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Jacob Hicks Murder Mysteries #1
Don't Feed the Rat!
Jacob Hicks has been working on his own secretive project in his allotment shed for years. Then, the weird physics professor with a phobia for women finds himself a murder suspect. Reluctantly tolerating the assistance of Emily Dawson, his best pal’s niece, Jacob is determined to discover the truth. Who would have a reason to kill the allotment society chairman? Meanwhile, Paddy the Rat’s quiet life in the allotments is in chaos. Mad Maggie, the legendary rat catcher from ancient ratlore stories, has returned to Milbury Hill and Paddy’s superstitious warding behaviours are failing. At the same time Paddy’s being plagued by a juvenile bully rat who delights in antagonising Mad Maggie. Unless Paddy can deal with both the obnoxious teen and his childhood bogeyman, all the rats on the hill are in danger. Suspended from his job and with a police inspector determined to pin the crime on him, Jacob, his cat, and his mother could end up living with the rats on the streets of Milbury. With murder, blackmail and the return of childhood nemeses for both humans and rats, will there ever be another quiet moment in the allotments of Milbury Hill?
- GenresCozy MysteryMystery
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2017
28 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Annie Appleton
3 books3 followersI’m Annie Appleton, author of cosy mysteries with a twist.
My books blend my love for mysteries, animals and the slightly surreal in a humorous style. I realise there are talking rats in my books, but I firmly believe in my readers’ ability to suspend their disbelieve.
I love cats, baking and reading mysteries. I’ve also done my fair share of knitting. Besides that I have spent nine months of my life working on containerships and many a night looking at the sky in search for the International Space Station.
In 2004, I was lucky enough to move to the English City of York, where I ended up in a close-knit, but vibrant community. I soon fit in, thanks to a part-time job at the local deli and an allotment society vegetable plot.
I’m now back in my native Netherlands, where I live with my three little rats, a garden that’s occasionally full of weeds and a pond filled with frogs and newts.
Having written two non-fiction books about York, I’m is now using my time in York as inspiration for my cosy mystery books.
The first series centres around Jacob Hicks, local physics teacher and generally regarded as the ‘village idiot’, and Paddy the Rat, observer of all things human.
My books blend my love for mysteries, animals and the slightly surreal in a humorous style. I realise there are talking rats in my books, but I firmly believe in my readers’ ability to suspend their disbelieve.
I love cats, baking and reading mysteries. I’ve also done my fair share of knitting. Besides that I have spent nine months of my life working on containerships and many a night looking at the sky in search for the International Space Station.
In 2004, I was lucky enough to move to the English City of York, where I ended up in a close-knit, but vibrant community. I soon fit in, thanks to a part-time job at the local deli and an allotment society vegetable plot.
I’m now back in my native Netherlands, where I live with my three little rats, a garden that’s occasionally full of weeds and a pond filled with frogs and newts.
Having written two non-fiction books about York, I’m is now using my time in York as inspiration for my cosy mystery books.
The first series centres around Jacob Hicks, local physics teacher and generally regarded as the ‘village idiot’, and Paddy the Rat, observer of all things human.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 12, 2023
I had fun reading this cozy mystery. It is a first fiction book by the author and there are some minor rough spots. I will definitely read the next in the series if it is as good as this one.
May 1, 2019
This is a charming book which records the parallel lives of a group of people and the rats on their allotments. Though it sounds like a child’s book, there are some dark themes underlying it and I think it would appeal to young adults (as well as me). It covers bullying and greed, and people’s reactions to those who don’t look or behave as they do. It’s great fun and I enjoyed it very much.
April 26, 2021
I don't do book reviews
I don't do book reviews like you keep seeing, as I find that some give too much of the plot away and I personally hate that, as it makes the book not worth reading. I much prefer to take the authors back cover write up as a review as it can either intrigue you enough to read the book of provide you enough information to make you decide that the book is not for you.
My review rules are: The more stars, the more I liked it.
If there are too many typos or errors the less stars I give
If the storyline or plot is poor or contains too many errors, the characters are too weak, the ending lacking something, then the less stars I give.
Simple, uncomplicated and to the point without giving anything away.
Some of the books I read have been given to me by the author as a pre-release copy and this does not bias my reviews in any way.
I don't do book reviews like you keep seeing, as I find that some give too much of the plot away and I personally hate that, as it makes the book not worth reading. I much prefer to take the authors back cover write up as a review as it can either intrigue you enough to read the book of provide you enough information to make you decide that the book is not for you.
My review rules are: The more stars, the more I liked it.
If there are too many typos or errors the less stars I give
If the storyline or plot is poor or contains too many errors, the characters are too weak, the ending lacking something, then the less stars I give.
Simple, uncomplicated and to the point without giving anything away.
Some of the books I read have been given to me by the author as a pre-release copy and this does not bias my reviews in any way.
November 25, 2018
Different is good
This is told not only from the human perspectives but also from the perspective of a group of older rats. This makes for a very intriguing murder mystery, has Mad Maggie come to life, why the persecution complex regarding the rats, why does the Inspector have it in for the local physics teacher, what does the disappearance of a 4 yr old child have to do with either the rats or the humans? A common theme, murder, handled in a totally different way to the usual and this results in a book which is well worth reading. You will be left wondering about the big unanswered question, will the answer be revealed later? Very different and very good. Couldn't put it down.
This is told not only from the human perspectives but also from the perspective of a group of older rats. This makes for a very intriguing murder mystery, has Mad Maggie come to life, why the persecution complex regarding the rats, why does the Inspector have it in for the local physics teacher, what does the disappearance of a 4 yr old child have to do with either the rats or the humans? A common theme, murder, handled in a totally different way to the usual and this results in a book which is well worth reading. You will be left wondering about the big unanswered question, will the answer be revealed later? Very different and very good. Couldn't put it down.
September 22, 2019
This was a cute book. Funny how it goes back and forth to human and rat. Seemed like it was all over the place at first but wrapped up nicely at the end. Still not sure why it was Jacobs fault at the beginning when he was young....mother was watching him??? I will read the next book. Happy Reading :)
June 11, 2022
Cute, little murder mystery. Yes, cute. The narrative changes between that of a quirky, likeable professor and an equally likeable rat. Their tales are interwoven into an often hilarious account of sinister events in an English allotment garden. I think the rat angle made this mystery much more interesting and I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the book as much without them.
May 7, 2018
Funny!!!
This is a most entertaining book, I enjoyed it very much. It was fun going back and forth between the human characters and the rats (and squirrel) and how they interacted as they did.
This is a most entertaining book, I enjoyed it very much. It was fun going back and forth between the human characters and the rats (and squirrel) and how they interacted as they did.
August 8, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this - light and funny, with a darker mystery in the background. The characters are almost all oddities: the rats are relatively normal. Hoping for more from Jacob and Emily.
July 1, 2018
Unique way to approach a mystery.
September 5, 2020
even though i don't like rats and mice this story was a fun read. the way the stories were told was a good mix.
April 27, 2020
The story moved so slow. Found myself disinterested for a while.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews