The Bowness Bequest: The compelling English cozy crime series

Lake District #6

by Rebecca Tope

Winter has arrived in the town of Windermere, and has bought with it the death of Frances Henderson, the best friend of Persimmon 'Simmy' Brown's mother. Having known the Henderson family all of her life, Simmy must cope with the loss of an important figure from her childhood, as well as the confusion at being bequeathed something in Frances's will.
When Frances's husband is violently murdered in his home, Simmy must face the fact that the family she was once so close to as a child, holds some dark and sinister secrets.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 18, 2017

About the author

Rebecca Tope is best known as the author of over twenty crime novels. She has also recently produced the e-book entitled 'The Indifference of Tumbleweed'. She has every intention of continuing with the murder stories, as well as a variety of other kinds of fiction.

She has experienced many different kinds of work in her time - running antenatal classes, counselling troubled couples and being an office girl for an undertaker, for example. There were also several years monitoring the output of dairy cows, as well as every sort of task associated with book publishing. In 1992, she founded Praxis Books, a small British press.

She lives surrounded by trees she has planted herself, tending her own sheep.

Reviews

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that I am hooked on this series by Rebecca Tope. It is interesting to me because, as with another series by this author, I am not completely hooked into the main character. Simmy Brown is a florist in this series set in the lake district of England. Simmy is difficult to relate to in this series. There are times I get her and an equal number of times where I just want to say "get on with it"! The mysteries are solid and I enjoy the other characters in the books. I just wish I was more invested in the main character.

[Stephen Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading this series and this one is by far the best. Plenty of twists and turns before all the strands come together in the last few pages.

[Rob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another murder mystery for Persimmon Brown and co. to solve, this edition reverts back to being solely from Persimmon's perspective and adds in a new character as a potential love interest. The character of Melanie, who in the earlier books was one of Persimmon's sidekicks is MIA and only referred to in passing.
The book ends rather suddenly and the end isn't as satisfying as I had hoped but leaves plenty open for the next installment.

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book enough to finish it but it was a bit far fetched and vacuous.

[Eleanor Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of the best I have read

[Vcallinan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ms. Tope did a good job of trying to let the reader know what each character was thinking and saying. But there was too much thinking and talking for me. It went on forever, as if the author was truly in love with each character. Then the story ended abruptly, like she had enough if writing it. The book's covers, as they say, were too far apart.

[Vanessa Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mum introduced me to Rebecca Tope stories. My mum recently passed away and I miss her terribly. Reading these books is good for my soul and are sometimes what I need. This one is a great story filled with interesting characters and a description of the scenery around the lakes district makes me want to visit

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a pleasant book but I thought the plot/motive was a bit iffy.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an OK book - ending not that great. I struggle to find Ben and Bonnie believable. I like Rebecca Tope's other series though.

[Leeanne McHarg · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Bowness Bequest, Simmy Brown and her friends once again find themselves caught up in a murder investigation—this time, the victim is someone close to home, a family friend. I really enjoyed seeing Simmy come into her own in this story; she seems more confident and willing to stand up for herself than in previous books.

The family dynamics are particularly intriguing, with plenty of secrets and tensions that make you want to keep reading to discover how each family member is connected to the crime. As always, Simmy’s mother continues to be her usual, exasperatingly obnoxious self, adding both frustration and humor to the mix.

One of the things I love most about Rebecca Tope’s Lake District series is the continuity. The recurring characters make each new mystery feel familiar—you get to know them and become drawn into their everyday lives, all while enjoying a good dose of murder and suspense.

Overall, The Bowness Bequest is another enjoyable addition to the series, combining character development, family intrigue, and a well-woven mystery set against the beautiful backdrop of the Lake District.

[Jen Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to be honest I picked this book up solely because of the name. I have connection to that part of the country and it was nice to walk down those streets again and relive past visits.
Now, getting to the actual book. I’m not sure if it is because this is part of a series and I hadn’t built up any bonds with the characters but I wasn’t connected to them or story at all. It was stilted how they kept eluding back past investigations without actually saying enough to help the story flow. The long winded way of describing the past history of the families was quite dull. I found it very repetitive and my mind kept wandering as I read. I really wanted to care about Christopher and Simmy and find out the who’s and why’s but the back and forth nature of this book just drained me and I actually didn’t finish it. Sorry

[Facemaker01 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am plowing through the Lake District Mysteries/Persimmon Brown Mysteries and so far this book has been the best. The introduction of love interest Christopher Henderson as well as the more even introspection by Simmy has uplifted these books considerably.
To date (as in my other reviews) Simmy has been a hard character to like. Ben Harkness and Bonnie Lawson as well as DI Moxon are infinitely more likeable.
It seems that Simmy and her mother are very much alike.
The more personal involvement with the Henderson family with the Straw family provides more background history on Simmy.
This book is a turning point for Simmy's personal life and she is more forthright about her needs regarding a baby

[Jeneba Charkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sad that this is the last book in the series because I became very attached to the characters and delighted in the descriptions of The Lake District and its social organization. The actual plots were mainly an after-thought for me and were never all that believable.

I must say that I was not at all impressed with Simmy’s new relationship with Chris. I guess I feel a bit over-protective. I don’t see anything all that compelling about him. He is just not interesting enough and I cannot stand the thought of her getting even more enmeshed in his unlikeable family.

[Mary Pimbblet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn't seem like the plot had been really though out, the ending felt really rushed and there was no real build to the tension of working our who the murder was.
The main character, Simmy, is even less likeable than usual in this. She seems to condone drink driving, have very little idea how to run a business, and starts a relationship with someone she's known since she was a child and is already obsessing over having children after two minutes.
The location is nice, but not much else worked for me about this.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 6th book in the Lake District mysteries with Simmy, Ben, Bonnie and DI Moxon.

People from Simmy's past feature in this book when Simmy is left a 5 from her Mum's oldest friend. She's puzzled as to why she's been left this as are the family.

When theres another murder which is found by Ben and Bonnie, Simmy does get best not to get involved but she's drawn into the investigation.

Then there's the rekindling of the friendship she had many years ago but is he the muderer, or are his siblings?

As good as the rest of the books in the series.

[Helen Birkbeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different type of storyline, with mostly people Simmy has known for years, and a particularly nasty murder. I liked the character development and the chance of romantic happiness for Simmy (though do people really jump into bed when they hardly know the other person? Probably, nowadays.).

As a 'person of faith' I didn't relish the criticism of 'religious' people as weak and weird, though it no doubt fits with Ben's character and approach to life. He is only 18, after all.

[Asahi · Rating 1 out of 5]

It started interesting, but as the chapters went by, too many things and events were happening at the same time. There were also a lot of cliffhangers that never got answered because of the stupid ending. Like, that’s all??? Ugh! I dislike the MC too, she’s stupid and always oblivious to everything. And the stupidest thing of all is that freaking book she received. They kept mentioning it, but it wasn’t even that relevant after all.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love how the author is so descriptive of the Lake District . Simmy has a new murder to solve, this time it involves the death of the father of an old school friend. Ben and Bonnie help with the mystery again. It makes for a very good read.

[Peter Moyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

An old friend of Simmy Brown's mother dies and leaves a bequest for the Florist which obviously causes ructions. Remembrances of past friendships mixed with crossed messages lead to an interesting tale.

[Patrick Carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Drifted into "too cozy murder/mystery", and towards "romance. Looking on the bright side at least 'Simmy' Brown scored, can't say I'll look for the last of the series, it'll probably include marriage and babies.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good storyline. Love this series

[Vicky Ball · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series has got more boring with every book!

[Pauline Chamberlain · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok cozy mystery book

[JenniferB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a good example in this series. Bought another family in with more characters. Enjoyable.

[Caroline Ingvaldsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sixth Lake District Mystery is another not-too-cozy murder mystery set in the exquisite English countryside and populated by an endearing posse of amateur detectives and their quirky familiars.

[Jane]

Good enough to read more.

[Susan Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy all of the books by Rebecca Tope. This is a great series.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good characters and an easy read

[Barry Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is getting better and better. I really enjoyed Simmy’s exploits yet again. A really great series of books made all the better by an excellent narrator.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another entry in the series set in the Lake District of England. I have a few more of the series titles to read.