the new books shelf at the library, though it's not that new, which says something about the local library. Ah well. The endorsement by Louise Penny was enough for me to give it a try. This is a cozy mystery set in the perfect English village of Nether Monkslip (gotta love that name). To my surprise, I found the author is an American, albeit one educated in England who spent a good deal of time there. The humor was appropriately dry, with a slight undertone of snarkiness,...more I stumbled upon this on the new books shelf at the library, though it's not that new, which says something about the local library. Ah well. The endorsement by Louise Penny was enough for me to give it a try. This is a cozy mystery set in the perfect English village of Nether Monkslip (gotta love that name). To my surprise, I found the author is an American, albeit one educated in England who spent a good deal of time there. The humor was appropriately dry, with a slight undertone of snarkiness, which seemed so characteristically British. The 'detective' is Max Tudor, the Anglican priest of the village, which is his second vocation, after resigning from MI5. This background gives him a particular insight, not to mention a hardness of body and mind, the latter of which he seeks to counterbalance in his new career and renewed faith. For the locals, the rumors of his past add a certain mystery and allure, not in the least diminished by his good looks. The brutality of his past makes his life as a priest in the backwater of Nether Monkslip an ideal respite, until a murder occurs to sully the idyll of village life. That the victim, Wanda Batton-Smythe, head of the Nether Monkslip Women's Institute, was the most antagonistic resident, whom many would have liked to throttle at one time or another, was less shocking than that someone amongst them would have dared to have done it.

At first I was concerned that the tone of snarkiness might be carried too far and overwhelm my enjoyment of the story, but the author fortunately adopts a gentler tone when Max is center stage. Her scene setting is superb and I quite enjoyed her descriptions of cottage interiors in particular, though I was a little dubious that someone with Max's background would know about Laura Ashley and William Morris, as the scene is shown through his eyes. Here is a sampling that cracked me up:

Together they scooched past the hallstand and into the sitting room, where they were subsumed into the type of decorating scheme designed to defy winter by blooming all year long. There was a certain bold dreadfulness to the scheme that was, as with the decor at Wanda Batton-Smythe's, a stirring reminder that, come what may, there would always be an England. Wallpaper fought with cretonne for floral dominance (Laura Ashley v. William Morris in a duel to the death); gimcracks and gewgaws adorned every surface . . .

Although I had pretty much guessed the murderer from the beginning, I had no inkling for a motive. A minor detraction was that the murder conspirator (no spoilers here) seemed to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The rest of the village cast showed potential that could be mined in future installments in the series. I enjoyed this cozy romp and look forward to the next Max Tudor mystery.(less)

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Jan 04, 2013 Gwyneth Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

When Louise Penny blurbs a book, I'm likely to read it, and in this case, I'm very glad I did. In many respects, this is a classic English village mystery. Set in the Brigadoon-ish village of Nether Monkslip at the time of the annual Harvest Fayre, it features the usual eccentric villagers and a murder victim so universally disliked that anyone could have done it. What raises this book above its "cozy mystery" neighbors is the amateur detective. The Reverend Max Tudor, parish priest of St. Edwol...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Cliff rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting take on the 'English village murder' genre, but set in the present. Good plotting and characterisation.

But, oh dear! Again another, I assume, American author, as we are told she lives in Virginia (although studied at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities). Again, this means the book is full of 'howlers' that display a lack of knowledge of the country. Fist of all she has an English character refer to an 'eggplant'. No, dear, we never call them that, they are 'aubergines' here. 'N...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

When Max Tudor quits MI-5 after fifteen years and becomes an Anglican priest in an English country village, the last thing he expects is more murder and mayhem. He didn't count on just how much everyone in Nether Monkslip hates Wanda Blanton-Smythe (or whatever her name is), the ruthless ruler of the local Women's Institute, who gets her way through insult, humiliation, and generally imitating a human bulldozer. At the fall harvest festival, engineered (single-handedly, as Wanda would have every...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a pleasant surprise, and ended a long string of duds from the library.

Max Tudor is a former MI5 agent who has become an Anglican vicar. He's taken over a church in an English backwater dominated by the bossy Wanda.

Somebody takes advantage of the bossy W.'s severe allergy to peanuts to kill her. Tudor helps the investigation along — in fact, he pretty much solves it.

Max ruminates a lot — there's a fair bit of interior monologue. It works.

There's also some angst, more on the Eric Ambler...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Mary Ronan Drew rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

Father Max Tudor has been the vicar at St Edwold's in Nether Monkslip for three years and he has been warmly welcomed into what he perceives as a kind of Eden after his eventful years with MI5. But all is not well in his little town as he discovers when the chairman of the Women's Institute, a much disliked busybody, is murdered on the day of the Harvest Fayre she worked so hard to make a success. I might add that this is the most unusual method of murder I've encountered in all my years of read...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Rosemarie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

As the first in an intended series, quite a bit of this book was devoted to a leisurely set-up so thorough that a careful reader could find his way if dropped suddenly into the center of the village, and could probably recognize many of the characters on the street. No map is necessary (although one would have been delightful.) The cast of characters is listed, so we can probably expect to meet most of them in subsequent books - unless they're killed off first.

Although the lanes are still narro...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Hallie rated it 5 of 5 stars

For readers who relish a traditional mystery with a satiric edge, perfect for a cozy fireside read, try G.M. Malliet’s “Wicked Autumn.’’ It’s set a world away from London and a breath away from Agatha Christie’s St. Mary Meade in Nether Monkslip, a quaint, isolated village with copious bucolic charm but not a smidge of ethnic diversity. Where once there were blacksmiths and wheelwrights, now shopkeepers peddle New Age crystals and organic jellies and jams.

The story opens with the formidable Wand...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this book.

First of all, I have read everything Agatha Christie ever wrote, so I'm coming from a fan position.

The setting is a St Mary Mead type village, only slightly updated to come up to a current age. The people are the same type of people Miss Marple encountered, with the same types of problems. The story is an Agatha Christie type plot.

What is different is the writing, which is much more current and more sarcastic. I loved it. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"As he start...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Mostserene1 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Father Brown meets James Bond!

Okay, perhaps a G.K. Chesterton - Ian Fleming collaboration is rather far-fetched, but were they able to collaborate, they might have produced something akin to G. M. Malliet's stalwart hero Max Tudor.

I should confess right off that I'm well disposed toward the Cozy Mystery, even with its associated expectations. Generally set in an English village, Cozies require a cast of quirky characters, a protagonist who may be a professional police officer/detective (or a lit...more Father Brown meets James Bond!

Okay, perhaps a G.K. Chesterton - Ian Fleming collaboration is rather far-fetched, but were they able to collaborate, they might have produced something akin to G. M. Malliet's stalwart hero Max Tudor.

I should confess right off that I'm well disposed toward the Cozy Mystery, even with its associated expectations. Generally set in an English village, Cozies require a cast of quirky characters, a protagonist who may be a professional police officer/detective (or a little old lady), one or more murders utterly bereft of the vulgar language and garishly excessive descriptions of violence that figure in most contemporary mysteries/thrillers, and a cast of multiple suspects. But most of all, Cozy Mysteries must contain that ineffable British atmosphere. If you are familiar with Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, you will be no stranger to this category. The Golden Age of mysteries. You can almost hear Poirot's sidekick Captain Hastings exclaim, "I say!."

And thus we come to G.M. Malliet, one of the very few contemporary writers to capture the essence of the Cozy Mystery. After writing several such mysteries featuring her protagonist St. Just, Ms. Malliet has changed publishers and thus a new hero was necessitated, this one an Anglican priest formerly of MI-5 (sort of the British FBI), with a haunted past, naturally. So, let's go down the list. Current or Former police officer (or little old lady): check! English village: check! Quirky local characters: check! Mild violence and language: check! English village atmosphere: check!

The author takes a humorous approach to the cozy mystery genre - the alert reader might come upon an occasional wry allusion to Christie. But this is an adroitly plotted novel, make no mistake. That said, Malliet's focus is on character and sense of place, and she has succeeded fully on both counts. This is a novel to be savored.

I won't summarize the story other than to reveal that an unlikely murder occurs in a sleepy English village. You'll have to read Wicked Autumn to discover more, and I do strongly urge you to do so. This promises to be the first of a long and successful mystery series, and I suspect Ms. Malliet is hard at work on the next installment. I, for one, can't wait.

This is a review of an advance readers' edition.(less)

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Aug 18, 2011 Kaye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-challenge

We first meet the imposing Wanda Batton-Smythe at a WI meeting in the Village Hall in the little town of Nether Monkslip where she is haranguing the members about doing more, much more, for the upcoming Harvest Fayre. It's only a week away and Wanda is not satisfied at the slack attempts that have been made so far.

Does she have to do everything herself? Come on, people! Pull up your socks and get doing; after all it's for charity. What would the village do without Wanda? She just can't imagine!...more
We first meet the imposing Wanda Batton-Smythe at a WI meeting in the Village Hall in the little town of Nether Monkslip where she is haranguing the members about doing more, much more, for the upcoming Harvest Fayre. It's only a week away and Wanda is not satisfied at the slack attempts that have been made so far.

Does she have to do everything herself? Come on, people! Pull up your socks and get doing; after all it's for charity. What would the village do without Wanda? She just can't imagine!

Well, on Fayre day, the village will find out. In search of more tea and biscuits for the tea tent, Max Tudor, vicar for the past three years and local restauranteur, Guy Nicholls, volunteer to go find more supplies stored in the Village Hall. What they find is Wanda; dead,and by the look of her, not from natural causes.

Despite the fact that the abrasive Wanda had stepped on a lot of toes with her bossy, heavy-handed ways and garnered a bit of animosity with her critical nature, the villagers can't believe someone set out to murder her deliberately. Not in their own "little Brigadoon." Nobody can even remember when there was last a murder. Speculation as to motive runs the gamut.

" It was a robbery, pure and simple," was the overall consensus.

" What was there to steal in the Village Hall? My gran's recipe for candied yams isn't that rare."

Even the local bobby, Musteile, has his theory as he explained to DCI Cotton of the Monkslip-super-Mare police dept.

"Clearly it will be Travelers responsible. I'll get right on it."

Cotton regarded him. "Travelers?"

"You know. Gypsies"

"You've spotted a caravan site of Gypsies, have you?"

"'Course not," Musteile was saying. "Sir, only stands to reason though."

And so the mechanics of the investigation begin, shattering the once peaceful village feel. Former MI5 agent and now the local vicar, Max Tudor, teams up with DCI Cotton in questioning the residents. The theory is most villagers will not be too open to the police but will be much more talkative to the vicar. After numerous cups of tea while visiting with a host of residents, he feels he is getting some good insight into what happened on that fateful Fayre day and the events leading up to it.

This is a great concept by the author to let the reader know more about the characters. At the beginning I was worried when I saw the somewhat lengthy list of characters. I felt there was no way all these could be developed but I was wrong. Malliet pulls it off and brilliantly! With a well constructed mystery plot, sparkling wit, characters that leap off the page and a wonderful sense of place, I was enchanted with this quintessential little British village and all the residents.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by St. Martin's Press through LT's early reviewer program(less)

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Aug 06, 2012 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: difficult-to-finish, mystery

Wicked Autumn was my first cozy novel after taking a break from the dystopian genre. I really liked the concept and plot of Wicked Autumn. However I felt the writing was at times bogged down with too much detail (on a Dickinsonian level). It was not a "page turner." I think the dystopian genre rather spoiled me on that front. Max Tudor is an intriguing protagonist. I got the impression that we learned just enough of Max's back story to be relavant to Wicked Autumn. There is more to say about his...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Snap rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: cozy-mysteries, read-in-2012

WICKED AUTUMN is set in Nether Monkship, a cozy modern village in the English countryside. It is time for the Harvest Fayre and Wanda Barton-Smythe, president of the Women's Institute is busy organizing the event. To say she is heavy-handed is to put it mildly. She is described as a "bogeywoman" and her name has been used by more than one parent to keep their children in line! Wanda's hair style is described as "a living testament to the efficacy of Final Net"! It's fair to say I did a lot of la...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Judy Lesley rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-cozy-british

I'm afraid I have to say I was rather disappointed in this novel. It was just an average read for me and I had expected it to be better than that. It was such a huge stretch for me to accept a man who was a career MI5 agent completely changed his career direction and became an Anglican priest because of something that happened in his job. And then to find him right on the spot to solve a murder was fortuitous indeed. Malliet didn't convince me that Max Tudor was very good at his new job, he didn...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

Shelves: first-reads-giveaways

What a refreshingly good read. Loaded with snarky humor and interesting characters, this book both entertains and teaches. Set in a Gilmore Girl-esque British town, I often had to remind myself that the events did indeed take place during the 21st century, even if it took references to Tom Hanks and Facebook to remind me that this wasn't your typical 18th-century murder mystery. However, the small-town eccentricities prominent in the book has all the charm and wit of any classic murder mystery.

I...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Liz rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, mystery-adventure-thrillers

This was a snuggly little story, and I was originally intrigued by the premise of ex-MI5 operative turned priest, but...it didn't grab me. I finished it because I *didn't* know who the villain was (I usually don't) and I enjoyed Death of a Cozy Writer. But I'm not sure whether I'll read the next Max Tudor book.

It seemed like the book wavered between being a straight-up cozy mystery and a loving parody of one. The characters were a bit too stock, which works for a parody but not so well if that...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Kathleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-uk-etc-thing, mysteries

Reading the third G.M. Malliet within a short time period (really rereading two of the books,) I continue to be impressed with how she has been influenced by the Christie/Sayers mystery genre and brought all of it into the 21st century.
A new protagonist is introduced: Father Max Tudor, Hugh Grant-handsome, new to the priesthood, grappling with horrific memories of his recent, extensive MI5 career. Again the characters of Nether Monkslip (alas, a fictitious town in England) are not always what th...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Jeannie and Louis Rigod rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a debut novel set in a lovely fictional village in England. The map was beautifully drawn by Rhys Davies, another excellent author and just by scanning it, you get the sense of the persons that will reside within our "Nether Monkslip."

Max Tudor, and Anglican priest had a prior life as an MI5 agent. He finds his skills are slightly rusty when the pillar of the Women's Institute is felled during the annual Harvest Fair. Wanda Batton-Smythe feels that the village needs her direction in ord...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Nettie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, uk, priest-sleuth, autumn

This book was a satisfying read since Malliet gave ample clues to solve the mystery. Max's two careers, MI5 agent and vicar, seem a good choice for providing future works both coziness and a bit of action. Since it is the first in a new series, there could have been too much introducing of reoccurring characters; however, Malliet succeeds in not boring the reader too much by blending the introductions into the investigation and Max's status of "new-comer." I would, however, have demoted my ratin...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Helen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, light-reads, mystery

I was waiting on another book I had to order and this book was recomeended to fill in while I was waiting. So let me preface this by saying that I was told it would not be as good as the book I had ordered and read much slower but should suffice.

Well, I was underwhelmed even though I had been warned. It is hard to say I didn't like the book because I did to a certain degree. Believe me I have read bad books or not read as the case may be. I did read the entire book knowing it had potential and t...more

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Dec 24, 2011 Mandolin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Max Tudor, traumatized by the death of his partner and his own injuries, both spiritual and physical, realized almost too late the importance of the human spirit and the ties that bind us all together under God. When he did, however, he left his harrowing life as an MI-5 agent to become the vicar in the small village of Nether Monkslip, where he has lived for the past two years, reveling in the peace and tranquility he has found there. Despite the little foibles of village life, including nosy n...more Max Tudor, traumatized by the death of his partner and his own injuries, both spiritual and physical, realized almost too late the importance of the human spirit and the ties that bind us all together under God. When he did, however, he left his harrowing life as an MI-5 agent to become the vicar in the small village of Nether Monkslip, where he has lived for the past two years, reveling in the peace and tranquility he has found there. Despite the little foibles of village life, including nosy neighbors, petty bickering and incurable matchmakers, Max has enjoyed his time as vicar, believing he has left behind the evil world of murder and mayhem so predominant in his former life. He soon finds that he is wrong when a much disliked villager is found dead, the victim of a deadly allergy that someone has put to good use. Max's former training kicks in, bringing with it unsettling memories of the past, as he aids the village police in searching for the cold blooded killer who lives among the villagers. Everyone in the village has a motive for murder, for the dead woman had a remarkable skill at making people hate her, but who was evil enough to carry out the deed? Max is anxious to discover the answer and restore the harmony of life he has come to cherish so much. Will he succeed or will the evil-doer strike again, this time at a more innocent victim?

The plot of this book is a good one but, unfortunately, it falls a bit flat. The cast of characters is large and, though they're each described in detail, they never truly come alive off the page. It's hard to feel sympathy or kinship with any of them, including Max. Though this may be due to the fact that this is the first book in the series and the author is working to introduce us to the village and its inhabitants, it's hard to really feel any desire to look for a sequel. I can't criticize the author's writing, for it is good, but it just doesn't elicit that feel of connection that I need to describe a book as truly good. I did like the description of Max's conversion and his realization of the intrinsic value of each person's spirit and soul, but the further descriptions of his own religious beliefs and the discussions about faith and morality that came toward the end of the book seemed forced and unnecessary. In summary, though the mystery is still interesting enough to keep one reading to the end, I would say that this is a book I could have left on the shelf without any regrets.(less)

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Aug 22, 2011 Cynthia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: librarything-arc

This is an ARC I received from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program. What a thoroughly enjoyable read!

The premise is quite intriguing. Max Tudor, former British MI5 agent turned Anglican priest finds his old training quite helpful to his parishioners when the town's biggest mover/shaker is found dead during the town's annual Autumn Fayre. There are a number of suspects, as the victim was universally disliked, but the possibility that one of his flock could be a cold blooded killer spurs Max t...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries, england

Max Tudor left his life with MI6 behind because he wanted to connect with his more spiritual side and he wanted to do some good in the world with a more lasting effect. He is very fortunate to have been able to return to his studies, become ordained, pass through his curate years and finally become a vicar in an idyllic English town the like of which is rapidly disappearing.

This little Eden has it's small problems one of which is a ' managing woman' who micromanaged every thing she cam in contac...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Doreen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

The back cover blurbs are entirely too generous. This is a good, solid English village mystery, but it is hardly Agatha Christie level. I figured out who the killer was shortly after the visit with Miss Pitchford (though, granted, not the whys of it till after the funeral) and while the mystery itself is fairly clever, I didn't quite find the psychological insights which help Christie's and Sayers' works transcend to classic status. Granted, this book is far better than the average cosy mystery...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Morajah rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: none one

Recommended to Morajah by: saw it at my local library's shelf.

I liked the name of the novel and the cover pic etc. It started out so good! it had good funny moments and character background etc was laid out. But once murder happens, instead of getting better it gets a bit boring. I personally found it hard to believe that a man (main character now turned vicar and past MI5 agent) over-thinks things and the murder makes him reminiscence about something in his past (before he became a vicar) Perhaps the main character should have been a woman. Lovely charact...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Overall Wicked Autumn is a good book with excellent character development. I want to read more about Max Tudor and the village of Nether Monkslip...

Can you hear the "but" coming?

...buuuuuut, compared to her three previous St. Just books (Death of a Cosy Writer, Death and the Lit Chick, Death at the Alma Mater) it fell short in the actual mystery department. The St. Just books rate high on my list of favorite mysteries, and Wicked Autumn is still a fun read. It's just not the same quality, plot-w...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Father Max Tudor is the pastor of the church in Nether Monkslip. He is looking for peaceful life after his years as an MI5 agent. The village is preparing for it's annual village fair. Wanda Batton-Smythe is the fierce woman in charge of everything. She is not loved by any of the people in the village except for maybe her husband. When she is found dead during the fair, Max recalls his methods from his years as an agent and begins to look at the residents of the village. This was a very enjoyabl...more

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About G.M. Malliet

G.M. Malliet is currently at work on a new series for Thomas Dunne/Minotaur Books. The first book in the new series is the Agatha-nominated WICKED AUTUMN (September 2011), which received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. Library Journal and the Boston Globe also named it a Best Mystery of 2011: "Sly humor rivals Jane Austen’s."

WICKED AUTUMN also has been chosen by Shelf Awareness...more

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Books by G.M. Malliet

Death of a Cozy Writer (A St. Just Mystery #1)

Death and the Lit Chick (A St. Just Mystery, #2)

Death at the Alma Mater (A St. Just Mystery #3)

Pagan Spring: A Mystery (A Max Tudor Mystery #3)

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Wicked Autumn (A Max Tudor Mystery #1)

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