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Madoc and Janet Rhys #5
The Wrong Rite
For mounted policeman Madoc Rhys and his wife, Janet, the pains of traveling with an infant are worth taking young Dorothy to Wales for Great-Uncle Sir Caradoc’s ninetieth birthday. Along with every other member of the Rhys clan, they make the pilgrimage to the ancestral pile, to enjoy a few days of drinks, dinner, and—as it turns out—demonic sacrifices.
On their first morning at the family manor, Madoc stumbles upon a concussed shepherd and a dismembered ram. It appears to be a botched attempt at an ancient rite, executed by one of those Welshmen who still carry a torch for the religion of the druids. For a spot of fun, the Rhys family decides to stage its own ritual—recreating the fertility ceremony of the Beltane bonfires. But when the flames turn a member of his family into a fireball, Madoc springs to action. Even five thousand miles from Canada, a Mountie always gets his man.
On their first morning at the family manor, Madoc stumbles upon a concussed shepherd and a dismembered ram. It appears to be a botched attempt at an ancient rite, executed by one of those Welshmen who still carry a torch for the religion of the druids. For a spot of fun, the Rhys family decides to stage its own ritual—recreating the fertility ceremony of the Beltane bonfires. But when the flames turn a member of his family into a fireball, Madoc springs to action. Even five thousand miles from Canada, a Mountie always gets his man.
284 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 13, 2009
While I generally enjoy the work of Charlotte MacLeod (whether writing under her own name or as Alisa Craig), I found myself very dissatisfied by this novel. I think I lost patience with the book because the more than half of the book leading up to the "mysterious" death was so mundane as to put me to sleep. The only events that weren't mundane involved one supernatural incident and one that traded on the idea of the supernatural.
In this one, Madoc Rhys of the RCMP, returns to his native roots in Wales, along with his lovely wife and delightful baby daughter. Naturally, even though he is outside his own jurisdiction when foul play occurs, he gets a temporary commission and ends up solving the mystery with the help of his beautiful wife.
At least one of the perpetrators of the murder(s) is quickly identifiable well before the primary murder occurs in the book and the mystery itself is handled in the last third of the book as though the author was in a hurry to get it over with. There are some unexpected twists in terms of how everything is resolved, particularly a certain blackmail plot that is tied to the murder(s).
But a lot of my dissatisfaction with the novel was that it felt like I was attending a family reunion where I didn't know the large cast of characters. Even though I have read a Madoc Rhys mystery or two before, I was often annoyed with the details about a family I didn't care about.
And the rest of my dissatisfaction was tied to the fact that the mystery was supposed to be tied to Druid rituals, but all of the description (save that which covered an early incident in the book) was exceedingly colorless. My Celtic blood cooled as I realized many great opportunities for blending history and mystery were lost.
In this one, Madoc Rhys of the RCMP, returns to his native roots in Wales, along with his lovely wife and delightful baby daughter. Naturally, even though he is outside his own jurisdiction when foul play occurs, he gets a temporary commission and ends up solving the mystery with the help of his beautiful wife.
At least one of the perpetrators of the murder(s) is quickly identifiable well before the primary murder occurs in the book and the mystery itself is handled in the last third of the book as though the author was in a hurry to get it over with. There are some unexpected twists in terms of how everything is resolved, particularly a certain blackmail plot that is tied to the murder(s).
But a lot of my dissatisfaction with the novel was that it felt like I was attending a family reunion where I didn't know the large cast of characters. Even though I have read a Madoc Rhys mystery or two before, I was often annoyed with the details about a family I didn't care about.
And the rest of my dissatisfaction was tied to the fact that the mystery was supposed to be tied to Druid rituals, but all of the description (save that which covered an early incident in the book) was exceedingly colorless. My Celtic blood cooled as I realized many great opportunities for blending history and mystery were lost.
September 23, 2018
This isn't one of her best though the Welsh setting is interesting. There are so many interrelated characters I gave up trying to keep track of them. There were plenty of suspects though.
I think this series suffers from not having a strong lead. Janet and her husband are likable but pretty bland personalities to carry a series.
I think this series suffers from not having a strong lead. Janet and her husband are likable but pretty bland personalities to carry a series.
June 29, 2021
Since mystery writers think current mystery readers only want cats, dogs (magical or non-magical), witches, heroines who are opening B&B’s, bakeries, cafes and spending a lot of time following and sharing recipes, it’s always a relief to discover a mystery without any of these elements. Charlotte MacCleod wrote mysteries BEFORE all these popular 21st century trends.
(BTW, if a writer wants to write cats, dogs, magical or non-magical, witches, heroines who are opening B&B’s, bakeries, cafes and spending a lot of time following and sharing recipes—she or he is free to do so. But personally I can only take so much!)
Anyway this book is set in of all places, Wales. That’s uncommon. However, it fits with the Madoc and Janet Rhys series. Madoc is a Canadian Mountie and his wife is a woman suited to being married to one. Anyway, the Rhys family gathers in Wales to celebrate the 90th birthday of an uncle, the head of the Rhys family. All would have been well IF they hadn’t included a couple of annoying shirt-tail relations, a brother and sister who were some of the most unique and annoying characters I’d ever read. But so real! We’ve all met variations of them—people who have unique—oh, let’s be honest—odd or outlandish ideas and theories. And they want to share them with everyone all the time. Goodness. I was ready to lock these two in a closet myself.
But their propensity to bore people to distraction isn’t what caused disaster. Many years before a locomotive of circumstances (for which one of them was responsible) had begun and the brother and sister couldn’t stop the train that led to murder. I must say that the whole cast of characters ran true and fascinating in their unique personalities and connections. In an age where families are becoming smaller and smaller and less connected (that’s my take on this), to see the portrayal of a large family of 2nd, 3rd, 5th cousins was definitely interesting. And the mystery elements were consistent, arriving just in time to keep the story rolling along! If you like quirky characters in an interesting locale with an unusual mystery, you might give The Wrong Rite a try.
August 13, 2022
We finally get a close-up view of the rest of Madoc's family, although Gwendolyn still remains somewhat fuzzy. I have to say Dafydd turned out to be a great character and one the reader could really empathize with, the murder gruesome and highly original, and the cast of supporting actors intriguing. I love Ms. MacLeod's description of Welsh song and poetry. I went to Wales several years ago to a National Music Festival (the Eisteddfod) there and was amazed at the singing - everywhere: in the streets, at lunch tables, in audiences where the person sitting next to you in a sing-along has a voice that compares to Barbara Streisand. The Welsh must come out of the womb singing in harmony. For someone who is musically challenged, it is quite intimidating, so I could commiserate with Madoc.
October 5, 2022
To my mind, this was not MacLeod at her best. It may be the fault of her two leads, Madoc and Janet Rhys. Madoc is Welsh, but works in Canada as a police inspector. His wife is Canadian, and this outing (the last in the series, alas) takes them to the ancestral home in Wales for a celebration of the Rhys paterfamilias' 9oth birthday. During the course of the party very bad things happen, and Madoc must solve the murder. I did think it was funny that the victim is so unloved by everyone else that there are no emotional repercussions to her death. If anything, people don't seem to mind at all. This is what sets MacLeod's various series (my favorite are the Sarah Kelling/Max Bittersohn books, closely followed by the Peter Shandy mysteries) apart from those frequently labeled as "cozy." MacLeod has a gimlet eye when it comes to her characters, and often doesn't hesitate to populate her mysteries with an astringently drawn cast. Definitely the case here, as hardly anyone in the book turns out to be what the reader might be led to believe. That being said, there is also the danger that MacLeod may stray into "twee" every so often. The Wrong Rite occasionally does. The Welsh drop into music at the, well, drop of a hat. They eat so much so often that it becomes an integral part of the story without necessarily the need to be.
The mystery is somewhat "meh" largely because there are no real stakes at risk. I finished The Wrong Rite a few days ago, and to be honest I can't really remember who did the deed. But I did enjoy reading the book --- I have read all of her stuff, and this one delivers a lot of what makes MacLeod's books work for me.
Recommended if you like mysteries with doses of comedy.
The mystery is somewhat "meh" largely because there are no real stakes at risk. I finished The Wrong Rite a few days ago, and to be honest I can't really remember who did the deed. But I did enjoy reading the book --- I have read all of her stuff, and this one delivers a lot of what makes MacLeod's books work for me.
Recommended if you like mysteries with doses of comedy.
April 27, 2022
2022 bk 106. The last of the Janet and Madoc Rhys mysteries was set in the ancestral Rhys home in Wales where the family has gathered to celebrate the paterfamilias birthday. From the beginning, weird things happen, weird things mostly tied to cousins Mary and Bob. An almost murder and then the real deal land Madoc in the suds as the local inspector is more interested in his golf game than a mystery and his great uncle really wants to keep it all in the family. A delightful mystery - and a series I was sorry to see end.
February 5, 2026
Sir Caradoc, Rhys Madoc's great-uncle, is celebrating his 90th birthday. The beloved patriarch has much of his large family gathered on his Welsh farm, but someone seems to be eager to disrupt the event with the ritual killing of a ram in the ruined chapel and the murder of an irritating remote cousin who insists on leaping the Beltane fire. Fortunately Madoc and his wife Janet are on hand to find the culprit.
May 15, 2017
A bit sad that this is the last Rhys and Janet book; I think of all Craig/Macleod's series leads, they're my favorite. In this volume, we retreat to Wales, where the rest of the Madoc family has gathered and they're quite entertaining, although I could've done with a bit more Welsh atmosphere.
August 4, 2017
My review cannot help but be bittersweet, as I’ve come to the end of another of the late Charlotte MacLeod’s series — and the last of the last, at that. I’ve finished her Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn series, her Peter Shandy series, and now her series (written as Alisa Craig) featuring Mountie Madoc Rhys and his wife Janet. (I found MacLeod’s Grub-and-Stakers series unreadable, which means I’ve come to the complete end.)
In this final novel, Madoc and Janet take their infant daughter Dorothy with them to Wales to celebrate the 90th birthday of the family patriarch, the baronet Sir Caradoc Rhys. Needless to say, someone gets murdered, but what follows is anything but predictable; I never suspected the culprit for a moment. (By the way, newbies to the series won’t suffer from starting at No. 5.) But, as with Professor Peter Shandy and Sarah Kelling and her husband Max, the real pleasure comes not from the plotting — although MacLeod usually does a fine job there, too — but from the colorful characters and the humorous dialogue. I’m doubly sad, for not only have I come to the end of this must-read series for cozy lovers but I’m all out of Charlotte MacLeod books, period. Sad for me, but for those who have not yet enjoyed one of these series, you have a lot of reading pleasure ahead of you.
In this final novel, Madoc and Janet take their infant daughter Dorothy with them to Wales to celebrate the 90th birthday of the family patriarch, the baronet Sir Caradoc Rhys. Needless to say, someone gets murdered, but what follows is anything but predictable; I never suspected the culprit for a moment. (By the way, newbies to the series won’t suffer from starting at No. 5.) But, as with Professor Peter Shandy and Sarah Kelling and her husband Max, the real pleasure comes not from the plotting — although MacLeod usually does a fine job there, too — but from the colorful characters and the humorous dialogue. I’m doubly sad, for not only have I come to the end of this must-read series for cozy lovers but I’m all out of Charlotte MacLeod books, period. Sad for me, but for those who have not yet enjoyed one of these series, you have a lot of reading pleasure ahead of you.
October 31, 2024
The last of the series...just when one is getting to know wceryone...so sad authors Do This!
Loved getting to know the Rhys's clan and this is the last book of this series.
I admit I knew that at the start and Wish there were more...
So sad authors run out of steam when the series has just begun...in a way...5 books could have covered it,I suppose...and would so love to have had more.
Canada, Mounties, Romance, Wales, Babies, Relations, Relationships, Mystery, Confusion, Confrontation, Death, Desecration...Who could ask for anything more.
Charlotte Macleod died many years ago now and left at least two series, welk, unfinished.
My imagination is just not enough to cover it.
Would live to have had a glimpse into the future to see where these folks would have been and gone, what they would have seen and done, how their child (children?) fared...etc etc etc.
Ah, well. I suggest you read these for the immediate pleasure. The puzzles, the characters, the setting, the events, the characters, the country (Wales), the traditions, the love, the family, the extended family, the confusion and the solutions.
It wa worth it.
Loved getting to know the Rhys's clan and this is the last book of this series.
I admit I knew that at the start and Wish there were more...
So sad authors run out of steam when the series has just begun...in a way...5 books could have covered it,I suppose...and would so love to have had more.
Canada, Mounties, Romance, Wales, Babies, Relations, Relationships, Mystery, Confusion, Confrontation, Death, Desecration...Who could ask for anything more.
Charlotte Macleod died many years ago now and left at least two series, welk, unfinished.
My imagination is just not enough to cover it.
Would live to have had a glimpse into the future to see where these folks would have been and gone, what they would have seen and done, how their child (children?) fared...etc etc etc.
Ah, well. I suggest you read these for the immediate pleasure. The puzzles, the characters, the setting, the events, the characters, the country (Wales), the traditions, the love, the family, the extended family, the confusion and the solutions.
It wa worth it.
September 23, 2019
I wanted to give this book more stars. Generally, I enjoyed the book, but the mystery does not start until about two thirds of the way in and then it all seems very rushed from there. I am sad, however, that this is the last of the series. I have enjoyed reading the adventure of Janet and Madoc Rhys.
February 27, 2020
Free Prime Reading | Mixed feelings: too many deeply nasty characters to be an enjoyable reading experience | The mechanics are pretty good, in that suspicion is spread fairly well, motive isn't obvious until exposed, and method is unusual. But too many of the people gave me anxiety from being such terribly bad human beings.
February 17, 2024
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Madoc, Janet and baby, Dorothy traveled by plane, from Canada to Wales. Madoc's Great Uncle the Laird was turning 90 and they were having a big Welch Family Party. They have a lot of interesting family characters and of course a homicide. Read the book and enjoy finding who did it.
Madoc, Janet and baby, Dorothy traveled by plane, from Canada to Wales. Madoc's Great Uncle the Laird was turning 90 and they were having a big Welch Family Party. They have a lot of interesting family characters and of course a homicide. Read the book and enjoy finding who did it.
July 11, 2024
Excellent Series!
These 5 books are a great reading experience!..I read them as library books many years ago and enjoyed them even more this time! A gifted, educated, literate, clever author wrote them and they are still a reading delight! Read them in order written, since it is a continuing narrative!
These 5 books are a great reading experience!..I read them as library books many years ago and enjoyed them even more this time! A gifted, educated, literate, clever author wrote them and they are still a reading delight! Read them in order written, since it is a continuing narrative!
June 26, 2017
A really good mystery set in Wales with delightful characters and a surprise ending. The violence is there, but not welled upon. The. Humanity of the characters shines after a brief description of the horror. A safe read before bed
March 31, 2020
Not Quite a 5 But Really Good
This book revolves around the extended family of Madoc as he, Janet and baby Dorothy celebrate his grandfather's 90th birthday celebration in Wales. I'd give it a rating of 4.5 stars if I could. It's not perfect but it's quite entertaining.
This book revolves around the extended family of Madoc as he, Janet and baby Dorothy celebrate his grandfather's 90th birthday celebration in Wales. I'd give it a rating of 4.5 stars if I could. It's not perfect but it's quite entertaining.
December 28, 2024
Good story & mystery. Satisfied with the ending.
I enjoyed this final book of the series. Great dialog and character development. It did not guess the villain. Unique setting in Wales.
I enjoyed this final book of the series. Great dialog and character development. It did not guess the villain. Unique setting in Wales.
October 25, 2018
Excellent
I love her works, the characters, would love to meet them on real life. Always interesting plots and wonderful settings.
I love her works, the characters, would love to meet them on real life. Always interesting plots and wonderful settings.
December 2, 2018
Excellent read
Enjoyed rereading this book a lovely Welsh mystery from the 1990s Endearing characters and a unique plot. With twists. Word
Enjoyed rereading this book a lovely Welsh mystery from the 1990s Endearing characters and a unique plot. With twists. Word
March 30, 2020
Never pays to read a book well into the series. hard to follow what your are expected to know.
May 24, 2020
I always enjoy her books
June 21, 2020
Written a long time ago but still enjoyed it.
September 6, 2021
Dull. I quit about one third of the way. Too much domesticity, too little in the way of murders and mystery solving. This was just a wee bit too cozy for my taste.
May 29, 2024
Last inn this series. Set in Wales.
Read
January 21, 2025Sorry the series is over. It is delightful and I really wanted to see Daffyd get married!
June 3, 2025
Another Gem!
Such an inventive plot! Some outrageous characters among the outstanding others to people this great story! Love the wonderful setting!
Such an inventive plot! Some outrageous characters among the outstanding others to people this great story! Love the wonderful setting!
December 27, 2025
I loved Janet and Madoc, but no crime happened until 50% and the first half was just too slow.
October 24, 2011
I read this book because it was given a high rating by several reviewers. A long time ago I read one of her Peter Shandy books and didn't like it at all. It's an American Mystery award winner. However, I didn't care for the writing which was "comic" but not in a particularly good way - at least in my opinion. When I got this book from my book swap group, I forgot that it was the same author. This is the 5th in her "Madoc and Janet Rhys series."
Madoc Rhys is a Canadian Mountie. His wife, Janet, is, of course, beautiful and smart and a great solver of mysteries. I guess what I find annoying is the way they all talk - very breezy and self-assured. The good guys are perfect, the other characters not very appealing at all. Madoc and Janet have been married for four years and have an 8 month old daughter who is absolutely perfect in every way - never cries, eats happily, etc. There was virtually no physical description of the characters except that Janet is very lovely.
This is a fun little book because it takes place in Wales and discusses some Welsh customs. Madoc and Janet are visting Madoc's great uncle, Sir Caradoc, who is celebrating his 90th birthday. Several extended family members arrive at the same time including a disagreeable brother and sister duo, Bob and Mary. They are both big on ritual, one of which is a fire that the locals are expected to jump once it has died down. When Mary jumps, the unexpected happens.
On the whole, though, it didn't make me want to read more of the character. Since I have a couple of hundred paperbacks and hardbacks to wade through, I think I'll just bid adieu to Madoc and Janet.
Madoc Rhys is a Canadian Mountie. His wife, Janet, is, of course, beautiful and smart and a great solver of mysteries. I guess what I find annoying is the way they all talk - very breezy and self-assured. The good guys are perfect, the other characters not very appealing at all. Madoc and Janet have been married for four years and have an 8 month old daughter who is absolutely perfect in every way - never cries, eats happily, etc. There was virtually no physical description of the characters except that Janet is very lovely.
This is a fun little book because it takes place in Wales and discusses some Welsh customs. Madoc and Janet are visting Madoc's great uncle, Sir Caradoc, who is celebrating his 90th birthday. Several extended family members arrive at the same time including a disagreeable brother and sister duo, Bob and Mary. They are both big on ritual, one of which is a fire that the locals are expected to jump once it has died down. When Mary jumps, the unexpected happens.
On the whole, though, it didn't make me want to read more of the character. Since I have a couple of hundred paperbacks and hardbacks to wade through, I think I'll just bid adieu to Madoc and Janet.
October 2, 2014
This book should be subtitled, "You can't pick your family, you can only choose your friends." The Rhys family members from near and far gather in Wales for a birthday celebration that goes awry nearly from the start. Another fun read written by Charlotte MacLeod. This story involves pagan rites, missing jewels, and a ghost! I enjoyed all the information about the early Welsh church. Some readers may find the amount of information tedious, but I found it very interesting. I am so sad to see the end of this series. I wish the publisher would continue the series with a skilled author from Canada - to add the necessary local flavor which is so charming in the original Madoc Rhys books. Enjoy!
April 21, 2023
Sigh - the last of the Madoc Rhys books! I wish there were more. Madoc and Janet and their baby daughter go to Wales for his great-uncle's 90th birthday. When one of the weirder relatives explodes when jumping over the balefire for Beltane, Madoc goes into policeman mode to help out the locals. The various characters are, as usual, beautifully delineated. And we get to see more of Madoc's charming parents as well as his brother Daffyd, who has appeared only peripherally in the other books. I enjoyed rereading this one very much.
April 2023 Rereading
April 2023 Rereading
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews