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Rachel Markham Mystery #1
Murder at Rutherford Hall
Set in 1946 England, Murder at Rutherford Hall is a gripping tale that will have you turning pages till the end to figure out ‘whodunit’! The charming characters simply pull you in to a setting of elaborate richness woven with humour and portraits of a bygone era where homes were large and beautiful, people dressed for dinners and life moved with a certain grace for the privileged. Against this enchanting backdrop, love and betrayal, life and death, laughter and grief, wealth and poverty come together to provide an immensely entertaining read.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2013
About the author
P.B. Kolleri
9 books15 followersPB Kolleri is the author of the Rachel Markham Mystery Series, which is a series of entertaining whodunits set in 1940's - 1950's England that she considers a loving tribute to her all time favorite author in this genre - Agatha Christie.
A NOTE TO ALL READERS
The first four books in the series are now available to readers exclusively on Amazon.
Book 1: Murder at Rutherford Hall, (Published on 10th Jan 2013)
Book 2: Murder at Ravenrock, (Published on 10th July 2013)
Book 3: The Riverton Case (Published on 24th October 2013)
Book 4: The Santinelli Case (Published on 10th June 2014)
A NOTE TO ALL READERS
The first four books in the series are now available to readers exclusively on Amazon.
Book 1: Murder at Rutherford Hall, (Published on 10th Jan 2013)
Book 2: Murder at Ravenrock, (Published on 10th July 2013)
Book 3: The Riverton Case (Published on 24th October 2013)
Book 4: The Santinelli Case (Published on 10th June 2014)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 15, 2013
With a charming backdrop of post-war English countryside, Kolleri had a great opportunity to charm his readers. However, treating your readers as if they are clueless isn't so charming.
The story in "Murder at Rutherford Hall" was transparent and the writing was tedious at best. The solution to the "mystery" was obvious with the first introduction of the character; motive, means, and opportunity introduced blatantly and without hint of subtlety. The language employed throughout the book seemed staged, the characters bland, and the dialog plodding. Explanations are given where none is needed - as if the writer has no faith in his readers.
The story in "Murder at Rutherford Hall" was transparent and the writing was tedious at best. The solution to the "mystery" was obvious with the first introduction of the character; motive, means, and opportunity introduced blatantly and without hint of subtlety. The language employed throughout the book seemed staged, the characters bland, and the dialog plodding. Explanations are given where none is needed - as if the writer has no faith in his readers.
September 2, 2014
What a story! This is a mystery that takes place in a post war 1946 England in which the war has been totally forgotten, there is no rationing, all the latest fashions are available, cars and petrol are no problem and cops are permitted to beat felons to within an inch of their lives if circumstances permit.
No this is not a work of fantasy, at least I don't think so. It is supposed to be a homage to Dame Agatha but I think it is more of a prod for her to roll over in her grave. The killer is rather obvious, the prose is .. well here is some quotes
'I have come across several such killers before at Scotland Yard and I have got them every time!' Was he a megalomaniac?
As the ex- Scotland Yard policeman 42 two years old said describing the 22 year old bright young ingenue
"he had this strange sense of really being with a woman' I wasn't sure what he meant by this, the old fool.
The writer needs a bit of seasoning or experience or advice. Something!
No this is not a work of fantasy, at least I don't think so. It is supposed to be a homage to Dame Agatha but I think it is more of a prod for her to roll over in her grave. The killer is rather obvious, the prose is .. well here is some quotes
'I have come across several such killers before at Scotland Yard and I have got them every time!' Was he a megalomaniac?
As the ex- Scotland Yard policeman 42 two years old said describing the 22 year old bright young ingenue
"he had this strange sense of really being with a woman' I wasn't sure what he meant by this, the old fool.
The writer needs a bit of seasoning or experience or advice. Something!
March 22, 2014
This is the first book in the Rachel Markham Mystery series and is probably the some of the poorest writing I have read outside of student's papers. Particularly in the first 2 books of the series, the author includes redundant adjectives/adverbs, repeats sentences with only slight variations, and does a poor imitation of Jane Austin's style of verbosity. There are many instances of multi-syllabic words tossed into the prose with little or no necessity. As I was reading the series I constantly felt the urge to edit.
That being said, the plotline to the story is OK - somewhat predictable, but with characters I liked well enough to keep reading.
That being said, the plotline to the story is OK - somewhat predictable, but with characters I liked well enough to keep reading.
October 29, 2014
This was awful. Some of the worst writing I've seen in 'published' novel. The random comma placement alone was staggering. You don't separate a subject and verb with a comma!
No real sense of the time period. The story was all right. Oh, that's another thing: alright is not a word.
Gah! The only mystery is why I was dumb enough to read the second one.
No real sense of the time period. The story was all right. Oh, that's another thing: alright is not a word.
Gah! The only mystery is why I was dumb enough to read the second one.
July 29, 2015
I probably shouldn't be giving stars to novels that I couldn't finish, but this one was just SO BAD that there was no point in continuing. I think the author was trying for some kind of snappy Raymond-Chandleresque English manor house mystery complete with snappy dialogue, dashing young men, and sassy, lovely ladies. Unfortunately the author does not have the chops to carry it off--it just read like bad, soapy English melodrama. if it had been a parody, it might have worked, but if failed on every level.
March 18, 2019
Decent little British mystery set in England following WWII. The police and detective work left something to be desired, but the characters ended up being fairly engaging.
July 9, 2015
The writing spoils this cozy mystery. I taught high school and this book reminded me of something one of my former students might have written. The POV changes constantly from one character to another and the characters are shallow. I'm not sure about the dialogue because I really don't know what British people spoke like in 1946, but something about the dialogue didn't ring true. The plot was rather obvious as well.
February 18, 2017
I picked this up in a charity shop for the beautiful cover with lovely illustrations and then read the jacket and was very interested.
I did read other Goodreads reviews and was a little worried by all the negative ones but persevered.
Pros:
This book which is dedicated to Agatha Christie contains all the elements of one of her novels with some great misdirection and twists and turns.
It's a very easy read and yet uses some delightful and era appropriate language.
Cons:
It took me about 90 minutes to read the whole book. Not sure if that's a con it obviously was a page turner and an easy reader but made me feel maybe it was too easy to read - not as much depth as I normally like in a mystery.
Whilst it did contain all the usual Christie elements, the author spent a bit too much time explaining things aka Poirot. Poirot normally explains it all at the end of the book but the author may have felt insecure in his writing as he kept having to overly explain things as he went.
Overall a fun murder mystery with some great research and a nice plot with twists and excitement. However I hope the author improves with writing as it felt very much like a first time out ok book and I think he has more potential in him.
I did read other Goodreads reviews and was a little worried by all the negative ones but persevered.
Pros:
This book which is dedicated to Agatha Christie contains all the elements of one of her novels with some great misdirection and twists and turns.
It's a very easy read and yet uses some delightful and era appropriate language.
Cons:
It took me about 90 minutes to read the whole book. Not sure if that's a con it obviously was a page turner and an easy reader but made me feel maybe it was too easy to read - not as much depth as I normally like in a mystery.
Whilst it did contain all the usual Christie elements, the author spent a bit too much time explaining things aka Poirot. Poirot normally explains it all at the end of the book but the author may have felt insecure in his writing as he kept having to overly explain things as he went.
Overall a fun murder mystery with some great research and a nice plot with twists and excitement. However I hope the author improves with writing as it felt very much like a first time out ok book and I think he has more potential in him.
June 25, 2017
Why do writers of mysteries set in England persist in including 'aristocratic' characters, without bothering to find out how English titles work. One character is described, within the same sentence, as Lord Charles Rutherford, and Lord Rutherford. He is later 'demoted' to Sir Charles Rutherford. His wife is initially Lady Charles Rutherford, then Lady Celia (but as her mother is a Mrs, it's most unlikely that she is indeed the daughter of an Earl, Marquess or Duke).
This confusion all occurs in the first chapter. I read no further. How can I believe anything anyone says, if the characters (and the writers) can't even get their names right?
This confusion all occurs in the first chapter. I read no further. How can I believe anything anyone says, if the characters (and the writers) can't even get their names right?
November 5, 2018
Not a bad little mystery but the romance between our heroine and her detective was just ridiculous.
June 13, 2023
Average who done it....
Not much character depth, started out good but just fizzled out. Easy to figure out toward the end. An ok read.
Not much character depth, started out good but just fizzled out. Easy to figure out toward the end. An ok read.
August 25, 2014
I liked this story a lot. The cast of characters, the inhabitants of the "Hall" and the police, were like a group out of an Agatha Christi book. Murder at Rutherford Hall is set during the time period that a lot of Agatha Christi's books were set so I'm not too far out of line on this. The "voice" of the novel felt right for the time period also. It seemed a little too much like a book from that time period but I realize the author was likely going for that.
A retired police inspector on his way the Rutherford Hall bumps a woman with his car. He gets out to help her and finds she is covered in blood. Her husband, Lord of the manor, is missing.
I really enjoyed the romance peppered throughout the book between two of the characters.
The ending I saw coming because the other suspects were no longer suspects, and the murderer did say something during one of the interviews that I felt sounded strange. I won't say what.
A retired police inspector on his way the Rutherford Hall bumps a woman with his car. He gets out to help her and finds she is covered in blood. Her husband, Lord of the manor, is missing.
I really enjoyed the romance peppered throughout the book between two of the characters.
The ending I saw coming because the other suspects were no longer suspects, and the murderer did say something during one of the interviews that I felt sounded strange. I won't say what.
May 10, 2015
This was the first time that I ever checked out a book from P.B. Kolleri and I was excited to read this one after reading the description. Murder at Rutherford Hall is a fast-paced novel that is full of suspense and will surely keep the reader on their toes. The book is set in 1946 in England and I found that the author did an amazing job with describing the times. I felt like I was there during that period and the scenes were so vivid. I love murder and suspense stories. I was glued to this book as I wanted to figure out who did it. It almost felt as though I was playing a game of clue. I also enjoyed the characters. There are some strong female leads in this book that pull you in and won't let you go. I was very impressed with the author's writing style and feel as though she nailed the scenery and words of the time! I cannot wait to read more of this series. If the rest of the series are like this wonderful book, I know I will be in for a treat.
July 10, 2015
Looking forward to book two!
A heavy fog, a retired Scotland Yard detective, and the wife of one of the wealthiest families in the community found with blood on her hands and no memory of preceding events opens this first book in the series.
Lady Celia Rutherford is practically run down in her driveway by former Scotland Yard detective Jeremy Richards as he makes his way through a fog so dense he can barely see the front end of his car. In the meantime, Lord Rutherford has gone missing! Rachel Markam, Lord Rutherford's niece, seemingly flighty and overdramatic, becomes enamored with the idea of a real-life mystery in her own home, but quickly matures as clues are found detailing her uncle's disappearance. Her insights lead Jeremy Richards to see her as a partner rather than a flighty young woman, and their discoveries end up breaking the case. In addition, they discover something about themselves throughout this suspenseful, entertaining read.
A heavy fog, a retired Scotland Yard detective, and the wife of one of the wealthiest families in the community found with blood on her hands and no memory of preceding events opens this first book in the series.
Lady Celia Rutherford is practically run down in her driveway by former Scotland Yard detective Jeremy Richards as he makes his way through a fog so dense he can barely see the front end of his car. In the meantime, Lord Rutherford has gone missing! Rachel Markam, Lord Rutherford's niece, seemingly flighty and overdramatic, becomes enamored with the idea of a real-life mystery in her own home, but quickly matures as clues are found detailing her uncle's disappearance. Her insights lead Jeremy Richards to see her as a partner rather than a flighty young woman, and their discoveries end up breaking the case. In addition, they discover something about themselves throughout this suspenseful, entertaining read.
April 9, 2013
I don't normally review all the books that i read, but Murder at Rutherford Hall is one of the best murder mysteries i have read in sometime. So here goes. For most of us, reading a whole book has become a thing of the past. But, every now and then a book comes along that reminds you of all the lovely books you grew up with, such books make you realize how much you miss sleeping with a book by your pillow. This is one such book and a must read for anyone who grew up reading Agatha Christie. My only gripe is that the author has released only one book in the series so far. Will try to keep up with the updates here and read the next one when it comes out.
July 26, 2013
It's a good mystery plot with some very exciting elements and a crisp narration. The 1940's backdrop along with Rutherford mansion works fine for the book.
It lacks details and gets over fairly too soon. Detective Jeremy looses some focus in the book to Rachel Markham.
Character setup is good and edginess is there up to an extent.
It's a nice attempt but it's still early days for the author. :)
It lacks details and gets over fairly too soon. Detective Jeremy looses some focus in the book to Rachel Markham.
Character setup is good and edginess is there up to an extent.
It's a nice attempt but it's still early days for the author. :)
October 24, 2013
This was an ok book. Not great, but ok. The characters could have been fleshed out a little more. The turning point in the story depends on a dream and I understand that flashes of insight come in different ways, but I am surprised that the police didn't get a glimpse of the real killer. Not sure if I would read any others by this author, but I wouldn't rule it out either. Not sure what to read next!
June 24, 2015
CHRISTIE LOVERS TAKE NOTE!
This is a delightful mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in post war England. I found the book's pace fast and the plot engaging. Kolleri has crafted an interesting world filled with fascinating characters that readers will want to get to know. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys period mysteries. Congratulations to P.B. Kolleri. I'll be reading the rest of this series!
This is a delightful mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in post war England. I found the book's pace fast and the plot engaging. Kolleri has crafted an interesting world filled with fascinating characters that readers will want to get to know. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys period mysteries. Congratulations to P.B. Kolleri. I'll be reading the rest of this series!
March 26, 2016
Awful
Got about a tenth of the way in...it was already boring & predictable, with most stilted dialogue ever -- and then came the description of the singing natives on the tea plantation! When I got to the sentence (paraphrased) " [the natives] are so simple and childlike" I had to stop. Unbelievable. The whole thing was just awful...characters, plot, dialogue AND casual racism. No thank you -- next!
Got about a tenth of the way in...it was already boring & predictable, with most stilted dialogue ever -- and then came the description of the singing natives on the tea plantation! When I got to the sentence (paraphrased) " [the natives] are so simple and childlike" I had to stop. Unbelievable. The whole thing was just awful...characters, plot, dialogue AND casual racism. No thank you -- next!
April 22, 2016
A very promising backdrop - I was hoping for something like Rebecca by DuMaurier. But the language is....teen-speak. Colloquial with a bunch of British exclamations thrown in for feigning authenticity. Badly placed 'Blimey!' and 'Time for tea!' references litter the already bad story.
On the bright side, you'll finish reading it in a day, very easy language, no strain for the brain.
(And I'd still say that you should visit your dentist instead, it's better use of your time)
On the bright side, you'll finish reading it in a day, very easy language, no strain for the brain.
(And I'd still say that you should visit your dentist instead, it's better use of your time)
June 12, 2015
Modern day Agatha Chistie
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I like the change of pace and the old world setting. May be because I'm English and a Christie fan. But then I also enjoy the modern murder mystery novels and the up to date forensics. . This book was a nice change of pace with many plot twists and a surprise ending. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I like the change of pace and the old world setting. May be because I'm English and a Christie fan. But then I also enjoy the modern murder mystery novels and the up to date forensics. . This book was a nice change of pace with many plot twists and a surprise ending. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
July 3, 2015
Good solid cozy read.
Cozies are not always my first choice. However I enjoyed this one enough to move on to number 2 in the series. Cozies I think must be sharpe and clever to keep a readers interested. I enjoyed these characters very much. I'll let you know how the 2nd book pans out.
Cozies are not always my first choice. However I enjoyed this one enough to move on to number 2 in the series. Cozies I think must be sharpe and clever to keep a readers interested. I enjoyed these characters very much. I'll let you know how the 2nd book pans out.
December 8, 2015
First draft feel
This novel reads like the first or second draft of a story that will be very good when it is filled out and edited. The main characters are believable but remain a little thin
The murderer was fairly obvious early on but somehow not very credible. I probably will read the next in the series to see what Jeremy and Rachel will do next
This novel reads like the first or second draft of a story that will be very good when it is filled out and edited. The main characters are believable but remain a little thin
The murderer was fairly obvious early on but somehow not very credible. I probably will read the next in the series to see what Jeremy and Rachel will do next
April 26, 2013
It was written very first grade. I felt like I was reading Dick, Jane and Sally. All the emotion seemed forced, and childish. The characters were caricatures, and thus totally predictable. There was no one that I really cared about. I didn't hate anyone, I just didn't care.
February 27, 2015
Murder at Rutherford Hall
A little mystery filled with English characters and foibles. Light easy reading, something good for a long cold night. A book reminiscent of Agatha Christie, cozy and comfortable like a warm fire and a cup of coffee.
A little mystery filled with English characters and foibles. Light easy reading, something good for a long cold night. A book reminiscent of Agatha Christie, cozy and comfortable like a warm fire and a cup of coffee.
August 9, 2015
I enjoyed the book. There were a couple spots I was like.. really? But overall it was good. I had figured out who did it prior to it being told to us. The characters are new, but I think as time goes on they will get better and better!
September 13, 2015
Just average
The plot is not well constructed. The characters are superficial and the romance of Rachel and Jeremy is not believable. But I finished it just to give it a fair chance. I will not be moving on to the next book.
The plot is not well constructed. The characters are superficial and the romance of Rachel and Jeremy is not believable. But I finished it just to give it a fair chance. I will not be moving on to the next book.
February 11, 2013
English Murder Mystery, good but I found it predictable.
April 20, 2013
Awful. Not only was it entirely obvious from the beginning whodunnit, but the language was so utterly unauthentic. Just awful.
May 7, 2013
The mystery was okay, but I found that the actions and conversations of the characters often did not reflect the time period the book was set in.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews