Something Wicked (Andrew Basnett, 1)

Andrew Basnett #1

by E.X. Ferrars

When Andrew Basnett(main character in the series) , a retired professor of botany, took his nephew's cottage in a quiet Oxfordshire village for the winter, he didn't expect to find himself living opposite a woman locally reputed to have killed her husband, even though an unbreakable alibi meant she had never been brought to trial. Nor did he expect to find himself cut off from all mains services as the result of a blizzard. And he certainly did not expect to discover in his cold, dark living-room the body of the village's second murder victim. "A psychological thriller you will want to finish!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, British Literature, Audiobook

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Aka Elizabeth Ferrars

Elizabeth Ferrars is a pseudonym of Morna Doris MacTaggart Brown. She was born in Rangoon, Burma.

Reviews

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in March 1984 it is the first in a series featuring 70-yr-old retired university professor Andrew Basnett.

This is a very British ‘cozy’ mystery and is very indicative of the time period in which it was written.

Andrew, in the process of writing a book, has accepted the invitation from his nephew Peter to spend some quiet time in Peters’ cottage in a somewhat remote little village. Peter informed Andrew that there is a murderess living in the village but she was never charged and has lived on for years as a recluse, so no need to worry.

However, as a winter storm causes a total blackout another murder victim is found inside Peter’s cottage while Andrew was away seeing to his flat in London for the day.

It’s quite an interesting whodunit but what I found most fascinating is that the author wrote it when she was in her 70’s.

[Maine Colonial · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felony & Mayhem press, which often republishes old midlist crime fiction, is having a 30%-off sale on all of its ebooks, so I thought I'd give one a try. I sort of remembered reading a Ferrars book years ago, but couldn't think which one. But at least I knew it wasn't this one, and I thought I'd like to pick the first book in a series.

The protagonist is Andrew Basnett, a 70-year-old widower who temporarily moves from his London flat to his nephew's small village house during the Christmas season. It's convenient for both men. Basnett, a retired professor working on a biography of Robert Hooke, the biologist who discovered cells, is having his flat painted and doesn't want to have to be home for all the disturbance of the contractors. Peter has to go to Paris, and would like to have his house looked after while he's away.

Basnett finds himself being looked in on by Peter's neighbors, and soon learns much village gossip, including the story of a murder six years earlier, just across the way in the imposing Godlingham House. Basnett hears different speculative accounts from his neighbors on either side, and he can't help but be intrigued--especially when another murder occurs that seems to be related.

It's a cold December, and it even snows, which seems pleasant to everyone until the power goes out with no sign of being restored anytime soon. Basnett is an avid crime fiction reader, and such a good listener, that when his friendly neighbors keep inviting him over for a meal or a warm-up by the fire, he begins gathering evidence.

I always enjoy those British mysteries that take place during a heavy winter storm. Though written in the 1980s, this has a bit of the flavor of a Golden Age village mystery. Not quite up to the standard of Agatha Christie, it's still an entertaining story.

[Jazz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Ferrars has become a favorite of mine in short order. This, the first in her Andrew Basnett series, swept me up with its village setting (where everyone has secrets), the weather, the power outage, the characters, and the mystery. Don't be discouraged by the first couple pages—whether or not Andrew would technically rent his nephew's cottage or do him a favor and "housesit." Once an agreeable compromise was met, thank goodness, the story got interesting with every villager having an opinion about a suspected murderer living in the expensive house on the hill. It's not fast-paced, but that doesn't mean the pages don't flip by quickly. The reader wants to get to the bottom of it all after a second murder occurs. If you haven't read Ferrars' mysteries, you can start anywhere in her output and undoubtedly find one to like.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re issue of an English village mystery first published in the 80s. Andrew Basnat, retired professor and widower, accepts his nephew’s invitation to spend Christmas holidays in the nephew’s vacant country cottage while the nephew is abroad. In this first in a series of cozy mysteries featuring Andrew as amateur detective, the professor finds his temporary neighbors have many secrets and when one of them ends up dead in Andrew’s cottage sitting room, he must work to unravel them before An old cold case and a new murder lead to further violence. Fun and lively. Plot is a bit light.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A goodie from the Golden Age of mysteries. Very enjoyable.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Emily H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic cozy murder mystery set in a small English village. It’s everything you want from this sub-genre of mysteries. I will be reading more by this author.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was more than happy I was able to read this ARC as it was an engrossing and entertaining read.
I would defined it a mix of cozy and traditional elements with tropes from both genres.
It aged well and the characters are well thought and likeable.
The solid mystery kept me guessing and I liked the solution.
I can't wait to read the next installment in this series, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Cece · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this 4 stars because it is a good example of what it is-a classic British mystery. I am excited to have discovered this author.

[Troy Horrisberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

While browsing the mystery shelves of our main library, I came across a small E. X. Ferrars section. Having heard positive things about her books, I noted the library had the first book in her Professor Andrew Basnett series, Something Wicked (1983), so I checked it out.

To say I enjoyed it is something of an understatement.

Retired Professor Andrew Basnett was looking for a place to stay while his flat was being renovated (he couldn’t face the painters listening to loud music, talking football, and asking for cups of tea) while he worked on his book about Robert Hooke. It just so happened his nephew, Peter Dilly — a successful SciFi writer — was going to Paris for the winter and would be delighted to have his uncle stay in his country cottage. Instead of the peace and quiet he sought, Andrew soon found himself embroiled in gossip about a past murder, snowstorms, a power cut, and another murder.

Andrew was immediately engaging as a character, drawing me into not only the murders, but also to his approach to life and how he interacts with people. It was all very gentle, yet the plot moved along apace and kept me interested. The book was only 168 pages, so it was a quick read. I would have finished it last evening if it weren’t for (1) dinner and (2) being very tired and practically falling asleep with it on my chest.

The author populated the book with quirky, diverse characters including neighbors Godfrey and Hannah Goodchild, who don’t want to discuss the past and serve sweet sherry; Jack and Amabel Fidler, the more gregarious neighbors who bring Andrew up to speed on everyone; Simon Kemp, who is separated from his wife, Ruth; Ruth’s mother, Pauline Hewison, who some people suspected of killing her husband some years before, even though she had an alibi; Henry Hewison, the headmaster of the Newsome school who thought Pauline was a murderess; and Mrs. Nesbit, the former housekeeper for the Hewisons prior to her marriage, who worried more about dust than the murder.

Though some of the characters do plant red herrings as a means to distract Andrew, he dispenses with them adroitly to come to the solution, which is handled rather well. The ending is elegant and satisfactory if not without some extra drama that still worked within the context of the characters and story. It all made sense, which I appreciate.

I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series, Root of All Evil, as the DC Library system doesn’t have it yet.

By the way, the edition I read was from Felony & Mayhem Press, which appears to be reprinting vintage mysteries. The book included the first chapter in Root of All Evil and the first chapter from Dead Men Don’t Ski, the first book in the Inspector Henry Tibbett series by Patricia Moyes. The latter is already “On Hold” for me so I can sample that series. So many good books, so little time.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ferrars(Morna Doris MacTaggart Brown) wrote 75 novels in her lifetime, plus any number of short stories. This is the first volume of 8 in a series she started later in life. Her own age is reflected in the main character - 70 year old, recently retired as a professor of Botany at the U of London (a post her 2nd husband held for decades at the U of Edinburgh), widowed 3 years, Andrew Basnett.
A very British cozy, first published in 1984 (she passed in 1995). Lots of exacting detail of daily routine, and some food in it as well. She also describes each character in quite some detail as well.
Two murders, 6 years apart, are solved. More by his questioning and listening to stories and then using logic to piece together what had happened, rather than by actively pursuing an investigation.
I'm not a big "cozy" reader, but I did enjoy this, and will read some of the other volumes in the series. It was rather relaxing.
3/4 out of 5.
Read as an ebook - 168 pp long, but fluffed out to 200 with the addition of the first chapter from the next 2 books in the series being added to the end.

[Hailey Leithauser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say why I liked this cozy mystery as mudh as I did, maybe I was just in the mood for this exact type of book at this exact moment, but it was pure pleasure from page one. The characters and histories were laid out in a orderly manner, and I found mayself making mental lists of the clues, read two thirds of the way through in the first sitting until the late hour finally forced me to turn out the lights, and then lay in bed for another hour going over the suspects and making my guesses. There was nothing particularly brilliant in the plot or the writing, but somehow it was pitch perfect for a rainy autumn day, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more. It ends with the first chapter of the next book which I immediately ordered it for overnight delivery. A guilty pleasure perhaps with all the seroius literature out there I keep,telling myself I need to get to, but still a pleasuire.

[Armanda Moncton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 * I like Andrew Basnett and the stories that he features in tend to be slow paced, which suits me just fine. In this one, the power outage with no heat, no water, no lights, no comfort added an element that did not attract me - I felt his discomfort too keenly. I prefer my village cozy mysteries to take me to charming villages where the story takes place in an elegant comfortable setting, good food, good wine, lovely homes and streetscapes - like the TV series Midsummer Murders. Being in that idyllic setting while solving the mystery makes the book a bit of a holiday escape. In this book retired Professor Basnett does figure out the solution to two murders but he does not get involved with the police as in other stories. He plays a lone hand. Interesting.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Elizabeth Ferrars is a pseudonym of Morna Doris MacTaggart Brown."

Honestly, at that point, I'd say use your real name. No one would believe it.

This is an interesting cozy mystery about an elderly professor who gets wrapped up in a snowbound murder after moving to a small town. The story is engaging and I liked the eventual reveal. I didn't love the ending, though. I hate it when the murderer commits suicide. It always feels like a cheap cop-out.

Overall, worth the time but not anything to go out of your way to find.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read. My two main problems with the book were, (1) Good Grief, these people drink a lot! By the end of the book, they were even drinking beer at breakfast. My second problem is with the dialogue. The characters did not have individual voices. Everyone spoke very pointedly and to my ear very sharply to each other. You might have one or two characters who speak to others with that kind of directness, but every single one? Especially when they were meeting one of the characters for the first time.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

intricate cozy mystery

A lovely english mystery, full of character and characters. An old murder, with a new murder with all the same characters. I love the older professor, retired, who becomes the sleuth. In fact he is a really good listener who loves detail. I will read the other novels in this series, and have already downloaded them. This is not complex, but it has believable characters and a good sense of place.

[Gabriela Galescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golden Age mystery at its best

Very Agatha Christie like, only a lot better. Fans of the genre will appreciate the elegant prose and the highly relatable detective figure. Slightly dissatisfied with the resolution of the case, but that is a small price to pay for such an enjoyable reading.

[Lisa Wisniewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book. Written during less complicated time without the internet and social media, the story unfolds more slowly with an emphasis on the relationships between the characters. There were so many threads that I didn’t see the end coming. I will be reading the next book in the series.

[Phil Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of this Golden Age mystery author's later offerings written in the 1980s. A snowbound, powercut, Christmas, village setting. An old crime's solution unearthed by a new crime. Satisfying conclusion. Likeable main character.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes I just want to read a mystery in the "Marple line." With a village and people knowing neighbors' names and (in all likelihood) no car chases. I had not read a Ferrars in a while, but remembered the last positively. I liked the story and really liked Andrew Basnett.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely wicked

Andrew Bàsnett really is an exceptionally bright person. He sees the people around him very clearly. The murders in this book are very cleverly described. The stories unfold in an interesting, sort of Agatha Christie style. It is a fast and fun read.

[Kathy Moberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this mystery. I'm surprised that I was completely unfamiliar with the author. This series, which is being republished now, began in 1983 and E. X. Ferrars began writing in the 40s I believe. The author is now on my radar -- better late than never.

[Kenneth Heikkila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christielike? I suppose.

I agree with some reviewers that it bears some resemblance to an Agatha Christie novel. So all and all a satisfying read. Not sure I will go on with the series. It isn’t exactly my favorite genre. I prefer paranormal cozies.

[Keeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different sort of snowed-in mystery. No master detective bringing everyone together for the final reveal. Instead, a retired professor having conversations and getting to know people before something clicks.

[DonHSr · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was Okay. My first with this author. First in the series and not too much mystery. Pretty simple resolution to the story line. More character development than mystery story. Will know better after the second in the series if I will continue with this author.

[aprilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will read more of these

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book.

[Caren · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

[Judy Foldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Male Mrs. Marple.

[Stacey Uffelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story. I find all of the "British" stuff a bit dry, but it kept my interest. The ending was a surprise to me.