The House of Green Turf

The Felse Investigations #8

by Ellis Peters

Hardcover. First Edition.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature, Crime, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

A pseudonym used by Edith Pargeter.

Edith Mary Pargeter, OBE, BEM was a prolific author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translations of Czech classics; she is probably best known for her murder mysteries, both historical and modern. Born in the village of Horsehay (Shropshire, England), she had Welsh ancestry, and many of her short stories and books (both fictional and non-fictional) were set in Wales and its borderlands.

During World War II, she worked in an administrative role in the Women's Royal Naval Service, and received the British Empire Medal - BEM.

Pargeter wrote under a number of pseudonyms; it was under the name Ellis Peters that she wrote the highly popular series of Brother Cadfael medieval mysteries, many of which were made into films for television.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a big fan of Brother Cadfael, the British television series and the book series. I’m almost certain that I must have sampled at least one or two books from author Ellis Peters’ other series, the one featuring Detective Inspector George Felse and his intrepid wife, nicknamed Bunty. I vaguely think I read A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs; however, as it was 30 years ago, I don’t remember a single bit.

Which is a pity, as Ellis’ The House of Green Turf was such a fun read. The Felses don’t turn up until nearly 50 pages in, but I was already intrigued by international opera star Maggie Tressider, a 31-year-old whose memory is jarred when she nearly dies in a car accident. Maggie is convinced that, long ago, she was responsible for a man’s death, but she can no longer remember his name or even any details of the circumstance. Enter a private detective who starts sleuthing around and discovers more than he bargained for in Austria.

I enjoyed the book enough that I realize I need to start this series from the beginning. And maybe do a re-read of Brother Cadfael while I’m at it.

Needless to say, narrator Simon Prebble makes the Audible edition pure pleasure.

[Roxana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Felse books are getting more and more melodramatic and less and less either classic English whodunnits or Felse-oriented. I started this series because I liked George Felse as a detective and I like Ellis Peters's elegant writing and I like cozy murder mysteries. But the last few have had hardly any George, hardly any real detective work, and are veering increasingly further away from the cozy murder genre. Am I supposed to care about yet another pale, delicate heroine with big blue eyes and a heavenly voice, and yet another would-be tough guy who falls for her charms? I've seen it before, and I'm getting pretty sick of it.

Also, I don't love the abuse-validating idea at the center of the plot's set-up: that X is responsible for Y's suicide because Y used the threat of it to persuade X into accepting Y's love. The fact that that is central to what turns out to be a fairly weak mystery doesn't endear the book to me any more than its feeble plot or cliched love story.

Still gets an extra star, for all my grouchiness in this review, because Peters IS a good writer in terms of putting words together into pretty sentences, and goodness knows I've read far, far worse. But I'm not sure how many more Felse books I'll be reading if they keep on down this path.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well-crafted mystery from Peters. If the villain is the story, this story is simply terrific. The villain is in the mold of a Josephine Tey villain: narcissistic and completely amoral. And the main character is likeable and admirable. I also really enjoyed the scenes with George and Bunty. By modern standards, this starts a little slowly, but it's absolutely gripping by the end, and worth reading more than once. Not my favorite of the Felse mysteries; that would still be "The Grass Widow's Tale", but a very good, old-fashioned, British mystery. If you like that type of book, or if you've liked any of the books by Ellis Peters, you will enjoy this.

Note: The jacket flap on the 1960's vintage library book I read claimed that the Vorarlberg is in Czechoslovakia. Fortunately, Peters herself makes no such mistake. The mystery takes place in the English midlands and in a small border triangle between Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Her descriptions of scenery are always a pleasure.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to my plan to re-read classic romantic suspense titles I first read decades ago. I'm not certain why this particular title stuck in my mind--and I certainly don't remember that it was part of a police detective series (George Fels)--but it was a pleasure to re-read on audio, especially with Simon Prebble narrating. It's the story of an opera singer on tour. An accident brings to light a suppressed memory of once being responsible for someone's death. She employs an investigator who follows clues back to post-war central Europe. (Fels plays a minor role, but now I'm listening to that series from the start, so this was a good intro for me.) What I've discovered in the Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters and Mary Stewart titles I've read holds true here: the writing style, the thoughtful and surprisingly deep and multi-faceted plots that go beyond mystery and suspense, the clever protagonists, the detailed settings (both geographical and frame), the carefully evoked atmosphere, and the relentless pace (albeit slow-burning) make for excellent reading. And listening.

[Kyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first non-Cadfael book by Peters and it didn’t disappoint. I don’t think I missed out on anything significant by jumping into another established series without background. This story begins as a psychological one, then becomes a traditional mystery with an action-filled conclusion. The characters are well-drawn, if a bit dated by modern considerations. All in all this book is a solid and enjoyable read.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possibly four and a half. this book of the Felse series was different. Ellis Peters is able to make these books very different from each other, although nominally about George Felse he is often not the main character. This one is about a famous singer who has a `near death experience` and believes she has killed someone. the story takes place mainly in Austria and is short but exciting.

[Maureen E · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Maggie Tressider, a world-famous contralto, is injured in a car accident, she is haunted by the idea that once she somehow caused a man’s death. The plot is exciting and the characters are beautifully drawn. I’m still not entirely sure what I think about Francis Killian though. [Feb. 2010]

[Kate K. F. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd book, very melodramatic and gothic with a romance at the heart of it that really doesn’t hold up. The set up is intriguing as are the characters but I don’t believe the ending so it left me unsatisfied. Interesting to read Peters’ writing in this way but not one of her best.

[Mary's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many Ellis Peters books, but not many of her Inspector Felse series. The good detective only makes a minor, but key, appearance in this book. It is slight in size, but is beautifully written. It reads like a cross between vintage Josephine Tey (Brat Farrar) and Mary Stewart (The Ivy Tree), falling firmly in the psychological thriller category.
When renowned opera singer Maggie Tressider is injured in a car accident, the nagging memory of something in her past begins to haunt her imagination. Perhaps this is due to the after-effect of the anesthesia, but she cannot shake the impression that at some time in her past, she did someone a great disservice. At the recommendation of her surgeon, she engages a private investigator, Francis Killian, to dig around in her past to see what he can discover. A dismissed lover is soon brought to light, and the young man disappeared after Maggie turned him down.
But is there something else to find out about this broken romance? Maggie dismisses with Killian's services, but he is too interested to let it go. He suspects that there is more to learn and so he heads back to the small Austrian village where the disappearance occurred twelve years bef0re. Inspector Felse finds out about Killian's search and finds that it matches up with several missing persons cases he has been trying to solve in the same remote corner of Europe. Maggie decides to search out the truth herself. Soon another mysterious death is tied to the case. But is there something even more sinister afoot?
Peters ties up all the loose ends satisfactorily, infusing the story with musical influences and dark passions. If you enjoy an old-fashioned psychological thriller, far less bloody than modern ones, you might enjoy this classic mystery.

[Marjolein · Rating 2 out of 5]

---ENGLISH REVIEW BELOW---

Dit was een oké boek voor mij. Het is wat oud en dat is te merken, vooral in de manier waarop sommige personages denken en zich gedragen, en ik was de beschrijven van iedereens ogen snel beu haha. Maar het is makkelijk om te lezen, het is interessant genoeg en ik heb het snel uitgelezen. Het einde had wat verwarrende momenten voor mij, maar het was spannend genoeg. Ik vond de rol van muziek in het boek leuk, en het voelt alsof de auteur best wat onderzoek hierin heeft gestoken, ook in de plaatsing van het boek. Dus alles bij elkaar een oké boek voor mij.

---ENGLISH REVIEW---

This was an okay book for me. It's a bit old and that's noticeable, especially in the way some of the characters think and act, and I got tired from the description of everyone's eyes haha. But it's an easy read, it's interesting enough and I finished it quickly. The ending had some confusing moments for me, but it was exciting enough. I liked the role of music in the book, and it feels like the author put in some quite some research, also in the setting of the book. So, all in all, an okay book for me.

[Laura Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars 2023 Series Re-read: Still melodramatic still do not believe the romantic couple had any lasting connection, but I liked the story better upon second read.

2021: My least favorite Felse story; those first few chapters were rough. It was overwritten and melodramatic, although it did get better when the action shifted to Austria and Bunty and George appeared.

[S.j. Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The House of Green Turf by Ellis Peters (aka Edith Mary Pargeter OBE BEM) published 1969. A gothic romance/mystery which i discovered is 8th in a series of mysteries featuring Inspector George Felse and his wife Bunty. It's strange because they don't even make an appearance until quite late in the story. We begin with opera diva Maggie Tressider. She's had a terrible car accident and has an uncanny notion that she's killed or at least caused the death of a man who she can't remember, and he's 'haunting' her. She hires private investigator Francis Killian and he's skeptical about her story but he goes along with her information, leading him to a remote Austrian hotel where Maggie stayed while performing in her early days. The author clearly knows her stuff, having written several high profile series and other highly acclaimed works, but this book is melodramatic and the pacing is both excruciatingly slow and then so fast you feel like you need to reread to see what you missed! The mystery is oddly cobbled together, and in the midst of solving Maggie's mystery, Killian and Inspector Felse tie in another murder/disappearance and uncover a huge organized crime ring. The romance aspect is poorly developed and very unlikely. In some ways the story is trite and meandering, and in other ways seems deeply thought out with references about opera songs and symphonies, most notably by Gustav Mahler. In fact, the title of the book refers the last line of a song from Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn. In fact, there are several references in the plot that are loosely based on the story lines from the symphony. Complicated! Originally I meant to give a 2/5 star rating, but reflecting on the story and the mechanics of how it was put together, I'll go a generous 3.5/5!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Maggie Tressider awakes after a car crash convinced she has committed murder, private investigator Francis Killian, along with George and Bunty Felse, attempts to unearth the secrets of Maggie’s past

World-famous opera singer Maggie Tressider wakes up in a hospital after an accident, haunted by the certainty that she has committed a murder. Her doctor suggests that, with the help of a psychiatrist, she may be able to lay the nameless specter to rest. But Maggie chooses a very different expert to help her unearth the secrets of her past.

Her commission launches private investigator Francis Killian on a hunt across Europe in search of a grave. But the trail also leads him to one Bunty Felse, a former colleague of Maggie’s, and the wife of Inspector Felse. The successful end of Killian’s search is only the beginning of a long pilgrimage—a journey that leads not only back into the past, but also to a remote corner of the Austrian Alps where death awaits.

The House of Green Turf is the 8th book in the Felse Investigations, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

[PR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Twist in a Mahler Song! Tense and Dramatic. Beautifully written stort.

fellow Peters knows how to n build suspense and tension and then diffuse it near the end if the story!
I love her writing ..yoh always learn new things In Her books..I learned so much about celebrity and singing classical pieces and what it takes to be an International Star...
Something about the pieces singers percorm, and well
An education!
She offers so much in her books and in this one a glance into the world of Private Ddtectives, Classical Singers, Touring, Detection and Why we need the Police especially those, like George Felse, who care about their jobs their families, tbe victims of crime and on occasion, the perpetrators of crime.
Bounty and George Feels hardly enter the scenes of this particular story but are integral to it al! the same.
Another great read.

[Jean Bonilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I would give one of Ellis Peters books five stars because I truly like her style of writing, her plots, and her outcomes. This book disappointed me to a certain extent because it was focused, not so much on the characters of George Felse, her usual policeman, and his wife, or even on his son, but instead, on a third character, and her potential interest. The plot was great. The language was great. The settings were great. I have no complaints there.

There’s no question that Peters knows Europe, its languages, and its cultures. Again, this book focused less on that aspect of the scenario she portrayed and more on the psychological turmoil of the main character.

Still I liked it and I definitely recommend it.

[Rachael Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A singer is in a car accident and wakes with the certainty that she killed someone - but she can't remember how or when. Her doctor urges her to seek a specialist so she agrees to see a private detective (instead of the psychiatrist). Francis Killion accepts the case and the first person he asks of course is Bunty Felse who was the chaperone on the singer's last European tour with her teacher. But when FK realizes that a young man goes missing during that tour he begins to seek answers... but those may lead to terrible places! Before you know it, George and the police of several countries are involved. In the last chapter I was certain that everyone was going to die and it was going to be a tragedy - but justice is done and there is a happy ending after all.

[Cynthia Grove · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story that starts slowly and takes a while to become really good.
An opera singer has a crash on a highly twisting and muddy road. She believes she has caused the death of her passenger who actually escaped the crash with far fewer injuries than she experienced. But somehow the idea that she has caused someone's death in the past stays with her. She hires a private detective to investigate. When he begins to search her past life (she is only in her early thirties when the crash occurs) that's when the story starts moving although the preceding groundwork in developing personalities was clearly essential.
Definitely worth reading but be prepared to stick with it.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost closer to romantic suspense or even Gothic than a tradition mystery, especially one featuring an English police detection. And feature is all it does, with George Felse and his wife Bunty playing bit parts. The main characters are Maggie Tressider, a famous singer, and Francis Killian, the private investigator she she hires to discover why she thinks she might have been responsible for a death, sometime in her past. The results take them to a small town in Austria, where secrets hide. Very atmospheric, almost spooky at times. The author is a master at inventive plots that keep the reader guessing to very end. Highly recommended.

[Mary Monks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt that this was a little slow at the beginning, but when it sped up, it held my interest without any trouble!
Maggie is a world-famous opera singer who is involved in a serious traffic accident.
When she wakes up in hospital, she finds herself haunted by something from her past.
She feels responsible for something serious done to an unknown person.
She is unable to pinpoint what or who it is, but knows she needs to find out.
She calls on the services of a private investigator who uncovers more than either of them expected leading them both into life threatening situations.

[Ulrike · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite Felse mystery so far. This is sort of a Bunty mystery (her first!), but she's such a minor character in this book, more so than in some of the George & Dom stories. It also strains belief that a group could lose a young adult on a group trip and just... never follow up. Bunty was married to a COP and she apparently wasn't even curious about what happened to the missing kid.

Audiobook narrator Simon Prebble is excellent and deserves 5 stars. Listened at 1.1x.

[Mirachil27 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart-pounding Drama

This one will take your breath away. An operatic tour - de - force with unexpected crecendos. As always, Ellis Peters' prose flows like silk shantung while her penetrating mind plumbs the depth of each character's psyche. The breath stopping tension is a glorious plus. A real winner!

[Keeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another well-plotted mystery from Ellis Peters. Like The Piper on the Mountain, this is set in Europe and involves missing persons. I think I like that one better, but this is also quite enjoyable. Peters has a deep interest in the world of classical music (cf. her short stories) and that material is central here. Action sequences feel a lot like Buchan at his best.

[Anne Lovett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of my seat

This story began slowly with a star singer coping with crushing guilt, and can’t remember why. She enlists a detective who searches in her past. The book continues to pick up speed and George Felse enters …the ending had me on the edge of my chair!

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished it, but it wasn't her best. I like the George False mysteries, but this one was thin on plot, thin on suspects, and thin on motive. The very ending was exciting, but too many coincidences. Not one I'm planning to read again.

[Cybercrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading through the Cadfael series and really enjoying it, so I thought I'd try this series.
It's very different but really good reading and interesting too. This is the first one I've read in this series so I'll go back and start at the beginning.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bunty and George become caught up in a mystery leading to a European adventure.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read

I do not finish books that do not keep my interest. This one kept my interest all the way through.

[Sarah Hartfield]

I liked this but not nearly as much as the Cadfael books. But it was a fun read during chaotic, distracting times. 2020 has been rough so far!

[Joie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written with references to a piece by Mahler woven through the story.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read several books by Ellis Peters but this is the first with Inspector George Felse who takes almost a backseat in the story. There is Maggie Tressider, a famous singer has a serious automobile accident from which she emerges with a “dream” haunting her. A ghostly man appears telling her she killed him. She recalls nothing about him. Has she caused the death of her passenger? No, he had far fewer injuries.

As she recovers from injuries the dream continues she fails to gain weight and thrive. Her worried surgeon suggests that she hire someone to search her past. She chooses Francis Killian, an undistinguished private investigator. His search leads him to a small resort town in Austria. Maggie recalls that very early in her career a young man had fallen in love with her here. When she turned his affections aside, he ran from her. She heard a splash. Would he have drowned in the lake? Believing this is the ghostly man who haunters her she ends Killian’s services but he is not satisfied and continues investigating.

Meanwhile, Inspector Felse has been following Killian‘s travels . There have been other unsolved disappearances and possible deaths in the area bordering Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Could they be linked to Maggie’s experience? When Maggie returns to the hotel where she once stayed she and Killian are thrown together only to encounter a killer.

This is a delightfully intriguing mystery, the the eighth featuring Felse. Those I read previously had a more visible character named Brother Cadfael, a Benedictine mone who lived in a Shrewsbury Abbey in 12th Century England. Now I need to find those featuring Felise.