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Susie Mahl Mystery #1
A Brush with Death: A Susie Mahl Mystery
In the village of Spire, murder is afoot. Wealthy landowner Alexander, Earl of Greengrass, is caught with his trousers down in the village graveyard before meeting a gruesome end. Luckily Susie Mahl happens to be on hand. With her artist’s eye for detail and her curious nature, she is soon on the scent of the murderer....
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First published June 7, 2018
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About the author
Ali Carter
4 books35 followersAli Carter was born in Scotland and read art history at St Andrews. There followed an eclectic career in investment management, retail and technology; then in 2011 she had a catastrophic bicycling accident. After major brain surgery and a long recovery, Ali set herself a challenge to walk alone from Canterbury to Rome, a three-month pilgrimage she wrote about in her book, An Accidental Jubilee by Alice Warrender. From then she decided to follow her passion and become a fine artist, specialising in oil paintings from life with an emphasis on colour. Ali works from her studio in East Sussex and also draws pet portraits to commission. A Brush with Death is her first novel.
(Previously written under the name Alice Warrender)
(Previously written under the name Alice Warrender)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
October 23, 2018
I became interested in this book after reading a negative review. I had read this author and I wondered about some of the comments made. I decided to read it. I am happy, I did as I enjoyed this book very much. The one complaint I wished that the Deerhound, Situp had a bigger part in the story. There is a good description of the way royalty lives their lives and of entail estate.
Susie Mahil is an artist and she is noted for her drawings of the various pets. She is a good friend of Lord and Lady Greengrass through them she meets the Cordringtons do want a drawing of their Deerhound, Situp. Susie is staying with Cordringtons when Situp brings a bone back home. It turns out to be a bone from a grave. Returning the bone back to the grave, the group comes upon the body of the Earl of Greengrass relieving himself. Lady Greengrass asked Susie to stay with her for a few days. Susie becomes interested in the murder. As the tale continues there are a number of people who had problems with the Earl. Whose problem was important enough to kill the Earl? It will be a long wait for the next book.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.
Susie Mahil is an artist and she is noted for her drawings of the various pets. She is a good friend of Lord and Lady Greengrass through them she meets the Cordringtons do want a drawing of their Deerhound, Situp. Susie is staying with Cordringtons when Situp brings a bone back home. It turns out to be a bone from a grave. Returning the bone back to the grave, the group comes upon the body of the Earl of Greengrass relieving himself. Lady Greengrass asked Susie to stay with her for a few days. Susie becomes interested in the murder. As the tale continues there are a number of people who had problems with the Earl. Whose problem was important enough to kill the Earl? It will be a long wait for the next book.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.
August 14, 2018
I have been picking up cozy mysteries more often this year and this one was a stand-out for me. I love British mysteries in particular, and this one took place among the upper classes, with the added perspective of a protagonist who is an outsider. The amateur sleuth, Susie Mahl, was relatable and refreshing. A thirty-something, single woman working as a pet portraitist, Susie gets involved in the mystery out of concern for close friends, but winds up being quite the detective. Highly recommended for fans of cozy mysteries, Agatha Christie, and for those looking for a detective story without gruesome details.
August 6, 2018
Painter Susie Mahl, who makes her living painting pet portraits for wealthy people, is hired by, and goes to stay with, a young couple who live near the Earl of Greengrass. He and his wife are friends of Susie's, which is why it's so shocking when she's among the small group that finds his dead body in the churchyard. The countess asks Susie to stay with her for a few days and help out--she finds her daughter-in-law sympathetic--and Susie thinks what would help the most is to find out how the earl died. Luckily, she's able to enlist a pulse-stirring doctor to help her. First in a series.
June 9, 2018
Sometimes you just need some mystery, some laughs, some witty wordplay, some clever plotting, some captivating characters, and some unexpected - but insightful - loo comparisons. PLUS PETS! (A dog here; a cameo by a wee black cat, for cat-lovers.).
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut Susie (Vicky?) Mahl mystery. My only caveat is that we could've used more Situp and the wee black cat.
'A Brush with Death' is a fun, lively mystery, and I enthusiastically recommend it.
I cannot wait for the next Susie Mahl/Ali Carter mystery!
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut Susie (Vicky?) Mahl mystery. My only caveat is that we could've used more Situp and the wee black cat.
'A Brush with Death' is a fun, lively mystery, and I enthusiastically recommend it.
I cannot wait for the next Susie Mahl/Ali Carter mystery!
November 26, 2018
Susie Mahl is an artist whose bread and butter trade is drawing dogs. Susie had drawn a picture for the Earl and Countess Greenglass and become a family friend. Through the Countess, Susie is commissioned by neighbors and, while staying with them, discovers the Earl's body.
To everyone's consternation, the Earl has been murdered, and the widow asks Susie to stay on. As Susie's curiosity is rampant, she agrees and, with the help of the local pathologist, seeks the murderer.
The book is slow paced, which some reviewers have found off-putting, but it satisfies should one be looking for a cozy mystery set in contemporary times but harking back to the Golden Age mysteries.
To everyone's consternation, the Earl has been murdered, and the widow asks Susie to stay on. As Susie's curiosity is rampant, she agrees and, with the help of the local pathologist, seeks the murderer.
The book is slow paced, which some reviewers have found off-putting, but it satisfies should one be looking for a cozy mystery set in contemporary times but harking back to the Golden Age mysteries.
January 8, 2019
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Cleanliness: Yuck (10+ curse words. Other content: smoking, drinking, mention of sex, descriptions of privates, religion, murder, and death.)
3.5 stars
This book was simply odd. I think I expected too much of it. There was mystery, a tiny bit of romance, and humor; but none of it was overly exciting or thrilling. I found the beginning very slow with too many details.
I couldn't figure out the time period of this tale for a while. I assumed it was 1800s because of the servants and titles (such as lord, lady, etc.), but then they got into their fancy cars and drove off. It was very modern with a twist -- which I enjoyed.
The mystery part of A Brush With Death was pretty good! It definitely wasn't Agatha Christie worthy (as it claimed on the back), but the author did a good job with keeping the mystery going. I did think it ended a little abruptly.
I have very mixed feelings on this book. I didn't mind reading it, but I would definitely not read it again.
~I was sent a free copy of this book from LibraryThing for an honest review~
Cleanliness: Yuck (10+ curse words. Other content: smoking, drinking, mention of sex, descriptions of privates, religion, murder, and death.)
3.5 stars
This book was simply odd. I think I expected too much of it. There was mystery, a tiny bit of romance, and humor; but none of it was overly exciting or thrilling. I found the beginning very slow with too many details.
I couldn't figure out the time period of this tale for a while. I assumed it was 1800s because of the servants and titles (such as lord, lady, etc.), but then they got into their fancy cars and drove off. It was very modern with a twist -- which I enjoyed.
The mystery part of A Brush With Death was pretty good! It definitely wasn't Agatha Christie worthy (as it claimed on the back), but the author did a good job with keeping the mystery going. I did think it ended a little abruptly.
I have very mixed feelings on this book. I didn't mind reading it, but I would definitely not read it again.
~I was sent a free copy of this book from LibraryThing for an honest review~
March 31, 2018
Susie Mahl is an artist who specializes in pet portraits. While staying with friends, the Earl and Countess of Greengrass at their beautiful house in the village of Spire, the Earl is found dead and Susie with her witty and inquisitive nature quickly starts her own investigation into the murder.
I really enjoyed this light-hearted cozy mystery. Susie Mahl is a great detective. She is funny and witty and I loved how Carter combined a little bit of a country house murder as well as giving us some insight into the life of an artist. This is a great read for fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple with a dash of Downton Abbey.
This is Ali Carter’s first novel and the first book in the new series about pet portraitist and super-sleuth Susie Mahl.
I would like to thank the author and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this light-hearted cozy mystery. Susie Mahl is a great detective. She is funny and witty and I loved how Carter combined a little bit of a country house murder as well as giving us some insight into the life of an artist. This is a great read for fans of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple with a dash of Downton Abbey.
This is Ali Carter’s first novel and the first book in the new series about pet portraitist and super-sleuth Susie Mahl.
I would like to thank the author and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 1, 2018
2.5 stars for a bit of a mixed bag of a light-hearted cozy mystery. The best parts are the English countryside settings, some of the ridiculous (ironic?) character names (hello, Asquintha, Lady Cornfield) and Susie's observations regarding her fellow human beings and the animals that surround them. On the other hand, you can rather tell this is a debut fiction effort, as the writing is a bit uneven, at least one important character and a few of the plot points were sort of introduced as backhanded afterthoughts, there were several go-nowhere scenes, and the denouement was almost anti-climactic. I do think there is some promise in the possible future of the series, and if Carter can develop Susie and her detecting abilities, I'd like to re-visit.
April 15, 2018
A glittering, funny and sharply observed cosy murder mystery in a quintessential English country setting. Wonderful details, great characters and a welcome new talent.
April 8, 2018
A very enjoyable and entertaining book. It kept hooked till the end. It's well written and with very intersting characters.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Oneworld Publications
Recommended!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Oneworld Publications
January 10, 2021
The author spends more time describing the painting methods than the murder solving.
January 13, 2020
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. Some of the things I struggled with may be due to the fact I'm not as familiar with UK culture. I'll get back to that.
Susie Mahl is an artist who makes her living drawing portraits of pets for rich aristocrats in England. When she's hired she stays with the family for the weekend to observe the dog. (I find this incredibly strange, but maybe this is a thing). About five years ago, she met Earl Greengrass and his wife Diane. Since then they invite her to stay with them once a year. Because they are friends, sorta. (I really don't understand her relationship with this family. For an older couple who are very socially conscious, so much so that they don't like their daughter-in-law because she was lower class, I just don't get how Susie is ok for them socially. But moving on.)
Diane introduced Susie to the Codringtons, Ben and Antonia. They have an infant daughter and a dog named Situp. They hire Susie to come for a weekend to draw Situp. When Susie arrives she is introduced to another man, a friend of the family named Henry. They all spend the weekend together, Susie takes lots of sketches of the dog, and on the last morning (Sunday) Situp brings back a human bone. They happen to live next to a cemetary and Henry (who happens to be a doctor) volunteers to return the bone to the graveyard. After a minute Ben follows, and then Susie does as well. They all meet by the cemetary gate, Henry had already got rid of the bone, when they heard a strange sound. They go in the graveyard and by the church they see Earl Greengrass, dead.
Before the murder had even happened I knew Henry would be the guilty one. I'm not sure if Carter intended to have Henry be so obviously the killer, but it was pretty obvious. Alex (the Earl) had stepped out of service to relieve himself. Diane was the organist and was playing throughout the service. Their son Arthur had taken their children to a more kid friendly church down the road. And the daughter-in-law (Asquintha) was chillin at home. When Diane finds out Alex is dead, she asks Susie to come stay with her.
Susie of course says yes, accompanies her back to the house. (big huge house by the way). And then Diane suggests she stays with the Nanny in the Nanny's cottage. (HUH? so every time Susie visits she stays in the house, but now that the Earl has died, Diane wants her close but not too close? I just did not understand why she would be in the cottage not the house. And I really didn't see it add anything to the story. This was one of those UK culture things that maybe I'm ignorant of. And the British may think this makes perfect sense). And Susie is thrilled with this suggestion. Ok....?
Police are saying murder but not why. Susie decides to find out. Which I'm totally on board with (I mean, that's why I'm reading this book!) but Susie would find a clue and not bother to pass it on to the police, or in fact would hide it. She found a picture that she hid from the police. The potential murder weapon (it ended up not being one). A post-it with cryptic information. Most of these things lead to a dead end. But it did get her interacting with Toby, the coroner. The kicker was when she found a diary (that the police happened to overlook) and in the diary it talked of Alex having an affair with Princess Violet, and her son finding them. Princess Violet is Henry's mother and he was her only son.
So Henry is bitter that he was never acknowledged by his potential father. So he killed him. The motive was a little weak in my opinion. The murder was a little wishy washy as well. Overall, I can see potential with Susie. I'd give a sequel a read, but I really hope Carter (and her editors) smooth out some of the unnecessary inconsistencies.
The other suspects in the murder were obviously not the murderers. So as a reader, I wasn't struggling to figure this out at all. So that was a little disappointing.
Oh, and random side note. Susie is obsessed with expensive lingerie. I mean, I'm cool with characters having their own THING, you know? But this just came off weird to me. I'm not reading a romance, and while we hope there develops a romance with Susie and Toby, there wasn't any in this book. So it just came across as a single woman obsessing over her underwear. Didn't really relate to the story and it didn't add anything and it didn't really help me understand her character more.
Susie Mahl is an artist who makes her living drawing portraits of pets for rich aristocrats in England. When she's hired she stays with the family for the weekend to observe the dog. (I find this incredibly strange, but maybe this is a thing). About five years ago, she met Earl Greengrass and his wife Diane. Since then they invite her to stay with them once a year. Because they are friends, sorta. (I really don't understand her relationship with this family. For an older couple who are very socially conscious, so much so that they don't like their daughter-in-law because she was lower class, I just don't get how Susie is ok for them socially. But moving on.)
Diane introduced Susie to the Codringtons, Ben and Antonia. They have an infant daughter and a dog named Situp. They hire Susie to come for a weekend to draw Situp. When Susie arrives she is introduced to another man, a friend of the family named Henry. They all spend the weekend together, Susie takes lots of sketches of the dog, and on the last morning (Sunday) Situp brings back a human bone. They happen to live next to a cemetary and Henry (who happens to be a doctor) volunteers to return the bone to the graveyard. After a minute Ben follows, and then Susie does as well. They all meet by the cemetary gate, Henry had already got rid of the bone, when they heard a strange sound. They go in the graveyard and by the church they see Earl Greengrass, dead.
Before the murder had even happened I knew Henry would be the guilty one. I'm not sure if Carter intended to have Henry be so obviously the killer, but it was pretty obvious. Alex (the Earl) had stepped out of service to relieve himself. Diane was the organist and was playing throughout the service. Their son Arthur had taken their children to a more kid friendly church down the road. And the daughter-in-law (Asquintha) was chillin at home. When Diane finds out Alex is dead, she asks Susie to come stay with her.
Susie of course says yes, accompanies her back to the house. (big huge house by the way). And then Diane suggests she stays with the Nanny in the Nanny's cottage. (HUH? so every time Susie visits she stays in the house, but now that the Earl has died, Diane wants her close but not too close? I just did not understand why she would be in the cottage not the house. And I really didn't see it add anything to the story. This was one of those UK culture things that maybe I'm ignorant of. And the British may think this makes perfect sense). And Susie is thrilled with this suggestion. Ok....?
Police are saying murder but not why. Susie decides to find out. Which I'm totally on board with (I mean, that's why I'm reading this book!) but Susie would find a clue and not bother to pass it on to the police, or in fact would hide it. She found a picture that she hid from the police. The potential murder weapon (it ended up not being one). A post-it with cryptic information. Most of these things lead to a dead end. But it did get her interacting with Toby, the coroner. The kicker was when she found a diary (that the police happened to overlook) and in the diary it talked of Alex having an affair with Princess Violet, and her son finding them. Princess Violet is Henry's mother and he was her only son.
So Henry is bitter that he was never acknowledged by his potential father. So he killed him. The motive was a little weak in my opinion. The murder was a little wishy washy as well. Overall, I can see potential with Susie. I'd give a sequel a read, but I really hope Carter (and her editors) smooth out some of the unnecessary inconsistencies.
The other suspects in the murder were obviously not the murderers. So as a reader, I wasn't struggling to figure this out at all. So that was a little disappointing.
Oh, and random side note. Susie is obsessed with expensive lingerie. I mean, I'm cool with characters having their own THING, you know? But this just came off weird to me. I'm not reading a romance, and while we hope there develops a romance with Susie and Toby, there wasn't any in this book. So it just came across as a single woman obsessing over her underwear. Didn't really relate to the story and it didn't add anything and it didn't really help me understand her character more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2018
This was a super-sweet book. Light on suspense and intrigue, but pleasant with well-developed characters and great artistic metaphors. And cute dogs. He main character is an every-woman, and I liked her.
July 30, 2018
A lovely, easy to read novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.
July 21, 2018
Susie is an artist who paints pets, usually for the well-heeled in and around Sussex. Staying with her friends, the Greengrasses, while painting a neighbor’s dog, Susie becomes embroiled in the murder of Lord Greengrass. A pleasant whodunit, with a large cast of unique characters, a good debut for this author.
June 10, 2018
I received this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Susie Mahl is an artist who does commission work, portraits of pets. She travels in the world of the aristocracy, as they are her best clients. And has learned the ways and manners of this British social class.
While visiting the Greengrasses at Beckenstale Manor, the family estate, she is introduced to the Codringtons who have just moved into Glebe House. The Codringtons commission Susie to do a portrait of their dog, at a later date.
During her stay with the Codringtons, Susie finds Lord Greengrass dead on the ground in the church cemetery. True, he is 75, but still active. Why should he suddenly be dead? The police suspect murder. Tops on the list of suspects are Arthur and Asquintha, the son and his wife of Lord Greengrass. Diana, Lady Greengrass, also has suspicions about Asquintha.
Diana asks Susie to stay on with her, while the investigation goes on and till after the funeral. With Susie's eye for detail and her drive for knowing if it truly is murder and who the killer is, she is out to solve the mystery.
When she meets up with mortuary clerk, Dr. Toby Cropper, she finds a helpmate of sorts in finding clues.
A fun, quick moving British cozy, I am looking forward to reading following books in this new series.
Susie Mahl is an artist who does commission work, portraits of pets. She travels in the world of the aristocracy, as they are her best clients. And has learned the ways and manners of this British social class.
While visiting the Greengrasses at Beckenstale Manor, the family estate, she is introduced to the Codringtons who have just moved into Glebe House. The Codringtons commission Susie to do a portrait of their dog, at a later date.
During her stay with the Codringtons, Susie finds Lord Greengrass dead on the ground in the church cemetery. True, he is 75, but still active. Why should he suddenly be dead? The police suspect murder. Tops on the list of suspects are Arthur and Asquintha, the son and his wife of Lord Greengrass. Diana, Lady Greengrass, also has suspicions about Asquintha.
Diana asks Susie to stay on with her, while the investigation goes on and till after the funeral. With Susie's eye for detail and her drive for knowing if it truly is murder and who the killer is, she is out to solve the mystery.
When she meets up with mortuary clerk, Dr. Toby Cropper, she finds a helpmate of sorts in finding clues.
A fun, quick moving British cozy, I am looking forward to reading following books in this new series.
September 21, 2018
In the first of this appealing new British country cozy mystery series, the spunky heroine applies her considerable skills of observation as an artist to solving murder most foul.
September 10, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I hope it’s only the first of many to come!
October 11, 2020
Yes! Susie is a professional artist who turns amateur detective after a friend is murdered. We spend less time worrying about the villain afoot and more digesting Susie's relationships with the country's lords and ladies, her eye for color and detail, and her appetite for expensive underwear and handsome men. The road to our conclusion leads down lanes of pedigreed pets, delicious foods, ultra posh etiquette and vocabulary choices, and [somewhat unexpectedly] Catholic duty.
It's not a thriller but it's not meant to be - it's cozy and I enjoyed it very much.
It's not a thriller but it's not meant to be - it's cozy and I enjoyed it very much.
mystery
May 29, 2018Find it at the West Hempstead Public Library http://encore.alisweb.org/iii/encore/...
February 8, 2019
3.5 rounded up to 4
Susie Mahl paints portraits of peoples pets. Her latest commission is of a Deerhound called Situp…I love this as a name for a dog. During a weekend stay at pet owners home in the village of Spire, one of Sophie’s friends is murdered.
This is a cosy mystery and the first in the Susie Mahl Mystery series. From the very outset, was quickly engaged as I discovered the main characters. It was found numerous mentions and references to art, painting and the processes and while I did find them interesting I felt it slowed the telling of the main story down a bit. Once the painting sections started to diminish the story itself started to come to the forefront again and the pace quickened. Susie was able to embark on her own truth-finding mission.
While reading I found myself surprised when mentions of mobile phones, internet etc were mentioned. I think this is due to having comparisons with Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie who I associate with 1920’s/30’s. I think this is my own assumption, but as there were only the occasional technology mentions it didn’t really matter that much.
Susie paints for those who have money and status, they are Lords, Ladies, Earls and Countesses. She stays for weekends to get to know the pet she is going to paint, it gives her a chance to explore and try to discover various truths. The plot itself is nicely laid out as Susie’s investigations are being delved into. It has a gentle pace rather than a full pelt race to the end.
If you like cosy mysteries then I think this is one readers of the genre will enjoy. I am looking forward to reading more about Susie in this series and will be buying more as they are available. This is one I would recommend.
Susie Mahl paints portraits of peoples pets. Her latest commission is of a Deerhound called Situp…I love this as a name for a dog. During a weekend stay at pet owners home in the village of Spire, one of Sophie’s friends is murdered.
This is a cosy mystery and the first in the Susie Mahl Mystery series. From the very outset, was quickly engaged as I discovered the main characters. It was found numerous mentions and references to art, painting and the processes and while I did find them interesting I felt it slowed the telling of the main story down a bit. Once the painting sections started to diminish the story itself started to come to the forefront again and the pace quickened. Susie was able to embark on her own truth-finding mission.
While reading I found myself surprised when mentions of mobile phones, internet etc were mentioned. I think this is due to having comparisons with Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie who I associate with 1920’s/30’s. I think this is my own assumption, but as there were only the occasional technology mentions it didn’t really matter that much.
Susie paints for those who have money and status, they are Lords, Ladies, Earls and Countesses. She stays for weekends to get to know the pet she is going to paint, it gives her a chance to explore and try to discover various truths. The plot itself is nicely laid out as Susie’s investigations are being delved into. It has a gentle pace rather than a full pelt race to the end.
If you like cosy mysteries then I think this is one readers of the genre will enjoy. I am looking forward to reading more about Susie in this series and will be buying more as they are available. This is one I would recommend.
June 27, 2020
3 1/2 Stars
Roving pet portrait artist Susie Mahl finds herself in the village of Spire for a commission and ends up staying a while when a longtime acquaintance, the Earl of Greengrass, meets an untimely demise. Susie puts her natural sleuthing skills to work and proves she is just as talented at playing detective as she is at immortalizing her beloved canine subjects.
This one was sweet. I've tried a bunch of cozy mysteries but have DNF'd many, since I don't usually feel like the characters are much more than predictable cut-out types. Add stilted dialogue and I just can't handle it. So I was happy to find Susie an interesting heroine, with real personality and enough complexity to keep me invested. I'd be curious to see if Carter fleshes her out even more in the subsequent books. I didn't care much at all about any of the secondary characters, which definitely lessened the overall experience. The mystery was fine, I was invested enough to see it through. Carter has a solid, easy writing style.
A satisfying country estate / cute wee village setting and some delightful description of cozy everyday moments made this one feel like the equivalent of getting comfy with a blanket, thick wool socks, a pot of tea, and some digestive biscuits. I will want to pick up the next in the series when I'm in the mood for something that is not challenging, just escapist and comforting.
Roving pet portrait artist Susie Mahl finds herself in the village of Spire for a commission and ends up staying a while when a longtime acquaintance, the Earl of Greengrass, meets an untimely demise. Susie puts her natural sleuthing skills to work and proves she is just as talented at playing detective as she is at immortalizing her beloved canine subjects.
This one was sweet. I've tried a bunch of cozy mysteries but have DNF'd many, since I don't usually feel like the characters are much more than predictable cut-out types. Add stilted dialogue and I just can't handle it. So I was happy to find Susie an interesting heroine, with real personality and enough complexity to keep me invested. I'd be curious to see if Carter fleshes her out even more in the subsequent books. I didn't care much at all about any of the secondary characters, which definitely lessened the overall experience. The mystery was fine, I was invested enough to see it through. Carter has a solid, easy writing style.
A satisfying country estate / cute wee village setting and some delightful description of cozy everyday moments made this one feel like the equivalent of getting comfy with a blanket, thick wool socks, a pot of tea, and some digestive biscuits. I will want to pick up the next in the series when I'm in the mood for something that is not challenging, just escapist and comforting.
August 9, 2018
Given the blurb's mentioning Downton Abbey, I thought this mystery would be set in the early 1900's rather than in contemporary times. I like period mysteries, but nonetheless this one held my interest very much. The characters were engaging, though a little under-developed and sort of stereotypical, the dog Situp was cute, and I truly enjoyed Susie's comments on what she as an artist looks for and reacts to while creating her pictures. As the author also paints many things, including pet portraits, I appreciate her communicating these aspects of painting.
The mystery kept me guessing, Susie's enthusiasm for sexy lingerie was different (especially from the over-angst that many detectives in fiction today have), and I felt some pity for her being a kind of hanger-on to the rich and their class, which she just misses belonging to.
The tone of the mystery needs some adjusting and i expect AC will do so in subsequent books. Sometimes the book seemed a kind of joke (Lord Greengrass? because he has the greens=money? Viscount Cornfield?????) and sometimes a basic, cozy mystery.
The mystery kept me guessing, Susie's enthusiasm for sexy lingerie was different (especially from the over-angst that many detectives in fiction today have), and I felt some pity for her being a kind of hanger-on to the rich and their class, which she just misses belonging to.
The tone of the mystery needs some adjusting and i expect AC will do so in subsequent books. Sometimes the book seemed a kind of joke (Lord Greengrass? because he has the greens=money? Viscount Cornfield?????) and sometimes a basic, cozy mystery.
May 7, 2019
A Brush With Death isn’t a revolutionary novel. But it will grip you in a way you won’t expect. Leave your preconceived notions of what a murder mystery should be at the door. That’s right. Nope Agatha Christie too. Have you deconstructed your ideas? Good. Now introducing a world of childhood familiarity (cue nostalgia) where you’ll be swept into a Nancy Drew mystery where it’s soft and easy. The syntax won’t tie your brain in knots. The last page contains the sentence,”I felt very, very sad.” But you’ll have fun. You’ll be reminded of how you used to think, how your mind used to wander. And best of all, you won’t face a monster. A Brush With Death is perfect for the mind that’d rather be sunbathing. You might even just read the second.
March 12, 2022
Very entertaining mystery novel introducing pet portraitist and amateur sleuth Susie Mahl. The insights into portrait painting and mixing colors fascinated me and Susie is an interesting heroine. Susie's friend, elderly Lord Greengrass is found murdered in the churchyard during a memorial service. Susie's painters eye for detail leads her to notice things the police don't and with help from handsome coroner Toby, Susie unravels the mystery. This is the first in a series and I think I'll be reading more.
August 23, 2021
I'm so darn bored.
It took about 2 hours to get halfway through the book, but it felt like more like 6 hours. I didn't care about anything or anyone in the book, and I skipped to the end, and yeah, the person I guessed was the killer.
I'm more than a bit bummed, as I love Agatha Christie, and was hoping this was gonna be like her.
If you like painting and the artistic process, you may like it more than I did. But to be honest, it felt somewhat pretentious.
It took about 2 hours to get halfway through the book, but it felt like more like 6 hours. I didn't care about anything or anyone in the book, and I skipped to the end, and yeah, the person I guessed was the killer.
I'm more than a bit bummed, as I love Agatha Christie, and was hoping this was gonna be like her.
If you like painting and the artistic process, you may like it more than I did. But to be honest, it felt somewhat pretentious.
January 26, 2022
Ali CARTER has written a very readable book in A Brush with Death. This is my first read of her works and I found it quite good.
No beating around the bush but plain straight-forward writing, that never left you confused or wondering who was who - something so many authors do today by introducing indiscriminate characters who sometimes, have no bearing on the story.
I found her primary character Susie MAHL very much in line with those produced by Agatha Christie. Recommended
No beating around the bush but plain straight-forward writing, that never left you confused or wondering who was who - something so many authors do today by introducing indiscriminate characters who sometimes, have no bearing on the story.
I found her primary character Susie MAHL very much in line with those produced by Agatha Christie. Recommended
March 1, 2022
I had high hopes for this cozy mystery series, but overall it fell flat. The main character seems interesting enough as a pet portraitist and amateur sleuth, but I failed to connect with her. Also, the other characters are not particularly likeable. And while cozy mysteries do not typically have the most page-turner mysteries, I felt like I really had to power through this one. The suspect seemed rather obvious and the mystery was not particularly interesting.
July 9, 2022
Susie Mahl is a pet portraitist hired to paint someone’s dog. She stays with the people in their home for the weekend and while on a walk in a churchyard stumbles upon Lord Greengrass dead. As she has been friends with Lord Greengrass and the family for 5 years, she is asked to stay with Countess Diana, his wife, during this difficult time. Susie meets Toby, the pathologist, and develops a friendship with him. They both help the police in the investigation and end up solving the murder.
January 14, 2019
I’m not sure this really achieved what it was trying to. The mystery isn’t great, I couldn’t work out of the lead character was meant to be whimsically eccentric or if she was just annoying. Never mind. You win some, you lose some.
********copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review ********
********copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review ********
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