A Murder Too Many

Andrew Basnett #5

by E.X. Ferrars

Retired botany professor Andrew Basnett returns to Knotlington, where he finds the controversy over the murder of artist Carl Judd still rages, and takes on a challenge to finally expose the truth

Genres: Mystery, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Crime

198 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2013

About the author

Aka Elizabeth Ferrars

Elizabeth Ferrars is a pseudonym of Morna Doris MacTaggart Brown. She was born in Rangoon, Burma.

Reviews

[Hemavathy DM Suppiah-Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real old fashioned whodunnit, and although it's from the 1980s it feels very much as if it was from the 1950s. Excellent writing style and a very good cast of characters, but the biggest let down was the ending. While the identity of the murderer(s) is revealed, the confrontation and denouement happens off screen, and book seems to be missing a chapter, which is very sad, as it was such an excellent page turner until then.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ferrar's Basnett series is one of my go-to's when I need a more traditional, British, mystery.
This is title 5 in an 8 book series.
Basnett is a retired Botany prof, and here he returns to the mid-sized Midland town where his career began, for a national Botanist meeting. As in the previous books, murder occurs. In this case, one from 2 or 3 years earlier, with a couple more bodies thrown in as we proceed.
It is not much of a "campus mystery", despite occurring on a campus, with professors and other university staff appearing throughout.
Ferrars introduces each character with a detailed description of their physical look, how they dress, and their profession.
It takes a bit to develop, and moved somewhat slowly for me. But by the time you reach the last 3 or 4 chapters. things move along at a good clip, and you push on, wanting to know Who-Done-It.
The next one has a Christmas setting to it, and I look forward to reading it - although it may be a few months before I need another "Brit cozy" fix.
3 out of 5.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew Basnett returns to the scene of his academic roots in this installment. Reviews that subtract points for a muddled and muted ending aren't necessarily wrong, but I still enjoyed this one as a piece of the larger picture, in which Ferrars focuses a bit more than usual on the fact that our protagonist, never a spring chicken to begin with, is quite clearly aging and grappling with the various aspects of that, from the failing memory and energy to the questioning of what exactly he's doing with his life at this point. There is again the issue of the seemingly never finished book he is writing. There is also an increased feeling of a loss of control: "I'm sorry. I'm just a plant physiologist. My interest in life is in the compatibility of proteins. I'm not a detective." But Basnett is forever in the middle of incompatible proteins, humans all thwarted by something or other: love, health, loyalty, ambition.

[Jazz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of the E.X. Ferrars books and specifically the Andrew Basnett series that I've read, this one was my least favorite. For me there was at least "One Character Too Many." I couldn't keep track of them all. The connections between the characters was not as strong as others I've read.

Andrew Basnett seemed almost superfluous, although the mystery was a strong one, as far as an innocent man being convicted of a murder.

By the time I got to the end, I was relieved because I didn't much care whodunnit. Disappointing for me, because I love Ferrars as a writer.

[We Are All Mad Here · Rating 3 out of 5]

We do seem to get more tedium in this one, and a lot of conversations between Andrew and the latest person to assume he's a master detective or other kind of advice-giver and "need" to talk to him. Still, I find it all very soothing.

May later bump this up to 4 stars in gratitude for the cortisol reduction.

[Lalwende · Rating 3 out of 5]

A more methodical mystery story than one would expect from the cover, but an interesting read, nonetheless. The last fourth or so is very similar to a Nancy Drew game though, haha! Well, without the "exciting" chase scene.

[David Hensley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters were “fleshed out” and complex. I appreciated that part of the work. The writing was very well done and easy to follow.
On the downside, there was a lot of dialogue to slough through. As a result, there was a lot of talk with little action. However, the ending was tied up in a very sensible conclusion.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good addition to the series: a pleasant, quiet, retired botany professor who is lured into murder cases by his friends, his curiosity, and his desire to help. This one has an interesting plot with a few twists and turns.

[bobg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow going. Also, the entire story line didn’t seem likely - there wasn’t enough strength in the plot and the ‘relationships’ to justify a murder or two.

[Allison Henle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew spends most of the book trying to get away from being a detective, which made it very hard for me to become engaged in the plot.

[DonHSr · Rating 3 out of 5]

good story but too short. Main character is very interesting.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Toni · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time staying interested in this book, and might have set it aside if I hadn't been listening to it as an audio book on a long car ride. Not at all badly written, but I just didn't find it engaging, and will have probably forgotten all about the story in just a few weeks