Scones and Scoundrels

Scheming Spires Mysteries #1

by Charlotte Graham

Georgina Strange is just like any other Oxford University freshman. She suffers from imposter syndrome, loathes exams, and doesn’t know what she’ll do after graduation. Oh, one small difference: Georgina is 60 years young. Laid off and recently widowed, Georgina trades her posh London digs for a dormitory in the fabled City of Dreaming Spires. But trouble abounds when Georgina spars with a most disagreeable fellow student, whose enemies include academic rivals and jilted lovers. And when Georgina discovers the obnoxious ne’er-do-well choked to death with one of her homemade scones, she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. The only suspect without an alibi, Georgina vows to clear her name by finding the culprit herself. Georgina’s Oxford career and freedom are on the line, and, if the killer has anything to say about it, so is her life.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2020

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cozy mystery, and this is the first book in the Scheming Spires Mysteries series. That is about a widow named Georgina Strange starting Oxford University to get her reading degree. Within weeks of her coming to Oxford University she finds another student has been kill, and she is the only suspect without an alibi. Georgina vows to clear her name and starts to look into the other suspects alibis. I did love the character Georgina, but I wish we got to know some of the other characters better. I did not see the ending happening how it did. I really liked this book. This is the first Charlotte Graham book I read, and I will have to look into more of her books. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher via booksirens in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgina Strange is a middle-aged widow returning to university. There she gets embroiled in the murder of a student and becomes a suspect. The murder is well crafted. I really enjoyed Georgina as the MC. The story is methodical and logical. The authors descriptions are amazing and I often felt like I was right there at Oxford. What I didn't enjoy was the slow pace and limited emotional engagement. I still enjoyed the story and will read more by this author. I received a free copy of this book. The honest opinions in this review are my own.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

With its quirky main character and lovely setting, this Cozy Mystery thoroughly entertained me and had me craving scones. I look forward to the next installment in this series.

Georgina Strange is a widow that recently enrolled and got accepted at Oxford University. Georgina , within a few weeks upon arrival meets an array of students that are a bit quirky but fun to be around, most of them.  Soon one of the students is murdered and Georgina is the only suspect. Since the local police are not looking anywhere else but at Georgina, she must work to clear her name. Soon Georgina gets caught up in a scandal that may tarnish Oxford's reputation. With so much at stake and the police closing in fast on Georgina , she must be creative in her efforts to clear her name and reputation.

With its quirky main character and lovely setting, this Cozy Mystery thoroughly entertained me and had me craving scones. I look forward to the next installment in this series.

This review was originally posted on Cindy’s Book Stacks

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you've never spent time in England, you might have a hard time with some of the phrasing in this one. Fortunately, I spent some time there so I absolutely fell in love with this cozy.
Georgina is a mature student at Oxford and it doesn't take long for her to get caught up in the biggest scandal the college has ever seen!
Graham does a great job of walking the line of believability. There were very few moments when I went, "really..?" So even though it was unlikely, Graham was able to get me as a reader to buy in.

Fabulous, British, cozy, mystery. I can't wait to read more in this adorable series.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scones and Scoundrels by Charlotte Graham is a cozy mystery novel that releases tomorrow! It is set in England’s Oxford University. It is the first of the “Scheming Spires Mysteries”series.

Laid off and recently widowed, Georgina Strange is beginning a new chapter in her life, attempting to fulfill a lifelong dream. However, after participating in a bake sale, Georgina becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. Her friend and confidante, Lucy, encourages her along the way, and even comes to her rescue on more than one occasion.

The outspoken Georgina had me smiling frequently as she spoke her mind. This delightful story kept me turning pages to find out “whodunit” until the very end. I was pleasingly surprised when the story didn’t end as soon as the mystery was solved, but instead gave me a taste of how Georgina’s life settled into a routine, as well as how her life changed because of her involvement in the murder mystery.

I enjoyed learning about Oxford University through descriptions and facts brought out in the setting. Georgina and Lucy were joined by a very interesting cast of characters, and Georgina learned something about herself as she learned the true characteristics of some of the college students and other characters she came in contact with.

Though there were two glaring errors in the story that really stuck out and distracted me a bit, they were small and brief. All-in-all, I really liked this story and I look forward to reading more of the “Scheming Spires Mysteries”. If you enjoy a good mystery with an amateur detective that is entertaining and easy to read, you will enjoy Scones and Scoundrels by Charlotte Graham.

I did receive a free Advance Reader Copy of this story in exchange for my honest review. However I was under no obligation to write this review, and this review is my honest opinion of the book.

[Becky Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Scones and Scoundrels by Charlotte Graham as an ARC. I had never read any books by this author but will definitely read more of her books. Georgina Strange has lost her husband of 3 decades to cancer a year earlier before she decided to go to Oxford University for her reading degree. Upon arrival she was definitely one of the older students but Lucy one of her roommate really made her feel comfortable. She was first introduced to Dexter fighting with his girlfriend Hannah. Shortly after that initially meeting she ran into Dexter at the coffee shop and he basically said she was an old lady but then it see her at the bake sale and buys a scone from her to try and win Hannah back. Georgina gave Dexter a tongue lashing in front of others vendors. Next day Georgina gets up early and decide to go for a walk she came upon Dexter dead. Now the story really begins wiTh Georgina the prime suspect. She takes it upon herself to find the real killer to clear her name. I couldn’t put the book down because there was so many different suspects and I was on the edge of my seat for Georgina’s safety. I loved how the author made you really see how you can accomplish whatever you want at any age! Great book!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgina Strange has lost her husband of many years to cancer and she decides to make a change in her life and enrolls at Oxford University to get her degree.
She is making friends and adjusting to her new life when she stumbles on to a dead body. She is accused of committing the murder and arrested. After posting bail she decides with the help of her friend Lucy they are going to do a little sleuthing to find the real killer.
I enjoyed reading this book but did not get feel it was one of the better cozy mysteries I have read. I did not feel connected to any of the people in the story.

I received an ARC copy of Scones and Scoundrels by Charlotte Graham from BookSirens in exchange for my honest review.

[Carlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a treat! I just finished reading H.Y. Hanna's series (the Oxford Teashop Mysteries)...10 in a row...so I was loathe to leave one of my favorite English cities. Finding this one in my reading queue was just what I needed!

Georgina Strange is a 55-year-old widow whose dying husband made her promise to follow her dreams and enroll at Oxford University. She is accepted at Oxford's Harris Manchester College, reserved for "mature" students, i.e. over twenty-one!

(Note: I did some research on this college and was delighted to learn it is not fictional. It was fun looking at photos of the College so it was easy to imagine Georgina exploring the campus.)

The story begins in the week before her first (Michaelmas) term as she arrives at the College and meets several fellow students, her tutor (professor), and other characters both within and without the College environs. She and her new friend Lucy make baked goods to sell in a College fund raiser. She subsequently witnesses and intervenes in a dispute between students Dexter and Hannah and is later heard to say she hopes he "chokes on the scone." Early the next morning, as Georgina returns from a walk around the city, she discovers Dexter sitting on a bench in the Quad dead with one of Georgina's scones stuffed in his mouth. As the only possible suspect without a verifiable alibi, Georgina is immediately suspected of the murder by the Oxford police. The story follows the standard cozy mystery playbook as Georgina begins her own investigation to clear her name and turns up clues the chief investigating detective at first is loathe to consider telling Georgina to stay out of the investigation. Of course she doesn't and continues to investigate on her own finding holes in the alibis of other suspects until she finally figures out "who done it" while putting herself in danger and possibly becoming the next victim.

It was a good story but the editing left a lot to be desired, grammatical mistakes, words missing or misspelled, and interrupted my enjoyment of the story. I noted the book is scheduled for publication in June 2020, so the author has a couple of months to clean up the mistakes.

My only other complaint about the book was the frequent reference to Georgina's age...a "dried up old biddy" for one...that seemed gratuitous. Having been a "mature" student myself (getting a Bachelor's degree at 26, a Master's at 34 and a J.D. at 51), I am well aware of the particular difficulties of fitting in with younger students. I am probably projecting my own experiences on Georgina and wishing she had gotten more credit for her academic accomplishments. But I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more about Georgina and her adventures (sleuthing!) in Oxford.

I received an Advanced Review Copy from Book Sirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was just so much to be delighted by in Scones and Scoundrels that I think this will be a series I will look forward to each new installment.

I enjoyed that the protagonist, Georgina Strange, is an older woman, a recent widow, setting out on a new phase of her life – a life without her beloved husband, Simon, and a life at university. The friends she makes are a diverse group of people all older (some just a bit) than the traditional student. She’s excited and optimistic about this new chapter of her life yet a little intimidated by the university experience as a whole. (I groaned just thinking about how I’d feel about returning to school and hitting the books again at my age.) She has guts and nerve! I particularly liked the character Lucy Saunders, her free-spirited flatmate, and new best friend.

The question of who murdered Dexter Ellis is a solid mystery, and it was easy to follow Georgina’s thinking and actions to try and clear her name. I wasn’t crazy that the chief inspector seemed utterly convinced that Georgina was the only real suspect and didn’t seem to investigate anyone else on his own initiative. He does redeem himself some as time goes on, and his character developed a little bit more. However, the murder wasn’t the only mystery involved in the book. Many other things were going on besides, and thankfully, these are wrapped up by the end of the book, so no unsolved cliffhangers.

Besides the murder, Georgina also confronts her first year of study, and I enjoyed the story of her going to tutorials, writing her essays, and becoming part of university life. An interesting subplot is Georgina’s awareness that as a mature woman, she had to face down some stereotypes from others while realizing she, too, has been guilty of stereotyping some of her fellow students herself. Also, she is still feeling her way through life after a year of widowhood. In this unfamiliar location, she is introduced to new people, including men, who do not know her as Simon’s widow but as an attractive woman. She is unsure about dating at this point but does consider the possibility, and there is a candidate or two provided in the story for her future consideration.

The author included nice details of the Oxford setting, making it feel more and more familiar as the book went along. The little mentions of the fall leaves, and the rain made it even more vivid in my mind.

This is the first book in the series, Scheming Spires Mysteries, and I hope to see many more like this one. I recommend this book for cozy mystery readers, especially those that enjoy a more mature amateur sleuth.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

[Anna]

Scones and Scoundrels is a cozy mystery set in Oxford. Georgina, a widow has decided to return to college to fulfil her dream of studying English at Manchester College in Oxford. Within hours of her arrival another student is murdered and Georgina finds herself the main suspect. Did she do it? Who knows!

Overall this is a light read which I enjoyed. However I would have liked more depth to the characters and I found that there was a lot of padding out of scenes in the book, with unecessary descriptions around every meal which the characters ate. There were also a number of grammatical and spelling anomalies which irked me so editing needs to be looked at. I had figured out who the murderer was early on in the story and the end of the book was stretched out unecessarily. At times the book seemed to be a cross between Enid Blyton with a touch of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. If you enjoy an easy undemanding escapist read you will enjoy this. I imagine this could be the start of a series and I probably would read a follow up if there was one.

Thanks to BookSirens for a free copy in return for an honest unbiased opinion.

[Lisa Denn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scones And Scoundrels, which I was given an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy to read and post an honest review online) is the first book I have read by Charlotte Graham.

Despite having a good storyline Scones And Scoundrels didn't quite make the grade with me. The story seemed choppy to me - lacking continuity from one chapter to the next. The transition from chapter to chapter was as bumpy as riding a roller coaster.

The author's descriptive writing conjured up vivid images of what one could expect to see of the authentic campuses abd surrounding areas but the characters didn't deliver a successful page turning storyline in my opinion.

The characters seemed disconnected most of the time. Towards the end of the book there was some wonderfully written dialogue between Lucy and Georgina which demonstrated the depth their relationship had grown but beyond that the dialogue was mostly superficial.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely cozy mystery set in Oxford, England. I enjoyed the setting, as it is not a small town as normal, but still cozy with interesting characters. It's was also refreshing to have an older main character. However, I think she was portrayed as much older than 55. It took her more than a day to recover from her "early morning travels" from London to Oxford. A journey that is an hour long! The mystery was not very compelling and I was able to figure out the culprit early on. However, I really enjoyed learning more about Oxford; the town and university.

Thank you to BookSirens for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this cozy in one sitting, because it entertained me. The main character, Georgina Strange, is rather fun in a quirky sort of way. There are a number of suspects around her college in Oxford so the reader has lots to consider as she smirks at Georgina’s bouts of indignation and risky investigations.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Wendi Dass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Cozy Read

It has been over a decade since I've read a cozy mystery, but in the dark times of present I was craving a lighter read. Graham's Scones and Scoundrels fit the bill. An escape to beautifully described Oxford, Graham had me chuckling with tech-inferior Georgina Strange and death BY SCONE. Haha!

[E. Alegre · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery that kept me guessing

The character descriptions were fabulous, I felt I knew them very well. The description of places and most certainly the fare, wisked me away for my own adventure and at times had me yearning for pastries. The mystery was truly that, a mystery, throughout the length of the book. My suspects often changed.
Great work. Great read!

[David Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. I admit I was convinced I knew who the killer was up until the surprising twist. It was very well written, draws from the authors personal experiences, and I cannot wait until the next in the series comes out.

[Sherry Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting mystery featuring an older woman. The characters are varied from sweet and innocent to boorish. And, the murderer is the last person you would expect.

[Janice Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

another good one