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Della Arthur 1940s Murder Mystery #1
Dead White
A murdered couple in a snowbound Welsh farmhouse. Who were they, and who wanted them dead?
1947. New school teacher Della Arthur gets lost in a snowstorm and stumbles across a grisly double murder. She soon realises that the close-knit community she has moved to hides many secrets and lies.
Della must decide who she can trust in this remote village. Should she reveal her theories to the minister of the local chapel, the Italian prisoner of war, or even one of her young pupils? It is only when her own life is threatened that Della understands how dangerous her discoveries in the farmhouse really were.
A gripping page turner of a murder mystery, and a captivating look at small-town post-war life.
Praise for Dead White
“I was so impressed by so many things in this book – its characters, its period detail which really comes alive in a very convincing way ...” Radio Cymru Book Review by Bethan Mair
“A pearl of a novel which crosses several frontiers. I really hope that we will hear more from this author.” Janice Jones in BBC Cymru e-magazine
A Corazon Crime Publication. This is the first English language, digital edition of the acclaimed Welsh language novel.
1947. New school teacher Della Arthur gets lost in a snowstorm and stumbles across a grisly double murder. She soon realises that the close-knit community she has moved to hides many secrets and lies.
Della must decide who she can trust in this remote village. Should she reveal her theories to the minister of the local chapel, the Italian prisoner of war, or even one of her young pupils? It is only when her own life is threatened that Della understands how dangerous her discoveries in the farmhouse really were.
A gripping page turner of a murder mystery, and a captivating look at small-town post-war life.
Praise for Dead White
“I was so impressed by so many things in this book – its characters, its period detail which really comes alive in a very convincing way ...” Radio Cymru Book Review by Bethan Mair
“A pearl of a novel which crosses several frontiers. I really hope that we will hear more from this author.” Janice Jones in BBC Cymru e-magazine
A Corazon Crime Publication. This is the first English language, digital edition of the acclaimed Welsh language novel.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 10, 2017
Absolutely splendid whodunit set in Wales in 1947 featuring newly arrived schoolmistress Della Arthur. On her way from the station to the village she underestimates the snow and has to take shelter in a farmhouse, which appears to be empty of it's residents - until she discovers their bodies in an upstairs bedroom! Not knowing who she can trust locally, she eventually gets in touch with the authorities. She has the help of Enzo, an Italian POW who was a policeman before the war, and is waiting to be returned home. They already suspect that they were murdered, and Della figures out how, and that they hadn't died from hypothermia, as had been the assumption. Local gossip reveals the two were notorious blackmailers, and the list of suspects soon lengthens. And this isn't the only mystery to be solved by far...
Della's work during the war in London means she isn't squeamish, and her powers of observation and good judgement of people make her the perfect sleuth. And when the sister of the previous schoolmaster appears, eyeing up all his furniture, which remains in the schoolhouse, those latter qualities come in useful.
A great story, some wonderful characters - particularly Della and the minister, and a realistic depiction of a post war country village, resenting the ongoing effects of a war they thought they'd won, make for a wonderful beginning to what is sure to be an enjoyable series. And what would make for a perfect TV series too! An early contender for one of my books of the year. Please, roll on book two!
Della's work during the war in London means she isn't squeamish, and her powers of observation and good judgement of people make her the perfect sleuth. And when the sister of the previous schoolmaster appears, eyeing up all his furniture, which remains in the schoolhouse, those latter qualities come in useful.
A great story, some wonderful characters - particularly Della and the minister, and a realistic depiction of a post war country village, resenting the ongoing effects of a war they thought they'd won, make for a wonderful beginning to what is sure to be an enjoyable series. And what would make for a perfect TV series too! An early contender for one of my books of the year. Please, roll on book two!
February 3, 2018
Post-war rural Wales
The year is 1947 and Della has been lucky enough to gain a position as a teacher in a Welsh farming village. She leaves the station at the first flurries of snow and ends up caught out in a terrible snowstorm. Luckily she comes across a house to shelter in, but then finds 2 bodies. Nobody liked this couple and there seems to be undue haste in getting them buried. Lots of interesting characters in an atmospheric little village and a good insight into post-war rationing and privation. My only criticism is that the plot got a bit convoluted and confusing with all the different characters, but I liked Della's character.
The year is 1947 and Della has been lucky enough to gain a position as a teacher in a Welsh farming village. She leaves the station at the first flurries of snow and ends up caught out in a terrible snowstorm. Luckily she comes across a house to shelter in, but then finds 2 bodies. Nobody liked this couple and there seems to be undue haste in getting them buried. Lots of interesting characters in an atmospheric little village and a good insight into post-war rationing and privation. My only criticism is that the plot got a bit convoluted and confusing with all the different characters, but I liked Della's character.
June 12, 2019
Della Arthur is not your usual crime buster, as she’s on her way to her new posting as school mistress in rural Pembrokeshire, she gets caught in one of the worst snowfalls in Welsh history. Struggling to get through and seeking refuge, she finds a seemingly abandoned farm house, but all is not as it seems. And why when she starts telling the story does no one seem to care of these deaths? As she settles her into her new role and the community, she tries to discover the truth and uncovers far more than she thought, but can she discover the real truth and survive? An enjoyable read.
September 23, 2017
An engaging read
This is different from the usual run of the mill crime novels. Convincing characters in convincing situations make for an enjoyable read.
This is different from the usual run of the mill crime novels. Convincing characters in convincing situations make for an enjoyable read.
June 21, 2019
Well written book, capturing the atmosphere and characters of the time and place. Could not put it down, Immediately bought the next book.
March 21, 2021
Enjoyed this very much. Very descriptive writing brought it to life, reading the snow scenes made me feel cold! Being set in an area near to where I live (S Wales) made it more appealing. Looking forward to #2.
August 24, 2021
A little gem
Surprisingly this was actually a very good read......not so much as a murder/who dunit, but more of life of a school mistress in small Welsh village just after WWII.
Surprisingly this was actually a very good read......not so much as a murder/who dunit, but more of life of a school mistress in small Welsh village just after WWII.
February 17, 2017
Actually, 2.5 stars!
Della Arthur has been recently hired to be a school teacher in a small Welsh village. Upon her arrival, there is a snow storm that forces her to lose her way. She finds a farmhouse and decides to take shelter there until the storm is over. After settling in, Della finds that there are two dead bodies in the house. However, the deaths are more than what they at first appear to be. What may look like a natural death ends up actually being a murder. Della decides to uncover the truth about their deaths, but she finds that there are obstacles standing in her way because some people in the community are willing to go to such lengths to hide the truth behind their deaths.
I did not like the main protagonist. I found Della to be a very weak character. She makes many unwise decisions that put herself and others in harm’s way. I really did not like that she barged into someone’s home and made herself tea and fixed herself a meal, taking their items without permission. I thought that Della should have been punished for her actions, but she never was. She goes to many lengths to cover up her trespasses. It frustrated me that the people in the town don’t seem to care about her actions. Instead, they tell her to never mention it. Besides her appalling behavior, I found her to be very judgmental and selfish. She is also very dependent. She feels she needs a man who she can lean on and who can cover up her bad actions. As a mystery novel, Della doesn’t really do any investigating. She is very passive. The reason she investigates a little is because she wants to cover up her crimes. I found the ending to be very disappointing because she doesn’t solve the mystery, but rather the solution to the mystery was handed to her.
Overall, I thought this to be a very poorly written mystery and a weak detective. There were a few plot holes. The supporting characters were not fully developed enough and were one-dimensional. There was also an abrupt ending to get readers interested in a sequel. While I like a good cliffhanger ending, this didn’t really appeal to me because it wasn’t written well enough to get me interested in a sequel. However, it was a short and very fast-paced read. I also thought the Welsh setting was very atmospheric for a murder mystery. I recommend this novel to those who like gothic and suspenseful stories. However, because of the unlikable characters and many flaws in this novel, it transformed into a less compelling mystery novel.
(Note: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Della Arthur has been recently hired to be a school teacher in a small Welsh village. Upon her arrival, there is a snow storm that forces her to lose her way. She finds a farmhouse and decides to take shelter there until the storm is over. After settling in, Della finds that there are two dead bodies in the house. However, the deaths are more than what they at first appear to be. What may look like a natural death ends up actually being a murder. Della decides to uncover the truth about their deaths, but she finds that there are obstacles standing in her way because some people in the community are willing to go to such lengths to hide the truth behind their deaths.
I did not like the main protagonist. I found Della to be a very weak character. She makes many unwise decisions that put herself and others in harm’s way. I really did not like that she barged into someone’s home and made herself tea and fixed herself a meal, taking their items without permission. I thought that Della should have been punished for her actions, but she never was. She goes to many lengths to cover up her trespasses. It frustrated me that the people in the town don’t seem to care about her actions. Instead, they tell her to never mention it. Besides her appalling behavior, I found her to be very judgmental and selfish. She is also very dependent. She feels she needs a man who she can lean on and who can cover up her bad actions. As a mystery novel, Della doesn’t really do any investigating. She is very passive. The reason she investigates a little is because she wants to cover up her crimes. I found the ending to be very disappointing because she doesn’t solve the mystery, but rather the solution to the mystery was handed to her.
Overall, I thought this to be a very poorly written mystery and a weak detective. There were a few plot holes. The supporting characters were not fully developed enough and were one-dimensional. There was also an abrupt ending to get readers interested in a sequel. While I like a good cliffhanger ending, this didn’t really appeal to me because it wasn’t written well enough to get me interested in a sequel. However, it was a short and very fast-paced read. I also thought the Welsh setting was very atmospheric for a murder mystery. I recommend this novel to those who like gothic and suspenseful stories. However, because of the unlikable characters and many flaws in this novel, it transformed into a less compelling mystery novel.
(Note: This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
November 23, 2015
Really good book! Loved the time period and the setting of Wales in the winter. Looking forward to the rest in the series being translated into English too!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews