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The Fargenstropple Case
When Chief Inspector Terrence Morgan was called up to the Fargenstropple estate again, he assumed it was for another wild goose chase. He was wrong. This time stolen family jewels, an enigmatic debutante and radio-controlled ferrets make the case a real mystery. Full of witty dialogue, slapstick humor, and plot twists, THE FARGENSTROPPLE CASE is sure to amuse and intrigue you.
114 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 21, 2012
43 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Lia London
56 books55 followersLia London was born in Oregon and raised in multiple states and countries (including 3 years in Europe). She earned two degrees from Western Oregon University. Upon graduation, she served for 18 months as a missionary in Guatemala, teaching cholera prevention, literacy, and gospel messages. She worked as a high school teacher and ESL instructor for college students for a few years before becoming a home schooling mom and launching her writing career. She later took up martial arts, earned her 3rd degree black belt and taught classes for 7 years.
London has returned to her college town where she currently leads the music for the children's worship class at her church. She also is the founder and chief administrator of a network called Clean Indie Reads, an organization of over 1500 authors, illustrators, and marketing specialists who work in the independent publishing industry. She loves milk chocolate, extra-cheesy pizza and cuddling with her husband, toddler, and two cats to watch everything from Marvel movies to Masterpiece Theater to Muppets.
London has returned to her college town where she currently leads the music for the children's worship class at her church. She also is the founder and chief administrator of a network called Clean Indie Reads, an organization of over 1500 authors, illustrators, and marketing specialists who work in the independent publishing industry. She loves milk chocolate, extra-cheesy pizza and cuddling with her husband, toddler, and two cats to watch everything from Marvel movies to Masterpiece Theater to Muppets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
October 16, 2016
Silly and British
Humorous, satisfactorily complicated plot with some twists, and dash of romance. Terrence's second glass door cracked me up! And ferrets! Who would have guessed?!
Humorous, satisfactorily complicated plot with some twists, and dash of romance. Terrence's second glass door cracked me up! And ferrets! Who would have guessed?!
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August 18, 2020What a crazy read this turned out to be, but a good bit of fun. The book opens with newly promoted Chief Inspector Terrence Morgan in his office when Millicent Fargenstropple literally bursts in (and the door with her) with a problem—a rather odd one for Lady Chatterley the cat, usually quite placid, has been disturbed and seen running across the room when they had a dinner guest. Morgan is clearly unimpressed, but promises to visit Bloome manor and investigate. Mrs Fargenstropple suspects burglars but the trouble is they’ve taken nothing, and no one has seen them. The Chief-Inspector’s initial visits prove (not surprisingly) futile, but he is asked to return and speak to the Fargenstropples’ niece Jessica. He agrees and appears at the appointed time to find not a gargoyle as the others in the family presumably are, but a gorgeous young woman, and one who seems to have her head on her shoulders, unlike Blandthorpe and Millicent Fargenstropple, each eccentric in their own way as is Blandthorpe’s aunt Louisa who lives in a small cottage on the estate as she does quite get on with Millicent. With Louisa live her collection of ferrets who are rather well trained (one even wears a bow), and can do all sorts of things. Also there is the Blandthorpe and Millicent’s young son, Irving, who is a budding scientist at 12 with a bunch of interesting experiments of his own. Things proceed on these lines, Morgan now keen to ‘investigate’ for he will at least spend some time with the pretty Jessica. But suddenly, it seems a burglar does strike and the family jewels go missing. There is an obvious suspect but how should Morgan go about proving it, or catching the person red-handed?
This is a very short read, just a little over a hundred pages, and one where the ‘action’ starts right on page one, and carries on right through. This is essentially a farce, and a pretty fun one with plenty of exaggeration and rather odd situations, and yet one which actually has an actual mystery element with a surprise at the end that I certainly didn’t see coming—nothing out of the world but yet a fairly nice twist, if one can call it that.
As the description promises, there are indeed plenty of animals, from ferocious dogs who the Fargenstropples keep loose in the compound to guard the house, but who surprisingly ignore loud football fans, to horses, trained mice, and trained ferrets, besides of course the one with whom the story starts, Lady Chatterley, the grey Persian. Inspector Morgan is not overfond of animals, and gets into a few scrapes with them but at the end manages to come out alright.
The characters too, again, as promised are certainly quirky, from the obvious ‘villain’ of the piece to the household staff, everyone is to a degree eccentric or at least somewhat odd, but that’s what makes the whole adventure more fun. Jessica is perhaps the most normal, and for the most part, Morgan too, can perhaps be classed as that (although after a rather mad bit just before the end, I wondered about that too). But the characters also have some more than one side to them, and more than one ends up surprising the reader.
For a very quick, fun, and certainly pretty crazy read, this can make a nice pick!
This is a very short read, just a little over a hundred pages, and one where the ‘action’ starts right on page one, and carries on right through. This is essentially a farce, and a pretty fun one with plenty of exaggeration and rather odd situations, and yet one which actually has an actual mystery element with a surprise at the end that I certainly didn’t see coming—nothing out of the world but yet a fairly nice twist, if one can call it that.
As the description promises, there are indeed plenty of animals, from ferocious dogs who the Fargenstropples keep loose in the compound to guard the house, but who surprisingly ignore loud football fans, to horses, trained mice, and trained ferrets, besides of course the one with whom the story starts, Lady Chatterley, the grey Persian. Inspector Morgan is not overfond of animals, and gets into a few scrapes with them but at the end manages to come out alright.
The characters too, again, as promised are certainly quirky, from the obvious ‘villain’ of the piece to the household staff, everyone is to a degree eccentric or at least somewhat odd, but that’s what makes the whole adventure more fun. Jessica is perhaps the most normal, and for the most part, Morgan too, can perhaps be classed as that (although after a rather mad bit just before the end, I wondered about that too). But the characters also have some more than one side to them, and more than one ends up surprising the reader.
For a very quick, fun, and certainly pretty crazy read, this can make a nice pick!
April 19, 2021
This book was...interesting, to say the least! I'm still not sure I completely kept up with where everything ended, let alone where it was going. :) The cast of wacky characters was definitely entertaining, if a bit hard to keep up with. And some of the situations were definitely hilarious--particularly the mishaps with Terrence's door and the unusual way they managed to "sneak" onto the property. And there were points when I questioned the innocence of even certain characters I liked, so that was definitely well done. There were times it was a bit over the top and times when I felt like I had missed some of the humor, but if off the wall plots and zany characters are up your alley, you should definitely give this one a shot. ;)
2.5 stars
Content--mentions of thefts and strange occurrences; mentions of health emergencies; mentions of a married man flirting with other women; a man dresses up as a woman for a disguise
2.5 stars
Content--mentions of thefts and strange occurrences; mentions of health emergencies; mentions of a married man flirting with other women; a man dresses up as a woman for a disguise
March 9, 2015
I had a difficult time getting into the story, but once I gave a chance, I enjoyed this fun, light read. Would like to see the rest of the series.
March 14, 2017
This was a swift, humorous mystery story with engaging characters--most especially Inspector Terrence Morgan, who has a lot of trouble keeping his office door in one piece. Very enjoyable, light read, perfect for someone who wants something to read with a cup of tea. I hope there will be more Inspector Morgan books in the future!
May 28, 2018
Terrence Morgan has no interest in investigating any more troubles of little importance at the Fargenstropple estate, especially since he's been promoted to Chief Inspector at work. But when stolen family jewels factor into the estate's latest disturbance, Terrence doubles down in The Fargenstropple Case by author Lia London.
Delightful! Simply delightful, this short and sweet mystery is. It has a positively British flair, complete with British spellings and characters with a pleasant bunch of surnames, such as Nigglesby and Crumfellow. There are also plenty of animals (including rodents, if you don't mind those), and a jaunty thread of romance adds to the fun. I ran into a few minor grammar issues concerning dialogue tags, but it's possible they're there intentionally, for comedy's sake.
I count it a boon to sometimes find mysteries that involve cases other than murder. Of course, murder-less mysteries don't all have to be as quirky as this one, but if you're looking for an hour or two of light and hilarious entertainment with clever twists, you'd do well to check out this little number.
Delightful! Simply delightful, this short and sweet mystery is. It has a positively British flair, complete with British spellings and characters with a pleasant bunch of surnames, such as Nigglesby and Crumfellow. There are also plenty of animals (including rodents, if you don't mind those), and a jaunty thread of romance adds to the fun. I ran into a few minor grammar issues concerning dialogue tags, but it's possible they're there intentionally, for comedy's sake.
I count it a boon to sometimes find mysteries that involve cases other than murder. Of course, murder-less mysteries don't all have to be as quirky as this one, but if you're looking for an hour or two of light and hilarious entertainment with clever twists, you'd do well to check out this little number.
September 1, 2012
Meet Chief (of should I say Chef?) inspector Terrence Morgan who is recruited to come up to Bloome Manor and solve a most baffling and also seemingly trivial mystery involving the excitable Lady Chatterly. The good inspector thinks he will have this one nailed in no time at all, but little does he know that he is about to embark on an adventure that will have him bitten by ferrets, falling on ashes, singing to hounds, wearing ladies clothes, and pursuing a love interest.
This book is an interactive fiction co-creation by author Lia London and several collaborators. The twists and turns of the plot are as funny as the British-sounding names of some of the characters including Mr. Crumbfellow, Mrs Moulderswich, and of course Millicent Fargenstropple. Reading this book reminded me of the BBC comedies that I used to watch with my family on NPR. The Brits have always been adept at capturing in everyday language the nuances of the human condition ranging from the solemn to the silly, and the author does a good job of reflecting this here.
Lia should be commended not only for writing a great story and doing it very well, but also for coordinating all the moving parts of this interactive experiment. The book is well formatted, has a functional table of contents, and each chapter has a distinctive title, which is something I always like because it makes navigating back and forth among the chapters easier.
If you want to relax, and have a good time “The Fargenstropple Case” is the book for you!
This book is an interactive fiction co-creation by author Lia London and several collaborators. The twists and turns of the plot are as funny as the British-sounding names of some of the characters including Mr. Crumbfellow, Mrs Moulderswich, and of course Millicent Fargenstropple. Reading this book reminded me of the BBC comedies that I used to watch with my family on NPR. The Brits have always been adept at capturing in everyday language the nuances of the human condition ranging from the solemn to the silly, and the author does a good job of reflecting this here.
Lia should be commended not only for writing a great story and doing it very well, but also for coordinating all the moving parts of this interactive experiment. The book is well formatted, has a functional table of contents, and each chapter has a distinctive title, which is something I always like because it makes navigating back and forth among the chapters easier.
If you want to relax, and have a good time “The Fargenstropple Case” is the book for you!
October 25, 2014
Sly, Unpredictable, Tongue-in-Cheek Humor
I really like a wide range of bizarro fiction. But, the trick to me seems to be maintaining the right balance between the bizarro and the well-written funny. Many efforts go gonzo without offering any characters or plots or dialogue or narrative that is actually engaging or amusing. This book is not one of those misfires. In fact, the bizarro element is actually mild and just around the edges and serves mostly to add an antic and slightly skewed flavor to the otherwise very funny and very nicely constructed story.
The main appeal here, at least to me, was the snappy dialogue, the subtle and deadpan throwaway lines, and the remarkably cheerful and spirited good humor of the narrative. The humor could sometimes be sharp and some of the casual asides were cutting, but the overall tone of this mystery/romance/police procedural/fantasy was one of antic merriment.
Farce is hard. Farce that is energetic without being exhausting is harder. Farce that is coupled with clever dialogue and disarmingly perceptive observational humor may be the hardest of all. You get all of that here, and isn't that a wonderful treat?
Please note that I found this book while browsing kindleunlimited freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
I really like a wide range of bizarro fiction. But, the trick to me seems to be maintaining the right balance between the bizarro and the well-written funny. Many efforts go gonzo without offering any characters or plots or dialogue or narrative that is actually engaging or amusing. This book is not one of those misfires. In fact, the bizarro element is actually mild and just around the edges and serves mostly to add an antic and slightly skewed flavor to the otherwise very funny and very nicely constructed story.
The main appeal here, at least to me, was the snappy dialogue, the subtle and deadpan throwaway lines, and the remarkably cheerful and spirited good humor of the narrative. The humor could sometimes be sharp and some of the casual asides were cutting, but the overall tone of this mystery/romance/police procedural/fantasy was one of antic merriment.
Farce is hard. Farce that is energetic without being exhausting is harder. Farce that is coupled with clever dialogue and disarmingly perceptive observational humor may be the hardest of all. You get all of that here, and isn't that a wonderful treat?
Please note that I found this book while browsing kindleunlimited freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
January 3, 2014
Millicent Fargenstropple is not a woman to be trifled with, and when she visits Chief Inspector Morgan’s office (incidentally breaking the door as she does so) he makes haste to investigate the trouble at the Manor.
This is just the beginning of a hilarious romp through one of the more eccentric English country houses. In this story the reader meets radio-controlled ferrets, homicidal dogs that can only be approached on horseback, and a fine array of possible suspects.
This is the first book I have read by Lia London and I must say I’m impressed. Farce is a notoriously difficult genre and not many people succeed in pulling it off. But this one works splendidly. Reminiscent of ‘Blott on the Landscape’ and ‘Fawlty Towers’, both fine examples of jolly good British farce, this is a book for the connoisseur. Don’t read it in public. You may make a fool of yourself and start laughing out loud.
This is just the beginning of a hilarious romp through one of the more eccentric English country houses. In this story the reader meets radio-controlled ferrets, homicidal dogs that can only be approached on horseback, and a fine array of possible suspects.
This is the first book I have read by Lia London and I must say I’m impressed. Farce is a notoriously difficult genre and not many people succeed in pulling it off. But this one works splendidly. Reminiscent of ‘Blott on the Landscape’ and ‘Fawlty Towers’, both fine examples of jolly good British farce, this is a book for the connoisseur. Don’t read it in public. You may make a fool of yourself and start laughing out loud.
April 29, 2013
When I first started to read this novel, I wasn’t sure if it was to my taste until I hit these lines and then I knew I’d enjoy it very much. And I did.
“Weeks and weeks of invisible burglars in your home taking nothing - but frightening the cat at meal times?”
“Precisely. Can you help me, Inspector? The Chief Superintendent said you were his very best man for this sort of thing.”
Why does the Chief Super hate me? wondered Terrence.
The family jewels were gone and the inspector was on the case. Abused by ferrets, singing to the hounds and wearing ladies apparel all happened - true. So did the romantic interest he became involved in. And Lady Chatterly, the feline, added whimsical moments. What an amusing, entertaining mystery. I so enjoyed the British-ness and the humor.
“Weeks and weeks of invisible burglars in your home taking nothing - but frightening the cat at meal times?”
“Precisely. Can you help me, Inspector? The Chief Superintendent said you were his very best man for this sort of thing.”
Why does the Chief Super hate me? wondered Terrence.
The family jewels were gone and the inspector was on the case. Abused by ferrets, singing to the hounds and wearing ladies apparel all happened - true. So did the romantic interest he became involved in. And Lady Chatterly, the feline, added whimsical moments. What an amusing, entertaining mystery. I so enjoyed the British-ness and the humor.
June 12, 2014
Brighten your day with this funny mystery!
Every book that I've read by Lia London is different and clever. This one is so much fun! The title should give it away, but when you meet characters with names like Lady Chatterly (a cat), Mrs. Moulderswich, Crumfellow, Dr. Nigglesby, and Blandthorpe, you can't help but smile. The plot is as much fun as the crazy characters.
If you want to add some fun to your reading while Chief Inspector Morgan stumbles through this strange case, you won't be disappointed. There are rats, a cat, ferrets, dogs and honking soccer fans to liven up the action. I dare you to get through this book without cracking a smile, maybe laughing out loud. Wait until you meet Mr. and Mrs. Blithering, that should do it. Well done Ms. London!
Every book that I've read by Lia London is different and clever. This one is so much fun! The title should give it away, but when you meet characters with names like Lady Chatterly (a cat), Mrs. Moulderswich, Crumfellow, Dr. Nigglesby, and Blandthorpe, you can't help but smile. The plot is as much fun as the crazy characters.
If you want to add some fun to your reading while Chief Inspector Morgan stumbles through this strange case, you won't be disappointed. There are rats, a cat, ferrets, dogs and honking soccer fans to liven up the action. I dare you to get through this book without cracking a smile, maybe laughing out loud. Wait until you meet Mr. and Mrs. Blithering, that should do it. Well done Ms. London!
January 24, 2014
Remember when your teachers used to say, "Reading is fun!" And the students would groan? They should hand out this book to the whole class. This book is just downright fun. It clips along at a fast pace without a wasted word. The characters are as wonderfully strange as their names and the mystery a good one that keeps the reader guessing all the way until the end. I can't pronounce the title, but I loved it!
January 5, 2014
This story made me smile the whole way through. It reminded me of a 1920- 30s farce - a little Poirot mixed with Noel Coward - full of the British slapstick humour that is enjoyable. I loved the names of the characters and their interaction - and such brilliant dialogue that made me laugh.
Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, this lighthearted mystery is a fun read.
Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, this lighthearted mystery is a fun read.
June 29, 2013
This was a very quick and funny read. I had seen reviews that indicated such, and they were right on. I thought the characters were believable in a 'large' sort of way and the mystery and romance well executed. Well done!
August 5, 2016
This is a fun, zany mystery, one I would have enjoyed reading as a girl. The characters are larger-than-life (one literally so), and the plot moves along at a steady pace. Perfect chapter lengths for middle readers.
July 21, 2016
The Fargenstropple Case is a fast, fun read. The quirky characters (human and animal alike) and zany situations kept me entertained from start to finish. This novella will likely appeal to anyone looking for a quick mystery filled with British humor.
November 10, 2013
Strange, quirky and fun. Absolutely British. This short book is a fast easy read and completely delightful.
May 24, 2014
Fun and funny. Definitely a good book to help you take your mind off things and relax for a bit. Would recommend to anyone wanting a lighthearted, witty read.
March 16, 2015
Very funny British
Very funny British. A since of humor as only the British have and serious mystery. Short read and I liked it.
Very funny British. A since of humor as only the British have and serious mystery. Short read and I liked it.
September 11, 2018
Relaxing reading
This is just the thing to unwind after reading about serial killers. 💀
Chief Detective Terrence Morgan has been promoted, but he still jumps when Millicent Fargenstropple says boo. There's a problem at her house, and only Terrence can handle it. It seems that Lady Chatterly, the cat that is, acted strangely during the creamed spinach course, and Terrence simply must get to the bottom of it.
8
This is just the thing to unwind after reading about serial killers. 💀
Chief Detective Terrence Morgan has been promoted, but he still jumps when Millicent Fargenstropple says boo. There's a problem at her house, and only Terrence can handle it. It seems that Lady Chatterly, the cat that is, acted strangely during the creamed spinach course, and Terrence simply must get to the bottom of it.
8
February 8, 2020
Hilarious! I laughed out loud often and at least twice tears rolled down my cheeks. Excellent humor is sprinkled liberally over this delightful mystery. The characters are very interesting and entertaining and I hope that there are more books starring them forthcoming. I highly recommend it and plan to read any other tales by author Lia London.
Read via Kindle Unlimited
Read via Kindle Unlimited
February 7, 2018
Cute and short cozy mystery
The end seemed a bit rushed, but the characters are hilarious in their over-the-top ways of handling each situation. Who would have thought rats and ferrets could be controlled via radio?
The end seemed a bit rushed, but the characters are hilarious in their over-the-top ways of handling each situation. Who would have thought rats and ferrets could be controlled via radio?
May 28, 2019
Silly fun read.
This was a fun mystery complete with dogs that respond to classical music and a legion of ferrets. If you need a good laugh or a little bit of brain candy after a hard day at work this is the novella for you.
This was a fun mystery complete with dogs that respond to classical music and a legion of ferrets. If you need a good laugh or a little bit of brain candy after a hard day at work this is the novella for you.
February 4, 2023
Fun comical mystery romp
I enjoyed the characters and the ferrets. The mystery was quickly solved but the wrap-up was funny and worthwhile with just a bit of a twist. The book would make a nice series.
I enjoyed the characters and the ferrets. The mystery was quickly solved but the wrap-up was funny and worthwhile with just a bit of a twist. The book would make a nice series.
March 1, 2019
Light and fun. I would read more by this author.
March 10, 2019
Not really funny
The names are just too much. Seriously. Made it difficult to stay in the story. The story line was too much also. Won't read any more by this author.
The names are just too much. Seriously. Made it difficult to stay in the story. The story line was too much also. Won't read any more by this author.
March 18, 2020
Entertaining!!
Exciting. Colorful characters. A plotline that keeps you guessing, makes you laugh, and leaves you sad when the story ends!!
Exciting. Colorful characters. A plotline that keeps you guessing, makes you laugh, and leaves you sad when the story ends!!
July 10, 2025
It is tough to write humor, and even harder to write a farce. This book has both elements in spades. It is light reading with lots of wry observations. The story is fast-paced and easy to read. This is a very British story. By the end of the story, the reader has a clear understanding of the motivations behind each character. The romance aspect was not particularly well done, but otherwise, the story is engaging and fun to read.
March 5, 2017
This is a quick read of a quirky mystery. Poor Inspector Terrence Morgan doesn't have a clue what he is in for when he has to go to Bloome manor to investigate what appears to be strange robberies. The Fargenstopple family is to say the least eccentric. Join the humorous journey to uncover a mystery.
November 11, 2015
A freebie from Amazon with a title I just couldn't resist.... Fargenstropple..... The word just made me smile and continued to make me smile every time I read it.
The story itself I found confusing,and was interested to read in Lia London's end notes that it had in fact been written in a collaborative way with others contributing ideas as it went along. It reminded me faintly of the kind of story games I used to play as a child where one person writes a sentence and then folds the page over leaving a word or two out of context for the next person to add to their contribution. When the whole was read out it was usually accompanied by gales of laughter because of the sheer absurdity. Well ok The Fargenstropple Case does actually have a plot of sorts and the story does in fact follow a fairly conventional pattern... Detective called to investigate a mystery discovers some clues and eventually unravels said mystery ..... But absurdities abound in this quirky tale of eccentric goings on in the Fargenstropple mansion. With more echoes of Wodehouse than Christie I found the story a light and amusing read but remained utterly confused as to what had actually happened and why.
So to summarise If you want a light and comic mystery story that's easy and quick to read try this for size.
Ferret lovers may particularly enjoy.... I don't think there are many mysteries featuring ferrets....
The story itself I found confusing,and was interested to read in Lia London's end notes that it had in fact been written in a collaborative way with others contributing ideas as it went along. It reminded me faintly of the kind of story games I used to play as a child where one person writes a sentence and then folds the page over leaving a word or two out of context for the next person to add to their contribution. When the whole was read out it was usually accompanied by gales of laughter because of the sheer absurdity. Well ok The Fargenstropple Case does actually have a plot of sorts and the story does in fact follow a fairly conventional pattern... Detective called to investigate a mystery discovers some clues and eventually unravels said mystery ..... But absurdities abound in this quirky tale of eccentric goings on in the Fargenstropple mansion. With more echoes of Wodehouse than Christie I found the story a light and amusing read but remained utterly confused as to what had actually happened and why.
So to summarise If you want a light and comic mystery story that's easy and quick to read try this for size.
Ferret lovers may particularly enjoy.... I don't think there are many mysteries featuring ferrets....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews