Murder Is Academic

Cassandra James in Cambridge #1

by Christine Poulson

All is not well at Cambridge University's St. Ethelreda's College. The head of the English Department is dead, and Professor Cassandra James is appointed the task of running the department. Faced with the choice of whipping her underperforming colleagues into shape or losing the much-needed funding for the program, Cassandra resigns herself to the challenge. However, when she stumbles upon the former head's private papers and realizes that the death was no accident, Cassandra is forced to use her academic expertise of solving obscure literary puzzles for a very different purpose: tracking down a killer.

British Praise for Murder is Academic:

"Cambridge academic Christine Poulson's first crime novel is a triumph of suspense and intrigue. A labyrinthine plot is unravelled as intriguingly as a literary puzzle."
- Bodies in the Bookshop Magazine

"An intriguing read...Poulson certainly keeps the reader guessing...There is a lot to enjoy in this romp through the Cambridge commons. This is Poulson's first novel, and she creates a strong sense of place with a narrative style that is both energetic and engaging."
- Sherlock Magazine

"A fascinating mystery..The sense of place was very strong...This is [Poulson's] debut book, and I just hope that the next one is not too long coming."
- Mystery Women

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Christine Poulson was born and brought up in North Yorkshire, England. She is now a research fellow at the Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies at Sheffield University and chair of the William Morris Society. She has written widely on 19th-century art and literature, and her most recent work of non-fiction was a book on Arthurian legend in British art from 1840 to 1920. She lives with her family in a water mill in Derbyshire, England.

Reviews

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

When a good friend and head of her department dies, Cassandra James takes over. It's hard time for her because while some think her friend committed suicide, Cassandra thinks it's murder. A lot of the story deals more with the pressures of working in a university, getting people to publish or perish. In the end, that's the heart of the whole story.

I found the book very slow, repetitive,and too predictable. I did finish it, but I found myself skimming because I got bored. It was okay, but it could've been so much better. Not to mention the ending where Cassandra knows who the killer is, but then lets her in the house to help deliver her baby was just not believable to me. It was just weird.

[Bev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being an academic mystery fan I can't resist snatching them off the library shelves when I see them. I should have left this one on the shelf. The writing is not crisp and the story just did not hold my interest. I did finish it...just.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent first novel. I must admit, however, that I'm not a fan of pregnant women as a plot device and even less fond of childbirth as an event in this type of book. Save it for the touchy feelies and just let the cozies be cozies.

[Dinh Hong · Rating 1 out of 5]

just try to finish it. The plot is not very logic - just so boring.

[Tony Fitzpatrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Murder mystery (not a police procedural) based around multiple deaths in and around a Cambridge College. The plot is very convoluted and the role of the principal (a divorced lecturer battling for her job, carrying a baby, and in a complex romantic relationship) rather implausible. Very slow in the middle and involving the introduction of bizarre story-lines including seances and the occult. I struggled through it, but the poor writing, lack of character development, and weirdly the clunky formatting on my Kindle nearly made me give up.

[Hannah McInnes · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be honest, this book was a chore to get through. The writing was clunky, the characters (with the minimal exclusion of the lead) weren't really developed, and the ending was a hot, rushed mess. If you want to challenge yourself by trying to get through a dull book, be my guest. Otherwise, it'd be best to stay away from this particular novel.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the English department of one of the Cambridge University colleges, the detective, Cassandra James, is a professor who specializes in Victorian authors. All it takes is a slight exaggeration of the normal wrangling within the typical college or university to imagine a motive for murder. An entertaining read but probably more interesting to readers tuned into academic settings.

[Reggie Virus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved everything until Cassandra became pregnant and her relationship with Stephen seemed like a whatever thing. This had me on the edge of my seat and I never thought it would be who it was. Lawrence is such a douche lol and I wish she would have yelled at him. I will definitely read book two.

[Bryan Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved her description of the academic world. Gets going so quickly and keeps up the pace

[Bryan Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

a different published edition to the eraly one of the same name.

[Tracyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decided that this read was a 5 star for me. I loved the ending and finished the book in one day. More extensive review coming soonish.

[Misbah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing was dull and the story predictable. It's a short book but hard to push through because the main character is so flat and boring.

Cassandra James stumbles upon the murder of her colleague and over the next few months she can't get over it. Without meaning to she learns more facts about the death and figures out that another colleague is the murderer.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice debut mystery novel. I very much liked the setting and the professor / sleuth, Dr. Cassandra James. The book drags a tiny bit in the middle but builds to a nice climax in which the killer was not at all who I was suspecting. I hope there are more books in the series.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is better than Murder is Academic. The story held my interest...it was a good thing I read this one first.

[Anastacia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could NOT get into this at all... took it back to the library... will try again another time.

[Jennifer Medeiros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Not bad, but don't bother. It was just so-so and there are so many more books out there to be read.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favorite of Poulson’s three academic mysteries.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! oh the twisted plots and tangled relationships in the Academy!

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good debut novel. Love the setting.