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Death by Noir: Uncork the most irresistible crime novel of 2026
Barclay Flint is the eccentric proprietor of The Bottle Bank wine shop in Lewes, the small Sussex town renowned for its annual Bonfire Night festival. Barclay can taste a kaleidoscopic universe in a single glass of wine - and will delight in luring you to share in its charms.
Barclay passes his days happily matching his customers to the wines of their dreams, but when his friend, struggling regenerative vineyard owner Victor Crawshaw, goes missing, Barclay falls under suspicion and must deploy his wine detection skills to crack the case and clear his name. As the clock ticks down to Bonfire Night's epic festival of flames, the fireworks might not be all that start exploding...
Death by Noir is the first of The Bottle Bank Mysteries, a series of charming and warm-hearted crime novels by beloved UK wine expert, Olly Smith.
Barclay passes his days happily matching his customers to the wines of their dreams, but when his friend, struggling regenerative vineyard owner Victor Crawshaw, goes missing, Barclay falls under suspicion and must deploy his wine detection skills to crack the case and clear his name. As the clock ticks down to Bonfire Night's epic festival of flames, the fireworks might not be all that start exploding...
Death by Noir is the first of The Bottle Bank Mysteries, a series of charming and warm-hearted crime novels by beloved UK wine expert, Olly Smith.
- GenresMystery
352 pages, Hardcover
Published June 18, 2026
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Did Not Finish
March 22, 2026Ok unfortunately this book was not for me.
I was initially really interested in the wine centred story as I worked for a winery in y year-abroad and got my first level sommelier qualification, but despite the appreciation for the central topic in this book the rest of it failed to deliver.
I initially enjoyed the eccentric character of Barclay but he was not compensate for the rest. The author sets this book out to be in a quaint town, vacuumed in its own social atmosphere, and that's exactly what it ended up feeling like - detached and hard to penetrate.
I am happy to concede that this book primarily wasn't for me because of personal preference for pacing etc, but it did give me a similar feel to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple books - which I hope many think of as a compliment, but unfortunately refers to another book series which I was not captured by.
I would recommend this for people who like small town mysteries, with a few driving characters. I, however, did not enjoy it enough to carry on and finish which is something I am putting an emphasis on in my reading journey this year!
I was initially really interested in the wine centred story as I worked for a winery in y year-abroad and got my first level sommelier qualification, but despite the appreciation for the central topic in this book the rest of it failed to deliver.
I initially enjoyed the eccentric character of Barclay but he was not compensate for the rest. The author sets this book out to be in a quaint town, vacuumed in its own social atmosphere, and that's exactly what it ended up feeling like - detached and hard to penetrate.
I am happy to concede that this book primarily wasn't for me because of personal preference for pacing etc, but it did give me a similar feel to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple books - which I hope many think of as a compliment, but unfortunately refers to another book series which I was not captured by.
I would recommend this for people who like small town mysteries, with a few driving characters. I, however, did not enjoy it enough to carry on and finish which is something I am putting an emphasis on in my reading journey this year!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Unfortunately this book was not for me. Such a shame because I loved the premise of it and it’s set not far from where I live.
I’m a big fan of cosy crime and golden age-style whodunnits, so I had high hopes for this book. Parts of this did have a similar tone to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple or, more recently, the wonderful Gabriel Ward series by Sally Smith.
However, I struggled with Death by Noir almost immediately. Within the first ten pages I counted 15 similes and metaphors before losing count, and this habit didn’t seem to change through the rest of the book. The pages were heavily weighed down with flowery, drawn-out descriptions. There were also a lot of characters to try to keep up with right from the start and the excess wordiness distracted from their introductions rather than added to them. I found it hard to remember who was who. It all felt very slow-going.
Ultimately the book came across as though Olly Smith felt like he had something to prove. As a celebrity author (one who has episodes of Pingu on his writing resume - a fact I love!) perhaps he did. He can clearly write and this would have come through far better had he shown more restraint. Strip back the verbosity and I suspect there is a great story here waiting to emerge. I just felt I had to work quite hard to find it.
Hopefully the next in the series will be more relaxed, and then we will see what Olly Smith truly has to offer.
Thank you to Baskerville for gifting me an advance proof copy of this book. All views are my own.
I’m a big fan of cosy crime and golden age-style whodunnits, so I had high hopes for this book. Parts of this did have a similar tone to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple or, more recently, the wonderful Gabriel Ward series by Sally Smith.
However, I struggled with Death by Noir almost immediately. Within the first ten pages I counted 15 similes and metaphors before losing count, and this habit didn’t seem to change through the rest of the book. The pages were heavily weighed down with flowery, drawn-out descriptions. There were also a lot of characters to try to keep up with right from the start and the excess wordiness distracted from their introductions rather than added to them. I found it hard to remember who was who. It all felt very slow-going.
Ultimately the book came across as though Olly Smith felt like he had something to prove. As a celebrity author (one who has episodes of Pingu on his writing resume - a fact I love!) perhaps he did. He can clearly write and this would have come through far better had he shown more restraint. Strip back the verbosity and I suspect there is a great story here waiting to emerge. I just felt I had to work quite hard to find it.
Hopefully the next in the series will be more relaxed, and then we will see what Olly Smith truly has to offer.
Thank you to Baskerville for gifting me an advance proof copy of this book. All views are my own.
August 9, 2026
This was a good cozy crime, with an interesting focal point for the story into the world of wine making. The characters were well written and and the setting was really clearly stated through the language used within the novel.
Unfortunately, I am learning more and more that cozy crimes are just not my thing. If you love 'Thursday Murder Club', you'll love this.
Unfortunately, I am learning more and more that cozy crimes are just not my thing. If you love 'Thursday Murder Club', you'll love this.
February 18, 2026
If you like Richard Osman’s Thursday murder club series you’ll like this. Country village shenanigans- and a whodunnit as winemaker Victor Crawshaw is found dead in a vat of Pinot Noir. Hence the title. Too many characters which confused me and Barclay’s long ass descriptions of wine-tasting made me fast forward. I did finish it as I wanted to see who had killed him. But it’s an average 3 stars from me. Thank you Baskerville and the author for the eARC in return for an honest review. Denise
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Baskerville for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I have been excited about this but also apprehensive. It sounded great and I am a fan of Olly's but "celebrity" books can be a bit of a let down.
It's cosy crime with a capital CC. It gives you everything you want from the genre. If you're a fan of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club or Robert Thorogood's Marlow series then you'll like this. It's genteel, not very involved, easy to read, if slow.
My main...not problem, but something that kept bothering me was the amount of metaphors and similes. I have no problem with them at all, in fact they can really help the reader visualise the scene. But when it's every other sentence, and everything is described that way, it gets a bit tedious and jarring.
It's not a hugely long book, which is good because I think it would have felt very drawn out if it had been much longer and you'd start to lose interest.
There's too many characters to keep on top of, especially as they all seemed to be main characters, it was hard to remember who was who and what they had to do with anyone.
Obviously this is set in the world of wine, with the vineyard owner, the wine shop etc. And so obviously there was a lot of wine talk - write what you know, eh? But the main characters of Barclay often gives really long wine tasting notes that, whilst interesting, did leave me wanting to skip over them as they became a bit monotonous.
It reminded me a little of Miss Marple. It's quaint and a bit twee, an isolated, small community, the eccentric shopkeeper, the failing wine maker, the dastardly neighbour etc.
I'd have liked the whodunnit to come earlier. I know you have to set the scene and introduce everyone etc. but it didn't happen till about 20% through and it did mean the start was really quite slow and it doesn't really pick up until the second half or so.
It is very description heavy. A somewhat weak plot and so-so characters. Overall it is cosy and fun, easy and quick to read, and it doesn't require much concentration. The pacing needs tidying up, the cast of characters needs to be smaller, and I'd have liked a more streamlined way of writing. It's got promise and I assume it will develop into a full series, but I probably won't bother with the follow-up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Baskerville for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I have been excited about this but also apprehensive. It sounded great and I am a fan of Olly's but "celebrity" books can be a bit of a let down.
It's cosy crime with a capital CC. It gives you everything you want from the genre. If you're a fan of Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club or Robert Thorogood's Marlow series then you'll like this. It's genteel, not very involved, easy to read, if slow.
My main...not problem, but something that kept bothering me was the amount of metaphors and similes. I have no problem with them at all, in fact they can really help the reader visualise the scene. But when it's every other sentence, and everything is described that way, it gets a bit tedious and jarring.
It's not a hugely long book, which is good because I think it would have felt very drawn out if it had been much longer and you'd start to lose interest.
There's too many characters to keep on top of, especially as they all seemed to be main characters, it was hard to remember who was who and what they had to do with anyone.
Obviously this is set in the world of wine, with the vineyard owner, the wine shop etc. And so obviously there was a lot of wine talk - write what you know, eh? But the main characters of Barclay often gives really long wine tasting notes that, whilst interesting, did leave me wanting to skip over them as they became a bit monotonous.
It reminded me a little of Miss Marple. It's quaint and a bit twee, an isolated, small community, the eccentric shopkeeper, the failing wine maker, the dastardly neighbour etc.
I'd have liked the whodunnit to come earlier. I know you have to set the scene and introduce everyone etc. but it didn't happen till about 20% through and it did mean the start was really quite slow and it doesn't really pick up until the second half or so.
It is very description heavy. A somewhat weak plot and so-so characters. Overall it is cosy and fun, easy and quick to read, and it doesn't require much concentration. The pacing needs tidying up, the cast of characters needs to be smaller, and I'd have liked a more streamlined way of writing. It's got promise and I assume it will develop into a full series, but I probably won't bother with the follow-up.
April 25, 2026
Barclay Flint runs a wineshop in a Sussex town renowned for the way it celebrates Bonfire Night (this is an important plot point, I'm not just mentioning it for the sake of it). When a local vineyard owner and close friend is found dead, Barclay is one of the suspects because he visited Victor on the night before his death. Along with his employees at the Bottle Bank, Barclay sets out to discover what actually happened and who is responsible for the death.
This is the debut novel from the well known wine critic so he does know what he's talking about when it comes to viticulture. If you've seen him on TV you'll know he's got a very enthusastic style and when I started this book I thought he was bringing that to the character of Barclay. However as the narrative point of view moved around from character to character I realised that he's he's really bringing it to *the whole book* and I found it a bit exhausting to read.
There is a lot of flowery descriptive language here and it gets a bit much, but it also means that all the characters feel very same-y, which is an issue because there are a lot of characters to keep track of here - multiple murder suspects as well as Barclay's employees at the Bottle Bank. And that leads me to another issue (for me at least) which is that all of Barclay's gang at The Bottle Bank are quite quirky and over all I didn't find a lot of them that likeable. All this this combined with the flowery language made this a bit of a slog for me.
As a book in it's entirety it is very much in keeping with Smith's TV persona, but whether that is a persona and style you want to spend several hundred pages with (as opposed to short chunks interspersed with other people on Saturday Kitchen or similar) may depend on your personal tolerance for what the blurb is calling "exuberance"! Not for me, but your mileage may vary.
****Copy from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.*****
This is the debut novel from the well known wine critic so he does know what he's talking about when it comes to viticulture. If you've seen him on TV you'll know he's got a very enthusastic style and when I started this book I thought he was bringing that to the character of Barclay. However as the narrative point of view moved around from character to character I realised that he's he's really bringing it to *the whole book* and I found it a bit exhausting to read.
There is a lot of flowery descriptive language here and it gets a bit much, but it also means that all the characters feel very same-y, which is an issue because there are a lot of characters to keep track of here - multiple murder suspects as well as Barclay's employees at the Bottle Bank. And that leads me to another issue (for me at least) which is that all of Barclay's gang at The Bottle Bank are quite quirky and over all I didn't find a lot of them that likeable. All this this combined with the flowery language made this a bit of a slog for me.
As a book in it's entirety it is very much in keeping with Smith's TV persona, but whether that is a persona and style you want to spend several hundred pages with (as opposed to short chunks interspersed with other people on Saturday Kitchen or similar) may depend on your personal tolerance for what the blurb is calling "exuberance"! Not for me, but your mileage may vary.
****Copy from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.*****
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5⭐️
Death By Noir follows Barclay Flint, who is the charmingly eccentric proprietor of The Bottle Bank wine shop, nestled in a Sussex town. When Barclay’s close friend, Victor Crawshaw, is found dead, Barclay finds himself a prime suspect. To crack the case and clear his name, Barclay must deploy his wine detection skills and follow his nose through the rolling Sussex hills where a tangle of old resentments and rivalries await. With a killer on the loose and Bonfire Night fast approaching, the town crackles with anticipation. This year the fireworks might not be the only things to explode...
Death By Noir is a charming debut filled with quirky characters, wine-soaked mystery, and plenty of personality. It was an entertaining start to what is set to be a delightful cosy crime series.
There are quite a few characters to keep track of initially, but they’re all quirky, distinctive, and easy to tell apart. This is something I’ve come to expect from the first in a cosy crime series, and I have no doubt that the time taken will pay off in future instalments. Barclay, however, steals the show. He’s an eccentric and unforgettable protagonist whose charisma, wit, and personality had me completely enthralled. Also, I absolutely love that his dog is called Pinot!
I loved the atmosphere of Lewes and the strong sense of place created through the prose. The descriptive writing and local dialect made the setting feel authentic and immersive. Ollie Smith’s knowledge and passion for wine shines through on every page, and as a wine lover, I only wish I could join Barclay for a wine tasting!
The mystery unfolds at a steady pace while the characters and setting are introduced, but the story really picks up once everything is established. By the second half, I was fully invested in uncovering the killer and eager to see how it would all unfold.
Thank you so much to Baskerville for sending me this copy to read and review. My opinions are my own.
Death By Noir follows Barclay Flint, who is the charmingly eccentric proprietor of The Bottle Bank wine shop, nestled in a Sussex town. When Barclay’s close friend, Victor Crawshaw, is found dead, Barclay finds himself a prime suspect. To crack the case and clear his name, Barclay must deploy his wine detection skills and follow his nose through the rolling Sussex hills where a tangle of old resentments and rivalries await. With a killer on the loose and Bonfire Night fast approaching, the town crackles with anticipation. This year the fireworks might not be the only things to explode...
Death By Noir is a charming debut filled with quirky characters, wine-soaked mystery, and plenty of personality. It was an entertaining start to what is set to be a delightful cosy crime series.
There are quite a few characters to keep track of initially, but they’re all quirky, distinctive, and easy to tell apart. This is something I’ve come to expect from the first in a cosy crime series, and I have no doubt that the time taken will pay off in future instalments. Barclay, however, steals the show. He’s an eccentric and unforgettable protagonist whose charisma, wit, and personality had me completely enthralled. Also, I absolutely love that his dog is called Pinot!
I loved the atmosphere of Lewes and the strong sense of place created through the prose. The descriptive writing and local dialect made the setting feel authentic and immersive. Ollie Smith’s knowledge and passion for wine shines through on every page, and as a wine lover, I only wish I could join Barclay for a wine tasting!
The mystery unfolds at a steady pace while the characters and setting are introduced, but the story really picks up once everything is established. By the second half, I was fully invested in uncovering the killer and eager to see how it would all unfold.
Thank you so much to Baskerville for sending me this copy to read and review. My opinions are my own.
Read
July 16, 2026Death by Noir is an unusual take on the cosy crime novel. Set firmly in the world of wine (production, selling, tasting, drinking…), an area which the author is obviously very at home and indeed, somewhat obsessed. This comes through distinctly in the novel and is reflected in the frequently funny, and always over-the-top yet consistently entertaining writing.
There is a fairly standard plot, but with a barely believable cast of unusual and distinctive characters and is obviously intended to be nothing but fun. It is towards a crossover between Caroline Graham and Reverend Richard Coles but at times, a lot more silly and will certainly hit its quota of discerning cosy crime fanatics who will not be disappointed.
There is no doubt that Ollie Smith is a great writer, with a real knack for writing in an interesting, descriptive and colourful way. This has already been proved in his wine writing and television appearances but does this transmit to his novel authorship? Well, yes and no… his descriptions are bright and fresh and always entertaining. But, after a while I started to find the florid style a little grating. And to be honest, a while after popping the cork, I left it down for a few days to breathe as it felt it a little hard going, before picking it up again (after reading something more ‘serious’) and thoroughly enjoying it to the last drop. Turns out you just need to be in the right frame of mind – you wouldn’t pick up a light, fresh, crisp Manzanilla if you were in the mood for a robust, challenging Cahors. Why would picking up a crime novel be any different?
There is a fairly standard plot, but with a barely believable cast of unusual and distinctive characters and is obviously intended to be nothing but fun. It is towards a crossover between Caroline Graham and Reverend Richard Coles but at times, a lot more silly and will certainly hit its quota of discerning cosy crime fanatics who will not be disappointed.
There is no doubt that Ollie Smith is a great writer, with a real knack for writing in an interesting, descriptive and colourful way. This has already been proved in his wine writing and television appearances but does this transmit to his novel authorship? Well, yes and no… his descriptions are bright and fresh and always entertaining. But, after a while I started to find the florid style a little grating. And to be honest, a while after popping the cork, I left it down for a few days to breathe as it felt it a little hard going, before picking it up again (after reading something more ‘serious’) and thoroughly enjoying it to the last drop. Turns out you just need to be in the right frame of mind – you wouldn’t pick up a light, fresh, crisp Manzanilla if you were in the mood for a robust, challenging Cahors. Why would picking up a crime novel be any different?
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC Review
Death by Noir by Olly Smith is a cozy mystery set in a small Sussex town, just as the community is preparing for Bonfire Night.
The story follows Barclay Flint, the charmingly eccentric owner of The Bottle Bank wine shop. When one of his oldest friends is suddenly found dead, Barclay becomes the prime suspect due to an unfortunate misunderstanding. Determined to clear his name, he sets out to uncover the real murderer, using his unique abilities and the help of his friends along the way.
This is an engaging and atmospheric mystery. The small-town setting and touches of local dialect give the story a distinct sense of place. Barclay is a very entertaining main character, and his quirky personality and special skills add a fun, original twist. The wine descriptions are detailed and clearly written with passion, making them a standout element of the book. The secondary characters were also enjoyable, and it was nice to learn more about their personal lives.
The mystery itself is a slow build. While it becomes clearer in the second half of the story, it often feels like the focus leans more toward wine than the investigation. Because of this, the mystery element didn’t feel as strong as I personally hoped.
Overall, Death by Noir is a good and cozy read with an interesting setting and a memorable main character, but for me, it could have benefited from a bit more depth and tension in the mystery. 🍷📚
Death by Noir by Olly Smith is a cozy mystery set in a small Sussex town, just as the community is preparing for Bonfire Night.
The story follows Barclay Flint, the charmingly eccentric owner of The Bottle Bank wine shop. When one of his oldest friends is suddenly found dead, Barclay becomes the prime suspect due to an unfortunate misunderstanding. Determined to clear his name, he sets out to uncover the real murderer, using his unique abilities and the help of his friends along the way.
This is an engaging and atmospheric mystery. The small-town setting and touches of local dialect give the story a distinct sense of place. Barclay is a very entertaining main character, and his quirky personality and special skills add a fun, original twist. The wine descriptions are detailed and clearly written with passion, making them a standout element of the book. The secondary characters were also enjoyable, and it was nice to learn more about their personal lives.
The mystery itself is a slow build. While it becomes clearer in the second half of the story, it often feels like the focus leans more toward wine than the investigation. Because of this, the mystery element didn’t feel as strong as I personally hoped.
Overall, Death by Noir is a good and cozy read with an interesting setting and a memorable main character, but for me, it could have benefited from a bit more depth and tension in the mystery. 🍷📚
July 14, 2026
I love crime mysteries that are character driven like Death by Noir, immersing myself in the world of Barclay Flint, the owner of a local wine shop in Lewes, Sussex, along with his colleagues, neighbours and friends in the community. The characters in Death by Noir are well rounded, I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of Barclay - he reminded me very much of "Tink" from Lovejoy and I pictured Dudley Sutton as I read Barclay's parts.
We join Barclay and co in the build up to the traditional Lewes fireworks parade, where local teams compete to build the best effigy, which I had never heard of before, I love it when a book teaches you something new. Whilst the town is getting prepared, a local vineyard owner is found dead and the investigation talks of murder, but who in this town has the killer instinct running through them?
If you enjoy cosy crime mysteries that unfurl slowly and are character driven then I think you could really enjoy this one,. Olly's forte is that by having Barclay as a wine shop owner he can share his knowledge, enthusiasm and clear passion for wine, through his characters. I think if you are a wine enthusiast and sample every wine referenced in the novel then you'd have a very good sleep and a very bad head the next day!
With a nod to topical issues such as farms needing to diversify into different income streams and environmental issues you will find a wide cast of characters to meet and greet in Lewes, and will no doubt hear Barclay coming before you see him!
We join Barclay and co in the build up to the traditional Lewes fireworks parade, where local teams compete to build the best effigy, which I had never heard of before, I love it when a book teaches you something new. Whilst the town is getting prepared, a local vineyard owner is found dead and the investigation talks of murder, but who in this town has the killer instinct running through them?
If you enjoy cosy crime mysteries that unfurl slowly and are character driven then I think you could really enjoy this one,. Olly's forte is that by having Barclay as a wine shop owner he can share his knowledge, enthusiasm and clear passion for wine, through his characters. I think if you are a wine enthusiast and sample every wine referenced in the novel then you'd have a very good sleep and a very bad head the next day!
With a nod to topical issues such as farms needing to diversify into different income streams and environmental issues you will find a wide cast of characters to meet and greet in Lewes, and will no doubt hear Barclay coming before you see him!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
How best to describe Death by Noir? I'm leaning towards cosy mystery, a small town whodunit in the same vein as The Marlow Murder Club. There the similarity ends however. You won't find octogenarian hoarders or vicars wives here. No, the hero of the hour in this instance is Barclay Flint, owner of The Bottle Bank wine shop. 🍷
The noir of the title is Pinot Noir. It is inside a vat of Pinot Noir that the body of vineyard owner Victor Crawshaw is discovered. Was it an accident, suicide or murder? Someone thinks it was murder, and Barclay is the suspect. 🍷
This was a very slow burn indeed. I admit I almost gave up, but the pace picked up in the final third so I'm glad I persevered. 🍷
I liked Barclay. He's quite a flamboyant character, and he knows a lot about wine. (Well obviously, given he's the creation of a wine critic.) I, on the other hand, know absolutely nothing about wine, which meant a lot of what Barclay had to say went right over my head. 🍷
There were some light hearted moments, mainly Pearl's eco protests. I love the idea of flash mob yoga bringing traffic to a standstill. 😀
Death by Noir may not have been the best book I've read this year, but neither is it the worst. It was entertaining enough to keep me engaged to the very last page. And it had a dog. Called... Pinot.🍷
Thanks to John Murray Press and Netgalley for the ARC.
The noir of the title is Pinot Noir. It is inside a vat of Pinot Noir that the body of vineyard owner Victor Crawshaw is discovered. Was it an accident, suicide or murder? Someone thinks it was murder, and Barclay is the suspect. 🍷
This was a very slow burn indeed. I admit I almost gave up, but the pace picked up in the final third so I'm glad I persevered. 🍷
I liked Barclay. He's quite a flamboyant character, and he knows a lot about wine. (Well obviously, given he's the creation of a wine critic.) I, on the other hand, know absolutely nothing about wine, which meant a lot of what Barclay had to say went right over my head. 🍷
There were some light hearted moments, mainly Pearl's eco protests. I love the idea of flash mob yoga bringing traffic to a standstill. 😀
Death by Noir may not have been the best book I've read this year, but neither is it the worst. It was entertaining enough to keep me engaged to the very last page. And it had a dog. Called... Pinot.🍷
Thanks to John Murray Press and Netgalley for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I like watchiing Olly Smith on TV, so I was eager to dive into his latest cosy mystery. Death by Noir is a classic whodunnit set in a charming small town, and it has all the ingredients of a lovely, comforting weekend read.
The book is incredibly well-written, and Olly does a fantastic job of setting the scene and capturing that close-knit, small-town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone—and everyone has a secret. The mystery itself is engaging, and the writing flows beautifully, making it very easy to pass the chapters.
However, there was one element that didn't quite work for me. Wine plays a major role in the plot, which is fair enough, but I found the story became incredibly heavy on the tasting notes and vintage details. It felt as though a description of a wine was woven onto almost every single page, and after a while, it became a bit monotonous. It tended to slow down the pace of the whodunnit just when I wanted to get on with solving the crime!
If you are a massive wine enthusiast, you will absolutely pass a glorious few hours with this book, as the passion for the subject really jumps off the page. But for me, while I still found it a thoroughly pleasant cosy mystery, I would have enjoyed the actual story far more if the wine descriptions had been poured out a little more sparingly!
The book is incredibly well-written, and Olly does a fantastic job of setting the scene and capturing that close-knit, small-town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone—and everyone has a secret. The mystery itself is engaging, and the writing flows beautifully, making it very easy to pass the chapters.
However, there was one element that didn't quite work for me. Wine plays a major role in the plot, which is fair enough, but I found the story became incredibly heavy on the tasting notes and vintage details. It felt as though a description of a wine was woven onto almost every single page, and after a while, it became a bit monotonous. It tended to slow down the pace of the whodunnit just when I wanted to get on with solving the crime!
If you are a massive wine enthusiast, you will absolutely pass a glorious few hours with this book, as the passion for the subject really jumps off the page. But for me, while I still found it a thoroughly pleasant cosy mystery, I would have enjoyed the actual story far more if the wine descriptions had been poured out a little more sparingly!
May 11, 2026
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher. What a fascinating exploration of wine and the people who love it. This is all centred around a close knit community and the death of a vineyard owner and the suspicion cast on those who surround him. We follow the owner and workers at a local wine shop, the bottle bank as well as the family and associates of the deceased as people try to make sense of what’s happened to him. I’m going to try to be very careful about spoilers so this may sound a bit vague.
I enjoyed the cast of eccentric characters with their passions, quirks and side quests. Also the sense of place that was so integral to this story, little things like colloquial language and the effigies which show how much the location influenced the story. This was nicely done to give the book a strong, unique personality. The focus on wine I also really liked, and how different attitudes towards cultivating vines affected people, shaping or halting relationships. The exploration of different wines was a fun detail.
I did find it a bit tricky to keep track of who was who at the start as the stories meanders into itself a little, creating a nice flow but also making it a tad fuzzy. Not a particular issue as this had resolved itself within the first third of the book.
A cool mystery defined by its unique setting and love of wine.
I enjoyed the cast of eccentric characters with their passions, quirks and side quests. Also the sense of place that was so integral to this story, little things like colloquial language and the effigies which show how much the location influenced the story. This was nicely done to give the book a strong, unique personality. The focus on wine I also really liked, and how different attitudes towards cultivating vines affected people, shaping or halting relationships. The exploration of different wines was a fun detail.
I did find it a bit tricky to keep track of who was who at the start as the stories meanders into itself a little, creating a nice flow but also making it a tad fuzzy. Not a particular issue as this had resolved itself within the first third of the book.
A cool mystery defined by its unique setting and love of wine.
July 22, 2026
Sadly this wasn't for me.
On paper it has everything I should like. A murder mystery, a fun main character, a location I personally know and love... but it just didn't land for me.
From the first handful of pages I knew I was going to be struggling with this, every page is crammed with flowery, over the top language. Metaphors and similes litter the text, and you can barely go two lines without one. That continued throughout the book and it was way too much. It felt as if the author was either showing off or trying to prove himself. Either way, it made every chapter painful and every character hard to deal with.
Our main lead is a case in point. His character note is 'eccentric' and boy is he that. He is so that. He may as well go around screaming he's an eccentric guy, every word, action, choice of clothing. It's very OTT.
It's such a shame because the story itself was a good one, although buried too deep. The author is talented and I would like to read more, but only if he relaxes and lets up on the overblown language, and restricts himself to a couple of metaphors a chapter. I spent so long struggling through the words, that I couldn't find the enjoyment in the plot itself.
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
On paper it has everything I should like. A murder mystery, a fun main character, a location I personally know and love... but it just didn't land for me.
From the first handful of pages I knew I was going to be struggling with this, every page is crammed with flowery, over the top language. Metaphors and similes litter the text, and you can barely go two lines without one. That continued throughout the book and it was way too much. It felt as if the author was either showing off or trying to prove himself. Either way, it made every chapter painful and every character hard to deal with.
Our main lead is a case in point. His character note is 'eccentric' and boy is he that. He is so that. He may as well go around screaming he's an eccentric guy, every word, action, choice of clothing. It's very OTT.
It's such a shame because the story itself was a good one, although buried too deep. The author is talented and I would like to read more, but only if he relaxes and lets up on the overblown language, and restricts himself to a couple of metaphors a chapter. I spent so long struggling through the words, that I couldn't find the enjoyment in the plot itself.
~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~
July 25, 2026
A perfect summer read. The English countryside, wine and murder.
Death By Noir is a novel that I have been looking forward to reading for some time. Being relatively new to ‘cosy crime’ I didn’t quite know what to expect.
The main character Barclay Flint is an eccentric wine shop owner, who I do feel mirrors a little bit of the Author himself.
Olly Smith is a screen writer, I felt this can be seen throughout with the relatively short chapters being mini ‘scenes’. The story could easily work as a tv series.
One of the things I enjoyed was the world building, I have never been to Lewes but the description of the setting put a vivid image of old English countryside in my head. Growing up in that environment I really related to the location. It did remind me of village life.
The final third of the book is where it all ‘kicks off’ and I read this part of it within one sitting, and despite being convinced on ‘who dunnit’ I was shocked at the twist towards the end.
There are many characters throughout, clearly set up for them to be used further in the series.
One major plot hole though, how does Barclay turn a profit in the Bottle Bank Wine Shop with the amount that he and his friends drank chapter by chapter?
Overall 4⭐️
Fun and enjoyable read, I finished the novel with a glass of Rosé in hand
Death By Noir is a novel that I have been looking forward to reading for some time. Being relatively new to ‘cosy crime’ I didn’t quite know what to expect.
The main character Barclay Flint is an eccentric wine shop owner, who I do feel mirrors a little bit of the Author himself.
Olly Smith is a screen writer, I felt this can be seen throughout with the relatively short chapters being mini ‘scenes’. The story could easily work as a tv series.
One of the things I enjoyed was the world building, I have never been to Lewes but the description of the setting put a vivid image of old English countryside in my head. Growing up in that environment I really related to the location. It did remind me of village life.
The final third of the book is where it all ‘kicks off’ and I read this part of it within one sitting, and despite being convinced on ‘who dunnit’ I was shocked at the twist towards the end.
There are many characters throughout, clearly set up for them to be used further in the series.
One major plot hole though, how does Barclay turn a profit in the Bottle Bank Wine Shop with the amount that he and his friends drank chapter by chapter?
Overall 4⭐️
Fun and enjoyable read, I finished the novel with a glass of Rosé in hand
July 28, 2026
I was really intrigued by the concept of this book and had hopes that it would be ‘cosy crime’, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
Pros:
- I really enjoyed the character of Barclay. He was flamboyant and spoke in wordy riddles that fit his personality. I think he was well-written and a good lead character.
- The concept of the book was good and it fit well with the author’s experience with wine.
Cons:
- Many of the characters just blended into one-another and didn’t have distinct personalities. Whilst it made sense for Barclay to speak extravagantly due to his personality, it felt like every other character was written in the same way and this started to become tedious. I read a lot and I’m confident with English but I found that I started to skip over sections because I just couldn’t understand them. They seemed excessively wordy and didn’t add anything to the story. However, I did think that Minty stood out an as individual character and I enjoyed when she appeared.
- Whilst the concept was good, it felt like the majority of the book was full of description and not story, which didn’t add anything to the plot. It took a long time for the death to occur and even when it did, there wasn’t a lot of time spent on investigating which I was disappointed in. However, the small parts that were I enjoyed.
Overall, I think the concept of the book was interesting. The delivery of it just wasn’t for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Baskerville for the advanced reader copy, in exchange for an honest review.
Pros:
- I really enjoyed the character of Barclay. He was flamboyant and spoke in wordy riddles that fit his personality. I think he was well-written and a good lead character.
- The concept of the book was good and it fit well with the author’s experience with wine.
Cons:
- Many of the characters just blended into one-another and didn’t have distinct personalities. Whilst it made sense for Barclay to speak extravagantly due to his personality, it felt like every other character was written in the same way and this started to become tedious. I read a lot and I’m confident with English but I found that I started to skip over sections because I just couldn’t understand them. They seemed excessively wordy and didn’t add anything to the story. However, I did think that Minty stood out an as individual character and I enjoyed when she appeared.
- Whilst the concept was good, it felt like the majority of the book was full of description and not story, which didn’t add anything to the plot. It took a long time for the death to occur and even when it did, there wasn’t a lot of time spent on investigating which I was disappointed in. However, the small parts that were I enjoyed.
Overall, I think the concept of the book was interesting. The delivery of it just wasn’t for me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Baskerville for the advanced reader copy, in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2026
DNF at 27%.
I really wanted to like this book. I love Olly Smith on tv and I was excited about a cosy mystery centred on wine in England. Unfortunately, what I love about watching Olly does not (for me) translate well into writing. This was just too flowery, very much like a wine description, everything was over-described - do I really need to know the year, make, model, and registration number of someone's car? It could have been done more organically, eg Barclay loved his vintage car, even called it the Duke because his number plate started DUK, but not just a turgid recital of "1970 Rover P5B coupe in silver birch with the contrasting roof in burnt grey. DUK 922J has been Barclay's pride and joy ...". Also the book was written from the viewpoint of the omniscient narrator which is, I think, a tricky style to carry off, it comes across as too remote and you don't get to know any of the characters. And everything seemed to be about wine, a wine shop, vineyards etc - even I said too much wine!
Anyway, I should have known after the debacle with the Rev Richard Coles' book which I did at least finish, but wish I hadn't.
One for wine aficionados I suggest.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
I really wanted to like this book. I love Olly Smith on tv and I was excited about a cosy mystery centred on wine in England. Unfortunately, what I love about watching Olly does not (for me) translate well into writing. This was just too flowery, very much like a wine description, everything was over-described - do I really need to know the year, make, model, and registration number of someone's car? It could have been done more organically, eg Barclay loved his vintage car, even called it the Duke because his number plate started DUK, but not just a turgid recital of "1970 Rover P5B coupe in silver birch with the contrasting roof in burnt grey. DUK 922J has been Barclay's pride and joy ...". Also the book was written from the viewpoint of the omniscient narrator which is, I think, a tricky style to carry off, it comes across as too remote and you don't get to know any of the characters. And everything seemed to be about wine, a wine shop, vineyards etc - even I said too much wine!
Anyway, I should have known after the debacle with the Rev Richard Coles' book which I did at least finish, but wish I hadn't.
One for wine aficionados I suggest.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A cosy, light-hearted murder mystery that kept me guessing until the end. The story follows wine shop owner Barclay Flint, who starts looking into the death of his close friend. Initially believed to be an accident, Barclay has to take action when the finger of suspicion starts pointing at him being a murderer.
This was a book of two halves for me. It’s definitely not fast-paced, and I found the first half quite slow going. There were characters introduced that I felt weren’t really necessary to the overall story. I enjoyed the second half much more; when the mystery really starts, it’s nerve-racking and tense. I thought the character of Barclay was a superb protagonist, and I loved Pearl and Teddy as supporting characters. I thought the sprinkling of romance was a nice addition too ♥️
There’s a lot of information about wine, which I found really interesting as a wine lover, and the descriptions are fabulous! The ending was action-packed and tied up all the loose ends nicely.
Overall, an engaging read, perfect for wine lovers who might like a side of murder!
This was a book of two halves for me. It’s definitely not fast-paced, and I found the first half quite slow going. There were characters introduced that I felt weren’t really necessary to the overall story. I enjoyed the second half much more; when the mystery really starts, it’s nerve-racking and tense. I thought the character of Barclay was a superb protagonist, and I loved Pearl and Teddy as supporting characters. I thought the sprinkling of romance was a nice addition too ♥️
There’s a lot of information about wine, which I found really interesting as a wine lover, and the descriptions are fabulous! The ending was action-packed and tied up all the loose ends nicely.
Overall, an engaging read, perfect for wine lovers who might like a side of murder!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When you find yourself a prime suspect in the killing of one of your closest friends you're going to want to clear your name as quickly as possible. Barclay Flint is eccentric, knowledgeable, at least about some things, and can be quite charming, what he hasn't done is kill someone! As the owner of a wine shop and connoisseur of all things grape he knows his customers appreciate his ability to find them the perfect bottle whatever the occasion, so sniffing out a murderer can't be that difficult, can it?
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, John Murray Press, Baskervilles, but the opinions expressed are my own. I have to admit I struggled with this. I so wanted to like it, as I enjoy the author's television appearances as a wine expert but one or two minutes of similes is a lot different to a book full! I found this over long but I did like the different characters Barclay worked with who added depth to the storyline. If you like description heavy books this is for you. Unfortunately, for me, not so much. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, John Murray Press, Baskervilles, but the opinions expressed are my own. I have to admit I struggled with this. I so wanted to like it, as I enjoy the author's television appearances as a wine expert but one or two minutes of similes is a lot different to a book full! I found this over long but I did like the different characters Barclay worked with who added depth to the storyline. If you like description heavy books this is for you. Unfortunately, for me, not so much. 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.
March 9, 2026
This book definitely was a cozy crime novel as I had expected. If you’re a fan of Thursday Murder Club you may also like this one.
I found the first half to be quite slow and descriptive which was great for setting the scene and introducing characters. I found the amount of characters hard to keep track of. The idea of making the main character a wine enthusiast and using this to describe characters to essentially find the killer was very creative, however, if you’re not a wine fan then this may fall flat. I found the descriptions quite long winded and superfluous. Google may be your best friend if you’re not a huge wine drinker like myself.
Overall, the author did deliver an entertaining whodunnit which kept me guessing to the end. I’m interested to see any follow up novels in this series and if the wine descriptions may take a back burner in future books. If you’re a wine enthusiast who loves a whodunnit - this one is for you!
I found the first half to be quite slow and descriptive which was great for setting the scene and introducing characters. I found the amount of characters hard to keep track of. The idea of making the main character a wine enthusiast and using this to describe characters to essentially find the killer was very creative, however, if you’re not a wine fan then this may fall flat. I found the descriptions quite long winded and superfluous. Google may be your best friend if you’re not a huge wine drinker like myself.
Overall, the author did deliver an entertaining whodunnit which kept me guessing to the end. I’m interested to see any follow up novels in this series and if the wine descriptions may take a back burner in future books. If you’re a wine enthusiast who loves a whodunnit - this one is for you!
June 18, 2026
Olly Smith’s Death by Noir is a charming, wine-infused romp through the Sussex countryside, blending humour, eccentric characters, and a dash of small-town intrigue. At its heart is Barclay Flint, a wine merchant whose sharp wit and love for the grape make him an unlikely but endearing guide through this light-hearted whodunit.
The book’s strength lies in its vivid setting—Lewes and its bonfire traditions feel alive, and the cast of locals add plenty of colour. While the wine descriptions are rich (sometimes too rich for those not well-versed in vintages), they lend the story an authentic, laid-back charm. The pacing is leisurely, but the payoff is worth it, with a twist that feels both clever and satisfying.
If you’re after a cosy mystery with personality and a strong sense of place, Death by Noir delivers. Just pour yourself a glass and enjoy the ride.
Many thanks to John Murray Press and NetGalley for providing this advanced copy
The book’s strength lies in its vivid setting—Lewes and its bonfire traditions feel alive, and the cast of locals add plenty of colour. While the wine descriptions are rich (sometimes too rich for those not well-versed in vintages), they lend the story an authentic, laid-back charm. The pacing is leisurely, but the payoff is worth it, with a twist that feels both clever and satisfying.
If you’re after a cosy mystery with personality and a strong sense of place, Death by Noir delivers. Just pour yourself a glass and enjoy the ride.
Many thanks to John Murray Press and NetGalley for providing this advanced copy
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I do love a book that is set in the area where I live and Death by Noir was just so good. Olly Smith is such a well known wine expert that it seems only fitting that his debut novel should take place around a setting of a wine shop and a vineyard. There is a lot to like about this book and Olly fleshes out his characters really well and there are a lot of them to keep track of.
Barclay Flint, owner of a wine shop finds himself as a suspect in the murder of his close friend Victor, the owner of a local vineyard. So Barclay and his team set out to uncover the truth and find the real murderer.
This book is fast paced and fun and very entertaining. I thought Olly’s persona flooded through this book and I was reading it with his voice in my head. If you like cosy crime and have a penchant for Richard Osman’s books then this is definitely one that you will enjoy.
Barclay Flint, owner of a wine shop finds himself as a suspect in the murder of his close friend Victor, the owner of a local vineyard. So Barclay and his team set out to uncover the truth and find the real murderer.
This book is fast paced and fun and very entertaining. I thought Olly’s persona flooded through this book and I was reading it with his voice in my head. If you like cosy crime and have a penchant for Richard Osman’s books then this is definitely one that you will enjoy.
July 6, 2026
This book is a disappointment. There are some promising ideas behind it - a bucolic setting, a cosy market town, the grizzly death of a wine-maker and an eccentric proprietor of a wine shop with a highly developed sense of smell as the detective. Unfortunately, the execution is poor. The use of the omniscient third person viewpoint makes the pace sluggish and focuses too much on the actions rather than the motivations of the characters. The music references don’t add anything to the narrative and there is a large cast of mostly eccentric caricatures of rural England which add little to the story other than suggest that the author is creating a universe for a potential series of books. Whilst Olly Smith is an excellent wordsmith with a creative flair for the witty turn of phrase, he is not a natural storyteller.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Death by Noir by Olly Smith is a delightful take on the cosy genre, adding a whole new dimension and a lot of tun! Great concept and utterly hilarious!
Barclay Flint is an original and unique protagonist, whose expertise in matching wine to peoples palates transfers to detection skills after the unaliving of his close friend!
A screamer of a cosy that not only gives a fantastic mystery, but hilarity alongside the most glorious antihero. I am really looking forward to more from the infamous in his own lunchtime Barclay Flint! Outstanding!
Thank you to Netgalley, John Murray Press | Baskerville and the author Olly Smith for this brilliant ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Barclay Flint is an original and unique protagonist, whose expertise in matching wine to peoples palates transfers to detection skills after the unaliving of his close friend!
A screamer of a cosy that not only gives a fantastic mystery, but hilarity alongside the most glorious antihero. I am really looking forward to more from the infamous in his own lunchtime Barclay Flint! Outstanding!
Thank you to Netgalley, John Murray Press | Baskerville and the author Olly Smith for this brilliant ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoy a good murder, mystery story and add in some fireworks it should be my ideal book. And yes, I did enjoy the story and didn’t guess the final outcome. Barclay Flint, a wine merchant in East Sussex is the amateur sleuth who pieces together the clues, but there were just too many descriptions of wine, tastes, aromas. It seemed that the author needed to increase the word count, and I didn’t feel that these descriptions helped to move the story along or add any interest to the story. From the ending, I’m assuming the author intends to write a further story with this amateur sleuth but please, less reliance on word padding and stick to the story. My thanks to NetGalley and the author for an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not one for me, sadly.
I enjoy reading Olly Smith's articles and reviews about wine, and also his television appearances. His very effusive descriptions in those settings I find both informative and entertaining. However for me, that doesn't transfer to this book. I was disappointed.
The title comes from one of the characters being found dead in a vat of his wine. With that,and the setting in a quiet town in a rural area, I was expecting a cosy mystery, but for me it didn't deliver. The descriptions that I enjoyed in other media were over the top here, with the story just plodding along. It just didn't grip me, and I gave up on it twice. It didn't work the third time either, so I skipped to the end.
I enjoy reading Olly Smith's articles and reviews about wine, and also his television appearances. His very effusive descriptions in those settings I find both informative and entertaining. However for me, that doesn't transfer to this book. I was disappointed.
The title comes from one of the characters being found dead in a vat of his wine. With that,and the setting in a quiet town in a rural area, I was expecting a cosy mystery, but for me it didn't deliver. The descriptions that I enjoyed in other media were over the top here, with the story just plodding along. It just didn't grip me, and I gave up on it twice. It didn't work the third time either, so I skipped to the end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was super excited to read this knowing the area in Sussex this is based along with all the local traditions around their bonfire night celebrations!
Set in the old town of Lewes in Sussex near Brighton, Barclay runs the local wine store called The Bottle Bank! There are some fantastic and quite extraordinary descriptions of wines and characters from Lewes and surrounding countryside including local vineyards! The story is around the murder of the vineyard owner and where suspicions are flung far and wide, near and close!
Highly entertaining and full wonderful descriptions and weird and wonderful colourful characters.
This is a treat! Enjoy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Baskerville for the opportunity to read early!
Set in the old town of Lewes in Sussex near Brighton, Barclay runs the local wine store called The Bottle Bank! There are some fantastic and quite extraordinary descriptions of wines and characters from Lewes and surrounding countryside including local vineyards! The story is around the murder of the vineyard owner and where suspicions are flung far and wide, near and close!
Highly entertaining and full wonderful descriptions and weird and wonderful colourful characters.
This is a treat! Enjoy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Baskerville for the opportunity to read early!
June 9, 2026
I really enjoyed watching Olly smith on Saturday Kitchen and all of his wine reviews so thought I would give his ‘Death By Noir’ a read, although a bit of a departure from my normal literary/historical fiction favourites
The wine knowledge definitely seeps in to every page and he creates some interesting and likeable characters. However the story for me took a long time to get going and although it’s been compared to the Thursday Murder Club, I don’t think it’s as accessible. The text was quite dense and I found the storyline a bit meandering - I might return to it when I have a bit more head space but at this point I need something a bit quicker!
Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The wine knowledge definitely seeps in to every page and he creates some interesting and likeable characters. However the story for me took a long time to get going and although it’s been compared to the Thursday Murder Club, I don’t think it’s as accessible. The text was quite dense and I found the storyline a bit meandering - I might return to it when I have a bit more head space but at this point I need something a bit quicker!
Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2026
This is a debut mystery novel from TV personality Olly Smith. His wine expertise on BBC1's 'Saturday Kitchen' is in full effect with this novel. We learn a lot about wine in this novel, and we also experience Smith's sly sense of humour. Anyone who has seen him on telly will know what to expect. I was amused by the protagonist Barclay Flint, and I can see Flint working as part of a long-running mystery series. Plots are never the strong point of cosy mysteries (or at least the ones I've read that rely more on atmosphere), but I think Smith has fashioned a solid enough plot. I enjoyed 'Death by Noir' as a good summer read. It's the kind of book that you can take to the beach or read on another rainy afternoon.
June 21, 2026
Welcome to the world of Barclay Flint, wine connoisseur extraordinaire. In his shop in Lewes he enthuses over the tastes and smells of wine, holding wine tasting sessions regularly.
When his friend Victor, owner of the Dandelion HIll Vineyard is found dead shortly after Barclay was summoned to see him, suspicion falls on Barclay. This is trebled when he tells the police that Victor discussed leaving the vineyard to him. When Victor's children are told this, they refuse to believe that Barclay believed that Victor was joking.
Throw in a dodgy neighbour who wants to buy the land to extend his shooting business and an ex-army chap, it all leads to a murderous climax.
Some fun characters.
When his friend Victor, owner of the Dandelion HIll Vineyard is found dead shortly after Barclay was summoned to see him, suspicion falls on Barclay. This is trebled when he tells the police that Victor discussed leaving the vineyard to him. When Victor's children are told this, they refuse to believe that Barclay believed that Victor was joking.
Throw in a dodgy neighbour who wants to buy the land to extend his shooting business and an ex-army chap, it all leads to a murderous climax.
Some fun characters.
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