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Mitchell and Markby #16
Deadly Company
No one feels safe when there's a murderer in their midst...Ann Granger returns to her fan favourite series with the gripping sixteenth Mitchell and Markby novel, featuring her trademark strong and appealing characters, gentle wit and engrossing intrigue.Superintendent Alan Markby and his wife Meredith have retired for the night when they are disturbed by a visitor. It's not the first time someone has called at the Old Vicarage in search of a priest, but in this case, having just found a dead body in the churchyard, Callum Henderson needs the police. Accompanying Callum to the graveyard, Alan declares that this has all the hallmarks of a murder scene.News of the incident travels fast in the market town of Bamford, but no one seems willing to admit to knowing the dead man or how he ended up in the cemetery. As Alan and his team search for clues, Meredith becomes convinced that something must have been overlooked. Meanwhile, despite Alan's warnings, Callum appears to be in cahoots with the team's latest recruit, DS Beth Santos. While every lead points to yet more foul play, nothing can prepare Meredith and Markby for the shocking truth behind this mystery...
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About the author
Ann Granger
76 books301 followersAnn Granger attended the Northern Grammar School for Girls, and had thoughts about becoming a veterinarian, but discovered women were not accepted into vet schools because they were not believed to be strong enough. Instead she earned a Modern Languages degree at the University of London, where she first developed a desire to become a writer. worked in British embassies in various parts of the world. She met her husband, who was also working for the British Embassy, in Prague and together they received postings to places as far apart as Munich and Lusaka. They had two children.
Her first novels were historical romances published under the nom de plume Ann Hulme.
In 1991, Granger made the decision to switch to crime novels, saying, "Basically, there is only one plot in love stories: You can describe it in different ways, but you always come back to the subject of man and woman. Crime fiction opens up a world of possibilities for the writer. It lets you tackle deep and difficult issues." Her first crime novel, Say it with Poison, centred on the protagonists Meredith Mitchell, a consular clerk, and police officer Alan Markby. The book proved popular and Granger wrote 14 more Mitchell & Markby novels between 1991 and 2004.
Granger also wrote other crime novel series & in 2021, in recognition of thirty years of crime novels, Granger released a collection of eighteen short stories, Mystery in the Making.
On 24 September 2025, her publisher Headline announced that Granger had died at the age of 86
This autobiography was added to with information from Wikipedia & Encyclopedia.com.
Her first novels were historical romances published under the nom de plume Ann Hulme.
In 1991, Granger made the decision to switch to crime novels, saying, "Basically, there is only one plot in love stories: You can describe it in different ways, but you always come back to the subject of man and woman. Crime fiction opens up a world of possibilities for the writer. It lets you tackle deep and difficult issues." Her first crime novel, Say it with Poison, centred on the protagonists Meredith Mitchell, a consular clerk, and police officer Alan Markby. The book proved popular and Granger wrote 14 more Mitchell & Markby novels between 1991 and 2004.
Granger also wrote other crime novel series & in 2021, in recognition of thirty years of crime novels, Granger released a collection of eighteen short stories, Mystery in the Making.
On 24 September 2025, her publisher Headline announced that Granger had died at the age of 86
This autobiography was added to with information from Wikipedia & Encyclopedia.com.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 11, 2024
In 2004, when Ann Granger released That Way Murder Lies, the 15th entry in the delightful Mitchell and Markby series, every indication was that it would be the very last. What a delight to discover that after 18 years, Granger relented and released Deadly Company!
In the previous novel, Alan Markby and Meredith Mitchell were soon to be married. In this newest one, the pair have not only tied the knot, but they’re living happily in a former vicarage at the edge of town. Late at night, a neighbor hammers on their door, having just found a corpse. What follows is a riveting mystery and the introduction of a new character, the pretty and clever Detective Inspector Beth Santos.
Here’s to hoping that Granger won’t be so overwhelmed with her many other cozy mystery series that she won’t revisit Mitchell and Markby yet again, even if Markby’s on the verge of retiring from the force. And I also trust that, at the very least, we’ll be seeing Beth Santos again.
In the previous novel, Alan Markby and Meredith Mitchell were soon to be married. In this newest one, the pair have not only tied the knot, but they’re living happily in a former vicarage at the edge of town. Late at night, a neighbor hammers on their door, having just found a corpse. What follows is a riveting mystery and the introduction of a new character, the pretty and clever Detective Inspector Beth Santos.
Here’s to hoping that Granger won’t be so overwhelmed with her many other cozy mystery series that she won’t revisit Mitchell and Markby yet again, even if Markby’s on the verge of retiring from the force. And I also trust that, at the very least, we’ll be seeing Beth Santos again.
March 15, 2023
Having read a number of the Mitchell and Markby books in the past I was pleased to see this latest addition to the series. We catch up with Meredith and Alan Markby as they move to an old vicarage while contemplating retirement. Of course murder and mystery ensues.
I found this to be a enjoyable mystery, typical of the cosy police procedural genre. An easy and entertaining read. My only disappointment was that I would have liked more focus on Meredith and Alan rather than the new characters of
Beth and Calum.
I found this to be a enjoyable mystery, typical of the cosy police procedural genre. An easy and entertaining read. My only disappointment was that I would have liked more focus on Meredith and Alan rather than the new characters of
Beth and Calum.
December 1, 2022
It was with delight that I opened 'Deadly Company', the new book in the Superintendent Alan Markby and his wife Meredith series.
It is February 2005 on a gloomy Saturday evening, when Alan opens the front door to a slim woman who asks, ‘Are you the Vicar?’ When Alan replies in the negative, she says ‘But this is the vicarage’. Alan’s explanation that the vicar has moved, and the vicarage has been decommissioned, cuts no ice with her and she scurries away.
Later Alan is awoken by a hammering on the front door, leaning out of the window to
ascertain who is now seeking the vicar, a voice shouts, ‘There’s a dead guy in the churchyard.’ When the caller identifies himself as Callum Henderson, a landscaped gardener known to him, Alan realises he will have to investigate.
Callum, who had taken his usual short cut through the graveyard on his regular visit to the Black Dog pub, is horrified when Alan declares that the scene has all the hallmarks of a murder. Calum had assumed the bloke had sat down for a rest and had a heart attack,
Markby was no longer required to attend post-mortems, but as the corpse had turned up nearly on his doorstep, he accompanies to the mortuary DI Steve Kendal and DS Beth Santos whom he has assigned to the case. Beth Santos is new to the team and Markby is keen to see how she performs in the investigation. The post-mortem reveals that the man was stabbed. Although there were no defence wounds on his hands, there were slash marks that were made after death.
There are many interesting characters, Gus Toomey, Callum’s employee, is the strong silent type. Solicitor Jeremy Hawkins, who travels up to London for his job, is beginning to wonder if maybe he should spend more time at home especially as his son Rob has suddenly become rather morose. But then again, he’s a teenager. Then there are the Garrets, Charles and his wife, living with his sister. The Market town of Bamford is like many other places in England. People going quietly about their daily business while underneath thoughts fester with discontent,
resentment and maybe murder.
Meanwhile, the investigation proceeds slowly as identification of the victim is proving allusive. Callum appears to be in cahoots with DS Beth Santos. I took to Beth and liked her very much. I cannot say the same for DI Steve Kendal, who acted more like a spoilt child than a Detective Inspector.
Incredibly cleverly plotted, with many twists and turns which made this is a compelling read. The identity of the killer was a shock, one I had not suspected. Most highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
It is February 2005 on a gloomy Saturday evening, when Alan opens the front door to a slim woman who asks, ‘Are you the Vicar?’ When Alan replies in the negative, she says ‘But this is the vicarage’. Alan’s explanation that the vicar has moved, and the vicarage has been decommissioned, cuts no ice with her and she scurries away.
Later Alan is awoken by a hammering on the front door, leaning out of the window to
ascertain who is now seeking the vicar, a voice shouts, ‘There’s a dead guy in the churchyard.’ When the caller identifies himself as Callum Henderson, a landscaped gardener known to him, Alan realises he will have to investigate.
Callum, who had taken his usual short cut through the graveyard on his regular visit to the Black Dog pub, is horrified when Alan declares that the scene has all the hallmarks of a murder. Calum had assumed the bloke had sat down for a rest and had a heart attack,
Markby was no longer required to attend post-mortems, but as the corpse had turned up nearly on his doorstep, he accompanies to the mortuary DI Steve Kendal and DS Beth Santos whom he has assigned to the case. Beth Santos is new to the team and Markby is keen to see how she performs in the investigation. The post-mortem reveals that the man was stabbed. Although there were no defence wounds on his hands, there were slash marks that were made after death.
There are many interesting characters, Gus Toomey, Callum’s employee, is the strong silent type. Solicitor Jeremy Hawkins, who travels up to London for his job, is beginning to wonder if maybe he should spend more time at home especially as his son Rob has suddenly become rather morose. But then again, he’s a teenager. Then there are the Garrets, Charles and his wife, living with his sister. The Market town of Bamford is like many other places in England. People going quietly about their daily business while underneath thoughts fester with discontent,
resentment and maybe murder.
Meanwhile, the investigation proceeds slowly as identification of the victim is proving allusive. Callum appears to be in cahoots with DS Beth Santos. I took to Beth and liked her very much. I cannot say the same for DI Steve Kendal, who acted more like a spoilt child than a Detective Inspector.
Incredibly cleverly plotted, with many twists and turns which made this is a compelling read. The identity of the killer was a shock, one I had not suspected. Most highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
June 20, 2023
A bunch of stupid, plodding, unlikeable characters, most of them murder mystery cliches. Mrs. Supt. Markby, busybody and worrywart. Of course it would be a good idea to go visiting on her own in the small community where two people have been murdered. Will the cavalry arrive in time? (yawn).
There's the cliche victim, another annoying busybody liked by few. Then there's the forbidden romance between the female sergeant and a witness - or let's just be honest and say SUSPECT, since he found the first body. While wandering through the churchyard / cemetery, no less. Hey, what's wrong with that? The author lights a beacon, and sends up flares, so no-one can miss that sarge has really set her cap at the bloke.
This story was apparently a bit of an afterthought due to COVID lockdowns. Until then, the Markbys had apparently been quietly retired after fifteen earlier adventures. Curse you, COVID lockdowns!
The scenarios and dialogue are so forced, the believability index hits zero.
I rate this a 2.4. I wonder if any of the early ones in the series are any good?
There's the cliche victim, another annoying busybody liked by few. Then there's the forbidden romance between the female sergeant and a witness - or let's just be honest and say SUSPECT, since he found the first body. While wandering through the churchyard / cemetery, no less. Hey, what's wrong with that? The author lights a beacon, and sends up flares, so no-one can miss that sarge has really set her cap at the bloke.
This story was apparently a bit of an afterthought due to COVID lockdowns. Until then, the Markbys had apparently been quietly retired after fifteen earlier adventures. Curse you, COVID lockdowns!
The scenarios and dialogue are so forced, the believability index hits zero.
I rate this a 2.4. I wonder if any of the early ones in the series are any good?
August 25, 2023
Rating 2.5
An entertaining enough read that will not stay in my memory for very long.
The ebook was a daily deal on kindle and since I vaguely remembered reading the first few books in the series back in the late 1980’s or 1990’s decided to give it a read. Still cannot remember anything about the earlier books tbh.
This book was written years after the author considered the series finished, and therefore is almost a standalone story, or a delayed epilogue to the series.
The writing was okay, easy to read. The plot was fairly thin I thought and apart from the slightly humorous events of the same person accidentally finding two murder victims in the same graveyard several nights apart, wasn’t anything special.
The plot really had only enough substance for a longish novella rather than a full length novel.
The series main characters I found quite bland, the new ones appearing in this novel had more life to them and colour.
Overall an okay read but hasn’t made want to revisit the series again (as I thought it might)
An entertaining enough read that will not stay in my memory for very long.
The ebook was a daily deal on kindle and since I vaguely remembered reading the first few books in the series back in the late 1980’s or 1990’s decided to give it a read. Still cannot remember anything about the earlier books tbh.
This book was written years after the author considered the series finished, and therefore is almost a standalone story, or a delayed epilogue to the series.
The writing was okay, easy to read. The plot was fairly thin I thought and apart from the slightly humorous events of the same person accidentally finding two murder victims in the same graveyard several nights apart, wasn’t anything special.
The plot really had only enough substance for a longish novella rather than a full length novel.
The series main characters I found quite bland, the new ones appearing in this novel had more life to them and colour.
Overall an okay read but hasn’t made want to revisit the series again (as I thought it might)
January 5, 2023
Superintendent Alan Markby is about to retire and he and his wife, Meredith, have bought a former vicarage in the small English town. One night they are disturbed by an elderly woman ringing the bell and insisting on speaking to the vicar. Markby patiently explains the house is called the The Old Vicarage now because the priest has moved to a modern house nearby. Markby gives her the new address but feels unsettled by the encounter. A little later his evening is disturbed again, this time by a local garden designer who, taking a shortcut home from the pub through the graveyard, stumbled upon a man's dead body. A fairly gentle English police procedural, with a touch of romance, from an extremely experience British mystery writer. 16th book about Mitchell and Markby.
May 1, 2024
I'd not come across Ann Granger before but she's written lots of other books. This was a 'cosy' crime which was an easy read because it was well written. There were several characters but they were well portrayed and so I didn't get muddled by who was who. I'd read another of her books.
My only criticism was that a police officer wasn't allowed to have any contact with her boyfriend who was involved in the case, which I totally understand. However, Markby's wife was allowed to play at being a detective which didn't seem fair or professional.
My only criticism was that a police officer wasn't allowed to have any contact with her boyfriend who was involved in the case, which I totally understand. However, Markby's wife was allowed to play at being a detective which didn't seem fair or professional.
November 22, 2024
A quick weekend read
I've read several books by Granger, but this one felt a bit rough. I'm not sure if it was a lack of editing (the phrase "the smile didn't go to his/her eyes" was used multiple times), or a rush to get it done, so a rather thin plotline, but it's not my favorite. And while I wasn't sure who murdered whom, it wasn't actually a surprise when all was revealed either. I'd definitely start with one of her other books before recommending this one.
I've read several books by Granger, but this one felt a bit rough. I'm not sure if it was a lack of editing (the phrase "the smile didn't go to his/her eyes" was used multiple times), or a rush to get it done, so a rather thin plotline, but it's not my favorite. And while I wasn't sure who murdered whom, it wasn't actually a surprise when all was revealed either. I'd definitely start with one of her other books before recommending this one.
June 24, 2024
This is the first book by Anne Granger that I've read -- or rather two-thirds of it before I got bored stiff and jumped to the end to see whoddunnit. Very two-dimensional characters and scarcely credible story line. This may be a one-off substandard story so will probably have a look at some of her other novels.
August 7, 2024
One dead body in the old graveyard is enough for Superintendent Alan Markby - but when another is also found, Alan Markby is at a loss to know if they are linked or separate matters - drugs had infiltrated the small hamlet of Abbotsfield.
September 24, 2024
Easy to read, a good plot, interesting characters, and a surprise ending (at least, I was surprised). I have only read one other book by this author but have enjoyed both of them. I’ll look for more.
October 3, 2024
At this rate I think I just adore all Ann Granger's books. This is a prime example of a cozy crime you can read next to a fireplace and truly immerse yourself in the story. It is sometimes naive but in a truly comforting way so you don't mind it much after all.
June 6, 2025
The story is of course a murder but by whom in a strange village, found while the tale was intriguing the manner at which it's written in I found hard to follow, got there in the end but hard work for me
August 25, 2022
Loved this one . Huge fan of the series and it was lovely to go back in time for a final catch up .
March 10, 2023
A little tame, but sweet.
April 18, 2023
An old-fashioned-styled detective story.
July 6, 2023
Too many characters, not enough depth.
August 21, 2023
Disappointing
Too slow, too many characters and not interested in them. I've read all the Mitchell and Markby and this was the worst.
Too slow, too many characters and not interested in them. I've read all the Mitchell and Markby and this was the worst.
August 21, 2023
Worst book by Ann Granger. Sad but loved the others.
September 6, 2023
Chapters were a little heavy going but a relatively good read. But I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in this sadly.
September 23, 2023
I was delighted to find that there was one more Mitchell & Markby book. I enjoyed this one, but it seemed that Mitchell and Markby were not front and centre.
October 3, 2024
This was an enjoyable read: the plot moved along at a comfortable pace and the characters were well-described. I have not read other books from this series but, based on this book, I would be interested in reading others.
October 26, 2024
Another entertaining Mitchell and Markby story
January 19, 2025
Plot was a bit shlocky, but the characters are really good. Ann is a really superior author of this kind of fiction. Really liked it.
March 21, 2025
Naljakas.
August 6, 2025
Just a good solid revisit to a pair of old friends is how I see this one. Distracting and entertaining as well as intelligently written. Ann Granger is always reliable.
December 31, 2024
Põnevust ja ootamatust täis lobe lugu.Mitchelli ja Markby ja enamik tegelasi pole tegelikult üldse sümpaatsed võrreldes Berhi ja Callumiga, kellele elad paratamatult väga kaasa. Tore kujundus!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews