A Lesson in Murder

Cherringham #13

by Matthew Costello, Neil Richards

When Jack and Sarah are called in to investigate mysterious pranks at an exclusive girls' private school, it seems at first that it might be the work of a few mean pupils with a grudge. But things quickly turn serious when a popular teacher meets a sudden, violent death. Now, with murder in the air, Jack and Sarah have their own lessons to learn about the Cherringham Girls School, its dark secrets... and who wanted that teacher dead before they learned the truth.

-- Cherringham is serial novel à la Charles Dickens, with a new mystery thriller released each month. Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack. Thrilling and deadly - but with a spot of tea - it's like Rosamunde Pilcher meets Inspector Barnaby. Each of the self-contained episodes is a quick read for the morning commute, while waiting for the doctor, or when curling up with a hot cuppa.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Crime, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Detective, Cozy

99 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2015

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In einem Mädcheninternat geschehen unschöne Dinge: Gift im Essen, aufgeschlitzte Autoreifen und tote Ratten im Schwimmbad! Wer steckt dahinter? Ein neuer Fall für Jack und Sarah.
Diesen 13. Band der Reihe habe ich wieder sehr genossen. Mir hat das Setting "Internat" sehr gefallen. Der Wohlfühlkrimi war unterhaltsam, kurzweilig und auch spannend.

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy it as much as the other ones but it's always great to follow Jack and Sarah through the whole thing!

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another car ride with Tim.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wieder eine gute Folge aus der Cherringham Reihe. Ich liebe sie einfach. Jack und Sarah sind klasse und Sabina Godec liest hervorragend.

[Karalee Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number 13 in the authors’ Cherringham series.

As always, I enjoyed this novella. But I did have one thought in passing: at one point, Sarah ruminates on her school days, first during her days at a boarding school while her RAF family traveled, and finally at Cherringham Comprehensive:

She’d hated it — so lonely for her, and when her dad retired and the family moved to Cherringham, she’d been overjoyed to be going to a normal day school — albeit one with two thousand pupils.

Up until this point, I had pictured Cherringham as a small village. But a town with two thousand school-age children couldn’t be all that small – unless, of course, the English are unusually prolific. This definitely revises my view of the bucolic settings for the series.

[Hannah Symonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love a mystery thriller you will love this book. It kind of reminded me a little bit of Midsummer Murders which is a good thing as I love watching them. The two main characters are called Jack and Sarah who work together, they have to work out the mystery involving a teacher at an all girls school. There are a few twists and turns and you wont believe the ending. Mystery at it's best I say.

[Anne Hawn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what was the hold-up with this book. I have it on my list as being read 3 years in a row, but I swear, I don't remember reading it. To tell the truth, it wasn't all that hard to read, but I stopped reading these books around the time I read the series and I think they had just gotten a little too much alike. Anyway, I finished it and hopefully, I'll remember it next year.

[Imjussayin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Lesson in Murder : Cherringham 13
Chronological order, not necessary but recommended.

In A Nutshell: With pranks escalating in severity at Cherringham Girls School are Jack and Sarah looking at murder when a favourite teacher dies unexpectedly? Written the way a mystery should be and it has a modern twist.

The Protagonists: Take one hard-boiled former New York City Detective retired to Cherringham England and one British-born business minded divorcee who fled home to Cherringham, and you have our protagonists. The professional and amateur in the sleepy Oxford countryside. Jack Brennan is the gentleman, and Sarah Edwards mother of two is the techie.

The Plot:Nasty pranks at a prestigious school and the unexpected death of a popular teacher. Are they related? Is it murder?

Written in the old school style this formulaic cliche story works wonders. It transports the reader to a sleepy English village where murder happens without any of the gore. And there is no pressure on Jack or Sarah to have a relationship. Yet. They are just two people who work well together and enjoy what they do.

Well written, light and refreshing this book is a good read. It does what it says on the tin (well cover) and does it beautifully.

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Book Rating

Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one or 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.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this episode Jack and Sarah are inveigled into a very quiet investigation into some very nasty pranks at a VERY pricey girls boarding school and find some interesting things despite marked obstruction by the admin of that very institution. Unusual.
Love this idea of a series given in short bursts that are just the right size as well as so much more flexible than a whole novel! The ongoing sleuthing involves a retired and widowed older NYPD homicide cop who is finding life in the English countryside a fair antidote to his mourning, and a local recently divorced woman who has returned to her hometown with her children. They make a good sleuthing pair.
Voice actor Neil Dudgeon has been an excellent asset to my listening pleasure, making sure that
I know who's talking while I do mindless things.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cherringham series has turned into a hit or miss for me -- A Lesson in Murder was a hit. Thankfully, the ending was not apparent. The relationship between certain characters was not fully spelled out but hinted at, which allowed the reader to draw their conclusions.

Jack and Sarah are back to their old selves and have seemed to have figured out their relationship. I don’t know what the future holds, but I am good with where they are now.

For anyone not sure if this is the correct series for them, I would wholeheartedly encourage them. The short stories /novellas are a perfect break before jumping in a meatier book or just for those times where you want something brief and engaging. A story where the characters are steady, and the humor is just what you need.

[Karen Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack and Sarah are called in to the prestigious Cherringham Girls' School to investigate a series of increasingly cruel "pranks." Slashed tires, poisoned food, and dead rats in the swimming pool have the school Headmaster in a tizzy but our detectives feel that he is holding something back. In fact, every one that they speak with seems to be keeping secrets. A day later, when a favorite teacher jumps in front of a train, Jack and Sarah know that they must quickly get to the bottom of this mystery before someone else gets hurt.

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A further episode in the life of Jack Brennan, ex NYPD homicide detective and web designer and single mum Sarah Edwards in the quintessential English village of Cherringham.
For such a small riverside village Cherringham certainly seems well equipped. This episode concerns goings on at the very exclusive girls school on the outskirts.
If you liked the other stories, you'll like this one. If you havent read others, go back to the beginning. You wont be disappointed.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murders of the Past and Present

Once again Sarah and Jack, the duo that everyone in Cherringham are beginning to put together as the team to solve the mysteries of the small village of the Cotswolds. Jack is a retired NYPD DETECTIVE and Sarah owns her own shop, a single Mom of two and very good at helping Jack solve these cases. Read and enjoy.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack and Sarah are now taking a "fee" for their case-solving, which they split between charities. Very nice development. This installment features a look into an exclusive girls' school where some very gross things have occurred.

[Cecilia Gustavsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to listen too when you clean the house. It gives you ”Midsomer murders” wibes. It is fun to try to figure out how the guilty person is. Jack is a retired cop from US, Sarah is a singel mom and they solves crime together. This one was about a murder/accident.

[Meggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sure what happened to that teacher was terrible, but she wasn't a good person. I'm not sorry she died the way she did. She ruined some lives with her action and behavior. She deserved what she got.

[Kataklicik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook : Spotify.
Read by Neil Dudgeon.

[Roo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best but ok

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

#13 ♥️

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little far fetched but I did like the twists and turns

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a nice, quick read(or, rather, listen). Interesting mystery.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The detectives sure accepted that perp's explanation easily.

[Neely Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pricy private school with lots of problems. Are they pranks or misdemeanors? Jack and Sarah must find out.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tony private girl's school. Vandalism, then a death. Was it suicide, an accident or murder?

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Cherringham - A Lesson in Murder -Cherringham Book 13
Author: Matthew Costello & Neil Richards
Published: 3-11-2016
Publisher: Bastei Entertainment
Pages: 107
Genre: Mysteries, Thrillers and Suspense
Sub Genre: British Cozy; Murder Mystery, Crime
ISBN: 13-978-3732508457
ASIN: B00R87VGNI
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
My Rating: 4.5 Stars



I receive a copy of Cherringham - A Lesson in Murder from the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.



Sarah Edwards, a divorced web designer and Jack Brennan,a retired widowed homicide detective from the U.S. are asked to come and investigate a recent rash of pranks being perpetuated at an exclusive school for girls. They are originally believed to be the work of a few disgruntled students, that is until the much beloved teacher Ms. Braithwaite is found murdered. They begin to look at the students and staff a little more closely.



Fast paced and filled with mystery and intrigue. Like most of the Cherringham books it is short read that is long in talent. You can easily read it in an hour or two, a long bus ride or wait in the doctor's office don't worry you will stay entertained with Cherringham, A Lesson in Murder. Writers Costello and Richards have used their talents to bring the characters to life and describe the scene so that you can almost feel you are there.




This is the thirteenth book out of the presently 25 book series, but can be read as a stand alone, thanks mostly to the brief explanation at the opening of the book. I believe it will appeal to others like myself that enjoy reading a lighter style mystery the is done well. My rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.




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[Janis Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Bastei Entertainment for allowing me to read an ARC of this book via Netgalley for an open and honest review.

This is the 13th book in a series of, currently, 14 books. Unfortunately I didn’t know this when I requested a copy and haven’t had the opportunity to read the rest of the series first. Though, in a way, it didn’t really matter. Why? Because there was a helpful little blurb in the front of the book that gave me a quick catch up as to whom the two main characters were and it helped me set the scene before I began to read. And, besides the occasional reference to other stories in the series, this book was very easy to read as a stand-alone.

I enjoyed it a lot, but probably would have rated it a bit higher if I’d read the rest of the series first. To be honest, most cosy crimes get a 3 out of 5 stars for me, this means it’s good. Take it as good, it’s rare I go higher for any book.

What did I like? It had a good, fast but steady paced story. It used short, sharp sentences to keep it going and enticing the reader to keep reading. Something I love in a “short story” cosy crime.

There was one thing I didn’t like that much and that was the thought italics that seemed to appear every other paragraph. It got a tad annoying, but didn’t put me off story. Though I do wish there was less of them.

Would I recommend this book to others? Possibly. But I would probably recommend they start with the first book and read the whole series.

Would I seek out more Cherringham and read the rest of the series? Yes I would. It has entertained and interested me enough that I can see myself heading to an eBook store near me to check some more of the stories out. I don’t know if it will become one of my favourites, but it’s intrigued me enough to at least give a few more of them a read.

A fun read. A fantastic, quick cosy crime and an introduction to a very interesting new series. Definitely recommend.

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie’s roommate was Hanna. They had been in school together for six years. In three terms they would be done with Cherringham H S For Girls. Jack and Sarah are working together. At the all girl H S. Jack is a former hard boiled NYC Detective. Jack retired to Cherringham, England and Sarah is a business minded divorcee who had went home to Cherringham. Sarah is a mother of two her husband left her for his boss. Sarah is a web designer but also investigates mysteries with Jack. Jack has taught Sarah welland her skills show that she has picked up from Jack. Nasty pranks were being played at the school. Sarah and Jack had been called to the school to investigate the increasing cruel pranks that had started out innocent but escalated - like slashed tires, poisoned food, dead rats in the pool. The Headmaster is upset as the pranks are putting the school at risk. but Jack and Sarah know he is holding something back. Everyone hey speak to seems to have secrets. One day after they were there a teacher jumps in front of a train? Sarah uses the internet and uses the teacher’s computer files to get the whole story. When Jack and Sarah get paid they donate their pay between charities. The teacher was not a good person she had ruined some lives with her actions. Emily Braithwaite is a popular teacher and is known for making favorites of certain 6th formers.
I enjoyed this book. I advise you to read the books in this series in order. This is a food interesting mystery book. It was a little annoying to see the thought italics so often. I loved the twists and turns in this book. I loved the action. I liked how Jack and Sarah worked so well together. I felt this was well written. I liked there was a short biography of Jack and Sarah. I did feel this was a little rushed. This did keep me guessing as I read this just as a good mystery should. I liked the characters and the twists and turns and I recommend this.

[Pammycats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherringham - A Lesson in Murder
By: Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is a terrific mystery series. Jack (former NYPD detective) and Sarah (British web designer) team up to solve mysteries in their small English village. All of the books in this series are available only in electronic form. I looked them up on Amazon. Some of them are free and some you can buy for around 0.99 cents (American). I checked out the authors as well. Mr. Richards is British and Mr. Costello is American which perfectly mirrors the heroes in the book. This is an ideal collaboration and blends their styles seamlessly. I loved that we get alternating viewpoints - sometimes seeing things through Jack's eyes and sometimes get Sarah's perspectives. We also heard narrative through other characters.

The dialogue is crisp and keeps the action moving quickly. I loved the mixture of American and British speaking styles. I could practically hear them talking. This is a relatively short book (about 74 pages total) and so (like a good short story) every detail and nuance is important to the plot. The reader receives all the great mystery details without extraneous padding.

There is very minimal character development. I recognize, however, that this is a series and can/ should be viewed as an overall work of art. Take a look at Alexander McCall's "44 Scotland Street" series which first appeared as a newspaper serial. Not much growth in the characters each episode but overall (over time) people changed. I'm anxious to read all of these books to form a more educated opinion.

Overall I loved this quick, clever, brisk book. I highly recommend for cosy mystery fans or anyone who appreciates a well-done story.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

I was drawn to participating in this tour with the book being a murder mystery, one of my most fave genres. This is a short story of just 103 pages but don't go thinking you get less of a story! It always surprises me how much an author can cram in to ensure a decent enough story and its no different here. What I wasn't aware of is that it's part of a series (poor research on my behalf!), however I felt this could be read as a standalone if you're looking for a quick fix but to really get into the characters history more you'd most probably want to start at the beginning (this is no 13).

The story revolves around ex NYC cop Jack and web designer Sarah who are hired by a local private girl's school headteacher to investigate some strange goings-on at the school. As expected they're faced with tall tales and red herrings along the way.

I liked that Sarah was a strong lead character; not just left following Jack's lead and that they worked together as real equal partnership.

The thing is with a short story and a murder mystery there's a lot to pack in a short space of time. There's no time for waffle and so forces the author to write succintly but with enough detail to still make the story and the characters interesting and engaging. This is achieved well in this short story. I didn't feel like I was being short-changed.

Cosy crime is the perfect series title and this reminded me of TV programmes like Jonathan Creek and Murder, She Wrote (both of which I love!).