Murder in Advent

Mark Treasure #9

by David Williams

Litchester Cathedral, usually an oasis of cloistered calm, suddenly finds itself at the centre of an acrimonious dispute over the proposed sale of its 1225 copy of the Magna Carta.
Merchant banker Mark Treasure is invited down to sort out the squabbling cathedral chapter. But even as he journeys down to Litchester a fire destroys the ecclesiastical library - Magna Carta and all - and a body is discovered in the debris.
But it wasn't fire that killed the Dean's verger. And as Treasure's murder investigation unravels evidence of some most unholy mayhem and dark skulduggery, he realises that Litchester is a place where sins and secrets abound . . .
'Mr Williams in knowledgeable and delectable top form' "Sunday Times"
'An engrossing tale . . . all the elements of a classic mystery.' "Library Journal"

Genres: Christmas, Mystery, Fiction, British Literature

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.


David Williams (June 8, 1926 – September 26, 2003) was a Welsh advertising executive who became a crime writer after suffering a stroke.

Williams was born in Bridgend in Wales. He started in advertising as a medical copywriter, rising through the ranks to head one of the largest advertising agencies in the country. He suffered a severe stroke in 1977 and realised that he would not be able to return to the stresses of life in the advertising industry. He had written crime fiction in his spare time, with Unholy Writ being written before his stroke in 1976. He turned from advertising to writing "whodunnits": he wrote 23 novels in all, most featuring Mark Treasure, Oxford graduate and vice-chairman of a merchant bank, and his successful actress wife Molly. A second series of books featured Chief Inspector Merlin Parry of the South Wales Constabulary, together with Sergeant Gomer Lloyd. His books were twice shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger award and he was elected as a member of the Detection Club in 1988.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

firstly the title Murder in Advent has nothing significantly to do with that season of the year. Indeed apart from the title there is very little mention of it again and could have taken place at any time of the year so reading this expecting a Christmas time mystery was a little disappointing. The second thing that was disappointing was the fact that the actual mystery is never solved.

The Dean and Chapter of Litchester Cathedral are planning to sell their copy of the Magna Carta in order to raised much needed funds. The Cathedral clergy are split as to whether the sale should take place at all and if it does how the money should be spent but the debate and possible sale raises the question of the current document being examined by experts to determine its authenticity and in previous years the original document has either been sold and replaced with a fake or a fake procured and sold as an original. Either way this is going to affect the miscreant. If the one at the Cathedral is proved to be a fake his crime will be discovered and if it is proven to be original the first buyer will know he has a fake and take steps for retribution. In order to prevent this the miscreant sets fire to the old library containing the Magna Carta and it's lost forever. Unfortunately at the same time as the fire is set the Deans Verger is lying on the floor, possibly unconscious possibly already dead!

Ultimately all that is solved is how the verger ended up on the floor and who set fire to the library. Actually who killed the Verger is never established and all the conclusions are based on hurried hypotheses offered at the end. As for the real mystery of which is the fake or original document this is never solved, and the introduction right at the end of the Deans wife hinting at knowing more than has been previously revealed confused the issue further.

Maybe I need to go back and reread this novel to get the best out of it. There seems to be lots I missed but there are so many characters thrown into the mix from the start that's it difficult to keep track and I'm not sure I can be bothered to go back to the start. (And bearing in mind that I have worked for an Anglican Diocese for the last 11 years in the Cathedral Close and I still found the cast list confusing! )
CC

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noncing, incest and adultery - this book has it all.

The plot was interesting (if weirdly sexual) but it was at times a little difficult to distinguish between characters.

[Agnesxnitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I try to give any book at least 100 pages before I decide whether I am going to stick with it.
I really wanted to give up on this novel, but somehow doggedly stuck with it until the end.
The idea was promising - a medieval cathedral, desperately in need of funds, decide to sell its original issue Magna Carta (copies were the thing for pilgrims afterwards!) but before a vote can be made amongst the deciding clergy and interested parties, there is a fire, which destroys the Magna Carta - and results in a death.
One of the interested parties is a lawyer from London, whose firm represent the legal faction responsible for the cathedral's ownership of this historical item. The death of the elderly man, a volunteer who apparently bought about his own accidental death with use of an illegally used paraffin heater, seems simple enough in the first instance, but soon other information comes to light which confuse and lead to another murder.
Sadly although I finished the novel, I really couldn't feel involved in it at all. So I am posting off to my friend in Bristol who has expressed an interest in reading this one.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always up for a Christmas mystery, I was really drawn to it as it had Advent in the title. As other users have noted, it really didn’t come into it (which was a shame). However, I found myself enjoying the book. After chapter 2, I had forgotten it was a murder mystery as I found myself engrossed in the Magna Carter copy history and might have been glad to have read a will they/won’t they sell it for the entire book!

The book could have done with a character list, as I kept getting confused with who was who, but the primary ones are there and easy enough to follow. I enjoyed Treasure and his approach to talking to people and following leads. There was some hard to follow tracks during the book as it went along. The ending was a bit rushed with all the explanation at the end and some of the characters that hadn’t appeared much seemed to be in on the whole thing. Still, it all made sense and my love of the Advent season enabled me to imagine Advent/Christmas around the cathedral even when it wasn’t explicitly described.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Litchester Cathedral was falling down. Selling its most precious treasure -- a rare 1225 A.D. copy of the Magna Carta -- would raise the funds to refurbish the beautiful old structure. Yet choosing between relic and ruin was putting the church officials between a rock and a hard place as ecclesiastical tempers flared for and against the sale. But no one guessed the old parchment would ignite a new motive for arson ... or murder. Now Mark Treasure has to find a killer in this charming cathedral -- hopefully before another victim is found beneath the Gothic arches of this grand old church."
~~back cover

I found this one confusing: there were so many ecclesiastical characters it was hard to keep them apart. And then there was the time table: who went into & /or out of which part of the cathedral when. And last but not least: who had a motive? It was a shocker at the end, but I felt as though I'd missed out on any clues that might have led me to figure out the murderer.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book as a Christmas gift and I didn't know either the series or the author. As other reviews have mentioned it does rather lack anything Christmasy. In fact someone asked me when it was set and I said I wasn't sure forgetting about the title. It would have benefited I think from a cast list and a simple map of the town and the cathedral. There were so many characters and rather too many were canons so I had to keep flipping back to earlier chapters to check who was who. I had assumed, looking at the cover, that this was a far earlier vintage. It certainly felt more 1950s than late 1980s. But it read OK and I rather liked the idea of a lead protagonist who wasn't a detective, although, needless to say Treasure does a fair bit of sleuthing on the quiet. The over elaborate referencing to clerical life might be a turn off for some readers but I believe this was an important part of the author's life.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a little while to get into this book, but I enjoyed the cathedral town setting, having just read Barchester Towers not long ago. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, and a very convoluted plot with a lot of red herrings, but all in all it was an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. The sleuth, Mark Treasure, is featured in at least 8 other books (this was #9 in the series, I broke my usual rule of beginning with the first because I found this in one of Janet Rudolph's holiday mystery lists). I'd pick one up if it came my way, but I probably wouldn't be searching for them, as Mr. Treasure didn't really make an impression on me.

[Jeff Howells · Rating 2 out of 5]

First Christmas crime novel of the season and, well, you'd hardly know it was set at Christmas to be honest. The novel concerns a cast of characters connected to a cathedral who have been disagreeing over the future of a copy of the Magna Carta. A reasonable start but there were too many characters to keep track of so I lost interest quite early.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possibly 3 and 1/2 stars.

An enjoyable murder mystery set in a cathedral so there was plenty of church context. The detective was actually a banker, who seemed to my mind to be rather too omniscient. I did like the characters of the Dean and his wife. They seemed wise and humane.

Too broad a cast of characters and some of them coarsely drawn. Had to work hard to remember who was who.

[Ms C L Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow start but necessary to get to know the background on the characters. However with so many Deans and Deacons you just need to remember their surnames.
I had worked some of it out before the end but not the actual culprit/s

Not read any of David Williams books before. I chose this as an introduction to my Christmas mystery reading. I will definitely read some more. I really enjoyed it.

[Susan Potts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters introduced early on, many with similar names/eccliastic titles, which meant it was quite confusing. Would have benefitted from a list of characters to keep referring too. A reasonable ending but I never felt involved or connected with any of the characters.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so confusing. I had literally no idea what was going on beyond the first chapter. There were way too many characters, all of which were completely un-memorable, so it was very hard to keep track of anyone. Not a great read, ultimately.

[Ashleigh Summerbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow to start, but overall a good read with many suspects and red herrings.

[Rob Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable murder mystery that feels a lot older than it is. Plenty of quirky characters and suspects to keep you guessing.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many clergy to keep track of. Very confusing by the end.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wordy but fun. Think Morse crossed with the Starkadders.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Who? Why? How?
Nope....I read it but thoroughly confused, far too many characters for my simple brain! 3 hours after reading and I can't even tell you who the culprit was! 🤔

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather tame and a bit muddled, but with good characters.

[Alton Motobu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Follows standard British mystery formula: setting in English countryside, usual cast of suspects, mysterious murder(s), and wise old sleuth who solves the case in the final chapter. But this one contains a long cast of characters - over 40 by my count, and it was difficult to keep track of who's who. Author used unusual plot line - each chapter (20 in all) focused on some of the characters developing the story, mostly through stilted British dialogue. Sometimes the chapters seem to have nothing to do with the plot. Finally in chapter 20 everything is carefully explained. All-in-all a difficult reading experience.

One interesting tidbit: the author describes several of the characters in unflattering terms like "a short, fat guy" on page 134 and "short, dumpy woman" on page 140 and "a jolly woman, a little dumpy" on page 162. Apparently he creates them and insults them at the same time.

This book appears on some cozy Christmas mystery lists, but except for a few mentions of the word "Christmas" there is nothing about Christmas. The events seem to take place in December, but there are no descriptions of holiday decorations, shopping, festive dinners, gift-giving, etc. This is not a cozy Christmas mystery. It was a miserable reading experience for me. (less)

[Sammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cathedral town setting at Christmas was initially cozy and mysterious, but I feel the story was a little bogged down by the multiple church clergymen with similar names and titles, and the motive for the murder was a bit lackluster.

Also, the mention of Christmas and the festive season were extremely scant throughout the book so it didn't exactly feel like a Christmas novel to me despite the title. There were also definitely some tense moments throughout the story but overall not a novel I'd read again.

[Amy Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. An enjoyable enough crime novel, although one not without its flaws.

I read this as a 'Christmas' mystery although the season is barely mentioned and has no bearing whatsoever on the plot. If it wasn't for the title, I'd have failed entirely to pick up the seasonal connection.

The plot, which focuses on a murder in a cathedral community and the proposed sale of an ecclesiastical relic, is decent enough but I felt it was woolly at times and lacked the sharp neatness that I find satisfying at the end of a good mystery. And there's almost too much plot at times - I felt the author was rushing to tie up loose ends, with some of the 'red herrings' placed too obviously.

There are also way too many characters in this book. I understand a cathedral will have a fair few staff but do we really need to meet all of them during the course of 300 pages? At least 4 could have been removed from the plot or amalgamated into one role without losing anything. I fact, when the killer was revealed, my initial reaction was 'who?' as I'd entirely forgotten about the character in question.

Take this book for what it is and overlook the flaws however and it's a fun enough read for a couple of evenings. The central character of Mark Treasure is pleasant enough and the sleepy atmosphere of a cathedral market town well realised. Just don't expect to be able to join up all the dots all the time!

[Rog Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first came across this author in the 1980s (this was first published in 1985) and have read twenty one of his books. This is the second time I have read this but I did not remember it at all as the first time I read it was 37 years ago.

This book features Mark Treasure who is an English banker who solves all sorts of mysteries. It is written in an almost cosy style with some eccentric characters which reminded me a bit of some of Michael Innes' books. Set mainly in a cathedral where there has been a death and a fire which has destroyed an ancient manuscript the plot is perhaps overcomplicated and features a lot of characters. However I enjoyed the writing so it deserves three stars. I wish his other books were still in print as I would like to read them again.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm...hard to say how I enjoyed this book. But mostly I read it when I was fighting insomnia, so I'm not sure my own assessment will be fair. But I wanted to read something seasonal and picked it up at a local used book sale. An English cathedral was a setting I just couldn't resist. It is part of an older series. It was fun to see the characters, but so many and so many special tasks and jobs...Still, a nice holiday diversion.

[Lou Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book could have done with a cast of characters at the front to refer to...so many clergy introduced in the first few pages, that I was almost through the book before I started to remember who anyone was. Good tale though, not sure it had any real link to Christmas time (advent in the title but not sure why). Bought in Waterstones on their table of Christmas thrillers.

[Gloria Mccracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one in the Mark Treasure series. It may be too full of complicated thoughts about British financial law (as are most in this series) for some; too outdated for others. I like them, but they may also be hard to find.

[Georgene · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seem to be in the minority in rating this book at 2 stars. The average is over 3 stars. I found the cast of characters to be too numerous to keep track of. It was a decent enough mystery to be solved, however. So, perhaps it is just me who found it difficult to follow.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sound story that immerses the reader throughout. Difficult to date - which is to its credit.
Sadly, the ending appears rushed and ill-explained (too many coincidences), whilst there is little mention of the Christmas season.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: should Litchester Cathedral sell its Magna Carta? Banker Mark Treasure is on the scene of a murder.