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Murder in Little Shendon
MURDER IN LITTLE SHENDON Picture, if you will, a picturesque village called Little Shendon, suddenly caught up in dealing with a murder of one of its citizens - not a particularly well-liked one at that. Which makes it all the more intriguing because the list of suspects becomes very long. This tantalizing tale unfolds with delightful twists and turns to find out whodunit to Mr. Bartholomew Fynche, the murdered shopkeeper. Fear grips the community as the investigation slowly progresses. Everyone is interviewed; everyone is suspect! From the murdered man's housekeeper to Lady Armstrong, her staff and her nephew. Or could it be the shy librarian new in town? Or the defiant retired army major and his ladyfriend, the post mistress? Or perhaps the weird sisters who live on the edge of town? Then there is the couple who own the local inn and pub, along with the two Americans who are staying there? Even the vicar and his wife fall under the gloom of suspicion. Uncertainty, wariness, and terror reign as neighbors watch neighbors to discover the evil that permeates their upturned lives. No one feels safe in this charming little village. A.H. Richardson, noted author, places in your trembling hands a mystery murder that will keep you reading until you learn the details, uncovered by Police Inspector Stanley Burgess and his two amateur detectives, his friend Sir Victor Hazlitt and the famed Shakespearean actor Beresford Brandon. Scratch your head with them over the strange clues that turn up. Follow them as they tread carefully among the landmines that appear innocent as they lie hidden beneath the surface of mystery. Something evil skulks in this tiny country village. Who is the murderer? And why was this strange uncivil man dispatched in such a seemingly civil community? You are challenged to discover the culprit before the last few pages. And no fair looking ahead - it's the journey that proves the most enticing.
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
A.H. Richardson
9 books20 followersA. H. Richardson was born in London England and is the daughter of famous pianist and composer Clive Richardson. She studied drama and acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She was an actress, a musician, a painter and sculptor, and now an Author.
She published her debut novel Jorie and the Magic Stones in December 2014. At the request of those who loved the first ‘Jorie’ story, Richardson has written a sequel titled Jorie and the Gold Key, and she is currently working on the third book in the series.
In addition to children’s books, she also enjoys writing murder mysteries. She is the author of Murder in Little Shendon, a thriller murder mystery which takes place in a quaint little village in England after World War Two, and introduces two sleuths, Sir Victor Hazlitt and his sidekick, Beresford Brandon, a noted Shakespearian actor. And she has more ‘who-dun-its’ with this clever and interesting duo… Act One, Scene One – Murder and Murder at Serenity Farm.
A. H. Richardson lives happily in East Tennessee, her adopted state, and has three sons, three grandchildren, and two pugs. She speaks four languages and loves to do voiceovers. She plans on writing many more books and hopes to delight her readers further with her British twist, which all her books have.
She published her debut novel Jorie and the Magic Stones in December 2014. At the request of those who loved the first ‘Jorie’ story, Richardson has written a sequel titled Jorie and the Gold Key, and she is currently working on the third book in the series.
In addition to children’s books, she also enjoys writing murder mysteries. She is the author of Murder in Little Shendon, a thriller murder mystery which takes place in a quaint little village in England after World War Two, and introduces two sleuths, Sir Victor Hazlitt and his sidekick, Beresford Brandon, a noted Shakespearian actor. And she has more ‘who-dun-its’ with this clever and interesting duo… Act One, Scene One – Murder and Murder at Serenity Farm.
A. H. Richardson lives happily in East Tennessee, her adopted state, and has three sons, three grandchildren, and two pugs. She speaks four languages and loves to do voiceovers. She plans on writing many more books and hopes to delight her readers further with her British twist, which all her books have.
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October 15, 2017
3.5 stars
Murder in Little Shendon is the first in a new murder mystery series.
Local Inspector Stanley Burgess feels out of his depth when a resident is brutally murdered so he calls in former MI5 Sir Victor Hazlitt, who has family ties with the village, to help out with the investigation. Victor arrives with his charming friend and actor Beresford Brandon who he feels with his affable nature and good looks will be an asset when questioning people.
As the trio split up to interview the townsfolk we find that the murder victim was not particularly well liked and a long list of suspects ensues when most interviewed had a motive and the opportunity.
Set in the quaint little town of Shendon where everyone knows each other and as the investigation proceeds we find there are lots of secrets unfolding.
This is an appealing murder mystery set sometime late 1940’s when everyone was very proper. The characterization is excellent and I could clearly imagine the little town and it’s quirky and eccentric residents.
My only problem with the story was the changing point of view; sometimes this happened mid page and was off putting.
If you enjoy watching shows like Midsummer Murders this novel will definitely appeal.
My thanks to the author and Book Publicity Services for my digital copy.
Murder in Little Shendon is the first in a new murder mystery series.
Local Inspector Stanley Burgess feels out of his depth when a resident is brutally murdered so he calls in former MI5 Sir Victor Hazlitt, who has family ties with the village, to help out with the investigation. Victor arrives with his charming friend and actor Beresford Brandon who he feels with his affable nature and good looks will be an asset when questioning people.
As the trio split up to interview the townsfolk we find that the murder victim was not particularly well liked and a long list of suspects ensues when most interviewed had a motive and the opportunity.
Set in the quaint little town of Shendon where everyone knows each other and as the investigation proceeds we find there are lots of secrets unfolding.
This is an appealing murder mystery set sometime late 1940’s when everyone was very proper. The characterization is excellent and I could clearly imagine the little town and it’s quirky and eccentric residents.
My only problem with the story was the changing point of view; sometimes this happened mid page and was off putting.
If you enjoy watching shows like Midsummer Murders this novel will definitely appeal.
My thanks to the author and Book Publicity Services for my digital copy.
June 20, 2018
Book Reviewed by Clive on www.whisperingstories.com
Murder in Little Shendon is a classic British murder mystery, set in an idealised English village of the 1950’s full of interesting and often mysterious characters. If you are an Agatha Christie fan you will love this. Indeed, you may even find one or two events very familiar.
A.H. Richardson has created some wonderful characters, all somewhat stereotypical of the genre but well described and believable. I really enjoyed the pairing of Sir Victor and Berry so I was pleased to learn that she has subsequently given them other stories. There were also some lovely touches from side characters.
I note that the author is UK born but has lived in the USA for many years. She has remembered her roots well and the text is convincing with just the occasional “Americanism” slipping in; co-worker for colleague, entryway for porch and a doctor estimating the weight of the body in pounds instead of stones. Also, when I was young all the village stores were known either simply by the proprietor’s name or the village name. We had Miss Smith’s Haberdashery, we did not have a Woolly World.
As expected in a typical whodunit everyone is a suspect, everyone has a secret and everyone has a motive. The amateur sleuths work their way through the list, uncovering clues one by one. They keep their interviews gentle and I found myself wanting to ask more. Richardson teases the reader with unasked questions and the sleuths’ inability to delve deeper.
The Table of Contents tells us that the final chapter has the unoriginal title of And the Murderer Is… which we reach with lots of motives and clues but, unless you are sharper than me, no certainty of who the perpetrator is. Of course there is only one way to resolve such a mystery so using subterfuge the police inspector calls everyone together to reveal all in dramatic style. I expected nothing different.
One could describe Murder in Little Shendon as formulaic, idealistic and unoriginal. It is, but it is also familiar, teasing and entertaining. Definitely worth four stars.
Murder in Little Shendon is a classic British murder mystery, set in an idealised English village of the 1950’s full of interesting and often mysterious characters. If you are an Agatha Christie fan you will love this. Indeed, you may even find one or two events very familiar.
A.H. Richardson has created some wonderful characters, all somewhat stereotypical of the genre but well described and believable. I really enjoyed the pairing of Sir Victor and Berry so I was pleased to learn that she has subsequently given them other stories. There were also some lovely touches from side characters.
I note that the author is UK born but has lived in the USA for many years. She has remembered her roots well and the text is convincing with just the occasional “Americanism” slipping in; co-worker for colleague, entryway for porch and a doctor estimating the weight of the body in pounds instead of stones. Also, when I was young all the village stores were known either simply by the proprietor’s name or the village name. We had Miss Smith’s Haberdashery, we did not have a Woolly World.
As expected in a typical whodunit everyone is a suspect, everyone has a secret and everyone has a motive. The amateur sleuths work their way through the list, uncovering clues one by one. They keep their interviews gentle and I found myself wanting to ask more. Richardson teases the reader with unasked questions and the sleuths’ inability to delve deeper.
The Table of Contents tells us that the final chapter has the unoriginal title of And the Murderer Is… which we reach with lots of motives and clues but, unless you are sharper than me, no certainty of who the perpetrator is. Of course there is only one way to resolve such a mystery so using subterfuge the police inspector calls everyone together to reveal all in dramatic style. I expected nothing different.
One could describe Murder in Little Shendon as formulaic, idealistic and unoriginal. It is, but it is also familiar, teasing and entertaining. Definitely worth four stars.
June 14, 2017
This is Murder Mystery book where everyone in this village is a suspect. The victim was not a likable person and it appears that everyone in this small village had a bone to pick with him at one point or another. When he is found murdered in his shop - Police Inspector Stanley Burgess and his two amateur detectives, his friend Sir Victor Hazlitt and the famed Shakespearean actor Beresford Brandon are on the case.
Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, in this town is interviewed. This is a classic British Whodunit. As each person is interviewed it becomes evident that there are those keeping secrets, those with secret relationships and those who may or may not be involved. Then to make matters worse, or more interesting, there is another murder. People in the village are on edge and and begin to look at each other as possible suspects. There are a few twists and turns. The book culminates into the big REVEAL at the end. Everyone is gathered at the end for the big public reveal. Drama ensues and the investigators get their answers.
I struggled initially with this book. I LOVE mysteries but had a very hard time getting into this book. I also found that for me there were too many characters. Around the half way mark, I started enjoying this book more and I will say that the reveal at the end was done very nicely. Kudos for that! For some reason, I feel that this book would work very nicely as a play. I can see this being performed and acted out on stage.
I received a copy of this book from Book publicity services and the Author in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, in this town is interviewed. This is a classic British Whodunit. As each person is interviewed it becomes evident that there are those keeping secrets, those with secret relationships and those who may or may not be involved. Then to make matters worse, or more interesting, there is another murder. People in the village are on edge and and begin to look at each other as possible suspects. There are a few twists and turns. The book culminates into the big REVEAL at the end. Everyone is gathered at the end for the big public reveal. Drama ensues and the investigators get their answers.
I struggled initially with this book. I LOVE mysteries but had a very hard time getting into this book. I also found that for me there were too many characters. Around the half way mark, I started enjoying this book more and I will say that the reveal at the end was done very nicely. Kudos for that! For some reason, I feel that this book would work very nicely as a play. I can see this being performed and acted out on stage.
I received a copy of this book from Book publicity services and the Author in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
November 9, 2017
Set in a quaint English village shortly after World War II, Murder in Little Shendon is a classic British whodunnit.
The story starts with the murder of the local antiques dealer, Mr Fynche, by all accounts a character universally disliked by the village residents. Is that what got him killed or is the motive linked to rumours of his involvement with MI5 during the war?
Inspector Burgess calls in the help of his friend Sir Hazlitt. Together with the actor they will endeavour to find out the truth. Having an actor involved in the investigation seems a little odd, but his charm may just convince people to share information with him that they might not as easily share with the police.
There are a lot of characters to get acquainted with, maybe even a few too many. They’re all eccentric in their own little ways. Some have secrets but even those who don’t, find themselves on the suspect list. And they all, and I do mean all, will be interviewed.
I found some of the story a little repetitive at times. Conversations that were relayed to different people, yet sounded quite the same. But there was also the repetition of words like “rather” in three subsequent sentences and that sort of thing just annoys me.
However, Murder in Little Shendon is a well-written cosy mystery with intriguing characters. It’s an entertaining story but for me, it just needed that little something extra to keep me hooked.
The story starts with the murder of the local antiques dealer, Mr Fynche, by all accounts a character universally disliked by the village residents. Is that what got him killed or is the motive linked to rumours of his involvement with MI5 during the war?
Inspector Burgess calls in the help of his friend Sir Hazlitt. Together with the actor they will endeavour to find out the truth. Having an actor involved in the investigation seems a little odd, but his charm may just convince people to share information with him that they might not as easily share with the police.
There are a lot of characters to get acquainted with, maybe even a few too many. They’re all eccentric in their own little ways. Some have secrets but even those who don’t, find themselves on the suspect list. And they all, and I do mean all, will be interviewed.
I found some of the story a little repetitive at times. Conversations that were relayed to different people, yet sounded quite the same. But there was also the repetition of words like “rather” in three subsequent sentences and that sort of thing just annoys me.
However, Murder in Little Shendon is a well-written cosy mystery with intriguing characters. It’s an entertaining story but for me, it just needed that little something extra to keep me hooked.
Read
January 23, 2018I was recently sent Murder in Little Shendon by publicists in exchange for an honest review.
A.H. Richardson’s Murder in Little Shendon is an Agatha Christie murder mystery written in the hand of our beloved 40-page-sentence author, Marcel Proust. This means to say that this book is a murder mystery in the way that it is not so much the murder that is at heart of the entire story, but rather the way in which it is described – how the murder, it’s suspects, and everything and everyone in between are presented to the reader. Alternating points of view and perspectives lure the reader into the story where everything is no longer cookie-cutter perfect and all is amiss, inviting the reader to solve the inexplicable question: who killed ole’ Barholomew Fynche and does anyone really even care ?
Set in a tiny, seemingly banal village called Shendon where all is expected to be right, a terrifying murder unfolds that brings a town together not for the mourning of a beloved inhabitant but rather as suspects of the murder of a brusque old man. In this post World War II British town Mr. Fynche is a sour antiques dealer but the reader never gets a chance to really get to know the guy as the story begins in the middle of things at the onset of his murder. Together with his trusted ally Sir Hazlitt and quirky actor buddy Beresford Brandon, local inspector Burgess traverse through the village, one by one questioning its inhabitants in order to discover the truth behind Mr. Fynche’s death. The three buddies split up, waking up a once gray and dreary town, spreading fire, spotlighting all everyone and anyone that they come across, determined not to miss a single detail of this sudden kill.
The novel quickly and suddenly alternates points of view between as multiple characters are introduced and made suspect, possibly villain in the story. Each character comes with a different past – their own story to tell, one way or another connecting them to the murder. Each have secrets, some more profoundly wicked than others. This is exactly what I found most appealing about the novel. The cook at Sir Victors aunt’s home is constantly fighting to keep still in the face of questions while a young newcomer evidently hides something that no one can guess but all can detect from her inscrutable manner. There are clues that the trio follows which bring them through twists, turns, and often back to where they started as they are lead to doubt what is being said and whom they should trust and believe is telling the truth and why others feel the need to lie. It was not so much the murder that drew me in, it was the flawlessness that the author displayed in using the murder as a way to study each and every person in the town. Richardson creates an accurate portrait as she takes the reader into the mind of the characters, revealing the secrets they keep, conflicts they are fighting, and the troubles that they have no choice but to confront with the unfolding of Mr. Fynche’s death. Each character has a story to tell and takes the reader along, back in time to the point where their secrets become their worst enemies.
The language is really old school, keeping up with the murder unraveling during the 1940’s. I particularly enjoyed this in the book, feeling as though I was reading into another time where everything was classic, different and the world was still suffering the consequences of the second world war.
If I have to give this book any negative feedback it would be the abrupt changes between first and third person, not to mention the random switches in perspective from one suspect to another. This made it at times hard to follow and keep up with what one suspect was saying, and differentiate it from what was actually going on in the book. As a result, I never really managed to feel as though I was in the story. I felt on the outside and never got the feeling that I could forget that I was simply reading a book. I also feel as though this book would have worked better were it formatted as a script rather than a novel with each scene taking the reader into the life of one of the characters. This would have solved the issues of distraction from the alternating time and character perspective. It also would have made the story far easier to connect with as each scene could have connected the suspect with their role in the murder, all-the-while canceling out issues of reliability and whether or not the suspect can even be trusted in solving the murder.
All the suspects’ stories lead up to the riveting, bone chilling and somehow unexpected reveal in the end: the merciless killer. The investigators finally get their answer, but this answer creates all the more questions which often go unanswered, creating ten more mysteries for ever one that is solved.
Murder in Little Shendon brings together the disturbed mind of Christie and the evocative descriptions of Proust to create an entirely new style of mystery, at the same time quick to form, slow to progress and difficult to resolve. This is a highly recommended story that rethinks what makes a murder mystery a murder mystery, no longer putting gruesome action first but instead reevaluating how it is described, rendering language and style more competent than story itself.
A.H. Richardson’s Murder in Little Shendon is an Agatha Christie murder mystery written in the hand of our beloved 40-page-sentence author, Marcel Proust. This means to say that this book is a murder mystery in the way that it is not so much the murder that is at heart of the entire story, but rather the way in which it is described – how the murder, it’s suspects, and everything and everyone in between are presented to the reader. Alternating points of view and perspectives lure the reader into the story where everything is no longer cookie-cutter perfect and all is amiss, inviting the reader to solve the inexplicable question: who killed ole’ Barholomew Fynche and does anyone really even care ?
Set in a tiny, seemingly banal village called Shendon where all is expected to be right, a terrifying murder unfolds that brings a town together not for the mourning of a beloved inhabitant but rather as suspects of the murder of a brusque old man. In this post World War II British town Mr. Fynche is a sour antiques dealer but the reader never gets a chance to really get to know the guy as the story begins in the middle of things at the onset of his murder. Together with his trusted ally Sir Hazlitt and quirky actor buddy Beresford Brandon, local inspector Burgess traverse through the village, one by one questioning its inhabitants in order to discover the truth behind Mr. Fynche’s death. The three buddies split up, waking up a once gray and dreary town, spreading fire, spotlighting all everyone and anyone that they come across, determined not to miss a single detail of this sudden kill.
The novel quickly and suddenly alternates points of view between as multiple characters are introduced and made suspect, possibly villain in the story. Each character comes with a different past – their own story to tell, one way or another connecting them to the murder. Each have secrets, some more profoundly wicked than others. This is exactly what I found most appealing about the novel. The cook at Sir Victors aunt’s home is constantly fighting to keep still in the face of questions while a young newcomer evidently hides something that no one can guess but all can detect from her inscrutable manner. There are clues that the trio follows which bring them through twists, turns, and often back to where they started as they are lead to doubt what is being said and whom they should trust and believe is telling the truth and why others feel the need to lie. It was not so much the murder that drew me in, it was the flawlessness that the author displayed in using the murder as a way to study each and every person in the town. Richardson creates an accurate portrait as she takes the reader into the mind of the characters, revealing the secrets they keep, conflicts they are fighting, and the troubles that they have no choice but to confront with the unfolding of Mr. Fynche’s death. Each character has a story to tell and takes the reader along, back in time to the point where their secrets become their worst enemies.
The language is really old school, keeping up with the murder unraveling during the 1940’s. I particularly enjoyed this in the book, feeling as though I was reading into another time where everything was classic, different and the world was still suffering the consequences of the second world war.
If I have to give this book any negative feedback it would be the abrupt changes between first and third person, not to mention the random switches in perspective from one suspect to another. This made it at times hard to follow and keep up with what one suspect was saying, and differentiate it from what was actually going on in the book. As a result, I never really managed to feel as though I was in the story. I felt on the outside and never got the feeling that I could forget that I was simply reading a book. I also feel as though this book would have worked better were it formatted as a script rather than a novel with each scene taking the reader into the life of one of the characters. This would have solved the issues of distraction from the alternating time and character perspective. It also would have made the story far easier to connect with as each scene could have connected the suspect with their role in the murder, all-the-while canceling out issues of reliability and whether or not the suspect can even be trusted in solving the murder.
All the suspects’ stories lead up to the riveting, bone chilling and somehow unexpected reveal in the end: the merciless killer. The investigators finally get their answer, but this answer creates all the more questions which often go unanswered, creating ten more mysteries for ever one that is solved.
Murder in Little Shendon brings together the disturbed mind of Christie and the evocative descriptions of Proust to create an entirely new style of mystery, at the same time quick to form, slow to progress and difficult to resolve. This is a highly recommended story that rethinks what makes a murder mystery a murder mystery, no longer putting gruesome action first but instead reevaluating how it is described, rendering language and style more competent than story itself.
May 1, 2018
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
I received this from the author in exchange for my honest review
In the town of Little Shendon, a man was brutally murdered. Mr. Fynche was not liked by many in Little Shendon, meaning everyone is a possible suspect. Three detectives attempt to solve the mystery and discover the alibis of each town folk.
I really did not like this book. I found it boring and uneventful. I hated the dialogue between characters and didn't care for any of them in any way. Characters names were spelled differently through out the book which distracted me. This book just was not for me.
I received this from the author in exchange for my honest review
In the town of Little Shendon, a man was brutally murdered. Mr. Fynche was not liked by many in Little Shendon, meaning everyone is a possible suspect. Three detectives attempt to solve the mystery and discover the alibis of each town folk.
I really did not like this book. I found it boring and uneventful. I hated the dialogue between characters and didn't care for any of them in any way. Characters names were spelled differently through out the book which distracted me. This book just was not for me.
December 27, 2017
When Bartholomew Fynche, the owner of the antiquity shop ‘Bygone Era’ in the quaint little village of Little Shendon is murdered, Inspector Burgess calls in help from his friends to investigate the crime – for which there are too many suspects as Fynch had a dark past and was not particularly liked…
| Introduction |
A Hazlitt-Brandon Murder Mystery #1
A regular Thursday in LIttle Shendon – the shops close early and because of that, there are many who pop in the ‘Bygone Era’ just before closing time. Not all come in peace. Some have messages and business to discuss. They decide to wait until later as it is just too busy. Unbeknownst to them, that ‘later’ will never come. Because later that afternoon, Fynche’s cleaning lady makes a gruesome discovery… her boss is brutally murdered! Quite the task for Inspector Burgess who decides to call in some help…
| Storyline |
Inspector Burgess realises that Fynche’s murder might be much more complicated than it seems. Where the villagers would love the case to be a burglary gone wrong, executed by an outsider, Burgess knows that such is not the case. For one, only Fynche’s ring is stolen. Furthermore, Fynche has a somewhat secret past as he worked for MI5 during WWII as a decipherer and code specialist. And he was an expert on the field of antiquities of which there are a lot in the ‘Bygone Era.’ Burgess feels the case might very well be over his head, hence his calling in ‘the troops’ in the form of his friend, Sir Victor Hazlitt, whose friend, the actor Beresford ‘Berrie’ Brandon, needs little convincing to tag along. A murder with the possibility of a motive linking to a secret past… who would not want a chance to investigate?!
The village of Little Shendon is buzzing with excitement and rumours about the murder. As to a motive, almost everyone living there feels animosity towards Fynche as the man was not particularly liked and his demeanour could be rude at times. With most of the villagers having been in or around the antique shop prior to the murder, it is no wonder that the investigation involves interviews with everyone living there. Inspector Burgess, Victor Hazlitt and Berrie Brandon each visit villagers to ask them about their whereabouts on the day of the murder. Soon, they have their suspects lined up for them as with almost every interview, a new suspect can be added to the list. There are doubts and thoughts unspoken, left hanging in the air and soon, a shocking event upsets the whole of the village…. Will they capture the murderer before he or she strikes again?
| My Thoughts |
I am in two minds about Murder in Little Shendon. I love a cosy mystery and love the feel of the picturesque village, the way the author takes the time to describe the characters and their surroundings. This is not for those, who are looking for a fast-paced thriller but for those, who enjoy a classic whodunit, a Golden Age murder mystery. It was a pleasant read in which the author takes the reader along on the investigation with the detectives, to discover clue after clue and put the pieces of the puzzle together. The three men investigating the case are each in their own agreeable characters – Police Inspector Burgess, his friend Sir Hazlitt and the actor Beresford (‘Berrie’) Brandon.
Where I first had to smile upon recognising the name ‘Beresford’ (after Agatha Christie’s famous sleuthing duo – Tommy and Tuppence Beresford), I soon realised that the whole book was, in fact, filled with references to Agatha Christie’s detective novels, especially ‘A Pocketful of Rye’. The secretary having difficulty with brewing tea, the quaint village, the elderly lady (although with somewhat different characteristics), the housemaid Gladys (not as clumsy as Agatha Christie’s!), how a murder took place, and the way the investigation is executed and many more details. I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie but if you are going to write a story involving so many references to her characters and events, just mention it, for instance by calling it a tribute to Agatha Christie, that would have felt better – right – to me.
To me, that was the only ‘snag’ because all in all, this was a pleasant read. I very much enjoyed this well-written cosy murder mystery wherein the author paints a beautiful picture of the characters, the village, and the events and invites the reader to tag along with the investigators on their trail to find the murderer amongst the many suspects presented to us. Of the three detectives, I loved the two friends who were asked to help: Victor Hazlitt and Berrie Brandon. They are a great duo! We are privy to each and every discovery they make which makes it a special treat for me. I love to have the case presented to me and to puzzle the pieces together! Oh, and I forgot to mention how much I love the name of the antique shop, the ‘Bygone Era.’ An entertaining book to read sitting next to a cosy fire with a nice cup of tea.
Read the review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/murder...
| Introduction |
A Hazlitt-Brandon Murder Mystery #1
A regular Thursday in LIttle Shendon – the shops close early and because of that, there are many who pop in the ‘Bygone Era’ just before closing time. Not all come in peace. Some have messages and business to discuss. They decide to wait until later as it is just too busy. Unbeknownst to them, that ‘later’ will never come. Because later that afternoon, Fynche’s cleaning lady makes a gruesome discovery… her boss is brutally murdered! Quite the task for Inspector Burgess who decides to call in some help…
| Storyline |
Inspector Burgess realises that Fynche’s murder might be much more complicated than it seems. Where the villagers would love the case to be a burglary gone wrong, executed by an outsider, Burgess knows that such is not the case. For one, only Fynche’s ring is stolen. Furthermore, Fynche has a somewhat secret past as he worked for MI5 during WWII as a decipherer and code specialist. And he was an expert on the field of antiquities of which there are a lot in the ‘Bygone Era.’ Burgess feels the case might very well be over his head, hence his calling in ‘the troops’ in the form of his friend, Sir Victor Hazlitt, whose friend, the actor Beresford ‘Berrie’ Brandon, needs little convincing to tag along. A murder with the possibility of a motive linking to a secret past… who would not want a chance to investigate?!
The village of Little Shendon is buzzing with excitement and rumours about the murder. As to a motive, almost everyone living there feels animosity towards Fynche as the man was not particularly liked and his demeanour could be rude at times. With most of the villagers having been in or around the antique shop prior to the murder, it is no wonder that the investigation involves interviews with everyone living there. Inspector Burgess, Victor Hazlitt and Berrie Brandon each visit villagers to ask them about their whereabouts on the day of the murder. Soon, they have their suspects lined up for them as with almost every interview, a new suspect can be added to the list. There are doubts and thoughts unspoken, left hanging in the air and soon, a shocking event upsets the whole of the village…. Will they capture the murderer before he or she strikes again?
| My Thoughts |
I am in two minds about Murder in Little Shendon. I love a cosy mystery and love the feel of the picturesque village, the way the author takes the time to describe the characters and their surroundings. This is not for those, who are looking for a fast-paced thriller but for those, who enjoy a classic whodunit, a Golden Age murder mystery. It was a pleasant read in which the author takes the reader along on the investigation with the detectives, to discover clue after clue and put the pieces of the puzzle together. The three men investigating the case are each in their own agreeable characters – Police Inspector Burgess, his friend Sir Hazlitt and the actor Beresford (‘Berrie’) Brandon.
Where I first had to smile upon recognising the name ‘Beresford’ (after Agatha Christie’s famous sleuthing duo – Tommy and Tuppence Beresford), I soon realised that the whole book was, in fact, filled with references to Agatha Christie’s detective novels, especially ‘A Pocketful of Rye’. The secretary having difficulty with brewing tea, the quaint village, the elderly lady (although with somewhat different characteristics), the housemaid Gladys (not as clumsy as Agatha Christie’s!), how a murder took place, and the way the investigation is executed and many more details. I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie but if you are going to write a story involving so many references to her characters and events, just mention it, for instance by calling it a tribute to Agatha Christie, that would have felt better – right – to me.
To me, that was the only ‘snag’ because all in all, this was a pleasant read. I very much enjoyed this well-written cosy murder mystery wherein the author paints a beautiful picture of the characters, the village, and the events and invites the reader to tag along with the investigators on their trail to find the murderer amongst the many suspects presented to us. Of the three detectives, I loved the two friends who were asked to help: Victor Hazlitt and Berrie Brandon. They are a great duo! We are privy to each and every discovery they make which makes it a special treat for me. I love to have the case presented to me and to puzzle the pieces together! Oh, and I forgot to mention how much I love the name of the antique shop, the ‘Bygone Era.’ An entertaining book to read sitting next to a cosy fire with a nice cup of tea.
Read the review on my website: https://www.bitsaboutbooks.net/murder...
July 17, 2017
The story begins in The Bygone Era, an antique shop in the village of Little Shendon. The proprietor, Bartholomew Fynche is waiting for someone. His thoughts reveal to us that he has made a discovery (we're not to be told yet what precise discovery) and that his visitor may not be at all pleased with the results of their little meeting. By the end of the first chapter, we know that this is true--because that someone (again, we're not told who) has bashed Mr. Fynche over the head with an Edwardian candlestick and left him quite dead. Fynche's cleaning lady comes into the room some time later and, given her shrieks, soon the whole village knows of the murder.
Inspector Burgess is quickly on the spot and once the doctor, after confirming the method and timing of the death, informs him that rumor has it that Fynche was once connected to MI5, Burgess decides to call in Scotland Yard. Superintendent Milner of the Yard suggests that it would be even better if Sir Victor Hazlitt, a former Intelligence man himself, were to lend a hand and Hazlitt in turn brings along his friend Beresford Brandon, a Shakespearean actor with more than a passing interest in matters of crime. The trio of detectives divide up the work and each takes on the task of interviewing various members of the village. It becomes apparent that nearly everyone in the village was seen in the shop or in the near vicinity around the time of the murder. And...Mr. Fynche was not precisely a well-loved character and just about everyone had a reason (from small to large) to be glad that the man is dead.
Certain villagers seem to have more to hide than others--from the cook who works for Sir Victor's aunt and who seems very worried about something to the gardener who thinks where he was and what he was doing is nobody's business but his own to the young woman who arrived in the village a short time ago and who has an unknown connection to the murdered man to the maid's young beau who manages to lose his jacket in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are also clues to be followed up: a mysterious piece of paper with a "P" and an "O" (or part of an "O"), a squiggle that looks like an "S" or a snake, and something that looks like two sticks; Fynche's missing ring; and a priceless jade horse. Burgess, Hazlitt, and Brandon will have to sift through a great deal of chaff in their interviews before a few illuminating bits of information will put them on the right track.
Murder in Little Shendon (2015) is a classic detective novel in the Golden Age tradition. The village setting in very reminiscent of Agatha Christie, particularly the Miss Marple stories, and the time period is close...some time after World War II. We have a fine mix of the more official detectives--Inspector Burgess of the local force and Sir Victor with his former ties to Intelligence--and the amateur crime solver Brandon. Before Brandon decided to trod the boards, he had given thought to a career as a police detective, so his interest is a bit more than that of the average amateur. The trio make a good team with each detective well-drawn and bringing different strengths to the investigation. Brandon is, as one might expect from an actor, very good at charming the witnesses and getting them to talk.
The mystery plot is, in general, put together very well and so is the investigation. The solution is a little pat, but overall very satisfying and I enjoyed reading a recently published mystery that follows the classic crime tradition so nicely. I understand that Ms. Richardson has followed this novel with two more mysteries featuring Sir Victor and Brandon and I look forward to giving them a try. ★★★★ overall for the story itself.
I have just a few quibbles with the novel--as a book. First--the formatting is annoyingly distracting. It is formatted with double-spacing between every paragraph. Absolutely unnecessary in a novel and it breaks up the page as well as the reading flow. It's as if it was decided ahead of time that we MUST have at least 248 pages using this particular font size and, by golly, if we've got to double-space to get there, then we will. Added to that, the paragraphs are, generally speaking, very short. It's as if the old writing rule that every paragraph should have at least three sentences was taken to mean that you shouldn't have any more than that--the vast majority of the paragraphs have only three sentences and some have less. Between the short paragraphs and the double-spacing throughout, the book feels very choppy. Which is a shame because the mystery itself is very good and a better reading rhythm would have increased the reading the pleasure enormously. The other disappointment is the cover. After going to great lengths to give this novel a very Golden Age atmosphere, that cover is very in-your-face ( Look at all that blood!!! ) and about as far from a classic mystery cover as you could get. Not that some of the cheap, pulp editions of classic novels couldn't be a bit lurid, but at least the artwork was good and the artists used some imagination. This one looks like someone just dumped a cupful of red paint onto a black piece of paper.
**********************
Thanks to Kelsey at Book Publicity Services for arranging the delivery of this review copy. My review policy is posted on my blog, but just to reiterate....The book was offered to me for impartial review and I have received no payment of any kind. All comments in this review are entirely my own honest opinion.
Inspector Burgess is quickly on the spot and once the doctor, after confirming the method and timing of the death, informs him that rumor has it that Fynche was once connected to MI5, Burgess decides to call in Scotland Yard. Superintendent Milner of the Yard suggests that it would be even better if Sir Victor Hazlitt, a former Intelligence man himself, were to lend a hand and Hazlitt in turn brings along his friend Beresford Brandon, a Shakespearean actor with more than a passing interest in matters of crime. The trio of detectives divide up the work and each takes on the task of interviewing various members of the village. It becomes apparent that nearly everyone in the village was seen in the shop or in the near vicinity around the time of the murder. And...Mr. Fynche was not precisely a well-loved character and just about everyone had a reason (from small to large) to be glad that the man is dead.
Certain villagers seem to have more to hide than others--from the cook who works for Sir Victor's aunt and who seems very worried about something to the gardener who thinks where he was and what he was doing is nobody's business but his own to the young woman who arrived in the village a short time ago and who has an unknown connection to the murdered man to the maid's young beau who manages to lose his jacket in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are also clues to be followed up: a mysterious piece of paper with a "P" and an "O" (or part of an "O"), a squiggle that looks like an "S" or a snake, and something that looks like two sticks; Fynche's missing ring; and a priceless jade horse. Burgess, Hazlitt, and Brandon will have to sift through a great deal of chaff in their interviews before a few illuminating bits of information will put them on the right track.
Murder in Little Shendon (2015) is a classic detective novel in the Golden Age tradition. The village setting in very reminiscent of Agatha Christie, particularly the Miss Marple stories, and the time period is close...some time after World War II. We have a fine mix of the more official detectives--Inspector Burgess of the local force and Sir Victor with his former ties to Intelligence--and the amateur crime solver Brandon. Before Brandon decided to trod the boards, he had given thought to a career as a police detective, so his interest is a bit more than that of the average amateur. The trio make a good team with each detective well-drawn and bringing different strengths to the investigation. Brandon is, as one might expect from an actor, very good at charming the witnesses and getting them to talk.
The mystery plot is, in general, put together very well and so is the investigation. The solution is a little pat, but overall very satisfying and I enjoyed reading a recently published mystery that follows the classic crime tradition so nicely. I understand that Ms. Richardson has followed this novel with two more mysteries featuring Sir Victor and Brandon and I look forward to giving them a try. ★★★★ overall for the story itself.
I have just a few quibbles with the novel--as a book. First--the formatting is annoyingly distracting. It is formatted with double-spacing between every paragraph. Absolutely unnecessary in a novel and it breaks up the page as well as the reading flow. It's as if it was decided ahead of time that we MUST have at least 248 pages using this particular font size and, by golly, if we've got to double-space to get there, then we will. Added to that, the paragraphs are, generally speaking, very short. It's as if the old writing rule that every paragraph should have at least three sentences was taken to mean that you shouldn't have any more than that--the vast majority of the paragraphs have only three sentences and some have less. Between the short paragraphs and the double-spacing throughout, the book feels very choppy. Which is a shame because the mystery itself is very good and a better reading rhythm would have increased the reading the pleasure enormously. The other disappointment is the cover. After going to great lengths to give this novel a very Golden Age atmosphere, that cover is very in-your-face ( Look at all that blood!!! ) and about as far from a classic mystery cover as you could get. Not that some of the cheap, pulp editions of classic novels couldn't be a bit lurid, but at least the artwork was good and the artists used some imagination. This one looks like someone just dumped a cupful of red paint onto a black piece of paper.
**********************
Thanks to Kelsey at Book Publicity Services for arranging the delivery of this review copy. My review policy is posted on my blog, but just to reiterate....The book was offered to me for impartial review and I have received no payment of any kind. All comments in this review are entirely my own honest opinion.
March 25, 2018
A very good British police procedural and a new author for me. The book was recommended to me my one of my WordPress blog friends.This appears to part of series of mysteries featuring Police Inspector Stanley Burgess and his two amateur detectives, his friend Sir Victor Hazlitt and the famed Shakespearean actor Beresford Brandon. Inspector Burgess is called to the small village of Little Shendon to investigate the death of Bartholomew Fynche, a murdered shopkeeper. It was an early closing day for the shops and a good many of the residents visited the shop. Bartholomew Fynche was disliked many people and there are a number who had a motive. At one point, I found myself turning the pages as fast I could read. I will read this author again. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
January 24, 2018
Overall, I liked this story. The story is so theatrical at times that I can easily picture this being a play. It did miss some suspense and was repetitive in parts. However, I do recommend it and I want to read A.H. Richardson's next instalment in the series "Act One, Scene One - Murder".
The Characters: There are a lot of them! We meet our main investigators, the police chief over in London, the majority of the villagers and even one or two persons who live close-by. In fact, the first fifth of the story deals with introducing us to the plethora of participants. We see them in their regular surrounding and figure out how they are all connected to Fynche and one another. This works well as they are quirky and keep the reader entertained. The POV changes frequently but usually from chapter to chapter so it's not too hard to follow.
The Setting: Little Shendon is described in vivid detail, yet never long, winding, boring sentences. It's a typical English countryside village where everyone knows everybody and is up to date with the latest gossip. I loved the description of the pub. The only issue I had was that the time period was never expressly stated, neither in the book's blurb nor within the story. I placed it sometime after WWII and upon reading a snippet sent to me with the book, that was confirmed. It would still have been nice for this to be narrowed down a bit more clearly.
The Plot: There were clues interspersed throughout the story. There were convincing motives for most of the suspects (which happened to be the majority of the villagers). There was even a red herring plopped in at one point. It still didn't take too much effort to figure it out once all the suspects and their personalities were revealed.
The pacing of the story is generally good with very few lulls. The novel itself is entertaining and the characters really move it forward. I think it's more character driven than plot driven; and Berry is an absolute delight. My main criticism here is that I'd read a whole interview with a suspect and then, almost word for word, what was discovered by the individual investigator is rehashed when all three meet to compare notes. Too repetitive there.
I was originally leaning towards a 3.5 rating for this book as I feel the mystery needed to be stronger. However, the story was incredibly entertaining. I was amused by Berry and the gang and there was this whole feel-good, over-the-top whodunit vibe that I adored. I give this story 4 stars overall.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Book Publicity Services in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are entirely my own .
The Characters: There are a lot of them! We meet our main investigators, the police chief over in London, the majority of the villagers and even one or two persons who live close-by. In fact, the first fifth of the story deals with introducing us to the plethora of participants. We see them in their regular surrounding and figure out how they are all connected to Fynche and one another. This works well as they are quirky and keep the reader entertained. The POV changes frequently but usually from chapter to chapter so it's not too hard to follow.
The Setting: Little Shendon is described in vivid detail, yet never long, winding, boring sentences. It's a typical English countryside village where everyone knows everybody and is up to date with the latest gossip. I loved the description of the pub. The only issue I had was that the time period was never expressly stated, neither in the book's blurb nor within the story. I placed it sometime after WWII and upon reading a snippet sent to me with the book, that was confirmed. It would still have been nice for this to be narrowed down a bit more clearly.
The Plot: There were clues interspersed throughout the story. There were convincing motives for most of the suspects (which happened to be the majority of the villagers). There was even a red herring plopped in at one point. It still didn't take too much effort to figure it out once all the suspects and their personalities were revealed.
The pacing of the story is generally good with very few lulls. The novel itself is entertaining and the characters really move it forward. I think it's more character driven than plot driven; and Berry is an absolute delight. My main criticism here is that I'd read a whole interview with a suspect and then, almost word for word, what was discovered by the individual investigator is rehashed when all three meet to compare notes. Too repetitive there.
I was originally leaning towards a 3.5 rating for this book as I feel the mystery needed to be stronger. However, the story was incredibly entertaining. I was amused by Berry and the gang and there was this whole feel-good, over-the-top whodunit vibe that I adored. I give this story 4 stars overall.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Book Publicity Services in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are entirely my own .
May 21, 2017
I got this from NetGalley. It's an old-fashioned murder story where everyone in the village has motive and opportunity. The police officer investigating the case asks for help from a colleague who inexplicably brings an actor friend along to assist as well. The majority of the book consists of interviews with everyone in the village before a final chapter of a big Agatha Christie-style revealing of the murderer in a room full of people. It was okay. I didn't really have strong feelings about it one way or the other. 3 stars.
May 20, 2017
4 and 1 / 2 stars
Mr. Bartholomew Fynche is murdered in his shop by a blow from a candlestick.
Inspector Stanley Burgess catches the case and is accompanied by Constable Hobbs to investigate the scene and set up the search for the killer. Constable Hobbs is a detective-in-training. He is very observant and astute.
Inspector Burgess first contacts his boss Superintendent Derek Jonathan Milner of Scotland Yard who in turn calls his friend Sir Victor Hazlitt, who then contacts another friend Beresford “Berry” Brandon who is an actor and amateur detective. Sir Victor was acquainted with Bartholomew Fynche when they were together in MI5. Fynche was a codebreaker.
Sir Victor and Berry travel to Little Shendon to assist in the investigation. Inspector Burgess is glad to have the help of these two gentlemen.
They split up the list of many, many suspects. Mr. Fynche was a decidedly unpleasant man. After interviewing, they join up together and discuss the case. They happen upon a lucky find and it breaks the case wide open. While the murder was not so much of a surprise, the circumstance of their being in Little Shendon and the motive for the crime was a revelation.
This book is well written and plotted. The chapters are short which tends to move the story along more quickly. The characters are interesting and likeable. Oddly, this is my first A.H. Richardson novel, but it won’t be my last. I truly enjoy her writing. This book puts me in mind of an episode of “Midsomer Murders,” a British television series now in its twentieth year.
I want to thank Kelsey Butts of CreateSpace for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book to read.
Mr. Bartholomew Fynche is murdered in his shop by a blow from a candlestick.
Inspector Stanley Burgess catches the case and is accompanied by Constable Hobbs to investigate the scene and set up the search for the killer. Constable Hobbs is a detective-in-training. He is very observant and astute.
Inspector Burgess first contacts his boss Superintendent Derek Jonathan Milner of Scotland Yard who in turn calls his friend Sir Victor Hazlitt, who then contacts another friend Beresford “Berry” Brandon who is an actor and amateur detective. Sir Victor was acquainted with Bartholomew Fynche when they were together in MI5. Fynche was a codebreaker.
Sir Victor and Berry travel to Little Shendon to assist in the investigation. Inspector Burgess is glad to have the help of these two gentlemen.
They split up the list of many, many suspects. Mr. Fynche was a decidedly unpleasant man. After interviewing, they join up together and discuss the case. They happen upon a lucky find and it breaks the case wide open. While the murder was not so much of a surprise, the circumstance of their being in Little Shendon and the motive for the crime was a revelation.
This book is well written and plotted. The chapters are short which tends to move the story along more quickly. The characters are interesting and likeable. Oddly, this is my first A.H. Richardson novel, but it won’t be my last. I truly enjoy her writing. This book puts me in mind of an episode of “Midsomer Murders,” a British television series now in its twentieth year.
I want to thank Kelsey Butts of CreateSpace for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book to read.
February 9, 2016
This is a historical mystery with lots of twists and turns.
Beginning in the city of London, two old friends are now asked to come and help solve a murder in the town of Little Sheldon. Sir Victor Hazlitt is a local business man, who is asked by Superintendent Derek Milner of Scotland Yard to help in a murder investigation. Sir Victor enlists his actor friend Beresford Brandon to help him.
Once in Little Sheldon they are brought up to speed on the murder of a local business man Mr. Fynche that no one in the town or elsewhere liked. It seems everyone in Little Sheldon has had at least one run in with Mr. Fynche, even the local Americans vacationing in the town.
As the investigation continues it seems the lis of suspects has grown to the whole town. With little to go on and the knowledge that Mr. Fynche was once a M15 decoder, this case is growing more curious with each passing day.
This book really keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is and why. With a whole list of characters from the local fishmonger to the Lady of Green Oaks. The characters are very well developed and grow as the book unfolds.
Beginning in the city of London, two old friends are now asked to come and help solve a murder in the town of Little Sheldon. Sir Victor Hazlitt is a local business man, who is asked by Superintendent Derek Milner of Scotland Yard to help in a murder investigation. Sir Victor enlists his actor friend Beresford Brandon to help him.
Once in Little Sheldon they are brought up to speed on the murder of a local business man Mr. Fynche that no one in the town or elsewhere liked. It seems everyone in Little Sheldon has had at least one run in with Mr. Fynche, even the local Americans vacationing in the town.
As the investigation continues it seems the lis of suspects has grown to the whole town. With little to go on and the knowledge that Mr. Fynche was once a M15 decoder, this case is growing more curious with each passing day.
This book really keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is and why. With a whole list of characters from the local fishmonger to the Lady of Green Oaks. The characters are very well developed and grow as the book unfolds.
February 19, 2018
I remember reading Agatha Christie as a child, thrilled and maddened by the opportunity to track clues in a (mostly) futile attempt to identify the culprit before the Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot reveal. Christie had the unique ability to write about murder with little blood or violence, even as the bodies piled up, making her novels quaintly exciting—so very different from the modern day thrillers full of bombs and guns and mixed martial arts. I have no idea if A.H. Richardson read Agatha Christie—though I consider it safe to assume as any self-respecting Brit she has—but reading MURDER IN LITTLE SHENDON I felt wisps of my childhood days curled up with a Christie mystery. Richardson excels at writing likable and entertaining characters that kept me turning pages, but I missed the panache of the Christie climax. Anytime the storyline began to lag, however, I was pulled forward by the richly drawn characters and the dry-humored dialogue. Richardson wastes no time killing off Bartholomew Fynche, the most reviled man in Little Shendon, within the first few pages. Inspector Stanley Burgess, the local constabulary, quickly realizes solving the murder will be virtually impossible with the meager local resources at his disposal, so he calls in his old friend Sir Victor Hazlitt, a retired MI5 operative, to help with his investigation. Hazlitt shows up to Little Shendon with a famous actor and close friend in tow, the gregarious Beresford Brandon, to help loosen tongues and put the townspeople at ease. As the three men subtly interrogate the village, they discover just about everyone has a reason to want Fynche dead. Will the three friends find the killer before anybody else dies? You’ll have to crack the spine to find out!
February 23, 2018
This is a charming, endearing, and classic whodunnit murder mystery. Set in a quaint English village, a local owner of a second-hand shop is bopped over the head in the first chapter. Enter the stiff upper lip investigators who quickly whittle the list of subjects down to pretty much everyone in the village.
As we’re introduced to each character, it becomes clear that each of them held some sort of grudge against the victim. It’s impossible to discern at first glance which of them it could possibly be, and it really takes someone with their wits about them to work it out before the finale. You’ll be pleased to know your faithful narrator actually did have the acumen to solve this one ahead of time.
Although each of the characters were well-defined, and beautifully typical of this little post-war community, I found it difficult to keep track of their grievances against the deceased. Most of the reasons were financial, and with so many in the frame it became quite a task to remember how they had been wronged.
Richardson skilfully uses alternating points of view in order to hone our detective skills and create a bit of tension. There are many secrets, many unknown relationships, and a good few clues and red herrings littered throughout the pages that you truly feel empowered to make the call.
I found this to be lovely quick read, not too mentally jarring, and the setting was gorgeously depicted. Should this become a series, I would be more than interested in reading the successors.
As we’re introduced to each character, it becomes clear that each of them held some sort of grudge against the victim. It’s impossible to discern at first glance which of them it could possibly be, and it really takes someone with their wits about them to work it out before the finale. You’ll be pleased to know your faithful narrator actually did have the acumen to solve this one ahead of time.
Although each of the characters were well-defined, and beautifully typical of this little post-war community, I found it difficult to keep track of their grievances against the deceased. Most of the reasons were financial, and with so many in the frame it became quite a task to remember how they had been wronged.
Richardson skilfully uses alternating points of view in order to hone our detective skills and create a bit of tension. There are many secrets, many unknown relationships, and a good few clues and red herrings littered throughout the pages that you truly feel empowered to make the call.
I found this to be lovely quick read, not too mentally jarring, and the setting was gorgeously depicted. Should this become a series, I would be more than interested in reading the successors.
February 28, 2018
3 stars from me. Murder in Little Shendon was a nice small town murder mystery. Town scrooge Flynche is found dead in his antique shop and the list of suspects soon becomes a mile long as ex and amateur investigators find out almost every person in this small town has an issue with Flynche or something to hide, or both.
I had a hard time getting a sense of Shendon as a town; I couldn't place it geographically or in time.
Overall I felt like all of the townspeople interviewed and suspected were meant to be quirky and shifty in their own right, in an effort to throw in some red herrings and draw you in to the town drama, but I just couldn't get there. I found that there were just too many people to keep track of and I didn't really buy in to any of the parallel plots.
I did enjoy that the entire book was really a big long set of interviews leaving it up to me to spot the clues and try to solve this mystery for myself. I'd describe this as a short, cozy mystery reminiscent of Christie and Penny, in my opinion. While a little too detailed and distracting for me, still fun and one I'd consider re-reading to see what I didn't pick up on the first time!
Thank you to A.H. Richardson for a copy of this book to read and review. While I was provided with this free copy, all descriptions and opinions are my own.
I had a hard time getting a sense of Shendon as a town; I couldn't place it geographically or in time.
Overall I felt like all of the townspeople interviewed and suspected were meant to be quirky and shifty in their own right, in an effort to throw in some red herrings and draw you in to the town drama, but I just couldn't get there. I found that there were just too many people to keep track of and I didn't really buy in to any of the parallel plots.
I did enjoy that the entire book was really a big long set of interviews leaving it up to me to spot the clues and try to solve this mystery for myself. I'd describe this as a short, cozy mystery reminiscent of Christie and Penny, in my opinion. While a little too detailed and distracting for me, still fun and one I'd consider re-reading to see what I didn't pick up on the first time!
Thank you to A.H. Richardson for a copy of this book to read and review. While I was provided with this free copy, all descriptions and opinions are my own.
July 20, 2017
I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It is a bit of an old style cozy mystery. Sir Victor and his actor friend Berry are asked to come and help with a murder that has happened. Sir Victor is friends with the inspector on the case, and knows the victim, and his friend Berry has a bit of an investigative background.
This case is where all the characters have a grudge and motive to kill Fynche, the local antiques dealer. He seems to lie to all his customers and steal from them. If you have ever seen the movie Clue with Tim Curry, the style of mystery is close to it.
The only real problem I had with it, was it really needed better editing. There were a few words missing, quotation marks missing when people were speaking and a couple of misspelled words.
The writing was good, and I loved the short chapters. It made for easy grabbing and reading in little chunks when you only have a few moments. The plot was engaging and you were sucked into the story. I loved the characters and hope to read more from this author.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It is a bit of an old style cozy mystery. Sir Victor and his actor friend Berry are asked to come and help with a murder that has happened. Sir Victor is friends with the inspector on the case, and knows the victim, and his friend Berry has a bit of an investigative background.
This case is where all the characters have a grudge and motive to kill Fynche, the local antiques dealer. He seems to lie to all his customers and steal from them. If you have ever seen the movie Clue with Tim Curry, the style of mystery is close to it.
The only real problem I had with it, was it really needed better editing. There were a few words missing, quotation marks missing when people were speaking and a couple of misspelled words.
The writing was good, and I loved the short chapters. It made for easy grabbing and reading in little chunks when you only have a few moments. The plot was engaging and you were sucked into the story. I loved the characters and hope to read more from this author.
October 1, 2017
This is a real classic whodunit story set in my favourite era, just after WW2. I could just picture this lovely little village where everyone knows everyone else’s business if the right questions are asked and boy do they need asking!
Mr. Bartholomew Fynche, a village shopkeeper has been brutally murdered with someone using tremendous force, the only thing is no one really liked him, although you shouldn’t speak ill of the dead. What follows is an intense investigation into the murder and just as much work in proving the prime suspect innocent. Sir Victor Hazlitt and Beresford Brandon are the super sleuth pair playing investigators along side the real thing in the form of Police Inspector Stanley Burgess. Every stone is upturned and every person, in the once was sleepy village, interviewed.
This is a super read but keep all the characters clear in your mind as there is an abundance of them. As this is the first book in a new series it felt like it was quite an introduction to all the players not just in this book but a little background on people who were going to front books in the future too. The timid and shy to the gossips. Loved how Sir Victor Hazlitt and Beresford Brandon worked together to coax the information from the people that were unaware that their bit with other bits told a story of murder.
I already feel at home with all the characters, well the ones that are left, the demise of Mr. Fynche isn’t the only murder to take place but to find out the whys and not only who else will die there is of course the murderer to discover too. A super brilliant ending. So looking forward to visiting Little Shendon and this crime solving trio again very soon.
Mr. Bartholomew Fynche, a village shopkeeper has been brutally murdered with someone using tremendous force, the only thing is no one really liked him, although you shouldn’t speak ill of the dead. What follows is an intense investigation into the murder and just as much work in proving the prime suspect innocent. Sir Victor Hazlitt and Beresford Brandon are the super sleuth pair playing investigators along side the real thing in the form of Police Inspector Stanley Burgess. Every stone is upturned and every person, in the once was sleepy village, interviewed.
This is a super read but keep all the characters clear in your mind as there is an abundance of them. As this is the first book in a new series it felt like it was quite an introduction to all the players not just in this book but a little background on people who were going to front books in the future too. The timid and shy to the gossips. Loved how Sir Victor Hazlitt and Beresford Brandon worked together to coax the information from the people that were unaware that their bit with other bits told a story of murder.
I already feel at home with all the characters, well the ones that are left, the demise of Mr. Fynche isn’t the only murder to take place but to find out the whys and not only who else will die there is of course the murderer to discover too. A super brilliant ending. So looking forward to visiting Little Shendon and this crime solving trio again very soon.
September 12, 2017
This book is a great introduction to this series. Fans of whodunit stories will enjoy this book. I know I sure did. The characters in this book were a bit eccentric. Yet, this is what I loved about them. Actually, this book reminded me of the board game Clue. With all of the crazy characters and the many different scenarios. I honestly tried to solve the case before the reveal but I did not. Although, I thought that the team of Inspector Stanley Burgess, Sir Victor Hazlitt and Beresford Brandon did a very good job of piecing together all of the clues. As I stated previously, I had such an enjoyable time reading this book that it went by quickly. This was helped by the many different characters, good storyline, charming location, and twists. I look forward to reading more from A.H. Richardson.
August 17, 2017
This is a good classic British village mystery.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
The characters were well written and quite intriguing.
The victim was not liked by anyone and there were many happy to see the last of him.
I found the story easy to follow and entertaining.
The reveal was written in a classic whodunit style and the culprit was not one I would have guessed.
I give this book 5 stars and would definitely read more in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided to me.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
The characters were well written and quite intriguing.
The victim was not liked by anyone and there were many happy to see the last of him.
I found the story easy to follow and entertaining.
The reveal was written in a classic whodunit style and the culprit was not one I would have guessed.
I give this book 5 stars and would definitely read more in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided to me.
February 26, 2018
"Everyone is capable of committing a murder, given what they see as justified provocation."
3/5 stars
Ever since I was very little, mystery novels have had a special hold over me. From reading a few books from the huge Nancy Drew series to my addiction to sail on my pirate ship to search for the best Young Adult mystery novel out there, I have always loved reading mystery novels, especially those involving a murder. Maybe, it results from my love for solving problems. It could also be my love for the dark side and Darth Vader that helped fuel my obsession with this too. Anyway, when the author and the publicist reached out to me to see if I would like to read this book, I immediately said yes, because who doesn't like a good mystery novel?
Usually when a murder takes place, there is a list of suspects for the police to glance over before checking the evidence. In Murder in Little Shendon, everyone is a suspect. When investigator Stanley Burgess calls his friends Victor Hazlitt and actor Beresford Brandon, they find that everyone has a motive. This makes the investigation even harder. However, does this make the investigation more interesting? Yes and no. Yes, it does because, and I will reference the quote I stated in the beginning("Everyone is capable of committing a murder, given what they see as justified provocation."), I thought it could be someone thought to be unlikely to commit a murder. I had to keep guessing as the story progressed as there were so many characters who I thought had a chance to murder Mr. Finch. Also, no, it does not make it more interesting as there is a mile-long list, which caused me to travel from England to Texas in a split second, forgetting the names of some characters. It was so hard to remember everyone and their reasons to kill. Also, I really did not enjoy finding out the killer as it sounded so obvious after learning about it. What made it more disappointing was that the characters kept saying that anyone could commit the murder so I had began to think that a sweet child licking a lollipop could have done it. Never trust a child.
Also, I loved the beginning of this novel! As I had begun to read, it drew me in immediately as this book heads straight for the dramatic scenes. A murder is the perfect beginning for this book, and kudos to Richardson to her amazing writing skills for descriptions and beginning a story. I could picture everything as the events unfurled. I just wish the middle and the ending held up its end as well. I write this because this book was super slow. Although having a slow-building story is not necessarily a bad thing, it can keep me from reading a book, and this just happened to occur in this book. I never knew a mystery novel could be this slow and boring before I read this one. Murder in Little Shendon just needed a boost or some oomph to make is more than a little interesting.
Even though I disliked a lot of bits and pieces of this novel, I believe my own love of mystery novels boosted this book. I enjoyed guessing who had done, and trying to wrap my mind around everything became one of my hobbies while reading this. I think Richardson's story is more about the experience and the journey through Richardson's words rather than the final result of knowing who the killer is.
Full review on my my blog.
3/5 stars
Ever since I was very little, mystery novels have had a special hold over me. From reading a few books from the huge Nancy Drew series to my addiction to sail on my pirate ship to search for the best Young Adult mystery novel out there, I have always loved reading mystery novels, especially those involving a murder. Maybe, it results from my love for solving problems. It could also be my love for the dark side and Darth Vader that helped fuel my obsession with this too. Anyway, when the author and the publicist reached out to me to see if I would like to read this book, I immediately said yes, because who doesn't like a good mystery novel?
Usually when a murder takes place, there is a list of suspects for the police to glance over before checking the evidence. In Murder in Little Shendon, everyone is a suspect. When investigator Stanley Burgess calls his friends Victor Hazlitt and actor Beresford Brandon, they find that everyone has a motive. This makes the investigation even harder. However, does this make the investigation more interesting? Yes and no. Yes, it does because, and I will reference the quote I stated in the beginning("Everyone is capable of committing a murder, given what they see as justified provocation."), I thought it could be someone thought to be unlikely to commit a murder. I had to keep guessing as the story progressed as there were so many characters who I thought had a chance to murder Mr. Finch. Also, no, it does not make it more interesting as there is a mile-long list, which caused me to travel from England to Texas in a split second, forgetting the names of some characters. It was so hard to remember everyone and their reasons to kill. Also, I really did not enjoy finding out the killer as it sounded so obvious after learning about it. What made it more disappointing was that the characters kept saying that anyone could commit the murder so I had began to think that a sweet child licking a lollipop could have done it. Never trust a child.
Also, I loved the beginning of this novel! As I had begun to read, it drew me in immediately as this book heads straight for the dramatic scenes. A murder is the perfect beginning for this book, and kudos to Richardson to her amazing writing skills for descriptions and beginning a story. I could picture everything as the events unfurled. I just wish the middle and the ending held up its end as well. I write this because this book was super slow. Although having a slow-building story is not necessarily a bad thing, it can keep me from reading a book, and this just happened to occur in this book. I never knew a mystery novel could be this slow and boring before I read this one. Murder in Little Shendon just needed a boost or some oomph to make is more than a little interesting.
Even though I disliked a lot of bits and pieces of this novel, I believe my own love of mystery novels boosted this book. I enjoyed guessing who had done, and trying to wrap my mind around everything became one of my hobbies while reading this. I think Richardson's story is more about the experience and the journey through Richardson's words rather than the final result of knowing who the killer is.
Full review on my my blog.
March 14, 2018
As the village residents of Little Shendon are coming to terms with the death of Bartholomew Fynche, a local antique shop owner and man of mystery. It becomes the task of local detective Inspector Burgess investigate. He calls on Sir Victor Hazlitt and Beresford "Berry" Brandon to give assistance.
This is a cosy murder mystery with a classic "whodunit"sleuthing feel to it, similar in style to Agatha Christie novels with several similarities in choice of names for some of the characters. Set in a quintessential English Village with a large cast of characters, the reader is taken through the interviews, through the thoughts and deductions of the case. In this classic style the culprit is uncovered and all the why's and wherefores are explained as we are taken around all those who may have a link to the victim. All being brought together in the Grand Unveiling at a public meeting.
The plot sticks with the tried and tested way of following the sleuths on their journey around the village as they pick up titbits of information to track down the culprit. There are some nice twists and a few red herrings along the way. As for the cast, well there are a lot of them, but I did manage to keep up with them all. The victim is quite an odious man and not a popular face, so he is one of those that you feel got his fictional comeuppance.
This is a book that I would recommend to readers who like a more classic sleuthing and deductive style cosy mystery read. A really enjoyable read, some interesting and memorable characters, quite a few of them I would like to have known more about. This is my first time reading anything by this author and I will be looking at reading more by her in the future.
This is a cosy murder mystery with a classic "whodunit"sleuthing feel to it, similar in style to Agatha Christie novels with several similarities in choice of names for some of the characters. Set in a quintessential English Village with a large cast of characters, the reader is taken through the interviews, through the thoughts and deductions of the case. In this classic style the culprit is uncovered and all the why's and wherefores are explained as we are taken around all those who may have a link to the victim. All being brought together in the Grand Unveiling at a public meeting.
The plot sticks with the tried and tested way of following the sleuths on their journey around the village as they pick up titbits of information to track down the culprit. There are some nice twists and a few red herrings along the way. As for the cast, well there are a lot of them, but I did manage to keep up with them all. The victim is quite an odious man and not a popular face, so he is one of those that you feel got his fictional comeuppance.
This is a book that I would recommend to readers who like a more classic sleuthing and deductive style cosy mystery read. A really enjoyable read, some interesting and memorable characters, quite a few of them I would like to have known more about. This is my first time reading anything by this author and I will be looking at reading more by her in the future.
August 24, 2017
Murder in Little Shendon is exactly what the title says. Shendon is a little English town in which the shopkeeper, Bartholomew Fynche, is murdered with a candlestick. And that is the first chapter. No reason is given why the crime is committed, but we do know that Fynche knows his murderer.
The author of this cozy whodunit is Angela Richardson, who writes under the name A.H. Richardson. Before relocating to Tennessee, she was born in London and is the daughter of Britain’s famous composer and pianist, Clive Richardson. Like many writers, her life has been filled with a spectrum of pursuits, such as painting, sculpting, acting, learning four languages, recording voice overs, and even Dressage. (I had to look that last one up, since I know next to nothing about the art of horse training for exhibition.) Richardson has been a reader all her life and has published more than half a dozen novels.
This novel is about solving the murder of Mr. Fynche, a local shopkeeper but also an enigmatic man once connected to MI5 and whose personality is abrasive enough to make him the least-liked person in town. Inspector Stanley Burgess investigates the crime along with his friend and former MI5 agent himself Sir Victor Hazlitt and his friend Beresford “Berry” Brandon. Berry is a charming man who thinks of himself first as an amateur detective. His day job is as a Shakespearean actor.
No book is perfect, so let me give you the cons first.
CONS
I am, at best, a casual reader of mysteries, so take this with a grain of salt.
There is really only one issue I had with the book. Early on, the story was difficult to get into. Everyone in town was a suspect, and so the three investigators (primarily Berry and Sir Hazlitt) interviewed every person on the list. After a while, it felt like the same scene over and over. I wanted to trade some of the talking heads for action. This sensation eventually flipped, though, and I started turned pages eagerly until the end of the book.
PROS
Let’s start with the cover, which I love. It is just a blood splatter on black, but its simplicity makes it eye-catching. It was done by illustrator Jeff Preston.
Richardson handles the technical side of writing well. The author was invisible throughout the story, as a writer should be. As Stephen King said, “It is the tale, not he who tells it.” Her dialogue is also authentic. In fact, it is one of the best things about the book. I could easily hear the character’s accents and rhythms of speech. This is primarily how Richardson differentiated the characters, instead of relying on physical features. Characters are difficult to bring to life on the printed page, but dialog is one of the best ways. She took full advantage of it.
Best of all, I did not figure out who the murder was beforehand.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?
Sure. It is a quick read and harkens back to the traditional mystery tale. Plus, it is not just another detective mystery trying to take a new angle on Sherlock Holmes.
The author of this cozy whodunit is Angela Richardson, who writes under the name A.H. Richardson. Before relocating to Tennessee, she was born in London and is the daughter of Britain’s famous composer and pianist, Clive Richardson. Like many writers, her life has been filled with a spectrum of pursuits, such as painting, sculpting, acting, learning four languages, recording voice overs, and even Dressage. (I had to look that last one up, since I know next to nothing about the art of horse training for exhibition.) Richardson has been a reader all her life and has published more than half a dozen novels.
This novel is about solving the murder of Mr. Fynche, a local shopkeeper but also an enigmatic man once connected to MI5 and whose personality is abrasive enough to make him the least-liked person in town. Inspector Stanley Burgess investigates the crime along with his friend and former MI5 agent himself Sir Victor Hazlitt and his friend Beresford “Berry” Brandon. Berry is a charming man who thinks of himself first as an amateur detective. His day job is as a Shakespearean actor.
No book is perfect, so let me give you the cons first.
CONS
I am, at best, a casual reader of mysteries, so take this with a grain of salt.
There is really only one issue I had with the book. Early on, the story was difficult to get into. Everyone in town was a suspect, and so the three investigators (primarily Berry and Sir Hazlitt) interviewed every person on the list. After a while, it felt like the same scene over and over. I wanted to trade some of the talking heads for action. This sensation eventually flipped, though, and I started turned pages eagerly until the end of the book.
PROS
Let’s start with the cover, which I love. It is just a blood splatter on black, but its simplicity makes it eye-catching. It was done by illustrator Jeff Preston.
Richardson handles the technical side of writing well. The author was invisible throughout the story, as a writer should be. As Stephen King said, “It is the tale, not he who tells it.” Her dialogue is also authentic. In fact, it is one of the best things about the book. I could easily hear the character’s accents and rhythms of speech. This is primarily how Richardson differentiated the characters, instead of relying on physical features. Characters are difficult to bring to life on the printed page, but dialog is one of the best ways. She took full advantage of it.
Best of all, I did not figure out who the murder was beforehand.
WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?
Sure. It is a quick read and harkens back to the traditional mystery tale. Plus, it is not just another detective mystery trying to take a new angle on Sherlock Holmes.
August 27, 2017
(3.5*) The book starts off looking at the character of the eccentric, and not well liked, Mr Bartholomew Fynche. He’s not alive for very long as he is “very very dead” (he is murdered with a candlestick, quite brutal and gory!)… but who is the murderer?
From the very start, this book is engaging in a quirky an unusual way for a murder mystery. BUT- it really works! For example, it had a very cluedo-y feel (I used to love that board game!). The weapon, the descriptive and notable settings and the stock characters made me feel like I was right back in the library with Professor Plum with the lead pipe! 😉 The characters were also whimsically imaginative such as Burgess and Hobbs which I felt worked well within the book as a quirky duo. They do have a big challenge on their hands as the most dislikeable person in the village has just been killed and everyone (literally everyone) is a suspect.
I have to say, at some points I felt there were too many characters to keep up with which slowed down the pace of the plot. It tended to trail off on tangents, which I guess some were red- herrings, but in general, the story line could have left out a few of the lesser characters. Additionally, there were some monotone scenes which decreased tension in the plot and I was rushing to the end of the scene to get “back in the action” as it were.
But believe me when I say this book will keep you hooked until the very last moment! I thought the narrative was an interesting choice as well. In my opinion, it was very script-like and the story could be easily portrayed through a film or an extravagant theatre production. The narrative style made me think of the film ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ which has the same kind of perspective as this story. Have you heard of it? All the way through this book I felt as if Emma Thompson was reading it to me! I quite enjoyed this element and hope to read more books like this in the future. This story could easily be performed as a theatrical masterpiece and did remind me of the production ‘Witness for the Prosecution’, by Agatha Christie; initially a story, she adapted it into play format too. I would enjoy seeing these characters come to life!
From deception and spies, mystery and lies, this book is full of twists and turns. In short, I would describe this book as ‘a peculiar and quirky twist on an old genre, giving it a fresh yet sophisticated feel’. I would recommend to those fans of Agatha Christie as it reminded me of her work. Additionally, for those fans of modern crime literature, this book is written in a different style which I think would be enjoyed by most mystery fans!
Happy reading! Lx
I received this book from book promotion services for free in exchange for an honest review.
From the very start, this book is engaging in a quirky an unusual way for a murder mystery. BUT- it really works! For example, it had a very cluedo-y feel (I used to love that board game!). The weapon, the descriptive and notable settings and the stock characters made me feel like I was right back in the library with Professor Plum with the lead pipe! 😉 The characters were also whimsically imaginative such as Burgess and Hobbs which I felt worked well within the book as a quirky duo. They do have a big challenge on their hands as the most dislikeable person in the village has just been killed and everyone (literally everyone) is a suspect.
I have to say, at some points I felt there were too many characters to keep up with which slowed down the pace of the plot. It tended to trail off on tangents, which I guess some were red- herrings, but in general, the story line could have left out a few of the lesser characters. Additionally, there were some monotone scenes which decreased tension in the plot and I was rushing to the end of the scene to get “back in the action” as it were.
But believe me when I say this book will keep you hooked until the very last moment! I thought the narrative was an interesting choice as well. In my opinion, it was very script-like and the story could be easily portrayed through a film or an extravagant theatre production. The narrative style made me think of the film ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ which has the same kind of perspective as this story. Have you heard of it? All the way through this book I felt as if Emma Thompson was reading it to me! I quite enjoyed this element and hope to read more books like this in the future. This story could easily be performed as a theatrical masterpiece and did remind me of the production ‘Witness for the Prosecution’, by Agatha Christie; initially a story, she adapted it into play format too. I would enjoy seeing these characters come to life!
From deception and spies, mystery and lies, this book is full of twists and turns. In short, I would describe this book as ‘a peculiar and quirky twist on an old genre, giving it a fresh yet sophisticated feel’. I would recommend to those fans of Agatha Christie as it reminded me of her work. Additionally, for those fans of modern crime literature, this book is written in a different style which I think would be enjoyed by most mystery fans!
Happy reading! Lx
I received this book from book promotion services for free in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2017
The owner of an antique shop is brutally murdered and nothing seemed to be taken. As the investigation moved forward all the people seemed suspicious and with a motive to the murder, as the victim was all but a likable man. Inspector Burguess calls in reinforcements and they arrived in the form of Sir Victor and his actor friend Benson.
"...The help is appreciated gentleman, but one word of warning...be careful. There may be a very dangerous person in our midst, and sometimes...just sometimes, asking questions, the wrong ones...or perhaps I should say the right ones..could prove deadly. Anyone who seems to be unlikely is a possibility; the only thing we can completely rule out is the impossible"
Slow paced, engaging and twisty plot
The story evolves in a way which is not super fast paced but still drives you to keep reading to see what happens. It might seem like something discouraging but it matched perfectly with the way the story is written. I loved the writing style, it was direct and without many fioriture and descriptions which I don't tend to like.
So, I thought I knew how the story will turn out, but I was wrong. I was surprised by more than one twist and how the author managed to start one way and completely turned to be something else without creating incongruencies.
Perfect picture of a small village
One of my favorite things was how vivid and picturesque Shendon seemed to be. Shendon is a small village where nothing bad really happens until this murder. This rattles the village and its inhabitants. It was very well drafted how the investigation affected them and how anybody could be responsible. Just the mentioned of the police coming to interrogate them and they will stand on guard and looked suspicious, which made you doubt everybody. I love books where you just don't know who to trust.
"Good Hobbs. Learning to see. Very important for a police officer. Anyone can look; everybody looks, but seeing is quite another thing".
In addition, you have the typical rumors and gossip from a small town where everybody knows everybody. They can also appreciate the different types of weirdos. You have the new and pretty new woman who hides something; the sensual and beautiful single woman who is looking for a man; the widow; the hermit; and, of course, the crazy one Lady Armstrong, all of them were wonderfully defined.
Charismatic duo of characters
My other favorite thing was the main characters: Sir Victor and Benson. They are quite opposite but great working together.
Sir Victor used to work in the MI5 before and he was called when the murder victim is known to have worked for them too. He has a lot of contacts and great intellect. He has family in the village but he doesn't hesitate to ask them the difficult questions to get to the truth.
Benson on the other side has no experience dealing with violence other than interpreting something related to it. He is a somewhat well-known actor. He is charming and knows how to read peoples reactions and expressions. He knows when to push and when it's better to be more of a pleaser. He was pretty good at getting answers from the villagers.
The combination of both was a pleasure to read. I'm eager to read the next installment and where is the next investigation taking place.
My only objection is that the end felt a bit too rush like suddenly they realized this was the answer and it was presented.
"...The help is appreciated gentleman, but one word of warning...be careful. There may be a very dangerous person in our midst, and sometimes...just sometimes, asking questions, the wrong ones...or perhaps I should say the right ones..could prove deadly. Anyone who seems to be unlikely is a possibility; the only thing we can completely rule out is the impossible"
Slow paced, engaging and twisty plot
The story evolves in a way which is not super fast paced but still drives you to keep reading to see what happens. It might seem like something discouraging but it matched perfectly with the way the story is written. I loved the writing style, it was direct and without many fioriture and descriptions which I don't tend to like.
So, I thought I knew how the story will turn out, but I was wrong. I was surprised by more than one twist and how the author managed to start one way and completely turned to be something else without creating incongruencies.
Perfect picture of a small village
One of my favorite things was how vivid and picturesque Shendon seemed to be. Shendon is a small village where nothing bad really happens until this murder. This rattles the village and its inhabitants. It was very well drafted how the investigation affected them and how anybody could be responsible. Just the mentioned of the police coming to interrogate them and they will stand on guard and looked suspicious, which made you doubt everybody. I love books where you just don't know who to trust.
"Good Hobbs. Learning to see. Very important for a police officer. Anyone can look; everybody looks, but seeing is quite another thing".
In addition, you have the typical rumors and gossip from a small town where everybody knows everybody. They can also appreciate the different types of weirdos. You have the new and pretty new woman who hides something; the sensual and beautiful single woman who is looking for a man; the widow; the hermit; and, of course, the crazy one Lady Armstrong, all of them were wonderfully defined.
Charismatic duo of characters
My other favorite thing was the main characters: Sir Victor and Benson. They are quite opposite but great working together.
Sir Victor used to work in the MI5 before and he was called when the murder victim is known to have worked for them too. He has a lot of contacts and great intellect. He has family in the village but he doesn't hesitate to ask them the difficult questions to get to the truth.
Benson on the other side has no experience dealing with violence other than interpreting something related to it. He is a somewhat well-known actor. He is charming and knows how to read peoples reactions and expressions. He knows when to push and when it's better to be more of a pleaser. He was pretty good at getting answers from the villagers.
The combination of both was a pleasure to read. I'm eager to read the next installment and where is the next investigation taking place.
My only objection is that the end felt a bit too rush like suddenly they realized this was the answer and it was presented.
November 7, 2017
Murder in Little Shendon by A.H. Richardson is an old fashioned murder mystery where everyone in town is a suspect.
While a very slow-burn, this book drew me right in! While a bit repetitive, I still couldn't wait for the reveal to learn what had happened!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
This story begins with a bang, but then it slows way down. Though not in a negative way, the story was just definitely a slow-burn.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the mystery! I also liked meeting each of the characters of the village and slowly getting more of the "big picture." It was a lot of fun trying to piece together the puzzle using the small bits of information that we were given.
Now that I have completed the book, I may have to schedule a re-read to see if I pick up on any clues that I had missed the first time around!
Beware, the negatives:
Unfortunately, because of the way that the story is organized, I found it to be quite repetitive. For example, we read about the conversations that each of the three men had with various people, and then we hear a summary of those conversations when they all meet up later on, and then once again with other characters from time to time. Though I can see that this is a great way to highlight what elements of the conversations were important, it was just a bit irritating to me. There were also a number of phrases that kept popping up a bit too frequently for my taste.
My favorite passages:
Anyone can look; everybody looks, but seeing is quite another thing.
"All of life is difficult," she said slowly, and dropped her eyes down to her tea cup once more.
The murders had thrown a dreadful threatening web over the entire village, and everyone, it seemed, was caught up in its dark threads.
My final thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed this read! I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of old-fashioned murder mysteries!
While a very slow-burn, this book drew me right in! While a bit repetitive, I still couldn't wait for the reveal to learn what had happened!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
This story begins with a bang, but then it slows way down. Though not in a negative way, the story was just definitely a slow-burn.
I really enjoyed the storyline and the mystery! I also liked meeting each of the characters of the village and slowly getting more of the "big picture." It was a lot of fun trying to piece together the puzzle using the small bits of information that we were given.
Now that I have completed the book, I may have to schedule a re-read to see if I pick up on any clues that I had missed the first time around!
Beware, the negatives:
Unfortunately, because of the way that the story is organized, I found it to be quite repetitive. For example, we read about the conversations that each of the three men had with various people, and then we hear a summary of those conversations when they all meet up later on, and then once again with other characters from time to time. Though I can see that this is a great way to highlight what elements of the conversations were important, it was just a bit irritating to me. There were also a number of phrases that kept popping up a bit too frequently for my taste.
My favorite passages:
Anyone can look; everybody looks, but seeing is quite another thing.
"All of life is difficult," she said slowly, and dropped her eyes down to her tea cup once more.
The murders had thrown a dreadful threatening web over the entire village, and everyone, it seemed, was caught up in its dark threads.
My final thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed this read! I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of old-fashioned murder mysteries!
February 2, 2018
MURDER IN LITTLE SHENDON is a book authored by A.H.Richardson. It is the first book in Hazlitt/Brandon murder mystery series.
Shendon is a quiet town where nothing sinister ever happens. When a murder takes place in the small town, everyone is shook to their core. An Inspector along with his friend and a Shakespearean actor set out to solve the case. As the story unravels and another murder is committed, a lot of people are added on the suspect list with motives to implicate their guilt. Dating back to murders committed long ago, the deep murder mystery ends with an unpredictable climax.
The first trait which leaves an impression on readers’ minds is that the book is extremely British in nature. The English culture, norms and customs; language and local rituals, all give off strong English vibes and readers are imprinted with English culture. The way book progresses and the mystery unravels, the way characters’ unique features are portrayed and their motives are revealed, all these resound Agatha Christie in some way. Her major feature was having multiple suspects in a mystery with justified motives. That is reflected in the book.
Reading the book, the readers can deduce that the author is not novice to writing or weaving mystery. This is a seasoned author who has mastered the act of writing suspense novels. A.H.Richardson hooks readers in her books through her characters and plot. Since the beginning, the readers are on edge and they don’t get respite from their desperation to know the truth since the plot thickens as the book progresses. This is an author who knows what she’s doing and understands the minds of the readers.
Rest of the info is on my blog:
https://bookworldliness.wordpress.com/
Shendon is a quiet town where nothing sinister ever happens. When a murder takes place in the small town, everyone is shook to their core. An Inspector along with his friend and a Shakespearean actor set out to solve the case. As the story unravels and another murder is committed, a lot of people are added on the suspect list with motives to implicate their guilt. Dating back to murders committed long ago, the deep murder mystery ends with an unpredictable climax.
The first trait which leaves an impression on readers’ minds is that the book is extremely British in nature. The English culture, norms and customs; language and local rituals, all give off strong English vibes and readers are imprinted with English culture. The way book progresses and the mystery unravels, the way characters’ unique features are portrayed and their motives are revealed, all these resound Agatha Christie in some way. Her major feature was having multiple suspects in a mystery with justified motives. That is reflected in the book.
Reading the book, the readers can deduce that the author is not novice to writing or weaving mystery. This is a seasoned author who has mastered the act of writing suspense novels. A.H.Richardson hooks readers in her books through her characters and plot. Since the beginning, the readers are on edge and they don’t get respite from their desperation to know the truth since the plot thickens as the book progresses. This is an author who knows what she’s doing and understands the minds of the readers.
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April 8, 2018
Full disclosure, I was provided with a copy of this book by the author, however, I have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
Murder in a small town
In the small village of Little Shendon sometime after the first war, a local shopkeeper is bludgeoned to death in his store. The event has shaken up the town, set everybody on edge and given Police Inspector Stanley Burgess a ton to work with; so much that he has enlisted the help of two longtime friends to help sort it all out. Bartholomew Fynche, as it turns out, was not just the local proprietor of Little Shendon’s antique store, he was also a miserable little man who was not afraid to step on a few toes to get where he was in life. Unfortunately for Inspector Burgess, this makes pretty much everyone in the town a suspect including the American tourists staying at the local inn. With a suspect list as big as the town of Little Shendon itself, the inspector will need all the help he can get to close out this case.
Murder in Little Shendon is a very easy read that is part cozy and part traditional mystery. Set in a time in the not too distant past, author A.H. Richardson transports us to a small village where everyone knows everyone else’s business and very little escapes notice. That is until Bartholomew Fynche turns up dead and the entire town is set on edge. Sure, he was a miserable man who may have engaged in shady dealings and outright thievery at times, but who would be driven to murder? Suspicion abounds as the inspector and his amateur assistants attempt to unravel the mystery and bring the killer to justice. As far as mysteries go, the story had enough intrigue to keep me guessing as it seemed that there was not a person who may not have had the motive to off the poor shopkeeper. Toss in a second murder and the town that is walking on eggshells is all but ready to close shop and hide until the murderer is caught. As with all good murder mysteries, the culprit is revealed in such a way that will have you guessing right up until the very end. If you like a good mystery set in a distant time and place with a cast of characters as eccentric as they are suspicious, Murder in Little Shendon will not disappoint.
Murder in a small town
In the small village of Little Shendon sometime after the first war, a local shopkeeper is bludgeoned to death in his store. The event has shaken up the town, set everybody on edge and given Police Inspector Stanley Burgess a ton to work with; so much that he has enlisted the help of two longtime friends to help sort it all out. Bartholomew Fynche, as it turns out, was not just the local proprietor of Little Shendon’s antique store, he was also a miserable little man who was not afraid to step on a few toes to get where he was in life. Unfortunately for Inspector Burgess, this makes pretty much everyone in the town a suspect including the American tourists staying at the local inn. With a suspect list as big as the town of Little Shendon itself, the inspector will need all the help he can get to close out this case.
Murder in Little Shendon is a very easy read that is part cozy and part traditional mystery. Set in a time in the not too distant past, author A.H. Richardson transports us to a small village where everyone knows everyone else’s business and very little escapes notice. That is until Bartholomew Fynche turns up dead and the entire town is set on edge. Sure, he was a miserable man who may have engaged in shady dealings and outright thievery at times, but who would be driven to murder? Suspicion abounds as the inspector and his amateur assistants attempt to unravel the mystery and bring the killer to justice. As far as mysteries go, the story had enough intrigue to keep me guessing as it seemed that there was not a person who may not have had the motive to off the poor shopkeeper. Toss in a second murder and the town that is walking on eggshells is all but ready to close shop and hide until the murderer is caught. As with all good murder mysteries, the culprit is revealed in such a way that will have you guessing right up until the very end. If you like a good mystery set in a distant time and place with a cast of characters as eccentric as they are suspicious, Murder in Little Shendon will not disappoint.
August 12, 2017
Murder In Little Shendon 3.75/5 Stars.
Murder in Little Shendon is about a murder in a small town. Mr. Fynche is the towns most disliked/hated person. He's not the nicest person is probably the best way to say that. Once he's murdered in his shop one day it kicks off the story of the novel.
There was a few things I like and a few things that I didn't, so I'm going to start with the good.
I think the writing was probably the best thing about this book! The author had a very Agatha Christine vibe going on, and it stayed throughout the book. Another big plus was, I didn't guess who was the murderer. When it was revealed, I sat there and had to think back over what I just read. It made me wonder how I didn't see it before (I'm usually really good at guessing the Who, What, and Why). The big reveal was made even better by the writing.
Now lets talk about what I didn't really enjoy. The first thing, I felt like there were just too many people that could have been the murderer. A few of them could have been taken off the list, and reworked into side characters. The over amount of people is what made the book feel slow to me. I felt the interview process took a bit too long, and could have maybe been reworked into something shorter.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would pick another one of the author's books. If you're a fan of mystery in the vein of Agatha Christine or even Murder, She Wrote, then you'll enjoy this book. It will keep you guessing and wanting to turn the page.
Murder in Little Shendon is about a murder in a small town. Mr. Fynche is the towns most disliked/hated person. He's not the nicest person is probably the best way to say that. Once he's murdered in his shop one day it kicks off the story of the novel.
There was a few things I like and a few things that I didn't, so I'm going to start with the good.
I think the writing was probably the best thing about this book! The author had a very Agatha Christine vibe going on, and it stayed throughout the book. Another big plus was, I didn't guess who was the murderer. When it was revealed, I sat there and had to think back over what I just read. It made me wonder how I didn't see it before (I'm usually really good at guessing the Who, What, and Why). The big reveal was made even better by the writing.
Now lets talk about what I didn't really enjoy. The first thing, I felt like there were just too many people that could have been the murderer. A few of them could have been taken off the list, and reworked into side characters. The over amount of people is what made the book feel slow to me. I felt the interview process took a bit too long, and could have maybe been reworked into something shorter.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would pick another one of the author's books. If you're a fan of mystery in the vein of Agatha Christine or even Murder, She Wrote, then you'll enjoy this book. It will keep you guessing and wanting to turn the page.
November 15, 2017
Murder in Little Sheldon is a classic whodunnit set in post WWII. Everything about this book epitomises the era in which it is set; we have the quintessential English village, very picturesque with quaint houses, a church a pub, the characters and A H Richardson's writing and dialogue.
I loved the cast of characters in this book, they were fairly stereotypical of what we would expect to find in a typical village; there is the wonderful Lady Armstrong, head of the village so to speak, the shy librarian, the retires army major, the spinster sisters and the vicar in his life. What really distinguished the characters, as well as their standing in the village is the dialogue used for each character; their individual voices are very distinctive.
The murder of Mr Bartholomew Fynch is well explored in the plot, and it seems every character had a reason to kill him. As each motive is explored you think you know who the murderer is, then you change your mind as someone else is put in the frame; it will keep you guessing until the final pages. I really loved the epilogue, it was a nice touch to see what happened to the characters after the conclusion of the investigation. Overall this is a brilliant whodunnit that pays homage to Agatha Christie, and will keep you engaged throughout; a quintessential English murder mystery.
I loved the cast of characters in this book, they were fairly stereotypical of what we would expect to find in a typical village; there is the wonderful Lady Armstrong, head of the village so to speak, the shy librarian, the retires army major, the spinster sisters and the vicar in his life. What really distinguished the characters, as well as their standing in the village is the dialogue used for each character; their individual voices are very distinctive.
The murder of Mr Bartholomew Fynch is well explored in the plot, and it seems every character had a reason to kill him. As each motive is explored you think you know who the murderer is, then you change your mind as someone else is put in the frame; it will keep you guessing until the final pages. I really loved the epilogue, it was a nice touch to see what happened to the characters after the conclusion of the investigation. Overall this is a brilliant whodunnit that pays homage to Agatha Christie, and will keep you engaged throughout; a quintessential English murder mystery.
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