Dry Bones

Village Mysteries #3

by Margaret Mayhew

The Colonel returns, in an atmospheric village mystery from best-selling author Margaret Mayhew. In his time living in the peaceful village of Frog's End, the Colonel has learned that although the place looks as lively as a stagnant pond, there is plenty going on. When he receives a letter from an old friend of his late wife, telling him that 'something horrible has happened' and asking for his help, he is intrigued and happy to assist her. But when he travels up to see Cornelia, he is shocked by what he uncovers, and soon realizes that he must take the investigation into his own hands . . .

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

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Margaret Mayhew was born in London and her earliest childhood memories were of the London Blitz. She began writing in her mid-thirties and had her first novel published in 1976. She is married to American aviation author, Philip Kaplan, and lives in Gloucestershire.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book three in the Village Mysteries series in which Hugh, a retired colonel, manages, despite himself, to get involved in village politics, gossip and even murders.

In Dry Bones Hugh travels to another English village to assist an old friend of his wife. A complete skeleton has been discovered under an old barn and Hugh quickly helps the police find out who it is. In fact he goes on to solve the whole crime before returning to his own house just in time to get his cat back.

I really enjoy the laid back attitude of this series and the character of Hugh is excellent. He always appears to be in control and all knowing when he is actually struggling to work things out. Women trust him, men do not seem to have a problem with him. He is in fact the perfect person to have investigating a crime.

Really enjoyable and I look forward to the rest of the series.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first two books a couple of years ago and thought I'd see how the little village of Frog's End was doing. The character of the Colonel is the driving force behind these books. He breathes to solve murders and his little village has more than their share. Much of his sucess is that he draws the people to him and makes them comfortable enough to share everything they know about everybody and anything that is happening. I do have to admit that other than the Colonel, the majority of the characters are pretty unlikable. While he's solving the murders he's also worrying constantly about things at his home like his garden and his cat, Thursday. These stories thus far have been lightweight. I'm used to having more suspense in my mysteries and there was not a lot of that in these books. It's more about the characters, and of course the one that is dead. The ending was a surprise.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third book in the village mystery series featuring the Colonel and it was a very enjoyable trip to rural England. The author draws a highly sympathetic character in this older man who continues to mourn the loss of his beloved wife but manages to know how to politely handle the many demands on his time from his fellow villagers, mostly female. It opens with the Colonel abed with the flu, but with his open door policy he is visited by his gardening neighbor who is also a drinking buddy. Another visit by the village doctor is directed toward the request that he stand in as father of the bride for upcoming wedding.
A friend of his deceased wife calls for help, and the Colonel leaves town to assist her. That is quite a trip, partly enjoyed but otherwise deployed once again to solve a murder five years old.
There is much about village life, gardening, cooking, drinking, bridge playing, pubs, etc. All in all a very comforting sort of read populated by likable and sometimes quirky characters.

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[Miki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book never seemd to really go anywhere. Although the main character uncovers the mystery, he decides to keep it secret, so by the end I was left wondering "What was the point?"

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another intriguing murder mystery for the Colonel to solve

I really enjoy these books - the main characters are very likeable and utterly believable, English village life, whether it be in a more traditional backwater or a high-priced, ultra-modern ‘chic’ setting, quite fascinating, and the murders throw up plenty of suspects and tricky questions to answer. As always, the Colonel manages with his usual calm grace and personal integrity. These are not novels show-casing intense, or even mildly committed police involvement. Rather, it is up to the Colonel to solve the murder purely for his own satisfaction and out of respect for the victim. In Dry Bones, the Colonel is as quietly masterful as we have come to expect him to be from the previous two village murder mysteries.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warm and Cozy

Loved the story telling. The characters and the English countryside. If subtle, clean and cozy British define is up your alley for escape during these uncertain times, I believe you will enjoy this light, engaging easy read. Lovely series and I highly recommend this series. Margaret, the Author is a skilled writer and brilliant story teller. Enjoy!

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was on my own when I was introduced to village life about 25 years ago. Although I didnt recognise my village in the description here, there were certainly some parallels and I ,too, inherited a cat.
These are not really murder mysteries but stories of village life where a murder is uncovered.
This time the Colonel (Rtd) leaves Frogs End to go to the aid of a friend of his ex-wife in a much more upmarket village.
Although I was never in the Forces, I retired into my village and felt at one with the Colonel .
May be that was why I enjoyed this story so much and why I will carry on with the series.

PS. There was no Gunilla in my village pub !

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little "cozy" set in the typical English village (two of them, actually) with the requisite retired Colonel who served in India in his day. I'm definitely going to look for more by this author.

[Nancy Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first book by this author. This is the third in this series - but I had no problem reading the book - it stood alone. However, even though I liked The Colonel (and his settling into his new home village), I found the character of Mrs. Heathcote and those in the village he went to visit, unattractive. I will try another book in the series to discover if it's more satisfying.

[Eugene · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasure! Read the book in one sitting - it’s only 150 pages, but author Margaret Mayhew packs a lot of story into them. Even so, the writing doesn’t seem spare, the plot meanders across the pages as a brook bubbles through a meadow, and soon we are at the end.
Third in these mysteries featuring “the Colonel” (further identified only occasionally as Hugh), retired and a widower, living in an old-time village in Dorset; as we read them we become familiar with and enamored of the locals, enjoying particularly the Colonel’s next door neighbor Naomi, who is also Hugh’s gardening advisor. Easy and enjoyable tales to read.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable book in the series although I rounded it up from 3.5 stars. I didn't like Cornelia, and couldn't see why the Colonel spent so much time on her. Loved the mention of the music from 'The Dam Busters', and all the booths for the fete. Lovely place to live.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A letter from his wife Laura's old friend sees the Colonel visiting Cornelia Heathcote in King's Mowbray. As builders have found a skeleton in her barn and she needs his help as her husband in away on business. Can he determine the guilty party.
An entertaining and well-written cozy mystery

[Ram Kaushik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aspiring British cozy that turned out to be a snoozy. Wouldn't bother.
Girl hits head on stone. Girl dies.

[Sandra Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this authors books, the characters are really interesting and quirky. Although about murder they aren’t gruesome just interesting. This year we don’t need gruesome or really gory details.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Widowed, retired and living in a small cottage in a small village, the Colonel is lonely but busies himself with little local concerns. Then his wife's old friend Cornelia, now married to a very rich man, writes to invite him to visit her and help her with a problem, as her husband is in Asia on a business trip. He accepts, and learns that workmen remodeling the barn have made a rather disturbing discovery. Even in the upscale, money can do anything village where Cornelia lives, people find themselves confiding in the Colonel--and he's gradually able to put together the pieces behind a tragic crime. Another fine cozy from Mayhem!

[Betty Torma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read with little suspense and lots of interesting characters

This is an enjoyable book with somewhat developed characters given the size of the book. There was not a lot of suspense. The book was more about the characters and the story. The ending was a surprise.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. As with the first two, this is a delightful old fashioned cozy mystery. Perfect for an afternoon in the garden or on the couch. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries.

[patricia nissing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect cosy!

A lovely, straightforward, no-nonsense, curl-up-by-the-fireside-and-forget-the-world-outside British cosy mystery (as were the first two in the series). Long may the colonel soldier on!

[John Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comforting and cozy

I still love the main characters but I would like them to find something more substantial to get their teeth into .I think I am finding the mysteries a little too cozy.

[barbara walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to read when you want to feel cozy and warm with a bit of gentle mystery and a way of life long gone.

[Wendy Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

I tend to not enjoy books written solely about men but the Colonel won me over. I will be eagerly anticipating more books in this series.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is nice to read a murder mystery with a more leisurely pace. The psychoses of the murders also are not as disturbing. I have enjoyed the Village Mysteries series settings and characters.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

After having a terrible bout of flu, the Colonel receives a letter from a good friend of his late wife. She wants him to come to her home in Wiltshire and give her advice. He arrives a day later, and she shows him her designer home which she and her husband had had redesigned with the assistance of a Danish designer. Not to the Colonel's taste, but the entire village is in this style. Her problem is that the old barn behind the house had the floor removed in preparation for a sprung dance floor to be installed, and digging down a workman had found a full skeleton. He had suggested they just cover it up and carry on and the lady doesn't know what to do. The Colonel insists that the police come and take over. After much investigation and help from the Colonel, it is determined the skeleton is that of a young Swedish woman who had come to the pub to work and learn English five years ago. The investigating detective feels finding the killer will be too difficult to do and is more interested in getting to his retirement. The Colonel does his own investigation.

Another good and fun read in this series.

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

To my surprise I discovered that I had read this book before, possibly soon after it was published, although I hadn't read the two earlier ones. The author actually gives quite a bit of background in each book so it is possible to read each on its own.

It is possible that, knowing the "full story" of the series, I enjoyed this one a little more than I did originally.

This is the third body the Colonel has been associated with in 3 books, and it is interesting that you spend your time trying to work out where the next body is going to come from. They are not conventional murder mysteries, because the murderer is not always "caught".

Identifying the body is relatively easy police work, particularly as the villagers manage to come up with a possible identity to be confirmed by dental records. And then there are any number of possibilities about who the killer might be, just about all the adult males in the village 4-5 years ago. It is the Colonel who finally works out who it was, and winkles out a death bed confession.

[Connie]

The Colonel travels to visit an old friend in this story. Once again, he finds himself embroiled in a mystery. Of course there is a cast of eccentric characters, some likeable, some not. If we are worried that the widowed and still grieving Colonel will fall for his lonely hostess, we need not. He remains faithful to the remembered perfection of his own Laura. Knowing this will not spoil your enjoyment of the book one iota. These books are not about plot. They are not about suspense. They are about character. They are about human emotions. In the case of "Dry Bones," these emotions include greed, pride, lust (referred to but NOT described, thankfully) jealousy and self-righteousness. Yes, there is the classic mystery's need to redress wrongs, but quite cleverly, in these novels, sometimes life resolves the issue without the intervention of the law.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice!

Straightforward mystery that doesn't overstay it's welcome. Good characters, main character is a little taller than average, a little smarter than average but by no means an expert or even a detective. He is an upstanding early retired colonel who recently lost his wife and he's settling into a quaint village where he becomes involved in things mainly through happenstance and volunteering. I like that he is strong - not a pushover - yet a genuinely helpful citizen that many people come to trust and rely upon. His knack for progressing in solving a murder comes from people confiding in him! He observes, listens and uses polite conversation skills that get him further than the police.

[Sharen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Colonel! This series is great! Love the Village of Frogs End (brit Villages a d Pubs have such clever names). I think I could live there. This is definitely a cozy and has everything you could want…..the Colonel is my favorite of the charming characters, Thursday (the cat) is such an independent creature, everyone has amazing gardens, mysteries to solve, no sex, no graphic violence, and no cliffhanger endings. While they can be read as free standing books…..if you read them from the beginning you will get the lovely backstory of the characters. So, curl up in a comfy chair with a cup of tea and enjoy!

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colonel Hugh takes the reader out of his own little village to a friend's exclusive home in Dorset. The hostess, a close friend of Hugh's late wife, is extremely upset with the discovery of an old skeleton in the barn they were hoping to remodel into a games room for their young son.

Hugh runs into some opposition from the lady when he suggests it would be less suspicious to get the local police in on the case immediately. But when he starts to talk to the villagers, he discovers almost everyone has a motive for this murder.

[Lesley Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely cozy mystery

The Colonel is asked to go visit an old friend of his wife, she said she had a problem she needed his help with. When he arrives she tells him about a human skeleton that's been found under her barn. There are quite a few secrets and lies in this book. I did enjoy reading it though. I can't wait to read the next book. I like the Colonel and his neighbours they are really down to earth.

[Sonja Lindquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a bit tired of police procedural mysteries so this suited me well. Justice comes in many forms and definitely does not always involve the criminal justice systems. Also refreshing to have an emphasis on strength of character and integrity. I was happy with the book. Admittedly there are a number of stereotypes but I enjoyed the book and I keep in mind that this was set in a different time. Guessing late last century.