The Lazarus Tree

Augustus Maltravers #6

by Robert Richardson

The picture-postcard English village of Medmelton is a pretty place for a murder. The air remains thick with enchantment of centuries past as superstition is nurtured and embraced by many of the residents. Here, the women have strange eyes — one brown and one green — since magic is not a myth in these parts. When the famous London poet Patrick Gabriel is murdered beneath the legendary Lazarus Tree, Medmelton is forced into the spotlight. The intrusion of the press is not welcomed by the village. They are fiercely protective of their own, refusing to assist the police they resent such interference and wish to safeguard the mystery of the Medmelton murder from outsiders. Eventually the curiosity seekers drift away, but the mystery still lingers. And Gus Maltravers, at the request of a friend alarmed by the strange behaviour of his stepdaughter, agrees to investigate. But when Gus begins making Medmelton’s very private affair his business, he finds as many unanswered questions as questionable answers. Farcical rumours begin to fly around the village about his status and in order to enable enquiries he initially does nothing to stop the gossip. It appears that the observations of an outsider uncover things that even the police have missed. Strange happenings soon come to light. Hideous, unearthly and cruel things have been occurring in Medmelton and painful confessions are forced. … someone in the village is a killer desperate to hide the secrets of past and present at all costs. Concealing a murder is the least of their worries… ‘The Lazarus Tree’ is the sixth in the series of Augustus Maltravers detective stories and follows on from the ‘Murder in Waiting'. “Richardson returns in top form …” Kirkus Reviews “The mystery is the most difficult to write well, and Mr. Richardson does it very well indeed.” P. D. James "Richardson paints a robust rogues' gallery and summons up an icy teraiinal frisson" - Sunday Times “… an engaging piece.” Booklist “… suspenseful entertainment.” Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine Robert Richardson became a journalist in 1960. In 1985, his first crime novel, ‘The Latimer Mercy’, the first in the series of Augustus Maltravers detective stories, won the CWA John Creasey Memorial Award for the best crime novel. Robert Richardson is also the author of ‘The Book of the Dead’ and ‘Skeleton Key’.

Genres: Mystery

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

So welcome to Medmelton, where women have strange eyes, people protect murderers from the police, and witchcraft is still practised. It must make London seem quite safe. (Sally Baker; p. 73)

Gus Maltravers has been invited to visit his friend Stephen before, but had never been able to make the journey to the Devon countryside. But Stephen's latest request seemed more pressing...there was a sense of urgency that Gus couldn't ignore. In the past summer, a mutual acquaintance--famous poet Patrick Gabriel--had been found murdered beneath the village's fabled Lazarus Tree. When he reaches the village of Medmelton, he learns that Stephen is worried about his stepdaughter Michelle. She has been acting strangely ever since Gabriel's death and recently odd items have been discovered under the Lazarus Tree. Stephen is afraid that Michelle is responsible, but he doesn't know why and doesn't want to admit that it might be connected to the unsolved murder. He wants Gus to look into the matter and discover what he's too afraid to look for.

Medmelton folk don't like meddlers. They didn't talk to the police and they're all determined not to talk to this outsider. Well, all but Sally Baker and Alex Kerr. Sally is from the village, but her marriage took her away and into the outer world. Her late husband's friend Alex has retired there from outside. As Gus begins to investigate and uncover the hidden underbelly of the town, Sally and Alex are able to give him a limited insider's view. It soon becomes apparent that there is a secret that someone is very desperate to keep hidden--and it's worth murdering for. Gus will have to separate the legends from the real story, the malicious playacting at witchcraft from the murderous activities. The women of Medmelton are said to have powers (based on their tendency to have eyes with two different colors), but are those powers used for good or evil?

This isn't exactly a pleasant little mystery. Memelton is a pretty postcard village on the outside, but there are some pretty troubling things going on under the surface. And there aren't very many characters that the reader will feel comfortable with. Gus, his wife Tess (who arrives mid-book), Sally, and Alex are pretty much it. [In fact, I think I would really have liked to have read a mystery featuring Sally and Alex. They would have made a good team.] Stephen is too overwrought. His wife Veronica is too mysterious and cold. And the rest of the village is too repressed and insular. Gus makes a fairly decent amateur detective, but I never really felt like we got to know him well.

The best part of the book was when Gus, in an effort to stir things up, makes a few statements to the local grocery owner (who also is the hub of gossip in the village) which she immediately broadcasts along her grapevines. The village speculation on who and what Gus is--everything from Scotland Yard to MI5 or MI6 (they never could remember which was which) to Interpol (though what they'd want with an English village murder was anyone's guess)--is a real hoot. And if the entire book had been written with the same energy and depth, it would have been much more exciting. As it is--a decent mystery plot that comes just short of three stars. ★★ and 3/4.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Mrs Susan J Bociek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and intricate

A story that keeps its secrets close, much like the villagers. Historical strange happenings lend an air of occult mystery as do present day tokens being left at the site of a recent murder. A good read, keeps you guessing.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

very disappointing. A silly plot, not really involving.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last in the series, first I read. As with all of the books in this series, it’s quirky. Can be hard to warm up to, but warm up one does, and is happy to have spent time with them. If pressed to categorize, I’d call them “non-traditional” English village mysteries.
Here Gus Maltravers is visiting Medmelton, an old and insular village where folks have stayed and never left for generations and many women exhibit a strange phenomena of their eyes - one brown, one green. A famous London poet had previously come to visit that mysterious and magical place and been found dead beneath the legendary “Lazarus Tree” in the churchyard. A friend asks Maltravers to look into that unsolved event as his daughter has been acting strangely and he fears she was involved in the death. Ever curious, Maltravers takes up the challenge. This book will definitely pique your interest, should you find a copy.

[Stephen Bonebrake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the sixth in this Kindle set. Maybe the best yet. What else has Richardson written I need to read.

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The village of Medmelton seems idyllic but there are things going on under the surface that an outsider can't even guess at. Gus Maltravers, an author and playwright, is invited to stay for a few days with his friends Stephen and Veronica to try and find out what their daughter Michelle has got herself involved in.

A year ago a poet, Patrick Gabriel, was murdered at the foot of the Sweet Chestnut tree in the churchyard and now people have started leaving flowers and little dolls there which make apparent references to the dead man. The murder remains unsolved but the villagers don't want to discuss the case with anyone - especially an outsider.

This is well written crime story with some very spooky undertones. Gus senses the atmosphere and feels that Stephen is being less than open with him about what he wants him to investigate. Gus soon finds that the villagers have decided he is from Special Branch or MI5 and has appeared in order to investigate the murder. I found the passages in which the villagers weave all the rumours about him marvellously well done.

I thought the ending was good. I had started to work out what had happened but I did enjoy the way the murderer is finally unmasked and the way Gus and his girlfriend, Tess, with a little help manage to work out what Stephen's step-daughter is doing. This is an enjoyable read with something of the supernatural in it as well as crime. I think I shall be reading more by this author. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.

[Natasha du Plessis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Endeavour Press for letting me review this book. This book is about a murder as well as a small town and the people who live in it. In small towns everybody knows everybody's business though there are some things that are hidden. I loved Gus Maltravers, Sally Baker and Alex Kerr. Michelle and her mother were not very likable people but characters like these are needed in every story. There are some nice twists in the story line and the identity of the murderer is revealed towards the end, I did not really see it coming. I would recommend this story to people liking a good mystery.

[Nettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There is little to nothing to like about this book. The writing style is decent but thats about it. The story itself tries to be a small village mystery and fails. None of the characters are at all likeable. And overall it was just a bore.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not badly written however the story wasn't for me and all the characters were unlikeable which made the story hard