A Clerical Error

Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries #3

by J. New

BRITAIN 1930's. WHEN THE CRIME SCENE IS PURE COINCIDENCE AND THERE'S NO EVIDENCE, HOW DO YOU PROVE IT WAS MURDER?

Ella Bridges faces her most challenging investigation so far when the vicar dies suddenly at the May Day Fete. But with evidence scarce and her personal life unravelling in ways she could never have imagined, she misses vital clues in the investigation.

Working alongside Sergeant Baxter of Scotland Yard, will Ella manage to unearth the clues needed to catch the killer before another life is lost? Or will personal shock cloud her mind and result in another tragedy?

A unique slant on the traditional whodunit and the humour peppered throughout are what makes these books firm favourites with readers.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, British Literature, Historical, Audiobook

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2024

About the author

Claim your FREE book at www.jnewwrites.com

WRITER OF BRITISH MYSTERIES. Historical, contemporary, paranormal, cozy, humorous. Featuring memorable protagonists, their unusual side-kicks and an eclectic ensemble of supporting cast members. They usually include spirits (all varieties) a little bit of magic, a spot of romance and copious amounts of tea. At regular intervals they involve steam trains and sometimes bicycles.

SERIES:

THE YELLOW COTTAGE VINTAGE MYSTERIES, traditional English whodunits with a twist, set in the 1930s. Known for their clever humor as well as the interesting slant on the traditional murder mystery.

THE TEA & SYMPATHY series featuring Lilly Tweed, former newspaper Agony Aunt, now purveyor of fine teas at The Tea Emporium in the small English market town of Plumpton Mallet. Along with a regular cast of characters, including Earl Grey the shop cat.

THE FINCH & FISCHER series featuring mobile librarian Penny Finch and her rescue dog Fischer. Follow them as they dig up clues and sniff out red herrings in the six quintessential English villages and hamlets that make up Hampsworthy Downs.

Jacquie was born in West Yorkshire, England. She studied art and design and after qualifying began work as an interior designer, moving onto fine art restoration and animal portraiture before deciding to pursue her lifelong ambition to write.

Reviews

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a super audiobook this was! I’m so glad I took a chance on this story, as I thoroughly enjoyed spending a few hours with Ella Bridges and Sergeant Baxter as they tried to solved this case. As usual I had loads of theories but no real suspects until right near the end, when the big reveal confirmed my suspicions.

I so enjoyed getting to know Ella, her aunt Margaret, Sergeant Baxter the policeman on loan from Scotland Yard and Phantom, Ella’s very unusal cat. I loved discovering more about all the characters and inhabitants of Linhay Island and could easily have carried on listening for a lot longer than the 5 hours of this audiobook. I actually think this would make a wonderful radio or TV series set during the 1930s as Ella Bridges makes a fabulous consulting detective, reminding me of a young Miss Marple.

Although this is the third book in the series I was able to pick up on what had happened in Ella’s life from the back story woven throughout this book. It was just enough to make me want to go back and discover the previous books. However if you are someone who likes to start at the beginning, I definitely recommend that you do, as there is a major spoiler in this particular story.

Jilly Bond’s narration was really lovely and absolutely perfect for this gentle mystery. This is the first time I’ve come across her voice talents and would definitely listen to more audiobooks narrated by her.

I definitely recommend this series if you enjoy cosy mysteries set in 1930s England.

Thanks so much to Hope Roy at Tantor Media for my digital copy.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
This is the third book in the cozy mystery series set in the 1930’s, featuring Ella Bridges and her ghost cat, Phantom. Ella’s life has taken a very unexpected turn. Having believed her husband, John, had died two years ago, she now knows that to be false after a telephone call out of the blue and a conversation with the Home Secretary. With the help of her Uncle Albert, Ella finally learns the truth about John and his activities. Her housekeeper, Mrs Shaw, also proves not to be who, or what, she had claimed. A visit with her Aunt Margaret goes someway to helping Ella to absorb the shocks, put her feelings of anger and distress in perspective and restore her composure.


Ella returns home feeling much more positive and looking forward to a return visit from her aunt. A near miss while out on a bicycle ride brings about an acquaintance with two ladies involved in raising funds for the church and Ella is soon persuaded to run a stall at the May Day Fete. Sergeant Baxter, the policeman Ella has worked with previously was attending the fete, along with the vicar, Father Michael, recently returned from a sabbatical. The fun was cut short drastically when a suspicious death occurred.

Another entertaining mystery, well written with a well crafted and twisty story line. As with the previous books the atmosphere of the era is brought to life perfectly, with suitable dialogue, lifestyle and descriptive prose. Realistic, developing characters and relationships add to the appeal. Despite Ella’s personal problems, she and Sergeant Baxter work together and follow the clues, some of which, understandably, take Ella a little longer to process this time round. It’s useful, however, having friends in high places who are only too willing to help.

There’s less of the paranormal in this story but I was glad Phantom made several appearances. A well thought through and interesting mystery, the reveal coming as a complete surprise. The threads running through the main story line were all wrapped up too, which was good. These are the perfect cozies; engaging characters, no sex or gratuitous violence and a very enjoyable story in a vintage setting.

I chose to read and review A Clerical Error for Rosie Amber’s book review team, based on a digital copy from the author.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot give away the eponymous clerical error in author J. New’s third novel in the Yellow Cottage series without ruining the book. Let’s just say that it continues the story from the shocking ending to its immediate predecessor, The Curse of Arundel Hall.

In a secondary plot, young widow Isobella “Ella” Bridges is helping out with a Roman Catholic church’s fete (even though she herself isn’t Catholic) and is on the scene when the newly returned priest of St. Mary’s, Father Michael, dies at the fete. Needless to say, it’s murder.

I do wish there had been more of Scotland Yard police commissioner Sir Albert Mortesford in this book, but Sergeant Baxter was a pleasure, as always. J. New’s Goodreads Author Page likens the Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries to a cross between Miss Marple mysteries and The Ghost Whisperer, but New’s book gives off more a feeling of a cross between the charming Miss Reed’s two series on English village life and Mary Stewart’s 1940s mysteries. And, for a cozy series set in the 1930s, it’s a perfect vibe. Highly recommended.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a period mystery and this series, set in 1930’s England, is fast becoming one of my favourites!

Book 3 nudges the personal life of Ella Bridges that bit further along whilst, as a sometime detective for Scotland Yard, she becomes embroiled in another mystery. The setting of Linhay is perfect for these tales – for a lesser populated place there is always so much going on! As happened in those times, the church, post office and tearooms were the centre of village life and a hive of gossip. ‘Ladies’ had housekeepers and cooks not to mention maids, leaving them with plenty of free hours to concern themselves with whatever was going on in their small communities – including murder!

Excellently planned and well written, this is an enjoyable tale with excellent characterisation and several surprises along the way. I solved the how but the who was a complete mystery to me – and, of course, I will leave it to be a puzzle to you too. This is a fabulously entertaining series and one I would highly recommend to lovers of cosy mysteries.

Having read the first two in series, I clicked on this one from Amazon and I’m so glad I did. Just the ticket in between more serious reads!

[Jenny Reeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so very much. The story unfolds at a nice pace and is very easy to keep up with. There is nothing confusing or complex in the way that the author has built up and unraveled the plot. The story is well written, so much so that I could feel myself visualizing the scenes, the people and the unfolding of the plot.

The description and feel of the little village is warm and welcoming, the characters are well placed, and I especially love the way that Jocaster manipulates Ella into helping out at the village fete. I myself have come across this in my village. I think that village life is actually like that, so to use this in the story is a lovely touch.

Ella Bridges, what a fine sleuth she is along with her aunt and sidekick ‘Phantom’ This is a cosy read, you can snuggle up on a winters evening with this book and you will not want to put it down.

The substance in this book is simply perfect.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoying this series and I can't remember when I read a series continuously. Each book is improving all the time.
Ella is a wonderful central character and we meet some other very interesting and curious people along the way, a nod here to Pierre DuPont, a hilarious addition.
This would have been five stars for me except for a glaring error in the book. St Mary's is said to be a Catholic church in the village, then the author goes on to talk about the vicar of the church, which Catholics don't have and about the last incumbents wife and daughter, Catholic priests are not allowed to marry. I find this sloppy research and should have been picked up before publication.
All in all a very good read.

[Barb Taub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protagonist Isobella (Ella) Bridges is a young widow whose husband died in somewhat mysterious circumstances. Two years after his death, she returns to the little village where her family spent happy holidays and purchases the Yellow Cottage after visiting with its owner—who, Ella later discovers, had already been dead for seven months when they spoke. Her cottage predecessor leaves the young widow several mysteries to solve, including a ghost cat. Ella is a perfect example of her class—posh, casually prejudiced, and so supremely assured of her place in the world that she is perfectly willing to ignore fashion and custom when it suits her while unconsciously adhering to their dictates in almost every aspect of her life.

Having grown up in and around old houses, Ella accepts the ghosts with the same aplomb as she greets her quirky new neighbors. In the first book of the series, most of the action centers around London, so we also meet Ella’s brother Jerry and his wife Ginny, as well as Ginny’s “Uncle” Albert, Scotland Yard’s Police Commissioner. In the second book, we get to know more of her neighbors in the quintessentially English village setting.

Wikipedia defines a cozy mystery as “…a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community.” True to the definition, sex, profanity, and violence are “behind the door” and only gently referenced. Sleuth Ella is an amateur who gathers a posse of essential helpers—in this case the Police Commissioner, his chief medical examiner, and her own well-connected family.

One of the challenges with any ongoing series is to move the backstory forward by adding little unresolved threads, while still solving each book’s central mystery arc. For example, in A Clerical Error, the role of Mrs. Shaw, Ella’s somewhat mysterious housekeeper, is finally explained. But…

[spoiler-ish alert! If you haven’t read the first two books, you may want to skip the next paragraph…] At the end of Book 2, Ella is stunned to receive a call from John, the husband she believed was dead. In A Clerical Error, she is still, naturally, more than a bit upset about this. Without revealing too much, I have to admit I found this development and its resolution unsatisfying. While it did set up Ella’s distrust with authorities, also hinting at the global forces already moving to end the interlude between two World Wars, it was just so… off-screen, leaving me with a strong sense of “what was that about?” It wasn’t until Ella was deeply involved with the new ghosts she meets in A Clerical Error that I was able to step back and realize (or at least hope!) that John’s phone call is the setup to another ghost’s appearance.

Ella’s confusion and absorption with the shocking news about her “dead” husband makes it difficult for her to focus fully on the mysterious death of the local vicar. In her role as a consultant to Scotland Yard, she finds herself investigating the suspicious circumstances, forced to consider which of her new friends and neighbors might be the murderer in their midst.

The element that brings this series to a different level (at least for me) is that Ella sees ghosts, and even talks to them. Her cat, Phantom, is usually a ghost. Except (he’s a cat after all) when he’s not. Mixing the paranormal elements with the main mystery, and adding dessert toppings of secondary mysteries, puzzles, and mysteriously puzzling ghosts, keeps the story lively and makes the reader look forward to learning more about the characters (both living and dead). Still, even with the assistance of the occasional ghost, author J. New plays fair with her readers most of the time. If she delays in explaining a critical clue, I could usually forgive her if—as with the earlier books of the series—it sets up that most essential of cozy mystery tropes, the detective addressing the gathered suspects. Unfortunately, in this case the resolution and final confrontation with the murderer happens off-stage, reported third-hand and unwitnessed by Ella (or the reader).

With the minor exception of the third-person resolution, I still found that its setting and characters make A Clerical Error—as I said in my reviews of the earlier books—an enchanting example of a cozy mystery, a paranormal detective story, and a completely entertaining series in a historical setting. I am delighted to recommend A Clerical Error, and look forward to more adventures with Ella and her family.

**I received this book from the publisher or author to expedite an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Due to so many positive reviews I decided to take this series for a test drive. It was not my cup of tea so will not continue reading other books in the series.

Kindle Unlimited

[Joanne Ernest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book presents a murder mystery that is so clever and evil, you will never see who the murderer is until Ella Bridges, working for Scotland Yard, unmasks them. Even while working through some tough personal issues of her own, Ella, relying heavily on her associate, Sergeant Baxter, uses her unusual talents to notice every twist and turn in the case, what makes sense and what doesn't, and ferrets out who is telling the truth and who isn't until she arrives at the remarkable conclusion to this dastardly tale. And she also leans heavily on the sage advice of her Aunt Margaret while she faces both her personal problems and the dilemma of facing her new-found friends as an emissary of Scotland Yard and must treat them all as suspects, not friends. This story is worthy of Agatha Christie and deserves to be cherished if you are an authentic English cozy mystery fan like myself. I received a free copy of the book, but the review is all mine. Don't miss this one! Or better yet, start with the first book in the series and work your way through with these engaging characters. I plan to do just that.

[Madeleine (Top Shelf Text) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this series on my Kindle at night, just before I'm ready to fall asleep. Often that means I only read just a few pages at a time, which I think impacts how invested I get in the mystery. Overall this is a lovely cozy mystery series with a fun supernatural twist, and it's exactly the type of book that I can settle in with when my brain is feeling busy. I'll be following the series with the next book and as more are released!

[Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to read cosy British period mysteries and this book (and series) had it all. It was easy to follow (not complex) but well written and builds up nicely to the conclusion. I've read all three in the series and feel a close connection to the main characters as if they were part of my friends. Am looking forward to read more of this series.

[Stacie Haden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first two. This one just wasn't quite the same caliber for me.

[Heidi Farley || Booktok Girly · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️ i didn’t love this one as much, i was mostly bored but it did tie together nicely at the end

[Bob Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author. What follows is an honest review of the book.

I always find it interesting to jump into a book series in the middle. It gives me a feel for how they can write because you tell to much of the other stories you bore the person with facts they do not need. On the other hand, you can not tell them anything and you leave them confused. That middle ground seems to be so hard for most authors to do.

Ms. New has no problem with that. As this is the third book in the series I was expecting that I would be a little lost. Like many good writers, she provided the information needed as it was needed, not adding much length to the story.

What was a little frustrating to me was the settings of various parts of the story that appeared to have no bearing on the story at hand. It is said, if you plan to murder someone in the third act, you better have the gun shown in the first. That is what was provided here. While it seems unrelated, much of what was written (not all) was necessary for the end story and patience paid off in the long run.

I personally had figured out the weapon, but I think that was expected. The killer though was a little more difficult.

While I would not call it a 'Cozy' mystery, I would say that it had the same type of elements. No sex/excessive violence/ etc. You have to have a death but this one was not violent by any means.
I would say that all readers could enjoy this. If you like a mystery, this is a good book to pick up and I would recommend it.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad

A reasonable plot, with some quirky characters.......lovely description of a walled garden at the end, when the culprit has been discovered and all the loose ends tied up. However, there is one glaring anachronism at the beginning.....this is set in the 1930s, but someone is said to have 'dropped off the radar'.......which was not invented until 1940. Also, if you are riding a bike, you are PEDALLING, not "peddling'.

[Ruchi Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries have slowly become my cherished companions for fall evenings. I have fond memories of listening to them last year during fall. They filled me with the perfect balance of adrenaline and coziness to accompany on a cozy fall day. A Clerical Error, the third book in the series, was no different. However, it took me quite a few rereads to make sense of the unfolding of the mystery.

I was excited when book 2 ended with Ella receiving a call from her presumed-dead husband, John. At the start of this book, she learns the circumstances of his survival and that Mrs. Shaw, her housekeeper, actually works for the intelligence organization her husband is a part of. This is followed by the murder of the local vicarage, Father Michael, and Ella embarks on a journey to uncover the truth.

As much as I love this series, I'll be honest this book took me on a roller coaster ride. And I don't mean in a good way. It was only in the last 20 minutes that I realized I didn't quite understand how Ella solved the mystery of the sick vicarage's death. There were so many different plotlines going about in the same story that I found myself entangled in useless details while missing out on some useful ones. This includes John's return, which I failed to understand the significance of in any way. Probably, the author was trying to traumatize Ella to add punch to her situation before she solves the murder mystery, but it made no difference to the plot whatsoever. As Ella says, it is the little things that allow her to make sense of this crime, so this is one book where you don't wanna skip the details, except the ones related to Ella's husband John, of course.

I had to go back and listen to the important parts, including Dupont, the painter's story of the woman, the significance of her living in Nil Bank, and Ella and Agnes, her friend's rude encounter with the same woman on their doorstep. It was only then that I could put together the fact that Ella took the cue from Phantom pointing to the picture Dupont gifts to her, which leads her to question Dupont about his painting of the two-faced woman, which in turn draws out the secret of this mysterious woman then living on Nil Bank but now residing on Linhay and having murdered the local vicarage after she confesses her sins to him. I also found the plotline about Jacosta, Agne's friend, falling for the stable boy completely unnecessary. If it was added to throw the reader off the track, then it could have been done more tastefully.

I was bummed at Phantom, the ghost cat's infrequent appearance, which is why I didn't enjoy A Clerical Error as much as the first two books in the series. Nonetheless, J.New's writing combined with Jilly Bond's narration makes this one of the most refreshing reads of this year for me. If you want a comfortable, cozy, short murder mystery to dip your toes into, don't look any further. Just pick one of Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the book, but the review is entirely my own. With that said, I really enjoyed reading the book. It was written beautifully and the characters were well thought out and seemed real. I will say that I’m not into the paranormal aspect and if I’d know that was in there I probably wouldn’t have read it, however, I’m glad that I did. It was really a good book and I would read it again. In fact, I think that it could stand alone without the paranormal stuff because that stuff didn’t really add to the story. There were times that I didn’t want to put it down, the mystery of who did it stayed thru the whole book. I had no idea who the murderer was until the end. I’m also glad that the book didn’t end there. It wrapped up other things that we’re going on too. I liked the relationships in the book, especially between Ella and Sergeant Baxter and also between Ella and her Aunt. The whole book was just fantastic (minus the ghost cat) and I’d definitely read it again and would recommend it to anyone. I wanted to give it 4.5 stars but Goodreads wouldn’t let me.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linhay Island, England. 1930s. J. New’s A Clerical Error (Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries, #3) illustrates how the title to a book may zero in on devastating event, and this ‘clerical error’ is a real doozy. Ella happens to be the person this ‘error’ affects, but that is all that shall be said about that! I enjoy this series because Ella and her Aunt Margaret are delightful characters whose personalities are seen in everyday life. Well, maybe, Aunt Margaret’s personality is not seen everyday, but I wish that I knew people such as Aunt Margaret. Ella, of course, gets involved in another murder investigation. May Day and its celebrations are coming to Linhay Island. On May Day the new vicar of St. Mary’s Catholic Church collapses and dies while visiting the restaurant area of all the areas set up for the May Day Fete. Ella’s new friends from St. Mary’s ask for her help. Ella and Sgt. Baxter of Scotland Yard join forces to hopefully solve this improbable murder. A short clever read! 4 stars.

[Robert Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Curse of Arundel Hall, the second in the Yellow Cottage Vintage mystery series, which introduced me to Ella Bridges, a woman of some substance, so I was looking forward to reading this.

With a personal mystery hanging over from the previous story, Ella soon becomes embroiled in the death of the local rector, who has only recently returned from his travels. While she seemed a little arrogant at times, there’s no mistaking her determination to organise the investigation and solve the mystery.

The style and atmosphere of the 1930s is beautifully evoked, leading to a gentle pace and style that allows the characters to shine through. I particularly like her aunt, who stole every scene she appeared in and helped Ella to solve the crime.

I found the solution a little convenient, but it was well set up and executed and doesn’t detract from the good writing and storytelling that kept me entertained from start to finish.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the cozy mystery series set in England, just when there is fear of another World War. Ella Bridges, a consultant with Scotland Yard, solves crimes with the help of her ghost cat Phantom. As the story opens Ella has just heard that her husband, who has been dead for the past two years, is alive. She received a phone call from John the night before, and after speaking to the Home Secretary and her Uncle Albert, she finds out her husband is a spy with MI6. She is also told that her Housekeeper, Ms. Shaw, has been placed in her home by MI6 for her protection.
Ella goes to visit her Aunt Margaret to put all that has happened in perspective. When she returns home she has a stall in the May Day fund raiser, where a suspicious death occurs. Ella, Sgt. Baxter, and Phantom will be working together to solve the case. The author has superbly written this action filled and suspenseful Cozy Mystery. I recommend this book to everyone. Can’t wait to read the next one.

[Robyn Gaye-Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Clerical Error (The Yellow Cottage Vintage Mysteries) by Jacquie New
This is the first book I've read by this author but I intend to find the first in this series and read on from there. I found that this story was fresh and clear and kept interesting me anew such as with one of the characters, Pierre DuPont an artist whom I found a fascinating little fellow. Ella Bridges herself hasn't had an easy life but does not whinge or pity herself. She is caring toward those who need her friendship and her aunt Margaret is a treasure of kindness and support. Sergeant Baxter is knowledgeable, wise and alongside Ella & they make a successful team. This was a great read, solving a murder, maybe two. Well written and enjoyable.
I received a free copy of the book, but the review is entirely my own.

[Lise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The story was engaging, as were the characters, and the author’s well-honed, descriptive writing style made it so pleasurable to read. Even though it was the third in the series, and the first of J. New’s books that I have read, I had no trouble following the storyline (of which I won’t go into detail as other reviewers have taken care of that!). The setting in 1930s England was a particular draw for me, as I am an Anglophile and enjoy mysteries that harken back to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Poirot. I do admit I briefly lost the plot near the end, but that did not diminish from my overall experience. I received a free copy of the book, but the review is entirely my own.

[Natalie Bachiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of mysteries and I have to say this is one of my most recent favorites. While it is the third in the series and I have not ready the first two, I was drawn in by the characters and the story. I like that it is set in a quaint English village in 1930s and I felt like I was in fact a part of the story. I could visualize the village, the surroundings, the characters. Each character had it's own place and all came together quite well. I was not sure what was going to happen and it was hard to put this book down. I look forward to reading the first two in the series as well as the next to learn more about the Yellow Cottage, Ella Bridges, the kitty and her friends. I was given a copy of this book and have given an honest review.

[Stephanie Dagg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was attracted by the witty title – I do love a clever cozy! I enjoyed this story which is set in 1930s rural England. The author creates the atmosphere persuasively and presents us with the sort of people we’d well have met in that time period – rich, eccentric aunts, spinsters looking after their mothers, brusque but well-meaning parishioners. Their interactions are nicely portrayed and lively.
The mystery is interesting and original and it makes for entertaining reading. However, at times for me the pace was slow and it fell a little flat. Also a couple of elements of the plot weren’t very convincing and didn’t seem to contribute a great deal, namely the role played by the ghost cat and Ella’s husband. But well worth a read.

[Phillip V Rosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent fireside read but poetic licence taken

4 stars given because I really enjoyed reading during 2 days of snowy weather. Would gave been 5 but some of the facts were incorrect, St Mary's church was stated as a Catholic church but the previous priest was married with a daughter. The story also gives the impression that the Archbishop of York is intimately responsible for St Mary's but as we know York is not a Catholic bishop. There are also a number of other errors such as he for she, pity someone does not check the typing when it goes on to kindle or maybe there should be a Kindle system where errors can be highlighted and sent to kindl3 for corrections.

Well having left open the start of the next book in series time to download it.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's my problem with the story ..

It hadn't been stated that Ella was Anglican, or at least not a Catholic, but one could draw that inference well enough. Two years after moving to the island, she enters its only Catholic church for the first time, shockingly 'lapsed' for the 1930's if she were RC. Immediately, she becomes part of the parish life, though no mention of her attending services. Her visiting Aunt Margaret even helps out at the church fete! At that time, there would have been almost no social interaction between Catholic and Protestant residents, even today it'd be a bit unusual. Moreover, later a devout member casually mentions her divorce! Had it been a C of E parish, one could easily accept the story, but the RC choice calls for total suspension of disbelief.

[Argum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure I understand the point of the husband in this story - almost seems mean. That said somehow this seeing ghosts including a helpful cat is not annoying or cheating, but just a weird quirk. It doesn't seem like without the cat nothing would resolve is maybe the difference A priest dies unexpectedly and it turns out to be a murder. Of course being right on scene helps, but alas Uncle Commisioner is not available. Baxter is also helpfully right on scene and contributes. It was an above average mystery in the main part of the novel but the personal part was just annoying and dominating in my reading

[Anna Louise Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 3rd in the series of Yellow Cottage Mysteries, and I have enjoyed the previous two. I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle read as well. I couldn't give it the full 5 stars, however, as there was one glaring inaccuracy which really grated on me. The priest in the story is a Catholic and is stated to be good friends with the Archbishop of York; they attended the same seminary. However York is not a Catholic bishopric. An error that is so easily researched and rather spoilt the book for me.

I wasn't so spoilt though - I'm going to download the next book!

[Gary and Sandra Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful read

Early 20th century, between the wars, was a time of civility and grace , if you could afford it, and a time for interesting murders. British murders and their investigators were much more interesting and that said you will find this book a delight. Ms. New writes her characters as they were people you would like to have tea with. The characters go about solving the crime with humor, intelligence and common sense. All that you come to love from a British mystery. I highly recommend this series.

[Heather W · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, fun read that did not focus too much on the paranormal element - I did not enjoy this one as much as I would have liked (3.5 stars) but it is still a fairly strong story for the main plot (once again really easy to solve). It was the side plot that let it down for me - with the resolution around John causing me the biggest issues. I would also have liked to have seen more of Phantom. I still really enjoyed the story however. A nice cosy series that is giving me a needed break from thrillers .