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A Very English Mystery #1
A Man of Some Repute
Truth is rarely pure and never simple… Selchester Castle in 1953 sits quiet and near-empty, its corridors echoing with glories of the past. Or so it seems to intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth, wounded on a secret mission and now reluctantly assuming an altogether less perilous role at Selchester. The Castle’s faded grandeur hides a web of secrets and scandals―the Earl has been missing for seven years, lost without a trace since the night he left his guests and walked out into a blizzard. When a skeleton is uncovered beneath the flagstones of the Old Chapel, the police produce a suspect and declare the case closed. Hugo is not convinced. With the help of the spirited Freya Wryton, the Earl’s niece, he is drawn back into active service, and the ancient town of Selchester is dragged into the intrigues and conspiracies of the Cold War era. With a touch of Downton Abbey , a whisper of Agatha Christie and a nod to Le Carré, A Man of Some Repute is the first book in this delightfully classic and witty murder mystery series.
293 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2015
1303 people are currently reading
5920 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Edmondson
40 books351 followersBorn in Chile, and educated in Calcutta and London before going to Oxford University, Elizabeth Edmondson divided her time between the countryside north of Rome and the spires of Oxford. She was married to an art historian and had two children.
In Edmondson's words: "I write historical mysteries about love, marriage families and friendship, where the loyalties, feuds, secrets and betrayals of the past cast long shadows. I’m fascinated by characters who are quirky, mysterious, funny, unexpected and interesting and I want readers to share, as I do, in their joys and sorrows.
"My books are set in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties, at home and abroad. With dramatic and glamorous settings from icy lakes to Italian villas, from wintry Budapest to fashionable France, the landscapes are as powerful as the stories are complex. The tense realities of life mingle with supernatural elements : ghosts, prophetic dreams and voices from the past, but fun and humour also dance in and out of the light and darkness of the stories.
"My aim is to enthrall, delight and amuse readers as they are transported to a different era."
In Edmondson's words: "I write historical mysteries about love, marriage families and friendship, where the loyalties, feuds, secrets and betrayals of the past cast long shadows. I’m fascinated by characters who are quirky, mysterious, funny, unexpected and interesting and I want readers to share, as I do, in their joys and sorrows.
"My books are set in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties, at home and abroad. With dramatic and glamorous settings from icy lakes to Italian villas, from wintry Budapest to fashionable France, the landscapes are as powerful as the stories are complex. The tense realities of life mingle with supernatural elements : ghosts, prophetic dreams and voices from the past, but fun and humour also dance in and out of the light and darkness of the stories.
"My aim is to enthrall, delight and amuse readers as they are transported to a different era."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 726 reviews
October 10, 2015
Take one part Josephine Tey’s Allen Grant and one part Agatha Christie’s Tommy Beresford, then add a soupçon of G.M. Malliet’s Max Tudor, and you’d have author Elizabeth Edmondson’s A Man of Some Repute, the debut novel in what promises to be a delectable historical mystery series.
It’s 1953, and the mysterious Hugo Hawksworth arrives in the quiet English village of Selchester with his lively 13-year-old sister Georgia in tow. He’s supposed to be a statistician at Thorn Hall, but the entire village knows that he — like everyone else who works for Sir Bernard at The Hall — is actually Special Branch or something near enough.
In early 1947, Lord Selchester disappeared from his home, Selchester Castle, during a raging blizzard; his pretty, selfish daughter Lady Sonia Richmond has been counting down the time until she can have him declared legally dead and sell the old pile. She’s spared the trouble when her father’s bones turn up in the castle’s chapel. That re-opens the case, and Inspector MacLeod, who led the initial investigation, returns. He and Hawksworth combine forces to determine who did the old peer in. Edmondson does yeoman’s work crafting an intriguing mystery with suspects galore and a Golden Age of mystery sensibility that’s an homage rather than a cliché. Indeed, Edmondson has perfectly captured the atmosphere and dialogue evocative of the English 1950s, when rationing still held sway but the country was restless for something new and better. Further, Edmondson infuses the novel with plenty of intrigue and suspense.
If Hugo’s playing Tommy Beresford, then the role of Tuppence goes to Freya Wryton, Lord Selchester’s free-spirited niece. It’s no spoiler to say Hugo and Freya are likely to get together before this series gets too old. I loved A Man of Some Repute, and I can’t wait to devour the sequel, A Question of Inheritance.
A Man of Some Repute’s Hugo Hawksworth put me in mind of Max Tutor; in addition to the two of them having spy connections, the audiobooks for both are read by the magnificent Michael Page, who brings his great talent to bringing both Hugo’s Selchester And Max’s Nether Monkslip to life.
It’s 1953, and the mysterious Hugo Hawksworth arrives in the quiet English village of Selchester with his lively 13-year-old sister Georgia in tow. He’s supposed to be a statistician at Thorn Hall, but the entire village knows that he — like everyone else who works for Sir Bernard at The Hall — is actually Special Branch or something near enough.
In early 1947, Lord Selchester disappeared from his home, Selchester Castle, during a raging blizzard; his pretty, selfish daughter Lady Sonia Richmond has been counting down the time until she can have him declared legally dead and sell the old pile. She’s spared the trouble when her father’s bones turn up in the castle’s chapel. That re-opens the case, and Inspector MacLeod, who led the initial investigation, returns. He and Hawksworth combine forces to determine who did the old peer in. Edmondson does yeoman’s work crafting an intriguing mystery with suspects galore and a Golden Age of mystery sensibility that’s an homage rather than a cliché. Indeed, Edmondson has perfectly captured the atmosphere and dialogue evocative of the English 1950s, when rationing still held sway but the country was restless for something new and better. Further, Edmondson infuses the novel with plenty of intrigue and suspense.
If Hugo’s playing Tommy Beresford, then the role of Tuppence goes to Freya Wryton, Lord Selchester’s free-spirited niece. It’s no spoiler to say Hugo and Freya are likely to get together before this series gets too old. I loved A Man of Some Repute, and I can’t wait to devour the sequel, A Question of Inheritance.
A Man of Some Repute’s Hugo Hawksworth put me in mind of Max Tutor; in addition to the two of them having spy connections, the audiobooks for both are read by the magnificent Michael Page, who brings his great talent to bringing both Hugo’s Selchester And Max’s Nether Monkslip to life.
July 25, 2015
I was actually seduced by the cover, which made it look like something that would suit my mood -- which it did, so, good accurate cover design, somebody.
I enjoyed it, reading it in one long evening on my Kindle, but the writing wasn't exactly Dorothy Sayers-level. The author wrangled a large cast of characters through the use of third-person multiple viewpoint, but her net went more wide than deep. I wanted more interiority, more interesting thoughts and opinions, more telling detail. I'd call the prose, hm, workmanlike? It got the job done, and was perhaps appropriate for all those stiff-upper-lip Brits in the cast, but was short on lagniappe. Ending felt contrived to make a messy situation go away without our heroes having to do anything morally questionable to make it do so.
It is rather strange to see times within my own lifetime (though just barely, in this instance) now treated as grist for historical fiction.
Ta, L.
I enjoyed it, reading it in one long evening on my Kindle, but the writing wasn't exactly Dorothy Sayers-level. The author wrangled a large cast of characters through the use of third-person multiple viewpoint, but her net went more wide than deep. I wanted more interiority, more interesting thoughts and opinions, more telling detail. I'd call the prose, hm, workmanlike? It got the job done, and was perhaps appropriate for all those stiff-upper-lip Brits in the cast, but was short on lagniappe. Ending felt contrived to make a messy situation go away without our heroes having to do anything morally questionable to make it do so.
It is rather strange to see times within my own lifetime (though just barely, in this instance) now treated as grist for historical fiction.
Ta, L.
January 19, 2016
Written December 14, 2015
3 1/2 Stars - A oldish told (countryside "cold war" feeling) mystery I truly enjoyed
A modern 1950:s (non romance) mystery
I really liked every minute of this 8:30 hours audiobook perfectly good and for this style suitable narration by Michael Page. Not stunning impressive great maybe but a fairly good whodunnit mystery tale. All set in an still charming oldish after WWII England that I fancy so much.
**********************************************
Earl Selchester, at Selchester Castle, has been missing for seven years. He went out and left his guests in the evening a winter blizzard night 1947. He is since then lost without a trace.
**********************************************
A limping former spy hero and a nosy and curious teenage sister moving from London to the middle of nowhere in the English noble soil can't but be interesting reading entertainment.
Our hero here, a former brave intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth, nowadays poorly wounded in a leg on a secret mission, and his fun and cheerful 13-year-old sister Georgia arrives to (the by now more or less empty) Selchester Castle in 1953. Hugo is supposed to work as a statistician at Thorn Hall and his younger (motherless) sister to study in the local highschool. Their lodgings will to start be in some rooms in the old big castle.
Daily working and / or living in the castle these days are only Freya Wryton, the missing Lord's free-spirited niece who is living there to write a book about the old Selchester family, the gossipy housekeeper Mrs Partridge, and Ben a former stable and chauffeur worker.
Already the second day is a skeleton discovered and uncovered beneath the flagstones of the castles OldChapel. Is it the since 7 years missing Earl?
*********************************************
This was good for me....
I got enough characters to suspect to stir it in my brain. The case was not resolved and clarified until the absolute end. There was even some (unexpected) fast-paced action. Not even one little kiss (or thought of it) but very fun anyway.
For all us lovers of small countryside villages, chilly old castles, pubs, housekeepers, village gossip, Tom, Dick and Harry and still some old-time noble ladies and gentlemen. A Man of Some Repute is just the kind of novel that are so very good for my lighthearted soul and tired brain (in between work, Christmas shopping and some grand romantic smexy hot romances) these days. More please!
Looking forward to Elizabeth Edmondson's next part, serial-book #2 and a new case in A Question of Inheritance.
**********************************************
I LIKE - nice and light crime solving
3 1/2 Stars - A oldish told (countryside "cold war" feeling) mystery I truly enjoyed
A modern 1950:s (non romance) mystery
I really liked every minute of this 8:30 hours audiobook perfectly good and for this style suitable narration by Michael Page. Not stunning impressive great maybe but a fairly good whodunnit mystery tale. All set in an still charming oldish after WWII England that I fancy so much.
**********************************************
Earl Selchester, at Selchester Castle, has been missing for seven years. He went out and left his guests in the evening a winter blizzard night 1947. He is since then lost without a trace.
**********************************************
A limping former spy hero and a nosy and curious teenage sister moving from London to the middle of nowhere in the English noble soil can't but be interesting reading entertainment.
Our hero here, a former brave intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth, nowadays poorly wounded in a leg on a secret mission, and his fun and cheerful 13-year-old sister Georgia arrives to (the by now more or less empty) Selchester Castle in 1953. Hugo is supposed to work as a statistician at Thorn Hall and his younger (motherless) sister to study in the local highschool. Their lodgings will to start be in some rooms in the old big castle.
Daily working and / or living in the castle these days are only Freya Wryton, the missing Lord's free-spirited niece who is living there to write a book about the old Selchester family, the gossipy housekeeper Mrs Partridge, and Ben a former stable and chauffeur worker.
. . . . .
“Guilt is nothing but a moral tale to confuse people who are too stupid to see the consequences of their actions.”
Already the second day is a skeleton discovered and uncovered beneath the flagstones of the castles OldChapel. Is it the since 7 years missing Earl?
*********************************************
This was good for me....
I got enough characters to suspect to stir it in my brain. The case was not resolved and clarified until the absolute end. There was even some (unexpected) fast-paced action. Not even one little kiss (or thought of it) but very fun anyway.
For all us lovers of small countryside villages, chilly old castles, pubs, housekeepers, village gossip, Tom, Dick and Harry and still some old-time noble ladies and gentlemen. A Man of Some Repute is just the kind of novel that are so very good for my lighthearted soul and tired brain (in between work, Christmas shopping and some grand romantic smexy hot romances) these days. More please!
Looking forward to Elizabeth Edmondson's next part, serial-book #2 and a new case in A Question of Inheritance.
**********************************************
I LIKE - nice and light crime solving
January 9, 2016
'"What do you mean when you say I'm looking in the wrong place?"....."You're like the man who lost his key. When asked why he was looking in that particular spot for it and was he sure he'd dropped it there, he said, no, he hadn't dropped it there, but that was where the light was. You're looking under the light, and you need to investigate the shadows. Begin with the victim.....There has to be something in his character or his actions or his life that led to his becoming a murder victim."'
3 1/2 stars for this delightful and very well written English murder mystery set in 1953 at Selchester Castle.
Things are not as they were before the war. Lord Selchester disappeared one night following a dinner party at his abode. He is presumed to have wandered outside into the blizzard and perished, although no body has ever been recovered.
Soon he will be able to be declared legally dead, and daughter Sonia will be able to sell the crumbling pile to a luxury hotel chain.
Freya Wryton, the missing Earl's niece, is in residence at the castle, writing a family history. She is less than pleased when the trustees foist upon her Hugo Hawkesworth and his younger sister.
While fixing a plumbing leak under the flagstones of the old chapel, a body is discovered, starting a chain reaction where more than one skeleton comes out of the closet.
This enjoyable tale meanders along in no great hurry to get anywhere, but at the same time manages to cover a great deal of ground including espionage and blackmail.
The characters are well portrayed and interesting and as the book progresses we learn a lot about what has made them into the people they are.
This is apparently the first in a series and I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Edmondson.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the gift of a copy of A Man of Some repute in exchange for an honest review.
3 1/2 stars for this delightful and very well written English murder mystery set in 1953 at Selchester Castle.
Things are not as they were before the war. Lord Selchester disappeared one night following a dinner party at his abode. He is presumed to have wandered outside into the blizzard and perished, although no body has ever been recovered.
Soon he will be able to be declared legally dead, and daughter Sonia will be able to sell the crumbling pile to a luxury hotel chain.
Freya Wryton, the missing Earl's niece, is in residence at the castle, writing a family history. She is less than pleased when the trustees foist upon her Hugo Hawkesworth and his younger sister.
While fixing a plumbing leak under the flagstones of the old chapel, a body is discovered, starting a chain reaction where more than one skeleton comes out of the closet.
This enjoyable tale meanders along in no great hurry to get anywhere, but at the same time manages to cover a great deal of ground including espionage and blackmail.
The characters are well portrayed and interesting and as the book progresses we learn a lot about what has made them into the people they are.
This is apparently the first in a series and I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Edmondson.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the gift of a copy of A Man of Some repute in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2019
Um agradável romance recheado de mistérios e suspense, numa típica vila rural inglesa. A descrição dos costumes da época ajudam a criar o ambiente. Gostei!
June 11, 2017
I absolutely adored this atmospheric, unique, mystery. Set in Post WW2 Britain is has a missing Earl, spies and blackmail. When Hugo Hawksworth, a benched due to injury, secret agent is sent to the Hall, nominally a statistics office near Selchester he is lodged at the Castle. Selchester Castle has been mostly empty since the disappearance of the 17th Earl in 1947; only a housekeeper, a chauffeur turned groom and a family member Freya Wryton who is ostensibly writing a family history.
When Hawksworth arrives with his stick, he has a bad leg, and his orphaned 13 year old sister Georgia; he has no idea he will be working to solve a cold case. Everyone in the castle and in the surrounding town are on tenterhooks as that the Earl's disappearance is almost 7 years old and as soon he is declared legally dead his heir, Lady Sonia, plans to sell the castle to a hotel chain.
Every character, large and small, is wonderfully described and developed. You absolutely feel like you are walking the lanes, and creepy corridors. You'll want to stop into the Daffodil Tea room for a cuppa and a cake and some local gossip.
When Hawksworth arrives with his stick, he has a bad leg, and his orphaned 13 year old sister Georgia; he has no idea he will be working to solve a cold case. Everyone in the castle and in the surrounding town are on tenterhooks as that the Earl's disappearance is almost 7 years old and as soon he is declared legally dead his heir, Lady Sonia, plans to sell the castle to a hotel chain.
Every character, large and small, is wonderfully described and developed. You absolutely feel like you are walking the lanes, and creepy corridors. You'll want to stop into the Daffodil Tea room for a cuppa and a cake and some local gossip.
Read
August 22, 2023Escrevo aquilo a que gosto de chamar Mistérios Vintage, uma vez que se passam nos anos trinta, quarenta e cinquenta do século XX. São histórias de amor e de casamentos, familias amizades, nas quais as lealdades, desentendimentos, segredos e traições do passado lançam sombras que se estendem até ao presente. Sou fascinada por personagens excêntricas, misteriosas, divertidas, inesperadas e interessantes, e quero que o leitor partilhe, tal como eu, as suas alegrias e tristezas.
Quero cativar e divertir os leitores à medida que são transportados para uma era diferente...
Elizabeth Edmondson
E é isto. Não há grande conteúdo, mas as minhas férias este ano ficaram condenadas à partida, por isso tenho direito a derreter uns quantos neurónios à sombra de Um caso tipicamente inglês... E a coisa ainda fica melhor porque vou ler a continuação, ou não seria digna de chamar a isto vendetta .
Quero cativar e divertir os leitores à medida que são transportados para uma era diferente...
Elizabeth Edmondson
E é isto. Não há grande conteúdo, mas as minhas férias este ano ficaram condenadas à partida, por isso tenho direito a derreter uns quantos neurónios à sombra de Um caso tipicamente inglês... E a coisa ainda fica melhor porque vou ler a continuação, ou não seria digna de chamar a isto vendetta .
October 30, 2017
That sneaky devil, Amazon Suggests for You, was spot on with this book. I enjoyed myself immensely reading the story. Blurbed as "with a touch of Downton Abbey, a whisper of Agatha Christie, and a nod to Le Care.." it doesn't disappoint. I'm already ordering book 2. Edmondson leaves the reader wanting more and she hints at a deeper mysteries in lead characters, a potential love interest, and also more to come on the Earl Selchester's machinations which have left turmoil in the wake of his death. Well done. I'm hooked, Ms. Edmondson.
What's It About: Former Intelligence Officer Hugo Hawksworth finds 1953 a year of change. He struggles to acclimate himself to a desk job, convince everyone his leg injury is a result of a "bicycle accident", and raise his 13 year old sister Georgia with a semblance of normalcy after traumatic years of living in London during WW2 which led to their becoming orphans, oh yeah... and the Cold War is beginning with Moscow suspicions beginning . -before you roll your eyes and exclaim "Agatha Christie already did the brother and sister bit.."- Georgia is quite different. In fact, I happily began to compare her to one of my other favorite sleuths; Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce! Georgia is quick witted, precocious, protective of her brother, and also irritatingly (for Hugo) a sharp, shrewd judge of human character. I can't wait to read more scenes with Georgia and Hugo!
While staying in the Castle; Hugo is present when a skeleton is found underneath the flagstones of the church. The Earl of Selchester had gone missing some years ago in a snow storm and his daughter eagerly awaits his declaration of death as she has an inheritance to sell off to hotel investors. Cash is King. The police seem eager to pin a murder on the Earl's dead son and niece. Hugo isn't convinced. With the help of his priest Uncle, Georgia, and Freya Wryton, the Earl's niece, he starts to put the puzzle together. And more sinister workings were at play all those years ago which spill into current times.
What's It About: Former Intelligence Officer Hugo Hawksworth finds 1953 a year of change. He struggles to acclimate himself to a desk job, convince everyone his leg injury is a result of a "bicycle accident", and raise his 13 year old sister Georgia with a semblance of normalcy after traumatic years of living in London during WW2 which led to their becoming orphans, oh yeah... and the Cold War is beginning with Moscow suspicions beginning . -before you roll your eyes and exclaim "Agatha Christie already did the brother and sister bit.."- Georgia is quite different. In fact, I happily began to compare her to one of my other favorite sleuths; Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce! Georgia is quick witted, precocious, protective of her brother, and also irritatingly (for Hugo) a sharp, shrewd judge of human character. I can't wait to read more scenes with Georgia and Hugo!
While staying in the Castle; Hugo is present when a skeleton is found underneath the flagstones of the church. The Earl of Selchester had gone missing some years ago in a snow storm and his daughter eagerly awaits his declaration of death as she has an inheritance to sell off to hotel investors. Cash is King. The police seem eager to pin a murder on the Earl's dead son and niece. Hugo isn't convinced. With the help of his priest Uncle, Georgia, and Freya Wryton, the Earl's niece, he starts to put the puzzle together. And more sinister workings were at play all those years ago which spill into current times.
January 27, 2016
Em Um Caso Tipicamente Inglês, o primeiro da série, Elizabeth Edmondson criou um interessantíssimo jogo de suspeitas, grandemente enriquecido pelo meio em que se desenvolve a trama. Os mexericos são fomentados pela natureza curiosa dos habitantes da vila e surpreendemo-nos a ser, nós próprios, um pouco coscuvilheiros...
Da lista de pessoas que estavam no Castelo na noite do desaparecimento de Lorde Selchester somos aliciados a considerar quem sairia a ganhar mais com a morte do conde, que motivos poderia esta pessoa ter para cometer um homicídio e quem teria realmente coragem para o fazer... mas quando pensamos que estamos perto Edmondson aprofunda o enredo e o mistério complica-se - o caso é mais complexo do que nos pareceu no início!
Além do ambiente rural e das personagens que o habitam, também o período histórico joga a favor da narrativa, tornando-a ainda mais interessante. A Segunda Guerra terminou há pouco tempo e as alterações que esta forçou na vida das pessoas é ainda fresca e ressentida.
A construção das personagens é muito agradável de acompanhar; gostei especialmente da irmã de Hugo, Georgia, uma sabichona de 13 anos, cheia de irreverência, que abrilhanta todas as cenas em que participa. A única personagem que me pareceu mal desenvolvida foi Sónia - tão sincera na sua maldade e tão óbvia na sua mesquinhez que acaba por perder credibilidade; pelo menos foi com essa sensação que fiquei.
Surpreendeu-me a ausência de cenas românticas, mas a verdade é que não fazem falta nenhuma ao livro e gostei de ver a escritora afastar-se um bocadinho do seu estilo habitual. O mistério é mais do que suficiente para nos manter entretidos e estou muito curiosa para continuar a acompanhar estas personagens no próximo livro.
Da lista de pessoas que estavam no Castelo na noite do desaparecimento de Lorde Selchester somos aliciados a considerar quem sairia a ganhar mais com a morte do conde, que motivos poderia esta pessoa ter para cometer um homicídio e quem teria realmente coragem para o fazer... mas quando pensamos que estamos perto Edmondson aprofunda o enredo e o mistério complica-se - o caso é mais complexo do que nos pareceu no início!
Além do ambiente rural e das personagens que o habitam, também o período histórico joga a favor da narrativa, tornando-a ainda mais interessante. A Segunda Guerra terminou há pouco tempo e as alterações que esta forçou na vida das pessoas é ainda fresca e ressentida.
A construção das personagens é muito agradável de acompanhar; gostei especialmente da irmã de Hugo, Georgia, uma sabichona de 13 anos, cheia de irreverência, que abrilhanta todas as cenas em que participa. A única personagem que me pareceu mal desenvolvida foi Sónia - tão sincera na sua maldade e tão óbvia na sua mesquinhez que acaba por perder credibilidade; pelo menos foi com essa sensação que fiquei.
Surpreendeu-me a ausência de cenas românticas, mas a verdade é que não fazem falta nenhuma ao livro e gostei de ver a escritora afastar-se um bocadinho do seu estilo habitual. O mistério é mais do que suficiente para nos manter entretidos e estou muito curiosa para continuar a acompanhar estas personagens no próximo livro.
February 4, 2016
This was a great English mystery. My second book to read by this author, and I have liked them both a lot. There were similarities between it and The Frozen Lake, though. Time will tell with reading of others by her if it's her "formula" or if just a coincidence.
It's somewhat of a "Clue" type mystery where you know the person is dead, but the who, where, when & with what are trying to be answered. Obviously, a much more detailed story surrounding it with a large dash of family dramas thrown in.
Recommended! Look forward to trying the next one in the series:)
It's somewhat of a "Clue" type mystery where you know the person is dead, but the who, where, when & with what are trying to be answered. Obviously, a much more detailed story surrounding it with a large dash of family dramas thrown in.
Recommended! Look forward to trying the next one in the series:)
August 6, 2024
A solid 4 star rating for this sleeper! I can't recall how I came to know about it and place a hold at the library, but glad I did sooner rather than later-it was so enjoyable! The blurb on back cover quotes "With a touch of Downton Abbey, a whisper of Agatha Christie and a nod to Le Carre..." and for once I tend to agree with it.
I liked Hugo Hawksworth, quietly and reluctantly going about British intelligence work, while living at Selchester Castle; thus, he becomes involved in solving a cold murder case of Lord Selchester. The cast of characters were maybe a little formulaic, but I thought they made the book even better. My favorites were Freya, and her horse Last Hurrah; Mrs. Partridge, dedicated housekeeper; Georgia precocious 13year old sister of Hugo; and even the brindled castle cat, Magnus. Looking forward to the second book.
I liked Hugo Hawksworth, quietly and reluctantly going about British intelligence work, while living at Selchester Castle; thus, he becomes involved in solving a cold murder case of Lord Selchester. The cast of characters were maybe a little formulaic, but I thought they made the book even better. My favorites were Freya, and her horse Last Hurrah; Mrs. Partridge, dedicated housekeeper; Georgia precocious 13year old sister of Hugo; and even the brindled castle cat, Magnus. Looking forward to the second book.
August 11, 2024
I really liked this classical mystery set in the 1950s, by a modern author. The characters and setting were believable, and the plot very relevant to the politics of the time. It was evident that the book was written recently, as some serious issues were dealt with in a way that a 1950s author would not have, but the story still felt relevant and authentic. I’ll be looking for more in this series.
November 9, 2015
Absolutely delightful English mystery. Halfway through I looked up the author guessing her to have written in the 1960s and I was surprised to find she is a modern author.
This was a Kindle deal book recommended by Modern Mrs. Darcy. I am so happy I bought this book and plan to look for others by the author. It was thoroughly English with a bit of cold war flair that I also enjoy.
Nice to know there are still really good English mysteries being written.
This was a Kindle deal book recommended by Modern Mrs. Darcy. I am so happy I bought this book and plan to look for others by the author. It was thoroughly English with a bit of cold war flair that I also enjoy.
Nice to know there are still really good English mysteries being written.
December 14, 2016
This may be the best book I've read all year. It's a terrific, old fashioned murder mystery, and completely Dame Agatha Christian to its cozy little core: 1950s English village, aristocrats, servants, an actress, a ne'er do well boozy society daughter, some humor, some espionage. I mean this as the best of flattery to this book: it was like Edmondson took stock Christie characters and sprinkled them throughout the book like raisins in a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. Every time I bit into this book, it was delicious. The only things missing were cameos by Christie detectives (Miss Marple at the tea shop). The whodunnit at the end wasn't all that great: but Agatha Christie's whodunnits weren't always that great either (they can't all be Murder on the Orient Express). It's the journey there that was tons of fun.
Here's something sad: Elizabeth Edmundson died last January, so this series will be no more.
Here's something sad: Elizabeth Edmundson died last January, so this series will be no more.
January 13, 2018
Η ιδέα ενός αστυνομικού μυθιστορήματος τοποθετημένου χρονικά στην άκρως παραμελημένη από τους συγγραφείς δεκαετία του 1950 είναι πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα, κατά τα λοιπά το βιβλίο είναι απλώς μέτριο.
The idea of a detective story taking place in the (untterly overlooked by writers) 1950s is very interesting; the book itself is mediocre.
The idea of a detective story taking place in the (untterly overlooked by writers) 1950s is very interesting; the book itself is mediocre.
March 6, 2016
Estive seriamente entre um. 2 e um 3 na classificação. Optei por dar 3*, mas porque ainda não sei muito bem o que pensar de um livro do qual esperava mais. Muito mais
March 2, 2019
I listened to it his book and I enjoyed it very much. I have not read a book of Elizabeth Edmondson that I didn’t like, however, my enjoyment was spoiled by the narrator so I reread it on my Kindle and found I was far more absorbed. A light, historical read, with believable and likeable characters.
February 18, 2016
De Elizabeth Edmonson apenas tinha lido "Uma Menina de Boas Famílias" e tinha gostado muito, daí ter-lhe dado 5* no Goodreads. Não sei porquê, nunca mais li nada da autora, mas o facto de "Um Caso Tipicamente Inglês" juntar um bom mistério a um romance de época despertou-me a curiosidade e decidiu voltar à leitura da autora que, infelizmente, faleceu este ano.
Inserido na Série Selshester, o romance começa com o desaparecimento do Conde de Selchester, em 1947, pessoa muito influente naquela localidade. Sete anos depois, o corpo do conde (já em ossada) é descoberto numa capela, pertença do castelo. Dono do Castelo e com bastante dinheiro depressa se começa a suspeitar de quem poderá ter sido o assassino.
Gostei muito e aguardo ansiosamente pelo segundo livro da série, até porque ainda ficaram muitos mistérios por desvendar.
opinião completa em: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...
Inserido na Série Selshester, o romance começa com o desaparecimento do Conde de Selchester, em 1947, pessoa muito influente naquela localidade. Sete anos depois, o corpo do conde (já em ossada) é descoberto numa capela, pertença do castelo. Dono do Castelo e com bastante dinheiro depressa se começa a suspeitar de quem poderá ter sido o assassino.
Gostei muito e aguardo ansiosamente pelo segundo livro da série, até porque ainda ficaram muitos mistérios por desvendar.
opinião completa em: http://marcadordelivros.blogspot.pt/2...
July 27, 2017
DNF at about 70%. My mind finally got tired of wandering off and yanking itself back to the book.
July 3, 2019
I love reading books from England's Golden Age of Mystery and it was a thrill to discover this modern writer who was retro and took on exactly the style and setting of those older mysteries and suspenses.
In this case, the author wrote a trilogy of stories that all connect through a murdered man's dark legacy that don't just stir up a seemingly peaceful English village and the castle manor, but dip straight into the Cold War, the past Great Wars, and those attached to the Selchester family.
The book begins with injured former spy Hugo Hawksworth being put out to pasture in a rural village with a desk job up at 'The Hall' an estate that was given over to the government secret service for trainings and to store the archives. Hugo was sent by his boss b/c there is a bad feeling that something is wrong there at The Hall and the nearby village of Selchester. Hugo is perfect for this as no one would suspect with his lame leg and his younger teenage sister in tow after the loss of their parents that he's anything more than appears.
He's staying at the old Earl of Selchester's castle and soon lands into a cold case murder when the Earl who supposedly disappeared into a snowy blizzard seven years before may have turned up. Now, its a case of breaking unbreakable alibis from that night as Hugo hopes to help clear the Earl's son and niece of being made the scapegoats when it looks like, because of Selchester's line of work during the war, that it wouldn't be good to have anyone delving too deeply into his death.
Like a lot of old-style country house/village murders, it gets along slowly and gently establishing characters, showing new light on everything including producing more people wanting to murder the guy. It was fun getting to know Hugo, Georgia, Freya, and the surrounding cast who will likely reprise in the continuing story.
Ah yes, unlike most books of this stamp, the author chose to close out the murder in this one, but leave some unfinished business carrying on through two more books with the same cast. It doesn't feel like a cliffhanger, but it does leave a reader needing to keep reading the rest to get the full story.
Michael Page was a new to me narrator. It took me a bit to settle into some of his voices, but I did and had a good time with how he vocalized the various country/town, class, and gender voices. He definitely had the pace and situation of the book down and I hope he continues to narrate the rest of the series.
I would definitely recommend this one to readers/listeners who enjoy classic-style whodunnits set in England of the 50's.
COYER Summer Scavenger Hunt clue- cover with a castle 3pts
In this case, the author wrote a trilogy of stories that all connect through a murdered man's dark legacy that don't just stir up a seemingly peaceful English village and the castle manor, but dip straight into the Cold War, the past Great Wars, and those attached to the Selchester family.
The book begins with injured former spy Hugo Hawksworth being put out to pasture in a rural village with a desk job up at 'The Hall' an estate that was given over to the government secret service for trainings and to store the archives. Hugo was sent by his boss b/c there is a bad feeling that something is wrong there at The Hall and the nearby village of Selchester. Hugo is perfect for this as no one would suspect with his lame leg and his younger teenage sister in tow after the loss of their parents that he's anything more than appears.
He's staying at the old Earl of Selchester's castle and soon lands into a cold case murder when the Earl who supposedly disappeared into a snowy blizzard seven years before may have turned up. Now, its a case of breaking unbreakable alibis from that night as Hugo hopes to help clear the Earl's son and niece of being made the scapegoats when it looks like, because of Selchester's line of work during the war, that it wouldn't be good to have anyone delving too deeply into his death.
Like a lot of old-style country house/village murders, it gets along slowly and gently establishing characters, showing new light on everything including producing more people wanting to murder the guy. It was fun getting to know Hugo, Georgia, Freya, and the surrounding cast who will likely reprise in the continuing story.
Ah yes, unlike most books of this stamp, the author chose to close out the murder in this one, but leave some unfinished business carrying on through two more books with the same cast. It doesn't feel like a cliffhanger, but it does leave a reader needing to keep reading the rest to get the full story.
Michael Page was a new to me narrator. It took me a bit to settle into some of his voices, but I did and had a good time with how he vocalized the various country/town, class, and gender voices. He definitely had the pace and situation of the book down and I hope he continues to narrate the rest of the series.
I would definitely recommend this one to readers/listeners who enjoy classic-style whodunnits set in England of the 50's.
COYER Summer Scavenger Hunt clue- cover with a castle 3pts
July 15, 2022
The wounded Hugo Hawksworth seems destined to spend his time pushing papers behind a desk, but an opportunity comes for him to work from Selchester Castle. His younger sister Georgia accompanies him. Shortly after his arrival, the missing earl's body turns up in the chapel buried under flagstones. The local investigators, wanting a quick resolution, seem happy to pin it on the man's deceased son with the man's niece Freya as an accessory. Hugo, convinced of their innocence, investigates on the side. The premise ended up being stronger than the writing and plotting. The earl was a man few admired. The weak ending did not help endear me to the series which was published through Amazon's Thomas & Mercer imprint.
February 28, 2022
*A Puzzling case*
This is a not a book that I would usually go for. This is a mystery thriller set in the early 1950’s. The language is very stiff upper lipped and I found it comical the way they used certain phrases such as “That Brute!!!” to describe a certain gentleman.
Intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth has been injured on a previous mission and he is tasked with what seems like a less taxing role. He will be staying at Selchester Castle in the town of the same name. The Earl has been missing for seven years.
We get to find out what lies behind the castle doors and a case that the police see as open and shut is far from over for Hugo and his experience tells him he is rarely wrong…..
This is a not a book that I would usually go for. This is a mystery thriller set in the early 1950’s. The language is very stiff upper lipped and I found it comical the way they used certain phrases such as “That Brute!!!” to describe a certain gentleman.
Intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth has been injured on a previous mission and he is tasked with what seems like a less taxing role. He will be staying at Selchester Castle in the town of the same name. The Earl has been missing for seven years.
We get to find out what lies behind the castle doors and a case that the police see as open and shut is far from over for Hugo and his experience tells him he is rarely wrong…..
August 26, 2018
So, this was what I would call a cozy mystery since I’ve never read one. I can only guess that they’re simply written with no romance and no swearing.
The players: Hugo and his 13 year old sister Georgia and his brother Father Leo and Freya, the niece of the murder victim, Lord Selchester, who disappeared 7 years earlier, and was suddenly discovered under the chapel tiles when workers were repairing something. And then it was all about figuring out who did it and why.
It was supposed to have occurred in 1947 and 1953 but there wasn’t a damn thing that would have me believing it wasn’t happening right now. Nothing was described as being in the 20th century. It could have been this year and 7 years ago. I was hoping for more about the 1940's and 1950's in England.
Also, what was all the Chapter 1 Scene 1, 2, 3. Chapter 2 Scene 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. I felt like I was reading a TV script. That was kind of silly.
Anyway, it was a pretty good mystery, if a little boring at times, and there were lots of unanswered questions so it was left unfinished but not a cliffhanger, it just left it open to the next book.
Since this was a free read and free listen I might read the next book. We’ll see.
As to the narration: Michael Page read the book without making you feel anything. Same tone throughout. However, it was just that kind of book. No excitement, no danger to speak of, never a need to whisper or yell. He was kind of bland because the book was kind of bland. Also, his women’s voices really need some work BUT he has a great reading voice.
September 23, 2016
2.5*
Review completa: https://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2016...
Full review: https://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2016...
(...)
Um Caso Tipicamente Inglês é um mistério tipicamente inglês. Quero com isto dizer que me faz lembrar os mistérios da Agatha Christie e o cenário do livro está tão bem conseguido com as descrições da vila inglesa que por momentos nos perdemos no local onde realmente estamos.
(...)
Apesar disso, devo admitir que o livro me aborreceu. Parecia que não avançava, mesmo tendo novas pistas de interesse para a história. Faltou interesse e entusiamo e a escrita não ajudou muito. As personagens também foram um pouco aborrecidas, sendo as melhores Freya e Georgia, a irmã de Hugo. Faltou um pouco de profundidade e, sei que me estou a repetir, mas queria mais entusiasmo, mais vivacidade.
Talvez com o segundo livro da série isso aconteça pois a sinopse parece ser bastante mais interessante. Quem sabe se não o irei ler.
Review completa: https://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2016...
Full review: https://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2016...
(...)
Um Caso Tipicamente Inglês é um mistério tipicamente inglês. Quero com isto dizer que me faz lembrar os mistérios da Agatha Christie e o cenário do livro está tão bem conseguido com as descrições da vila inglesa que por momentos nos perdemos no local onde realmente estamos.
(...)
Apesar disso, devo admitir que o livro me aborreceu. Parecia que não avançava, mesmo tendo novas pistas de interesse para a história. Faltou interesse e entusiamo e a escrita não ajudou muito. As personagens também foram um pouco aborrecidas, sendo as melhores Freya e Georgia, a irmã de Hugo. Faltou um pouco de profundidade e, sei que me estou a repetir, mas queria mais entusiasmo, mais vivacidade.
Talvez com o segundo livro da série isso aconteça pois a sinopse parece ser bastante mais interessante. Quem sabe se não o irei ler.
July 23, 2018
I am a fan of historical crime novels and when I saw this great cover I couldn't wait to download this.
And I wasn't disappointed. Great characters and a plot that kept me entertained to the end, although there were a few too many characters for my liking. I loved Hugo and his quiet mannerisms, and the whole story had a comfortable feel of 'authenticity' to it with the casual references to florins and half-crowns for example.
A comfortable and very enjoyable read that I rated 4 and a half stars but, as I am now going to re-read it and I have already downloaded Book 2 in the series, I am rounding it up to 5 stars.
And I wasn't disappointed. Great characters and a plot that kept me entertained to the end, although there were a few too many characters for my liking. I loved Hugo and his quiet mannerisms, and the whole story had a comfortable feel of 'authenticity' to it with the casual references to florins and half-crowns for example.
A comfortable and very enjoyable read that I rated 4 and a half stars but, as I am now going to re-read it and I have already downloaded Book 2 in the series, I am rounding it up to 5 stars.
September 6, 2015
I loved this book! The setting of the castle and village of Selchester was mysterious and fascinating, with several concurrent puzzles running throughout the story, some still waiting to be solved in the second instalment, which is said to be coming out next month! (I sure hope so, I can hardly wait to read it!)
I was drawn into the action right away, especially by the characters, of both the heroic and villainous variety. Cold war era shenanigans, murder, espionage, suspense and excitement; this story has all of the aforementioned and more!
Highly recommend!
I was drawn into the action right away, especially by the characters, of both the heroic and villainous variety. Cold war era shenanigans, murder, espionage, suspense and excitement; this story has all of the aforementioned and more!
Highly recommend!
February 5, 2017
Achei o livro aborrecido, não parece ter sido escrito pela mesma autora de "Uma Villa em Itália" ou "A Arte de Amar" que tanto me agradaram. Apenas o final conseguiu despertar o meu interesse, mas mesmo assim de uma forma bastante subtil.
Espero sinceramente que o segundo volume desta triologia seja melhor.
Espero sinceramente que o segundo volume desta triologia seja melhor.
July 19, 2015
A nicely written book. The characters were well written and the plot moved along at a good pace. A great holiday read. I was a bit disappointed by the ending it didn't really match the rest of the book. It felt quite rushed and not as well planned out. Still an enjoyable read
July 28, 2017
I enjoyed this story. It was a lite read, a cozy mystery. It is one to curl up with. I'll be seeking out the next one in the series, if there is one.
May 15, 2017
This was really well done! On to the second in the series.
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