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Advent of a Mystery
For lovers of classic Agatha Christie mysteries and Jan Karon village characters, this English set mystery is sure to please. Berdie Elliott, the wife of the new parish priest, thought she left her old life as an investigative reporter behind her, but she soon discovers a village full of secrets when a man dies at a Christmas celebration. Could a clue to his demise be hidd...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
September 1st 2010
by Barbour Books
(first published July 24th 2010)
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This novel was a sweet cozy murder mystery with lavender overtones. We are introduced to Berdie Elliott, a Vicar's wife. Berdie apparently was a former investigative reporter. There is several mentions of a prior case (but the book doesn't list any prior novels and that was a bit annoying.)
Outside of feeling 'left out' of an insider's joke, the book is a traditional cozy. It takes place in Great Britain at her husband's new parish of Aiden Kirkwood. It is the first Sunday of Advent. After a car...more
Outside of feeling 'left out' of an insider's joke, the book is a traditional cozy. It takes place in Great Britain at her husband's new parish of Aiden Kirkwood. It is the first Sunday of Advent. After a car...more
This review is harder to write than I thought it would be. I think it comes down to the fact that it felt to me like two different people were writing this book. One part was a well thought out even flowing mystery and the second part fell into old trite idioms and ridiculous comments from an American author that was trying too hard to sound British and that combination took away from the overall good mystery that was building.
Set in an English village at Christmas time, Berdie Elliott the wife...more
Set in an English village at Christmas time, Berdie Elliott the wife...more
Review published on: Over A Cuppa Tea
Date published: 29th Jan 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=4652
Truth be told. I wasn’t exactly interested in this book when I first saw it in for review in Netgalley. The cover does not look attractive enough for me, but I have come to learn to never judge a book from it’s cover, especially if the book in question is offered for free as an ARC.
I’m glad I requested Advent of a Mystery by Marilyn Leach, for it’s really a thrilling mystery to read. The s...more
Date published: 29th Jan 2011
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=4652
Truth be told. I wasn’t exactly interested in this book when I first saw it in for review in Netgalley. The cover does not look attractive enough for me, but I have come to learn to never judge a book from it’s cover, especially if the book in question is offered for free as an ARC.
I’m glad I requested Advent of a Mystery by Marilyn Leach, for it’s really a thrilling mystery to read. The s...more
Berdie Elliott is a former investigative reporter, and the wife of the new vicar of Aiden Kirkwood. This is a new calling for Hugh, after a military career, and Berdie has retired from her own career to be the vicar's wife. But she hasn't given up her skills or her active mind, and when an elderly parishioner, Miriam Livingston, is murdered in her home after an evening of caroling and an Advent party at the vicarage, Berdie can't help looking into things. Especially when the village constable is...more
Advent of a Mystery
Marilyn Leach
2010
Hometown Mysteries Barbour Publishing
Fiction/Christian/Suspense
Reviewed by Cindy Loven
Berdie and Hugh Elliot are starting a new chapter of their lives. As the new parish priest in an English village, Hugh is determined that Berdie's investigative days are over. Both retired from their first careers, they are ready for the quiet life of an English village. But it is not to be.
A Christmas party, with the wrong mixture of guests, sets the stage for a horrific cri...more
Marilyn Leach
2010
Hometown Mysteries Barbour Publishing
Fiction/Christian/Suspense
Reviewed by Cindy Loven
Berdie and Hugh Elliot are starting a new chapter of their lives. As the new parish priest in an English village, Hugh is determined that Berdie's investigative days are over. Both retired from their first careers, they are ready for the quiet life of an English village. But it is not to be.
A Christmas party, with the wrong mixture of guests, sets the stage for a horrific cri...more
This story introduced Berdie, a one time investigative reporter who has recently moved to a small village with her husband the newly appointed vicar. Berdie has grown children who have flown the nest so I speculate that she is perhaps around fifty years old, but it's unclear. A woman she went to the University with, and who is a great friend fortuitously lives in this village. So when an occasionally very nasty old woman is murdered and these two intrepid characters refuse to believe that a like...more
I think in my past life that I must have been British. It is the only explanation I have for this passion of mine for English mysteries. This one is so British is just oozes fish and chips and shawls and all that other good stuff. I mean, seriously, it's got a vicar, a barrister and even a 'lavender maven'.
And, really, what's better than reading a chilly winter mystery on these hottest days of summer?
The main character, Berdie Elliot, is the wife of the new town vicar and she's having a bit of...more
And, really, what's better than reading a chilly winter mystery on these hottest days of summer?
The main character, Berdie Elliot, is the wife of the new town vicar and she's having a bit of...more
I am really enjoying this book. Lillie and Berdie are my favorite characters. Berdie use to be an investigative reporter and has solved a case before and she thought was was done until she moved to the little village of Aidan Kirkwood. She is a vicars wife and not sure how he is going to take Berdie doing this again. A Mrs Livingston is found dead and will they solve this case? The village has so many secrets it was hard guessing who really did the murder till the very end. This is my kind of bo...more
I originally picked this up from my local library as I wanted to read a Christmas-y mystery over the holidays. I normally veer sharply away from any so-called Christian fiction, but this was okay. The Christian themes were subtly dealt with. (I do hate it when they try to hit you over the head with ideology.)
The mystery itself was interesting. A little romance, light reading and some funny characters. A good read if you want something light.
The mystery itself was interesting. A little romance, light reading and some funny characters. A good read if you want something light.
The mystery in this book was OK, although I think that some of the clues were a little far-fetched (ex: the ring tone of Reverend Lewis' cell phone). What really put me off was the excessive British slang. It was really distracting. (This book is written by someone who lives outside Denver, CO).
Pile of rubbish. I didn't finish it.
This was a great little cozy mystery, set in England. At times it was a little hard to get into but all in all I enjoyed it.
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Marilyn Leach has enjoyed writing for the stage as well as for publication. She became a dyed in the wool British enthusiast, after visiting England where she discovered her roots. She currently teaches art at an inner-city school near Denver, Colorado, and lives lakeside near the foothills.
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