Perish in July

Doran Fairweather #5

by Mollie Hardwick

Light comedy suddenly turns to dark murder when personalities clash in the parish production of Gilbert and Sullivan. Now antique dealer Doran Fairweather, to distract herself from a crisis in her marriage to ex-vicar Rodney Chelmarsh, immerses herself in the shocking case, working to untangle a web of motive and plot worthy of Gilbert and Sullivan themselves before the curtain falls . . . on her.

Genres: Mystery

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Mollie Greenhalgh Hardwick was an English author who was best known for writing books that accompanied the TV series Upstairs, Downstairs.

As well as writing many Upstairs, Downstairs, Thomas & Sarah and The Duchess of Duke Street novels, she was also the creator of the Doran Fairweather novels and wrote three Juliet Bravo books. Hardwick also wrote many books and plays based around the Sherlock Holmes novels. She married fellow author Michael Hardwick in 1961.

Series:
* Upstairs Downstairs
* The Duchess of Duke Street
* Thomas and Sarah
* Juliet Bravo
* Doran Fairweather

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again Hardwick's mystery takes back seat to understated psychological drama. The murder takes place during a parish-fundraising-production of The Yeomen of the Guard (fascinatingly described) and is solved pretty neatly by Doran, our heroine, but I was terribly distracted by the sideline of our usual hero falling for a visiting friend. I wish Hardwick's books didn't make cheating on one's spouse seem so inevitable. Would've been 4 stars if I hadn't been so disturbed by that bit of the plot.

[Lia Marcoux · Rating 4 out of 5]

The politics in these are so supremely awful but the writing is so darn clever!! Also, I like that Hardwick isn't particularly kind to her main characters - no preciousness at all. This book also caused "I Have a Song to Sing, O!" to swim out of my deep memory like some bioluminescent stowaway. Peter, Paul & Mary sang it on a tape cassette I had as a child!

[Mary Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on vacation when no other books were available. It's one of those mysteries with several suspects but no way to figure out who committed the murder. Then it's revealed in the last few pages.

[Lila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This mystery focuses on Gilbert and Sullivan's The Yeoman of the Guard with quotes throughout, not the best known of G&S.

[Ebehi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This didn't read like a whodunnit. Fell rather flat. I didn't like Doran.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delight from first to last page.