Mrs. Malory and Death in Practice

Mrs. Malory Mysteries #14

by Hazel Holt

The new town veterinarian hardly has any kennel-side manner. His patients squirm and bark in his presence-and the humans don't fancy him, either. Even genial Mrs.. Malory can't find a redeeming bone in his body. So when the vet turns up dead, a whole roster of townspeople are suspects.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Cozy, British Literature, Fiction

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

Hazel Holt is a British novelist. She studied at King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham, England, and then Newnham College, Cambridge. She went on to work at the International African Institute in London, where she became acquainted with the novelist Barbara Pym, whose biography she later wrote. She also finished one of Pym's novels after Pym died.

Holt wrote her first novel in her sixties, and is a leading crime novelist. She is best known for her "Sheila Malory" series. Her son is the novelist Tom Holt.

Reviews

[BrianC75 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the atmosphere and the quality of the writing. However, plot meandered and let things down.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a new veterinarian in town and is soon becomes obvious that he isn't going to be very popular. Almost right away he is changing things and not in a good way. It's obvious to patrons and the word quickly spreads in the little town where Sheila Malory lives.

But it's still a surprise when the man is found dead, and unfortunately, at the clinic, which immediately paints all the clinic employees as suspects. But as usual, there are even more suspects — individuals who for one reason or another could have motives.

While the police are unable to come up with clues to move their case forward, Sheila is on the hunt. She likes the clinics people but even they come under suspicion as she puts her mind to trying to figure out just which one of the many crossed the line to murder.

As usual, Hazel Holt has crafted an engaging and charming amateur investigator in Sheila Malory, who knows everyone and hears everything that worth hearing in her community. So between volunteering for many community activities, listening to gossip and enjoying the fun of being a grandma, Sheila gradually gathers the pertinent clues.

This is an easy, enjoyable cozy series that always entertains if you don't look look at it with a too-jaundiced eye. Sometimes I am amazed at what the woman gets away with but its hard not to forgive her when the result is so much fun. Another winner in the series.

[Homerun2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant British cozy series
3.5 stars

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

On this second reading, I found it almost as good as the first time around, a very good sign! I thought I remembered who the murderer was, although there are enough choices and variety to make it intriguing and still satisfying when I was right.
There is a new veterinarian in the town of Taviscombe and he gets everyone's back up. The animals don't even like him! When he is found dead in his office, it brings joy and relief all around. As usual, Mrs. Malory is in the thick of the gossipy investigations. We know there is an official police inquiry going on, but it never intrudes into the real business of Mrs. Malory and her devoted pack of informants! Just before Christmas, she tackles the murderer who has already decided to make a full confession, so there is never any messy suspense or worry about becoming another victim.
Put this way, it seems frothy and insubstantial, but I think that's actually what I like about it. It is never self-conscious or twee; Hazel Holt presents what seems to be a plausible mystery about real people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances without batting an eye!

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheila Malory isn’t the only villager discontented with the new vet, who has been brought into the practice because he has money to keep it running, which the dedicated staff does not. However, Malcolm Hardy is a very unpleasant man - quite oleaginous toward pet owners, yet deeply nasty to everybody else. So when he dies mysteriously at the vet’s surgery, everybody is relieved despite being uneasy that a murderer appears to dwell among them. And Mrs. Malory is not about to let the staff at the practice shoulder the blame, not if she can find the real culprit…. This is the 14th in the Mrs. Malory cozy series, and it returns to form in the sense of having the murder victim be someone that the reader (and the characters) are quite happy to see dispatched; in the event, I didn’t cotton on to the real killer until quite late in the book, which is always fun in a mystery! The descriptions of small-town life in England are as pleasing as ever, and the solution may leave readers feeling quite satisfied; recommended.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dr. Doolittle he's not. In fact, the new veterinarian in town, Malcolm Hardy, has no kennel-side manner at all. His patients squirm and bark in his presence, and the humans in this quiet English town -- including Mrs. Malory -- can't find a redeeming bone in his body. So it's not a surprise when the vet turns up dead -- or that more than one of the locals apparently had grudge enough to do him in. Now it's up to the irrepressible Mrs. Malory to find out who really sent Hardy to the big dog pound in the sky."
~~back cover

As usual, a nice visit to Taviscombe, and it's daily round of village life. The twist with this one was: the person I thought murdered him actually did murder him. And usually the one you think did it turns out vindicated and cleared. But not this time. What a surprise!

[Marty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Veterinary Practice in town needs a new vet and an input of capital. Unfortunately, the new man, Malcolm Hardy, does not have a good temperament to be working with animals – or people. He is interested in only the “bottom line” and profits. Although he has inherited his large family estate nearby, he doesn’t seem to fit in. His sudden death surprises everyone – especially when they find that he was murdered by a combination of insulin and alcohol. Unfortunately, there are a number of people who are not sad to see him dead. Can Mrs. Malory help solve the crime? -- One of the better Mrs. Malory stories.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dithered between 3 stars and four. I really enjoyed my time reading this book. I was able to escape into a village world where Mrs. Malory keeps encountering people she knows at the veterinary clinic, the grocery store and the post office. Many times they decide to stop for coffee whereupon Mrs. Mallory gets another clue to related to a murder. The cause of death seemed impossible to conclusively peg as a murder which kept me kind of skeptical throughout, but I did enjoy the ride.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sheila Mallory mystery. The local new vet seems totally disliked by everybody, including Sheila but when he turns up dead the long list of suspects seems to grow and grow. Lots of twists and turns. Good read.

[Tommie Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to end the Hazel Holt book-a-thon. I have 4 books left to achieve my goal, so I should make it easily. I went to the library and checked out some books written by authors I have not read before to finish off.

[Joan Colby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat slow moving Mrs. Malory. Delightful details as always, but a mediocre plot.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

The edition I read was just called "Death in practice"

[Helen Geng · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read April 2020
Swapped on bookmooch.com

[Martha Kearsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, well written, not too cozy, cozy.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 14th book in the Mrs. Malory series by Hazel Holt. This one involves a very mean and
greedy new veterinarian in town and Mrs. Malory, as well as several other animal owners in the village are not impressed with his treatment of them or their animals.

Of course it isn't long before someone takes matters into their own hands and gets rid of "Dr. Evil".

There are alot of suspects and it is up to Mrs. Malory to figure out just who did it, I was surprised by the identity of the murderer in this book.

Also I love the introduction to Sheila's new granddaughter and I enjoyed reading about all the Christmas preparations; food, shopping, visiting friends and the snow in the village.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is all about the demise of the new veterinarian. He has no kennel-side manner and has managed to put up the backs of patients, owners, and his fellow townspeople right and left. Was it the owner of one of the dogs who mysteriously died under his care? Was it a relative hoping to inherit or one of the employees at the veterinary clinic who had had enough of his bossy take-over? Mrs. Malory collects tidbits from various members of the community and puts it all together to solve the mystery before the police. No academic leanings to this one, but a good British cozy.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The new obnoxious vet is poisoned with insulin and lots of animal escapades in this one. Sheila is at home and Mrs. Dudley knows ALL the backgrounds for myriad players in the practice and out. Sheila is also a new Grandma and family lines for the future and possible pitfalls for the mother-in-law role raise their heads. But Sheila recognizes and surmounts all with her love and kindness for their own independence, as usual. Found the motive for this one just a bit far fetched.

[Virginia Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mrs. Malory is an animal lover, and she does not like the way the new veterinarian in Taviscombe treats his patients or his staff. Nobody is surprised when he is murdered, but Mrs. Malory is a little sorry when she learns who did the nasty deed. There were other suspects she disliked more.

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this on holiday - and its a great light read. The mystery certainly keeps you guessing and there are some fun characters. My problem was altogether too much gossipping, cream teas and nosiness !!! I found this all a bit too fluffy - still good to read on the beach!

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mrs. Malory is the neighborhood busy body. If she doesn't know everything about anyone, she will certainly find away to discover it. Including murder and who done it, if it comes to that.

This is a good, clean, fun, murder mystery. As cozy as it gets and an easy read.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little English village cozy.

[Mary Newcomb]

This time it is a disagreeable veterinarian who dies. Mrs Malory figures it all out with help from some unlikely sources.

[Julie]

these are nice quiet mysteries. am going to keep reading the series

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

the new vet is killed

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read. Cozy mystery.

[JenniferB]

Murder mystery - average not gripping.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice cozy ambience but red herrings didn't serve