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Miss Dimont #4
Died and Gone to Devon
X marks the spot for murder…
In the seaside town of Temple Regis, seagulls are wheeling overhead and the holidays are getting close. And then the body of political candidate Odile Clifford is discovered on the balcony of the lighthouse.
Fearless Riviera Express reporter Judy Dimont goes in search of the killer – but who is it? And where will they strike next?
What’s more, Judy’s position as chief reporter is under threat when her editor takes on hot-shot journalist David Renishaw, whose work is just too good to be true.
Life is busier than ever for Devon's most famous detective. Can Judy solve the mystery – and protect her position as Temple Regis’s best reporter – before the murderer strikes again?
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2019
28 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 3, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of Died and Gone to Devon the fourth novel to feature The Riviera Express Chief Reporter Miss Judy Dimont.
Temple Regis is a hotbed of politics in the late 1950s. The local MP is standing down after years of neglect and the seat is being hotly contested by three women. When his heir apparent, Mirabel Clifford is savagely murdered Miss Dimont is on the case, although new reporter David Renishaw is trying to usurp her position.
I thoroughly enjoyed Died and Gone to Devon which is a sly, humorous take on late 50s small town life. It is told mostly from Miss Dimont’s point of view with other voices and excerpts from newspaper articles and headlines playing their part. These latter show a keen understanding of the era and its concerns, even Fanny Craddock gets a cameo, but they are highly amusing to modern eyes. I love the cosy atmosphere created and the slightly subversive Miss Dimont. The antics of the Fleet Street press also deserve a mention as meeting every prejudice the public have of them and their cynicism is in stark contrast to the cosy reporting of The Riviera Express.
The crime element of the novel is cleverly done with a couple of murders and a historical puzzle of a socialite’s death, murder or suicide? They blend together seamlessly into a bigger whole. Much of it is guessable, but the author still has a few surprises up his sleeve, leaving this reader slightly stunned at one particular solution. While it is the main plot driver it somehow takes a back seat to the atmosphere and humour.
Miss Dimont is less than her sparkling self in this novel as she has worries to burden her. Her overbearing mother is pressuring her to leave Devon and return “home” to Essex and the new reporter, David Renishaw, is trying her patience in his efforts to upstage her. I love her backstory as something in intelligence, both in WW2 and the ensuing Cold War and the glimpses of her pre-war life add to the legend. Great stuff.
Died and Gone to Devon is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Temple Regis is a hotbed of politics in the late 1950s. The local MP is standing down after years of neglect and the seat is being hotly contested by three women. When his heir apparent, Mirabel Clifford is savagely murdered Miss Dimont is on the case, although new reporter David Renishaw is trying to usurp her position.
I thoroughly enjoyed Died and Gone to Devon which is a sly, humorous take on late 50s small town life. It is told mostly from Miss Dimont’s point of view with other voices and excerpts from newspaper articles and headlines playing their part. These latter show a keen understanding of the era and its concerns, even Fanny Craddock gets a cameo, but they are highly amusing to modern eyes. I love the cosy atmosphere created and the slightly subversive Miss Dimont. The antics of the Fleet Street press also deserve a mention as meeting every prejudice the public have of them and their cynicism is in stark contrast to the cosy reporting of The Riviera Express.
The crime element of the novel is cleverly done with a couple of murders and a historical puzzle of a socialite’s death, murder or suicide? They blend together seamlessly into a bigger whole. Much of it is guessable, but the author still has a few surprises up his sleeve, leaving this reader slightly stunned at one particular solution. While it is the main plot driver it somehow takes a back seat to the atmosphere and humour.
Miss Dimont is less than her sparkling self in this novel as she has worries to burden her. Her overbearing mother is pressuring her to leave Devon and return “home” to Essex and the new reporter, David Renishaw, is trying her patience in his efforts to upstage her. I love her backstory as something in intelligence, both in WW2 and the ensuing Cold War and the glimpses of her pre-war life add to the legend. Great stuff.
Died and Gone to Devon is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
November 12, 2019
This was an interesting murder mystery set in the 1950s. There are multiple murders to solve, both in the present day, and in the past. There were a few interesting characters, but I didn’t feel I really got to know any of them. Possibly this is due to this being the third book in the series.
I found the first half of the book a little slow for my taste - it just seemed to take forever for anything to happen, and there was lots of (seemingly) irrelevant information. The second half had better pacing, but I still didn’t really feel involved with the story - I think this is down to my lack of connection to the characters. I was also expecting a little more humour (there wasn’t any) based on the pun in the title.
If you enjoy a slightly rambling style, then this may be the book for you. I would recommend starting with the first book in the series, as you may connect more with the characters.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found the first half of the book a little slow for my taste - it just seemed to take forever for anything to happen, and there was lots of (seemingly) irrelevant information. The second half had better pacing, but I still didn’t really feel involved with the story - I think this is down to my lack of connection to the characters. I was also expecting a little more humour (there wasn’t any) based on the pun in the title.
If you enjoy a slightly rambling style, then this may be the book for you. I would recommend starting with the first book in the series, as you may connect more with the characters.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2019
#4 in the Miss Dimont mystery series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone.
Set in the late 1950’s this is a murder mystery in a classic style.
Judy Dimont, wealthy, independent and a journalist with the Riviera Express newspaper.
In the seaside town of Temple Regis there has been a murder. As more bodies turn up Judy beings her investigation into murders past and present.
This has a marvellous cast of characters and the atmosphere of the post war years, all really brought to life by TP Fielden’s clever plot and wonderfully descriptive writing.
If you like a classic murder mystery in the vein of Josephine Tey or George Bellairs, you’ll love this.
Thank you to HQ for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Set in the late 1950’s this is a murder mystery in a classic style.
Judy Dimont, wealthy, independent and a journalist with the Riviera Express newspaper.
In the seaside town of Temple Regis there has been a murder. As more bodies turn up Judy beings her investigation into murders past and present.
This has a marvellous cast of characters and the atmosphere of the post war years, all really brought to life by TP Fielden’s clever plot and wonderfully descriptive writing.
If you like a classic murder mystery in the vein of Josephine Tey or George Bellairs, you’ll love this.
Thank you to HQ for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.
November 21, 2020
2020 bk 382. Another excellent mystery of T. P. Fielden in the Miss 'Dim series. We get another look at Temple Regis through the eyes of its reporters as the political scene heats up over the retirement of its MP and the possible replacement. The mysterious death of a socialite back in the 1930's touches on the lives of those involved in the current political fracas in a way not expected and It's up to Judy and her friends to pull the threads together.
January 11, 2020
I really didn't enjoy this much but then to be fair to the author I haven't read any in the other series so maybe that's why?
I did enjoy the last 50 pages more and the whole book as kind of an ambience to it.
I think the pace was way too slow for me and the plot too complex.
I did enjoy the last 50 pages more and the whole book as kind of an ambience to it.
I think the pace was way too slow for me and the plot too complex.
November 17, 2019
The retro 1950s ethos of this story intrigued me, so even though I have not read the earlier books in the series I decided to go for it.
The pacing is slow and the plot complex. The characters are in keeping with the time, and have lots of idiosyncracies that make the setting more realistic.
The team dynamics are difficult to grasp reading this far into the series,but the murder mystery is complete.
Miss Dimont is a reporter and amateur sleuth, with a mysterious background. She is astute and has a keen sense of humour.
The Devon setting and the name of the newspaper she works for make the inspiration for the series easy to guess. The fifties was a heyday for this part of Devon.
The visual writing style makes it easy for the reader to imagine the scenes, and adds to the atmospheric plot.
If you can read the series from the beginning it will be more enjoyable. If not immerse yourself in the historic ambience and enjoy the clever, coastal cozy mystery.
I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The pacing is slow and the plot complex. The characters are in keeping with the time, and have lots of idiosyncracies that make the setting more realistic.
The team dynamics are difficult to grasp reading this far into the series,but the murder mystery is complete.
Miss Dimont is a reporter and amateur sleuth, with a mysterious background. She is astute and has a keen sense of humour.
The Devon setting and the name of the newspaper she works for make the inspiration for the series easy to guess. The fifties was a heyday for this part of Devon.
The visual writing style makes it easy for the reader to imagine the scenes, and adds to the atmospheric plot.
If you can read the series from the beginning it will be more enjoyable. If not immerse yourself in the historic ambience and enjoy the clever, coastal cozy mystery.
I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
November 14, 2019
The year is 1959 and Judy Dimont, Devon's most famous sleuthing reporter, is as busy as ever!
Not only are her hands full vying for the title of ace reporter for the Riviera Express after a new hotshot journalist appears on the scene, by the name of David Renishaw, but she is also trying to deal with the impending Christmas visit of her domineering mother...and now, bodies are once again turning up in the delightful seaside resort of Temple Regis.
And on top of all this, Judy has been asked by her old friend Geraldine Phipps to look into the suspicious death of an old socialite acquaintance of hers many years before. Where to even start with this one?
Can Judy solve the mysteries of the murders happening now and the suspicious death from the past, while negotiating the ups and downs of her personal life, against the backdrop of political machinations in picturesque Temple Regis? She is going to give it a damn good try!
*********************************************************************************
This is my first Judy Dimont Mystery and it is 1950s-fabulous!
A cosy murder mystery set between the Wars is normally my preference - such as an early Poirot - but I have to say that this book has dug a great big place in my heart for the 1950s!
As book four in the series, it did take me a little while to get my head around all the characters in Temple Regis that have been established in the first three books, but I was soon off and running with the goings-on in Devon's prettiest sea-side resort. There are some great characters here - small town stick-in-the-muds, cranky old timers, thrusting new-comers and all the eccentrics you would expect to find in a Devon sea-side resort - all beautifully written to fit into the post-War years of the Fifties, with all the promise of the Swinging Sixties ahead.
I particularly enjoyed that Judy and many of her female compatriots (be they of a past or new generation) are beautifully written to be strong, intelligent and more than able to hold their own. I also loved that Judy is a woman in her fifties with an amazing past - this was so refreshing, as a reader in my fifties myself. It was very interesting to see Judy and her female friends coping with life in a small traditionally minded town, and the plot-line about women standing for election to become MPs in the male bastion of the House of Commons was great.
The plot-lines are complex and weave together in an engrossing way. I found I was ahead of Judy about the identity of one of the characters here, but it was lovely see see her put the pieces together and catch-up, once she was past the distracting visit from her mother! There was still plenty left for me to find out by the time I got to the end of the book, but I was not expecting a cliff-hanger!
Although Temple Regis is fictional, I lived some years in Torquay as a teenager and found many delicious little nods towards Torbay, Dartmouth and the surrounding area here, which absolutely charmed me. You ca also tell that the author is most certainly a cat person - another tick from me!
This is one of those books that draws you into a series. I am intrigued to find out where the next book will go, as I am now very fond of Judy and her friends - with a soft-spot for Terry and his camera obsessed ways, who reminds me of my own father in his 1950s hey day. But I have also enjoyed Died and Gone To Devon so much that I will be going back to read the first three books too, over the next few months, for the back story - always a massive compliment from me!
If you like your murder mysteries intelligent, cosy and nostalgic, then I highly recommend Died And Gone To Devon. If the vibe from the excellent Father Brown series with Mark Williams appeals to you, then this will too.
Not only are her hands full vying for the title of ace reporter for the Riviera Express after a new hotshot journalist appears on the scene, by the name of David Renishaw, but she is also trying to deal with the impending Christmas visit of her domineering mother...and now, bodies are once again turning up in the delightful seaside resort of Temple Regis.
And on top of all this, Judy has been asked by her old friend Geraldine Phipps to look into the suspicious death of an old socialite acquaintance of hers many years before. Where to even start with this one?
Can Judy solve the mysteries of the murders happening now and the suspicious death from the past, while negotiating the ups and downs of her personal life, against the backdrop of political machinations in picturesque Temple Regis? She is going to give it a damn good try!
*********************************************************************************
This is my first Judy Dimont Mystery and it is 1950s-fabulous!
A cosy murder mystery set between the Wars is normally my preference - such as an early Poirot - but I have to say that this book has dug a great big place in my heart for the 1950s!
As book four in the series, it did take me a little while to get my head around all the characters in Temple Regis that have been established in the first three books, but I was soon off and running with the goings-on in Devon's prettiest sea-side resort. There are some great characters here - small town stick-in-the-muds, cranky old timers, thrusting new-comers and all the eccentrics you would expect to find in a Devon sea-side resort - all beautifully written to fit into the post-War years of the Fifties, with all the promise of the Swinging Sixties ahead.
I particularly enjoyed that Judy and many of her female compatriots (be they of a past or new generation) are beautifully written to be strong, intelligent and more than able to hold their own. I also loved that Judy is a woman in her fifties with an amazing past - this was so refreshing, as a reader in my fifties myself. It was very interesting to see Judy and her female friends coping with life in a small traditionally minded town, and the plot-line about women standing for election to become MPs in the male bastion of the House of Commons was great.
The plot-lines are complex and weave together in an engrossing way. I found I was ahead of Judy about the identity of one of the characters here, but it was lovely see see her put the pieces together and catch-up, once she was past the distracting visit from her mother! There was still plenty left for me to find out by the time I got to the end of the book, but I was not expecting a cliff-hanger!
Although Temple Regis is fictional, I lived some years in Torquay as a teenager and found many delicious little nods towards Torbay, Dartmouth and the surrounding area here, which absolutely charmed me. You ca also tell that the author is most certainly a cat person - another tick from me!
This is one of those books that draws you into a series. I am intrigued to find out where the next book will go, as I am now very fond of Judy and her friends - with a soft-spot for Terry and his camera obsessed ways, who reminds me of my own father in his 1950s hey day. But I have also enjoyed Died and Gone To Devon so much that I will be going back to read the first three books too, over the next few months, for the back story - always a massive compliment from me!
If you like your murder mysteries intelligent, cosy and nostalgic, then I highly recommend Died And Gone To Devon. If the vibe from the excellent Father Brown series with Mark Williams appeals to you, then this will too.
December 7, 2019
Ahh... a little slow and pondering beginning, with the staff of the Riviera Express slowing down for Christmas, and our lovely Miss Dimont feeling threatened by a newly employed reporter in David Renishaw, who is simply OTT enthusiastic - or so we think.
Then again, Auriole and Uncle Arthur are arranging for Judy's mother to stay at the Grand Hotel, and trying hard not to let them kill each other.
Essentially, the first half is just setting the scene (if you will) and it is only at that point do we have an 'accident' and the first body.
Then, **phew** off we go into May of the next year, getting ready for a general election (how appropriate!!), knocked off course by an eccentric professor who insists that the local MP is a shifty, cheating, ne'er-do-well, an incident in London surrounding this person, and then the, oh, Murder of a nice lady who was intending to stand for MP as replacement for the umm other person.
It's non-stop action from there on out; lots of character involvement; a number of threads which lead one astray; a few telephone calls made by Judy after hints from her uncle, and there we have it.
Poor Frank Topham doesn't get a look-in, even though (through the Fleet Street reporters who assemble in Temple Regis) he finds out Interpol is looking for a murderer, and he ends up with 2 bodies (not including the 'accidental' one) and not a clue as to who-dunnit :)
I managed to suss out who the killer was, but that was only because it became obvious towards the end; but and we're left with the suggestion that the 1st accident was in fact another murder, and that's left for next time!
The whole story is very evocative of both time periods involved in this tale, but I just wish Judy would think aloud a bit more and not just surprise us with information she's acquired from those telephone calls :)
Still, it's great fun and a jolly good read :)
Then again, Auriole and Uncle Arthur are arranging for Judy's mother to stay at the Grand Hotel, and trying hard not to let them kill each other.
Essentially, the first half is just setting the scene (if you will) and it is only at that point do we have an 'accident' and the first body.
Then, **phew** off we go into May of the next year, getting ready for a general election (how appropriate!!), knocked off course by an eccentric professor who insists that the local MP is a shifty, cheating, ne'er-do-well, an incident in London surrounding this person, and then the, oh, Murder of a nice lady who was intending to stand for MP as replacement for the umm other person.
It's non-stop action from there on out; lots of character involvement; a number of threads which lead one astray; a few telephone calls made by Judy after hints from her uncle, and there we have it.
Poor Frank Topham doesn't get a look-in, even though (through the Fleet Street reporters who assemble in Temple Regis) he finds out Interpol is looking for a murderer, and he ends up with 2 bodies (not including the 'accidental' one) and not a clue as to who-dunnit :)
I managed to suss out who the killer was, but that was only because it became obvious towards the end; but and we're left with the suggestion that the 1st accident was in fact another murder, and that's left for next time!
The whole story is very evocative of both time periods involved in this tale, but I just wish Judy would think aloud a bit more and not just surprise us with information she's acquired from those telephone calls :)
Still, it's great fun and a jolly good read :)
February 23, 2022
Rating between 3 & 4
I did have some trouble deciding on a rating for this novel. Generally anything above 3.5 is something I would probably read again and definitely recommend if anyone asked me about it. Most books I read are rated at a 3, perfectly fine entertaining reads that do what they set out to do but don’t stick around at the front of my memory for very long.
This is a late 1950’s mystery set in Devon that follows miss dimont who is working as the lead reporter on the local newspaper after an eventful ww2 (and Cold War) career in some not really specified intelligence department. The characters are well drawn and after 4 novels the cast has come together very nicely. Some predictable characteristics, such as grumpy editor, chauvinistic Scottish sub editor, well intentioned uncle of lead character, overbearing mother etc etc
They are easy to read and pass the time nicely.
This one however I wouldn’t describe as a murder mystery, the action was quite sparse and more time was spent on the characters than the plot. I would have almost defined this as a literary-mystery novel as for me at least that indicates the writer is less concerned about the mystery elements (and providing clues for the reader to play along) and concentrates more in the writing style and characters, locations etc.
This is the 4th novel in the series and I do think it is the best written of them so far, even though the mystery isn’t that interesting.
Hence my difficulty deciding on a rating-as a cosy mystery then it is no more than a 3, as a piece of literary fiction then it might be 3.5 or a 4.
Overall I think I would recommend it but only if you have read the earlier novels, or you want to read some thing with an interesting group of lead characters.
I did have some trouble deciding on a rating for this novel. Generally anything above 3.5 is something I would probably read again and definitely recommend if anyone asked me about it. Most books I read are rated at a 3, perfectly fine entertaining reads that do what they set out to do but don’t stick around at the front of my memory for very long.
This is a late 1950’s mystery set in Devon that follows miss dimont who is working as the lead reporter on the local newspaper after an eventful ww2 (and Cold War) career in some not really specified intelligence department. The characters are well drawn and after 4 novels the cast has come together very nicely. Some predictable characteristics, such as grumpy editor, chauvinistic Scottish sub editor, well intentioned uncle of lead character, overbearing mother etc etc
They are easy to read and pass the time nicely.
This one however I wouldn’t describe as a murder mystery, the action was quite sparse and more time was spent on the characters than the plot. I would have almost defined this as a literary-mystery novel as for me at least that indicates the writer is less concerned about the mystery elements (and providing clues for the reader to play along) and concentrates more in the writing style and characters, locations etc.
This is the 4th novel in the series and I do think it is the best written of them so far, even though the mystery isn’t that interesting.
Hence my difficulty deciding on a rating-as a cosy mystery then it is no more than a 3, as a piece of literary fiction then it might be 3.5 or a 4.
Overall I think I would recommend it but only if you have read the earlier novels, or you want to read some thing with an interesting group of lead characters.
December 19, 2019
This cosy crime mystery is a pleasant diversion but no more than that. On the plus side, it is well written and easy to read, if unevenly and, at times, lackadaisically paced. On the downside, however, it is somewhat lacking in terms of setting, character and, sadly, plot.
The story is set in late 50s Devon but this setting is never properly brought to life: it could take place anywhere and, with only the most cosmetic changes, at any time. The details do not convince. In one example, our newspaper reporter heroine quotes the Police and Criminal Evidence Act that would not be passed for another quarter of a century; with such powers of prognostication it is amazing it takes her so long to work out the solution.
This is particularly the case because the mystery elements turn out not to be a little less mysterious than one might have hoped. Many a Christie style crime novel is saved from all its other faults by a well worked out solutions, but sadly that is not the case here. The solution, for me at least, fell into the category of having been pointed towards so clearly that it seemed the author must be using it to conceal a cleverer and more suprising solution. That was not the case is a disappointment.
This then is not a bad book but it isn’t one I would particularly recommend either. Hopefully others, particularly those who have read and enjoyed the previous novel in the series, will have rather better fun.
This review is of a prepublication proof provided by NetGalley.
The story is set in late 50s Devon but this setting is never properly brought to life: it could take place anywhere and, with only the most cosmetic changes, at any time. The details do not convince. In one example, our newspaper reporter heroine quotes the Police and Criminal Evidence Act that would not be passed for another quarter of a century; with such powers of prognostication it is amazing it takes her so long to work out the solution.
This is particularly the case because the mystery elements turn out not to be a little less mysterious than one might have hoped. Many a Christie style crime novel is saved from all its other faults by a well worked out solutions, but sadly that is not the case here. The solution, for me at least, fell into the category of having been pointed towards so clearly that it seemed the author must be using it to conceal a cleverer and more suprising solution. That was not the case is a disappointment.
This then is not a bad book but it isn’t one I would particularly recommend either. Hopefully others, particularly those who have read and enjoyed the previous novel in the series, will have rather better fun.
This review is of a prepublication proof provided by NetGalley.
November 17, 2019
It's the first book I read in this series and I'm more than happy I did because I discovered a very entertaining and well written series.
I found this book engrossing and enjoyable with an excellent description of an era and a cast of well thought and likeable characters.
Miss Dimont is a very interesting character, an indipendente and strong woman who fight to live her life and with some issues with her overbearing mother.
I loved the humour and how it impregnates every twists and turns of this novel.
The mystery is solid and even if I guess the culprit quite easily it kept me interested till the end.
Even if it's a very pleasant read and the humor keeps you read it takes a bit before the mystery part starts but I think that the author did an excellent job in introducing the characters and the environment.
This is not the first instalment in this series but I think that there's a lot backstory and the first part helps you to understand the characters and the plot.
I can't wait to read the next instalment.
A pleasant read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to HQ and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I found this book engrossing and enjoyable with an excellent description of an era and a cast of well thought and likeable characters.
Miss Dimont is a very interesting character, an indipendente and strong woman who fight to live her life and with some issues with her overbearing mother.
I loved the humour and how it impregnates every twists and turns of this novel.
The mystery is solid and even if I guess the culprit quite easily it kept me interested till the end.
Even if it's a very pleasant read and the humor keeps you read it takes a bit before the mystery part starts but I think that the author did an excellent job in introducing the characters and the environment.
This is not the first instalment in this series but I think that there's a lot backstory and the first part helps you to understand the characters and the plot.
I can't wait to read the next instalment.
A pleasant read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to HQ and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
January 27, 2020
Set in the late 1950s at a Devon "Riviera" resort this book is of its times - a gentle slowness that does take some time to get going mixed with some sharp and apposite humour about life at that time. The characters were well-written and the places well described. Chief reporter on the local rag, Judy, has problems with her mother, thankfully remote from Devon, and the new hot-shot journalist David as well as a boss who toes the party line and doesn't want anything to upset the apparent idyllic life in Temple Regis - so much the opposite of modern editors who actively seek-out the scurrilous gossip, the juicier the better and, in fact, of the Fleet St. journos who appear in due course. Add to this mix the death of a librarian, of the new Conservative candidate, then that of the retiring Conservative member not to mention historic suicide of a Society lady and Judy has much to do, ably abetted by photographer Terry. Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 3, 2020
Judy Dimont is asked to look into a death that happened 25 years back, was it murder or suicide? However, before she can even consider looking at this case there is a new boy in town, working for her Riviera Express. He is secretive, pushy and knows an awful lot about Judy. The completely hopeless local MP is standing down after many years ignoring his constituency and this brings another story. Fleet Streets finest descend on Temple Regis and a murder takes place.
You find as you read this, all the arrows pointing to who did this and you wonder why Judy, so astute normally, lets things slide so much. However, it’s not so much the who did it but the whys and wherefores you wait to uncover, the torrid backstories. Also it is nice to see that Judy and Terry are becoming....mmm what exactly, when they can both still get on each other’s nerves, but there is a faint glimmer of something else.
An enjoyable read.
You find as you read this, all the arrows pointing to who did this and you wonder why Judy, so astute normally, lets things slide so much. However, it’s not so much the who did it but the whys and wherefores you wait to uncover, the torrid backstories. Also it is nice to see that Judy and Terry are becoming....mmm what exactly, when they can both still get on each other’s nerves, but there is a faint glimmer of something else.
An enjoyable read.
May 26, 2025
An election is to take place in Temple Regis between the largely absent current MP, Sir Frederick Hungerford, and three ladies who are new to politics but all think they can do a better job and the current incumbent. Professor Silloway is protesting at each meeting as his research shows that the current MP and his family swindled the Silloways out of land over several years. Then a 25-year old death is brought to Judy Dimont's attention - the victim was a girlfriend of Sir Frederick. Judy is also having to swallow being pushed off the front page by new new reporter. Interpol are tracking a killer, and the Fleet Street boys are also in town. Can Judy sort everything out and get one over on the big boys?
Another good outing in this cosy mystery series. Good fun.
Another good outing in this cosy mystery series. Good fun.
October 26, 2022
Whilst enjoyable, this book is clearly part of an established series, and has a large cast, as a series tends to do as it gain as it goes along. I had a job remembering who was who. Also, an awful lot of the scenes were of the type where person A is innocently going to tell person B something the reader realises is of relevance to person B, but there is an interruption, and person B does not get the information. There was also a lot of distracting detail that may be simply adorable to readers of the series - Miss Dimont's mother visiting for Xmas, that just got in the way of the story to me. I did wish I had an abridged version of the story, which would be quite sparky I think.
November 2, 2019
Call me harsh. Only 3 stars but I really rather enjoyed this book! If you enjoy the mystery/murder genre, and probably if you watch "Midsummer Murders", this will be right up your street. Probably a very pleasant read at bedtime, and not badly written. It was quite a lot of fun, although not a book I would have chosen to read for myself (I read it in line with my work) - and ultimately, that's the only reason it got 3 stars, while being otherwise quite a nice read. So if you can work your way through my thoughts on this, it was so much better than it might have been!
August 31, 2021
A fantastic cozy murder set in 1960’s Devon. I’m a fan of Miss D, and having read all the books so far, this was more of the same balm for the soul.
These are not difficult books to read, but they are well written and I find them immersive, witty and a just the right amount of silly. Perfectly entertaining, I’ll read as many as are written, I’m already looking forward to Judy solving the murder of Miss G…
These are not difficult books to read, but they are well written and I find them immersive, witty and a just the right amount of silly. Perfectly entertaining, I’ll read as many as are written, I’m already looking forward to Judy solving the murder of Miss G…
April 20, 2024
Set in the 1950s where a Conservative MP is being sent to the Lords and won't be contesting the General Election. But things change and this could be a plot from an Ealing Comedy except there aren't that many laughs.
We follow events through a newspaper office with no real main character to focus on. There is some quirkiness about some of them, but in the main not too memorable.
One of those books that should have been better.
We follow events through a newspaper office with no real main character to focus on. There is some quirkiness about some of them, but in the main not too memorable.
One of those books that should have been better.
September 7, 2020
This was my least favorite installment so far in the series. While I do enjoy subplots whose resolution spans multiple books, I’m beginning to lose hope that several previously introduced subplots will be resolved. Fortunately progress was made on the Mme Dimont front, though she seemed to be a harder character to write than to write about.
June 21, 2025
2 stars because i fall asleep so fast after strarting this. Othereise, it's just plain terrible. For a book with so many murders there is an incredible amount of filler. There is so much horoscope you want to hear before rolling your eyes into the heavens. The book series is full of lost plots (the Russian spy from last book, anyone?) and inconsistencies (miss Fipps age, eg. ).
January 4, 2020
I can't really make a full rewiew of this book as I didn't get to the end. I gave it a good try, however I couldn't connect with the characters and kept getting confused as to what was happening. This one just wasn't for me, but I'm sure it will bring pleasure for many others.
December 17, 2022
Great title. But it was downhill all the way from there. What a silly little book. It had it's charm, it's moments but that was when it triggered personal memories or a little aside or whatever. Maybe I wasn't tuned in to TPF's wavelength or the Miss Dimont series but not one for me.
Toast
Toast
May 20, 2020
Always wonderful, this series has made me laugh out loud. It does make me very homesick for Devon though when I'm sitting in my London flat!
December 14, 2020
Nice old-fashioned murder mystery
I am hooked, an interesting plot with a sufficiency of twists and turns along the way. Easy reading - more please!
I am hooked, an interesting plot with a sufficiency of twists and turns along the way. Easy reading - more please!
November 15, 2021
This was a good story but the loose end from book 3 was not mentioned. However this could be read as a stand alone novel.
December 15, 2024
Too twee for us. Started but did not finish
June 15, 2025
not a bad story set in the '50s took some getting into the gist of it
November 22, 2019
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2019...
‘Died and Gone to Devon’ was a cute book a ‘cozy’ murder mystery with a very neat protagonist.
Though I did enjoy reading this, it unfortunately wasn’t for the mystery of it. The murder mystery was lacking for me, it felt as if this were more of a journalist who was living in a quirky town with an enjoyable cast of characters, but, for nearly the first half of the book there was nothing really to do with the mystery part other than an occasional mention.
The buildup was unsatisfying as a mystery, but, I did enjoy learning about the town and the crew of the ‘Riviera.’
Judy is a fun character and overall I would say this was still an enjoyable read and I thought the writing style was the definition of cozy. So, I gave this three stars, but, again, not for it fitting its genre.
‘Died and Gone to Devon’ was a cute book a ‘cozy’ murder mystery with a very neat protagonist.
Though I did enjoy reading this, it unfortunately wasn’t for the mystery of it. The murder mystery was lacking for me, it felt as if this were more of a journalist who was living in a quirky town with an enjoyable cast of characters, but, for nearly the first half of the book there was nothing really to do with the mystery part other than an occasional mention.
The buildup was unsatisfying as a mystery, but, I did enjoy learning about the town and the crew of the ‘Riviera.’
Judy is a fun character and overall I would say this was still an enjoyable read and I thought the writing style was the definition of cozy. So, I gave this three stars, but, again, not for it fitting its genre.
November 25, 2019
****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****
This is the fourth book in the Miss Dimount Investigates series, featuring an intrepid lady reporter in the seaside town of Temple Regis in the late 1950s. In Died and Gone to Devon, a by-election is looming - but when one of the candidates winds up dead, Judy is soon investigating. Add into the mix a new and suspiciously ambitious journalist and a visit from her mother, and Judy has soon got a lot on her plate.
Regular readers will know that I love a murder mystery set in the past, and I love an unconventional detective. Judy is an older lady - not as old as Miss Marple certainly, but definitely not in the first flush of youth - and I really like the fact that she's got her head screwed on and doesn't sail off into danger without a thought. She's smart, she's had to fight to get to wear she is and she's not going to cede her position easily. And I also like the late 1950s setting - Temple Regis is a sleepy, old-fashioned backwater but you can see the cusp of the swinging sixties on the horizon and the conflicts that are starting as times change. I had some of the mystery figured out early on, but not all by any means and I enjoyed watching everything unfold, although to be fair reading it in the week that a General Election was called might not have been my best plan - as it all got a bit election overload at times!
I read the first book in the series back in 2017, and enjoyed it but thought that there was a lot of set up for the series going on and a few too many unexplained hints about Judy's past. But this definitely felt like a book in a series that has hit its stride - the characters are established, there aren't any info dumps about people and there are a few little nuggets about previous cases that would work as callbacks if you've read them, or tempt you into reading them if like me you haven't.
This is the fourth book in the Miss Dimount Investigates series, featuring an intrepid lady reporter in the seaside town of Temple Regis in the late 1950s. In Died and Gone to Devon, a by-election is looming - but when one of the candidates winds up dead, Judy is soon investigating. Add into the mix a new and suspiciously ambitious journalist and a visit from her mother, and Judy has soon got a lot on her plate.
Regular readers will know that I love a murder mystery set in the past, and I love an unconventional detective. Judy is an older lady - not as old as Miss Marple certainly, but definitely not in the first flush of youth - and I really like the fact that she's got her head screwed on and doesn't sail off into danger without a thought. She's smart, she's had to fight to get to wear she is and she's not going to cede her position easily. And I also like the late 1950s setting - Temple Regis is a sleepy, old-fashioned backwater but you can see the cusp of the swinging sixties on the horizon and the conflicts that are starting as times change. I had some of the mystery figured out early on, but not all by any means and I enjoyed watching everything unfold, although to be fair reading it in the week that a General Election was called might not have been my best plan - as it all got a bit election overload at times!
I read the first book in the series back in 2017, and enjoyed it but thought that there was a lot of set up for the series going on and a few too many unexplained hints about Judy's past. But this definitely felt like a book in a series that has hit its stride - the characters are established, there aren't any info dumps about people and there are a few little nuggets about previous cases that would work as callbacks if you've read them, or tempt you into reading them if like me you haven't.
December 24, 2023
couldn’t finish this book. Unfortunately pretty disappointing as it took so long for a murder to be introduced and it seemed to be an absurd amount of irrelevant details regarding the backstory of mundane characters. Maybe this was supposed to play a role in solving the murder? Maybe I just didn’t find them interesting? Perhaps I can try this book another time but for now it’s died and gone back to the library
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