What do you think?
Rate this book
Kate Shackleton #2
A Medal for Murder: A Kate Shackleton Mystery
"Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs… They make excellent heroines." --Literary ReviewFrances Brody's "refreshingly complex heroine" (Kirkus Reviews), picks up a case that takes her to the refined streets of 1920s Harrogate in A Medal for MurderA pawn-shop robberyIt's no rest for the wicked as Kate Shackleton picks up her second professional sleuthing case. But exposing the culprit of a pawn-shop robbery turns sinister when her investigation takes her to Harrogate - and murder is only one step behind ...A fatal stabbingA night at the theatre should have been just what the doctor ordered, until Kate stumbles across a body in the doorway. The knife sticking out of its chest definitely suggests a killer in the theatre's midst.A ransom demandKate likes nothing better than a mystery - and nothing better than solving them. So when a ransom note demands £1,000 for the safe return of the play's leading lady, the refined streets of Harrogate play host to Kate's skills in piecing together clues - and luring criminals out of their lairs…
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2010
219 people are currently reading
1826 people want to read
About the author
Frances Brody
48 books670 followersFrances Brody's highly-praised 1920s mysteries feature clever and elegant Kate Shackleton, First World War widow turned sleuth. Missing person? Foul play suspected? Kate's your woman. For good measure, she may bring along ex-policeman, Jim Sykes.
Before turning to crime, Frances wrote for radio, television and theatre, and was nominated for a Time Out Award. She published four sagas, winning the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin Award in 2006.
www.frances-brody.com
Before turning to crime, Frances wrote for radio, television and theatre, and was nominated for a Time Out Award. She published four sagas, winning the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin Award in 2006.
www.frances-brody.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
December 8, 2016
Kate Shackleton's father is the Superintendent of the West Riding Constabulary, so it was perhaps only natural that, when the war ended, she helped women who had husbands, brothers, and sons who had gone missing during the war. Her own husband was one of the few she was never able to locate. Now, Kate is a Private Investigator with a paid employee, ex-police-officer Mr Sykes, and her second professional sleuthing case: a pawn-shop robbery. But her simple case quickly becomes complicated when it leads her to Harrogate, and she finds herself in the midst of two other investigations: one a kidnapping, and one a murder.
This is the first book I have read in this series (entirely readable without having read the first of the series), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is definitely leaning towards the 'cozy mystery' genre, but with its three separate cases interwoven throughout the book was far from the straightforward plot I was expecting. Kate Shackleton is a wonderful detective, and I look forward to reading more of her exploits.
The length of time which it took me to read 'A Medal for Murder' is is no way a reflection on the book, but rather on my workload!
This is the first book I have read in this series (entirely readable without having read the first of the series), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is definitely leaning towards the 'cozy mystery' genre, but with its three separate cases interwoven throughout the book was far from the straightforward plot I was expecting. Kate Shackleton is a wonderful detective, and I look forward to reading more of her exploits.
The length of time which it took me to read 'A Medal for Murder' is is no way a reflection on the book, but rather on my workload!
May 1, 2015
This is a cozy mystery, and an entry in the "small town shenanigans" experience. Unfortunately it just did not hold my attention and I did not finish it.
Kate sounded like an interesting character - a "local" widow, who works as a detective with her retired hard-boiled cop partner.
It started out okay, and in short order there is the requisite corpse. Kate is actually a good character, but the story moved SOOOOOO S-L-O-W-L-Y between actual events and happenings that I kept losing focus and drifting off.
Another thing that was problematic for me was the number of supporting characters, all of whom seemed to be having completely unrelated stories going on. There were flash-backs to the Boer war, young girls scheming to trick their inheritances out of restricting guardians, honestly, I don't know what all. It just all got too confusing for me to stay on track.
Eventually I just admitted that I didn't really care about any of the characters and gave up on this one. I have liked other cozies about small towns full of nosy-parkers [the Aunt Dimity and Hamish MacBeth series' are both faves and recommended in this vein] but this was just a miss for me, unfortunately.
Kate sounded like an interesting character - a "local" widow, who works as a detective with her retired hard-boiled cop partner.
It started out okay, and in short order there is the requisite corpse. Kate is actually a good character, but the story moved SOOOOOO S-L-O-W-L-Y between actual events and happenings that I kept losing focus and drifting off.
Another thing that was problematic for me was the number of supporting characters, all of whom seemed to be having completely unrelated stories going on. There were flash-backs to the Boer war, young girls scheming to trick their inheritances out of restricting guardians, honestly, I don't know what all. It just all got too confusing for me to stay on track.
Eventually I just admitted that I didn't really care about any of the characters and gave up on this one. I have liked other cozies about small towns full of nosy-parkers [the Aunt Dimity and Hamish MacBeth series' are both faves and recommended in this vein] but this was just a miss for me, unfortunately.
November 4, 2022
Der Klappentext, Titel und das Cover hatten bei mir Erwartungen geweckt, die das Buch leider nicht erfüllt hat. Die Coverabbildung hat nichts mit dem Inhalt zu tun und auch sonst ist es kein Theater-Krimi. Zwar sind einige der Hauptperson an einem Laientheater beteiligt, aber darum geht es nicht. Das ist sehr schade, denn ich liebe Theaterkrimis und hatte mich dementsprechend auf das Buch gefreut. Auch sonst dauert es sehr lange, bis die Geschichte Fahrt bekommt. Die Autorin verzettelt sich in zahlreichen Nebenhandlungen, einer Vielzahl an Charakteren (die auch noch Hintergrundgeschichten haben) und überflüssigen Rückblenden. Dadurch liest das Buch sich sehr langezogen, mehr Fokus und Kürze täten der Geschichte sehr gut.
May 15, 2017
Mrs. Kate Shackleton, fresh off the success of her first case, is asked to solve the mystery of a robbery at a pawn broker. The pawns were largely of sentimental value and the shop owner wants them back for his clients-discreetly of course. Kate and Jim Sykes are charged with speaking to the clients and trying to solve the mystery. Kate's task brings her to the spa town of Harrogate, where she becomes involved with a local theater group. She took their promotional photos for her new friend Meriel and stays with Meriel at the home of Captain Wolfendale, an old campaigner from the Boer War. After the success of Meriel's play, Kate and Meriel stumble across the dead body of Mr. Milner, a car salesman and lecher. When the Captain's granddaughter Lucy, an amateur actress, goes missing, the Captain asks Kate for help. Kate feels the old man should go to the police, but for some reason he insists on Kate's help. Can the mystery of the missing girl be related to the murder? What about the robbery at the pawn shop? Kate finds herself drawn deeply into thespian society and she searches for answers.
I really liked this mystery much more than the first one. I started reading it in the library but had a hard time putting it down so I brought it home. I stayed up too late reading on a work night to finish this book. The mysteries were interesting and difficult to solve. I did figure out the twist in the story but not all of it. Unlike Kate, I was privy to scenes from the war years in South Africa. She had to resort to being nosy and searching a war museum in the attic. I was surprised by some of the things that came up in the course of the investigation. There were so many red herrings that the revelations are shocking and surprising.
The first person narration in this series just doesn't work for me. Kate relates everything she's thinking and it comes across as cold and detached. She goes on a date in this story and I skipped it because it didn't have any relevance to the mystery plot and I don't like the way she tells everything. It's hard to show in a first person narrated novel. The point-of-view switches between Kate, Captain Wolfendale and Lucy Wolfendale. The war scenes are completely awful. I don't know much about the Boer War but in a graduate seminar on Empire we did learn about the concentration camps so I was prepared for that. I had a hard time stomaching the horrible atrocities the British committed during this war.
There are numerous new characters in this series. Meriel, Kate's friend whom she met at a party at the home of a mutual acquaintance, is a brilliant director and lousy person. She's a moocher and Kate lets her get away with too much. I didn't feel bad for Meriel at all. Her morals are unique and don't align with mine or Kate's or Jim's. Jim would not approve of Meriel. Capt. Wolfendale is an old man haunted by bad memories and lives the life of a miser when everyone believes he is quite wealthy. Mr. Milner was an awful person. He was a braggart and a disgusting lecher. He had the morals of a snake. The thespians include Lucy Wolfendale, who is said to be an excellent actress but that just makes her into a silly twit. She confuses reality and the world of the play. She expects her life to play out like a stage play and when it doesn't, she behaves like a spoiled brat. She's selfish and silly. Her childhood friend Dylan is a nice young man. He gets caught up in Lucy's scheme because he adores her. Alison, Lucy's best friend, is a nice young woman but somewhat weak willed and lacking in common sense. To be fair, she is afraid of her super religious mother's disapproval and worried about her reputation. There's Madame and Monsieur Geerts, a Belgian couple. We don't actually know Mr. Geerts but Mme. is rather dramatic. I didn't like her very much. Rodney Milner is a nice young man and the only one in town not in love with Lucy. I felt bad for him having such an awful father and living a life of what ifs... regarding his dearly departed mother. He is kind of a tragic character. Finally, there's Dan Root, a newcomer to the theater world. He's a watch mender by trade, something that sets the time period without being specific. He is kind of sly and devious. I didn't like him very much. Though many of these characters are unlikable, I didn't want any of them to be a murderer!
I like this series better the more I read them. I have Death of an Avid Reader to read this week while I'm off work.
I really liked this mystery much more than the first one. I started reading it in the library but had a hard time putting it down so I brought it home. I stayed up too late reading on a work night to finish this book. The mysteries were interesting and difficult to solve. I did figure out the twist in the story but not all of it. Unlike Kate, I was privy to scenes from the war years in South Africa. She had to resort to being nosy and searching a war museum in the attic. I was surprised by some of the things that came up in the course of the investigation. There were so many red herrings that the revelations are shocking and surprising.
The first person narration in this series just doesn't work for me. Kate relates everything she's thinking and it comes across as cold and detached. She goes on a date in this story and I skipped it because it didn't have any relevance to the mystery plot and I don't like the way she tells everything. It's hard to show in a first person narrated novel. The point-of-view switches between Kate, Captain Wolfendale and Lucy Wolfendale. The war scenes are completely awful. I don't know much about the Boer War but in a graduate seminar on Empire we did learn about the concentration camps so I was prepared for that. I had a hard time stomaching the horrible atrocities the British committed during this war.
There are numerous new characters in this series. Meriel, Kate's friend whom she met at a party at the home of a mutual acquaintance, is a brilliant director and lousy person. She's a moocher and Kate lets her get away with too much. I didn't feel bad for Meriel at all. Her morals are unique and don't align with mine or Kate's or Jim's. Jim would not approve of Meriel. Capt. Wolfendale is an old man haunted by bad memories and lives the life of a miser when everyone believes he is quite wealthy. Mr. Milner was an awful person. He was a braggart and a disgusting lecher. He had the morals of a snake. The thespians include Lucy Wolfendale, who is said to be an excellent actress but that just makes her into a silly twit. She confuses reality and the world of the play. She expects her life to play out like a stage play and when it doesn't, she behaves like a spoiled brat. She's selfish and silly. Her childhood friend Dylan is a nice young man. He gets caught up in Lucy's scheme because he adores her. Alison, Lucy's best friend, is a nice young woman but somewhat weak willed and lacking in common sense. To be fair, she is afraid of her super religious mother's disapproval and worried about her reputation. There's Madame and Monsieur Geerts, a Belgian couple. We don't actually know Mr. Geerts but Mme. is rather dramatic. I didn't like her very much. Rodney Milner is a nice young man and the only one in town not in love with Lucy. I felt bad for him having such an awful father and living a life of what ifs... regarding his dearly departed mother. He is kind of a tragic character. Finally, there's Dan Root, a newcomer to the theater world. He's a watch mender by trade, something that sets the time period without being specific. He is kind of sly and devious. I didn't like him very much. Though many of these characters are unlikable, I didn't want any of them to be a murderer!
I like this series better the more I read them. I have Death of an Avid Reader to read this week while I'm off work.
March 5, 2025
The early twentieth century bookcovers of this crime series offer a multitude of murder scenarios. Featured is elegant Kate Shackleton, a discreet private investigator with a keen eye for those who do not tell the truth. She does not hesitate to do a couple of off-the-book things to get the right clue, the right weapon, the right murderer. The characters in this second book are brilliantly drawn but not in an old-fashioned way, in fact I was surprised at some of the straight-forward content where the criminals and their crimes are done in a quick casual manner which makes it more chilling. Two central characters are crusty old Captain Wolfendale and young lovely spoilt Lucy Wolfendale, a would-be actress. Young male counterparts are friends and theatre actors. After attending a performance, Kate finds a body lying in a doorway which triggers a disturbing investigation, a pawn-shop robbery and a ransom note. It’s difficult to convey the atmosphere as clearly as author Frances Brody.
A dowager, an old house, old dining room with taxidermy displayed and sweet treats on the table. Then smell the fresh country air, delight over Harrogate, a lovely destination to investigate a murder even though Kate told her housekeeper, Mrs Sugden, she would be away for rest and relaxation: Never! At this moment I think Kate’s off-sider, former policeman Jim Sykes, is a clever chap but under-valued. Automobiles are a novelty and Kate likes to drive herself everywhere seemingly without traffic lights. She drives a Jowett, 'the little engine with the big pull' which runs on a penny a mile. I wish! Meanwhile, the Boer War scenes are graphic as necessary for this era. The story links, grim flashbacks and the callous way subordinates are treated, even in civilian life, made me shudder. Television was not invented then so there are books and hand-written notes, meetings, visiting and home cures. Basically solid human interaction which held my interest.
I liked the devious character of Dan, he picks up a spoon and twiddles it in his fingers. Such a great old-fashioned word. Favourite quote from handsome Inspector Marcus Charles “Would you oblige me by letting me give you and your daughter supper this evening, at your hotel?” “That would be delightful” says mother. Of course! Since theatre plays a part in the story, I enjoyed the way author Brody gives the characters assignments from thespian Meriel Jamieson to practice their stage personae and their overlapping personalities are well done. There is tense atmosphere behind everything, especially for Kate who talks to very unsettling people to solve the crime. Who is the killer? The plot research is spot-on and dialogue and clothing seems to be flawless for that era. Can recommend this series which I chose for Read a Series twelve crime novels, one a month with Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Annual Series Challenge 2025. Ten books to go!
A dowager, an old house, old dining room with taxidermy displayed and sweet treats on the table. Then smell the fresh country air, delight over Harrogate, a lovely destination to investigate a murder even though Kate told her housekeeper, Mrs Sugden, she would be away for rest and relaxation: Never! At this moment I think Kate’s off-sider, former policeman Jim Sykes, is a clever chap but under-valued. Automobiles are a novelty and Kate likes to drive herself everywhere seemingly without traffic lights. She drives a Jowett, 'the little engine with the big pull' which runs on a penny a mile. I wish! Meanwhile, the Boer War scenes are graphic as necessary for this era. The story links, grim flashbacks and the callous way subordinates are treated, even in civilian life, made me shudder. Television was not invented then so there are books and hand-written notes, meetings, visiting and home cures. Basically solid human interaction which held my interest.
I liked the devious character of Dan, he picks up a spoon and twiddles it in his fingers. Such a great old-fashioned word. Favourite quote from handsome Inspector Marcus Charles “Would you oblige me by letting me give you and your daughter supper this evening, at your hotel?” “That would be delightful” says mother. Of course! Since theatre plays a part in the story, I enjoyed the way author Brody gives the characters assignments from thespian Meriel Jamieson to practice their stage personae and their overlapping personalities are well done. There is tense atmosphere behind everything, especially for Kate who talks to very unsettling people to solve the crime. Who is the killer? The plot research is spot-on and dialogue and clothing seems to be flawless for that era. Can recommend this series which I chose for Read a Series twelve crime novels, one a month with Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Annual Series Challenge 2025. Ten books to go!
July 28, 2016
Not bad, there are a lot of these post WWI female investigators around and this is is one of the better ones. Mrs Shackleton war widow and occasional investigator gets called in for a mystery involving a robbery at a pawnshop, a murder at the theatre and some grim but well done period detail about the Boer War. If you like these pieces of genre fiction it is worth a look, better than the Masie Dobbs series by far.....
December 7, 2014
Set in the early nineteen twenties, this is a fascinating story of a murder, a potential kidnapping and blackmail with theft thrown in as well. Kate Shackleton - private investigator - and her employee Jim Sykes, a former policeman are asked to contact a pawnbroker's clients for him after he suffers a robbery at his shop. This leads Kate to Harrogate where she is to watch the last night of a play produced by an acquaintance. But it seems murders follow her around and she finds the body of a local businessman, Laurence Milner, as she leaves the theatre. This brings her into contact again with Inspector Charles from Scotland Yard who featured in Kate's previous case Dying in the Wool (Kate Shackleton Crime Story)]]
I really enjoyed this quite complex and far ranging story. It is narrated by Kate herself for the most part but there are some chapters which reveal other parts of the story to the reader. There are many twists and turns before everyone's secrets are revealed and both for the reader and for Kate it is not always easy to see who can be trusted and who can't. I can empathise with Kate and the restrictions placed on women in that era in spite of their newly acquired right to vote. In some ways Kate is fortunate being a widow as she has rather fewer restrictions on her than others have. Even so, reputation is all and she has to be careful what she does.
I like the author's style of writing and it makes a refreshing change to find a book set in other parts of the country than London. Most of the action in the book takes place in and around Harrogate and Kate herself lives near Leeds. This book is well worth reading if you want a crime novel which is a little out of the ordinary - I recommend it.
I really enjoyed this quite complex and far ranging story. It is narrated by Kate herself for the most part but there are some chapters which reveal other parts of the story to the reader. There are many twists and turns before everyone's secrets are revealed and both for the reader and for Kate it is not always easy to see who can be trusted and who can't. I can empathise with Kate and the restrictions placed on women in that era in spite of their newly acquired right to vote. In some ways Kate is fortunate being a widow as she has rather fewer restrictions on her than others have. Even so, reputation is all and she has to be careful what she does.
I like the author's style of writing and it makes a refreshing change to find a book set in other parts of the country than London. Most of the action in the book takes place in and around Harrogate and Kate herself lives near Leeds. This book is well worth reading if you want a crime novel which is a little out of the ordinary - I recommend it.
November 23, 2020
Mystery quite good but I heartily dislike Kate Shackleton. She is so unreal and a bit of a prig.
Actually I hate the writing. It is so theatrical and unreal. Not sure I will read anymore in the series.
This was an audiobook and the narrator also grated though whether it was her reading or the bad dialogue and what was going on in Kate’s head I can’t be sure.
Actually I hate the writing. It is so theatrical and unreal. Not sure I will read anymore in the series.
This was an audiobook and the narrator also grated though whether it was her reading or the bad dialogue and what was going on in Kate’s head I can’t be sure.
April 9, 2011
Kate has a new case and this time it's not searching for a missing person...at least not at first. There has been a pawn-shop-robbery and she gets asked to help. But she gets distracted when she goes to see a play and finds a body on her way home, the leading actress of the play disappears and a ransom-note turns up. All these events can't be connected – or can they?
Like the first novel in the Series 'Medal For Murder' has many of the things I enjoy about cozies – nothing is too grim, lots of likeable characters and the feeling at the end that even though a terrible murder has happened it is possible for the people touched by it to carry on with their lives – and and the same time avoids all the things that tend to annoy me in many cozies: none of the characters seems flat, in fact nearly nothing seems black and white but there are quite a lot shades of grey (and the fact that Kate and her colleague see things differently causes some trouble between them), the romantic life (or lack thereof) of the main-character isn't a major issue in the book (yes, there is someone coming up for Kate, but it gets treated like you expect it from a novel set in the 1920s) and - most important of all – the crime-plot is believable and (was for me) completely unforeseeable. It was quickly clear that there was some dark secret from the past but I'd never guessed what it then turned out to be.
I did need some time to get used to the the shifts between the different perspectives (Kate's first-person narration, Lucy's third-person narration and another third-person narration about events in the past). I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I'm just used to first-person narrations staying there with the narrating character.
Besides I found Kate got very quickly very convinced of her own theory about the dark secret. Yes she was of course right, but as it was something that seemed quite unlikely, I'd expected her to have al least some doubts or spent some time thinking about weather the evidence could not also point to a different conclusion (but perhaps that's why I wouldn't make a good Private Investigator, I'd just have doubts about everything and always consider if there wasn't another possibility).
Like the first novel in the Series 'Medal For Murder' has many of the things I enjoy about cozies – nothing is too grim, lots of likeable characters and the feeling at the end that even though a terrible murder has happened it is possible for the people touched by it to carry on with their lives – and and the same time avoids all the things that tend to annoy me in many cozies: none of the characters seems flat, in fact nearly nothing seems black and white but there are quite a lot shades of grey (and the fact that Kate and her colleague see things differently causes some trouble between them), the romantic life (or lack thereof) of the main-character isn't a major issue in the book (yes, there is someone coming up for Kate, but it gets treated like you expect it from a novel set in the 1920s) and - most important of all – the crime-plot is believable and (was for me) completely unforeseeable. It was quickly clear that there was some dark secret from the past but I'd never guessed what it then turned out to be.
I did need some time to get used to the the shifts between the different perspectives (Kate's first-person narration, Lucy's third-person narration and another third-person narration about events in the past). I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I'm just used to first-person narrations staying there with the narrating character.
Besides I found Kate got very quickly very convinced of her own theory about the dark secret. Yes she was of course right, but as it was something that seemed quite unlikely, I'd expected her to have al least some doubts or spent some time thinking about weather the evidence could not also point to a different conclusion (but perhaps that's why I wouldn't make a good Private Investigator, I'd just have doubts about everything and always consider if there wasn't another possibility).
May 7, 2020
This is far from a flippant mystery, or a cozy period piece. Frances Brody doesn't shy from revealing the horrors of war, highlighting how systematic inequality breeds crime and how punishment oftentimes does nothing to dissuade it. She also knows how to create a riveting and convincing mystery, and how to bring post war England to life. The characters are well conceived, the dialogue fizzes, and the setting is convincing without becoming an actual guidebook.
A splendid example of its kind.
A splendid example of its kind.
March 1, 2018
I liked the first book in this series better - this one had so many plot details that it got bogged down (and some really unlikeable characters)
August 19, 2021
Excellent book in every element.
July 5, 2013
I suppose this is something of a cozy, although having several stories being tracked down made for a longer read so 3 for effort and having enough story to make more than a novella. Still relatively light and fluffy. The 2nd in a series suggests that more back story exists and I commend the author for not revisiting the entire thing, as I am quite capable of going back to the 1st book and finding out for myself.
Comparisons to Maisie Dobbs seems to be a bit of a stretch, except that they are both women in post-WW1 society solving mysteries. But that is really the only similarity as their lives and methods and personalities seem quite entirely different. Oh, and Maisie gets a pretty solid history re-hash every time.
I will say that I didn't particularly care for the chapters in South Africa etc., but I can see how it allowed the author to advance the story rather than have extended background explanations. I think a more extensive prologue (after the wee prologue present) would have been less intrusive and been as useful for the background, and also allowed a more energetic (i.e. interesting) intro to the captain.
Comparisons to Maisie Dobbs seems to be a bit of a stretch, except that they are both women in post-WW1 society solving mysteries. But that is really the only similarity as their lives and methods and personalities seem quite entirely different. Oh, and Maisie gets a pretty solid history re-hash every time.
I will say that I didn't particularly care for the chapters in South Africa etc., but I can see how it allowed the author to advance the story rather than have extended background explanations. I think a more extensive prologue (after the wee prologue present) would have been less intrusive and been as useful for the background, and also allowed a more energetic (i.e. interesting) intro to the captain.
March 26, 2023
A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody - Good
Hmm, I seem to have been reading a lot of this kind of book recently. Another 'surplus woman' turned detective in the aftermath of The Great War. More in the style of Maisie Dobbs than Daisy Dalrymple, Kate Shackleton has been hired to trace the owners of items stolen from a Leeds' Pawn Shop - discretion is needed to explain to the owners that they won't be able to redeem their items. This takes her to Harrogate which is a nice coincidence as she is due to see a friend's theatre production there.
Of course, there's a murder and a kidnapping and Kate finds herself drawn into the investigations.
Nicely done.
#review
Hmm, I seem to have been reading a lot of this kind of book recently. Another 'surplus woman' turned detective in the aftermath of The Great War. More in the style of Maisie Dobbs than Daisy Dalrymple, Kate Shackleton has been hired to trace the owners of items stolen from a Leeds' Pawn Shop - discretion is needed to explain to the owners that they won't be able to redeem their items. This takes her to Harrogate which is a nice coincidence as she is due to see a friend's theatre production there.
Of course, there's a murder and a kidnapping and Kate finds herself drawn into the investigations.
Nicely done.
#review
November 28, 2012
Just as entertaining as the first in the series. Light mysteries, but you don't have to leave your brain behind to enjoy them. Set in 1922, Kate investigates a pawnshop robbery and gets involved with a murder with its roots in the Boer War. Interesting characters, and I like the look at the Harrogate of the 20s too.
February 6, 2017
I had such a hard time reading this book. It did not keep my interest
October 18, 2021
Found it a bit hard to follow at first, at lot happens in a short space of time. But by the end I found it most enjoyable.
May 29, 2025
As usual, Kate finds herself hurtled into the middle of a case involving stolen identity, blackmail, theft, and murder. It all begins when a mild-mannered pawn broker is robbed of many valuable items that regular customers will come to redeem. He wants a private detective to take the case because publicity would harm his business. What Kate uncovers is a muddled mess, with a friend right in the middle of it.
Kate goes to see her friend Meriel Jamieson in a play. Meriel is a pathological thief. She steals food, flowers, clothes, anything she can get her hands on all because she says she's a poorly paid actress. It turns out almost everyone in the play or connected to the players has something to hide, and Kate immediately picks up on the tangled interplay of the actors and townspeople.
If I get much more into the storyline, it will spoil the book for you, so I'll leave it at that. What I will discuss is the way it's written. I love a good murder mystery, and Brody is great on plot. However, this book and the previous one I've read could have been a hundred pages shorter and still been good.
There are too many characters that end up having little to nothing to do with the plot and too many dead ends that took too long to figure out. Kate keeps changing her mind about the culprits, which would normally not be bad except she goes back and forth with who did what to whom and when.
The one person who is consistently a thief, Kate, let's off because she's a friend. So much for her dedication to justice! Then why did I give this a three star instead of a lower rating? It's because the backstory is so darn good. I'd recommend you do as I did, keep a scorecard of characters, make plot notes as you go along, and skim the endless repetitions.
Kate goes to see her friend Meriel Jamieson in a play. Meriel is a pathological thief. She steals food, flowers, clothes, anything she can get her hands on all because she says she's a poorly paid actress. It turns out almost everyone in the play or connected to the players has something to hide, and Kate immediately picks up on the tangled interplay of the actors and townspeople.
If I get much more into the storyline, it will spoil the book for you, so I'll leave it at that. What I will discuss is the way it's written. I love a good murder mystery, and Brody is great on plot. However, this book and the previous one I've read could have been a hundred pages shorter and still been good.
There are too many characters that end up having little to nothing to do with the plot and too many dead ends that took too long to figure out. Kate keeps changing her mind about the culprits, which would normally not be bad except she goes back and forth with who did what to whom and when.
The one person who is consistently a thief, Kate, let's off because she's a friend. So much for her dedication to justice! Then why did I give this a three star instead of a lower rating? It's because the backstory is so darn good. I'd recommend you do as I did, keep a scorecard of characters, make plot notes as you go along, and skim the endless repetitions.
April 15, 2025
Another cozy crime. This is the second book the series. I liked this book. But it was not as good as the first one. I still really like Kate Shackleton as a main character. She is a great character. Smart, interesting and intelligent.
First a robbery at a pawn shop, then a fatal stabbing and finally a young women goes missing. Are they linkt. It was a very interesting premises. Being honest i got it wrong who did it. I totally got it wrong. Being even more honest, i was shocked who it was. But after their confession i understood.
We did get more from her assistant mr. Skyes. But i do wish we got more of him. He is a fun character, and i want to more about him. Also I hope he learns how to drive properly hahaha.
Sometimes the book was a bit confusing for me. They had so many side characters that i did get lost a few times. I think there where a to many side characters sometimes to keep track off. That is my biggest problem with this book. To many characters so it got confusing at times. Sometimes the pace was a bit to slow. But overall i enjoyed this book.
First a robbery at a pawn shop, then a fatal stabbing and finally a young women goes missing. Are they linkt. It was a very interesting premises. Being honest i got it wrong who did it. I totally got it wrong. Being even more honest, i was shocked who it was. But after their confession i understood.
We did get more from her assistant mr. Skyes. But i do wish we got more of him. He is a fun character, and i want to more about him. Also I hope he learns how to drive properly hahaha.
Sometimes the book was a bit confusing for me. They had so many side characters that i did get lost a few times. I think there where a to many side characters sometimes to keep track off. That is my biggest problem with this book. To many characters so it got confusing at times. Sometimes the pace was a bit to slow. But overall i enjoyed this book.
April 11, 2024
This was a nice cosy read. I quite enjoyed this book even though some people may say it is boring at the beginning but it does pick up as you continue. This book really had me thinking of who the killer could be, as there was so many interesting characters. I liked how it wasn't revealed till the very end of the book of who the killer was as it made me want to finish the book sooner, the only thing is that it didn't tell us what happened with Dylan. Although this book wasn't the most exciting book or match any of the other books in the Kate Shackleton series which was expected as it was only the second book of the series but overall it was a really enjoyable read.
November 10, 2024
Complex and more intricate that you think, Brody is skilled at intricate, multi-layered plots that aren't what they seem. If she can get a tiny bit better with characters you can love, she'll be up there with Winspeare.
December 7, 2024
3.5⭐️ I had a lot of difficulty getting used to this narrator. Her portrayal of Kate Shackleton was very different from the other audiobooks I’ve listened too, and she made her sound far too posh. The plot was a bit too on the twisty side, which unnecessarily lengthened the book.
January 16, 2025
i think i got this book for free at like a random used books thing so i haven’t read the first one in the series, but this was fun. i picked up on some of the answers but not all of them which imo is pretty perfect for a mystery like this
April 10, 2019
Entertaining in a gentle sort of way!
July 27, 2020
I found this book so much more compelling than the first in the series. It was fun to read, especially since I'm really familiar with Harrogate where a lot of the action took place.
April 28, 2025
Hattie Bergel
12/11/2024
Good reads book review 2
Review of “ A Medal for Murder”
By Frances Brody
The book A Medal for Murder is about three mysteries set in the 1920’s that eventually connect. All three mysteries involve the same new detective, Kate Shackleton, whether or not the detective is on the case or not, she's involved. The first mystery that they reveal in the book is a pawn-shop robbery which is Kate’s second professional case. The mysteries that follow are more serious, later we find out that all of the cases connect. The book overall is very interesting and captures your attention.
The mystery that the book starts with begins with Kate and her assistant Jim Sykes, who is an ex-policeman heading to an appointment with the owner of a pawn-shop that was aggressively robbed. The second and third cases are initially more connected to each other. When Kate goes to the theater to watch a play and relax she stumbles across a dead body in the doorway. After she calls the police she finds slashes in tires of a car nearby and cufflinks in the footwell. Later Kate gets notified of a case about a ransom demand for 1000$ in return for the main character in the play, Lucy. We find out eventually that Lucy is the one who wrote the ransom note and she sent the threatening note to her grandfather to have enough money to run away and live her life somewhere else. I think that the fact that Lucy sent the ransom note signifies that she doesn't see any other way that she can get the money and leave. The quote “I have to do this. I only want what is mine.” highlights this.
I think this book is perfect for anyone who enjoys mysteries and or book set in the early 1900’s. This book sheds light on how this detective chooses to work and how Kate Shackleton acts when she's off duty. The way the book has different storylines to follow is very interesting and keeps you entertained. This book is all about the mysteries and crimes of a small town and how they intertwine. The author occasionally reminds you that the book is set in the 1900’s by writing pieces of dialog that would not be acceptable today and that highlight what it was like to be a working woman back then. Overall I think this is a good book because it gets your attention and keeps it for the entirety but is still easy to follow.
12/11/2024
Good reads book review 2
Review of “ A Medal for Murder”
By Frances Brody
The book A Medal for Murder is about three mysteries set in the 1920’s that eventually connect. All three mysteries involve the same new detective, Kate Shackleton, whether or not the detective is on the case or not, she's involved. The first mystery that they reveal in the book is a pawn-shop robbery which is Kate’s second professional case. The mysteries that follow are more serious, later we find out that all of the cases connect. The book overall is very interesting and captures your attention.
The mystery that the book starts with begins with Kate and her assistant Jim Sykes, who is an ex-policeman heading to an appointment with the owner of a pawn-shop that was aggressively robbed. The second and third cases are initially more connected to each other. When Kate goes to the theater to watch a play and relax she stumbles across a dead body in the doorway. After she calls the police she finds slashes in tires of a car nearby and cufflinks in the footwell. Later Kate gets notified of a case about a ransom demand for 1000$ in return for the main character in the play, Lucy. We find out eventually that Lucy is the one who wrote the ransom note and she sent the threatening note to her grandfather to have enough money to run away and live her life somewhere else. I think that the fact that Lucy sent the ransom note signifies that she doesn't see any other way that she can get the money and leave. The quote “I have to do this. I only want what is mine.” highlights this.
I think this book is perfect for anyone who enjoys mysteries and or book set in the early 1900’s. This book sheds light on how this detective chooses to work and how Kate Shackleton acts when she's off duty. The way the book has different storylines to follow is very interesting and keeps you entertained. This book is all about the mysteries and crimes of a small town and how they intertwine. The author occasionally reminds you that the book is set in the 1900’s by writing pieces of dialog that would not be acceptable today and that highlight what it was like to be a working woman back then. Overall I think this is a good book because it gets your attention and keeps it for the entirety but is still easy to follow.
September 1, 2021
Da mich der erste Band rund um Kate Shackleton so faszinierte, freute ich immens auf diesen. Von Nadel und Faden sollte es nun auf die Bühne gehen und ich war gespannt was ich diesmal alles erleben würde.
Es hätte so einfach sein können. Ein bestohlener Pfandleiher bat Kate die Personen zu informieren, deren Gegenstände entwendet wurden. Was für Kate eine leichte Sache gewesen wäre, wurde durch den Zufall zu einem Riesenfall, bei dem ich bis zum Ende nicht wusste, wer nun was getan hatte.
Dies soll jedoch nicht heißen, dass das Buch verwirrend ist, im Gegenteil. Jedoch schafften es die Charaktere stets, durch ihre eigenen Ansichten der Wahrheit, mich stets in die Irre zu führen. Ein cleverer Schachzug, der nicht nur dafür sorgte, dass die Geschichte stets spannend blieb, sondern mir auch die Charaktere näher brachte. Und hier gab es wirklich viel zu entdecken. Immerhin hatte man es nicht nur mit bestohlenen Pfandleihern zutun.
Und genau dies war auch die große Stärke des Buches. Frances Brody schaffte es viele einzelne Geschichten zu vereinen, ohne das eine davon außer Acht gelassen wurde oder in der Haupthandlung störte. Die Verbindungen der einzelnen Erlebnisse ergaben am Ende ein großes Ganzes, welches spannend, aber auch sehr berührend war.
Trotz allem faszinierte mich Kate Shackleton wieder am meisten. Mit ihrer sehr offenen Art, welche nicht unbedingt den Ansichten der 1920er Jahre entsprechen, machte es einfach sehr viel Spaß wieder mehr über sie zu erfahren.
Was mir aber zum Vorgänger fehlte, waren die kleinen Hinweise zum diesmaligen Thema des Buches. Dieser bot noch Beschreibungen zu Fachbegriffen aus dem Bereich der Weberei, was ich hier halt gerne mit dem Theaterwesen gehabt hätte.
Fazit:
Frances Brody hat es wieder geschafft mich zu begeistern. Auch dieser Band mit Kate Shackleton überraschte mich mit einer packenden Handlung, welche gerade durch die Ausweitung in Nebengeschichten immens an Tiefe gewann. Wer einen unterhaltsamen, aber auch spannenden Fall mit einer cleveren und aufgeweckten Dame der 1920er sucht, sollte sich Kate nicht entgehen lassen.
Es hätte so einfach sein können. Ein bestohlener Pfandleiher bat Kate die Personen zu informieren, deren Gegenstände entwendet wurden. Was für Kate eine leichte Sache gewesen wäre, wurde durch den Zufall zu einem Riesenfall, bei dem ich bis zum Ende nicht wusste, wer nun was getan hatte.
Dies soll jedoch nicht heißen, dass das Buch verwirrend ist, im Gegenteil. Jedoch schafften es die Charaktere stets, durch ihre eigenen Ansichten der Wahrheit, mich stets in die Irre zu führen. Ein cleverer Schachzug, der nicht nur dafür sorgte, dass die Geschichte stets spannend blieb, sondern mir auch die Charaktere näher brachte. Und hier gab es wirklich viel zu entdecken. Immerhin hatte man es nicht nur mit bestohlenen Pfandleihern zutun.
Und genau dies war auch die große Stärke des Buches. Frances Brody schaffte es viele einzelne Geschichten zu vereinen, ohne das eine davon außer Acht gelassen wurde oder in der Haupthandlung störte. Die Verbindungen der einzelnen Erlebnisse ergaben am Ende ein großes Ganzes, welches spannend, aber auch sehr berührend war.
Trotz allem faszinierte mich Kate Shackleton wieder am meisten. Mit ihrer sehr offenen Art, welche nicht unbedingt den Ansichten der 1920er Jahre entsprechen, machte es einfach sehr viel Spaß wieder mehr über sie zu erfahren.
Was mir aber zum Vorgänger fehlte, waren die kleinen Hinweise zum diesmaligen Thema des Buches. Dieser bot noch Beschreibungen zu Fachbegriffen aus dem Bereich der Weberei, was ich hier halt gerne mit dem Theaterwesen gehabt hätte.
Fazit:
Frances Brody hat es wieder geschafft mich zu begeistern. Auch dieser Band mit Kate Shackleton überraschte mich mit einer packenden Handlung, welche gerade durch die Ausweitung in Nebengeschichten immens an Tiefe gewann. Wer einen unterhaltsamen, aber auch spannenden Fall mit einer cleveren und aufgeweckten Dame der 1920er sucht, sollte sich Kate nicht entgehen lassen.
August 31, 2012
‘A Medal for Murder’ by Frances Brody
Published by Piatkus, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-7499-4192-5
At the end of the Great War seeking information as to what happened to her husband Gerald, posted missing, Kate Shackleton undertook to locate missing persons as a kindness to other women in situations such as herself. Although still unclear as to what happened to Gerald, Kate has now in 1922 set up as a Private Investigator and following a robbery at a pawn-shop Kate is retained by the distraught owner to advise his customers of the loss of their items and if possible to track down the culprit.
Visiting Harrogate to carry out her contractual obligation for the pawn shop owner, and taking the opportunity to see a play, Kate virtually trips over a dead body outside the theatre. Seeking another pawn shop customer Kate is approached by Captain Wolfendale who fears his granddaughter Lucy who was in the play has been kidnapped. Soon Kate is drawn into the lives of the actors.
The story is told with a series of flash backs to the turn of the century when Lucy’s grandfather was a Captain during the Boer war. The descriptions of the scenes are quite harrowing, and invoke a terrible period in British history.
In A Medal for Murder, Frances Brody had produced a fascinating tale of deception, and murder, as she skilfully negotiates the reader through a tangle of fraud and dishonesty.
The characterisation is superb. Interestingly, one of Kate’s decisions brings her into direct conflict with her trusty sidekick the ex-policeman Sykes. Whilst I could see Kate’s point, I felt that the reader knew more about the character in question than did Kate, and I wondered if Kate’s decision would come back to haunt her.
An excellent story well paced that keeps the reader turning pages. One of those unable-to-put down books. Highly recommended.
------
Lizzie Hayes
Published by Piatkus, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-7499-4192-5
At the end of the Great War seeking information as to what happened to her husband Gerald, posted missing, Kate Shackleton undertook to locate missing persons as a kindness to other women in situations such as herself. Although still unclear as to what happened to Gerald, Kate has now in 1922 set up as a Private Investigator and following a robbery at a pawn-shop Kate is retained by the distraught owner to advise his customers of the loss of their items and if possible to track down the culprit.
Visiting Harrogate to carry out her contractual obligation for the pawn shop owner, and taking the opportunity to see a play, Kate virtually trips over a dead body outside the theatre. Seeking another pawn shop customer Kate is approached by Captain Wolfendale who fears his granddaughter Lucy who was in the play has been kidnapped. Soon Kate is drawn into the lives of the actors.
The story is told with a series of flash backs to the turn of the century when Lucy’s grandfather was a Captain during the Boer war. The descriptions of the scenes are quite harrowing, and invoke a terrible period in British history.
In A Medal for Murder, Frances Brody had produced a fascinating tale of deception, and murder, as she skilfully negotiates the reader through a tangle of fraud and dishonesty.
The characterisation is superb. Interestingly, one of Kate’s decisions brings her into direct conflict with her trusty sidekick the ex-policeman Sykes. Whilst I could see Kate’s point, I felt that the reader knew more about the character in question than did Kate, and I wondered if Kate’s decision would come back to haunt her.
An excellent story well paced that keeps the reader turning pages. One of those unable-to-put down books. Highly recommended.
------
Lizzie Hayes
December 14, 2012
Amateur sleuth Kate Shackleton's second case sees her in Harrogate after she accepts a fee from Leeds pawnbroker Mr Moony to investigate a case of robbery.
On Moony's behalf she begins to visit the clients who have lost goods in the robbery but when she arrives in Harrogate she uncovers a whole new web of deceit and intrigue when she meets up with her director friend Meriel Jamieson and accepts her invitation to attend a performance of Arnold Bennett's 'Anna of the Five Towns'.
As she leaves the theatre things take a nasty turn as she stumbles across a body in a shop doorway and the protruding knife suggests foul play. One of the cast then goes missing and a ransom note is received by her grandfather.
This leads to Kate and her able assistant former policeman Jim Sykes searching the Yorkshire countryside around Harrogate for the supposedly kidnapped young lady. At the same time trying to uncover the perpetrator of the pawn-shop robbery.
While the search continues all sorts of mysterious facts come out of the woodwork regarding the people who may, or may not, be involved in the killing. Intrigue follows intrigue with Kate getting ever nearer to solving the complicated mystery.
Then confessions are made to the killing, three of them in fact, but who is the real murderer? With undertones of the Boer War, and flashbacks to the South Africa of the time where at least two of the possible suspects make dramatic appearances, the plot thickens.
Eventually the mysteries unravel ... or do they ... or does Kate know more than she is prepared to tell ... read on to find out!
On Moony's behalf she begins to visit the clients who have lost goods in the robbery but when she arrives in Harrogate she uncovers a whole new web of deceit and intrigue when she meets up with her director friend Meriel Jamieson and accepts her invitation to attend a performance of Arnold Bennett's 'Anna of the Five Towns'.
As she leaves the theatre things take a nasty turn as she stumbles across a body in a shop doorway and the protruding knife suggests foul play. One of the cast then goes missing and a ransom note is received by her grandfather.
This leads to Kate and her able assistant former policeman Jim Sykes searching the Yorkshire countryside around Harrogate for the supposedly kidnapped young lady. At the same time trying to uncover the perpetrator of the pawn-shop robbery.
While the search continues all sorts of mysterious facts come out of the woodwork regarding the people who may, or may not, be involved in the killing. Intrigue follows intrigue with Kate getting ever nearer to solving the complicated mystery.
Then confessions are made to the killing, three of them in fact, but who is the real murderer? With undertones of the Boer War, and flashbacks to the South Africa of the time where at least two of the possible suspects make dramatic appearances, the plot thickens.
Eventually the mysteries unravel ... or do they ... or does Kate know more than she is prepared to tell ... read on to find out!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews