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Alex Duggins Mystery #2
Out Comes the Evil
Second in the traditional British mystery series featuring rural inn owner and amateur sleuth Alex Duggins: an intriguing departure for bestselling romantic suspense author Stella Cameron.
Once again Alex Duggins and her veterinarian friend Tony Harrison are thrown into a major murder investigation. An almost fresh body is discovered in a disused well among the ruins of a 14th-century manor house ... the motive for the killing a baffling mystery. The victim was a widow who had lived quietly in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Folly-on-Weir for the past ten years. Who on earth could want her dead, and by such brutal means?
As rumour and speculation engulf the town, another woman is attacked – and Alex discovers that behind a tranquil face lurks a cunning and vengeful mind. Despite warnings from the police to stop interfering, she finds herself in the sights of a ruthless killer who has decided she knows too much ...
Once again Alex Duggins and her veterinarian friend Tony Harrison are thrown into a major murder investigation. An almost fresh body is discovered in a disused well among the ruins of a 14th-century manor house ... the motive for the killing a baffling mystery. The victim was a widow who had lived quietly in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Folly-on-Weir for the past ten years. Who on earth could want her dead, and by such brutal means?
As rumour and speculation engulf the town, another woman is attacked – and Alex discovers that behind a tranquil face lurks a cunning and vengeful mind. Despite warnings from the police to stop interfering, she finds herself in the sights of a ruthless killer who has decided she knows too much ...
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2015
1489 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Stella Cameron
106 books420 followersStella Cameron is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. With over fourteen million copies of her books in print, Cameron is now turning her pen to mysteries and independently publishing COLD, Introducing Alex Duggins. She draws on her English background for this new, already critically acclaimed mystery series. Atmospheric, deeply character and relationship driven, COLD reveals the power of old secrets to twist the present. Cameron’s reputation for using her backgrounds to add tension and allure to her stories is heightened again.
Cameron is the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Achievement Award for distinguished professional achievement and for enhancing the stature of the Northwest Literary community. She lives in Washington with her husband Jerry, her Papillon Millie, black cat Zipper, and a cheeky little tabby named Jack.
Cameron is the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Achievement Award for distinguished professional achievement and for enhancing the stature of the Northwest Literary community. She lives in Washington with her husband Jerry, her Papillon Millie, black cat Zipper, and a cheeky little tabby named Jack.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
June 1, 2016
An almost fresh body is discovered in a disused well among the ruins of a 14th-century manor house ... the motive for the killing a baffling mystery. The victim was a widow who had lived quietly in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Folly-on-Weir for the past ten years. Who on earth could want her dead, and by such brutal means?
Local publican Alex Duggins and her friend, vet Tony Harrison decide to investigate.
When I started this book I thought I was in for a good traditional English mystery, and that was largely what I got. But be warned, in places the writing is clumsy and inconsistent ('Nausea flooded her, knocking out her breath. She couldn't breathe anyway.'), the dialogue stilted and unrealistic, and in one place in particular I could not figure out why Alex was doing what she was doing, and it never was explained to my satisfaction. In other places the writing flows beautifully and the characters shine.
Another thing I disliked about this book was the occasional insertion of 'thoughts' from the killer. They added nothing to the storyline, in fact detracted from it. I have seen this used to great advantage in some psychological thrillers, but unless it is relevant and well done, it just does not work. And this was neither.
The clichéd ending where the killer confesses all and explains their actions to those about to be killed knocked a good 1/2 star off my final rating.
Would I read more in this series? Yes, because I have come to like the characters of the village. I just hope the author begins to think about the story line a little more logically.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers Severn House for the ARC of Out Comes the Evil in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Local publican Alex Duggins and her friend, vet Tony Harrison decide to investigate.
When I started this book I thought I was in for a good traditional English mystery, and that was largely what I got. But be warned, in places the writing is clumsy and inconsistent ('Nausea flooded her, knocking out her breath. She couldn't breathe anyway.'), the dialogue stilted and unrealistic, and in one place in particular I could not figure out why Alex was doing what she was doing, and it never was explained to my satisfaction. In other places the writing flows beautifully and the characters shine.
Another thing I disliked about this book was the occasional insertion of 'thoughts' from the killer. They added nothing to the storyline, in fact detracted from it. I have seen this used to great advantage in some psychological thrillers, but unless it is relevant and well done, it just does not work. And this was neither.
The clichéd ending where the killer confesses all and explains their actions to those about to be killed knocked a good 1/2 star off my final rating.
Would I read more in this series? Yes, because I have come to like the characters of the village. I just hope the author begins to think about the story line a little more logically.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers Severn House for the ARC of Out Comes the Evil in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
November 10, 2015
First, let me say that this book is better than the first book in this series. Slightly. Which is not to say that it is actually good. It's not.
If you are a fan of English murder mysteries, there are so many brilliant options to choose from, against which this book seems amateurish.
First of all, the pace is choppy and disjointed. There is no sense of a scene or event naturally flowing out of those that preceded it. Things just seem to jump from one place to another.
Secondly, the subheading for the title is "A Cotswold Murder Mystery", at least as it appears here on GoodReads. And the Cotswolds are one of the most distinctive, charming and beautiful areas of England. Yet none of that is captured in the book. It takes place in a village, and there is a pub, and a ruined manor on the outskirts. And that's it. There is no "Cotswolds" here at all.
And, with only marginal improvement over the first book in the series, the characters continue to talk in stilted ways in conversations that seem odd and don't ring true. Over and over again, they utter American idiom that would never be part of the British vernacular.
Their behavior is odd as well, and with only the barest minimum of character development as a foundation, the reader is left to wonder why characters talk and behave the way they do. At times, I asked myself whether the main character is just stupid. She is certainly annoying, fancying herself an amateur detective, but with no reason or history to support that. She inserts herself into police investigations, expecting the police to reveal to her confidential information, yet refusing to share with them even inconsequential things that she herself has learned. When she is threatened, she behaves inexplicably and recklessly. Repeatedly here, characters say -- even promise -- that they will do something, and then not only do not do it, but do the opposite. For no apparent reason. Odd. Just odd.
The book reads as if it were sketched out in a hurry on a plane, and never reread before publishing it. Which begs the question of why this amateurish effort was published in the first place. Could it be because it was written by a well-known author, whose name would sell books regardless of their quality?
If you do choose to read this, get it from your local library. Don't spend your money on it.
Or better yet, read Dorothy Sayers or Colin Dexter or Edmund Crispin. Or Deborah Crombie. Elizabeth George.
If you are a fan of English murder mysteries, there are so many brilliant options to choose from, against which this book seems amateurish.
First of all, the pace is choppy and disjointed. There is no sense of a scene or event naturally flowing out of those that preceded it. Things just seem to jump from one place to another.
Secondly, the subheading for the title is "A Cotswold Murder Mystery", at least as it appears here on GoodReads. And the Cotswolds are one of the most distinctive, charming and beautiful areas of England. Yet none of that is captured in the book. It takes place in a village, and there is a pub, and a ruined manor on the outskirts. And that's it. There is no "Cotswolds" here at all.
And, with only marginal improvement over the first book in the series, the characters continue to talk in stilted ways in conversations that seem odd and don't ring true. Over and over again, they utter American idiom that would never be part of the British vernacular.
Their behavior is odd as well, and with only the barest minimum of character development as a foundation, the reader is left to wonder why characters talk and behave the way they do. At times, I asked myself whether the main character is just stupid. She is certainly annoying, fancying herself an amateur detective, but with no reason or history to support that. She inserts herself into police investigations, expecting the police to reveal to her confidential information, yet refusing to share with them even inconsequential things that she herself has learned. When she is threatened, she behaves inexplicably and recklessly. Repeatedly here, characters say -- even promise -- that they will do something, and then not only do not do it, but do the opposite. For no apparent reason. Odd. Just odd.
The book reads as if it were sketched out in a hurry on a plane, and never reread before publishing it. Which begs the question of why this amateurish effort was published in the first place. Could it be because it was written by a well-known author, whose name would sell books regardless of their quality?
If you do choose to read this, get it from your local library. Don't spend your money on it.
Or better yet, read Dorothy Sayers or Colin Dexter or Edmund Crispin. Or Deborah Crombie. Elizabeth George.
May 4, 2016
I made it up to Chapter 6.
Disjointed, choppy writing, no flow of the storyline.
Issues were mentioned and then dropped for paragraphs only to be vaguely explained (i.e. the opening sentence, who called her that?).
Characters behaving inexplicably or reacting in unrealistic ways (the rude misogynistic Major speaking to three adult women, the village "ho" hiding in a shrubbery).
No good details for locations, architecture or village layout, but then I got a random and unrelated description of the main character's outfit. Thanks, I guess.
I was honestly most concerned about the stray cat's eye surgery. Also, the main character seemed pretty idiotic if she couldn't tell a stray cat from a house pet.
I was enjoying Robert Galbraith's London private eye/murder mysteries and was hoping for something similar until Cormoran Strike Book 4 comes out. Maybe even a flavor of classic Agatha Christie? Boy was I wrong.
Disjointed, choppy writing, no flow of the storyline.
Issues were mentioned and then dropped for paragraphs only to be vaguely explained (i.e. the opening sentence, who called her that?).
Characters behaving inexplicably or reacting in unrealistic ways (the rude misogynistic Major speaking to three adult women, the village "ho" hiding in a shrubbery).
No good details for locations, architecture or village layout, but then I got a random and unrelated description of the main character's outfit. Thanks, I guess.
I was honestly most concerned about the stray cat's eye surgery. Also, the main character seemed pretty idiotic if she couldn't tell a stray cat from a house pet.
I was enjoying Robert Galbraith's London private eye/murder mysteries and was hoping for something similar until Cormoran Strike Book 4 comes out. Maybe even a flavor of classic Agatha Christie? Boy was I wrong.
December 9, 2015
I have been a fan of Stella Cameron's Romantic Suspense books for quite a while. I was surprised to see that she had started a new series that was much more mystery/suspense than romance.
Although this is the second of the series featuring Alex Duggins and Dr. Tony Harrison, this is very good as a stand alone. As always, I highly recommend starting with Book 1 so as to pick up all the background information.
Quick rundown - Alex is owner of a small restaurant/pub in Folly-on-Weir's, a small but interesting little English village. Dr Tony Harrison is the town's only veterinarian. They have been friends forever, but are now looking at each other with different eyes.
The two of them have become amateur sleuths, by accident rather than design. A woman has gone missing and because Tony thought he saw her the night she disappeared, he and Alex go looking. They find her at the bottom of a well, with some of her fingers smashed. And then two more village residents go missing only to turn up dead.
I love the author's English Village.... quaint, picturesque, filled with quirky people who make wonderful suspects. Gossip abounds and is truly the place everyone knows everyone else ... except when it comes to murder.
Alex and Tony are terrific characters ... perfectly described with their unique traits well thought out. Although complete opposites, they mesh together perfectly. Alex seems to be a little more 'out there' than Tony ... usually risking her very life in the quest for the truth.
This is a nice read, the mystery is more than a cozy and kept me turning the pages. I liked the village, the characters, and look forward to seeing where their adventures lead them.
My thanks to the author, Stella Cameron, who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
4.5 Stars
Although this is the second of the series featuring Alex Duggins and Dr. Tony Harrison, this is very good as a stand alone. As always, I highly recommend starting with Book 1 so as to pick up all the background information.
Quick rundown - Alex is owner of a small restaurant/pub in Folly-on-Weir's, a small but interesting little English village. Dr Tony Harrison is the town's only veterinarian. They have been friends forever, but are now looking at each other with different eyes.
The two of them have become amateur sleuths, by accident rather than design. A woman has gone missing and because Tony thought he saw her the night she disappeared, he and Alex go looking. They find her at the bottom of a well, with some of her fingers smashed. And then two more village residents go missing only to turn up dead.
I love the author's English Village.... quaint, picturesque, filled with quirky people who make wonderful suspects. Gossip abounds and is truly the place everyone knows everyone else ... except when it comes to murder.
Alex and Tony are terrific characters ... perfectly described with their unique traits well thought out. Although complete opposites, they mesh together perfectly. Alex seems to be a little more 'out there' than Tony ... usually risking her very life in the quest for the truth.
This is a nice read, the mystery is more than a cozy and kept me turning the pages. I liked the village, the characters, and look forward to seeing where their adventures lead them.
My thanks to the author, Stella Cameron, who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
4.5 Stars
November 19, 2015
The title was more terrifying than the book. I would say this was more of a cozy mystery except for one gross part. There were a lot of strange characters in this little town and one very creepy one who had a lot of money and still lived with his mama and daddy. All signs pointed to him, and why not, he was really creepy. However, mystery readers know if the author has got arrows over a character's head with a flashing light every time he's discussed in the book, Yeah, some mystery reader I am. HA!!
There was one sex scene and I'm not sure if it was implied or what, I just skipped over the pages. There were only four or five. So, for me it was no big deal.
This story was pretty good and believable. I liked most of the characters, except for the creepy one of course. I enjoyed it and pretty much found it entertaining. The author kept me guessing until the very end.
Thanks Severn House and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I definitely recommend this book!
There was one sex scene and I'm not sure if it was implied or what, I just skipped over the pages. There were only four or five. So, for me it was no big deal.
This story was pretty good and believable. I liked most of the characters, except for the creepy one of course. I enjoyed it and pretty much found it entertaining. The author kept me guessing until the very end.
Thanks Severn House and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. I definitely recommend this book!
June 14, 2020
Awful book. Badly written and the main characters were really stupid. Won’t be reading anything else by this author
December 2, 2024
Great writing. Great story. Love the characters!
December 29, 2015
This is an English village murder but I find the feel of the story anything but cosy. The villagers resent the incomer Alex, a divorced lady who now runs the pub. I don't think this is completely accurate, as most villagers are so bored with the same people they have known all their lives that they love new sources of chat. Any gossip we hear has a snide or outright malicious overtone. Alex is constantly cross that she is being gossiped about, which deters her from becoming the vet's girlfriend. (So don't live in a small village then.)
To avoid gossip, another woman is sneaking out at night to meet a rather younger lad in a site better suited to teenagers. Then she doesn't return, and is later found dead down a pit. Apparently she was trapped down there, which worries everyone. In the earlier book Folly we saw a murder here for the first time in many years; now everyone thinks the two deaths must be connected.
I liked this book but there are few really likeable characters, which is why I am not giving a better rating. Location description is good and there are some good police procedure details.
To avoid gossip, another woman is sneaking out at night to meet a rather younger lad in a site better suited to teenagers. Then she doesn't return, and is later found dead down a pit. Apparently she was trapped down there, which worries everyone. In the earlier book Folly we saw a murder here for the first time in many years; now everyone thinks the two deaths must be connected.
I liked this book but there are few really likeable characters, which is why I am not giving a better rating. Location description is good and there are some good police procedure details.
January 24, 2016
I kept thinking, as I read this book, that maybe I should have read the first in the series first. There seemed to be a lot of characters and incidents that I didn't quite know enough about. Widowed Pamela is brutally killed in the prologue, and pub owner Alex, divorced and headstrong, wants to investigate after finding the body, along with the local veterinarian, Tony, who has a complex backstory himself, and who is just developing a relationship with Alex. One naturally suspects the man Pamela was having an affair with, especially when he starts behaving oddly (though not as oddly as his mother).
March 28, 2016
Alex Duggins and Tony Harrison her Veterinarian friend are thrown into a major murder investigation. When they find the body of Pamela Gibbon in a disused well among the ruins of a 14th century Manor House.... What was the motive for her murder? When another Women is attacked- Alex discovers that behind a tranquil face lurks a very cunning dangerous mind. Despite police warnings to leave things alone Alex finds herself in the sights of a ruthless killer who has decided she knows to much.... And she has to die! A suspenseful read. Kept me reading till late into the night to see what would happen next.
April 30, 2016
This British murder mystery was similar to novels and television series of the same genre. Elements contained in the story included: a small village centered around a pub, dogs and horses loved by the village residents, the frequent enjoyment of tea and alcohol, and oh-so-proper and British romance. Telltale letters lead the way to the culprit, and revenge proves to be the motive. Entertaining descriptions and prose throughout!
April 29, 2016
I liked the first book, but this one was annoying. The male lead always telling the female sleuth, " don't do this ... Or that, you'll get hurt". Female plows ahead anyhow, female gets hurt, male says, "I told you so."
May 11, 2016
Tremendous potential, but I just couldn't follow the writing. I tried another books of hers as well and same thing- great idea, I really wanted to like both of these, but it just wasn't there.
March 27, 2016
I have to say I was stunned to see so many five star reviews. Love cozy village mysteries but nothing in this rang true - characters, setting, dialogue.... Disappointed.
August 2, 2015
Alex and Tony are old friends and becoming much more. They live in a small village in England. Alex owns a pub and he is a vet. The news of everything that happens in this small village spreads like wild fire. Alex and Tony have found the body of a murdered woman and that information has drawn a great deal of interest in the village. The police are also on the scene trying to solve the mystery and find the murderer.
Both Alex and Tony are interesting characters. In the village they are the subject of gossip because of their budding relationship. Also, because they get involved in murder.
For me, it seemed that there were many parts of their personal histories which were missing. I would have liked to get at least some the reasons each of them behaved as they did. It would have helped me to see some more history of the lives of Alex and Tony.
The secondary characters are wonderful at adding atmosphere and fabric to the story. The village is small, but it is populated by some very interesting people. Many of them have major issues from their past which may or may not make them villains.
The dead woman was a widow who had secrets. Her murder was done in such a way that she would have suffered a great deal of pain. The murderer liked that.
As the plot progresses, there are clues which widen the circle of suspects. It becomes apparent that there is a history which has created an anger and hatred which has become too large to contain. This is a well developed plot line.
Ms Cameron is a very talented author. She knows how to create a plot which keeps the reader involved in the action. Her character development is generally second to none. I am not sure why, but I could not generate an empathy for Alex. She put herself in danger evidently because she could. That is not a quality I admire in a heroine.
But, this is a mystery which holds the reader's interest by keeping the action moving forward.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through Net Galley, in the hope I would provide a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Both Alex and Tony are interesting characters. In the village they are the subject of gossip because of their budding relationship. Also, because they get involved in murder.
For me, it seemed that there were many parts of their personal histories which were missing. I would have liked to get at least some the reasons each of them behaved as they did. It would have helped me to see some more history of the lives of Alex and Tony.
The secondary characters are wonderful at adding atmosphere and fabric to the story. The village is small, but it is populated by some very interesting people. Many of them have major issues from their past which may or may not make them villains.
The dead woman was a widow who had secrets. Her murder was done in such a way that she would have suffered a great deal of pain. The murderer liked that.
As the plot progresses, there are clues which widen the circle of suspects. It becomes apparent that there is a history which has created an anger and hatred which has become too large to contain. This is a well developed plot line.
Ms Cameron is a very talented author. She knows how to create a plot which keeps the reader involved in the action. Her character development is generally second to none. I am not sure why, but I could not generate an empathy for Alex. She put herself in danger evidently because she could. That is not a quality I admire in a heroine.
But, this is a mystery which holds the reader's interest by keeping the action moving forward.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through Net Galley, in the hope I would provide a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 15, 2015
Murder re-visits the sleepy village of Folly-on-Weir
Pamela Gibbon is not quite a lady of ill-repute but she is certainly talked about within the village of Folly-on-Weir in the Cotswolds. Since losing her husband she has enjoyed the company of other men and is currently enjoying the services of Harry Stroud. When she attends what seems to be a mutually-arranged assignation, she is brutally murdered and her body dumped in a disused well shaft.
So commences this second book in the series about Alex Duggin, owner of the local pub The Black Dog and amateur private detective. With her boyfriend, local vet Tony Harrison, she is determined to ferret out the perpetrator of this dastardly deed, and bring them to justice before the police.
The setting is a typically sleepy rural village, with typically village folk. Talk is rife following the murder and the police, in the form of Detective Inspector Dan O’Reilly and Detective Sergeant Bill Lamb, have their work cut out to sort out the facts of the case from the circulating rumours.
The plot is a good one and it moves apace with several red herrings thrown in for good measure and there is more brutality to come. However, I have to say that I found the use of terms like ‘cripes’, ‘darn it’ and ’spiffy’ a little twee. I doubt whether even in remote villages in England these words are still used today. I also doubt if the police would permit would-be heroes to interfere in the way that Alex and Tony do.
And yet it was a pleasing read and I did enjoy it.
Sméagol
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review
Pamela Gibbon is not quite a lady of ill-repute but she is certainly talked about within the village of Folly-on-Weir in the Cotswolds. Since losing her husband she has enjoyed the company of other men and is currently enjoying the services of Harry Stroud. When she attends what seems to be a mutually-arranged assignation, she is brutally murdered and her body dumped in a disused well shaft.
So commences this second book in the series about Alex Duggin, owner of the local pub The Black Dog and amateur private detective. With her boyfriend, local vet Tony Harrison, she is determined to ferret out the perpetrator of this dastardly deed, and bring them to justice before the police.
The setting is a typically sleepy rural village, with typically village folk. Talk is rife following the murder and the police, in the form of Detective Inspector Dan O’Reilly and Detective Sergeant Bill Lamb, have their work cut out to sort out the facts of the case from the circulating rumours.
The plot is a good one and it moves apace with several red herrings thrown in for good measure and there is more brutality to come. However, I have to say that I found the use of terms like ‘cripes’, ‘darn it’ and ’spiffy’ a little twee. I doubt whether even in remote villages in England these words are still used today. I also doubt if the police would permit would-be heroes to interfere in the way that Alex and Tony do.
And yet it was a pleasing read and I did enjoy it.
Sméagol
Breakaway Reviewers were given a copy of the book to review
December 2, 2015
Out Comes the Evil is a thrilling British mystery, a perfect follow up to Folly, Cameron's first novel featuring pub owner cum amateur sleuth Alex Duggins and her veterinarian friend Tony Harrison.
Folly-on-Weir is slowly recovering from the murders in its recent history. Like any village, it has its share of gossip and innuendo, secrets and hidden affairs. Polly Gibbons, a wealthy widow, enjoys her quiet life and her romantic dalliances – despite the gossip. When she goes to meet her paramour at the ruins of a 14th-century manor house, she is murdered. Her death draws DI O'Reilly and DS Lamb back to Folly-on-Weir. Alex can't help but ask questions, and Tony follows her lead, as Alex's impulses frequently put her in danger. More deaths follow, as the killer executes a plan for revenge – a plan that may end up targeting Alex and Tony.
Out Comes the Evil has an intriguing storyline and a wide range of interesting characters. The relationship between Alex and Tony is slowly developing into a romantic one, and the elderly sisters who run the teashop are dears.
There are several twists that make the solution difficult to predict, and the inclusion of the killer's thoughts is a chilling but wonderful addition.
Out Comes the Evil is a delectable mystery certain to be enjoyed by fans of classic British mysteries.
5/5
I received a copy of Out Comes the Evil from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Murder returns to Folly-on-Weir
http://muttcafe.com/2015/12/out-comes...
Folly-on-Weir is slowly recovering from the murders in its recent history. Like any village, it has its share of gossip and innuendo, secrets and hidden affairs. Polly Gibbons, a wealthy widow, enjoys her quiet life and her romantic dalliances – despite the gossip. When she goes to meet her paramour at the ruins of a 14th-century manor house, she is murdered. Her death draws DI O'Reilly and DS Lamb back to Folly-on-Weir. Alex can't help but ask questions, and Tony follows her lead, as Alex's impulses frequently put her in danger. More deaths follow, as the killer executes a plan for revenge – a plan that may end up targeting Alex and Tony.
Out Comes the Evil has an intriguing storyline and a wide range of interesting characters. The relationship between Alex and Tony is slowly developing into a romantic one, and the elderly sisters who run the teashop are dears.
There are several twists that make the solution difficult to predict, and the inclusion of the killer's thoughts is a chilling but wonderful addition.
Out Comes the Evil is a delectable mystery certain to be enjoyed by fans of classic British mysteries.
5/5
I received a copy of Out Comes the Evil from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Murder returns to Folly-on-Weir
http://muttcafe.com/2015/12/out-comes...
December 1, 2015
Out Comes the Evil (A Cotswold murder mystery) by Stella Cameron continues the tales of pub owner, Alex Duggins who is turning into a very talented amateur sleuth. Having the first in the series I liked this one even more. The plot is steady and tightly stitched involving Alex, Tony and the small English town community. The tension Ms. Cameron creates in her stories never fails to capture and hold my interest.
Again there are plenty of the town’s intriguing characters who could be guilty of murder. I always like having to figure out what happened and by who along with the hero and/or heroine. Again the villain is not guessed easily. I also liked the growing relationship between Alex and Tony that began in the first novel. A little romance thrown in with the mystery is just my cup of tea.
If a fan of well-developed cozy mysteries, then I could highly recommend Out Comes The Evil by Stella Cameron. While this reads well as a stand-alone, more background on Alex is gained from reading Folly, the first Alex Duggins mystery.
Copy provided by the publisher through Net Galley for an honest review.
Again there are plenty of the town’s intriguing characters who could be guilty of murder. I always like having to figure out what happened and by who along with the hero and/or heroine. Again the villain is not guessed easily. I also liked the growing relationship between Alex and Tony that began in the first novel. A little romance thrown in with the mystery is just my cup of tea.
If a fan of well-developed cozy mysteries, then I could highly recommend Out Comes The Evil by Stella Cameron. While this reads well as a stand-alone, more background on Alex is gained from reading Folly, the first Alex Duggins mystery.
Copy provided by the publisher through Net Galley for an honest review.
August 19, 2015
They say that things often happen in threes. That is certainly true for aspects of this book.
I liked the setting in the fictional village of Floss On Weir. This setting in the Cotswolds is given added reality by clever use of real places such as Burford, Broadway and Bourton on the Water.
I liked this book as it had a broad range of characters, several of whom came into or passed out of the frame as being the guilty party.
The descriptions of the different villagers provided a convincing backdrop to the story. However, the police using the pub as a base for their investigation is perhaps a step too far.
This is well worth reading. I for one will look forward to any further books in this series, not just because I live in this area.
I have one regret, that I didn't read the first book in the Alex Duggins series first, as I think it would have helped flesh out some of the details about some of the characters.
My Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Severn House /Crème de la Crime, for an advance copy.
I liked the setting in the fictional village of Floss On Weir. This setting in the Cotswolds is given added reality by clever use of real places such as Burford, Broadway and Bourton on the Water.
I liked this book as it had a broad range of characters, several of whom came into or passed out of the frame as being the guilty party.
The descriptions of the different villagers provided a convincing backdrop to the story. However, the police using the pub as a base for their investigation is perhaps a step too far.
This is well worth reading. I for one will look forward to any further books in this series, not just because I live in this area.
I have one regret, that I didn't read the first book in the Alex Duggins series first, as I think it would have helped flesh out some of the details about some of the characters.
My Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Severn House /Crème de la Crime, for an advance copy.
November 15, 2021
Der zweite Band der Folly-on-Weir Reihe von Stella Cameron bringt ein Wiedersehen mit alten Bekannten, wie der Pub-Besitzerin Alex Duggins und dem Tierarzt Tony Harrison und auch das beliebte 'Detective-Duo' ist wieder mit von der Partie.
Die Geschichte entwickelt sich langsam, allerdings im Laufe des Buches wird es sehr chaotisch und verworren, doch mit einigen komischen Elementen. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und lässt sich gut weg lesen. Spannend fand ich auch die immer wieder eingestreuten privaten Entwicklungen der Hauptfiguren. Der Plot dagegen war mir zum Ende hin zu verworren und die Lösung ein wenig an den Haaren herbeigezogen. Das finde ich sehr schade, denn ich mag die Figuren und auch das Dörfchen sehr gerne.
So werde ich auch die folgenden Geschichten um Alex und Tony bestimmt lesen und hoffen, dort dann mehr einen roten Faden zu finden.
Die Geschichte entwickelt sich langsam, allerdings im Laufe des Buches wird es sehr chaotisch und verworren, doch mit einigen komischen Elementen. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig und lässt sich gut weg lesen. Spannend fand ich auch die immer wieder eingestreuten privaten Entwicklungen der Hauptfiguren. Der Plot dagegen war mir zum Ende hin zu verworren und die Lösung ein wenig an den Haaren herbeigezogen. Das finde ich sehr schade, denn ich mag die Figuren und auch das Dörfchen sehr gerne.
So werde ich auch die folgenden Geschichten um Alex und Tony bestimmt lesen und hoffen, dort dann mehr einen roten Faden zu finden.
August 28, 2015
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. Folly-on-the-Weir is a peaceful village in the Cotswolds that is filled with quirky characters. Alex Duggins returned to Folly after the break-up of her marriage and now runs a local pub. When Pamela Gibbon goes missing, it is Alex and her friend Tony who find the body. Though warned by the police not to interfere with the investigation, they play amateur sleuth, putting themselves in danger. There are some good twists in the investigation that misdirect the reader from the real murderer and Cameron allows the relationship between Alex and Tony to grow at a good pace. I hope that Cameron has plans for further adventures for the residents of Folly.
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June 23, 2020Poorly written. Unbelievable characters, stilted dialogue,jerky writing didn't flow, not a pleasure to Rarely give up, but did on this
Don't like to be unkind but this lady really can't write. Badly drawn,woolly unbelievable characters and dialogue. Terrible "romantic tension" vigilant finish it as too irratating
Don't like to be unkind but this lady really can't write. Badly drawn,woolly unbelievable characters and dialogue. Terrible "romantic tension" vigilant finish it as too irratating
November 21, 2015
So many twist and turns, one could start to get dizzy! What a great read. Lots of possible villains in this one and wow, what a twist at the end. This is a quick read and worth every minute spent on it!
December 1, 2015
This was a nice easy read mystery, with some gore added in. Kept me guessing for a while which is always a good thing. I've always enjoyed Stella Cameron and this was no exception.
November 24, 2015
3.5 stars
January 3, 2016
Great book. This is the second book of this series. In order to understand the characters more fully, you need to read the first book in the series "Cold".
December 20, 2015
Unexpected
The twists and turns in this book make it hard to put down.
Stella Cameron did it again. Can't wait for her next book.
The twists and turns in this book make it hard to put down.
Stella Cameron did it again. Can't wait for her next book.
May 25, 2016
Interesting community and cast of characters.
March 24, 2021
I found the writing uninspiring. Descriptions of the Cotswolds area of England were pretty bland and yet I know this is a beautiful area and in other stories I can just see the hedgerows and the vibrancy of the area, not so with this story.
I did not really care for the characters. I found them rather stupid even though Alex is supposed to be an independent and strong woman. I thought she was rather foolish and her only thought was you can't tell me what to do. Alex owns and operates the local pub in her small town. She was never in her pub to work but I suppose if you are the owner you hire good staff and then go and try to solve murders.
The same with her boyfriend Tony who is a veterinarian and spends more time trying to solve a murder then working at what pays his mortgage.
A brutal murder happens in the small town Folly-on-Weir and Alex feels she needs to investigate instead of leaving the job to the local police. That was never really explained to me since Alex did not know the victim that well. References were constantly made to the first book in this series but those references never shed any light on why Alex needed to investigate. Also her manner of investigation was never really thought out but just a hunch, which always landed her in trouble and danger. She is also supposed to have a sixth sense and everyone knows when your spidey senses are tingling it is best to get the hell out of there but she never used this supposed super power.
I also did not like that I never knew what day or time it was in the story. In the same paragraph it was morning and night of the next day. It seems that the dead person was actually missing for three days when I thought the way the story was written it was only the next night. This kept happening throughout the book. I think the editor fell asleep on this book.
As to the relationship with the police, I just did not understand it. Why would you not tell the police what you know and what has happened, again there was no real reason given for this kind of behaviour. Also in one chapter the chief inspector (who has the hots for Alex) says he wants to talk with her about something and then never gets around to it until 10 chapters later and at that it has nothing to do with why he wanted to talk with her in the first place.
The other thing I found very annoying was that for the first 15 or 20 pages we had to hear how Alex and Tony had the hots for each other and were trying to find a way of getting from the friend zone to the lover zone. I could not believe how many different ways there were to say the same thing.
I did not really care for the characters. I found them rather stupid even though Alex is supposed to be an independent and strong woman. I thought she was rather foolish and her only thought was you can't tell me what to do. Alex owns and operates the local pub in her small town. She was never in her pub to work but I suppose if you are the owner you hire good staff and then go and try to solve murders.
The same with her boyfriend Tony who is a veterinarian and spends more time trying to solve a murder then working at what pays his mortgage.
A brutal murder happens in the small town Folly-on-Weir and Alex feels she needs to investigate instead of leaving the job to the local police. That was never really explained to me since Alex did not know the victim that well. References were constantly made to the first book in this series but those references never shed any light on why Alex needed to investigate. Also her manner of investigation was never really thought out but just a hunch, which always landed her in trouble and danger. She is also supposed to have a sixth sense and everyone knows when your spidey senses are tingling it is best to get the hell out of there but she never used this supposed super power.
I also did not like that I never knew what day or time it was in the story. In the same paragraph it was morning and night of the next day. It seems that the dead person was actually missing for three days when I thought the way the story was written it was only the next night. This kept happening throughout the book. I think the editor fell asleep on this book.
As to the relationship with the police, I just did not understand it. Why would you not tell the police what you know and what has happened, again there was no real reason given for this kind of behaviour. Also in one chapter the chief inspector (who has the hots for Alex) says he wants to talk with her about something and then never gets around to it until 10 chapters later and at that it has nothing to do with why he wanted to talk with her in the first place.
The other thing I found very annoying was that for the first 15 or 20 pages we had to hear how Alex and Tony had the hots for each other and were trying to find a way of getting from the friend zone to the lover zone. I could not believe how many different ways there were to say the same thing.
May 6, 2023
I just did not enjoy this second book in this series as well as the first. The writing in this one was just weird sometimes...choppy and didn't flow very well. That includes the dialog. It took me longer to read because of that.
I came here for the mystery so, for me, Tony and Alex's love life got in the way. The balance swung too much on the romance side. And their dialogue was odd and didn't seem realistic a lot of the time.
It made more sense in the first book that Alex and Tony investigated on their own but not in this one. There just wasn't a good reason why they inserted themselves in this investigation and kept very important things from the real detectives.
I found it so annoying that Alex didn't learn her lesson after being too trusting and letting herself get into potentially dangerous situations, many times! That just made her not seem very smart.
I didn't find it very believable that DS Bill Lamb would be so rude and sarcastic to Alex and Tony every single time he came into contact with them for no good reason. Nor did I find it believable that his DI would continue to allow him to do so.
There are things I do enjoy in this series: the animals especially the new scruffy cat that shows up, the two older sisters who live above their tea room/bookshop, village life, quirky characters... but I don't think I'll continue the series, at least not for now.
I came here for the mystery so, for me, Tony and Alex's love life got in the way. The balance swung too much on the romance side. And their dialogue was odd and didn't seem realistic a lot of the time.
It made more sense in the first book that Alex and Tony investigated on their own but not in this one. There just wasn't a good reason why they inserted themselves in this investigation and kept very important things from the real detectives.
I found it so annoying that Alex didn't learn her lesson after being too trusting and letting herself get into potentially dangerous situations, many times! That just made her not seem very smart.
I didn't find it very believable that DS Bill Lamb would be so rude and sarcastic to Alex and Tony every single time he came into contact with them for no good reason. Nor did I find it believable that his DI would continue to allow him to do so.
There are things I do enjoy in this series: the animals especially the new scruffy cat that shows up, the two older sisters who live above their tea room/bookshop, village life, quirky characters... but I don't think I'll continue the series, at least not for now.
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