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Dorothy Martin #8
Sins Out of School
Just Deserts
You can take her out of the country, but you can't deprive Dorothy Martin of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, even in merry old England. So this expatriate Hoosier is preparing a feast and, naturally, it wouldn't be a challenge without a crisis or two.
A retired teacher, Dorothy gets her first serving of trouble when she fills in for a missing teacher at the local school. When it turns out that the woman is now the prime suspect in the murder of her husband, Dorothy takes in the couple's young daughter for dinner.
The victim was a cruel man who used his warped view of faith to torment anyone in his path. His death was really a blessing for his wife and daughter but did one of them kill him? The answer leads Dorothy to secrets and lies, and into the cold heart of an evil man, and the surprising face of a killer.
254 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2002
625 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
About the author
Jeanne M. Dams
47 books219 followersJeanne M. Dams lives in South Bend, Indiana. The Body in the Transept, which introduced Dorothy Martin, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dams is also the author of Green Grow the Victims and other Hilda Johansson mysteries published by Walker & Company.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
November 10, 2021
A very good story with interest from beginning to end. The local primary head teacher contacts Dorothy in desperation asking her to fill in when a class teacher fails to turn up during a flu pandemic. The teacher's best friend and fellow teacher is worried as it is so unlike her friend to let anyone down. The missing teacher turns up the next day but refuses to give any explanation. Then she finds her husband murdered in her own home following his attendance at a prayer meeting. Of course the wife is suspect especially since she admits to hating her husband who was a member of a very strict religious sect. Family breakdown, religion and politics all play a part. Unraveling events that lead to the death and finding the reason for a subsequent family car accident make for a very good story with interest from beginning to end.
September 22, 2024
Sins Out Of School is book eight in the Dorothy Martin series by Jeanne M. Dams. Retired School Teacher Dorothy was missing home, so she threw a traditional American Thanksgiving in her new home in Sherebury, England. However, before she could start the preparations, Dorothy got a call from Catherine Woodley, the principal of the Local Private School, needing her help. One of Catherine Woodley's teachers is missing, and her casual staff are all sick. Dorothy Martin said yes. Things changed for Dorothy Martin when Mrs Doyle's husbands died, and law enforcement charged Mrs Doyle with her husband's murder. Dorothy Martin ended up looking after their daughter, Miriam. Dorothy decided to investigate the case. The readers of Sins Out Of School will continue to follow Dorothy Martin to discover what happens.
Sins Out Of School is an enjoyable, cozy mystery set in a small village in England. It is the first book I have read by Jeanne M. Dams, and I enjoyed it. I did engage with the story and the characters of this book. I love Jeanne M. Dams's portrayal of her characters and the way they intertwine with each other. Sins Out of School is well-written and researched. I like Jeanne M. Dams's description of the settings of Sins Out Of School, which complemented the book's plot.
I recommend this book.
July 30, 2022
This was my first Dorothy Martin novel. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I think I should have read an earlier book to get a feel for the character. I did learn some facts about teaching schoolchildren in the UK as opposed to teaching in America. The mystery was not bad. The victim was so universally hated that it was hard to narrow down the suspects. Another situation where non-denominational churches can take control of people's lives and take their money for selfish purposes.
February 2, 2021
Religion and politics in small town England.
Dorothy Martin is a retired American teacher married to Alan Nesbitt, a retired police inspector. They live in Sherebury, England, a small town dating back to medieval times. When Dorothy receives a call from Catherine Woolley, a local Head Teacher she knew, at a nearby elementary school with a request to substitute for a teacher who had not shown up for work she reluctantly accepted. She found herself drawn into a murder investigation involving the missing teacher who was married to a man who belonged to a local religious cult and had conscripted his daughter into the religion. When the man is later found stabbed late one night in his home suspicion fell on the wife and Dorothy feels compelled to investigate the case. This is a good story with lots of interesting background and I recommend it.
Dorothy Martin is a retired American teacher married to Alan Nesbitt, a retired police inspector. They live in Sherebury, England, a small town dating back to medieval times. When Dorothy receives a call from Catherine Woolley, a local Head Teacher she knew, at a nearby elementary school with a request to substitute for a teacher who had not shown up for work she reluctantly accepted. She found herself drawn into a murder investigation involving the missing teacher who was married to a man who belonged to a local religious cult and had conscripted his daughter into the religion. When the man is later found stabbed late one night in his home suspicion fell on the wife and Dorothy feels compelled to investigate the case. This is a good story with lots of interesting background and I recommend it.
January 6, 2013
A 60 something retired woman gets herself involved in the murder investigation of a totl stranger. Set in England, but the woman is an American married to a Englishman.
I just didn't feel like I cared about the characters and it seemed like there was more dialogue than action. This was the eighth in a series and I hadn't read the earlier books (i picked it up at the library on a whim, with no research), so maybe the main character was fleshed out in earlier books and the author assumes you would have read them. Other reviews mentioned that this was not as good as the earlier books, so I may still give the author another try.
I just didn't feel like I cared about the characters and it seemed like there was more dialogue than action. This was the eighth in a series and I hadn't read the earlier books (i picked it up at the library on a whim, with no research), so maybe the main character was fleshed out in earlier books and the author assumes you would have read them. Other reviews mentioned that this was not as good as the earlier books, so I may still give the author another try.
June 21, 2021
Although the plot of this book is as good as her others, the lack of a UK editor is clear to see. Of course Dorothy talks American, but her UK characters would never e.g. go 'marketing'.... and her lack of knowledge of the school system and terminology is all too clear!
January 23, 2024
"She thought the lack of cranberry sauce was going to be her biggest problem, but a missing schoolteacher, a murdered man, a troubled child, and a call for help were difficulties Dorothy Martin most definitely hadn't foreseen.
"She had wanted to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for her husband, Alan, and some of her friends, a taste of home for a holiday she missed. Then the call came from the school, asking Dorothy to fill in for a few hours because Amanda Doyle hadn't shown up and there was a flu epidemic and no one was available. Three days later, on Thanksgiving, the second call came: John Doyle was dead -- murdered -- and Amanda was the suspect. Would Dorothy mind caring for their daughter, Miriam, for the day? Please?
"Dorothy had already sensed that something was not right in the Doyle household: John was clearly abusive, emotionally if not physically, and the church the family belonged to held some very strange ideas about sin and punishment. Now Amanda and Miriam needed her; neither of them could be held responsible for the murder, no matter how it looked to the police.
"With Alan's help and more than a few surprises, Dorothy unravels a nasty knot of family secrets and gives Amanda and Miriam something for which to be truly thankful."
~~front & back flaps
John Doyle was a very nasty man indeed but suspects were thin on the ground. Nasty as he was, he apparently never got into enough mischief to warrant being killed for it. Poor Amanda was naive and downtrodden, so our Dorothy of course wades right into the fray in her efforts to prove that neither mother nor daughter was guilty of the crime. Everyone's life was in danger before the final pieces of the puzzle fell into place and the surprise ending was truly hair raising.
"She had wanted to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for her husband, Alan, and some of her friends, a taste of home for a holiday she missed. Then the call came from the school, asking Dorothy to fill in for a few hours because Amanda Doyle hadn't shown up and there was a flu epidemic and no one was available. Three days later, on Thanksgiving, the second call came: John Doyle was dead -- murdered -- and Amanda was the suspect. Would Dorothy mind caring for their daughter, Miriam, for the day? Please?
"Dorothy had already sensed that something was not right in the Doyle household: John was clearly abusive, emotionally if not physically, and the church the family belonged to held some very strange ideas about sin and punishment. Now Amanda and Miriam needed her; neither of them could be held responsible for the murder, no matter how it looked to the police.
"With Alan's help and more than a few surprises, Dorothy unravels a nasty knot of family secrets and gives Amanda and Miriam something for which to be truly thankful."
~~front & back flaps
John Doyle was a very nasty man indeed but suspects were thin on the ground. Nasty as he was, he apparently never got into enough mischief to warrant being killed for it. Poor Amanda was naive and downtrodden, so our Dorothy of course wades right into the fray in her efforts to prove that neither mother nor daughter was guilty of the crime. Everyone's life was in danger before the final pieces of the puzzle fell into place and the surprise ending was truly hair raising.
May 16, 2023
When Dorothy Martin is prevailed upon to teach a class at the local grammar school because the regular teacher had not shown up for work, she feels put-upon but willing to help out. However, the teacher returns and refuses to say why she had been absent, and the next day her husband is murdered in their kitchen, a knife sticking out of his back. Dorothy can’t help but be curious about these events, and with the help of her husband, former Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, she begins to learn all about the teacher’s life, the extremist religious cult of which her husband was a member, and the fates of children of high-ranking politicians…. This is the eighth Dorothy Martin cozy, and like those before it, it’s a pleasant enough read, albeit not entirely convincing. Dorothy is still more a collection of eccentricities (cats, bizarre hats) than a real person, but she’s entertaining enough to spend an afternoon with. I was jolted by the use of the word “aspirin” when in England paracetamol is the common pain reliever, but perhaps an American writer wouldn’t know that. Mildly recommended.
June 10, 2023
Dorothy is in the throes of preparing for an American Thanksgiving dinner when she gets a call from a desperate headmistress. A teacher, Amanda Doyle, has not shown up or called, and Dorothy is requested to fill in at a moment's notice. Later, Amanda's husband is murdered, and she is the suspect. Dorothy is asked to look after their young daughter Miriam. Enter Amanda's sister Gillian and their father, a high-visibility politician, and the people of the Doyle's strange hellfire and misery church. Dorothy and Alan untangle it all eventually. Some really awful ugly people in this one for Dorothy to get mixed up with!
July 31, 2023
Dorothy Martin, of a certain age and newly-widowed, leaves America for England, hoping to find peace and the chance to grieve. Instead, she finds friendship, a place in a community, and unexpectedly, a new love. But she also finds more dead bodies than any one person might expect in a lifetime. Book eight is set once more in her adopted home, a small cathedral city in the south east. Full of all the familiar tropes of this genre, this is strangely old-fashioned, despite being set more or less in the present day. Highly enjoyable and will be loved by readers of cozy crime.
February 23, 2021
Riveting Mystery
I love the Dorothy Martin Mysteries! This is another marvelous "who done it." Written so well and developed at a place that is neither too slow nor too fast. I'm always right there with Dorothy and too many suspects on the list. As they get eliminated one by one, and occasionally another one added, I'm still surprised at the end. But I'm not giving up! I'm going to keep reading the series hoping I figure it out before Dorothy does.
I love the Dorothy Martin Mysteries! This is another marvelous "who done it." Written so well and developed at a place that is neither too slow nor too fast. I'm always right there with Dorothy and too many suspects on the list. As they get eliminated one by one, and occasionally another one added, I'm still surprised at the end. But I'm not giving up! I'm going to keep reading the series hoping I figure it out before Dorothy does.
January 8, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyable
I love this series of books. An American writer has managed to capture British life in small towns perfectly. The descriptions of the various places are not only accurate but brought to life, as are the characters. So sad that this is the last one available on kindle, at least in the UK. I would love to read the rest of the books.
I love this series of books. An American writer has managed to capture British life in small towns perfectly. The descriptions of the various places are not only accurate but brought to life, as are the characters. So sad that this is the last one available on kindle, at least in the UK. I would love to read the rest of the books.
August 28, 2021
Good book; stupidest advert line! Whoever came up with "a cozy murder mystery full of twists" is doing this author one of the great dis services if all time!
Good book series. The phrase "a cozy mystery full of twists" repeated ad infinitum probably has lost more readers than the another will ever know!
Good book series. The phrase "a cozy mystery full of twists" repeated ad infinitum probably has lost more readers than the another will ever know!
May 7, 2022
Politics and Power
A dead body. A housewife who finds her husband dead in the kitchen and cleaned up the scene before the police got there. This is all imaginary, right? Unbelievable tension and unbelievable spirals of who done it? And why? And how? Allow yourself some time, you won’t want to put it down once you get started reading.
A dead body. A housewife who finds her husband dead in the kitchen and cleaned up the scene before the police got there. This is all imaginary, right? Unbelievable tension and unbelievable spirals of who done it? And why? And how? Allow yourself some time, you won’t want to put it down once you get started reading.
May 19, 2021
Interesting Book.
A story that has good characters, especially Dorothy, an American married to a retired Chief Constable, Alan. An amateur detective, with good people skills, Dorothy tries to solve a murder.
A story that has good characters, especially Dorothy, an American married to a retired Chief Constable, Alan. An amateur detective, with good people skills, Dorothy tries to solve a murder.
January 31, 2022
Good story
Dorothy gets into the mix again when she agrees to fill in at the local school when a teacher doesn't show up. Things get complicated quickly and Dorothy and Alan have go figure out how to help a small family who doesn't want to be helped.
Dorothy gets into the mix again when she agrees to fill in at the local school when a teacher doesn't show up. Things get complicated quickly and Dorothy and Alan have go figure out how to help a small family who doesn't want to be helped.
May 2, 2022
Another great story
Another great story the Jeanne featuring Dorothy Martin and the unusual ways that she becomes involved in murder cases. Well crafted story with an unexpected ending.
Another great story the Jeanne featuring Dorothy Martin and the unusual ways that she becomes involved in murder cases. Well crafted story with an unexpected ending.
July 17, 2023
Absolutely addictive
Very interesting story line matched with reality, the story does exist in daily life. Beautifully written about English country living, love, enchanting, romantic.
Very interesting story line matched with reality, the story does exist in daily life. Beautifully written about English country living, love, enchanting, romantic.
April 17, 2025
A surprisingly good entry in this “bordering on cozy” series. It did take just a while to set up, but the mystery was compelling as were the ancillary characters, and the reveal was deftly and satisfying sprung on the reader.
December 18, 2020
Clever mystery and characters..........I very much enjoy Dorothy and Alan's escapades!
December 19, 2020
Very good mystery
I am a fan of the series. This is one of the better ones. Unfortunately it's the last one available on Kindle to read for free, at this time.
I am a fan of the series. This is one of the better ones. Unfortunately it's the last one available on Kindle to read for free, at this time.
December 24, 2020
Dorothy Martin has become one of my favorites. Larking good fun. Thanks to MS. Dams
January 2, 2021
Great fun
I enjoy this cozy series and hope for more. Dorothy is a busy body who falls into murderous situations. Plot, style, characters, and red herrings are well done.
I enjoy this cozy series and hope for more. Dorothy is a busy body who falls into murderous situations. Plot, style, characters, and red herrings are well done.
March 19, 2021
Twisted religion, greed, and politics
A victim with too many reasons someone would want to kill him, lies, deception, and innocents caught in the middle.
A victim with too many reasons someone would want to kill him, lies, deception, and innocents caught in the middle.
April 4, 2021
I have loved every one of her books and so refreshing to have an older couple doing the solving of the mystery!
Thanks for lovely reads.
Thanks for lovely reads.
May 27, 2021
I have read other books of hers that I enjoyed more. This one moved slow.
June 25, 2021
A cracking good read,
I really enjoyed this book the characters are really well written and enjoyable to read I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cosy mystery stories
I really enjoyed this book the characters are really well written and enjoyable to read I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cosy mystery stories
June 25, 2021
Lima beans for Thanksgiving! Of course!
August 3, 2021
One of the things I am enjoying in this series is all I'm learning about life in Great Britain such as the political system that came to play in this read.
September 12, 2021
Good cozy mystery
This is a very Interesting cozy mystery! It was hard to figure out being full of twists and turns. Very enjoyable!
This is a very Interesting cozy mystery! It was hard to figure out being full of twists and turns. Very enjoyable!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews