Unhappy Returns

Pollard & Toye #9

by Elizabeth Lemarchand

Shortly after the eccentric and spinster housekeeper to a recently deceased parish vicar implies that a villager has stolen a centuries-old jeweled chalice, her body is found battered to death

Genres: Mystery, British Literature, Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Christine PNW · Rating 2 out of 5]

What the fuck.

I've read the ending five times and I still don't know what happened.

[Cynthia Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable book for lovers of cosy mysteries. Quite a high death count for this sub-genre plus an attempted suicide but the author pulls it off brilliantly.
Although some of it is readily guessable there are enough twists and turns to maintain interest.

[M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

My main impression of this book (my first by Elizabeth Lemarchand) was how quickly I became immersed in it. Some books take many, many chapters for the reader to become accustomed to the setting and familiar with the characters. In Unhappy Returns, within two or three chapters I was "into" the story. I appreciated that and also the basic sketch of the two villages, Pyrford and Abercombe, in which the story takes place.

I also found Lemarchand's writing style to be very inviting and easy. That is not to say that her writing isn't interesting and intelligent (I did have to look up the definition of one word), but I found this book to be a smooth yet quality read. It is best classified as a police procedural, as the focus is on series detectives Pollard and Toye sifting through the clues and characters to solve the crime. My only quibble is the ending: this isn't a long book, and a few more pages at the end would have served as a nice capstone to a very dramatic ending.

It was nice to meet Lemarchand's detectives, Pollard and Toye. I could not help but get the same vibe from them that I do from Inspector Barnaby and his various aides on Midsomer Murders. I will certainly read more from this author.

[David Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wait, now ... what just happened?

This was a solidly written, really quite well realized mystery until the end when unexpectedly we drop into 'a shot rang out' territory. I genuinely thought I had somehow skipped a chapter, or there was an epilog. But no, I guess that's how this book ends: abruptly.

I'll give Number 10 a go (Suddenly While Gardening) as I have enjoyed all her previous ones - and this one right up to the last page or two. But part of the 'contract' with the cozy-reader is that there is a resolution as well as a denouement, and I don't think 'Unhappy Returns' provided that.

[Barry Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

The murder of Ethel Ridd a deceased vicars housekeeper and a missing chalice are no match for the local police in Pyrford so the Chief Constable calls in Scotland Yard to investigate. Pollard and Toye are sent in and discover a lot more than they bargained for initially.

[Jane Fulmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

What?

I've read the first nine books in this series. Unhappy Returns being the 9th. I've enjoyed them all, but didn't understand the ending to this one. I'm scratching my head asking, who, what and why.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1975 Ethel Ridd, 75, ex housekeeper to the deceased vicar of Abercombe states that a medieval chalice has disappeared. Then she is found murdered. Detectives Pollard and Toye are brought in to investigate both cases.
An enjoyable mystery
(Originally published 1977)

[Linda Chrisman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit disappointing I must say.

[P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely written, sporadically interesting. The plot's many 'twists and turns' are connected, but the connections are so vague it's almost anti-plot.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, solid outing by Detective Superintendent Tom Pollard of the Yard. I always enjoy this series and this one was particularly good. All sorts of distracting little details: how important is the missing centuries-old jewelled chalice, does it matter that the shifty-eyed local grocer seems to be holding something back, what about the teenager who seems to have more than teenage angst on her mind? Lemarchand does a great job juggling all the elements and keeping the reader on their toes.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third in this series by Elizabeth Lemarchand that I have read this month. These books are about 200 pages and are cosy mysteries set in England. They are easy on the brain and good fun if cosy is what you like.

I have enjoyed my time with Pollard and Toye, the two detectives. They have a good working relationship which I have gotten to see over three books. I am glad to have met them and their author. I just wish I had listened to some of the talking books that I think my library had available in the 1990's.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for an old book. I wouldn't want to read it again, but I liked it.