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Bunburry #1
Mõrv eesriide taga
Tere tulemast Bunburrysse!
Alfie McAlister – sümpaatne, nägus ja idufirmaga miljonäriks saanud – on pärinud majakese maalilises Cotswoldsi linnakeses. Pärandus tuleb just õigel ajal, sest ta tahab pärast kohutavat isiklikku tragöödiat võimalikult kiiresti Londonist lahkuda. Kuid rahust ja eraldatusest pole siin märkigi: Alfie on vaevu Bunburrysse jõudnud, kui ta on juba keset mõrvajuhtumit. Liz ja Marge, kaks vanaprouat, mehe surnud tädi Augusta parimat sõpra, kaasavad ta kiiresti kurjategijat otsima. Kui järgneb teine surmajuhtum, peavad kolm amatöördetektiivi kasutama kõiki oma näitlejaoskusi, et paljastada tõeline mõrvar ...
Uues sarjas, mille tegevus leiab aset maalilises Cotswoldsi külakeses Bunburrys, kohtub miss Marple Oscar Wilde’iga. Sarja esimeses osas, „Mõrv eesriide taga“, on koorekommide valmistamise ja traditsioonilise heleda õlle joomise kõrval samavõrra kirgi, (armu)kadedust, vihkamist ja mõrvu – ning see kõik on maitsestatud teretulnud huumoriannusega.
Alfie McAlister – sümpaatne, nägus ja idufirmaga miljonäriks saanud – on pärinud majakese maalilises Cotswoldsi linnakeses. Pärandus tuleb just õigel ajal, sest ta tahab pärast kohutavat isiklikku tragöödiat võimalikult kiiresti Londonist lahkuda. Kuid rahust ja eraldatusest pole siin märkigi: Alfie on vaevu Bunburrysse jõudnud, kui ta on juba keset mõrvajuhtumit. Liz ja Marge, kaks vanaprouat, mehe surnud tädi Augusta parimat sõpra, kaasavad ta kiiresti kurjategijat otsima. Kui järgneb teine surmajuhtum, peavad kolm amatöördetektiivi kasutama kõiki oma näitlejaoskusi, et paljastada tõeline mõrvar ...
Uues sarjas, mille tegevus leiab aset maalilises Cotswoldsi külakeses Bunburrys, kohtub miss Marple Oscar Wilde’iga. Sarja esimeses osas, „Mõrv eesriide taga“, on koorekommide valmistamise ja traditsioonilise heleda õlle joomise kõrval samavõrra kirgi, (armu)kadedust, vihkamist ja mõrvu – ning see kõik on maitsestatud teretulnud huumoriannusega.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2018
1007 people are currently reading
1361 people want to read
About the author
Helena Marchmont
41 books183 followersHelena Marchmont is a pseudonym of Olga Wojtas, who was born and brought up in Edinburgh. She was encouraged to write by an inspirational English teacher, Iona M. Cameron. Olga won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in 2015, has had more than 30 short stories published in magazines and anthologies and recently published her first mystery Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
August 15, 2021
Der erste Band einer neuen Serie für mich, obwohl ich eigentlich keine neuen Serien mehr anfangen wollte... Ich muss noch einige beenden... Aber wie das so ist; es klang einfach gut, und ich wollte es ausprobieren.
Ich liebe diese kleinen, gemütlichen Wohlfühlkrimis, die dazu noch in England spielen. Sie ziehen mich einfach magisch an. :)
Dieser hier hat mich ein bisschen an Agatha Raisin von M.C. Beaton erinnert, die ja auch in die Cotswolds gezogen ist.
Ich konnte diesen malerischen Ort direkt vor mir sehen.
Auch die Charaktere sind sympathisch, wobei ich mit dem Namen Alfie Probleme habe. Dabei denke ich immer an eine Frau, da ich eine Elfie kenne...
Der Alfie hier im Buch ist aber männlich und direkt aus London. Er hat ein Cottage von seiner ihm unbekannten Tante Augusta geerbt und gerät direkt in einen Mordfall...
Mir hat es Spaß gemacht, ihn und seine beiden neuen Freunde - zwei liebreizende ältere Damen, die Freundinnen seiner verstorbenen Tante waren - zu begleiten.
Es ist leichte Kost, die man zwischendurch gut lesen kann, wenn man sich einfach mal unterhalten lassen möchte, ohne viel dabei nachzudenken :)
Ich liebe diese kleinen, gemütlichen Wohlfühlkrimis, die dazu noch in England spielen. Sie ziehen mich einfach magisch an. :)
Dieser hier hat mich ein bisschen an Agatha Raisin von M.C. Beaton erinnert, die ja auch in die Cotswolds gezogen ist.
Ich konnte diesen malerischen Ort direkt vor mir sehen.
Auch die Charaktere sind sympathisch, wobei ich mit dem Namen Alfie Probleme habe. Dabei denke ich immer an eine Frau, da ich eine Elfie kenne...
Der Alfie hier im Buch ist aber männlich und direkt aus London. Er hat ein Cottage von seiner ihm unbekannten Tante Augusta geerbt und gerät direkt in einen Mordfall...
Mir hat es Spaß gemacht, ihn und seine beiden neuen Freunde - zwei liebreizende ältere Damen, die Freundinnen seiner verstorbenen Tante waren - zu begleiten.
Es ist leichte Kost, die man zwischendurch gut lesen kann, wenn man sich einfach mal unterhalten lassen möchte, ohne viel dabei nachzudenken :)
April 12, 2023
3.5 It has been a very long time since i have read, whaT IS considered a cosy mystery. I have to admit this was an easy and entertaining listen. Set in the Cotswolds, with two very amusing and entertaining older ladies, a house where rooms are decorated outrageously, and a nephew discovering what he has inherited, there was plenty to hold ones attention. And of course there are a murder or two that needs solving. Good fun.
August 29, 2018
This book is for mystery lovers of the 'cosy' persuasion who enjoy a gentle, completely non-graphic murder. Bunburry is a village in the Cotswolds and Alfie, newly arrived from London, soon finds himself acquainted with a charming local pub, delicious fudge, amateur theatrical society and some colourful locals. This is a book that will appeal to Miss Marple/Agatha Christie fans. It is told with warmth and humour, a lovely, cosy read.
Thank you Netgalley and 'be ebooks' for the opportunity to review this book.
Thank you Netgalley and 'be ebooks' for the opportunity to review this book.
April 23, 2021
Possibly because Nathaniel Parker narrates both, Audible kept recommending the Bunburry series by Helena Marchmont (pseudonym for the Scottish writer Olga Wojtas) after I got deep into the Mydworth Mysteries by Neil Richards and Matthew Costello. So with the first three books going for $6 total in an omnibus, why not try it?
It’s important to keep expectations in check. In the series debut Murder at the Mousetrap, the titular “mousetrap” refers to Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (published in book form as Three Blind Mice: A Short Story). But don’t expect something of Christie’s caliber. Instead enjoy this as a very charming light cozy with likeable characters (even the murderer) and a competently executed plot. Short, breezy and perfect for these dismal COVID-19 days when my attention and mood are both at a low ebb.
It’s important to keep expectations in check. In the series debut Murder at the Mousetrap, the titular “mousetrap” refers to Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap (published in book form as Three Blind Mice: A Short Story). But don’t expect something of Christie’s caliber. Instead enjoy this as a very charming light cozy with likeable characters (even the murderer) and a competently executed plot. Short, breezy and perfect for these dismal COVID-19 days when my attention and mood are both at a low ebb.
June 11, 2022
"Vorhang auf für einen Mord" ist der 1. Band der "Bunburry / Ein Idyll zum Sterben" Reihe von Autorin Helena Marchmont. Hier schreibt sie unter einem Pseudonym. Eigentlich veröffentlicht sie ihre Bücher sonst unter dem Namen Olga Wojtas. Für mich war das der erste Roman von ihr.
Die Geschichte hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Leider fand ich den Schreibstil etwas distanziert. Ich mag Icherzählungen einfach lieber. Ansonsten ist dieses Buch aber wirklich sehr unterhaltsam. Ich mag die detaillierten Beschreibungen der Autorin.
Es handelt sich hier um einen lockeren Krimi, der mit Charme, skurrilen Charakteren und vielen Anspielungen auf Oscar Wilde und Agatha Christie aufwartet. Von mir gibt es 4 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung an alle Cozy Crime Fans.
Hier folgen noch einige Infos zum Hörbuch:
3 Stunden und 46 Minuten / Ungekürzte Ausgabe
Sprecher: Uve Teschner
Der Sprecher bekommt 4 Sterne von mir. Er spricht eigentlich super. Ich fand das rollende "R" teilweise aber befremdlich und habe mich die ganze Zeit gefragt, wie das zu der Figur Alfi passen könnte.
Verlag: Lübbe Audio
Die Geschichte hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Leider fand ich den Schreibstil etwas distanziert. Ich mag Icherzählungen einfach lieber. Ansonsten ist dieses Buch aber wirklich sehr unterhaltsam. Ich mag die detaillierten Beschreibungen der Autorin.
Es handelt sich hier um einen lockeren Krimi, der mit Charme, skurrilen Charakteren und vielen Anspielungen auf Oscar Wilde und Agatha Christie aufwartet. Von mir gibt es 4 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung an alle Cozy Crime Fans.
Hier folgen noch einige Infos zum Hörbuch:
3 Stunden und 46 Minuten / Ungekürzte Ausgabe
Sprecher: Uve Teschner
Der Sprecher bekommt 4 Sterne von mir. Er spricht eigentlich super. Ich fand das rollende "R" teilweise aber befremdlich und habe mich die ganze Zeit gefragt, wie das zu der Figur Alfi passen könnte.
Verlag: Lübbe Audio
August 12, 2019
Well I have to say I really enjoyed this one. It came up as a recommendation and if you're looking for something that's light, entertaining and easy to read here it is. Don't expect a complicated, intricate mystery - it's short, so the plot is uncomplicated, but the characters are well-drawn and I'm looking forward to more in the series. Although it's a complete story in itself, it feels a bit like a soap opera with threads still dangling to be picked up in the next installment. I listened to an audiobook narrated by Nathaniel Parker whose voice suits the story perfectly and draws you in to the world of Bunburry.
August 2, 2022
4⭐ = Good.
I am a lover of physical books but I was having difficulty locating this in paperback and remarked on this to a Goodreads friend. She kindly pointed me in the direction of audio books on Spotify. I had no idea this even existed, despite listening to music on there all of the time 🤦♀️
Anyway found this audio book easily and thoroughly enjoyed it. Will probably be for you if you love a countryside setting cosy mystery. This is the first in the series and I was introduced to the background of the characters(who were very likeable) . Very Midsomer Murders in style, with lots of suspects.
A good first audio book! 😁
I am a lover of physical books but I was having difficulty locating this in paperback and remarked on this to a Goodreads friend. She kindly pointed me in the direction of audio books on Spotify. I had no idea this even existed, despite listening to music on there all of the time 🤦♀️
Anyway found this audio book easily and thoroughly enjoyed it. Will probably be for you if you love a countryside setting cosy mystery. This is the first in the series and I was introduced to the background of the characters(who were very likeable) . Very Midsomer Murders in style, with lots of suspects.
A good first audio book! 😁
February 28, 2019
A cozy mystery with lots of Oscar Wilde and Agatha Christie references—so fun!!
September 16, 2025
This was a great start for a cozy mystery series set in the Cotswolds. There are several interesting characters introduced and it looks like there are 20 books in this series so far. Definitely one that I will continue. Nathaniel Parker is the narrator and does a fantastic job.
December 19, 2023
Rating: 3.4 / 5
As my yet another attempt at an audiobook...hey, at least I finished it this time!
But, yeah, that being said, I don't much think that audiobooks are for me. Just...I don't know, I keep thinking how I could read much faster with my eyes than listen with my ears, and I get impatient that way. But, audiobook aside, I am well pleased with this read!
Meet Alfie--a 42-year-old man who's retiring to a small town for a temporary stay from London after what we get pretty broad hints are a broken heart. There, he meets Marge and Liz, two old friends of his aunt, who left Alfie an inheritance that he wasn't aware of--especially since he never knew his aunt all that well, certainly not enough to deserve an inheritance!
When a murder is suspected as having taken place to the last leading actor/director of the amateur play in town, suddenly the two old ladies want to investigate, and of course Alfie gets dragged in too, what with his theatre experience!
This all has the makings of a charming setup, like in Arsenic and Old Lace! It's a little too easy to picture Alfie as Cary Grant, except that unlike Grant, Alfie is calm most of the time and while he's sometimes uncertain and bemused, he never panics.
As for Marge and Liz, it is a tad too easy to imagine them as Aunt Abby and Aunt Martha, either way.
Honestly, all the setup is missing is another Teddy Roosevelt, but then I suppose Alfie's long-distance friend, Oscar (NOT Wilde!) is maybe a substitute for that?
Ahem, but anyway, all in all a charming setup, although still just 3 stars in the end because I did find myself bored in a lot of parts--or maybe that's the audiobook impatience talking?
In any case, a so-so read overall, but it does have its own charm in its own way. Perhaps I might give this series another chance, someday.
As my yet another attempt at an audiobook...hey, at least I finished it this time!
But, yeah, that being said, I don't much think that audiobooks are for me. Just...I don't know, I keep thinking how I could read much faster with my eyes than listen with my ears, and I get impatient that way. But, audiobook aside, I am well pleased with this read!
Meet Alfie--a 42-year-old man who's retiring to a small town for a temporary stay from London after what we get pretty broad hints are a broken heart. There, he meets Marge and Liz, two old friends of his aunt, who left Alfie an inheritance that he wasn't aware of--especially since he never knew his aunt all that well, certainly not enough to deserve an inheritance!
When a murder is suspected as having taken place to the last leading actor/director of the amateur play in town, suddenly the two old ladies want to investigate, and of course Alfie gets dragged in too, what with his theatre experience!
This all has the makings of a charming setup, like in Arsenic and Old Lace! It's a little too easy to picture Alfie as Cary Grant, except that unlike Grant, Alfie is calm most of the time and while he's sometimes uncertain and bemused, he never panics.
As for Marge and Liz, it is a tad too easy to imagine them as Aunt Abby and Aunt Martha, either way.
Honestly, all the setup is missing is another Teddy Roosevelt, but then I suppose Alfie's long-distance friend, Oscar (NOT Wilde!) is maybe a substitute for that?
Ahem, but anyway, all in all a charming setup, although still just 3 stars in the end because I did find myself bored in a lot of parts--or maybe that's the audiobook impatience talking?
In any case, a so-so read overall, but it does have its own charm in its own way. Perhaps I might give this series another chance, someday.
May 13, 2019
A light, cosy Murder Mystery that is short and great for a rainy day or quiet evening at home. The descriptions of the lovely English village made me warm and happy. Loved the name dropping of various authors and that the village put on Agatha Christie plays.
June 25, 2020
Ho-hum, rounded up.
September 27, 2020
Ich habe seit dem ersten Band von 'Tante Dimity' keinen Landhaus Krimi (Cozy Crime) mehr gelesen. Eigentlich mache ich einen Bogen um Krimis, aber Mum ermutigte mich immer wieder dazu es mit Cozy Crime zu probieren, denn das wäre nicht so blutig und könnte mir gefallen. Als ich dann die 'Bunburry'-Reihe auf Spotify entdeckte, habe ich die Gelegenheit genutzt, um in das Genre reinzuschnüffeln. Ich bin nicht wirklich begeistert von der Reihe, aber schlecht ist sie nicht und ich habe angefangen mich in Bunbury einzuleben. Während ich dies schreibe, habe ich bereits die erste halbe Stunde des zweiten Teils gehört.
Es wird mit allem aufgewartet, was man so an Klischees über das britische Landleben ranziehen kann, aber das meine ich nicht böse. Das ist es, was mir daran gefällt! Es gibt schrullige alte Damen, Cottages, Tee, Oscar Wilde und Agatha Christie.
Die Morde sind nicht explizit beschrieben und irgendwie ist es trotz der Tode sehr idyllisch. Auch Menschen, die wie ich, schnell zu empfindlich für Krimis sind, können sich hier rantrauen und relaxen. Mir war es sogar ein bisschen zu langweilig.
Aber da ich jetzt schon beim zweiten Band bin, könnte man sagen, dass es mir ganz gut gefallen hat.
Es wird mit allem aufgewartet, was man so an Klischees über das britische Landleben ranziehen kann, aber das meine ich nicht böse. Das ist es, was mir daran gefällt! Es gibt schrullige alte Damen, Cottages, Tee, Oscar Wilde und Agatha Christie.
Die Morde sind nicht explizit beschrieben und irgendwie ist es trotz der Tode sehr idyllisch. Auch Menschen, die wie ich, schnell zu empfindlich für Krimis sind, können sich hier rantrauen und relaxen. Mir war es sogar ein bisschen zu langweilig.
Aber da ich jetzt schon beim zweiten Band bin, könnte man sagen, dass es mir ganz gut gefallen hat.
June 9, 2019
This will be a series I'll continue. When you've read a few lacking in emotional intelligence, or even just intelligence, you appreciate it all the more when you find it.
February 2, 2020
Loved this new cozy. Also loved the reader do the audio version. It is a pleasant new experience to hear the story from a British male perspective.
July 30, 2025
Ein richtig schöner Einstieg in eine für mich neue Krimi-Reihe, die in den Costwolds spielt.
Wer die Tante Dimity Reihe mit Lori Shepard kennt und mag, wird auch Alfi McAlister und seine Nachbarn in Bunburry mögen.
Wer die Tante Dimity Reihe mit Lori Shepard kennt und mag, wird auch Alfi McAlister und seine Nachbarn in Bunburry mögen.
September 13, 2025
Unterhaltsamer und kurzweiliger Cozy Krimi aus den Cotswolds - super vorgetragen von dem Sprecher Uve Teschner
January 29, 2025
Genau die neue Cosy Crime Reihe, die ich zum Bingen brauche.
March 28, 2025
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/murd...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/murd...
August 13, 2020
2.5 stars.
This was fine. It wasn't great. The novella length doesn't quite work. There's not enough time to develop a mystery plot well. So one is developed poorly. Also, the character work could have been better - I kept forgetting who characters in the small village where. Lastly, there's a lot of backstory hinted at, but very little given (i.e. why does Aunt August know so much about Alfie, and he so little about her? what tragic thing happened to his one-time fiance/their relationship? What is the purpose of the best friend Oscar, other than to make vaguely unfunny, but I assume supposedly Wilde-esque remarks over the phone?)
That said, if I'm in the mood for no-thinking reading, there's every chance I get the next one. Because in that sense, the novella length works.
Also, I snickered at the genre-aware remark that if Bunburry kept having murders at the rate it was having them, it would have no population in four years.
This was fine. It wasn't great. The novella length doesn't quite work. There's not enough time to develop a mystery plot well. So one is developed poorly. Also, the character work could have been better - I kept forgetting who characters in the small village where. Lastly, there's a lot of backstory hinted at, but very little given (i.e. why does Aunt August know so much about Alfie, and he so little about her? what tragic thing happened to his one-time fiance/their relationship? What is the purpose of the best friend Oscar, other than to make vaguely unfunny, but I assume supposedly Wilde-esque remarks over the phone?)
That said, if I'm in the mood for no-thinking reading, there's every chance I get the next one. Because in that sense, the novella length works.
Also, I snickered at the genre-aware remark that if Bunburry kept having murders at the rate it was having them, it would have no population in four years.
June 12, 2018
This is one of the most exciting cosy mystery releases that I've read this year! I really fell in love with the characters and can't wait to read the second book of this series.
August 6, 2021
Addicting series!
March 10, 2020
This was such a nice cozy little mystery! I have enjoyed the characters and look forward to more adventures with them.
January 20, 2022
Netter Cozy-Crime
June 2, 2022
I adored 99.99% of this short audiobook. The narrator was absolutely marvelous, and had a different voice for each one of the characters. The story felt very “old-timie”, but since the author had her characters using text messages and internet searches, it obviously was more current. I lapped this story up with a spoon, and plan to continue straight on with more of the series.
So what didn’t I like about it? The ending. It felt like the author threw a dart and randomly selected one of the suspects. There really were no clues to speak of, and it easily could have been any one of them.
NOTE: I saw ‘The Mousetrap’ in London about 20 years ago, and loved it. I remember the audience being sworn to secrecy, that we would never give away anything about the ending of the play. I was SO worried that this book was going inadvertently let something slip about it, but thankfully, it didn’t.
Audiobook
Narrated by Nathaniel Parker
Duration: 03:29:46
So what didn’t I like about it? The ending. It felt like the author threw a dart and randomly selected one of the suspects. There really were no clues to speak of, and it easily could have been any one of them.
NOTE: I saw ‘The Mousetrap’ in London about 20 years ago, and loved it. I remember the audience being sworn to secrecy, that we would never give away anything about the ending of the play. I was SO worried that this book was going inadvertently let something slip about it, but thankfully, it didn’t.
Audiobook
Narrated by Nathaniel Parker
Duration: 03:29:46
October 30, 2023
Geen aanrader.
February 21, 2025
Mein erster Cozycrime. Naja, locker leichte Unterhaltung, schön für Hunderunden, muss man nicht viel nachdenken.
Read
November 30, 2022hab nicht ganz mitbekommen wer der mörder war, aber sehr herbstlich !
August 28, 2018
Alfie McAlister has retreated from London to the cottage in Bunburry he has inherited from an aunt he scarcely knew. It doesn’t take long for him to become involved in the goings on of the small Cotswold village, including involving himself, with two elderly ladies, in the investigation of two murders. This book is meant to be an homage to Agatha Christie.
I was engrossed in this book from page one. But the deeper I got into the book, the more I realized that while this is well-written, it is fatally flawed.
The author moves beyond superficial characters, but fails to finish the job and the characters remain amorphous. I want to like the characters in a book, but here, there was nothing to like because the characters almost had no personalities.
The ending is rushed and is written as if the author suddenly tired of her story or she was up against a deadline. I was surprised when the book ended. The resolution of the murders was superficial and simplistic. Dame Agatha would never, ever, have written a book such as this with this ending.
To add insult to injury, there are so many loose ends that needed to be resolved, but weren’t. It became quite clear that the author wanted to save something for the next book in the series, but the first book should have been completed before moving on to the second.
At 126 pages, this qualifies as a novella. But all the problems I had with book could have been solved by making it longer – adding substance to the characters, making the ending less rushed, and dealing with the many loose ends the author left hanging.
I was engrossed in this book from page one. But the deeper I got into the book, the more I realized that while this is well-written, it is fatally flawed.
The author moves beyond superficial characters, but fails to finish the job and the characters remain amorphous. I want to like the characters in a book, but here, there was nothing to like because the characters almost had no personalities.
The ending is rushed and is written as if the author suddenly tired of her story or she was up against a deadline. I was surprised when the book ended. The resolution of the murders was superficial and simplistic. Dame Agatha would never, ever, have written a book such as this with this ending.
To add insult to injury, there are so many loose ends that needed to be resolved, but weren’t. It became quite clear that the author wanted to save something for the next book in the series, but the first book should have been completed before moving on to the second.
At 126 pages, this qualifies as a novella. But all the problems I had with book could have been solved by making it longer – adding substance to the characters, making the ending less rushed, and dealing with the many loose ends the author left hanging.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews