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Mrs Pargeter #6
Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honour
Mrs Pargeter is forced to find out more than she would wish about her husband's "business activities", when she recreates one of his most famous scams.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
191 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
About the author
Simon Brett
330 books534 followersSimon Brett is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
April 6, 2023
Simon Brett's Mrs. Pargeter series is a fresh, enjoyable, light, comedic account of the fascinating life of the widow of a well connected criminal. Lighthearted and charming, as always. I truly look forward to more books in this series.
September 18, 2025
A fun and different cozy outing with Mrs. Pargeter. I skipped the last in the series as the books had become rather samey and weren’t really holding my interest.
Melita Pargeter is a delightful character, the widow of a much-loved, much-missed criminal mastermind. She never acknowledges his sketchy career, only remembers his loving care, devotion and spoiling, with a misty-eyed smile.
He left her his valuable network of associates with varied illegal skills, and they all worshipped the late Mr. Pargeter, and would do anything for his beloved wife. They all have rather silly nicknames designating their particular skill, which gets a bit old, but this one was more like a clever caper flick - fun and funny.
Add in an enthusiastic, hard-charging sergeant stuck with his rather ridiculous, old-school dinosaur of a boss, jealously guarding any information (or input from the young whippersnapper) about their current case, and you’ve got an entertaining cozy and funny book. I look forward to the next outing in the series.
Melita Pargeter is a delightful character, the widow of a much-loved, much-missed criminal mastermind. She never acknowledges his sketchy career, only remembers his loving care, devotion and spoiling, with a misty-eyed smile.
He left her his valuable network of associates with varied illegal skills, and they all worshipped the late Mr. Pargeter, and would do anything for his beloved wife. They all have rather silly nicknames designating their particular skill, which gets a bit old, but this one was more like a clever caper flick - fun and funny.
Add in an enthusiastic, hard-charging sergeant stuck with his rather ridiculous, old-school dinosaur of a boss, jealously guarding any information (or input from the young whippersnapper) about their current case, and you’ve got an entertaining cozy and funny book. I look forward to the next outing in the series.
July 14, 2024
I have read this entire series and love it, but this was before I was on Goodreads!
April 16, 2022
2022 bk 96 I think this might be my favorite Mrs. Pargeter. I loved the plot twist and turns as Mrs Pargeter helps the wife of one of her husband's colleagues to return stolen property to its prior owners. It takes most of the characters that have appeared in the previous novels to carry out tasks thwarted by a sneak, but they do get their own back. Fun mystery.
March 29, 2022
I’ve now read all the Mrs Pargeter books and have enjoyed reading them all.
September 9, 2016
Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honour: Mrs Pargeter Series Book 6
The Plot: Mrs Pargeter is going to complete some unfinished business for Veronica Chastaigne, the widow of one of her late husband's associates. With her motley crew, she is going smuggle classic works of art out of England. Then return the priceless pieces to the galleries that had 'housed' them. Problems arise when an interloper steals the paintings, and the bumbling Detective Inspector Craig Wilkinson investigates the case.
Mrs Melitta Pargeter is the widow of the late Mr Pargeter, who left her well off. Mrs P is not upper class, but she is respectable. Mrs P also inherited his little black book [LBB]. Mr Pargeter kept his business below the radar. Whenever Mrs Pargeter has an inquiry, she uses the LBB to contact the bestcriminals people with the relevant expertise for help.
The Mrs Pargeter series is a literary divertissement and should be read it that light. The enjoyment lies in the reading of the story and not solely the plot.
Full of capers this is a well-written quick and easy cosy read.
Book Rating
Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next oneor reread ?: Yes
My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A magnificent read. A prominent example of the genre.
The Plot: Mrs Pargeter is going to complete some unfinished business for Veronica Chastaigne, the widow of one of her late husband's associates. With her motley crew, she is going smuggle classic works of art out of England. Then return the priceless pieces to the galleries that had 'housed' them. Problems arise when an interloper steals the paintings, and the bumbling Detective Inspector Craig Wilkinson investigates the case.
Mrs Melitta Pargeter is the widow of the late Mr Pargeter, who left her well off. Mrs P is not upper class, but she is respectable. Mrs P also inherited his little black book [LBB]. Mr Pargeter kept his business below the radar. Whenever Mrs Pargeter has an inquiry, she uses the LBB to contact the best
The Mrs Pargeter series is a literary divertissement and should be read it that light. The enjoyment lies in the reading of the story and not solely the plot.
Full of capers this is a well-written quick and easy cosy read.
Book Rating
Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one
My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A magnificent read. A prominent example of the genre.
March 16, 2017
The first three books in this series were clever, light fun, but then the focus shifts from murder mysteries to the loose ends of Mrs P's late husband's criminal career and the series starts to stumble.
Brett's writing is more clever in the details than when he tries to assemble a big comic set piece, which was painfully apparent in the previous book, Mrs Pargeter's Plot. This book is stronger than that one, but I'm afraid it completely turns Mrs P into exactly the kind of willful hypocrite that she otherwise disdains.
Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honor was the original end of the series, and although Brett has recently continued it with two new books, I'm probably done. I will check out his other books, though.
Brett's writing is more clever in the details than when he tries to assemble a big comic set piece, which was painfully apparent in the previous book, Mrs Pargeter's Plot. This book is stronger than that one, but I'm afraid it completely turns Mrs P into exactly the kind of willful hypocrite that she otherwise disdains.
Mrs Pargeter's Point of Honor was the original end of the series, and although Brett has recently continued it with two new books, I'm probably done. I will check out his other books, though.
March 23, 2023
Another rattling good yarn!
Simon Brett has written some excellent novels in his time. My favourites had always been the Fethering mysteries until I discovered his Mrs Pargeter series. Sadly, there are only eight of these in total and I have just finished the sixth! They are such clever books, almost mysteries in reverse. Mrs Melita Pargeter is the widow of a career criminal and, when he died, he left her his address book. This book allows her to keep in touch with his friends and they help her in various ways. Urgent memo to Simon Brett: PLEASE WRITE MORE OF THESE 😀
Simon Brett has written some excellent novels in his time. My favourites had always been the Fethering mysteries until I discovered his Mrs Pargeter series. Sadly, there are only eight of these in total and I have just finished the sixth! They are such clever books, almost mysteries in reverse. Mrs Melita Pargeter is the widow of a career criminal and, when he died, he left her his address book. This book allows her to keep in touch with his friends and they help her in various ways. Urgent memo to Simon Brett: PLEASE WRITE MORE OF THESE 😀
August 30, 2020
Since Mr. Pargeter's death, his widow has continued scrupulously to avoid knowledge of his business activities, while using his little black book of associates' names to see to their well-being as Mr. Pargeter would have. The request of the dying widow of one of those associates, however, draws Mrs. Pargeter dangerously close to her husband's less salubrious activities. Her solution is unconscionable.
March 30, 2024
A jolly romp through the return of stolen pictures to their owners. Not one to take seriously but one to enjoy.
September 15, 2025
An extra star for a successful deviation from the prior books. An amusing crime caper that showed her husband's associates at their finest.
October 1, 2018
The book just never got interesting to me.
April 12, 2020
The author has written some really good books but this particular series just isn't funny.
November 3, 2011
A brilliantly conceived novel with some great characters, whose nicknames reflect their talent, to assist Mrs Pargeter. There is Vanishing Vernon, Hedgeclipper Clinton, Fritzi the Finger, Palings Price, Jukebox Jarvis, Keyhole Crabbe and others and they all play a significant part in the return of precious artworks to their original owners.
The bumbling Detective Inspector Craig Wilkinson is on to them but despite the best efforts of his subordinate Hercule (after Poirot of course) Hughes he still manages to make a mess of the case. He does find love but is rejected by Mrs P. who remains faithful to her deceased husband, who was a true businessman ... or so she believed!
Mrs P. is a great character and the book is a great read and it is a shame when the book finishes!
The bumbling Detective Inspector Craig Wilkinson is on to them but despite the best efforts of his subordinate Hercule (after Poirot of course) Hughes he still manages to make a mess of the case. He does find love but is rejected by Mrs P. who remains faithful to her deceased husband, who was a true businessman ... or so she believed!
Mrs P. is a great character and the book is a great read and it is a shame when the book finishes!
July 9, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed the first few books in this series, but the later ones are not as charming. I think it has to do with that Mr. Pargeter, rather than being a lovable thief who never harms anyone, is gradually revealed to be more of a mob boss. He managed a vast network of criminals, including people whose job it was to harm and intimidate. And Mrs. Pargeter, who is much more aware of her late husband's activities than she lets on, is quite willing to live comfortably off the profits of his enterprise, while maintaining her innocence of the whole thing. I found the more of the series I read, the less I enjoyed it.
September 4, 2022
6 stars. I loved it.No murder mystery to solve here,but a funny,clumsy and yet clever group of ex-criminals acting to save Mrs. Pargeter's word of honour. I hope this new spirit in this series continues.
I wonder if it has been made into a movie yet. I could already see Judy Dench and Colin Firth in the leading roles.
I wonder if it has been made into a movie yet. I could already see Judy Dench and Colin Firth in the leading roles.
January 2, 2018
To criticise this book as not being in any sense literature would be to miss the point. This book is a lovely warm cup of tea with a cosy companionable aunt - who may be a little more than she seems. A cosy read in a world of turmoil.
February 7, 2021
I am glad I found this interesting series. I have decided, on the sixth book and two to go, to comment about a series that I was unsure about and frankly knew little about. I fell in love more by the second book than the first, the first did have its charms although I was upset about the Col. Several things makes this series so brilliant. One, is the mystique that is Mr. Pargeter. I feel that by alluding to Mrs. P's dearly departed Brett has created a character in our imaginations greater than any which could be written. He is the gentlemanly villain, and I mean villain with the greatest respect and honor. Or maybe there is something more to Mr. P.? Yet he has flaws but even with those flaws he is still one of the greatest villains, or so we are told, in British fiction. This leads me to the second point: the villains. In the spirit of Dick Tracy, Batman and Runyon, Brett has created a vast array of colorfully named characters that I cannot get enough of. And every single one owes everything they have to Mr. P. - which also means now, Mrs. P. What would they not do for her? Of course I cannot forget my third point. Mrs. P. herself. She manages to be innocent and calculating at the same time. We know that she knows what Mr. P. did but the façade of ignorance adds charm and grace to the character. And of course she is brilliant at solving crimes or unsticking sticky situations - with the help of those like Truffler (my favorite of the "retired" villains). The only negative I have is that there are only two books left. I will say that by the fifth book I was growing tired of the series but the sixth one reinvigorated my lust for the story. I chalk the former up to my own malaise rather than a failing on the authors part.
May 17, 2020
Art theft in reverse is the subject of Brett's latest comic mystery starring Melita Pargeter, a charming Londoner whose genteel demeanor belies a keen intellect and steely determination. Elderly Veronica Chastaigne enlists Mrs. Pargeter to oversee the secret return of her late husband's collection of "hot" paintings to their rightful owners. To do so, Mrs. Pargeter assembles a team of her own late husband's old "associates, " including private detective Truffler Mason and interior designer Denzil Price. But when Mrs. Pargeter's team go to pick up the paintings, they discover that someone has already scooped up the stolen collection of Old Masters. A merry chase is on, as Mrs. Pargeter and company seek to reclaim the paintings even as they are dogged by the ineffectual DI Craig Wilkinson and his ambitious assistant, DS Hughes.
September 26, 2025
I nearly didn't read this book. Mrs Pargeter is one of the buddy read series we are reading on a Goodreads group I help run - Reading the Detectives. Mrs Pargeter is the widow of a criminal, the conceit being that all his associates revered him so much that they fall over themselves to assist Mrs Pargeter in her endeavours. It's somewhat cosy and not my usual read, full of silly nicknames and jokes.
In this sixth in the series, Mrs Pargeter is summoned to a dying widow of one of Mr Pargeter's associates. Her house is full of stolen artwork, which she wants returned to their rightful place before she dies. In this edition of the series, we meet the inept Inspector Wilkinson and D.I. Sgt Hughes. It's a fun outing and I enjoyed it, so I will probably read on - especially as I see Simon Brett has written a new installment in the series this year.
In this sixth in the series, Mrs Pargeter is summoned to a dying widow of one of Mr Pargeter's associates. Her house is full of stolen artwork, which she wants returned to their rightful place before she dies. In this edition of the series, we meet the inept Inspector Wilkinson and D.I. Sgt Hughes. It's a fun outing and I enjoyed it, so I will probably read on - especially as I see Simon Brett has written a new installment in the series this year.
September 12, 2023
As with all the ‘Mrs Pargeter ‘ books, this was great fun. I’ve now read all eight of the books, and every single one was perfect. Funny, good plots , great characters and a real page turner.
I am hoping that there will be more to come soon? Please! Can’t bear the thought that there are no
more. Will Tuffler ever find a companion?
Will Gary ever declare his feelings for Mrs Pargeter?
Will Mrs Pargeter ever find love again?
So many more stories to explore. Come on Simon Brett, don’t leave us all hanging!!
With regards. Micki Darbyshire
I am hoping that there will be more to come soon? Please! Can’t bear the thought that there are no
more. Will Tuffler ever find a companion?
Will Gary ever declare his feelings for Mrs Pargeter?
Will Mrs Pargeter ever find love again?
So many more stories to explore. Come on Simon Brett, don’t leave us all hanging!!
With regards. Micki Darbyshire
July 25, 2024
The last of the original six in this series, and it shows - the story was derivative of the previous offerings and fairly repetitive; as with many writers he seemed to know it was over. After a long layoff (over a decade at least), Brett returned to the series and published an additional three (one assumes true fans importuned him and the financial gain is always alluring), but I’d already tried one, and as with many mystery authors who opt for the “redux” they’re not a patch on the early adventures. Thus, with this sixth, I’ve completed my readings of Mrs. Pargeter’s activities.
May 9, 2020
I tried. I really tried, but I found I could not take the Keystone Cops and the heart of gold criminal associates of Mrs. P's (dead) husband. I got about half way through before I skipped to the last two chapters. In a change from Simon Brett's Fethering series where I loved the characters and found the mysteries sometimes so-so, the mystery seemed to be pretty good. It was just the characters I couldn't take.
November 30, 2023
And I am galloping through this omnibus of eight Mrs Pargeter novels and they are so good! In this one Mrs Pargeter and her ever increasing gang are charged with returning stolen property - more difficult than one could imagine, especially when there's a spy in the camp. Inept police officer, competent and eager new police officer, baddies and goodies, all coming together in a tightly plotted story that provides yet more backstory into the life and times of Mr Pargeter. Excellent.
September 2, 2025
Number 6 in the series finds Mrs Pargeter and her gang of old thieves tasked to return stolen masterpieces to their original owners which isn’t easily done as there are quite a few that were stolen over the years. The current “owner” of the pieces is dying and doesn’t want her selfish son to profit from them. Meanwhile the son has decided to steal them himself and a local copper is watching. All kinds of surprising plotting takes place. Great fun and funny quips throughout.
November 21, 2025
Another classic cosy tale in the Mrs Pargeter series. This time she is tasked with returning some stolen old master paintings to their original owners. Of course things do not run smoothly and she has to once again call upon her late husband's acquaintance to help.
A slightly different twist on the previous books, Mrs P has to learn more about the way her husband worked.
A slightly different twist on the previous books, Mrs P has to learn more about the way her husband worked.
June 1, 2019
I'm surprised at how accessible this book was considering the fact that I have not read any other books in the Mrs Pargeter series. I definitely hope to dig up earlier installments. It's a rather funny take on mystery and crime novels.
April 13, 2023
Fun but rather obvious
I enjoyed this even though for me there wasn't much mystery about whodunnit. It was still fun to read and find out how Mrs Pargeter and the rest came to, what turned out to be, the same conclusions as me.
I enjoyed this even though for me there wasn't much mystery about whodunnit. It was still fun to read and find out how Mrs Pargeter and the rest came to, what turned out to be, the same conclusions as me.
September 9, 2023
This was another light hearted story in the series. I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the others in the series but it was still entertaining.
This is not a mystery or a whodunnit, instead Mrs Pargeter has a task to complete with her band of adoring followers.
This is not a mystery or a whodunnit, instead Mrs Pargeter has a task to complete with her band of adoring followers.
December 23, 2023
Another Good Read
Simon Brett is great at characterization, local and time period color, an awesome vocabulary, and well drawn mysteries. I've enjoyed the whole Mrs. Pargeter's series and highly recommend them.
Simon Brett is great at characterization, local and time period color, an awesome vocabulary, and well drawn mysteries. I've enjoyed the whole Mrs. Pargeter's series and highly recommend them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews