What do you think?
Rate this book
Murder by #4
Murder by Reference
It's no Halloween trick when mild-mannered Brad Hemphill -- curator of the Texas Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum -- materializes in a museum display in the dead of night. The meek young man is as dead as the dinosaur skeleton he's perched upon.
While local legend says the museum is haunted by the spirit of a pioneer woman, only a human hand could have swung the blunt object that cracked the curator's skull. But as the police interrogate the eccentric museum staff in search of who?, peerless attorney John Lloyd Branson seeks to uncover the killer by asking why?
The only thing missing from the carefully planned, cold-blooded crime is a motive. No one had reason to want poor Brad Hemphill dead . . . . At least no visible reason. So, with the aid of Lydia Fairchild, his trusted legal assistant, the flamboyant Branson undertakes his own investigation -- scaring up ghosts from the past and rattling family skeletons as he zeroes in on a secret so shocking it's worth killing for . . . .
While local legend says the museum is haunted by the spirit of a pioneer woman, only a human hand could have swung the blunt object that cracked the curator's skull. But as the police interrogate the eccentric museum staff in search of who?, peerless attorney John Lloyd Branson seeks to uncover the killer by asking why?
The only thing missing from the carefully planned, cold-blooded crime is a motive. No one had reason to want poor Brad Hemphill dead . . . . At least no visible reason. So, with the aid of Lydia Fairchild, his trusted legal assistant, the flamboyant Branson undertakes his own investigation -- scaring up ghosts from the past and rattling family skeletons as he zeroes in on a secret so shocking it's worth killing for . . . .
254 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 15, 1991
2 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
D.R. Meredith
33 books31 followers(from Fantastic Fiction online)
D.R. Meredith, Doris to friends and family, has a split personality--by day, she is a conservatively dressed legal secretary at her husband Mike's law firm. By night she turns into Mrs. Hyde dressed in jeans, flip-flops, and Texas Rangers tee shirt, and commits bloody murder.
She is now in double digits. In her fourth book in the Megan Clark mystery series, the 18th book of her career, D.R. Meredith has just committed her 35th murder.
"I usually average 2 murders a book, because one murder in a closed circle of suspects usually leads to another in the accepted Agatha Christie fashion. In TOME OF DEATH there are two murders, but they occur 150 years apart. I like linking the past and present and exploring the effect our past has on our present. I can't tell how I use the past without giving a broad hint to the killer's identity, but I will say that human beings don't change over time except in dress and customs. My Comanche warrior amateur sleuth isn't all that different in emotional feelings from modern paleopathologist Megan Clark, except Megan isn't into scalping."
D.R. Meredith, Doris to friends and family, has a split personality--by day, she is a conservatively dressed legal secretary at her husband Mike's law firm. By night she turns into Mrs. Hyde dressed in jeans, flip-flops, and Texas Rangers tee shirt, and commits bloody murder.
She is now in double digits. In her fourth book in the Megan Clark mystery series, the 18th book of her career, D.R. Meredith has just committed her 35th murder.
"I usually average 2 murders a book, because one murder in a closed circle of suspects usually leads to another in the accepted Agatha Christie fashion. In TOME OF DEATH there are two murders, but they occur 150 years apart. I like linking the past and present and exploring the effect our past has on our present. I can't tell how I use the past without giving a broad hint to the killer's identity, but I will say that human beings don't change over time except in dress and customs. My Comanche warrior amateur sleuth isn't all that different in emotional feelings from modern paleopathologist Megan Clark, except Megan isn't into scalping."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 13, 2010
The John Lloyd Branson series, about an eccentric Texan attorney, was written by DR Meredith in 1988 and concluded with five books in 1993. This series was recommended to me by some crime-fiction aficionados on the Amazon discussion boards. Apparently the ‘John Lloyd Branson’ series is little-known, but hailed by the niche group of readers who live for all things crime-fiction. And I've got to say... I was impressed.
Each book starts with a crime, and the police officer who is on call to report it. In each instance that officer is Sergeant Larry Jenner of the Amarillo traffic police. Jenner is in his early thirties and happy to coast along as a traffic cop. But Ed Schroder, detective for the Special Crimes Unit, envisions great things for Sergeant Jenner... and in the first book Schroder takes the young cop under his wing (whether Jenner likes it or not.)
Meanwhile, in Canadian, twenty-four year old law student Lydia Fairchild is meeting John Lloyd Branson for the first time. Lydia has been assigned to understudy with the brilliant attorney on recommendation of her University Dean, but John Lloyd is not what Lydia expected. For one thing, John Lloyd is a southern gentlemen bordering on chauvinistic. He dresses like a riverboat gambler and his office is harks back to the Victorian era (though he’s 38 years-old). John Lloyd pushes all of Lydia’s buttons, and within a few minutes of meeting him she finds herself threatening to commit bodily harm on his person and cursing like a sailor... but John Lloyd seems to think theirs is a perfect partnership.
The mystery in each book varies greatly but with two consistencies; the first is that the murder is always the precipitating circumstance to bring all the characters together. The other constant is that each murder occurs in the Texas Panhandle; Schroder and Branson’s jurisdiction. Branson and Schroder investigate everything from prostitutes being killed by a Ripper serial killer, to a nasty divorce settlement that may have ended in poisoning. Branson investigates for his defence of the accused, while Schroder works to build the DA’s case.
Each book is a murder mystery, character exploration and family drama all rolled into one.
Branson and Schroder are the heavy-weights in their respective fields, and between them they leave no stone unturned. Character history is unravelled, eye-witnesses coaxed, last hours are played out and alternate suspects are sniffed out. In each book DR Meredith constructs a ‘whodunit’ mystery that is meticulous and brain-teasing. And there’s nothing in the technical crime-solving to hint that these novel’s were written in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Apart from a lack of mobile phones or mention of the Internet, there’s still forensic analysis and computer lab technology to placate crime-fiction connoisseurs.
I loved the narrative perspectives in each novel. Our two primary narrators are Lydia Fairchild and Sergeant Jenner. These two are navigating new partnerships with the ‘old-timers’ in their respective fields. For Jenner, he is partnered with Detective Schroder and unwittingly taken under the older policeman’s wing and taught how to defend the innocent and find the guilty party. Lydia Fairchild is likewise partnered with the best attorney in Texas (though to ask John Lloyd, he would say ‘the world’). Lydia is in her last year of law school and about to enter the courtroom arena, from John Lloyd she is learning about how to question witnesses, keep the police at a distance and uncover the truth away from prying eyes. I loved the contrast of old/new, up-and-coming versus old dogs. Just as Jenner and Fairchild are trying to figure out how their mentors tick, readers are likewise trying to keep up with these teachers.
But the absolute stand-out star of each novel (and the series overall) is without a doubt John Lloyd Branson. He’s a little bit of every witty curmudgeon, snobby intelligentsia and antihero hero that we love. I would liken him to Gregory House, Alan Shore and Sherlock Holmes... but with his own distinct style. He wears three-piece suits, boleros and Stetsons. He is a Southern gentleman through and through, but with a cut-throat sensibility. He doesn’t use contractions, and he prides himself on his manners. He is brilliant. And the best thing about John Lloyd Branson is that he is entirely believable. He opens his mouth and can cut a man down at twenty paces. He is *that* intellectually intimidating and sure of himself. But John Lloyd is only a man in his early thirties, and that comes across. John Lloyd has so much passion and fire, especially for the law and his role as an attorney, and when he talks about his responsibilities you know this is a man for whom the law is life, and his appreciation is infectious...
“You make it sound like a game, John Lloyd,” Lydia protested.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel and she suddenly noticed how strong his hands looked. He could wield a sword or a lance. And be totally merciless.
“What are games but life reduced to symbolic rituals? Trials are a symbolic re-enactment of the ancient practice of settling disputes by armed combat. Attorneys are champions chosen by each side to represent them on the field. We use statutes and case law rather than crude weapons, but we must use them just as skilfully. But my skill is useless if I cannot counter the thrust of my opponent’s sword because my limbs are bound and I lack freedom of movement.”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
John Lloyd’s believable brilliance is not just in how other characters react to him either. It’s not a case of Schroder *saying* John Lloyd is clever and witty. It’s more a case of DR Meredith writing brilliantly acerbic dialogue for John Lloyd and perfecting his Southerly mannerisms. Still, it is hilarious to read character’s reactions to John Lloyd, and I think Schroder’s summary of his attorney reputation says it best;
“... you can figure we’ve caught the client with a smoking gun in his hand with his fingerprints on it, forty eyewitnesses, and video tapes taken by a passing TV cameraman. Not that it does us any good. John Lloyd Brandon will either prove the victim was stabbed, not shot, that the eyewitnesses were all legally blind, or that the video tape had been tampered with...”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
Schroder and Branson have a wonderful dynamic. Schroder is perhaps the most mysterious character in the series, even more so than John Lloyd Branson. But we learn the most about Schroder’s character through his interactions with Branson. These two cowboys have been competing at the same rodeo for a few years now, and it shows. Every meeting between them feels like a cock fight and there’s lots of history, plenty of grudge but all tempered with a healthy dose of respect. Neither will admit it in front of the other, but spoken to Jenner and Fairchild we learn that Branson and Schroder acknowledge each other as being the best. These two push each other, compete with one another and have ended up being better for the competition.
Each novel is a murder-mystery of Machiavellian proportions, beautifully executed by DR Meredith’s talented pen. Whether John Lloyd Branson is posing as a sword-wielding pimp to uncover a serial murderer or Schroder is trying to get to the bottom of a deadly dinosaur... the mystery in each novel is superb. But what I responded to most of all (and much to my surprise) was the romance woven throughout...
From the get-go there’s definite heat and spark between Lydia and John Lloyd. Theirs is a slow-burn romance, since John Lloyd seems wholly aware of Lydia’s developing crush on him and hell-bent on preventing it. John Lloyd has secrets and a romantic past that impinge on his feelings for Lydia, which throughout five novels he is desperate to ignore. But John Lloyd can’t deny his feelings for long, or discreetly. Other characters remark on John Lloyd and Lydia’s dynamic and clear affection. Lydia herself is very honest in her feelings, and ruthless in her seduction. And the romance is made even greater by the pair’s push-and-pull dynamic. They trade verbal barbs one minute, and in the next John Lloyd is crushing Lydia to his side. It’s all very rollercoaster, and heart-palpitating.
“It is very difficult to kiss you when you are talking. I feel as if I am aiming for a moving target.”
“What?”
“It is your intention to kiss me, is it not? Since that activity is most rewarding when both parties participate, I intend to kiss you, also. Our decision is unwise, unprofessional, dangerously reckless, and one we shall undoubetedly both regret, but it is necessary.”
“Why?” she asked. If this were a dream, it beat the hell out of sea and sand and buccaneers.
“Thanksgiving,” he whispered. “That you are alive.”
- ‘Murder by Masquerade’ John Lloyd Branson #3
This series is superb. It is a crime-fiction delicacy to be savoured for its melt in your mouth brilliance. Everything comes together perfectly; the whodunit, the heroes and villains and an intimidating but brilliant protagonist to cut your teeth on. DR Meredith’s John Lloyd Branson series will go down as one of my all-time favourites.
Each book starts with a crime, and the police officer who is on call to report it. In each instance that officer is Sergeant Larry Jenner of the Amarillo traffic police. Jenner is in his early thirties and happy to coast along as a traffic cop. But Ed Schroder, detective for the Special Crimes Unit, envisions great things for Sergeant Jenner... and in the first book Schroder takes the young cop under his wing (whether Jenner likes it or not.)
Meanwhile, in Canadian, twenty-four year old law student Lydia Fairchild is meeting John Lloyd Branson for the first time. Lydia has been assigned to understudy with the brilliant attorney on recommendation of her University Dean, but John Lloyd is not what Lydia expected. For one thing, John Lloyd is a southern gentlemen bordering on chauvinistic. He dresses like a riverboat gambler and his office is harks back to the Victorian era (though he’s 38 years-old). John Lloyd pushes all of Lydia’s buttons, and within a few minutes of meeting him she finds herself threatening to commit bodily harm on his person and cursing like a sailor... but John Lloyd seems to think theirs is a perfect partnership.
The mystery in each book varies greatly but with two consistencies; the first is that the murder is always the precipitating circumstance to bring all the characters together. The other constant is that each murder occurs in the Texas Panhandle; Schroder and Branson’s jurisdiction. Branson and Schroder investigate everything from prostitutes being killed by a Ripper serial killer, to a nasty divorce settlement that may have ended in poisoning. Branson investigates for his defence of the accused, while Schroder works to build the DA’s case.
Each book is a murder mystery, character exploration and family drama all rolled into one.
Branson and Schroder are the heavy-weights in their respective fields, and between them they leave no stone unturned. Character history is unravelled, eye-witnesses coaxed, last hours are played out and alternate suspects are sniffed out. In each book DR Meredith constructs a ‘whodunit’ mystery that is meticulous and brain-teasing. And there’s nothing in the technical crime-solving to hint that these novel’s were written in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Apart from a lack of mobile phones or mention of the Internet, there’s still forensic analysis and computer lab technology to placate crime-fiction connoisseurs.
I loved the narrative perspectives in each novel. Our two primary narrators are Lydia Fairchild and Sergeant Jenner. These two are navigating new partnerships with the ‘old-timers’ in their respective fields. For Jenner, he is partnered with Detective Schroder and unwittingly taken under the older policeman’s wing and taught how to defend the innocent and find the guilty party. Lydia Fairchild is likewise partnered with the best attorney in Texas (though to ask John Lloyd, he would say ‘the world’). Lydia is in her last year of law school and about to enter the courtroom arena, from John Lloyd she is learning about how to question witnesses, keep the police at a distance and uncover the truth away from prying eyes. I loved the contrast of old/new, up-and-coming versus old dogs. Just as Jenner and Fairchild are trying to figure out how their mentors tick, readers are likewise trying to keep up with these teachers.
But the absolute stand-out star of each novel (and the series overall) is without a doubt John Lloyd Branson. He’s a little bit of every witty curmudgeon, snobby intelligentsia and antihero hero that we love. I would liken him to Gregory House, Alan Shore and Sherlock Holmes... but with his own distinct style. He wears three-piece suits, boleros and Stetsons. He is a Southern gentleman through and through, but with a cut-throat sensibility. He doesn’t use contractions, and he prides himself on his manners. He is brilliant. And the best thing about John Lloyd Branson is that he is entirely believable. He opens his mouth and can cut a man down at twenty paces. He is *that* intellectually intimidating and sure of himself. But John Lloyd is only a man in his early thirties, and that comes across. John Lloyd has so much passion and fire, especially for the law and his role as an attorney, and when he talks about his responsibilities you know this is a man for whom the law is life, and his appreciation is infectious...
“You make it sound like a game, John Lloyd,” Lydia protested.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel and she suddenly noticed how strong his hands looked. He could wield a sword or a lance. And be totally merciless.
“What are games but life reduced to symbolic rituals? Trials are a symbolic re-enactment of the ancient practice of settling disputes by armed combat. Attorneys are champions chosen by each side to represent them on the field. We use statutes and case law rather than crude weapons, but we must use them just as skilfully. But my skill is useless if I cannot counter the thrust of my opponent’s sword because my limbs are bound and I lack freedom of movement.”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
John Lloyd’s believable brilliance is not just in how other characters react to him either. It’s not a case of Schroder *saying* John Lloyd is clever and witty. It’s more a case of DR Meredith writing brilliantly acerbic dialogue for John Lloyd and perfecting his Southerly mannerisms. Still, it is hilarious to read character’s reactions to John Lloyd, and I think Schroder’s summary of his attorney reputation says it best;
“... you can figure we’ve caught the client with a smoking gun in his hand with his fingerprints on it, forty eyewitnesses, and video tapes taken by a passing TV cameraman. Not that it does us any good. John Lloyd Brandon will either prove the victim was stabbed, not shot, that the eyewitnesses were all legally blind, or that the video tape had been tampered with...”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
Schroder and Branson have a wonderful dynamic. Schroder is perhaps the most mysterious character in the series, even more so than John Lloyd Branson. But we learn the most about Schroder’s character through his interactions with Branson. These two cowboys have been competing at the same rodeo for a few years now, and it shows. Every meeting between them feels like a cock fight and there’s lots of history, plenty of grudge but all tempered with a healthy dose of respect. Neither will admit it in front of the other, but spoken to Jenner and Fairchild we learn that Branson and Schroder acknowledge each other as being the best. These two push each other, compete with one another and have ended up being better for the competition.
Each novel is a murder-mystery of Machiavellian proportions, beautifully executed by DR Meredith’s talented pen. Whether John Lloyd Branson is posing as a sword-wielding pimp to uncover a serial murderer or Schroder is trying to get to the bottom of a deadly dinosaur... the mystery in each novel is superb. But what I responded to most of all (and much to my surprise) was the romance woven throughout...
From the get-go there’s definite heat and spark between Lydia and John Lloyd. Theirs is a slow-burn romance, since John Lloyd seems wholly aware of Lydia’s developing crush on him and hell-bent on preventing it. John Lloyd has secrets and a romantic past that impinge on his feelings for Lydia, which throughout five novels he is desperate to ignore. But John Lloyd can’t deny his feelings for long, or discreetly. Other characters remark on John Lloyd and Lydia’s dynamic and clear affection. Lydia herself is very honest in her feelings, and ruthless in her seduction. And the romance is made even greater by the pair’s push-and-pull dynamic. They trade verbal barbs one minute, and in the next John Lloyd is crushing Lydia to his side. It’s all very rollercoaster, and heart-palpitating.
“It is very difficult to kiss you when you are talking. I feel as if I am aiming for a moving target.”
“What?”
“It is your intention to kiss me, is it not? Since that activity is most rewarding when both parties participate, I intend to kiss you, also. Our decision is unwise, unprofessional, dangerously reckless, and one we shall undoubetedly both regret, but it is necessary.”
“Why?” she asked. If this were a dream, it beat the hell out of sea and sand and buccaneers.
“Thanksgiving,” he whispered. “That you are alive.”
- ‘Murder by Masquerade’ John Lloyd Branson #3
This series is superb. It is a crime-fiction delicacy to be savoured for its melt in your mouth brilliance. Everything comes together perfectly; the whodunit, the heroes and villains and an intimidating but brilliant protagonist to cut your teeth on. DR Meredith’s John Lloyd Branson series will go down as one of my all-time favourites.
July 9, 2012
This is a review of all five books in the 'John Lloyd Branson' series
The John Lloyd Branson series, about an eccentric Texan attorney, was written by DR Meredith in 1988 and concluded with five books in 1993. This series was recommended to me by some crime-fiction aficionados on the Amazon discussion boards. Apparently the ‘John Lloyd Branson’ series is little-known, but hailed by the niche group of readers who live for all things crime-fiction. And I've got to say... I was impressed.
Each book starts with a crime, and the police officer who is on call to report it. In each instance that officer is Sergeant Larry Jenner of the Amarillo traffic police. Jenner is in his early thirties and happy to coast along as a traffic cop. But Ed Schroder, detective for the Special Crimes Unit, envisions great things for Sergeant Jenner... and in the first book Schroder takes the young cop under his wing (whether Jenner likes it or not.)
Meanwhile, in Canadian, twenty-four year old law student Lydia Fairchild is meeting John Lloyd Branson for the first time. Lydia has been assigned to understudy with the brilliant attorney on recommendation of her University Dean, but John Lloyd is not what Lydia expected. For one thing, John Lloyd is a southern gentlemen bordering on chauvinistic. He dresses like a riverboat gambler and his office is harks back to the Victorian era (though he’s 38 years-old). John Lloyd pushes all of Lydia’s buttons, and within a few minutes of meeting him she finds herself threatening to commit bodily harm on his person and cursing like a sailor... but John Lloyd seems to think theirs is a perfect partnership.
The mystery in each book varies greatly but with two consistencies; the first is that the murder is always the precipitating circumstance to bring all the characters together. The other constant is that each murder occurs in the Texas Panhandle; Schroder and Branson’s jurisdiction. Branson and Schroder investigate everything from prostitutes being killed by a Ripper serial killer, to a nasty divorce settlement that may have ended in poisoning. Branson investigates for his defence of the accused, while Schroder works to build the DA’s case.
Each book is a murder mystery, character exploration and family drama all rolled into one.
Branson and Schroder are the heavy-weights in their respective fields, and between them they leave no stone unturned. Character history is unravelled, eye-witnesses coaxed, last hours are played out and alternate suspects are sniffed out. In each book DR Meredith constructs a ‘whodunit’ mystery that is meticulous and brain-teasing. And there’s nothing in the technical crime-solving to hint that these novel’s were written in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Apart from a lack of mobile phones or mention of the Internet, there’s still forensic analysis and computer lab technology to placate crime-fiction connoisseurs.
I loved the narrative perspectives in each novel. Our two primary narrators are Lydia Fairchild and Sergeant Jenner. These two are navigating new partnerships with the ‘old-timers’ in their respective fields. For Jenner, he is partnered with Detective Schroder and unwittingly taken under the older policeman’s wing and taught how to defend the innocent and find the guilty party. Lydia Fairchild is likewise partnered with the best attorney in Texas (though to ask John Lloyd, he would say ‘the world’). Lydia is in her last year of law school and about to enter the courtroom arena, from John Lloyd she is learning about how to question witnesses, keep the police at a distance and uncover the truth away from prying eyes. I loved the contrast of old/new, up-and-coming versus old dogs. Just as Jenner and Fairchild are trying to figure out how their mentors tick, readers are likewise trying to keep up with these teachers.
But the absolute stand-out star of each novel (and the series overall) is without a doubt John Lloyd Branson. He’s a little bit of every witty curmudgeon, snobby intelligentsia and antihero hero that we love. I would liken him to Gregory House, Alan Shore and Sherlock Holmes... but with his own distinct style. He wears three-piece suits, boleros and Stetsons. He is a Southern gentleman through and through, but with a cut-throat sensibility. He doesn’t use contractions, and he prides himself on his manners. He is brilliant. And the best thing about John Lloyd Branson is that he is entirely believable. He opens his mouth and can cut a man down at twenty paces. He is *that* intellectually intimidating and sure of himself. But John Lloyd is only a man in his early thirties, and that comes across. John Lloyd has so much passion and fire, especially for the law and his role as an attorney, and when he talks about his responsibilities you know this is a man for whom the law is life, and his appreciation is infectious...
“You make it sound like a game, John Lloyd,” Lydia protested.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel and she suddenly noticed how strong his hands looked. He could wield a sword or a lance. And be totally merciless.
“What are games but life reduced to symbolic rituals? Trials are a symbolic re-enactment of the ancient practice of settling disputes by armed combat. Attorneys are champions chosen by each side to represent them on the field. We use statutes and case law rather than crude weapons, but we must use them just as skilfully. But my skill is useless if I cannot counter the thrust of my opponent’s sword because my limbs are bound and I lack freedom of movement.”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
John Lloyd’s believable brilliance is not just in how other characters react to him either. It’s not a case of Schroder *saying* John Lloyd is clever and witty. It’s more a case of DR Meredith writing brilliantly acerbic dialogue for John Lloyd and perfecting his Southerly mannerisms. Still, it is hilarious to read character’s reactions to John Lloyd, and I think Schroder’s summary of his attorney reputation says it best;
“... you can figure we’ve caught the client with a smoking gun in his hand with his fingerprints on it, forty eyewitnesses, and video tapes taken by a passing TV cameraman. Not that it does us any good. John Lloyd Brandon will either prove the victim was stabbed, not shot, that the eyewitnesses were all legally blind, or that the video tape had been tampered with...”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
Schroder and Branson have a wonderful dynamic. Schroder is perhaps the most mysterious character in the series, even more so than John Lloyd Branson. But we learn the most about Schroder’s character through his interactions with Branson. These two cowboys have been competing at the same rodeo for a few years now, and it shows. Every meeting between them feels like a cock fight and there’s lots of history, plenty of grudge but all tempered with a healthy dose of respect. Neither will admit it in front of the other, but spoken to Jenner and Fairchild we learn that Branson and Schroder acknowledge each other as being the best. These two push each other, compete with one another and have ended up being better for the competition.
Each novel is a murder-mystery of Machiavellian proportions, beautifully executed by DR Meredith’s talented pen. Whether John Lloyd Branson is posing as a sword-wielding pimp to uncover a serial murderer or Schroder is trying to get to the bottom of a deadly dinosaur... the mystery in each novel is superb. But what I responded to most of all (and much to my surprise) was the romance woven throughout...
From the get-go there’s definite heat and spark between Lydia and John Lloyd. Theirs is a slow-burn romance, since John Lloyd seems wholly aware of Lydia’s developing crush on him and hell-bent on preventing it. John Lloyd has secrets and a romantic past that impinge on his feelings for Lydia, which throughout five novels he is desperate to ignore. But John Lloyd can’t deny his feelings for long, or discreetly. Other characters remark on John Lloyd and Lydia’s dynamic and clear affection. Lydia herself is very honest in her feelings, and ruthless in her seduction. And the romance is made even greater by the pair’s push-and-pull dynamic. They trade verbal barbs one minute, and in the next John Lloyd is crushing Lydia to his side. It’s all very rollercoaster, and heart-palpitating.
“It is very difficult to kiss you when you are talking. I feel as if I am aiming for a moving target.”
“What?”
“It is your intention to kiss me, is it not? Since that activity is most rewarding when both parties participate, I intend to kiss you, also. Our decision is unwise, unprofessional, dangerously reckless, and one we shall undoubetedly both regret, but it is necessary.”
“Why?” she asked. If this were a dream, it beat the hell out of sea and sand and buccaneers.
“Thanksgiving,” he whispered. “That you are alive.”
- ‘Murder by Masquerade’ John Lloyd Branson #3
This series is superb. It is a crime-fiction delicacy to be savoured for its melt in your mouth brilliance. Everything comes together perfectly; the whodunit, the heroes and villains and an intimidating but brilliant protagonist to cut your teeth on. DR Meredith’s John Lloyd Branson series will go down as one of my all-time favourites.
The John Lloyd Branson series, about an eccentric Texan attorney, was written by DR Meredith in 1988 and concluded with five books in 1993. This series was recommended to me by some crime-fiction aficionados on the Amazon discussion boards. Apparently the ‘John Lloyd Branson’ series is little-known, but hailed by the niche group of readers who live for all things crime-fiction. And I've got to say... I was impressed.
Each book starts with a crime, and the police officer who is on call to report it. In each instance that officer is Sergeant Larry Jenner of the Amarillo traffic police. Jenner is in his early thirties and happy to coast along as a traffic cop. But Ed Schroder, detective for the Special Crimes Unit, envisions great things for Sergeant Jenner... and in the first book Schroder takes the young cop under his wing (whether Jenner likes it or not.)
Meanwhile, in Canadian, twenty-four year old law student Lydia Fairchild is meeting John Lloyd Branson for the first time. Lydia has been assigned to understudy with the brilliant attorney on recommendation of her University Dean, but John Lloyd is not what Lydia expected. For one thing, John Lloyd is a southern gentlemen bordering on chauvinistic. He dresses like a riverboat gambler and his office is harks back to the Victorian era (though he’s 38 years-old). John Lloyd pushes all of Lydia’s buttons, and within a few minutes of meeting him she finds herself threatening to commit bodily harm on his person and cursing like a sailor... but John Lloyd seems to think theirs is a perfect partnership.
The mystery in each book varies greatly but with two consistencies; the first is that the murder is always the precipitating circumstance to bring all the characters together. The other constant is that each murder occurs in the Texas Panhandle; Schroder and Branson’s jurisdiction. Branson and Schroder investigate everything from prostitutes being killed by a Ripper serial killer, to a nasty divorce settlement that may have ended in poisoning. Branson investigates for his defence of the accused, while Schroder works to build the DA’s case.
Each book is a murder mystery, character exploration and family drama all rolled into one.
Branson and Schroder are the heavy-weights in their respective fields, and between them they leave no stone unturned. Character history is unravelled, eye-witnesses coaxed, last hours are played out and alternate suspects are sniffed out. In each book DR Meredith constructs a ‘whodunit’ mystery that is meticulous and brain-teasing. And there’s nothing in the technical crime-solving to hint that these novel’s were written in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Apart from a lack of mobile phones or mention of the Internet, there’s still forensic analysis and computer lab technology to placate crime-fiction connoisseurs.
I loved the narrative perspectives in each novel. Our two primary narrators are Lydia Fairchild and Sergeant Jenner. These two are navigating new partnerships with the ‘old-timers’ in their respective fields. For Jenner, he is partnered with Detective Schroder and unwittingly taken under the older policeman’s wing and taught how to defend the innocent and find the guilty party. Lydia Fairchild is likewise partnered with the best attorney in Texas (though to ask John Lloyd, he would say ‘the world’). Lydia is in her last year of law school and about to enter the courtroom arena, from John Lloyd she is learning about how to question witnesses, keep the police at a distance and uncover the truth away from prying eyes. I loved the contrast of old/new, up-and-coming versus old dogs. Just as Jenner and Fairchild are trying to figure out how their mentors tick, readers are likewise trying to keep up with these teachers.
But the absolute stand-out star of each novel (and the series overall) is without a doubt John Lloyd Branson. He’s a little bit of every witty curmudgeon, snobby intelligentsia and antihero hero that we love. I would liken him to Gregory House, Alan Shore and Sherlock Holmes... but with his own distinct style. He wears three-piece suits, boleros and Stetsons. He is a Southern gentleman through and through, but with a cut-throat sensibility. He doesn’t use contractions, and he prides himself on his manners. He is brilliant. And the best thing about John Lloyd Branson is that he is entirely believable. He opens his mouth and can cut a man down at twenty paces. He is *that* intellectually intimidating and sure of himself. But John Lloyd is only a man in his early thirties, and that comes across. John Lloyd has so much passion and fire, especially for the law and his role as an attorney, and when he talks about his responsibilities you know this is a man for whom the law is life, and his appreciation is infectious...
“You make it sound like a game, John Lloyd,” Lydia protested.
His hands tightened on the steering wheel and she suddenly noticed how strong his hands looked. He could wield a sword or a lance. And be totally merciless.
“What are games but life reduced to symbolic rituals? Trials are a symbolic re-enactment of the ancient practice of settling disputes by armed combat. Attorneys are champions chosen by each side to represent them on the field. We use statutes and case law rather than crude weapons, but we must use them just as skilfully. But my skill is useless if I cannot counter the thrust of my opponent’s sword because my limbs are bound and I lack freedom of movement.”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
John Lloyd’s believable brilliance is not just in how other characters react to him either. It’s not a case of Schroder *saying* John Lloyd is clever and witty. It’s more a case of DR Meredith writing brilliantly acerbic dialogue for John Lloyd and perfecting his Southerly mannerisms. Still, it is hilarious to read character’s reactions to John Lloyd, and I think Schroder’s summary of his attorney reputation says it best;
“... you can figure we’ve caught the client with a smoking gun in his hand with his fingerprints on it, forty eyewitnesses, and video tapes taken by a passing TV cameraman. Not that it does us any good. John Lloyd Brandon will either prove the victim was stabbed, not shot, that the eyewitnesses were all legally blind, or that the video tape had been tampered with...”
- ‘Murder by Impulse’ John Lloyd Branson #1
Schroder and Branson have a wonderful dynamic. Schroder is perhaps the most mysterious character in the series, even more so than John Lloyd Branson. But we learn the most about Schroder’s character through his interactions with Branson. These two cowboys have been competing at the same rodeo for a few years now, and it shows. Every meeting between them feels like a cock fight and there’s lots of history, plenty of grudge but all tempered with a healthy dose of respect. Neither will admit it in front of the other, but spoken to Jenner and Fairchild we learn that Branson and Schroder acknowledge each other as being the best. These two push each other, compete with one another and have ended up being better for the competition.
Each novel is a murder-mystery of Machiavellian proportions, beautifully executed by DR Meredith’s talented pen. Whether John Lloyd Branson is posing as a sword-wielding pimp to uncover a serial murderer or Schroder is trying to get to the bottom of a deadly dinosaur... the mystery in each novel is superb. But what I responded to most of all (and much to my surprise) was the romance woven throughout...
From the get-go there’s definite heat and spark between Lydia and John Lloyd. Theirs is a slow-burn romance, since John Lloyd seems wholly aware of Lydia’s developing crush on him and hell-bent on preventing it. John Lloyd has secrets and a romantic past that impinge on his feelings for Lydia, which throughout five novels he is desperate to ignore. But John Lloyd can’t deny his feelings for long, or discreetly. Other characters remark on John Lloyd and Lydia’s dynamic and clear affection. Lydia herself is very honest in her feelings, and ruthless in her seduction. And the romance is made even greater by the pair’s push-and-pull dynamic. They trade verbal barbs one minute, and in the next John Lloyd is crushing Lydia to his side. It’s all very rollercoaster, and heart-palpitating.
“It is very difficult to kiss you when you are talking. I feel as if I am aiming for a moving target.”
“What?”
“It is your intention to kiss me, is it not? Since that activity is most rewarding when both parties participate, I intend to kiss you, also. Our decision is unwise, unprofessional, dangerously reckless, and one we shall undoubetedly both regret, but it is necessary.”
“Why?” she asked. If this were a dream, it beat the hell out of sea and sand and buccaneers.
“Thanksgiving,” he whispered. “That you are alive.”
- ‘Murder by Masquerade’ John Lloyd Branson #3
This series is superb. It is a crime-fiction delicacy to be savoured for its melt in your mouth brilliance. Everything comes together perfectly; the whodunit, the heroes and villains and an intimidating but brilliant protagonist to cut your teeth on. DR Meredith’s John Lloyd Branson series will go down as one of my all-time favourites.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2017
‘Sarah Jane – the “sprit of the museum”
Texas author D.R. Meredith who has gained her solid reputation as a mystery and romance novelist through her many novels and also through her participation in writers’ conferences and seminars at The Governor’s Sesquicentennial Conference on Literary Arts at the University of North Texas, Emporia State University, Rice University, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, West Texas State A& M University, as well as speaking on panels with Western Writers of America, Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, and Romance Writers of America. She is a member of Western Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and The American Crime Writers League, and from her home in Amarillo, Texas she continues to pen mystery series set in the Texas Panhandle and elsewhere. Meredith is the book review editor for ROUNDUP MAGAZINE. Impressive!
A factor that enhances the reading experience is a note from the author at a book’s opening, offering some background for the stimuli that blossoms into a story. Meredith agrees and states, ‘To those curious souls who may visit the Panhandle-Plains Museum in Canyon, Texas, expecting to find it as I described it in Murder by Reference will be disappointed. Pioneer Town is still there, but has been updated, renovated, otherwise changed from what it was when I wrote of John Lloyd's and Lydia's adventures. Sarah Jane is real if you choose to believe the stories that have floated about through the years, unacknowledged by university and museum personnel. If you don't believe in ghosts, consider suspending your disbelief at least while reading the book. Like John Lloyd, Sarah Jane exists only if you believe in her. The stacks were at the time I wrote the book exactly as I described. When I toured that area with the museum director at that time, two mannequins loomed out of the darkness and scared the very devil out of both of us. I couldn't resist using the episode. There really was a room lost during the various renovations to the museum over the years. A staff member who had worked there for several years showed it to me. I doubt any of the present staff know of its existence--if it does still exist.’ Curiosities stimulated well and the story begins.
For those for whom this is the first exposure to Meredith’s John Lloyd Mysteries, follow the synopsis - John Lloyd Branson, reputed to be the best criminal defense attorney Texas. In his formal three-piece suits, cowboy boots, Phi Beta Kappa key, he is certainly the most eccentric. He is assisted by his legal clerk, Lydia Fairchild. ‘In a variation of the classic locked room mystery, Attorney John Lloyd Branson and his beautiful, trusted, but often impetuous legal assistant, Lydia Fairchild scare up ghosts from the past and rattle family skeletons as they try to discover who murdered the young museum curator. It's no Halloween trick when Brad Hemphill materializes in a locked museum at midnight, the main feature in a prehistoric display. Who among the museum staff would kill the harmless, mild-mannered young curator, and why? What deadly secret did Hemphill know that made him a target for murder?’
A very strange murder that unravels into a story that maintains the readers attention to the last page. Meredith writes in the quality of the best of mystery writers. Once she seduces you into her novel she holds you captive. Strong work!
Texas author D.R. Meredith who has gained her solid reputation as a mystery and romance novelist through her many novels and also through her participation in writers’ conferences and seminars at The Governor’s Sesquicentennial Conference on Literary Arts at the University of North Texas, Emporia State University, Rice University, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, West Texas State A& M University, as well as speaking on panels with Western Writers of America, Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, and Romance Writers of America. She is a member of Western Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and The American Crime Writers League, and from her home in Amarillo, Texas she continues to pen mystery series set in the Texas Panhandle and elsewhere. Meredith is the book review editor for ROUNDUP MAGAZINE. Impressive!
A factor that enhances the reading experience is a note from the author at a book’s opening, offering some background for the stimuli that blossoms into a story. Meredith agrees and states, ‘To those curious souls who may visit the Panhandle-Plains Museum in Canyon, Texas, expecting to find it as I described it in Murder by Reference will be disappointed. Pioneer Town is still there, but has been updated, renovated, otherwise changed from what it was when I wrote of John Lloyd's and Lydia's adventures. Sarah Jane is real if you choose to believe the stories that have floated about through the years, unacknowledged by university and museum personnel. If you don't believe in ghosts, consider suspending your disbelief at least while reading the book. Like John Lloyd, Sarah Jane exists only if you believe in her. The stacks were at the time I wrote the book exactly as I described. When I toured that area with the museum director at that time, two mannequins loomed out of the darkness and scared the very devil out of both of us. I couldn't resist using the episode. There really was a room lost during the various renovations to the museum over the years. A staff member who had worked there for several years showed it to me. I doubt any of the present staff know of its existence--if it does still exist.’ Curiosities stimulated well and the story begins.
For those for whom this is the first exposure to Meredith’s John Lloyd Mysteries, follow the synopsis - John Lloyd Branson, reputed to be the best criminal defense attorney Texas. In his formal three-piece suits, cowboy boots, Phi Beta Kappa key, he is certainly the most eccentric. He is assisted by his legal clerk, Lydia Fairchild. ‘In a variation of the classic locked room mystery, Attorney John Lloyd Branson and his beautiful, trusted, but often impetuous legal assistant, Lydia Fairchild scare up ghosts from the past and rattle family skeletons as they try to discover who murdered the young museum curator. It's no Halloween trick when Brad Hemphill materializes in a locked museum at midnight, the main feature in a prehistoric display. Who among the museum staff would kill the harmless, mild-mannered young curator, and why? What deadly secret did Hemphill know that made him a target for murder?’
A very strange murder that unravels into a story that maintains the readers attention to the last page. Meredith writes in the quality of the best of mystery writers. Once she seduces you into her novel she holds you captive. Strong work!
March 15, 2017
D.R. Meredith’s “Murder by Reference” is an addition to the John Lloyd Mysteries series. This particular mystery is set up around the murder of a young museum curator at the historic Panhandle-Plains Museum in Canyon, Texas. I must say that the bits about the museum itself and its history were intriguing and made me really want to go check it out, but sadly, as the author states in the very beginning of the book, parts of the museum that she writes about specifically in the book are no longer the same, due to updates, renovations, and just the sad march of the changes brought about by time passing. I also found it truly sad that the museum that once was so well known for allowing anyone in, no matter how much they were able to pay, no longer functions that way, even though I do understand the financial realities that may have led to that decision.
With all that aside, the book itself is a good read. The writing is well done, the characters are unique, and the plot is constructed well with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing as you try to figure out the mystery.
With all that aside, the book itself is a good read. The writing is well done, the characters are unique, and the plot is constructed well with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing as you try to figure out the mystery.
March 14, 2017
Murder by Reference (The John Lloyd Mysteries) by D.R. Meredith is another entry into the author's successful series. Meredith comes with an impressive writing background that includes, joining in writers’ conferences and seminars at The Governor’s Sesquicentennial Conference on Literary Arts at the University of North Texas, Emporia State University, Rice University, University of Texas at Dallas, among others; as well as speaking on panels with Western Writers of America, Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, and Romance Writers of America. She is a member of Western Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and The American Crime Writers League. From her home in Amarillo, TX she writes mystery series' that take place in the Texas panhandle along with other settings. With that wealth of experience she has written a light yet compelling book with a murder mystery that starts on the first few pages. John Lloyd along with his impetuous assistant, Lydia Fairchild, must figure out who murdered the unassuming curator of the Plains Historical Museum, Brad Hemphill. The writing is succinct, clear and light, pulling the reader in so much that many will want to read the rest of the books in this series. Highly recommend.
June 4, 2022
2 1/2 stars. I liked the eccentric museum staff but Branson, the "perfect" attorney, is somewhat of a caricature. I also don't really like the relationship between Branson and his legal assistant. It is far too predictable. But there are plenty of twists in the story.
November 3, 2008
MURDER BY REFERENCE - Good
Meredith, D.R. - 4th John Lloyd Branson
It's no Halloween trick when mild-mannered Brad Hemphill, curator of the Texas Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, materializes in a museum display in the dead of night. While local legend says the museum is haunted by the spirit of an old pioneer woman, only a human hand could have swung the blunt object that cracked the curator's skull.
It was rather light, but enjoyable and had interesting characters. I would consider reading others by Meredith.
Meredith, D.R. - 4th John Lloyd Branson
It's no Halloween trick when mild-mannered Brad Hemphill, curator of the Texas Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, materializes in a museum display in the dead of night. While local legend says the museum is haunted by the spirit of an old pioneer woman, only a human hand could have swung the blunt object that cracked the curator's skull.
It was rather light, but enjoyable and had interesting characters. I would consider reading others by Meredith.
October 22, 2025
A "locked room" mystery, who killed the museum curator and put him on top of a dinosaur?
What I enjoyed most:
* Continuity - Lydia is having issues after the end of the last book
* A great mystery
* John Lloyd and Lydia's developing relationship
* Jenner's suffering at working murders instead of traffic
*
What I enjoyed most:
* Continuity - Lydia is having issues after the end of the last book
* A great mystery
* John Lloyd and Lydia's developing relationship
* Jenner's suffering at working murders instead of traffic
*
September 14, 2012
Another great John Lloyd book!
Read
January 18, 2015I will not finish this book. I just don't care.
March 27, 2017
John Lloyd and his assistant, Lydia Fairchild start working together in a very
strange murder, and they start looking for answers, why the victim was killed? If
he was so peaceful and good, who kill him? Is there a purpose for it?
This book is fun from start to end, there is a murder and there is mystery
everywhere you look (or read) but the chemistry between John and Lydia is
remarkable, and the language used in certain circumstances is so believable, a
curator was murdered, what concern everyone is that the victim was so young,
and it was such a nice person, or so they say…
The moral of the story goes to show that no matter how many people perceive
you as ‘good’ and claims you’re good, there will always be others who look
through that and reveals your true intentions, no one is all good in this world, no
matter your work, or words, shadows are always cast.
strange murder, and they start looking for answers, why the victim was killed? If
he was so peaceful and good, who kill him? Is there a purpose for it?
This book is fun from start to end, there is a murder and there is mystery
everywhere you look (or read) but the chemistry between John and Lydia is
remarkable, and the language used in certain circumstances is so believable, a
curator was murdered, what concern everyone is that the victim was so young,
and it was such a nice person, or so they say…
The moral of the story goes to show that no matter how many people perceive
you as ‘good’ and claims you’re good, there will always be others who look
through that and reveals your true intentions, no one is all good in this world, no
matter your work, or words, shadows are always cast.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews