Bells and Smells

The Falconer Files #12

by Andrea Frazer

Reverend Florrie Feldman suffered a baptism of fire in her first parish. She has left the unpleasantness behind and made a fresh start in the sleepy little village of Ford Hollow, a community at peace – on the surface. She soon finds the usual rivalries within her members jostling for what they see as their places in the parish hierarchy, with much petty jealousy and clashing egos. There is also a deep undercurrent of resentment towards a company which plans to build a new housing estate, altering the ancient landscape irrevocably. Things are bound to come to a head, and sooner rather than later … Shortly after Rev. Florrie takes over the parish reins, a young church chorister comes across the choir’s oldest member sat, not practicing, but dead as a doornail, his neck broken. Enter Detective Inspector Harry Falconer and Detective Sergeant ‘Davey’ Carmichael! With accusations of dirty deals, nefarious businessmen, and crooked committees, the atmosphere in the village becomes tense and hostile – and then there is another murder … Falconer and Carmichael tackle the escalating events in their usual style – and there is emotional turmoil for Falconer in the shape of his ‘old flame’, Dr Honey Dubois …

Genres: Mystery

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 21, 2014

About the author

An ex-member of Mensa (bored!),Andrea Frazer is married, with four grown-up children, and lives in the Dordogne with her husband Tony and their seven cats. She has wanted to write since she first began to read at the age of five, but has been a little busy raising a family and working as a lecturer in Greek (she has a Fellowship Diploma in Greek), and teaching music.
Apart from writing, Andrea continues to teach music, and now also teaches French to ex-pats.
Her interests include playing several instruments (but not all at the same time!), reading, and choral singing (she sings with two choirs in a nearby town). In her spare time, she breathes!

Reviews

[Balthazar Lawson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The title refers to a reverend who everyone calls, out of total disrespect, Bells and Smells. But he doesn't really play that much of a role to warrant the title of the book. He's there but just in the background. He's not the killer, not the victim and just generally a dirty old man. So the title is irrelevant.

As for Falconer and Carmichael, they are the same, totally useless and behave like schoolyard kids. That is what has always bothered me by Inspector Falconer; he acts like a spoiled kid very willing to throw a pointless tantrum, behave petulantly and irrationally. How he would ever get to be an inspector is beyond me.

I disliked this.

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Reverend Florrie Feldman has been moved to a new parish after her unpleasant experiences in her previous one but it seems she has jumped out of the frying pan into the fire. She has a boss with octopus hands and a personal hygiene problem and she finds a dead body in the church not long after she moves in. When other murders follow DI Harry Falconer and DS Davey Carmichael are puzzled as someone seems to have it in for anyone who is connected with the church though it seems no one has a motive.

DC Chris Roberts acquires more injuries and seems to spend more time off sick than he does at work and both Falconer and Carmichael have some problems in their private lives. Falconer would quite like someone in his life but really doesn't want to upset the peace and quiet of his home life. Carmichael's wife is expecting twins.

This is an entertaining mystery with a very unexpected murderer. I certainly didn't work out who had done it and it was quite a surprise when it was revealed. I like the humour and the relationship between the two main characters. If you like well written mysteries set in small villages then you may enjoy this series. The books can be read in any order though if you want to follow the development of the relationship between Falconer and Carmichael then they are best read in order of publication.

[Xanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always like the books in this series. It's more about the main characters than the mystery, although the mystery is always good. I like catching up with the police detectives, who are quite unusual people, especially the detective sergeant.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

frazer's series is fun to read with enjoyable eccentric characters. not great literature but definitely a good read.

[Lesley Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good detective series

I love these books, they are a really good read. Traditional murder mysteries a bit like Midsummer Murders and Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Poirot books.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The new vicar arrives and not long after a dead body is found in the church--her oldest parishioner. Falconer and Carmichael have to figure out what's going on and the bodies pile up.

Good writing and funny.

[Little Red Readinghood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor Reverend Florrie. Out of the frying pan into the fire . Lots of bodies crazy motive.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was SO excited to see this, Book 12 of the Falconer Files series, download to my Kindle last week; I had totally forgotten I had pre-ordered it! I have been missing the characters of Falconer and Carmichael et al greatly, thus it was a very pleasant surprise to find it in my queue!
Once again, I was happily reunited with the characters that have become beloved to me throughout the series. I won't post any spoilers, but the mystery is exciting. I did solve it in my head,close to the end of the book, but there were SO many absolutely hilarious, LOL moments throughout the book, including after I kind of figured it out, that it hardly mattered.
A very successful reunion between me and my much-loved DI Harry Falconer!

[Lisa McElroy Sweeten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

The characters were interesting and different enough from the usual mystery to not seem stock. Centering the story around a village church and vicar allows the author to people the book with the type of quirky characters that would seem contrived except for the fact that (if you're an Anglican, at least) churches are often filled with all sorts of odd people who find their particular niche to fill.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable re-read of the twelfth instalment in the Falconer Files.
I really like these mysteries, and some of the things in them are so hysterically funny. This one is no exception!
I just finished re-reading the entire series, and I'm greatly looking forward to the 13th book that I pre-ordered ages ago and will be coming to my Kindle in two days! Yay!

[Carmen Urquiaga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very predictable

A boring novel silly and lack of impact, I did not enjoy it pass through the pages with no interest

[Orpha Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these books

There are many things I love when I read these books. The characters, the stories, and the wonderful sense of humor the author has. I had several good laughs as I read the story..