Elliefant's Graveyard : The Curious Case of the Throatslit Man

The Pendergast of the Yard Casebooks #1

by Em Thompson

Convinced that two unexplained deaths on her London patch are murders, rookie police officer Heather Prendergast’s unofficial investigation takes her to an isolated mill town on the Huddshire moors where she unearths a web of corruption that threatens her career – and her life.

A dyed in the wool Southerner, Heather discovers that the isolated mill town is a throwback to another age - the personal fiefdom of a crooked Mayor Cameron Carmichael in league with a corrupt police force led by Chief Constable Euridice Montefiore. During the course of an amateurish and accident-strewn undercover investigation, her life is threatened, she attracts the amorous attentions of local newspaper photographer, Naff, and is arrested on fabricated charges of prostitution and possession of drugs.
Advanced reader reviews . . .
'Stunning, beautiful, clever, witty and a delight to read!'

‘Absolutely brilliant! A really beautiful novel . . . so unusual . . . funny, polished, clever, witty, eccentric and original. Truly.’

‘A madcap romp with an off-kilter larger-than-life reality reminiscent of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Brimming with energy, it is a fun and enjoyable read filled with imaginative high jinks, a cast of colourful characters and a pacey and dynamic plot.’

‘I have to say it’s one of the funniest and most enjoyable books I have read. I found myself chuckling to the end. The play with words is fabulous.’

'I loved Ellie, am reading it for 2nd time. Are there more Prendergast volumes? Roll on Prendergast of the Yard!'

'I absolutely adore Elliefant's Graveyard. Sort of Alice in Wonderland, but more quippy than trippy. Sort of Hitchhiker’s Guide, but more pun-cracky than wacky. The funniest book I've read in a long while.'

Genres: Ebooks

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2024

Reviews

[Kathy Davie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was terrible. I got 3% of the way into the story, and I simply can’t finish. Even that short bit of the way in, there were contradictions and the lack of any knowledge of police procedure.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent extra time reading this book because I am somewhat of a word nerd. I like playing with words and confusing my family because I get weird about my wordplay. This book will make you happy in the wordplay or drive you straight to anger. The first hint comes in the title itself; half of the chapters are describing the life of Ellie Fantoni- see what they did there?- while the other chapters describe the happenings surrounding PC Heather Prendergast, a twenty year old that looks much younger. Heather's goal is to get out of writing tickets for bikes on the sidewalks and pooper-scooper law violators. She hopes to become a top detective "Prendergast of the Yard".
The story is very good with a few twists and turns throughout along with some obvious clues that actually matter eventually. But for me, another big part of my enjoyment lies in the running creation of words by combining words, especially from common phrases, to make new words. Or the way they give a phrase a twist by sort of inverting it. I am not going to provide examples of either since I couldn't provide the context or skill in writing like Em Thompson.
I have put Prendergast of the Yard series down as a request on my earliest version of my Christmas list.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, but I don't have right kind of humor for these books. If you love the absurd with a only a touch of reality, this book would be for you.

[Kylie Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖 Book Review: "Elliefant’s Graveyard – The Curious Case of the Throatslit Man" by Em Thompson ✍🏻😊

_The Prendergast of The Yard Casebooks: Book 1_

Elliefant’s Graveyard: The Curious Case of the Throatslit Man by Em Thompson is a refreshingly original British mystery that blends dark humor, clever wordplay, and genuine suspense. From the very first chapters, the eerie atmosphere of the decaying mill town of Huddshire pulls you in, setting the perfect backdrop for a story filled with secrets and corruption.

Rookie police officer Heather Prendergast is a wonderfully flawed and determined protagonist. When she’s told that two unsettling deaths are merely accidents, her instincts refuse to let the case rest. Her unofficial investigation uncovers far more than she expects, and the danger escalates in ways that kept me turning pages. Heather may not be the brilliant detective she imagines herself to be, but her persistence and curiosity make her incredibly relatable and engaging.

What truly sets this book apart is its tone — quirky, witty, and sharp, yet never undermining the seriousness of the mystery. The story feels both classic and unconventional at the same time. This is a strong and memorable start to the Prendergast of the Yard series, and I’m very much looking forward to reading more.

#BookReview #BritishMystery #CrimeFiction #CozyCrime #Bookstagram

[Debi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy Elliefants Graveyard as much as I hoped to. I went in expecting something light and fun, and while it may have had that potential, I struggled to find a good reading rhythm. I caught myself skimming ahead and rereading sentences just to make sense of what was going on.

The storyline itself was actually interesting and could have made for a great read if the characters had been different. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get past Heather. I tried, but it was nearly impossible to form any sort of positive impression of her. At first, I thought her character might grow on me. It started out kind of cute, but things quickly went off the rails.

Ellie, on the other hand, was the reason I kept reading. Her sections carried the story for me, and I was genuinely curious to see how things would end. There were plenty of twists and turns, and that intrigue kept me going even when the writing style made it tough to stay engaged.

It looks like there might be more books coming in this series. I’m not sure I’ll be diving into the next one right away, but I’ll keep an eye out and decide when the time comes.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a challenging read. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had listened to the audiobook. I initially found it quite fun, but the wordplay & accents become tiring after a while. This was partly as I often wasn’t confident in my understanding of the words, which are often made-up word combinations and nouns that have been made into verbs, amongst other imaginative creations. This, along with the absurdity of the characters (who are what would traditionally be referred to as “social misfits”), and their interactions with one another, is all a bit bizarre and extreme. Maybe because of the book cover, I was reminded of Tim Burton movies (though it has been a while since I have seen one of those, so I may be off). I would recommend the book to readers who are curious about playful language, and something “different”.
I won a free copy of this book (thanks to the author & publisher!) and am voluntarily providing an honest review.

[Thomas Glenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve gotta hand it to this book, it didn’t just entertain me, it held me. There were moments in here that had me leaning forward like I was right there inside the scene. One chapter in particular hit different: when everything tightens around the investigation, and the tension on Holloway Road starts creeping under your skin. The writing had this way of pulling me into the grime, the humor, the chaos, and somehow still giving me space to breathe and think.

It wasn’t just a story; it was a whole mood. I found myself learning how people crack, how they cope, how they keep going even when life keeps swinging. That part? That stayed with me.

And yo huge shoutout to Ezekiel Reid for recommending it. If he didn’t shove this book into my life, I’d have missed out on one hell of a ride.

If you want a story that’s gritty, funny in the strangest moments, and unexpectedly meaningful, this is the one.

[CorrieGM · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a nice read.
Heather is a, I do have to say, dumbwitted police officer, who tries to uncover a murder. Notwithstanding the fact that her superior explicitely told her not to bother.
Heather is not a very good listener, and that shows. She was too dumbwitted for me, I was continuously exasperated by her remarks, thoughts and deeds.
Ellie is the daughter of the murdered man. She is very, very good in repairing household utensils.
The two meet after the dead of Ellie's father. They do meet later, but it takes a long time for them to realise who the other woman is. I liked Ellie a lot.
There are more, quite strange characters in the book.
And the language, I simply loved the words the writer invented.
It is the first book of a series. I do hope other people will like Heather and continue reading this series. I cannot.

[Ezekiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I got to Reading Chapter 3, I finally felt the story pick up real momentum. This was the chapter that helped me understand Ellie on a deeper level. The way her childhood, her father, and all the money struggles were described made her situation make a lot more sense.

What really stood out to me was the Washmatron incident it was funny, chaotic, and at the same time it actually pushed the story forward instead of just giving random humor. It showed how her past still affects the decisions she makes now.

I’ll be honest, some of the jokes slowed things down a bit for me, but overall, this chapter gave the book purpose and direction. It connected her backstory to what she’s dealing with in the present, and it made me more interested in where the story is heading.

[Nehaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I received this book as an advance review copy for free.

Elliefant's graveyard was the first ever book that I found funny (as I've not read most of funny novels).

EllieFANT's Graveyard" is not just a story; it's a celebration of the heartfelt connections we share with those who have passed and the impact they leave behind. Through its imaginative lens, Thompson encouraged me and all the other readers out there to cherish memories, honor the past, and find comfort in the beauty of life's series.

I personally liked the character Heather Prendergast so much but I Couldn't spell most of the words and also a hard vocabulary but The book is amazing.

[Barbara Tepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely, quirky, memorable novel that takes time to digest.

Enjoyable, perplexing and almost like a fantasy but such a good story with unique characters. Rookie cop Heather Pendergast investigates persistently like a dog with a bone and Ellie Fantoni newly orphaned and expert appliance repair person will not easily be forgotten. Looking forward to the next installment.

[DE Jorgensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Language is difficult

I am certain I didn't give this book enough of a chance, but it was more difficult than Shakespeare. Verbs are used as nouns and vice versa, and many of the words are creatively used in ways I had trouble translating. I wanted very much to get the rhythm and finish the book, but I failed.

[Wiltson Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pulled me into its world so completely that I forgot I was reading. The humour is sharp, the sorrow is raw, and the author’s ability to balance both is masterful. I felt every beat every wound, every laugh, every quiet moment. Our community has been buzzing ever since we read it.
Readers Community (Literary Devourer)

[Gloria Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pulled me into its world so completely that I forgot I was reading. The humor is sharp, the sorrow is raw, and the Thompson's ability to balance both is masterful. I felt every beat every wound, every laugh, every quiet moment. Our community has been buzzing ever since we read it.

[Margot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The themes of grief, survival, and quiet bravery are handled with surprising grace. The story taught us something: even the overlooked and underestimated have worlds inside them. This book gave our community momentum conversation, reflection, connection. (Literary Devourer)

[Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not stay interested, so I went from reading the book on the Kindle to listening to it. Thinking that would like move it along a little faster and it was just not holding my interest whatsoever. Stopped at 41%.

[Corliss O'Bryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I confess I did not finish this book. Main character is too stupid and not in a charming way

[Shiev Kerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my most enjoyable books.

[Susie Helme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rookie PC Heather Prendergast and her ‘guv’ are on their way to give bad tidings to a relative. DI Cummings, as is usual in these stories, is terrible at detecting and unwilling to grant his smarter underling a voice.
It’s a run-down shop along Holloway Road, and it appears the bereaved widow ain’t so bereaved as all that. Ruby Fantoni gives them a good lashing of colourful dialect, until she snuffs it, too. Daughter Ellie, a wiz at repairing broken appliances, is devastated. She drives her repair van to the Fantonis’ native Huddersford, planning to end it all. But then, she meets a quirky family who needs her help.
Prendergast of the Yard is cleverer than her boss gives her credit for, and she decides to solve it on her own—the Curious Case of the Throatslit Man and his Tumblestairs Wife. She, too, travels to Huddersford, where she uncovers a web of corruption and all sorts of wackiness.
Prendergast has quite a ‘mouth’ on her, and her sassy dialogue with her boss, with service people and suspects, is hilarious. Even the way she goes about investigating the crime is funny. She purports to being a cookery journalist researching a piece on Sicilian gnocchi smuggling. We almost lose track of the murder investigation amongst all the silliness, but we pick it back up toward the end.
Thompson has a distinctive writing style, very creative with vocabulary. He makes mashups of metaphors and legends like ‘try, try again like Spiderman the Bruce’. He takes verbs and makes them into adverbs, nouns are turned into verbs ‘coupdegrassed’, ‘marmaladed pride’, ‘longmarried sufferance’, ‘houdinied’, ‘bruiseyfruit and festerveg’ and ‘shrivelcuts’ of meat.
A desk is ‘overflowing with in-trays, out-trays, pending-trays, tea-trays, post-it notes, forget-it notes, f***-it notes and this-high stacks of paperwork’. ‘Hippopotomonstroseqipidaliophobia’ is apparently the fear of long words, and in case you’re wondering, is equilettered (hey, I can invent words, too) to ‘supercalifragilificexpialidocious’.
I normally say that this sort of cleverness should be done sparingly. Too many gorgeous metaphors and complicated adjectives can become ‘purple prose’, which, however artful, is not pleasant reading. Here, the humorous word gymnastics has become the thing itself. Sort of Alice in Wonderland, but more quippy than trippy. Sort of Hitchhiker’s Guide, but more pun-cracky than wacky.
The result of all this inventive word-play is a lot of humour, at the same time telling a madcap story with a twisty plot. Funniest book I’ve read in a long while.
The hardback format features adorable/beautiful full-colour drawings and collages.

[Chapter Chirp (Jessica)]

“Elliefant’s Graveyard: The Curious Case of the Throatslit Man” by Em Thompson follows two women with different connections to two curious murders. The first, Constable Heather Prendergast is trying to gather clues to solve the unusual murders. The second, Ellie Fantoni, the daughter of the two deceased tries to decide what’s next in life. This novel was an interesting and witty mystery. It was full of an extensive vocabulary (often mismashed words and or colorful words), quippy dialogue, and twists I didn’t expect. I had a bit of trouble with some of the dialogue bits where pronunciation was very British. Overall, I found the writing to be like nothing I had ever read before, and there were quite a few laugh out loud moments along the way making this a delightful read!