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St. Just Mystery #6
Death and the Old Master
Cambridge University master
Sir Flyte Rascallian has little interest in the innocent-looking set of old paintings he inherits from his aunt Beatrice, until he takes a closer look . . . and ends up dead.
Something is clearly bothering Sir Flyte Rascallian, Master of Hardwick College at the University of Cambridge and renowned art expert. Are all the grimy paintings he's recently inherited from his aunt's old attic really as worthless as he claims? Curator Ambrose Nussknacker believes that one of the paintings could be a genuine Rembrandt. Why is Sir Flyte so reluctant to get it authenticated, and determined to shun the accolade of discovering one of the world's great lost treasures?
When Sir Flyte is found murdered in his study on campus, Detective Chief Inspection Arthur St. Just must unravel his sudden unusual behaviour to get to the bottom of the death of the old master, but in doing so, St. Just becomes entangled in a web of priceless artwork, deadly intentions and dangerous secrets.
Something is clearly bothering Sir Flyte Rascallian, Master of Hardwick College at the University of Cambridge and renowned art expert. Are all the grimy paintings he's recently inherited from his aunt's old attic really as worthless as he claims? Curator Ambrose Nussknacker believes that one of the paintings could be a genuine Rembrandt. Why is Sir Flyte so reluctant to get it authenticated, and determined to shun the accolade of discovering one of the world's great lost treasures?
When Sir Flyte is found murdered in his study on campus, Detective Chief Inspection Arthur St. Just must unravel his sudden unusual behaviour to get to the bottom of the death of the old master, but in doing so, St. Just becomes entangled in a web of priceless artwork, deadly intentions and dangerous secrets.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2024
18 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
G.M. Malliet
48 books693 followersG.M. Malliet is the author of three mystery series; a dozen or more short stories published in The Strand, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine; and WEYCOMBE, a standalone suspense novel.
Her Agatha Award-winning Death of a Cozy Writer (2008), the first installment of the DCI St. Just mysteries, was named one of the ten best novels of the year by Kirkus Reviews. Subsequent Max Tudor novels were Agatha finalists.
Her Agatha Award-winning Death of a Cozy Writer (2008), the first installment of the DCI St. Just mysteries, was named one of the ten best novels of the year by Kirkus Reviews. Subsequent Max Tudor novels were Agatha finalists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 7, 2024
Sir Flyte Rascallion (yes, the resemblance to rapscallion wasn’t lost on me, either) inherits seven paintings, including one whose style bears rather a resemblance to Rembrandt’s. Rascallion, a renowned expert on the Old Masters, as well as the master of the fictional Hardwick College (although Cambridge University does boast a Hardwick House), dies relatively soon afterward. And, unsurprisingly, it’s murder and the possible Rembrandt is gone.
Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just, accompanied by Detective Sergeant Fear, investigate the old master’s death in this wonderful quick read stocked with humor, clever plotting and entertaining characters. Could not put it down, if you’ll pardon the cliché. And not since Dickens has there been an author so adept at instructive character names as G.M. Malliet.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just, accompanied by Detective Sergeant Fear, investigate the old master’s death in this wonderful quick read stocked with humor, clever plotting and entertaining characters. Could not put it down, if you’ll pardon the cliché. And not since Dickens has there been an author so adept at instructive character names as G.M. Malliet.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Severn House in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2025
BOOKLIST Review: Some dark moments plus a twisty plot, vivid personalities, and gentle British humor make this an enjoyable read, particularly for dedicated Anglophile mystery lovers.
— Emily Melton
— Emily Melton
November 9, 2024
Death and the Old Master by GM Malliet is a St Just mystery. Sir Flyte had just heard from his aunt Beatrice, who was moving into care and needed his help packing. He could hardly imagine it. She’d always been so vital. When he was nearly ready to go she sent him to the attic for five paintings his uncle had especially wanted him to have. They were prepared for travel so he loaded them and left. Four were nothing special, one was. That was what caused all the trouble. And trouble it was but, he had outsmarted them. If cost him his life. And the life of another. All for nothing, as it turned out. Sir Flyte had won.
DCI Arthur St Just was used to awakening to the telephone, as was hist partner, Portia, a crime writer and professor. This one got messy, fast. St Just is a brilliant detective, and he talks to his partner, who is just as brilliant, although differently. He seems to know with whom to speak and which trails to follow. He is companionable, clever, and intelligent. The St Just character and the characters around him are well-written and real, with human problems, as well as crimes to solve. This is a good police procedural and it would take someone like St Just to solve the mystery. It is so worth the read.
I was invited to read Death and the Old Master by Severn House. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #SevernHouse #GMMalliet #DeathAndTheOldMaster
DCI Arthur St Just was used to awakening to the telephone, as was hist partner, Portia, a crime writer and professor. This one got messy, fast. St Just is a brilliant detective, and he talks to his partner, who is just as brilliant, although differently. He seems to know with whom to speak and which trails to follow. He is companionable, clever, and intelligent. The St Just character and the characters around him are well-written and real, with human problems, as well as crimes to solve. This is a good police procedural and it would take someone like St Just to solve the mystery. It is so worth the read.
I was invited to read Death and the Old Master by Severn House. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #SevernHouse #GMMalliet #DeathAndTheOldMaster
August 6, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
This, the sixth in the DCI St. Just series, is another great read. I love the atmosphere, quirky characters and setting in these books.
It features shenanigans in the world of art and a missing Rembrandt. There are two murders, probably committed by the same culprit and it takes St. Just quite a bit of detective work, with the help of Sgt. Fear, to finally solve the case.
With interesting facts about Rembrandt's life, which made me immediately Google him (who knew he was such a rascal!) and all the quirky characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
This, the sixth in the DCI St. Just series, is another great read. I love the atmosphere, quirky characters and setting in these books.
It features shenanigans in the world of art and a missing Rembrandt. There are two murders, probably committed by the same culprit and it takes St. Just quite a bit of detective work, with the help of Sgt. Fear, to finally solve the case.
With interesting facts about Rembrandt's life, which made me immediately Google him (who knew he was such a rascal!) and all the quirky characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
February 12, 2025
This cozy really made my day the last couple of days. Yes, there is a murder and the usual search for who could have done it, but the characters are all interesting—as is ferreting out the reason for the murder. If I gave five stars for sheer fiction, this book would get it as it was a very interesting and enjoyable read.
February 13, 2025
I have enjoyed this series with its pithy inspector and his fellow colleague, Sergeant Fear. This time we're in the world of art and art history as an expert in the field is murdered in his quarters. It's a usual St. Just mystery with lots of good characters, some interesting narrative and all the ends tied away nicely at the end.
July 22, 2025
Two and a half stars.
Not a bad police procedural but nothing special. The police officers are a bit faceless. I might try another of her books if I see one in the library but I wouldn't buy one.
Not a bad police procedural but nothing special. The police officers are a bit faceless. I might try another of her books if I see one in the library but I wouldn't buy one.
October 13, 2024
I’m a huge fan of G.M. Malliet, who writes in a classic, golden age style, right down to the length of her novels. Like the masters of the genre who came before her, she keeps her books on the shorter side. With their sharp prose and quick but indelible characterizations, authors like Christie, Marsh, and Tey got their stories told in a much briefer manner than we are now accustomed to. I have a dear bookseller friend who insists that you should be able to settle in after dinner, say, and finish up your read that evening. That is indeed possible with a Malliet book. She shares the dry humor of her foremothers, as well as their clever way with a puzzle.
In this novel, her detective, Inspector St. Just, is called over to the Oxford University campus when the body of a professor is found murdered in his residence. His body was found by the porter (shades of Dorothy L. Sayers). The dead man, Sir Flyte Rascallian, was a world-renowned art historian with a particular expertise in Rembrandt. He’d recently helped an aged aunt clear out her home, and she’d pressed a package of small paintings on him, saying his uncle wanted him to have them.
Sir Flyte hadn’t looked at the paintings but when he does, among the amateur landscapes, he finds one that seems particularly engaging. The paintings disappear after his death, so the thought that this one painting might actually have been a lost Rembrandt enters the minds of the investigators.
In true golden age style, the pool of suspects is a small one: a particularly bitter and well-regarded women’s studies professor; her daughter, a recent Oxford drop out; a louche, wealthy American doing graduate studies in art history; and an acquaintance of everyone in the book, an art dealer who was helping the woman professor to assemble a show of women artists. There’s another death and while it seems certain the two must be connected, it’s far from clear just how they are.
St. Just and his second, Fear, solidly peel away secrets of all involved and unearth a connection to the Monuments Men of WWII, who rescued art stolen and hidden by the Nazis. This background plot line really takes a back seat to the personalities and complex relationships that are the foundation of the novel. Malliet’s way with prose, pacing and character make these books wonderful and intelligent reads. This is the kind of novel I can’t put down, and it’s also the kind I can finish in an evening, sad that it’s over and that I now must wait for the next book.
In this novel, her detective, Inspector St. Just, is called over to the Oxford University campus when the body of a professor is found murdered in his residence. His body was found by the porter (shades of Dorothy L. Sayers). The dead man, Sir Flyte Rascallian, was a world-renowned art historian with a particular expertise in Rembrandt. He’d recently helped an aged aunt clear out her home, and she’d pressed a package of small paintings on him, saying his uncle wanted him to have them.
Sir Flyte hadn’t looked at the paintings but when he does, among the amateur landscapes, he finds one that seems particularly engaging. The paintings disappear after his death, so the thought that this one painting might actually have been a lost Rembrandt enters the minds of the investigators.
In true golden age style, the pool of suspects is a small one: a particularly bitter and well-regarded women’s studies professor; her daughter, a recent Oxford drop out; a louche, wealthy American doing graduate studies in art history; and an acquaintance of everyone in the book, an art dealer who was helping the woman professor to assemble a show of women artists. There’s another death and while it seems certain the two must be connected, it’s far from clear just how they are.
St. Just and his second, Fear, solidly peel away secrets of all involved and unearth a connection to the Monuments Men of WWII, who rescued art stolen and hidden by the Nazis. This background plot line really takes a back seat to the personalities and complex relationships that are the foundation of the novel. Malliet’s way with prose, pacing and character make these books wonderful and intelligent reads. This is the kind of novel I can’t put down, and it’s also the kind I can finish in an evening, sad that it’s over and that I now must wait for the next book.
September 30, 2024
I’ve always been a fan of G.M. Malliet’s writing, and Death and the Old Master reinforces why I enjoy her work so much. The atmosphere of a university campus is perfectly captured in this latest installment of the St. Just mysteries. This time, the murder victim is a Cambridge master (which, for U.S. readers, is somewhat similar to a dean), who specialized in Old Master artists, particularly Rembrandt.
When the master is found dead, DCI St. Just investigates whether his demise had something to do with the paintings he recently inherited or perhaps was rooted in good old academic jealousy. As a Cambridge graduate himself, St. Just doesn’t shy away from getting a bit snarky with the academic snobs he encounters, which adds a refreshing touch of humor to the investigation.
There’s no shortage of suspects in this mystery, which keeps you guessing as the story unfolds. Malliet also weaves in some fascinating facts about Rembrandt and the looted art from WWII, adding an intriguing historical element that art lovers will appreciate. As always, St. Just and his Detective Sergeant Fear are likeable and well-developed characters, with plenty of wit to keep things entertaining. And let’s not forget, Malliet has a lot of fun with character names throughout the series. Afterall, her murder victim is named Sir Flyte Rascallian.
If you’re new to the St. Just mysteries, I highly recommend starting from the beginning. This is one of those series that’s best enjoyed in order so you can fully appreciate the development of the characters and the world Malliet has created.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC. Death and the Old Master will be released on November 5th, so there’s plenty of time to catch up on the series before this one drops!
When the master is found dead, DCI St. Just investigates whether his demise had something to do with the paintings he recently inherited or perhaps was rooted in good old academic jealousy. As a Cambridge graduate himself, St. Just doesn’t shy away from getting a bit snarky with the academic snobs he encounters, which adds a refreshing touch of humor to the investigation.
There’s no shortage of suspects in this mystery, which keeps you guessing as the story unfolds. Malliet also weaves in some fascinating facts about Rembrandt and the looted art from WWII, adding an intriguing historical element that art lovers will appreciate. As always, St. Just and his Detective Sergeant Fear are likeable and well-developed characters, with plenty of wit to keep things entertaining. And let’s not forget, Malliet has a lot of fun with character names throughout the series. Afterall, her murder victim is named Sir Flyte Rascallian.
If you’re new to the St. Just mysteries, I highly recommend starting from the beginning. This is one of those series that’s best enjoyed in order so you can fully appreciate the development of the characters and the world Malliet has created.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the ARC. Death and the Old Master will be released on November 5th, so there’s plenty of time to catch up on the series before this one drops!
November 19, 2024
When Sir Flyte Rascallian, Master of Hardwick College at Oxford, inherits a selection of paintings from his aunt they are of little interest to the art expert. One painting, however, is a possible Rembrandt. His acquaintance, Ambrose Nussknacker, is a museum curator who would like to have it evaluated. Flyte refuses and it is not long before a college porter finds him murdered. An inventory by the police fails to find the painting among Flyte’s collection. DI St. Just and his assistant Fear are in charge of the case, which becomes a hunt for a murderer and a missing painting. The search takes St. Just back to WWII. An interview with a former member of the Monuments Men reveals a connection between Flyte’s family and a missing Rembrandt during the war.
St. Just studied at Oxford before deciding on a career in law enforcement. During interviews with professors and a privileged American graduate student they have a tendency to talk down to him and brush him off until he surprises them with his own knowledge, often leaving them speechless. When the porter who found Flyte is murdered in a staged suicide, his fellow porters come forward. He had begun to question some of the things that he had observed on the night of the murder. What they share with St. Just confirms his suspicions and finally leads to an arrest. With a curator from a failing museum, a professor hoping to take Flyte’s position and a grad student hoping to possess the Rembrandt for his own reasons, G.M. Malliet keeps you guessing to the very end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House for providing this book.
St. Just studied at Oxford before deciding on a career in law enforcement. During interviews with professors and a privileged American graduate student they have a tendency to talk down to him and brush him off until he surprises them with his own knowledge, often leaving them speechless. When the porter who found Flyte is murdered in a staged suicide, his fellow porters come forward. He had begun to question some of the things that he had observed on the night of the murder. What they share with St. Just confirms his suspicions and finally leads to an arrest. With a curator from a failing museum, a professor hoping to take Flyte’s position and a grad student hoping to possess the Rembrandt for his own reasons, G.M. Malliet keeps you guessing to the very end. I would like to thank NetGalley and Severn House for providing this book.
August 26, 2024
I am a fan of G M Malliet's two different mystery series and was looking forward to her return of Cambridge detective Arthur St. Just. This traditional mystery was well worth the wait. DCI St. Just and his fiancée, Portia are looking forward to some quiet time in Cambridge and possible planning their wedding (if their schedules allow!). As in most mysteries a murder occurs, half the suspects have means and motives and there are red herrings aplenty. I particularly liked the way the author's understated style of writing deals with the sometimes small pettiness of college life in a renowned University. DI St. Just is a graduate of Cambridge and often treated with slight contempt as he interviews members of Hardwick College and he enjoys letting them know that he is their an academic equal. There is a satisfying conclusion, though for me the plot was not the most enjoyable aspect of the book. Although this novel can be read as a stand alone I highly recommend the previous books in the series.
November 10, 2024
I didn’t realize this was the 6th book in the series, but it worked well as a stand alone book too. I certainly didn’t feel I was missing important details, however, I didn’t feel particularly strongly about any characters. Perhaps I would feel differently if I had the context of other books in the series.
This was an enjoyable read, and I enjoyed how it wove the history of English academia, art history, and WWII into the narrative. The many suspects kept me interested throughout, and it was fun to see how the story unfolded.
The narrator kept a good pace and was engaging.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #SevernHouse for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable read, and I enjoyed how it wove the history of English academia, art history, and WWII into the narrative. The many suspects kept me interested throughout, and it was fun to see how the story unfolded.
The narrator kept a good pace and was engaging.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #SevernHouse for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2025
I have come to accept my hit or miss relationship with the St Just mystery series. The story really just happens with a series of interviews and detective work without relying on twists and red herrings and stuff like that. The setting itself is supposed to provide the atmospheric setting where everything was brick and stone and any modern contraption can be considered as a nuisance. What I don’t necessarily like about the series is how we’re simply told how the mystery was solved, when all the detective work was accomplished in an active way. Maybe that storytelling way is why the series has fans but I would rather read them in action solving the mystery.
August 20, 2024
I'm a huge fan of G.M. Malliet and St. Just mysteries. This one is a twisty and complex story that bring us into the world of Cambridge colleges, dons, and of art experts
It's a story that mixes past and presente, ambitions, some nasty characters, and some people you would be happy to meet again as you want to know what will happen to them.
The mystery is solid, twisty, and the solution is revealed after a number of surprising twists.
A very entertaining and gripping mystery, highly recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's a story that mixes past and presente, ambitions, some nasty characters, and some people you would be happy to meet again as you want to know what will happen to them.
The mystery is solid, twisty, and the solution is revealed after a number of surprising twists.
A very entertaining and gripping mystery, highly recommended
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 3, 2024
DCI St. Just, accompanied by DS Fear have acquired the murder investigation of College Master known as Flyty Rapscallion (I know I made it even funnier). The investigation is complicated by an inherited painting once stolen by the Germans and an unrecognized daughter. Along with a terrific story I was delighted to learn some interesting facts about Rembrandt's life.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Severn House via NetGalley. Thank you!
#StJustMysteriesBk6 Avail Nov 05, 2024
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Severn House via NetGalley. Thank you!
#StJustMysteriesBk6 Avail Nov 05, 2024
November 6, 2024
Death and the Old Master is book #6 in the St. Just Mystery series by G.M. Malliet.
This series is new to me but I was able to read it as a standalone. I appreciated the cast of characters at the beginning of the book. This book has interesting characters with unique names. It was a complex mystery that kept me guessing. I look forward to reading the earlier books while waiting for the next book.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This series is new to me but I was able to read it as a standalone. I appreciated the cast of characters at the beginning of the book. This book has interesting characters with unique names. It was a complex mystery that kept me guessing. I look forward to reading the earlier books while waiting for the next book.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
October 22, 2024
DCI St Just and the trusty DS Fear have a tricky one on their hands in this latest of the series that can easily and enjoyably be read as a standalone. Is it a Rembrandt? That's the question surrounding the painting that may or may not have led to the murder of the Cambridge master who just inherited it. Malliet turns a humorous eye on the Cambridge community and the art world all while wrapping in a twisty mystery. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read that kept me guessing.
November 6, 2024
When murder strikes in the heart of Cambridge, St. Just and his trusty sidekick, Fear, are on the case in Death and the Old Master, the most recent release from G.M. Malliet. I love the character names (Sir Flyte Rascallian and Ambrose Nussknacker!!!) and the investigation into the art world. I try not to rush anything by the author (I also enjoy her Max Tudor series), so I took my time with this one. The murder was tricky to solve for me and kept me guessing. Loved it!
November 9, 2024
Arthur St Just is back and this case is regarding the death of Sir Flyte Rascallian , a Master at Cambridge University .
Sir Flyte has recently inherited some artwork and books from a relative .
Are the heirlooms worth as little as he is telling people or is he keeping the true value a secret?
This is an easy to read and enjoyable cosy mystery .
A fair paced read and I found the subject matter interesting .
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House .
Sir Flyte has recently inherited some artwork and books from a relative .
Are the heirlooms worth as little as he is telling people or is he keeping the true value a secret?
This is an easy to read and enjoyable cosy mystery .
A fair paced read and I found the subject matter interesting .
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House .
November 11, 2024
A seemingly nice master of a college is murdered. He downplayed the importance of a painting he'd inherited, declaring it worth little. Now it is missing. Inspector St. Just and Sgt Fear are on the case in Cambridge. I get so tickled by St. Just's thoughts that he dares not utter. And Fear's notes that record and editorialize. Both men are capable of "polite" responses with an edge that completely fly over the suspects' heads. Love it!
May 8, 2025
Listened to this and enjoyed it. Not quite as much as I like her Max Tudor series but St. Just is pretty close. Sir Flyte Rascallian is cleaning up his aunt’s place and inherits some paintings that were stored in her attic. Turns out one of the paintings might be worth quite a lot. The origins of the piece are important to determine why the old master is murdered. Cozy though the details are a bit confusing so pay attention!
August 18, 2024
Enjoyable cozy set in Cambridge Uni. This is my first read in this series and the names bemused me. Particularly Ambrose Nussknacker, which my brain snickered at every time and read as Nutcracker. I received this as an advance copy from the author via NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 19, 2025
Read it in a week -- pleasant read with St. Just as the detective Hard to like any of the characters very much excpet St. Just and Sgt. Frear. Pleasant read but not quite as good as her Max Tudor series
3 1/2 stars. - finished on Feb. 18, 2024 - book from the library and just the right length
3 1/2 stars. - finished on Feb. 18, 2024 - book from the library and just the right length
October 28, 2024
Masterfully written murder mystery wasn't what I expected.
The murder takes place early on in the story and the book is a police investigation from start to finish. I had hoped for more action.
Thank you Netgalley and Severn House for the ARC.
The murder takes place early on in the story and the book is a police investigation from start to finish. I had hoped for more action.
Thank you Netgalley and Severn House for the ARC.
January 27, 2025
This book was just okay for me. It was a bit of a slow start and I didn't feel very engaged. The second half picked up my interest quite a bit, but I didn't feel a lot of excitement or anticipation to see what happens next.
June 21, 2025
Flat. I've read earlier St. Just mysteries; I don't remember St. Just being so pompous and selfish with his knowledge. Fear was a piece of cardboard he brought with him so there was someone to wonder at his wisdom and insight.
February 9, 2025
The Old master has a double meaning in this story. There is an old master Rembrandt painting in the Cambridge college masters rooms. St. Just unravels this complicated case with finesse.
February 23, 2025
A library find.
February 2025.
February 2025.
March 5, 2025
Clever mystery.
June 11, 2025
A feast of a book after a long famine, with the departure from the scene of too many of my favorite British authors. A bonus, to have discovered new addition to the list.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews