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Campbell and Carter Mystery #1
Mud, Muck and Dead Things
The first Campbell and Carter mystery from one of the nation's best-loved crime writers.
Lucas Burton hates the countryside. To him it's nothing but mud, muck and dead things. And he's right. When he turns up at a deserted farm in the middle of nowhere hoping to conduct a business deal he stumbles across the body of a girl. And that's just the start of his bad luck: Penny Gower from the local stables has spotted his silver Mercedes leaving the scene of the crime. Suddenly, for Lucas, things are looking very bleak indeed...
Inspector Jess Campbell is on the case, but with few leads and a new superintendent, Ian Carter, breathing down her neck, she's beginning to feel the pressure. Then another dead body is found.
Lucas Burton hates the countryside. To him it's nothing but mud, muck and dead things. And he's right. When he turns up at a deserted farm in the middle of nowhere hoping to conduct a business deal he stumbles across the body of a girl. And that's just the start of his bad luck: Penny Gower from the local stables has spotted his silver Mercedes leaving the scene of the crime. Suddenly, for Lucas, things are looking very bleak indeed...
Inspector Jess Campbell is on the case, but with few leads and a new superintendent, Ian Carter, breathing down her neck, she's beginning to feel the pressure. Then another dead body is found.
Audio CD
First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
Ann Granger
76 books301 followersAnn Granger attended the Northern Grammar School for Girls, and had thoughts about becoming a veterinarian, but discovered women were not accepted into vet schools because they were not believed to be strong enough. Instead she earned a Modern Languages degree at the University of London, where she first developed a desire to become a writer. worked in British embassies in various parts of the world. She met her husband, who was also working for the British Embassy, in Prague and together they received postings to places as far apart as Munich and Lusaka. They had two children.
Her first novels were historical romances published under the nom de plume Ann Hulme.
In 1991, Granger made the decision to switch to crime novels, saying, "Basically, there is only one plot in love stories: You can describe it in different ways, but you always come back to the subject of man and woman. Crime fiction opens up a world of possibilities for the writer. It lets you tackle deep and difficult issues." Her first crime novel, Say it with Poison, centred on the protagonists Meredith Mitchell, a consular clerk, and police officer Alan Markby. The book proved popular and Granger wrote 14 more Mitchell & Markby novels between 1991 and 2004.
Granger also wrote other crime novel series & in 2021, in recognition of thirty years of crime novels, Granger released a collection of eighteen short stories, Mystery in the Making.
On 24 September 2025, her publisher Headline announced that Granger had died at the age of 86
This autobiography was added to with information from Wikipedia & Encyclopedia.com.
Her first novels were historical romances published under the nom de plume Ann Hulme.
In 1991, Granger made the decision to switch to crime novels, saying, "Basically, there is only one plot in love stories: You can describe it in different ways, but you always come back to the subject of man and woman. Crime fiction opens up a world of possibilities for the writer. It lets you tackle deep and difficult issues." Her first crime novel, Say it with Poison, centred on the protagonists Meredith Mitchell, a consular clerk, and police officer Alan Markby. The book proved popular and Granger wrote 14 more Mitchell & Markby novels between 1991 and 2004.
Granger also wrote other crime novel series & in 2021, in recognition of thirty years of crime novels, Granger released a collection of eighteen short stories, Mystery in the Making.
On 24 September 2025, her publisher Headline announced that Granger had died at the age of 86
This autobiography was added to with information from Wikipedia & Encyclopedia.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
May 20, 2018
I absolutely adored Ann Granger’s Mitchell and Markby mysteries; I was heartbroken when she abandoned the series after No. 15, That Way Murder Lies, was released in 2004. So I’ve been in withdrawal ever since. (Don’t judge!)
I hadn’t realized that Granger launched a spinoff series in 2009, featuring Inspector Jess Campbell, who had worked with Detective Superintendent Alan Markby in the Cotswold. Thankfully, Canelo is re-releasing the debut novel in the series (and presumably the rest) in an ebook format, bringing it to my attention.
Now relocated to rural Gloucestershire, the feisty Campbell investigates the death of a pretty 19-year-old girl whose corpse was left at an abandoned farm. As always, Granger makes her characters, with their quirks and foibles, come to life. I was immediately riveted! Alternately amusing, offbeat and suspenseful, Mud, Muck & Dead Things will fill my Mitchell and Markby void quite nicely! I’ve already gotten the second in the series, Rack, Ruin and Murder. After 14 years without my Ann Granger fix, I’ve got a lot to make up for.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Canelo in exchange for an honest review.
I hadn’t realized that Granger launched a spinoff series in 2009, featuring Inspector Jess Campbell, who had worked with Detective Superintendent Alan Markby in the Cotswold. Thankfully, Canelo is re-releasing the debut novel in the series (and presumably the rest) in an ebook format, bringing it to my attention.
Now relocated to rural Gloucestershire, the feisty Campbell investigates the death of a pretty 19-year-old girl whose corpse was left at an abandoned farm. As always, Granger makes her characters, with their quirks and foibles, come to life. I was immediately riveted! Alternately amusing, offbeat and suspenseful, Mud, Muck & Dead Things will fill my Mitchell and Markby void quite nicely! I’ve already gotten the second in the series, Rack, Ruin and Murder. After 14 years without my Ann Granger fix, I’ve got a lot to make up for.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Canelo in exchange for an honest review.
September 17, 2013
This is one of those light reads, that satisfy the mystery lover in me without the gore and graphic violence that seem to dominate books a lot these days. Just a good, old-fashioned British mystery - quite enjoyable.
August 28, 2015
A really good first book in the series...featuring Jess Campbell and Ian Carter...even though Carter's role is as of this book quite small. I enjoyed the writing, the strong and interesting characters...and the plot. A solid mystery, which is no small feat for the first novel in a series. Will for sure be reading more.
November 16, 2020
3 1/2⭐️
Picked this to read as a lark. Turns out it was far more interesting, and the characters more intricate, than the silly title would have you believe.
Picked this to read as a lark. Turns out it was far more interesting, and the characters more intricate, than the silly title would have you believe.
March 8, 2021
Un petit roman sans prétention, qui se laisse aisément lire. J'ai bien aimé Jess, je serai contente de la retrouver dans un nouveau tome. Une découverte agréable.
August 17, 2025
J’aime trop on ne devine pas le meurtrier avant la fin et le rythme est enlevé.
April 3, 2015
Ten Second Synopsis:
City wheeler-dealer Lucas Burton discovers a dead girl on the spot where he was to conduct some wheeler-dealing. As he scarpers rather quickly, he doesn't stop to ask the important questions like "who is she?" And "how did she get there?"
Having not read a non-fantastical police procedural for a while, I was quite refreshed to discover a cast of reasonably ordinary country-mouse/city-mouse suspects in this cosy police procedural. There’s Lucas Burton himself, a shady, wheeler-dealer, working-class-kid-made-good who finds the body and is none too pleased about it. There’s old farmer Eli, upon whose land the body was discovered and who is beholden to a long-ago family drama; Penny Gower who owns the struggling stables down the hill from the farm; Andrew, accountant and admirer of Penny; and a collection of rich horsey types, owners of country pubs and new money blow-ins hoping to weasel their way into the locals’ good graces.
As this is a police procedural, with “proper” detectives on the case (as opposed to unqualified but enthusiastic old ladies, school girls or verbose travelling professors), the hunt for the murderer/s is thorough, comprised of many tangents and replete with “friendly chats” with locals who are repeatedly assured that they are not suspects. There’s also quite a lot of “right, let’s get the London boys onto that” sort of talk. In fact, it was very like watching one of those British murder mystery shows on TV. There were enough twists and shocking reveals about characters’ pasts to throw the cat amongst the pigeons and keep my interest hearty and my little grey cells ticking over. As is the case in this type of story, the reader generally stumbles upon the culprit at the same time as the main characters, so there isn’t quite so much of that “outwitting the author” game that I enjoy in Agatha Christie’s work, but the reveal here is satisfying (and rather action-packed) and encased in that most engaging of narrative formats: the police interview.
I also quite enjoyed the playful, supernatural twist that Granger injects into one of the character’s back stories. It doesn’t have any particular significance to the outcome of the tale, but I felt it was a fun inclusion that made this story stick out a bit from the crowd. I will definitely be keeping a keen eye out for the other books in the Campbell and Carter series and Granger is going on my “authors to watch” series.
City wheeler-dealer Lucas Burton discovers a dead girl on the spot where he was to conduct some wheeler-dealing. As he scarpers rather quickly, he doesn't stop to ask the important questions like "who is she?" And "how did she get there?"
Having not read a non-fantastical police procedural for a while, I was quite refreshed to discover a cast of reasonably ordinary country-mouse/city-mouse suspects in this cosy police procedural. There’s Lucas Burton himself, a shady, wheeler-dealer, working-class-kid-made-good who finds the body and is none too pleased about it. There’s old farmer Eli, upon whose land the body was discovered and who is beholden to a long-ago family drama; Penny Gower who owns the struggling stables down the hill from the farm; Andrew, accountant and admirer of Penny; and a collection of rich horsey types, owners of country pubs and new money blow-ins hoping to weasel their way into the locals’ good graces.
As this is a police procedural, with “proper” detectives on the case (as opposed to unqualified but enthusiastic old ladies, school girls or verbose travelling professors), the hunt for the murderer/s is thorough, comprised of many tangents and replete with “friendly chats” with locals who are repeatedly assured that they are not suspects. There’s also quite a lot of “right, let’s get the London boys onto that” sort of talk. In fact, it was very like watching one of those British murder mystery shows on TV. There were enough twists and shocking reveals about characters’ pasts to throw the cat amongst the pigeons and keep my interest hearty and my little grey cells ticking over. As is the case in this type of story, the reader generally stumbles upon the culprit at the same time as the main characters, so there isn’t quite so much of that “outwitting the author” game that I enjoy in Agatha Christie’s work, but the reveal here is satisfying (and rather action-packed) and encased in that most engaging of narrative formats: the police interview.
I also quite enjoyed the playful, supernatural twist that Granger injects into one of the character’s back stories. It doesn’t have any particular significance to the outcome of the tale, but I felt it was a fun inclusion that made this story stick out a bit from the crowd. I will definitely be keeping a keen eye out for the other books in the Campbell and Carter series and Granger is going on my “authors to watch” series.
May 16, 2022
well written, good storyline, character plotting
I had read a later book in Granger’s series and, although I had had some problems with the characters in that one, was intrigued enough with the series to look for the first. This first is much better than the other one.
It’s set in a small area of the Cotswolds, but not the “chocolate box” Cotswolds so many people think about. This is a bit of rural England, although there is one very wealthy character, the others are no different from any other characters in an English series. They are quite believable, well explained, even the sad young body that turns up in a dilapidated barn on an abandoned farm would be something we would read about in a newspaper. The plot is very believable, young girl is murdered, probably because she was naive, but a second murder follows quickly on—is it linked to the first (we know it is, the reader having been given an insight into the second victim’s mind) and if so how?
Inspector Jess Campbell, aided by Detective Morton, introduced as a youngish Inspector finding her feet in a newish posting, tries to sort out the puzzle pieces, figuring out the small cast of suspects/onlookers as well as being introduced to her new superior, Superintendent Carter. That was one odd thing—the book is listed as the first in the “Campbell and Carter series” but Carter plays a very minor role. A change from the normal crime series where the focus is on the chief with only minor reference to his/her assistant. I wonder if that will change as the series progresses.
There’s some quirkiness to the story with the addition of ghostly figures—they don’t figure prominently in the book but I liked the addition. The murder is solved fairly quickly, there aren’t a lot of characters to choose from and I had a good idea of which one was the murderer. Still, I felt like I was in Campbell’s shoes, trying to figure out the motive for the murders would lead to certainty of who the murderer was. And the plot evolved in a way that made sense to me; no red herrings no surprise flourishes at the end, all made sense. I like a thriller/mystery that makes sense at the end. It shows that the writer did her homework in plot continuity, did the necessary piecing together instead of relying on a “gotcha” ending.
I felt as I was reading this book that I was learning about what makes good plotting, good characterization. It really is a very well written crime thriller, I will be reading more of the series.
I had read a later book in Granger’s series and, although I had had some problems with the characters in that one, was intrigued enough with the series to look for the first. This first is much better than the other one.
It’s set in a small area of the Cotswolds, but not the “chocolate box” Cotswolds so many people think about. This is a bit of rural England, although there is one very wealthy character, the others are no different from any other characters in an English series. They are quite believable, well explained, even the sad young body that turns up in a dilapidated barn on an abandoned farm would be something we would read about in a newspaper. The plot is very believable, young girl is murdered, probably because she was naive, but a second murder follows quickly on—is it linked to the first (we know it is, the reader having been given an insight into the second victim’s mind) and if so how?
Inspector Jess Campbell, aided by Detective Morton, introduced as a youngish Inspector finding her feet in a newish posting, tries to sort out the puzzle pieces, figuring out the small cast of suspects/onlookers as well as being introduced to her new superior, Superintendent Carter. That was one odd thing—the book is listed as the first in the “Campbell and Carter series” but Carter plays a very minor role. A change from the normal crime series where the focus is on the chief with only minor reference to his/her assistant. I wonder if that will change as the series progresses.
There’s some quirkiness to the story with the addition of ghostly figures—they don’t figure prominently in the book but I liked the addition. The murder is solved fairly quickly, there aren’t a lot of characters to choose from and I had a good idea of which one was the murderer. Still, I felt like I was in Campbell’s shoes, trying to figure out the motive for the murders would lead to certainty of who the murderer was. And the plot evolved in a way that made sense to me; no red herrings no surprise flourishes at the end, all made sense. I like a thriller/mystery that makes sense at the end. It shows that the writer did her homework in plot continuity, did the necessary piecing together instead of relying on a “gotcha” ending.
I felt as I was reading this book that I was learning about what makes good plotting, good characterization. It really is a very well written crime thriller, I will be reading more of the series.
December 30, 2020
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Cottage, Fantômes et Guet-Apens ?
"Je lis déjà la saga Ben et Lizzie Ross de cet auteur et, même si elle n'est pas parfaite, elle m'attire toujours immanquablement. J'étais donc curieuse de découvrir ce que pouvait faire l'auteur dans un registre différent, ou plutôt à une époque différente. Je trouve, de plus, la couverture très attrayante et je remercie 10 18 pour cet envoi."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Eli retrouve le corps d'une jeune femme sur sa propriété. Il appelle tout de suite la police mais tout ça fait remonter de vieux souvenirs. Cela fera justement trente ans dans quelques jours qu'il a découvert les premiers meurtres..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Je dois dire que j'ai lu pas mal d'avis mitigés sur ce roman et que j'avais un peu peur de me lancer. En fait, j'ai apprécié ma lecture mais j'ai vite compris ce qui clochait. La couverture, le titre, laissent entendre qu'il s'agit d'un cosy mystery. Je m'attendais d'ailleurs personnellement à quelque chose d'assez similaire aux détectives du Yorkshire or, je peux me tromper, mais je ne crois pas que ce soit l'intention de l'auteur (et si c'est le cas, effectivement, c'est raté). Non, même si le cadre de la campagne anglaise est bien là, il s'agit d'une enquête de police, faite par des policiers (pas de détectives privés à l'horizon ici, ni de Miss Marple), en fait, d'un roman policier classique je dirais. En ce sens, je l'ai trouvé réussi. Après, c'est le début d'une saga et pour le moment j'ai été plus intéressée par les personnages secondaires que par les enquêteurs mais on commence à peine à faire leur connaissance et j'ai bon espoir les apprécier de plus en plus au fil des tomes suivants (mais j'espère aussi retrouver Eli et Penny qui sont vraiment touchants)."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Rien à dire sur la fin. Je me laisserai sans aucun doute tenter par le prochain opus pour me faire une idée plus précise. Ah, et une dernière chose, ne lisez pas la quatrième de couverture. Les éléments qu'elle révèle n'arrivent pas avant, au moins, 250 pages..."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"Je lis déjà la saga Ben et Lizzie Ross de cet auteur et, même si elle n'est pas parfaite, elle m'attire toujours immanquablement. J'étais donc curieuse de découvrir ce que pouvait faire l'auteur dans un registre différent, ou plutôt à une époque différente. Je trouve, de plus, la couverture très attrayante et je remercie 10 18 pour cet envoi."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Eli retrouve le corps d'une jeune femme sur sa propriété. Il appelle tout de suite la police mais tout ça fait remonter de vieux souvenirs. Cela fera justement trente ans dans quelques jours qu'il a découvert les premiers meurtres..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Je dois dire que j'ai lu pas mal d'avis mitigés sur ce roman et que j'avais un peu peur de me lancer. En fait, j'ai apprécié ma lecture mais j'ai vite compris ce qui clochait. La couverture, le titre, laissent entendre qu'il s'agit d'un cosy mystery. Je m'attendais d'ailleurs personnellement à quelque chose d'assez similaire aux détectives du Yorkshire or, je peux me tromper, mais je ne crois pas que ce soit l'intention de l'auteur (et si c'est le cas, effectivement, c'est raté). Non, même si le cadre de la campagne anglaise est bien là, il s'agit d'une enquête de police, faite par des policiers (pas de détectives privés à l'horizon ici, ni de Miss Marple), en fait, d'un roman policier classique je dirais. En ce sens, je l'ai trouvé réussi. Après, c'est le début d'une saga et pour le moment j'ai été plus intéressée par les personnages secondaires que par les enquêteurs mais on commence à peine à faire leur connaissance et j'ai bon espoir les apprécier de plus en plus au fil des tomes suivants (mais j'espère aussi retrouver Eli et Penny qui sont vraiment touchants)."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Rien à dire sur la fin. Je me laisserai sans aucun doute tenter par le prochain opus pour me faire une idée plus précise. Ah, et une dernière chose, ne lisez pas la quatrième de couverture. Les éléments qu'elle révèle n'arrivent pas avant, au moins, 250 pages..."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
July 19, 2018
Looking through the recommendations on my Kindle I found this gem of a book. I started it last evening and finished it this morning. I love a good mystery.
After reading just the first chapter... I was hooked. This book pulled me in and would not let go! The mystery was intriguing... every time you thought you had answers something new popped up. I'm telling you I had no idea 'whodunit' until the killer was revealed.
While the supporting cast and their stories was STELLAR, I will say I was a tad bit disappointed with the development of the main characters. I'm hoping the author is just setting the groundwork for the series and all the juicy details will be revealed over time. I must know more about Inspector Carter. I can only describe as enigma wrapped in another enigma or however the quote goes.
And I hope there will be more than just a professional relationship between Inspector Campbell and the aforementioned Carter... she did not notice those green eyes for nothing.
Great start to the series. On to book two.
4 stars
After reading just the first chapter... I was hooked. This book pulled me in and would not let go! The mystery was intriguing... every time you thought you had answers something new popped up. I'm telling you I had no idea 'whodunit' until the killer was revealed.
While the supporting cast and their stories was STELLAR, I will say I was a tad bit disappointed with the development of the main characters. I'm hoping the author is just setting the groundwork for the series and all the juicy details will be revealed over time. I must know more about Inspector Carter. I can only describe as enigma wrapped in another enigma or however the quote goes.
And I hope there will be more than just a professional relationship between Inspector Campbell and the aforementioned Carter... she did not notice those green eyes for nothing.
Great start to the series. On to book two.
4 stars
April 28, 2020
This was a decent, undemanding cosy crime novel until the ending, which I’m afraid I found very silly indeed.
The plot concerns the death of a young woman in the Cotswolds, investigated by Inspector Jess Campbell and her new boss Superintendent Ian Carter, whose partnership is new and scarcely develops during this first book. The investigation involves an array of local characters who are reasonably well portrayed if a little on the predictable side – the rich and boorish incomer, the horsy, bossy mother and so on. It all develops a little slowly but readably...until an utterly absurd development toward the end which made me say “Oh, please!” out loud and rather lost me from there on in.
Ann Granger’s prose is good, although her characters do tend to talk in novelistic paragraphs rather than as natural speech, and for most of the book I thought I’d be rounding 3.5 stars up to 4. However, the last 50 pages or so changed my mind. I can give this a cautious and qualified recommendation as a light, undemanding read, but it does come with reservations.
The plot concerns the death of a young woman in the Cotswolds, investigated by Inspector Jess Campbell and her new boss Superintendent Ian Carter, whose partnership is new and scarcely develops during this first book. The investigation involves an array of local characters who are reasonably well portrayed if a little on the predictable side – the rich and boorish incomer, the horsy, bossy mother and so on. It all develops a little slowly but readably...until an utterly absurd development toward the end which made me say “Oh, please!” out loud and rather lost me from there on in.
Ann Granger’s prose is good, although her characters do tend to talk in novelistic paragraphs rather than as natural speech, and for most of the book I thought I’d be rounding 3.5 stars up to 4. However, the last 50 pages or so changed my mind. I can give this a cautious and qualified recommendation as a light, undemanding read, but it does come with reservations.
August 4, 2018
Like a mediocre British mystery show...in book form
Twists and turns, multiple character plots, murder and gore, some action... it's not entirely my cup of tea (thus the 2 star rating), but others might like it more. I found it a bit boring in spots, and not as light-hearted as I was expecting. Not one I'd necessarily recommend, but I got the Kindle set for cheap, so I'll keep reading and see if they get stronger as the series goes on.
Twists and turns, multiple character plots, murder and gore, some action... it's not entirely my cup of tea (thus the 2 star rating), but others might like it more. I found it a bit boring in spots, and not as light-hearted as I was expecting. Not one I'd necessarily recommend, but I got the Kindle set for cheap, so I'll keep reading and see if they get stronger as the series goes on.
September 30, 2024
The writing was a bit pedestrian - I never really connected with the protagonist. However the plotting was excellent as was the wrap.
Some readers will probably like Granger's characterization and writing more than I did.
Some readers will probably like Granger's characterization and writing more than I did.
November 26, 2018
Decent mystery, reasonably good characters and plot, good writing. I knew relatively quickly who the bad guy was, but thought the investigation was carried out fairly well. I had a few quibbles - the officer who fell instantly in love with a witness, the fact that this is labeled a "Campbell and Carter" mystery but Carter is barely heard from, and a couple of the decision that the lead detective made were a bit questionable.
February 28, 2025
Appealing British mystery series intro …
January 13, 2025
Good [and creepy] story and mystery. I was never quite sure who the bad guy was [though my initial assessment was correct, go figure] and the reveal was...wow.
I do have to wonder if we will see Eli in future books [IYKYK]... *hides eyes*
I do have to wonder if we will see Eli in future books [IYKYK]... *hides eyes*
July 5, 2018
New series (well to me) so far so good. The main character Jess Campbell is just starting to take shape.
July 25, 2018
Somehow I had missed this newer series by Ann Granger, whose Meredith and Markby series I enjoyed so much. What a gift to discover it! Inspector Campbell, who appeared in the previous series, has transferred to a new police station since then and is getting well settled. She is getting a new superintendent, a Mr. Carter, and isn't quite sure how this will work out.
Granger excels at setting a scene and peopling it with interesting characters who often surprise you. Some of them in this book include a young woman trying to make a go of a horse-boarding and riding lesson stable, the crusty old farmer from whom she rents land, an accountant who occasionally helps out at the stables, and some rather sleazy characters with more money than is good for them. How they, plus the police, all deal with the discovery of a young woman's body in a disused cowshed makes for a compelling mystery with a surprise ending. I had to get the second book in the series right away. Highly recommended for lovers of British country police procedurals.
Granger excels at setting a scene and peopling it with interesting characters who often surprise you. Some of them in this book include a young woman trying to make a go of a horse-boarding and riding lesson stable, the crusty old farmer from whom she rents land, an accountant who occasionally helps out at the stables, and some rather sleazy characters with more money than is good for them. How they, plus the police, all deal with the discovery of a young woman's body in a disused cowshed makes for a compelling mystery with a surprise ending. I had to get the second book in the series right away. Highly recommended for lovers of British country police procedurals.
November 10, 2015
I really enjoyed this new-to-me author and the first book in a series. The body of a young woman is found in an rundown cow barn. Who is it? How did it get there? Who murdered her? These are the questions that Inspector Jess Campbell must find answers too. The main suspect seems to be the owner of silver Mercedes who was seen leaving the area by several neighbors, and paint scrapings from the car were near the barn. The owner, Lucas Burton, is a rags-to-riches shady businessman, living in London, trying to hide from involvement in the case. The plot is a bit convoluted, and it takes a while to get through all the twists and turns. While the character of Inspector Jess Campbell isn't totally developed, there appears to be great potential especially as she gets to know her new boss, Superintendent Ian Carter. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 18, 2017
This is the first in a new series from Ann Granger, & having enjoyed all the Mitchell & Markby books, as well as the Fran Varady series, I was expecting to enjoy this too.
This series features Inspector Jess Campbell & Superintendent Ian Carter, though there seemed little interaction between the two, indeed Carter seldom getting a look in at all. Although it took me a couple of chapters to really get into it, I found it a decent read, nothing spectacular & very similar in style to her other Cotswold series, although this had a supernatural touch that I did like.
This series features Inspector Jess Campbell & Superintendent Ian Carter, though there seemed little interaction between the two, indeed Carter seldom getting a look in at all. Although it took me a couple of chapters to really get into it, I found it a decent read, nothing spectacular & very similar in style to her other Cotswold series, although this had a supernatural touch that I did like.
September 26, 2021
Il y a erreur sur la marchandise. Comme beaucoup, je m'attendais à découvrir un sympathique cosy mystery mais il n'en est rien et ce roman n'est qu'un simple roman policier dont j'ai tout juste apprécié l'histoire et ses personnages. Je ne retiens que la plume toujours aussi fluide et accessible d'Ann Granger.
November 29, 2022
This was quite a surprise! I expected a much lighter "cozy" and this was a solid corker of a mystery! I actually bought the 2nd in the series - it was that good. The characters were well done and believable, good red herrings and I didn't figure out the killer until quite close to the end - and that's quite a feat!
December 22, 2017
An interesting crime novel with a range of characters no introducing a new pair of detectives. I am interested in the Cotswolds too- there are a range of well drawn characters and a reference back to an earlier (solved) murder at the same site.
October 30, 2020
Malheureusement l’alchimie n’a pas pris entre ce roman et moi. L’histoire me laisse un goût d’inachevé. Les personnages manquent de corps et je n’ai pas retrouvé la dimension « cosy » des cosy mystery.
June 22, 2022
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
August 4, 2025
From my rating you can guess I didn’t like this book. I was put off from the start finding I couldn’t engage with the story or characters. I struggled through about half the book & gave up.
July 21, 2016
This was fairly interesting. I liked the characters very well, the plot not so much.
November 19, 2023
My father was a voracious reader of mystery and science fiction; as a merchant marine engineer, he had plenty of time to devote to reading on those long voyages. I remember being surrounded by books my entire childhood and his love of mystery series rubbed off on me at an early age. So it was with great delight that I chanced on a new (to me) mystery writer that ranks with the best: Ann Granger.
Author of no less than four separate series, each one having a unique set of characters, setting, and approach, Ms. Granger has produced close to forty mystery novels over the past thirty-two years. At 84, she continues to produce works in two series, one of which started with Mud, Muck and Dead Things.
Set in the Cotswold region of England, the Campbell and Carter series sets a darker, more pedestrian tone than, say, M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin tales. Although not strictly a "cozy" mystery, there is nographic sex or violence. A self-professed people-watcher, Ms. Granger populates her novels with a cast of characters that would do Dickens proud. Indeed, in a 2011 interview, she mentions 19th century authors as inspiration: "I have always loved 19th century novels. The authors of this time take the reader by the hand and lead him/her into his/her world." The author accomplishes this admirably.
In Mud, Muck and Dead Things, a girl's body is discovered on a disused farm which has a deadly past. The owner of the farm is stereotypically gruff to the point of hostility. But quickly, Ms. Granger adds unusual depth to the character with just a few lines:
"Small dark eyes studied [the id] carefully before swiveling back to Jess and subjecting her to the same comprehensive inspection before the answer came in a hoarse rumble from somewhere inside the tatty sweater. ‘I’m Eli Smith and this here…’ Mr. Smith waved a sunburned hand, ‘this here is my yard, my land, as it happens.’
‘You’re the gentleman who reported finding the body?’
‘Yes,’ said Smith. He pursed his mouth. ‘A woman, then?’ ‘I understand the body is female,’ retorted Jess, deliberately misunderstanding him. There was a brief gleam of appreciation in the dark eyes. Eli Smith wasn’t a fool. But, thought Jess, probably liked to act one."
Inspector Jess Campbell is the main character, with Ian Carter, the new superintendent, not appearing until the fourth chapter. From the start, their relationship (which grows into romance later in the series) is a source of mutual strength rather than conflict. Drama is reserved for the suspects in the case, which are finely drawn. The plot includes a satisfying number of competing motives, some action, and, of course, a twist at the end. Along the way, Ann Granger provides some great insight into human nature and just the right amount of wry humor. More than a decade ago, she described the aim of her writing with three words: "Entertainment, justice, and surprise."
I look forward to reading the rest of this series and others by Ann Granger. If you are in the mood for well-written mysteries in the style of Christie and Margery Allingham, or a fan of Midsomer Murders, pick up one of her novels at Shades of Pemberley or through a digital retailer like Bookshop.org You won't regret it.
Modern day mystery not your cup of tea? Ms. Granger has built on her love of 19th century literature by setting her most recent series in Victorian England. If your fancy tends more towards historical mysteries, try her Lizzie Martin series instead.
This review originally appeared in Land+Lake magazine, Fall 2023, a production of Sand Mountain Reporter.
March 5, 2023
Flimsy and pointless. While the characters are undeveloped, that's not offensive in a basic murder mystery. What drops this off a cliff is the stupidity of the mystery.
A murder mystery needs a breadcrumb trail, dropped hints, clues, red herrings, something twisting? This is so irritatingly linear; there's no clever working-it-out. I don't usually like to include a spoiler, but this really is an idiotic story, so the rest of this is just spoilers. Stop reading if you don't want an irked rundown of the loose-weave plot.
A witness describes the car belonging to the victim's boyfriend. The detective randomly stumbles across the car while visiting another linked person. The linked person reveals themself as the killer by then attacking the detective and nailing them up in an abandoned house. She is then discovered in that abandoned house by another admirer of the victim, who is there for... wait, why was he there again?
The killer's character was so at odds with his foreshadowed version that those early scenes were obviously written before the author had decided who the murderer was going to be. The whole book feels like the author themselves wasn't sure who did it.
So there is... A killer who kills a woman he genuinely wasn't interested in rather than, say, ghosting her. Ok, let's believe that. He then transports her body, rather than leaving her in the isolated spot where he killed her, in order to scare a business associate. Umm, alright... And then he kills the business associate because [no information provided]. Nope. Then he - wait, does he ransack the bloke's house? Did we ever find out why he did that? And then when his car is recognised by the detective, he decides to slug her around the head and knock her out, rather than kill her (or y'know, just not do anything and dump the car when she leaves), because why exactly? He moves her to the abandoned farm, pulls down the boards sealing the house up, takes her up to a bed, leaves her there, nails the farmhouse shut again (??) and skips down the road to set a fire somewhere else.
But aside from the idiocy of all this, what's more annoying is that it was all explained in his police interview, not a clever piecing together by the detectives. Oh, there's also threads of ghosts and a previous murder transcript and several occasions of the police acting outside of their authority. Pointless. Ill-conceived. Irritating.
Two stars because it was readable enough to finish. The writing style was smooth and, with a better plot, a little more care on description and some actual characters, may have been enjoyable. But this was a 'why' of a novel. Avoid.
A murder mystery needs a breadcrumb trail, dropped hints, clues, red herrings, something twisting? This is so irritatingly linear; there's no clever working-it-out. I don't usually like to include a spoiler, but this really is an idiotic story, so the rest of this is just spoilers. Stop reading if you don't want an irked rundown of the loose-weave plot.
A witness describes the car belonging to the victim's boyfriend. The detective randomly stumbles across the car while visiting another linked person. The linked person reveals themself as the killer by then attacking the detective and nailing them up in an abandoned house. She is then discovered in that abandoned house by another admirer of the victim, who is there for... wait, why was he there again?
The killer's character was so at odds with his foreshadowed version that those early scenes were obviously written before the author had decided who the murderer was going to be. The whole book feels like the author themselves wasn't sure who did it.
So there is... A killer who kills a woman he genuinely wasn't interested in rather than, say, ghosting her. Ok, let's believe that. He then transports her body, rather than leaving her in the isolated spot where he killed her, in order to scare a business associate. Umm, alright... And then he kills the business associate because [no information provided]. Nope. Then he - wait, does he ransack the bloke's house? Did we ever find out why he did that? And then when his car is recognised by the detective, he decides to slug her around the head and knock her out, rather than kill her (or y'know, just not do anything and dump the car when she leaves), because why exactly? He moves her to the abandoned farm, pulls down the boards sealing the house up, takes her up to a bed, leaves her there, nails the farmhouse shut again (??) and skips down the road to set a fire somewhere else.
But aside from the idiocy of all this, what's more annoying is that it was all explained in his police interview, not a clever piecing together by the detectives. Oh, there's also threads of ghosts and a previous murder transcript and several occasions of the police acting outside of their authority. Pointless. Ill-conceived. Irritating.
Two stars because it was readable enough to finish. The writing style was smooth and, with a better plot, a little more care on description and some actual characters, may have been enjoyable. But this was a 'why' of a novel. Avoid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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