Frog in the Throat

Virginia Freer #2

by E.X. Ferrars

A deftly plotted mystery involving people whose relationships reach back into the past. Virginia Freer is looking forward to visiting her good friends Helen and Andrew Boscott in their rambling old house in the village of Stillbeam. So she is distinctly put out when her erstwhile husband Felix turns up on the doorstep with a suitcase, still the charming and completely feckless person he has always been. That evening, both attend a party arranged to celebrate the engagement of a local poet and a best-selling historical novelist. They are shocked when the novelist's sister turns up on the doorstep, distraught with the news that she has found her sister shot dead. Virginia, Felix and the Bostcotts accompany her -- and find circumstances drastically and shockingly changed.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Aka Elizabeth Ferrars

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

Reviews

[Miglė · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I was looking for books with the word "frog" in my library, and it turns out almost all of the frog-books are for children, which was disappointing. Anyway, this was among the frog-books, and I like mysteries, so I thought, why not.

And lo and behold, it's a quite nice, very classical mystery. It happens in the countryside, everyone is kind of suspicious and more or less rich (such as, "I inherited only a modest sum from my parents, that would allow me to live a simple life without working, but I prefer to work from time to time", like, Jesus, what a world). The reveal was not entirely surprising, but nicely done. Got a bit repetitive when the narrator was concentrated on the qualities of her ex-husband, but all in all a good read.

[Becky Loader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, you just need to read an old, reliable, figure-it-out, plot-driven mystery!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrator Virginia Freer is visiting her old friends Andrew and Helen when her estranged husband Felix unexpectedly arrives. Felix says he was in the area and wanted to say hello, but Virginia is sure he has another motive, nor does she believe his sudden interest in Andrew's cousin, a popular poet. It doesn't take long before the first murder is discovered--but the corpse disappears before the police can arrive. As usual, Ferrars creates an atmosphere that seems civilized and pleasant, until both the characters and the reader realize that something dangerous is hidden beneath the surface.

[Ava Jaunzems · Rating 4 out of 5]

When my British mystery-loving friend Nancy died (a natural death at 100), I went through her shelves and took whatever I thought I might someday enjoy. This looked like a good quick read for "someday." And so it was. The copyright date was 1980, which rather surprised me as it read more like a cozy British village mystery of much earlier vintage. I love those, so this was a pleasant surprise. It's what I call a fair mystery---one where you have a fair chance at figuring out whodunit because there's a limited number of characters (fine ones in this case) and everything you need to solve the puzzle is right there is black & white. (As so often, I figured out part of what happened, but not every detail.)
Interesting also: this was one of those paperbacks with an offer on the back pages for a catalog and other Bantam pbs priced around $1.75. Could your really buy a book for $1.75 in 1980?!!

[Samantha Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to care very little about the murder mystery of it all & very enthralled by the dynamics of Virgina with Felix and Helen with Andrew. If this had an extra 4 chapters, I wouldn’t be mad - though upon seeing these other reviews I’m sensing this might be a series; in which case I’d be annoyed if I didn’t start at book 1, but eager to find what’s next. Unless it’s from a POV that isn’t Virginia’s - then I don’t want it. Amen.

[Jazz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this! So much great dialogue between the two married/unmarried main characters. Once again, as in other Ferrars' books, most of the story is told in dialogue which makes for a faster page-turning read. This is the best in this series I've read so far. And clever how Felix, in his latest transformation into private detective, figures out the solution.

I just adore her writing!

[Melissa Lindberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed, though not as much as the first Virginia and Felix. Although that may have been due to my state of health while reading this rather than anything in the book itself. The characters in this one were just a little harder for me to believe. Still excellent, and I have to say the murderer was one of my least favorite characters in the story, and that's always satisfying.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good series.

Doesn’t make absolute sense but I enjoyed it. Old fashioned. More twenties/thirties than modern. Suicide of the guilty party seems the authors favorite ending to their guilt.

[Lisa T. Ungerer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating couple

The separated couple of amateur sleuths have good reasons for not staying married, but they do work well von a short term basis. This book is sharp, witty, and involves complex adult relationships while at the same time is a pretty good mystery. Recommended.

[Aaron Thiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gifted to me by a friend, hence me starting in the middle of what is apparently a series. Very entertaining though the ending is kind of an anti climax (not regarding the murder, but the emotional storyline between the two main characters). Would love to read more about these characters.

[Micah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felix was more annoying in this one. At least to me

[Marti]

Wrapping up 20 books read while traveling!

[Tina Benagh · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring

Really—ginning up last minute witness 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting characters

Felix should really be a villain, instead of solving the crime . These books have an interesting structure and a wild moral tone. 😜 the characters are very much like real people struggling with life's problems. I will read more in the series.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can usually count on Ferrars to write a pretty good mystery. She didn't disappoint this time.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another excellent mystery by Ferrars. Liked the focus on relationships and what we 'see' versus what lies underneath.

[Linda Amos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I worked out 'who dunnit' early on but it didn't spoil my enjoyment. Shame this author is so hard to get hold of these days.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mystery novel with a separated husband and wife solving 2 murders in the English countryside.