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Lois Meade Mystery #14
Suspicion at Seven
Lois Meade has done enough buffing and polishing over the years with her cleaning business, New Brooms, to know that all that glitters is not gold. So when a bag of costume jewellery is the main clue in a murder, she has a strong suspicion that appearances may be deceiving…
After a woman is discovered in the Mill House Hotel, strangled with a silver necklace beside a bag filled with faux silver, gold and pearls, costume jewelry dealer Donald Black seems like the obvious suspect. But Lois knows Donald's wife, who runs a baker’s shop near the hotel, and can’t believe her husband could be a killer. Plus, Donald has an airtight alibi.
Nevertheless, Donald is no angel. It appears he’s running a pyramid scheme, and Lois’s mother is getting sucked in. Could the murder have anything to do with his unscrupulous business practices?
As Inspector Cowgill and Lois hope the bling may shine a light on the killer, the discovery of a second body on the old waterwheel in the hotel may be grist for the mill in solving the murder—if they can manage to catch the culprit without getting the runaround.
After a woman is discovered in the Mill House Hotel, strangled with a silver necklace beside a bag filled with faux silver, gold and pearls, costume jewelry dealer Donald Black seems like the obvious suspect. But Lois knows Donald's wife, who runs a baker’s shop near the hotel, and can’t believe her husband could be a killer. Plus, Donald has an airtight alibi.
Nevertheless, Donald is no angel. It appears he’s running a pyramid scheme, and Lois’s mother is getting sucked in. Could the murder have anything to do with his unscrupulous business practices?
As Inspector Cowgill and Lois hope the bling may shine a light on the killer, the discovery of a second body on the old waterwheel in the hotel may be grist for the mill in solving the murder—if they can manage to catch the culprit without getting the runaround.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 2014
15 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Ann Purser
36 books141 followersAnn Purser lives in the East Midlands, in a small and attractive village which still has a village shop, a garage, pub and church. Here she finds her inspiration for her novels about country life. She has only to do her daily shopping down the High Street to listen to the real life of the village going on around her.
Before turning to fiction, she had a number of different careers, including journalism – she was for six years a columnist in SHE magazine – and art gallery proprietor. Running her own gallery in a 400-year-old barn behind the house, she gained fascinating insights into the characters and relationships of customers wandering around. She had no compunction about eavesdropping, and sharpened up her writer’s skills in weaving plots around strangers who spent sometimes more than an hour in her gallery.
Working in a village school added more grist to the mill, as does singing in the church choir and membership of the Women’s Guild. She reminds herself humbly that Virginia Woolf was President of her local WI…
Six years hard study won her an Open University degree, and when she faltered and threatened to fall by the wayside, writer husband Philip Purser reminded her that he was paying good money for the course. During this period, she wrote two non-fiction books, one for parents of handicapped children (she has a daughter with cerebral palsy) and the other a lighthearted book for schools, on the explosion of popular entertainment in the first forty years of the twentieth century.
Ten years of running the gallery proved to be enough, and while it was very successful she decided to sell. The business moved down the street to another barn and owner, and Pursers stayed on in their house next to the village school – another rich source of material for the stories. Time to start writing novels.
Round Ringford became Ann’s village in a series of six novels, each with a separate story, but featuring the same cast of characters with a few newcomers each time. The list of books gives details of each story, and each features an issue common to all villages in our rural countryside. “Just like our village!” is a frequent comment from Ann’s readers.
Next: the Lois Meade Mysteries, each title reflecting a day of the week. Ann has always loved detective fiction, and determined to make it her next series. So Murder on Monday was born, followed by Terror on Tuesday, and Weeping on Wednesday. The rest of the week follows!
Mornings are set aside for writing, and the rest of the day Ann spends walking the dog, retrieving bantams’ eggs from around the garden, gossiping and taking part in the life of the village. She is never bored!
Before turning to fiction, she had a number of different careers, including journalism – she was for six years a columnist in SHE magazine – and art gallery proprietor. Running her own gallery in a 400-year-old barn behind the house, she gained fascinating insights into the characters and relationships of customers wandering around. She had no compunction about eavesdropping, and sharpened up her writer’s skills in weaving plots around strangers who spent sometimes more than an hour in her gallery.
Working in a village school added more grist to the mill, as does singing in the church choir and membership of the Women’s Guild. She reminds herself humbly that Virginia Woolf was President of her local WI…
Six years hard study won her an Open University degree, and when she faltered and threatened to fall by the wayside, writer husband Philip Purser reminded her that he was paying good money for the course. During this period, she wrote two non-fiction books, one for parents of handicapped children (she has a daughter with cerebral palsy) and the other a lighthearted book for schools, on the explosion of popular entertainment in the first forty years of the twentieth century.
Ten years of running the gallery proved to be enough, and while it was very successful she decided to sell. The business moved down the street to another barn and owner, and Pursers stayed on in their house next to the village school – another rich source of material for the stories. Time to start writing novels.
Round Ringford became Ann’s village in a series of six novels, each with a separate story, but featuring the same cast of characters with a few newcomers each time. The list of books gives details of each story, and each features an issue common to all villages in our rural countryside. “Just like our village!” is a frequent comment from Ann’s readers.
Next: the Lois Meade Mysteries, each title reflecting a day of the week. Ann has always loved detective fiction, and determined to make it her next series. So Murder on Monday was born, followed by Terror on Tuesday, and Weeping on Wednesday. The rest of the week follows!
Mornings are set aside for writing, and the rest of the day Ann spends walking the dog, retrieving bantams’ eggs from around the garden, gossiping and taking part in the life of the village. She is never bored!
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 10, 2014
Ann Purser brings readers the fourteenth book in her Lois Meade mystery series, Suspicion at Seven. Readers who enjoy a book with a leisurely pace and a quaint English setting will love this village style cozy. With everything from an authentic mill turned hotel to murder by necklace, this is a book that will tantalize the senses and get the readers mind going in a million different directions. A great entry in a long-running series!
What I liked:
I have read and reviewed several of Ann Purser's, Ivy Beasley books, but this was my first Lois Meade novel. One of the things that I have always loved about Purser's writing is that it is very different from most cozies. This is mostly due to the English setting. It just gives a different feel to stories, that makes them seem more laid back even though they do involve murder. The Lois Meade books also carry on that theme and have that English feel to them. I enjoyed the whole shift in attitude and demeanor about the books. The English are always so proper even when investigating a murder.
Lois is the proud owner of her own cleaning business and fourteen books into the series, she still finding plenty of messes to clean up. I liked her no nonsense attitude and her curiosity. She just seemed like on of those little ladies like Miss Marple that couldn't seem to keep her nose out of the local business. She was proper and buttoned up a bit but it seemed natural to the story and was not off putting. She seemed very level headed and went about the investigation along with the help of the local detectives. She pushed a few boundaries and asked the questions others didn't even think about. I found her refreshing to read and very different from most cozy heroines.
The mystery itself was really very interesting. I loved the setting of the old mill, turned hotel. I have always thought the old mills were beautiful. I know they have more of them in England, but there are still a few around here as well. I thought it was brilliant idea for the setting and Purser used it well. I read a lot cozies and I've read about murders being performed with everything from poison to ice picks, but murder by necklace was new to me. I liked the way both murders turn up and the way Lois puts everything all together. It was a little predictable in spots, but overall I had a hard time pinning down the murderer and that's a good thing!
Bottom Line:
For my first book in the series, number fourteen was very enjoyable. I loved the English village setting and the resourceful and inquisitive heroine. I liked learning as much about Lois and her family and the town where they lived as I did about the murder itself. There were plenty of suspects and not an easy mystery to unravel. I felt completely clued in and didn't need to have read all thirteen other books in the series to enjoy this one. A great addition to the series!
What I liked:
I have read and reviewed several of Ann Purser's, Ivy Beasley books, but this was my first Lois Meade novel. One of the things that I have always loved about Purser's writing is that it is very different from most cozies. This is mostly due to the English setting. It just gives a different feel to stories, that makes them seem more laid back even though they do involve murder. The Lois Meade books also carry on that theme and have that English feel to them. I enjoyed the whole shift in attitude and demeanor about the books. The English are always so proper even when investigating a murder.
Lois is the proud owner of her own cleaning business and fourteen books into the series, she still finding plenty of messes to clean up. I liked her no nonsense attitude and her curiosity. She just seemed like on of those little ladies like Miss Marple that couldn't seem to keep her nose out of the local business. She was proper and buttoned up a bit but it seemed natural to the story and was not off putting. She seemed very level headed and went about the investigation along with the help of the local detectives. She pushed a few boundaries and asked the questions others didn't even think about. I found her refreshing to read and very different from most cozy heroines.
The mystery itself was really very interesting. I loved the setting of the old mill, turned hotel. I have always thought the old mills were beautiful. I know they have more of them in England, but there are still a few around here as well. I thought it was brilliant idea for the setting and Purser used it well. I read a lot cozies and I've read about murders being performed with everything from poison to ice picks, but murder by necklace was new to me. I liked the way both murders turn up and the way Lois puts everything all together. It was a little predictable in spots, but overall I had a hard time pinning down the murderer and that's a good thing!
Bottom Line:
For my first book in the series, number fourteen was very enjoyable. I loved the English village setting and the resourceful and inquisitive heroine. I liked learning as much about Lois and her family and the town where they lived as I did about the murder itself. There were plenty of suspects and not an easy mystery to unravel. I felt completely clued in and didn't need to have read all thirteen other books in the series to enjoy this one. A great addition to the series!
November 12, 2022
I really enjoyed this. I will be reading the rest of the series. It is light story and a fast read -'a cozy mystery'. The characters are excellent. Balanced in their good traits and failures. A word that gets used too little and experienced even less is enchanted. It is a much maligned word. And it is exactly the perfect word for how this story made me feel - enchanted.
November 30, 2015
Suspicion At Seven is the fourteenth book in the A Lois Meade Mystery series.
Once again Inspector Cowgill call on Lois Meade for help with the murder of Sylvia Fountain who was found strangled in her room at the Mill House Hotel. Suspicion falls on Donald Black as Fountain was thought to be Donald's mistress and the necklace she was strangled with is similar to what he handles. Black runs a pyramid type jewelry business, where an individual purchases a starter kit and has a couple demonstration parties and looks to get three or four people to do the same and so on. Unfortunately, this strikes a little to close to home as Lois' mother decides she and a lady friend are going to try it and make a fortune.
Black's wife, Aurora, owns the Bingham Bakery, where Lois shops and hope Lois will be able to get Aurora to share some inside information on Black's busines. One day while Lois and Aurora are having tea at the Mill House, they see Black's body on the water wheel of the mill house, dead. Now Cowgill and Meade need to step back and take a different path.
As with the other books in the series this was a light hearted story with some humorous scenes. I always enjoy the banter between Lois, her husband Derek and Gran. An enjoyable quick read.
i”m looking forward to seeing what Lois will get into next.
Once again Inspector Cowgill call on Lois Meade for help with the murder of Sylvia Fountain who was found strangled in her room at the Mill House Hotel. Suspicion falls on Donald Black as Fountain was thought to be Donald's mistress and the necklace she was strangled with is similar to what he handles. Black runs a pyramid type jewelry business, where an individual purchases a starter kit and has a couple demonstration parties and looks to get three or four people to do the same and so on. Unfortunately, this strikes a little to close to home as Lois' mother decides she and a lady friend are going to try it and make a fortune.
Black's wife, Aurora, owns the Bingham Bakery, where Lois shops and hope Lois will be able to get Aurora to share some inside information on Black's busines. One day while Lois and Aurora are having tea at the Mill House, they see Black's body on the water wheel of the mill house, dead. Now Cowgill and Meade need to step back and take a different path.
As with the other books in the series this was a light hearted story with some humorous scenes. I always enjoy the banter between Lois, her husband Derek and Gran. An enjoyable quick read.
i”m looking forward to seeing what Lois will get into next.
April 2, 2015
As usual, Lois Meade charms in this sweet cozy mystery series. I was not as surprised by "who done it" in this particular book as I would like to be, but that didn't take away from the pleasure of reading the story and following the development of the characters and sub-plots. I am hopeful there will be others in this series so that I can see what happens next.
December 29, 2014
This is the 14th book about a lady who runs a cleaning business. Lois Meade likes to help the local police Inspector solves crimes in the village of Farden.
These books are an enjoyable light read.
These books are an enjoyable light read.
November 24, 2017
Well, have caught up on all her books in this series. Not sure whether there will be any more... This is a cute series. Will miss it.
After a woman is discovered in the Mill House Hotel, strangled with a silver necklace beside a bag filled with faux silver, gold and pearls, costume jewelry dealer Donald Black seems like the obvious suspect. But Lois knows Donald's wife, who runs a baker’s shop near the hotel, and can’t believe her husband could be a killer. Plus, Donald has an airtight alibi.
Nevertheless, Donald is no angel. It appears he’s running a pyramid scheme, and Lois’s mother is getting sucked in. Could the murder have anything to do with his unscrupulous business practices?
As Inspector Cowgill and Lois hope the bling may shine a light on the killer, the discovery of a second body on the old waterwheel in the hotel may be grist for the mill in solving the murder—if they can manage to catch the culprit without getting the runaround.
After a woman is discovered in the Mill House Hotel, strangled with a silver necklace beside a bag filled with faux silver, gold and pearls, costume jewelry dealer Donald Black seems like the obvious suspect. But Lois knows Donald's wife, who runs a baker’s shop near the hotel, and can’t believe her husband could be a killer. Plus, Donald has an airtight alibi.
Nevertheless, Donald is no angel. It appears he’s running a pyramid scheme, and Lois’s mother is getting sucked in. Could the murder have anything to do with his unscrupulous business practices?
As Inspector Cowgill and Lois hope the bling may shine a light on the killer, the discovery of a second body on the old waterwheel in the hotel may be grist for the mill in solving the murder—if they can manage to catch the culprit without getting the runaround.
September 6, 2020
I stopped reading this series after reading almost all of them because I got bored. Thought the stories were trite and uninteresting. I believe Ms. Purser has her zest back. This was good old Lois giving the Inspector a difficult time while at the same time becoming really annoyed because he is part of daughter's family. She is a hard headed practical English housewife who has the gumption and know how to start a very successful housecleaning business. This of course, gives her an intro into some of the most interesting of family scenarios
November 21, 2018
This is the fourteenth in this series that I have enjoyed reading immensely. While the plot of this book did not hold up as well as others , I did enjoy Gran stepping out of the kitchen and getting involved in jewelry parties. I plan to start on the other series that this author has written.
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March 17, 2024Not my cup of tea.
December 13, 2014
"Suspicion at Seven" is a cozy mystery. It's the fourteenth book in a series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this story, and this book didn't spoil the previous ones.
This was a clue-based mystery. Whodunit seemed fairly obvious to me, especially as more clues occurred to confirm my idea. My only uncertainty was if the heroine was making a bad assumption or if she knew something I didn't. Turns out she was, indeed, overlooking something critical based on a bad assumption.
I didn't like how the heroine felt totally justified in sneaking past the police tape, especially as it was unnecessary and nothing was learned from the law-breaking. (At least, I assume it's breaking the law there.) The characters were varied and interesting, yet some main characters seemed to decide to do certain things simply to move the story forward rather than because this was a natural interest or action.
There was occasional bad language. There was no sex. It's a fun enough story, but it didn't engage or challenge me as much as I most enjoy from a mystery.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
This was a clue-based mystery. Whodunit seemed fairly obvious to me, especially as more clues occurred to confirm my idea. My only uncertainty was if the heroine was making a bad assumption or if she knew something I didn't. Turns out she was, indeed, overlooking something critical based on a bad assumption.
I didn't like how the heroine felt totally justified in sneaking past the police tape, especially as it was unnecessary and nothing was learned from the law-breaking. (At least, I assume it's breaking the law there.) The characters were varied and interesting, yet some main characters seemed to decide to do certain things simply to move the story forward rather than because this was a natural interest or action.
There was occasional bad language. There was no sex. It's a fun enough story, but it didn't engage or challenge me as much as I most enjoy from a mystery.
I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
January 12, 2015
This Lois Meade mystery by Ann Purser,is one of the best in the series.
Lois continues to "ferrett" and drive Gran and her husband Derek nuts. But this time Gran also gets involved in a scheme with her friend Joan.
Lois becomes good friends with the one of the murdered victims,wife. And there by hangs the tail
This is I believe the 14th book in the Lois Meade series. I'm getting a little tired of Inspector Hunter Cowgill still mooning over Lois. I think it's time in the this series that the Inspector move on and leave Lois' marriage alone.
Lovely read, and I look forward to the next Lois Meade mystery
Lois continues to "ferrett" and drive Gran and her husband Derek nuts. But this time Gran also gets involved in a scheme with her friend Joan.
Lois becomes good friends with the one of the murdered victims,wife. And there by hangs the tail
This is I believe the 14th book in the Lois Meade series. I'm getting a little tired of Inspector Hunter Cowgill still mooning over Lois. I think it's time in the this series that the Inspector move on and leave Lois' marriage alone.
Lovely read, and I look forward to the next Lois Meade mystery
March 18, 2015
I really liked this book. The story was very good and the characters were very likable. My only problem I had is that Ann Purser writes in a very heavy British hand. And I read in a very American way. I found it took me longer to read this book because I first had to determine what it was Ann Purser was trying to describe in a sentence, and keep up with the story as well. But I am glad I muddled through and look forward to more books by Ann Purser.
January 11, 2015
This is book 14 in the Lois Meade series. She runs a cleaning service and solves crimes on the side. In this one her friend who runs a bakery, husband is murdered. He runs a pyramid selling jewlery scheme and Lois's mother has been roped into it. Lois has to get her mother out of the pyramid and find out who murdered him and why. It was good and I look forward to the next in the series.
January 3, 2015
Oh WOW! This series is still intriguing and enjoyable! Love the whole Meade gang of characters. Now when "___ at Eight" being released?
December 30, 2014
I've read all the titles in the series and enjoyed them. This one seemed a bit weak plotwise compared to others. Some sloppy editing and sharp, unexplained plot transitions didn't help.
January 5, 2015
Fourteenth in a long-running series of cozy mysteries featuring likeable Lois Mead and her New Broom team of inquisitive housecleaners.
January 12, 2015
Love this series
February 11, 2015
I have rounded up from 3.5 rating. A good cozy, but not great as is usual with this author. A little slow to start, but had a good finish.
February 21, 2016
I always look forward to each book by Ann Purser, especially those in the Lois Meade series. I liked this book, but didn't think it was one of the best. Do hope there are more published.
May 13, 2016
So much fun revisiting old friends. I thought I had the mystery figured out but hoped I was wrong. This was worth waiting for.
November 12, 2016
Not as good as I hoped, but I still enjoyed it.
August 16, 2019
A very good read.
December 28, 2022
3 1/2 - Very Good
December 20, 2014
I found the resolution of this book curiously unsatisfying.
April 28, 2017
Decent mystery, better than the two prior. I am wondering though, will there be more Lois Meade books? There's been a three year hiatus at this point.
Agony at Eight?
Agony at Eight?
April 24, 2017
A poorly plotted and thus unbelievable mystery. This is apparently part of a series so maybe those readers who have been with these characters all the way could appreciate it, but for me, this domestic goddess who is admired by an inept policeman and adored by her family and friends is way too good to be plausible. In this case, Lois Meade does not know much about her "good friend" Aurora Black except that she doesn't much like her husband Donald. Turns out Aurora is a murderess twice over, and Lois finally catches on. Not worth the time to read it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews