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Grave Matters
Do you love a classic English whodunit? Then meet your favourite new gentleman whip-smart Oxford don, Dr Patrick Grant.
He loves rhyming verse, witty banter, strong coffee and solving impossible mysteries from history. Now he must pit his wits against a true-life killer.
**A CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger winner for outstanding lifetime achievement!**
Patrick visits the majestic Acropolis, just in time to witness a true-life Greek tragedy.
The death of retired schoolmistress Miss Amelia Brinton!
Patrick can only watch in horror as she goes tumbling down the steps. And the worst of it? Miss Amelia didn’t fall to her death. She was pushed — by a burly stranger who melts away into the crowd.
Back in England, Patrick drops in on Miss Amelia’s niece, keen to offer his condolences. But when he turns up on the doorstep of cozy Mulberry Cottage, he meets with a frosty reception.
Meek Mildred Forrest, the dowager next door, is the only one to shed a tear for poor Amelia. But she won’t have long to mourn her friend . . .
Now, a second death is announced in the village paper. Another fatal fall. And this time, the victim is Mildred Forrest!
One dead elderly lady is a tragedy. But two? That sounds like cold-blooded murder.
Can Patrick get to the bottom of it all before the body count rises to three?
A masterclass in misdirection, brimming with village intrigue and sly humour, this page-turning mystery is perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie, Veronica Heley, the Reverend Richard Coles and Clare Chase.
‘A writer of stealthy brilliance . . . the Miss Marple of crime fiction.’ Andrew Taylor
‘Explores the dark undercurrents of village life.’ Daily Telegraph
‘There was nobody better . . . Margaret Yorke wrote with a pen dipped in acid.’ Val McDermid
MEET THE SLEUTH
Dr Patrick Grant is a man of unparalleled intellect, as sharp and complex as his whisky namesake. He’d happily devote every moment to poring over Shakespeare’s plays, chortling at student fashions, jotting down lines of iambic pentameter and solving obscure historical puzzles in the library of St Mark’s College, Oxford. In this haven of musty old manuscripts and quiet cloisters, he can pursue his passions in peace — if only murder wouldn’t keep on getting in the way! Stumbling on crime scenes is becoming a habit for Patrick. And he’s never one to shy away from a baffling mystery. But will his curiosity and his brilliant puzzle-solving mind be his undoing . . . ?
Readers love the Oxford Don Mysteries!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I wholeheartedly recommend! But be warned . . . I’ll bet you can’t read just one!’ Donny, Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Jam packed with twists and turns that will leave you guessing till the last page.’ Tash, Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Yorke never lets me down. Fantastic.’ Nicky, Amazon
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved every minute — and the surprise ending. Splendid British cozy.’ Jill, Amazon
He loves rhyming verse, witty banter, strong coffee and solving impossible mysteries from history. Now he must pit his wits against a true-life killer.
**A CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger winner for outstanding lifetime achievement!**
Patrick visits the majestic Acropolis, just in time to witness a true-life Greek tragedy.
The death of retired schoolmistress Miss Amelia Brinton!
Patrick can only watch in horror as she goes tumbling down the steps. And the worst of it? Miss Amelia didn’t fall to her death. She was pushed — by a burly stranger who melts away into the crowd.
Back in England, Patrick drops in on Miss Amelia’s niece, keen to offer his condolences. But when he turns up on the doorstep of cozy Mulberry Cottage, he meets with a frosty reception.
Meek Mildred Forrest, the dowager next door, is the only one to shed a tear for poor Amelia. But she won’t have long to mourn her friend . . .
Now, a second death is announced in the village paper. Another fatal fall. And this time, the victim is Mildred Forrest!
One dead elderly lady is a tragedy. But two? That sounds like cold-blooded murder.
Can Patrick get to the bottom of it all before the body count rises to three?
A masterclass in misdirection, brimming with village intrigue and sly humour, this page-turning mystery is perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie, Veronica Heley, the Reverend Richard Coles and Clare Chase.
‘A writer of stealthy brilliance . . . the Miss Marple of crime fiction.’ Andrew Taylor
‘Explores the dark undercurrents of village life.’ Daily Telegraph
‘There was nobody better . . . Margaret Yorke wrote with a pen dipped in acid.’ Val McDermid
MEET THE SLEUTH
Dr Patrick Grant is a man of unparalleled intellect, as sharp and complex as his whisky namesake. He’d happily devote every moment to poring over Shakespeare’s plays, chortling at student fashions, jotting down lines of iambic pentameter and solving obscure historical puzzles in the library of St Mark’s College, Oxford. In this haven of musty old manuscripts and quiet cloisters, he can pursue his passions in peace — if only murder wouldn’t keep on getting in the way! Stumbling on crime scenes is becoming a habit for Patrick. And he’s never one to shy away from a baffling mystery. But will his curiosity and his brilliant puzzle-solving mind be his undoing . . . ?
Readers love the Oxford Don Mysteries!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I wholeheartedly recommend! But be warned . . . I’ll bet you can’t read just one!’ Donny, Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Jam packed with twists and turns that will leave you guessing till the last page.’ Tash, Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Yorke never lets me down. Fantastic.’ Nicky, Amazon
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved every minute — and the surprise ending. Splendid British cozy.’ Jill, Amazon
- GenresMystery
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2025
About the author
Margaret Yorke
96 books59 followersMargaret Yorke was an English crime fiction writer, real name Margaret Beda Nicholson (née Larminie).
Margaret Yorke was awarded the 1999 CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger.
Born in Surrey, England, to John and Alison Larminie in 1924, Margaret Yorke (Margaret Beda Nicholson) grew up in Dublin before moving back to England in 1937, where the family settled in Hampshire, although she later lived in a small village in Buckinghamshire.
During World War II she saw service in the Women’s Royal Naval Service as a driver. In 1945, she married, but it was only to last some ten years, although there were two children; a son and daughter. Her childhood interest in literature was re-enforced by five years living close to Stratford-upon-Avon and she also worked variously as a bookseller and as a librarian in two Oxford Colleges, being the first woman ever to work in that of Christ Church.
She was widely travelled and has a particular interest in both Greece and Russia.
Her first novel was published in 1957, but it was not until 1970 that she turned her hand to crime writing. There followed a series of five novels featuring Dr. Patrick Grant, an Oxford Don and amateur sleuth, who shares her own love of Shakespeare. More crime and mystery was to follow, and she wrote some forty three books in all, but the Grant novels were limited to five as, in her own words, ‘authors using a series detective are trapped by their series. It stops some of them from expanding as writers’.
She was proud of the fact that many of her novels were essentially about ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations which may threatening, or simply horrific. It is this facet of her writing that ensures a loyal following amongst readers, who inevitably identify with some of the characters and recognise conflicts that may occur in everyday life. Indeed, Yorke stated that characters were far more important to her than intricate plots and that when writing ‘I don’t manipulate the characters, they manipulate me’.
Critics have noted that she has a ‘marvellous use of language’ and she has frequently been cited as an equal to P.D. James and Ruth Rendell. She was a past chairman of the Crime Writers' Association and in 1999 was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger, having already been honoured with the Martin Beck Award from the Swedish Academy of Detection.
Margaret Yorke died in 2012.
Margaret Yorke was awarded the 1999 CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger.
Born in Surrey, England, to John and Alison Larminie in 1924, Margaret Yorke (Margaret Beda Nicholson) grew up in Dublin before moving back to England in 1937, where the family settled in Hampshire, although she later lived in a small village in Buckinghamshire.
During World War II she saw service in the Women’s Royal Naval Service as a driver. In 1945, she married, but it was only to last some ten years, although there were two children; a son and daughter. Her childhood interest in literature was re-enforced by five years living close to Stratford-upon-Avon and she also worked variously as a bookseller and as a librarian in two Oxford Colleges, being the first woman ever to work in that of Christ Church.
She was widely travelled and has a particular interest in both Greece and Russia.
Her first novel was published in 1957, but it was not until 1970 that she turned her hand to crime writing. There followed a series of five novels featuring Dr. Patrick Grant, an Oxford Don and amateur sleuth, who shares her own love of Shakespeare. More crime and mystery was to follow, and she wrote some forty three books in all, but the Grant novels were limited to five as, in her own words, ‘authors using a series detective are trapped by their series. It stops some of them from expanding as writers’.
She was proud of the fact that many of her novels were essentially about ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations which may threatening, or simply horrific. It is this facet of her writing that ensures a loyal following amongst readers, who inevitably identify with some of the characters and recognise conflicts that may occur in everyday life. Indeed, Yorke stated that characters were far more important to her than intricate plots and that when writing ‘I don’t manipulate the characters, they manipulate me’.
Critics have noted that she has a ‘marvellous use of language’ and she has frequently been cited as an equal to P.D. James and Ruth Rendell. She was a past chairman of the Crime Writers' Association and in 1999 was awarded the Cartier Diamond Dagger, having already been honoured with the Martin Beck Award from the Swedish Academy of Detection.
Margaret Yorke died in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 12, 2026
Plenty of Suspects!
Interesting characters & a twisty plot! Clues & hints Patrick investigates don’t always lead in the direction he likes much…
Interesting characters & a twisty plot! Clues & hints Patrick investigates don’t always lead in the direction he likes much…
May 23, 2026
An elderly schoolmistress on holiday falls to an accidental death in Athens, leaving her cozy cottage and extensive book collection to a distant niece. The niece recruits the elderly schoolmistress' elderly friend to help catalog and sort the books, but that doesn't go well... and before you know it Patrick Grant is enmeshed in a jumble of competing jealousies, suspicious partners, and even more suspicious coincidences. (For those who are sensitive to such things: the dog dies, but readers aren't really given a chance to know the dog, so it wasn't very traumatic.) This reads more like a thrilled than a mystery, and the resolution involves a series of dramatic disasters that are a little too pat. Despite that, Patrick Grant is engaging and likeable, and his relationship with his sister, brother-in-law and their kids makes up for a lot of the questionable plotting. There was an uncomfortable hint of homophobia, if was extremely mild for the time. Overall a fun read, if not the best of the series.
July 26, 2026
When an old lady falls to her death, Patrick Grant believes it’s an accident. But when he hears of a second death, he starts to wonder if it might be murder. One in Athens, one in the British Museum - does the classical world hold the clue, or is something more modern at work?
The second Patrick Grant book presents him to us through the eyes of Liz, who would love to have more of a relationship with him than he is prepared to give. In this book we see him fall himself for someone who may or may not be interested - but who may or may not be a murder suspect. As ever I find him ever so slightly on the annoying side, but this is a good mystery which plays the ‘is it the blindingly obvious or something else’ game well. Female friendships and relationships play a part, and although Yorke avoids the worst excesses of antifeminist suspicion, one gets the strong sense that she is happier in the heteronormative world.
The second Patrick Grant book presents him to us through the eyes of Liz, who would love to have more of a relationship with him than he is prepared to give. In this book we see him fall himself for someone who may or may not be interested - but who may or may not be a murder suspect. As ever I find him ever so slightly on the annoying side, but this is a good mystery which plays the ‘is it the blindingly obvious or something else’ game well. Female friendships and relationships play a part, and although Yorke avoids the worst excesses of antifeminist suspicion, one gets the strong sense that she is happier in the heteronormative world.
July 2, 2026
While on holiday in Athens, Oxford don Patrick Grant witnesses a tragic death at the Acropolis. Amelia Brinton, an 80-year-old retired headmistress of a girls' school in England, falls to her death down a steep slope after a long-haired youth rushes past.
After helping to take care of Amelia's funeral, Patrick meets her family back in England. He offers to help Amelia's niece Valerie find good homes for Amelia's books, and he finds himself attracted to Valerie's niece Ellen.
Shortly thereafter Amelia's best friend also dies after a fall down a staircase at the British Museum. The strange coincidence attracts Patrick's attention, and soon the amateur sleuth is immersed in another investigation. I enjoyed this murder mystery that was first published in 1973.
After helping to take care of Amelia's funeral, Patrick meets her family back in England. He offers to help Amelia's niece Valerie find good homes for Amelia's books, and he finds himself attracted to Valerie's niece Ellen.
Shortly thereafter Amelia's best friend also dies after a fall down a staircase at the British Museum. The strange coincidence attracts Patrick's attention, and soon the amateur sleuth is immersed in another investigation. I enjoyed this murder mystery that was first published in 1973.
February 7, 2026
Yes, this qualifies as "English cozy" as described. A good deal of the action and dialogue was dated and somewhat outlandish. It takes a bit of patience to wade through all of it. Oxford don or not, I don't believe I will try another book from this series. It's definitely not "gripping" as described!
I came back to my review to say that I was amused by some of the behavior and plotting.
Kindle Unlimited
I came back to my review to say that I was amused by some of the behavior and plotting.
Kindle Unlimited
March 23, 2026
Guilt is a killer.
Another mystery for Oxford don, Patrick. Take one idyllic village, sweet cottage, large house with an ominous reputation, and the deaths of two old ladies, falling down stairs, one in Greece and the other in a London museum. Throw in a fetching wench our Patrick fancies, and to quote Sherlock, 'the game's afoot.'. Enjoyable, entertaining, very readable. I liked it.
Another mystery for Oxford don, Patrick. Take one idyllic village, sweet cottage, large house with an ominous reputation, and the deaths of two old ladies, falling down stairs, one in Greece and the other in a London museum. Throw in a fetching wench our Patrick fancies, and to quote Sherlock, 'the game's afoot.'. Enjoyable, entertaining, very readable. I liked it.
January 23, 2026
Crime in the style of a Golden Age novel.
The best thing about these stories is that they are written in the style of an early period with an up to date ( well fairly) twist. There is talk of gay relationships and extra marital affairs without the coyness of an earlier period. And as usual I didn’t guess the murderer before the reveal!
The best thing about these stories is that they are written in the style of an early period with an up to date ( well fairly) twist. There is talk of gay relationships and extra marital affairs without the coyness of an earlier period. And as usual I didn’t guess the murderer before the reveal!
January 11, 2026
While on holiday In Athens Dr Patrick Grant witnesses what is determined to be an accident. On visiting the dead females niece he becomes entangled in the family's lives. Then another accident occurs.
An entertaining mystery
Originally published in 1973
An entertaining mystery
Originally published in 1973
January 23, 2026
Interesting
Considering this book was written over 40 years ago it was an easy read good Christmas and find plot even if it did go on a bit
Considering this book was written over 40 years ago it was an easy read good Christmas and find plot even if it did go on a bit
March 28, 2026
A very twisty story of multiple murders which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews