Still Life with Pistol

Richard Patton #2

by Roger Ormerod

While attending a two-week painting course at a rural English mansion, detective Richard Patton and his friend Amanda investigate the murder of one of the artists whose last painting contains the clue to the murderer

199 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Roger Ormerod was born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. He worked as a county court officer, an executive officer in the Department of Social Security, a postman, and a shop loader in an engineering factory.

Reviews

[Joan]

I found more than a few confusing aspects to this story to the extent that I ended up flicking back and forth several times to check whether I had missed something.

The first part was where Amelia and Richard arrive at the Manor and Amelia says: (page 87)"I wonder where the red Fiesta's disappeared to." WHAT red Fiesta?? I spent several minutes searching for ANY reference to a red Fiesta in the preceding pages... but nothing!

At page 181 we are finally given an explanation, (sort of 'off stage and more than a bit 'iffy') but by then I was more than a little leery of the story.

Later on there was another ??? moment where Richard (wearing a dressing gown) goes to help Samantha who 'removed her hands from her face and flung them around me and threw herself against my chest, her arms enclosing me, and sobbing frantically.'

And then he returns to his room to examine the scratches Sam had inflicted on my chest. WHAT scratches??

I liked the characters and the overall 'feel' of the story, but there was a sense that this hadn't been proof-read or edited and so I stopped reading.

Not rating at this moment. I might look for the first one in the series and try that.

[Frank Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

No doubt most of us are familiar with classic mystery plot where a group of persons for some reason find themselves in the same place at the same time; a murder is committed (which means everybody in the group is a suspect); one of the group is a detective who investigates; and at the end the detective identifies the murderer (surprise!) and explains how he solved the crime.

It is a tried-and-true formula. Roger Ormerod does a nice job with it in STILL LIFE WITH PISTOL. He provides additional interest through his main characters, Richard Patton, a retired British detective, and his younger wife, Amelia, and the setting, which is an artists’ workshop in the country. This provides material for subplots about intergenerational relationships and discussion about art.

Omerud provides a number of twists and turns to the plot that helps to keep the story moving along and ends in the traditional way: The detective identifies the murderer (surprise!) and explains how he solved the crime.

[Sebastian Barrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very complicated case at an artist retreat to which Richard and Amelia had been invited. Richard then finds a dead body and this is where the complications begin. Whodunnit?
Many twists and turns and red herrings that Richard, now retired, sorts through to find the killer and more importantly, why they did it.
The author certainly knows how to make a murder into a long path to get to the truth!!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retired D.I. Richard Patton and his wife, Amelia have booked a fortnight artists retreat, run by Bruno Fillingley. But once all the guests have arrived, one night when he was unable to sleep Patten on his walk discovers a body.
An enjoyable well-written mystery

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Life With Pistol by Roger Ormerod.
Richard Patton and his wife Amelia are spending two weeks in an exclusive art retreat run by Bruno Fillingley. This is an art retreat with a difference. As well as the real thing there are forgeries there too. He likes people to guess which are which. But soon there is a murder there. But who could have done it.
A good read with good characters. Little slow in places. Very cleverly written. Full of twists and plots. 4*. Netgalley and Endeavour press.