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Pollard & Toye #2
The Affacombe Affair
Olivia Strode joins forces with Scotland Yard Inspector Tom Pollard to investigate murder and mayhem in the village of Affacombe
214 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 13, 2019
The second book with CDI Pollard & Detective Sergeant Toye does not disappoint readers who seek a good mystery written in the 1960s, when a reader was expected to use their brains and was not exposed to drastic descroptions of any kind. A woman who turned out to be a blackmailer gets murdered and the two detectives yet again are asked to solve the murder. They are assisted discreetely yet with great efficacy by a modest local historian-cum-sleuth, Olivia Strode. I appreciated the descripitons of the life in a small English village, the nuances of social interactions, and the mystery itself. It was a perfect weekend read for me.
*Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
*Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
May 3, 2021
The Affacombe Affair, the second book in the Pollard & Toye series, is another enjoyable cozy mystery set in rural England.
When a murder haunts the small, sleepy town of Affacombe and the local police investigation comes to a standstill, Scotland yard is called in to pick up the case.
Set in the 1960's The Affacombe Affair has all the charm of the era; small close-knit town, a mix of well to do and working class, local traditions, garden parties and hidden secrets.
The story builds slowly revolving around the community, their day to day life and interactions. As the police investigation progresses hidden secrets are exposed and we find there is more than one person who may have wanted the victim out of the way.
Pollard & Toye didn't come into this story until about the 50% mark and I felt in this novel they didn't come across as the main characters. Olivia Stode, a community stalwart, is a wonderfully drawn character and it felt much like her story as she became involved with many aspects of the investigation and also did a little sleuthing of her own.
Pollard solves the case by piecing together what seemed to be inconsequential evidence and a good dose of sheer luck.
I really enjoy following along with the investigation in cozy mystery reads, trying to pick up on clues and having my own guess at who-dun-it. But I must say I didn't guess the outcome of this case.
If you enjoy reading about quaint rural communities with a murder mystery thrown in The Pollard & Toye series is sure to appeal.
I received my copy from the publisher
When a murder haunts the small, sleepy town of Affacombe and the local police investigation comes to a standstill, Scotland yard is called in to pick up the case.
Set in the 1960's The Affacombe Affair has all the charm of the era; small close-knit town, a mix of well to do and working class, local traditions, garden parties and hidden secrets.
The story builds slowly revolving around the community, their day to day life and interactions. As the police investigation progresses hidden secrets are exposed and we find there is more than one person who may have wanted the victim out of the way.
Pollard & Toye didn't come into this story until about the 50% mark and I felt in this novel they didn't come across as the main characters. Olivia Stode, a community stalwart, is a wonderfully drawn character and it felt much like her story as she became involved with many aspects of the investigation and also did a little sleuthing of her own.
Pollard solves the case by piecing together what seemed to be inconsequential evidence and a good dose of sheer luck.
I really enjoy following along with the investigation in cozy mystery reads, trying to pick up on clues and having my own guess at who-dun-it. But I must say I didn't guess the outcome of this case.
If you enjoy reading about quaint rural communities with a murder mystery thrown in The Pollard & Toye series is sure to appeal.
I received my copy from the publisher
October 12, 2016
According to legend, Monk's Leap is a site near Affacombe where one of the Priory's brethern had leapt over the edge, hotly pursued by the Devil in the guise of a beautiful woman. The monk was said to have landed safely on a rock midstream in the River Sinnel below. Years later, no such miracle happens for Sister Roach, a nurse at the school which now makes up most of the Priory's building and grounds. The nurse goes missing one afternoon during a Games Day and her body is discovered at the bottom of the cliff. Investigation by the local police reveals the nurse to have been an experienced blackmailer and it would seem that she got hold of the wrong end of a blackmailing stick. Maybe more than one stick--for they soon find that Sister Roach had several victims on her blackmail list. The only trouble is they all either have unshakeable alibis or there is no proof that they were on the spot when the nurse was pushed.
When Chief Detective Inspector Tom Pollard of the Yard is called in, he discovers that her blackmailing ways have, indeed, been the cause of her death....but not in the way his colleagues thought. In one particular case, she thinks she sees one kind of improper behavior going on, but it winds up that what she has seen is a cover-up for another crime. The criminal decides that even though she hasn't spotted the real reason for what she's seen that she must be eliminated before she figures it out. The entire plot is centered on a case of mistaken identity and that mistaken identity--deliberately manufactured by the criminals in aid of an alibi--more than her blackmailing activities cause her death.
In The Affacombe Affair (1968) by Elizabeth Lemarchand, the disguise employed is meant to provide an alibi for those engaged in a completely separate crime. It leads to murder...and finally to another round of make-up artistry (on the part of the police this time) which is used to jolt the villains into giving themselves away. Disguise plays a triple part here--as alibi (for both the initial crimes and the murder), as motive, and finally to facilitate the solution.
It was very interesting to see disguise--or at the very least, identity misdirection--used in more unusual ways. This novel addresses the idea of identity in a manner that allows the author to play with alibis and motives and to add an extra layer of mystification to the plot. Very enjoyable for those looking for a little different twist on the idea of disguise and misdirection. Lemarchand also provides the reader with well-defined characters--from Pollard and his assistant Sergeant Toye to the local detectives to the inhabitants of Affacombe. There is a Miss Marple type--not a spinster, but still an observant widow who seems to be everywhere and to pop up with useful clues whenever Pollard needs a nugget of information. Mrs. Strode may not solve the crime herself, but she certainly provides much of the straw with which Pollard can construct bricks to build his case.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
When Chief Detective Inspector Tom Pollard of the Yard is called in, he discovers that her blackmailing ways have, indeed, been the cause of her death....but not in the way his colleagues thought. In one particular case, she thinks she sees one kind of improper behavior going on, but it winds up that what she has seen is a cover-up for another crime. The criminal decides that even though she hasn't spotted the real reason for what she's seen that she must be eliminated before she figures it out. The entire plot is centered on a case of mistaken identity and that mistaken identity--deliberately manufactured by the criminals in aid of an alibi--more than her blackmailing activities cause her death.
In The Affacombe Affair (1968) by Elizabeth Lemarchand, the disguise employed is meant to provide an alibi for those engaged in a completely separate crime. It leads to murder...and finally to another round of make-up artistry (on the part of the police this time) which is used to jolt the villains into giving themselves away. Disguise plays a triple part here--as alibi (for both the initial crimes and the murder), as motive, and finally to facilitate the solution.
It was very interesting to see disguise--or at the very least, identity misdirection--used in more unusual ways. This novel addresses the idea of identity in a manner that allows the author to play with alibis and motives and to add an extra layer of mystification to the plot. Very enjoyable for those looking for a little different twist on the idea of disguise and misdirection. Lemarchand also provides the reader with well-defined characters--from Pollard and his assistant Sergeant Toye to the local detectives to the inhabitants of Affacombe. There is a Miss Marple type--not a spinster, but still an observant widow who seems to be everywhere and to pop up with useful clues whenever Pollard needs a nugget of information. Mrs. Strode may not solve the crime herself, but she certainly provides much of the straw with which Pollard can construct bricks to build his case.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
October 8, 2018
I would like to thank Sapere Books for an advance copy of The Affacombe Affair, the second novel to feature Chief Detective Inspector Pollard and Detective Sergeant Toyne of Scotland Yard, originally published in 1968.
When the matron at the local school in the West Country village of Affacombe is murdered the case initially falls to Inspector Dart of the local police but when the ramifications of the murder become clearer Pollard and Toyne are drafted in.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Affacombe Affair which is a good, old fashioned whodunnit with several suspects, plenty of secrets and a clever solution that comes out of left field. I may just be feeling nostalgic but there is something eminently satisfying about an old fashioned novel of this type. There is a certain innocence to it with the reader assured of the clever policemen reaching a solution and fully explaining their conclusions to an interested bystander. Aside "dabs" there is little in the way of forensics so it is all done by interviews and reasoning. It may sound boring to younger, more sophisticated minds but I found the slow unravelling of the mystery and various secrets absorbing and soon got caught up in village life where class distinctions are not only alive but thriving.
I found it interesting that Pollard and Toyne don't put in an appearance until half way through the book. The author uses Inspector Dart to set the scene and do the donkey work and then brings in Pollard to do the lateral thinking (Toyne is barely there as a character). I loved the solution, which, while seeming barely credible to modern minds, somehow fits the novel exactly.
The Affacombe Affair is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When the matron at the local school in the West Country village of Affacombe is murdered the case initially falls to Inspector Dart of the local police but when the ramifications of the murder become clearer Pollard and Toyne are drafted in.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Affacombe Affair which is a good, old fashioned whodunnit with several suspects, plenty of secrets and a clever solution that comes out of left field. I may just be feeling nostalgic but there is something eminently satisfying about an old fashioned novel of this type. There is a certain innocence to it with the reader assured of the clever policemen reaching a solution and fully explaining their conclusions to an interested bystander. Aside "dabs" there is little in the way of forensics so it is all done by interviews and reasoning. It may sound boring to younger, more sophisticated minds but I found the slow unravelling of the mystery and various secrets absorbing and soon got caught up in village life where class distinctions are not only alive but thriving.
I found it interesting that Pollard and Toyne don't put in an appearance until half way through the book. The author uses Inspector Dart to set the scene and do the donkey work and then brings in Pollard to do the lateral thinking (Toyne is barely there as a character). I loved the solution, which, while seeming barely credible to modern minds, somehow fits the novel exactly.
The Affacombe Affair is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
July 1, 2019
I felt this meandered quite markedly. A quarter of the book recounted the goings on of rural West Country folk about their business before the event which required investigation occurred. Nothing wrong with that per se but even though it contained elements relevant to the case, it did seem excessive. We then have to go though another quarter of the book before the named detectives of the series make an appearance. I have no knowledge of procedures that were followed in the 60s but in the previous book of the series, a murder occurred and Scotland Yard were called in immediately so why did the local plod get to poke about into this one before Scotland Yard takes over after a few days?
In trying to avoid plot spoilers, I'll just say that I think there was a bit of an issue with the plot and the gadget play at the end was very short on credibility.
All this being said, the depiction of time and place is nice and whilst the pace is anything but breakneck I'll give the next in the series a go in the hope that, at least, the plotting can be polished up a little.
In trying to avoid plot spoilers, I'll just say that I think there was a bit of an issue with the plot and the gadget play at the end was very short on credibility.
All this being said, the depiction of time and place is nice and whilst the pace is anything but breakneck I'll give the next in the series a go in the hope that, at least, the plotting can be polished up a little.
October 4, 2018
Local historian Olivia Strode fills in when the school nurse, Sister Joan Roach, fails to report to work at the Affacombe Priory School. It is soon determined that Sister Roach was murdered and her "sideline" of blackmail could be the motive. After the local police investigate for two days, DI Tom Pollard and his partner DS Toye from Scotland Yard are called in to find the murderer.
"The Affacombe Affair" was originally written in 1968 and has been recently released again. It's part of a long-running series and is still relevant today. I've read the first in the series, but that's not necessary to enjoy this book. I was surprised that detectives Pollard and Toye don't get involved in the investigation until two-thirds of the way into the book. Most of the detecting at the beginning of the book is done by Inspector Dart, a brusque but clever detective, or by Olivia Strode. Fortunately, I really enjoyed the character of Olivia. She is smart, sensible, and kind. These traits make people in the village trust her and confide n her, allowing her to provide quite a few clues to Dart and later Pollard. I was entertained by Olivia's contributions to the investigation. She reminds me of one of my favorite amateur sleuths, Hazel Holt's Mrs. Malory.
The first couple of chapters of the book move a bit slow, but once Olivia gets involved in the case, the book maintains an even leisurely pace. Once Pollard gets involved, things really start falling into place and getting even more interesting. Pollard has a way to quickly get to the bottom of things and is able to sort through a complicated motive and series of events. The solution is unexpected and definitely surprised me. Readers don't get to know Pollard as well in this book as in the first installment, but he is still a likable main character. I've enjoyed getting to know Pollard and becoming familiar with this classic series that I hadn't had a chance to read before this.
I received this book through the courtesy of Sapere Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
"The Affacombe Affair" was originally written in 1968 and has been recently released again. It's part of a long-running series and is still relevant today. I've read the first in the series, but that's not necessary to enjoy this book. I was surprised that detectives Pollard and Toye don't get involved in the investigation until two-thirds of the way into the book. Most of the detecting at the beginning of the book is done by Inspector Dart, a brusque but clever detective, or by Olivia Strode. Fortunately, I really enjoyed the character of Olivia. She is smart, sensible, and kind. These traits make people in the village trust her and confide n her, allowing her to provide quite a few clues to Dart and later Pollard. I was entertained by Olivia's contributions to the investigation. She reminds me of one of my favorite amateur sleuths, Hazel Holt's Mrs. Malory.
The first couple of chapters of the book move a bit slow, but once Olivia gets involved in the case, the book maintains an even leisurely pace. Once Pollard gets involved, things really start falling into place and getting even more interesting. Pollard has a way to quickly get to the bottom of things and is able to sort through a complicated motive and series of events. The solution is unexpected and definitely surprised me. Readers don't get to know Pollard as well in this book as in the first installment, but he is still a likable main character. I've enjoyed getting to know Pollard and becoming familiar with this classic series that I hadn't had a chance to read before this.
I received this book through the courtesy of Sapere Books. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2018
Thank you to Sapere books for asking me to give and honest opinion on an advanced copy of "The Affacombe Affair". Any opinions on this book are my own.
Having enjoyed the first book in this series, I was looking forward to reading the second, although the author described the characters and landscape and the typical idiosyncrasy of small village communities in the UK brilliantly and I almost felt that I was there.
Although I enjoyed the lead up to the actual entrance of Pollard and Toye, I was disappointed to discover that they did not actual make an appearance until the 12th Chapter and there is only about 18 chapters in the book.
They come in like the knights in shining armour, when most of the initial police work has already been done, bringing in Scotland Yard when the locals couldn't solve the case made the locals look like incompetent police officers. Now it could be thats how it worked in the 60's and I could be passing on irrelevant information, but I did find the following chapters not as good as the First book in this series.
I was looking forward to seeing how the Pollards relationship evolved but there was very little in this book to do with that relationship as set out in the first book.
Although disappointed in the later appearance of the duo, I must say that the outcome of the story and how the murder happened was a very clever storyline and I didn't guess who had done it until the Scotland Yard Officers, started digging.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who likes a murder mystery, but if you are looking for more on the dynamic duo, please be aware that they don't have a a large part to play until later in the book.
Having enjoyed the first book in this series, I was looking forward to reading the second, although the author described the characters and landscape and the typical idiosyncrasy of small village communities in the UK brilliantly and I almost felt that I was there.
Although I enjoyed the lead up to the actual entrance of Pollard and Toye, I was disappointed to discover that they did not actual make an appearance until the 12th Chapter and there is only about 18 chapters in the book.
They come in like the knights in shining armour, when most of the initial police work has already been done, bringing in Scotland Yard when the locals couldn't solve the case made the locals look like incompetent police officers. Now it could be thats how it worked in the 60's and I could be passing on irrelevant information, but I did find the following chapters not as good as the First book in this series.
I was looking forward to seeing how the Pollards relationship evolved but there was very little in this book to do with that relationship as set out in the first book.
Although disappointed in the later appearance of the duo, I must say that the outcome of the story and how the murder happened was a very clever storyline and I didn't guess who had done it until the Scotland Yard Officers, started digging.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who likes a murder mystery, but if you are looking for more on the dynamic duo, please be aware that they don't have a a large part to play until later in the book.
October 25, 2018
I read this for a fair review for a copy of the book from Sapere Books.
Oliva Strode is an historian living in the small village of Affacombe, she immediately made me think of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. A sort friendly busybody who always appears when a crime is committed.
Her son is about to propose to Julian the daughter of a local family the Winship's when some anonymous letters are received by some residents of the village which ends up having serious repercussions. These letters involve the local boys school and The Ainsworths who run it, The Garnishes who own the estate that the school is on and Julian's mother Barbara Winship as well as local man who has been having an affair. The nurse at the school goes missing and is found to have been murdered.
Toye and Pollard are brought in to help the village policeman Inspector Dart.
This book was written in the 1968 and I enjoyed the cosiness of the village setting and how the author introduces the characters and also her use of history to describe and explain the village festival of St Lucca's Revel. Toye and Pollard are brought in to help the village policeman Inspector Dart. Blackmail, intrigue and bank robbery, I didn't really guess who had done it but it was traditional cosy crime and an enjoyable 4 stars.
Oliva Strode is an historian living in the small village of Affacombe, she immediately made me think of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. A sort friendly busybody who always appears when a crime is committed.
Her son is about to propose to Julian the daughter of a local family the Winship's when some anonymous letters are received by some residents of the village which ends up having serious repercussions. These letters involve the local boys school and The Ainsworths who run it, The Garnishes who own the estate that the school is on and Julian's mother Barbara Winship as well as local man who has been having an affair. The nurse at the school goes missing and is found to have been murdered.
Toye and Pollard are brought in to help the village policeman Inspector Dart.
This book was written in the 1968 and I enjoyed the cosiness of the village setting and how the author introduces the characters and also her use of history to describe and explain the village festival of St Lucca's Revel. Toye and Pollard are brought in to help the village policeman Inspector Dart. Blackmail, intrigue and bank robbery, I didn't really guess who had done it but it was traditional cosy crime and an enjoyable 4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2018
I want to thank Sapere Books for the opportunity to read this book, the second in the Pollard and Toye series.
Not a lot to see here, just a well-woven plot that made me hit my forehead when the case was already solved. That would be why I am not a detective. I liked this novel because I had the same information as Pollard and Toye all along, but still could not discover whodunit.
The pace was quick and made me want to find out the solution to the case. I have read the first novel in the series as well, but this novel can be read as a stand alone. There is a joke within the novel about Pollard being especially familiar with boarding schools because the first novel was set at one as well.
For lovers of cozy mysteries with true detectives, this book will be for you. I am purposefully leaving out any spoilers because I hope you will pick up this one, especially on a cold winter day when you can cozy up by the fire.
Not a lot to see here, just a well-woven plot that made me hit my forehead when the case was already solved. That would be why I am not a detective. I liked this novel because I had the same information as Pollard and Toye all along, but still could not discover whodunit.
The pace was quick and made me want to find out the solution to the case. I have read the first novel in the series as well, but this novel can be read as a stand alone. There is a joke within the novel about Pollard being especially familiar with boarding schools because the first novel was set at one as well.
For lovers of cozy mysteries with true detectives, this book will be for you. I am purposefully leaving out any spoilers because I hope you will pick up this one, especially on a cold winter day when you can cozy up by the fire.
November 13, 2018
First written in the 60’s, The Affacombe Affair by Elizabeth Lemarchand, is the second in the Pollard and Toye series.
The body of Sister Roach, a nurse at the local boys school, is found and it’s soon discovered that there may be several people who had reasons to be glad she was now out of the way.
Olivia Strode, a widowed local historian, finds herself mixed up in the mystery of nurse, Sister Roach’s death.
This is a well written mystery, with great character building before anything untoward happens. Then Pollard and Toye, the police, arrive and so the mystery itself begins. This is not a tale to rush through but to savour the wonderful writing. It reminds me of the novels by Josephine Tey, gentle but intriguing enough to keep you engrossed.
thanks to the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
The body of Sister Roach, a nurse at the local boys school, is found and it’s soon discovered that there may be several people who had reasons to be glad she was now out of the way.
Olivia Strode, a widowed local historian, finds herself mixed up in the mystery of nurse, Sister Roach’s death.
This is a well written mystery, with great character building before anything untoward happens. Then Pollard and Toye, the police, arrive and so the mystery itself begins. This is not a tale to rush through but to savour the wonderful writing. It reminds me of the novels by Josephine Tey, gentle but intriguing enough to keep you engrossed.
thanks to the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
November 16, 2018
This is the second book I have read in this series and I was given a copy by Sapere books in return for an honest review.
I love these books and if you enjoy a gentler time then you will too. There is no science, just the detectives’ brains and the slow steady working out of what happened. The writing is highly descriptive and you get to know the characters and how they tick.
“Pollard sensed the need to steer carefully between the Scylla of appearing pleased with himself and the Charybdis of having nothing constructive to put forward.”
The pieces of the puzzle slot slowly but surely into place and nothing is left hanging or unresolved.
Have I said I love these books? I look forward to the next one
I love these books and if you enjoy a gentler time then you will too. There is no science, just the detectives’ brains and the slow steady working out of what happened. The writing is highly descriptive and you get to know the characters and how they tick.
“Pollard sensed the need to steer carefully between the Scylla of appearing pleased with himself and the Charybdis of having nothing constructive to put forward.”
The pieces of the puzzle slot slowly but surely into place and nothing is left hanging or unresolved.
Have I said I love these books? I look forward to the next one
February 18, 2019
Every now and then I come upon a series that I really like, maybe because I like the combination of personalities in the main characters. This is one of those series. I enjoyed the investigators in the first novel and again in this one.
These police procedurals start out slow, painting the backdrop and installing an interesting cast of ordinary people. You read seven chapters before there's even a crime, which comes right out of the blue, and another three or four as locals are enmeshed in the crime. Finaly the local police throw up their hands and call in Scotland Yard.
Enter Pollard and Toye to examine the evidence and sort out the affair, which proves so much more complex and intriguing than anyone ever guessed.
These police procedurals start out slow, painting the backdrop and installing an interesting cast of ordinary people. You read seven chapters before there's even a crime, which comes right out of the blue, and another three or four as locals are enmeshed in the crime. Finaly the local police throw up their hands and call in Scotland Yard.
Enter Pollard and Toye to examine the evidence and sort out the affair, which proves so much more complex and intriguing than anyone ever guessed.
May 1, 2019
Excellent
The author gave us a good insight into the main characters and the area involved before the incident took place. The local police were called to the disappearance of a school nurse who was eventually found dead. Her death was classed as suspicious and the local police started the investigation gathering witness statements etc, as the investigation progressed the local police were getting bogged down so Pollard and Toye from Scotland Yard are called in. The case was eventually cracked thanks to a local historian who seemed to pop up everywhere in the investigation and a lot of luck. Thoroughly recommended.
The author gave us a good insight into the main characters and the area involved before the incident took place. The local police were called to the disappearance of a school nurse who was eventually found dead. Her death was classed as suspicious and the local police started the investigation gathering witness statements etc, as the investigation progressed the local police were getting bogged down so Pollard and Toye from Scotland Yard are called in. The case was eventually cracked thanks to a local historian who seemed to pop up everywhere in the investigation and a lot of luck. Thoroughly recommended.
October 3, 2018
This novel follows the murder of a blackmailing nurse set after the war and is part of a detective series. I must have missed a lot of pages and clues because I do not understand how they discovered the murderer apart from the fact he’s rich and therefore must be dodgy.
The story seems really disjointed, and there seems little connection and interplay between the London detectives and the village community of Affacombe. It feels more like a short story that has been bulked down with additional characters that have nothing to do with the plot at all.
The story seems really disjointed, and there seems little connection and interplay between the London detectives and the village community of Affacombe. It feels more like a short story that has been bulked down with additional characters that have nothing to do with the plot at all.
Read
August 23, 2020A body washes ashore in the sleepy village of Trill, and it's the matroness at Meldon School.
I enjoyed this mystery. There were plenty of suspects, including a POV character Olivia Strode. Her son is engaged to marry the daughter of one of the main suspects, so we wonder if she has a vested interest in not cooperating with the police.
The scenes in the boys' school provide light humor, and the overall tone is traditional mystery.
The clues linked up in the satisfying ending. I didn't feel it was a cheat.
I enjoyed this mystery. There were plenty of suspects, including a POV character Olivia Strode. Her son is engaged to marry the daughter of one of the main suspects, so we wonder if she has a vested interest in not cooperating with the police.
The scenes in the boys' school provide light humor, and the overall tone is traditional mystery.
The clues linked up in the satisfying ending. I didn't feel it was a cheat.
September 30, 2018
While working at the school in Affacombe Priory Sister Roach disappears and later a body is discovered. The local police investigate but are unable to discover the guilty party. Therefore they call in Scotland Yard to Affacombe village.
A slow paced mystery set and written in the 1960's where Pollard and Toye don't appear to half way through the book.
An enjoyable story that kept me interested with its plot and characters.
A slow paced mystery set and written in the 1960's where Pollard and Toye don't appear to half way through the book.
An enjoyable story that kept me interested with its plot and characters.
October 18, 2018
An enjoyable cozy mystery featuring Chief Detective Inspector Pollard and Detective Sergeant Toye in a whodunit about a local woman whose body washes up on the riverbank in Affacombe village. It appears that there was some blackmail involved and not a few people would have been pleased to have her gone. Well written and engrossing read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy. This is my honest opinion.
October 10, 2018
After reading the first in the series,I was looking forward to the second,to see if I could get a better idea of the two main police.
I like the idea of country murders...
Unfortunately I was half way through the book by the time they showed Up,and by that point I wasn't too interested.
Ultimately a little too slow paced for me.
I like the idea of country murders...
Unfortunately I was half way through the book by the time they showed Up,and by that point I wasn't too interested.
Ultimately a little too slow paced for me.
October 31, 2018
A nice traditional mystery, it aged well and it's quite entertaining.
It was slower than the first one but enjoyable.
I loved the characters and the setting. The mystery was good.
I look forward to reading other instalment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this ARC
It was slower than the first one but enjoyable.
I loved the characters and the setting. The mystery was good.
I look forward to reading other instalment in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Sapere Books and Netgalley for this ARC
November 21, 2018
I have really enjoyed the first two books in this republished series - I honestly didn’t expect to. It’s such a nice, comfortable read though. The storyline nicely plays out (well, as nicely as a murder can!), the characters are all very likeable (especially Pollard and Toyne), and the way they go about their investigations is really rather interesting. This is not a story set in modern time - it’s set in the 1960s, so before DNA testing and all of the technology that we have today. So the story hangs on old fashioned humans using their brains and experience to work it out. I like these stories a lot, and I’m very glad that Sapere books sent me a copy to read and honestly review!
October 25, 2019
Terrific!
Excellent series! Set in rural England in 1966, our Scotland Yard detectives are super sleuths! The village people are entertaining, reclusive protective of their village and each other. This murder is more involved and intricate than it first appears and quite enjoyable.
Excellent series! Set in rural England in 1966, our Scotland Yard detectives are super sleuths! The village people are entertaining, reclusive protective of their village and each other. This murder is more involved and intricate than it first appears and quite enjoyable.
December 23, 2019
Cracking murder novel.
The book is a well written absorbing murder with plenty of twists in the plot to maintain the reader’s interest. The scenario is well set with two prime suspects who eventually are clear. The eventual murderer is throughout an unsympathetic character without being an obvious suspect. It’s worth reading.
The book is a well written absorbing murder with plenty of twists in the plot to maintain the reader’s interest. The scenario is well set with two prime suspects who eventually are clear. The eventual murderer is throughout an unsympathetic character without being an obvious suspect. It’s worth reading.
October 17, 2018
This is a cosy crime novel with an array of characters. The plot jumps around a bit with the normal classic crime characters as it unfolds. There’s the normal twist at the end when the police work out who done it. An easy read.
February 11, 2019
Thank you to Sapere books for the ARC in exchange for a review.
This is the second book in the series that I have read and I really enjoy them. The books are old fashioned mysteries with little gore but great plots that keep you guessing until the end who did it.
I love the descriptions of the English countryside where it takes place. In this book, you get to know more about the two detectives (Pollard and Toye) and their inner minds to solve the mystery.
The characters are all well developed and believable.
I am looking forward to reading the rest in this series.
This is the second book in the series that I have read and I really enjoy them. The books are old fashioned mysteries with little gore but great plots that keep you guessing until the end who did it.
I love the descriptions of the English countryside where it takes place. In this book, you get to know more about the two detectives (Pollard and Toye) and their inner minds to solve the mystery.
The characters are all well developed and believable.
I am looking forward to reading the rest in this series.
October 4, 2020
Took a bit to get going
But then there was a lot of ground work to cover. I really like Pollard and Toye mysteries - they're old fashioned with a bit of modern methods thrown in to help solve the case.
But then there was a lot of ground work to cover. I really like Pollard and Toye mysteries - they're old fashioned with a bit of modern methods thrown in to help solve the case.
January 30, 2023
Solid if unspectacular procedural following the investigation into the killing of a blackmailer. The author's two regular detectives don't appear till well into the story but it's nicely clued and there is some deft characterization of a few of the suspects.
June 24, 2019
Drew me in from the start
Beautifully written, lots of local color and characters. Blackmail, hidden pasts, history and a little romance make for an enjoyable read.
Beautifully written, lots of local color and characters. Blackmail, hidden pasts, history and a little romance make for an enjoyable read.
March 12, 2021
3 1/2 stars. I've been revisiting the Pollard & Toye series, and of the first three, Affacombe is the only one that still holds up. A great cast of characters, including the intelligent Olivia Strode, and, in my opinion, a better and more lifelike puzzle than the other two. An enjoyable cozy.
October 29, 2021
Entertaining - but not sure if the plot was fair! (And the blurb on the back was not for this book - at least on my paperback edition!)
October 25, 2018
The Affacombe Affair is the second in the Pollard and Toye series by Elizabeth Lemarchand. When the body of Sister Roach, nurse at the local boys boarding school, it doesn’t take long to discover that several people may have had very good reasons to want her out of the way. Mrs. Olivia Strode, local historian, just wants to work on her book in peace and bask in the joy of her son’s engagement. Somehow, though, she continues to find herself caught up in the mystery of Sister Roach’s death.
As much as I love a good country house murder, an English village murder is just as good. This is a pretty solid example of this genre of mystery. The characters are well established with the reader before the crime is committed and it takes longer still for the series’ detectives, Pollard and Toye, to arrive on the scene. I know for some readers that can give the book a feeling of moving slowly, but I love it.
I am so pleased that Sapere Books are republishing the Pollard and Toye series. I read the entire series years ago and enjoyed it greatly. The books have become increasingly difficult to find over the years, however. Readers who enjoy Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh will greatly enjoy this series. Although written a bit after the Golden Age of Detection, it captures the pacing and style of those wonderful mysteries.
As much as I love a good country house murder, an English village murder is just as good. This is a pretty solid example of this genre of mystery. The characters are well established with the reader before the crime is committed and it takes longer still for the series’ detectives, Pollard and Toye, to arrive on the scene. I know for some readers that can give the book a feeling of moving slowly, but I love it.
I am so pleased that Sapere Books are republishing the Pollard and Toye series. I read the entire series years ago and enjoyed it greatly. The books have become increasingly difficult to find over the years, however. Readers who enjoy Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh will greatly enjoy this series. Although written a bit after the Golden Age of Detection, it captures the pacing and style of those wonderful mysteries.
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