Murder on the Hour

Penny Brannigan #7

by Elizabeth J. Duncan

The residents of Llanelen are brimming with excitement. Antiques Cymru, a regional take on the popular national TV show, is coming to the Welsh town and people are flocking from miles around, hoping their attic treasures turn out to be worth a fortune. On the day of filming, quiet local sheep farmer Haydn Williams brings a generations-old long-case clock for evaluation, while the woman he’s always admired from afar, Catrin Bellis, turns up with a cherished handmade quilt. Will either hear surprising good news about the value of their family heirlooms? By the end of the day, Catrin turns up dead, her quilt missing.

Who could have wanted this shy, quiet woman – who had been overshadowed by her parents for her whole life – dead? Delving into Catrin’s past, spa owner and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan is surprised to discover that Catrin had at least one enemy. And as Penny’s romantic life heats up with a new love interest, she realizes that a mysterious document hidden in Haydn’s clock could hold the key to a long-forgotten secret and a present-day murder.

Murder on the Hour is a light-hearted traditional mystery featuring a charming heroine set in an enchanting Welsh town.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 12, 2016

About the author

After graduating from Carleton University, Ottawa, with a BA in English, Elizabeth J. Duncan worked as a writer and editor for some of Canada’s largest newspapers, and as a public relations practitioner.

A two-time winner of the Bloody Words Award for Canada's best light mystery, she is the author of two traditional mystery series, Penny Brannigan set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer Charlotte Fairfax,
Elizabeth divides her time between Toronto, Canada and Llandudno, North Wales.

Reviews

[Cozybooklady]

This is the first book I have read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the story.
In the town of Llanelen , the residents are excited that Antiques Cymru, a similar take on a popular national TV show, is coming to their Welsh town. Everyone is wondering if a lost and forgotten treasure in their attic could be worth money.
As some residents dig through their treasures, Catrin Bellis decides to bring her family heirloom quilt. Haydn Williams, a local sheep farmer, brings a long case case. As the filming day approaches, both are excited to see what news they will get.

While some are surprised with what their treasure holds, someone is not so lucky and murder and foul play has struck the quaint little town.
Amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan is shocked to hear the news and she is determined to get to the bottom of this tragic event.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat as you learn of dark secrets, family history and much more. The author has a talented way of keeping the reader intrigued all the way through. The smooth writing flow and vivid descriptions have made me a fan of this series. Although this is the 7th in the series, I felt comfortable getting to know the characters and it was easy to catch up with everything.

I will be reading more in this wonderful series.

I received an ARC of this book from NETGALLEY in exchange for my fair and honest review.

[Lynn]

This is the 7th book in the Penny Brannigan mystery series. I have read all seven and to me this is a very good mystery series. The location is Wales and Penny Brannigan co-owns a spa in town. An antique TV show has come to town and people are taking their antiques in to see if they have a unexpected treasure. There is a murder that day. What is different in this book is that the character is likable. Most cozy books the character is unlikable.

Penny has solved many mysteries in the past. There is a mysterious map that is torn in half. Where is the other half? Is the murder related to the past when the map was drawn. This is one of my favorite cozy reads due to the small town atmosphere and the characters. The crime portion is always different than most books. I think this book was one of my favorites in the series. You probably wouldn't have to start with book one to follow along but I think after you read this book you will want to go back to the beginning. It is a very good cozy mystery series set in Wales.

[Mystereity Reviews]

In Murder on the Hour, the 7th book in the Penny Brannigan series, a popular Antiques Roadshow-esque show is coming to Llanelen and after local woman Catrin brings in an old family quilt, she is found dead in her home. Meanwhile, Pennny meets one of the judges at the Antiques show and Gareth, soon retiring, begins to contemplate his life after retiring and life without Penny.

One of the biggest draws of this series is how vibrant the characters are. It's so easy to fall into a story when you feel like you're a part of the locale. And that's what this series excels at doing, along with the really great plots to sew everything together into a great cozy mystery.

The main plot, Catrin's murder, was riveting, one of those plots where you think you have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen and then suddenly it all gets blown to shreds and off you go again.

There is one line in the book that sticks with me. "When your parents are telling you about your grandparents and great-grandparents, you don't care. And then, when you're older and you do care, your parents are no longer alive to answer questions or recount family history." So, so true. I've recently begun researching my mother's side of the family and have hit a brick wall. There's no one alive who can answer the questions I have,. So sad that people never get the time to record or write down all those family stories and so many are lost.

Overall, a great read and one that I will recommend to other readers.

[Shannon Markuschewsky]

Very easy to read. I was interested enough to finish it so it was an ok read. I may try another in the series in the future. Enjoyable.

[Kimberly Ann]

This is the 2nd book of the Welsh series that I've read and it was too "cozy" for me as well as a bit disjointed... I thought the story skipped around too much, and some of the characters could have been eliminated as they just seemed to be filler...

Penny is a local artist, amateur gardener, & nail spa employee as well as the former girlfriend of Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Davies. When a national Antiques Valuation Show comes to town, old secrets of treasure come to life.

Penny seems to have a gift for sleuthing so when 1/2 of an old map shows up, a photograph of 3 young men in uniform, and then a woman with a quilt (that had something tucked into it) is murdered Penny & the DCI on the case begin an investigation, which seems to include most of the rest of the town...

Totally unbelievable & not well fitting was the part of the woman who worked as a clean-up person at an art school and pulled numerous original sketches out of a dustbin & saved them. Turns out her sketches were by Stuart Sutcliff & Jon Lennon when they were in art school together... This did not fit at all nor did the side story around it.

I was bored, skimmed most of this & will not be reading another.

[Louise]

A cozy mystery. Not much to it. Not my”cup of tea”.

[Joanne]

The local welsh version of Antiques Roadshow is coming to town and brings up some hidden secrets.

I have very much enjoyed this series and the characters it portrays. This entry in the series was disjointed and improbable. The main plot line felt short on substance and there were a few additional stories (I hesitate to call then subplots) that were built up and then just dumped leaving me to wonder why they were there at all: Florence's wonderful improbable sketches; Penny's relationship with Michael; the accident in the woods that lead Penny and Michael to spend the night lost.

I had some serious frustrations with the improbability of the main plot line and the conclusion. I find it impossible to believe that a two inch square piece of paper survived and was never discovered in a quilt that was used daily for 100 years? No one washed this quilt for 100 years? or ran their hands over it and noticed paper??. The conclusion also made no sense that two boys find a roman cache of jewels and make a map and rebury it but then forget about it totally but that the third kid who was not involved and did not know what it was remembered it enough to make it into a family legend that someone would kill for ... Um No!

[Kerrie]

All of the novels in this series are set in the small fictional Welsh town of Llanelin and feature Penny Brannigan, part owner of a local beauty salon known as The Spa, her friend and partner Victoria, and D.I. Gareth Davies.

In MURDER ON THE HOUR, Gareth Davies has recently retired and Penny isn't seeing so much of him. The main action centres around the coming of popular national tv show, Antiques Cymru, to the town. People search for an object or two they can present for evaluation and maybe a chance to be featured on television.

The novel has all the elements of an entertaining cozy, and works quite well as a stand-alone, although I undoubtedly would have been better off had I read any of the earlier novels. Nothing happens in this small town without most of the residents being aware of it, and yet a murder takes place, and there are few clues why.

[Arlene]

I loved the premise of this cozy mystery but I have to say that the ending left me feeling a bit aggravated. However, I will read other books in this series before writing off the author.

[Kate]

I liked the scenic descriptions but I would have liked some closure about Michael. The motive for the murder (or what led to it) seemed a bit far fetched.

[Carole]

I've found a new cozy series! Well, new to me. "Murder on the Hour" takes places in Northen Wales, a part of the world that I love. This book describes it just as I recall it from a trip made with my husband in the early 2000s. I can picture the small village we visited. Just as we alighted from our car to find a lunch spot at noon on a Saturday, the Church bells began to chime. They were so loud and joyous! We had lunch at a table with a farmer and his wife who were so friendly and told us some of the most personal things about their lives which we thought charming and surprising. The landscape was gorgeous, full of fluffy sheep and the people so kind and natural. This book is about those people and, of course, a murder. This book makes me wish that I could escape to that town again, away from all the horrid, insanity of America. Alas, I am too old and not rich enough to make such a move, but at least I have found a series where at least I can escape temporarily. I suggest that you may want to do the same.

[Ann Boytim]

Excitement in the small Welsh town as an Antiques Cymru is coming to the area. All the residents are excited to show what antiques they have stored in their home and all hoping for a big pay out. Penny and her partner in the spa they own are hearing all of the news during their workday. One of their clients is bringing a handmade quilt and she hopes it is going to bring her some extra cash as she is now living alone since both of her parents died. One man has some beautiful furniture and when the appraiser visits his farmhouse they discover a map hidden in the back of the big clock. Catrin is opening her home to rent her extra bedroom and when the lady comes for an interview she finds Catrins body in front of the fireplace and the quilt is missing. Penny teams up with her policeman friend to try and solve the murder.

[Barb]

It's been a while since I read the previous book in this series, but it didn't take long to jump back into the people and the village of Llanelen, Wales. I like Penny and most of the other recurring characters, even though many of them seem to be portrayed as stereotypical village residents. The addition of a TV show coming to town was crucial to this story - and added quite a few extra characters to the mix.

I was surprised at the identity of the murder victim, as she seemed to be well-liked and respected. This made it hard to come up with suspects for her murder, but a few possibilities jumped to the top of my list. I kept changing my mind though, and didn't know for sure until it became obvious in the book.

The next book from this series is in my audio library, and I hope not to put it off as long as I put off listening to this one.

[Marilyn]

The residents of Llanelen, Wales are excited because Antiques Cymru, a regional version of the national TV show is coming to their town. People are scouring through their attics to choose treasure to have evaluated. Haydn Williams has a longcase clock; Catrin Bellis has a handmade quilt, and Florence has some drawings. But after such an exciting day, Catrin is found dead in her home and the quilt is missing. Penny Brannigan is sketching and spots eccentric Dilys carrying the that same quilt. Where did Dilys acquire the quilt and when? Is there a connection to the scrap of paper which the appraiser found tucked into the back of Haydn's clock? Where might the rest of the map be found?

[Michelle]

This is the 7th book in the series. The Welsh equivalent of Antiques Roadshow is in town and everyone is bubbling with excitement to bring in items for evaluation. But more than one item brought in hides a secret, and one of those secrets leads to murder. On a personal side, Penny has a new potential love interest, and is determined to see if she can help solve the puzzling murder of woman that was quiet and shy and until their deaths, always behind the scenes of her parents. Penny tracks down a series of clues that may point to another possible hidden treasure.

[Fatimah]

Residents of Llanellen are brimming with excitement when Antique Cymru, a regional take on the popular national tv show , is coming to the welsh town
Haydn Williams brings years old clock for evaluation while victim Catrin Bellis brings in a handmade quilt which she thinks is worth fortunes, but with the quilt taken, what will happen next and with all this going on, what twist will happen next to this story? A crime fictional story
Revolving around Catrin Bellis

[Liz V.]

A Welsh TV program is in town to evaluate local antiques, and Penny is acting as liaison. As she circulates throughout the setup, Penny notices one of the experts tell a young towns person, Catrin, something about her quilt but is not close enough to hear what is said. Later that day, Catrin is murdered and the quilt is missing. Once again, Penny is called upon by the police to offer her perspective on the crime.

[nakyla!]

3 ½ ✰ this is not a bad book, it’s actually quite good. there were points where i just wanted to dnf it. and there are scenes that were unnecessary. there were also points where i just wanted to put the book in a goodwill box and send it on its way. thankfully i didn’t because the ending was great. it would have been better if the book were a bit longer. but the book wraps up nicely. stupid strawberry bushes.

[Jane Irish Nelson]

After her parents' deaths, Catrin Bellis finally has a chance at a life for herself. When an antique valuation show comes to town she takes a family quilt to be valued. But after she returns home, she is found murdered, and the quilt has disappeared. Thus begins another convoluted mystery to which Penny adds clues and inspiration. The imaginative plot and excellent characterization combine to make this book hard to put down. Recommended.

[L Kate]

I always a Penny Brannigan novel. They are paced just a little more slowly than most murder mysteries so you have time to get to know, not just the characters better, but also how life in a small Welsh town goes. I think I’d like to move to the village of Llanelen, if there just weren’t so many murders! So enjoyable.

[East Gwillimbury]

Penny is enjoying being a part of the Antiques Cymru a popular tv show. People from the Welsh countryside are coming to see what there family heirlooms are worth. Unfortunately, one person
will a part of a treasure map and another will be murdered. Penny will be apart of finding out who the murdered is and where the treasure is hidden.

[Gail]

I like this series about a pair of women in a small Welsh town who run a beauty shop. The setting is so cozily described that I feel I could be strolling down a cobbled Llanelen lane with the characters. In this book, an 'Antique Roadshow' type TV show visits the town, and murder ensues.

[Meg Morden]

The village is consumed by the Welsh version of the Antiques Roadshow which is coming to town. Everyone is searching for treasures in their attics which dislodges a few skeletons. Buried treasure, lost art treasures and malicious gossip lead to murder.

[Jan]

An interesting & engaging addition to a “cosy” series that is almost always entertaining, this novel pulls together the threads of old relationships & events to solve a present day mystery. Probably more of a 4.5 star read, but deserving of the round up to a 4 star rating.

[Kathy Nealen]

Routine mystery with some added subplots that were somewhat strange. I am not sure if the subplots are setups for a future episode or not. If not, maybe they were just filler to extend the novel to the expected length.

[Michelle Hartman]

I am really enjoying this series. This one, with it's take off on Antiques Roadshow, was especially exciting. Makes you wonder what does happen to those folks with the big dollar items when they get home. And we can't count out Garth as a boyfriend, not just yet. Read on Mcduff!

[Margaret Timm]

Although I have not read this series in order, this most recent addition to the Penny Brannigan Mysteries seems to have more substance than previous entries. I particularly liked the last chapter which gave the background supporting the motive for murder.

[Mary K.]

A fun cozy mystery. I am enjoying the series but I think reading books in order would have been more enjoyable for me.

[Janice]

Antique appraisers come to Penny's small town in Wales and murder follows.

[Maria Birnell]

Got this audiobook from library to entertain me while driving. It was suitable for that task but probably not a series I️ would read.