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61st out of 293 books
—
979 voters
The Body in the Transept (Dorothy Martin #1)
In the finest tradition of the classic British mystery, The Body in the Transept introduces a charming amateur sleuth and lover of outrageous hats, all the secrets and eccentricities of a small town, and a cast of characters whose company will be the pleasure of mystery readers everywhere. For Dorothy Martin, widowed American removed to the England she so loves, the Christ...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
September 12th 1996
by HarperTorch
(first published 1995)
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Actual Rating: ***1/2
This first entry in the Dorothy Martin Mystery series was just what I needed to counter the youthfulness of another just completed book. Dorothy is in her 60s; retired; has a cat with just the right amount of attitude--for a cat. Recently widowed, and a lover of just the right hat for the occasion, Dorothy lives in a small English village populated with all the requisite British mystery characters, stories, and secrets. Add to that the gallant Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, a...more
This first entry in the Dorothy Martin Mystery series was just what I needed to counter the youthfulness of another just completed book. Dorothy is in her 60s; retired; has a cat with just the right amount of attitude--for a cat. Recently widowed, and a lover of just the right hat for the occasion, Dorothy lives in a small English village populated with all the requisite British mystery characters, stories, and secrets. Add to that the gallant Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, a...more
The Body in the Transept by Jeanne M Dams. I found The Body in the Transept . . . no, let me rephrase that, I found Jeanne M Dams' mystery through a useful service the Spokane Public Library provides through their catalog (see yesterday's post.) I had not heard of Dams, though she has been writing since the mid-90s. And I'm glad to hear of her now as this, her first Dorothy Martin mystery, is quite good.
Dorothy is an American, a widow who has moved to a cathedral town in England. She knows a han...more
Dorothy is an American, a widow who has moved to a cathedral town in England. She knows a han...more
This series is an anglophile's daydream. Well-off American widow moves to England and finds wonderful cottage in relatively unspoiled cathedral/university town. She has charming neighbors, wizardly gardener, inherits cat and cottage garden, strikes up romance with non-aristocratic upper class Detective Superindent, is liked by everyone, is more British than the British, and has a penchant for hats. She is a whiz at detecting, charmingly incompetent behind the wheel of a car, and in economically...more
Read all of Jeanne M Dams books for fun murder mystery reads! Her Hilda Johansson series has you walk in the shoes of a Lutheran Swedish immigrant who works in a rich family's household (like "The Upstairs Downstairs" UK TV series), in love with a Catholic Irish immigrant. At a time when there was a true class system, and too non-cohabitation of differing faiths; then there's the Dorothy Martin mystery series - fun. Dorothy lives on a small island and owns a book store. She puts up art work that...more
First in the series and I know I've read a few others in the series previously. I don't remember ex-pat American, now residing in Shevebury, England being so nosy and impulsive. Yes, she stumbled over the body in the transept; however she seems to take this as giving her the right to investigate the murder. This doesn't help her budding romance with the Chief Constable, which she doesn't even recognize right away - so much for her observational and investigative skills. Oh well, I guess we can b...more
Really, I simply loved this book. I love the character, the setting, and the way the events unfold. If you've been to Europe, you'll find this especially vivid. If you haven't been yet, it's bound to make you want to go. I found this introductory book to be among the best of the series and look forward to re-reading it soon. It left me wanting more, and I proceeded to read the whole series and now look forward to each new volume. Don't miss an opportunity to enjoy this ex-Pat with many hats and...more
#1 Dorothy Martin mystery. Dorothy is a widowed American whose husband had been a professor and guest lecturer, so when it came time to settle down on her own, she chose to relocate to a village in England, which she’d come to love on visits there over the years. It’s Dorothy’s first Christmas without Frank and her first in England, and it’s destined to be an eventful one, when she stumbles across the dead body of a canon in a darkened side transept after Christmas Eve services at the cathedral....more
This is the perfect cozy mystery to curl up with as the weather turns cold and the nights are long. You can’t help but fall in love with Ms. Martin, the nosy busybody who desperately wants to move on with her life without her husband, make friends with the residents of Sherebury, and of course, solve the murder of Canon Billings whose body she literally falls over. The cast of characters are colorful and typical of a small town, but they are what make the novel. The mystery itself is light-heart...more
This delightfully cozy mystery was a pleasure to read. The protagonist, Dorothy Martin is an American now living in the sleepy town of Sherebury. One night she literally stumbles upon a body in the cathedral. With a propensity for wearing outlandish hats and the knack of managing to put her foot in her mouth when speaking, she is an amusing character. She finds herself unable to let go of the mystery of the crime and decides to try to solve the answer to 'whodunit'.
I read this for a genre study and it definitely has an old British mystery feel to it. The amateur detective, Dorothy, owns a cat, wears silly hats, and is an American who retired to England - if that doesn't say harmless mystery series, I don't know what does. I am certainly not a fan of this genre but, if you are, this is not a bad story.
Good little mystery set in a small English town. American amateur sleuth Dorothy Martin has recently been widowed and has moved to a cottage in the England that she adores. At church on Christmas Eve, Dorothy stumbles over a body...and the resulting murder enquiry ensnares her in a search for the guilty party, assisted by the handsome chief constable. Book One is promising...!
Reading this put me in mind of other mystery greats like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, but even more of Dorothy Gilman's series, Mrs. Pollifax. It was a light(as much as a book about murder can be), fun read which I enjoyed reading immensely. I can't wait to start reading the other books in the series.
This was the 1st time reading this author and while there is nothing amazing here, it's a great little read. I was kind of annoyed that the main character is "American" but speaks distinctly "British" English. None the less, perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Some books deserve three and a half stars and this is one. Pleasant, comfortable characters in a classic Brit cozy. I'll be reading more Mrs. Martin mysteries. They are the perfect companion to a stressful week or after a dark and weighty 700 page tome.
I love reading series books, so when I saw this I automatically gave it a try. It was interesting, but the main character, Dorothy Martin, needs more development. I'm not sure if the second book is in my reading future.
This was recommended by a bookclub member and I found I really really enjoyed hanging out with Dorothy. An American widower who has moved to a small English town. I really look forward to the rest in the series.
My kind of book. It's the typical cozy mystery with slightly offbeat middle aged woman who is right in the middle of things as she trips over a dead body and then helps solve the murder mystery.
English cozy mystery with an older female sleuth who is fairly charming. It's not bad, but I was a little bored and wanted more action and some snappier dialogue.
If you like Agatha Christie, you will like these books. They aren't quite as smooth and complex as Christie, but then very few authors are. But they are fun to read.
A solid cozy mystery. The main character, Dorothy Martin has moved to a quaint English village after her husband's death. If she was thinking it would be quiet, she was wrong. She discovers a body in the Church Transept and the quiet live is gone.
Very nice mystery. A lot of humor too, especially with the cat. Good, quick read.
A perfect cozy British mystery. Perfect for reading while cuddled up under a big quilt.
OK for an easy read; didn't find the lead character very convincing or engaging.
A cozy mystery that hints of a good Miss Marple. The whole series is great!
Not a bad read, light, and easy. I like that it took place in England.
Very good read. Look forward to some more Dorothy Martin.
My fave to read each year at holiday time!
canons, ghosts and murder, oh my
for genre fiction class (mystery)
love all of the Dorothy Martins
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Jeanne M. Dams lives in South Bend, Indiana. The Body in the Transept, which introduced Dorothy Martin, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dams is also the author of Green Grow the Victims and other Hilda Johansson mysteries published by Walker & Company.
More about Jeanne M. Dams...
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Feb 12, 2012 09:32am