What do you think?
Rate this book
DI Marjory Fleming #4
Lamb to the Slaughter
Book by Aline Templeton
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 26, 2008
17 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Aline Templeton
32 books120 followersAline Templeton grew up in the East Neuk of Fife and was educated at St Leonards School, St Andrews and Cambridge University. She has worked in education and broadcasting and has written numerous stories and articles for national newspapers and magazines. Templeton was a bench Justice of the Peace for ten years and is a former Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland, now living in Edinburgh. She is married with a grown up family.
She has written nine crime novels, published by Hodder & Stoughton in Britain, and has also been published in the United States and several European countries. After writing seven stand-alone books, she started a series set in Galloway and featuring DI Marjory Fleming, the first of which – Cold In The Earth – was an Ottakar's Crime Novel of the Month and an Independent Best Summer Read. The second, The Darkness and the Deep, was published in July 2006, and there are now six books in the DI Fleming series.
She has written nine crime novels, published by Hodder & Stoughton in Britain, and has also been published in the United States and several European countries. After writing seven stand-alone books, she started a series set in Galloway and featuring DI Marjory Fleming, the first of which – Cold In The Earth – was an Ottakar's Crime Novel of the Month and an Independent Best Summer Read. The second, The Darkness and the Deep, was published in July 2006, and there are now six books in the DI Fleming series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 5, 2019
6/10. Rushed ending,not very credible.Good series,though.
December 19, 2015
I have found this police procedural series set in rural Scotland to be consistently entertaining and this entry was no exception. I enjoyed the characters and their ongoing relationships and thought the plot was quite good.
March 30, 2023
Wonderful clear smooth style, rich and various characters, and, as always, a resolution you didn't see coming!
June 21, 2015
Robbie’s Review
What do a dead sheep, the murder of a prominent elderly citizen and the killing of a troubled bully have in common? These three brutal acts form the basis of Aline Templeton’s fourth DI Marjory Fleming book, Lamb to the Slaughter. The peaceful town of Kirkluce is divided over the proposed location of a superstore in the area. Although there will be economic benefits to the community, there will also be negative repercussions for local artists as well as the farmers in the area. Andrew Carmichael’s decision to sell or not to sell the property for the store will make or break the deal. Andrew is found murdered on the evening of a town meeting about the project. Rumors fly when a second killing follows close on the heels of Andrew’s murder and the citizens of Kirkluce are alarmed at the police’s inability to discover a perpetrator or a motive. As DI Fleming gathers her team, she must proceed without the benefit of her trusted colleague Tam McNee who is on sick leave. The rest of the team is warned that discussing the cases with Tam is strictly off-limits and this particular dictum leads to some rather humorous and devious actions as Tam does everything he can to worm his way into an investigation that will take readers down a convoluted path.
Fleming’s voice sharpened. “Tam, I can’t bring you in on the official investigation. End of discussion.”
He conceded that, then brightening, he said, “Not officially, no. But it could be useful, not having to thumb through the rule book every time I asked a question —”
“Don’t even think of it!” She was horrified.
“No, no Of course not. Just my wee joke,” he said soothingly. Then he left, smiling his notoriously alarming gap-tooth grin.
There was no point in arguing, but the thought of a maverick Tam made her blood run cold.
There seem to be obvious suspects in the two murders —a nephew who stands to inherit from Andrew Carmichael and a frightened old lady who is being terrorized by the bully Barney Kyle… but who killed the hapless sheep and is there a common thread between the three acts? It’s while studying one of her famous mind-maps that DI Fleming hits on the solution.
She was playing with ideas, twisting and turning them in her mind, when, with the suddenness of the tumblers of a combination lock falling into place, she understood. There was, as she had always a little desperately believed, a rationale behind all this, but it was one so warped, so shocking that she gasped, then shivered. It was as if she had looked into a pit of darkness, and saw the deadly game at last for what it was. She still didn’t know everything, but if she was right, there was a quality of purest evil here that she had never, in all her professional life, encountered before.
Marjory Fleming is the antithesis of the glamorous policewomen portrayed in many fictional accounts. She’s a lot like the rest of us trying to create a balance of family, friends, and career. Her balancing act threatens to collapse as she deals with a daughter who is filled with teenage angst, parents who are growing older and more dependent and the weight of public pressure to solve the cases within a cumbersome legal system. Adding to all that are a myriad of aggravating personnel problems which blur her ability to focus on the cases. Readers who have read other DI Fleming books will not be disappointed in this one. As in each book of the series, Aline Templeton’s characters are well-developed, her suspects, numerous, and her plot, complex. And the ending is so deliciously clever it could only come from the mind of Tam McNee!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book directly from the author. I was not paid to read or review this book. All opinions are my own, and I was never influenced by anything or anyone.
What do a dead sheep, the murder of a prominent elderly citizen and the killing of a troubled bully have in common? These three brutal acts form the basis of Aline Templeton’s fourth DI Marjory Fleming book, Lamb to the Slaughter. The peaceful town of Kirkluce is divided over the proposed location of a superstore in the area. Although there will be economic benefits to the community, there will also be negative repercussions for local artists as well as the farmers in the area. Andrew Carmichael’s decision to sell or not to sell the property for the store will make or break the deal. Andrew is found murdered on the evening of a town meeting about the project. Rumors fly when a second killing follows close on the heels of Andrew’s murder and the citizens of Kirkluce are alarmed at the police’s inability to discover a perpetrator or a motive. As DI Fleming gathers her team, she must proceed without the benefit of her trusted colleague Tam McNee who is on sick leave. The rest of the team is warned that discussing the cases with Tam is strictly off-limits and this particular dictum leads to some rather humorous and devious actions as Tam does everything he can to worm his way into an investigation that will take readers down a convoluted path.
Fleming’s voice sharpened. “Tam, I can’t bring you in on the official investigation. End of discussion.”
He conceded that, then brightening, he said, “Not officially, no. But it could be useful, not having to thumb through the rule book every time I asked a question —”
“Don’t even think of it!” She was horrified.
“No, no Of course not. Just my wee joke,” he said soothingly. Then he left, smiling his notoriously alarming gap-tooth grin.
There was no point in arguing, but the thought of a maverick Tam made her blood run cold.
There seem to be obvious suspects in the two murders —a nephew who stands to inherit from Andrew Carmichael and a frightened old lady who is being terrorized by the bully Barney Kyle… but who killed the hapless sheep and is there a common thread between the three acts? It’s while studying one of her famous mind-maps that DI Fleming hits on the solution.
She was playing with ideas, twisting and turning them in her mind, when, with the suddenness of the tumblers of a combination lock falling into place, she understood. There was, as she had always a little desperately believed, a rationale behind all this, but it was one so warped, so shocking that she gasped, then shivered. It was as if she had looked into a pit of darkness, and saw the deadly game at last for what it was. She still didn’t know everything, but if she was right, there was a quality of purest evil here that she had never, in all her professional life, encountered before.
Marjory Fleming is the antithesis of the glamorous policewomen portrayed in many fictional accounts. She’s a lot like the rest of us trying to create a balance of family, friends, and career. Her balancing act threatens to collapse as she deals with a daughter who is filled with teenage angst, parents who are growing older and more dependent and the weight of public pressure to solve the cases within a cumbersome legal system. Adding to all that are a myriad of aggravating personnel problems which blur her ability to focus on the cases. Readers who have read other DI Fleming books will not be disappointed in this one. As in each book of the series, Aline Templeton’s characters are well-developed, her suspects, numerous, and her plot, complex. And the ending is so deliciously clever it could only come from the mind of Tam McNee!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book directly from the author. I was not paid to read or review this book. All opinions are my own, and I was never influenced by anything or anyone.
May 1, 2012
First Line: "No," the woman said.
There is trouble brewing in Detective Inspector Marjory Fleming's small community of Kirkluce in southwestern Scotland. The town is fiercely divided over the plans of a superstore chain to open there. Half the citizens welcome the convenience and the possibility of more jobs; the other half knows that it would sound the death knell to most of the small shops on the High Street. Even farmers would be affected, since they would be forced to accept the much lower prices the new superstore would insist upon in exchange for their meat and produce.
If that's not enough, there's a group of teenaged boys who have too much time on their hands and not enough direction given them at home. They've taken to terrorizing an elderly lady on the outskirts of town, running amok on their motorcycles and doing damage.
When an old man who was opposed to the superstore is found gunned down on his doorstep and a second villager is the apparent victim of a random shooting, the press fans the flames of panic by announcing that there's a sniper on the rampage in Kirkluce, and the once bustling streets become deserted.
"Big Marge" has a lot on her plate trying to find the killer... or could it be two killers? Her right hand man is still out on sick leave, although the Robbie Burns-spouting Tam MacNee is doing his own investigating on the sly (and creating even more problems for his boss as a result). The most likely suspects seem to have iron clad alibis, while those who appear guilty simply cannot be. It's all down to good, solid, meticulous police work to get all the facts and put them together to find the truth.
For those of you who tend to steer clear of police procedurals or private detective stories because of blood and gore, there's no need to do that here. Aline Templeton depends upon character, motive and situation, not a proliferation of dismembered bodies, to weave a tale that will keep you up till the wee hours of the morning.
Her characterization is one of the main reasons why I enjoy her books so much. Her DI Marjory Fleming stands alongside Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope, Judith Cutler's Fran Harman, and Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway as my favorite British female crime fighters. Marjory is a force to be reckoned with on the job, but she has a husband who's a hardworking farmer, two teenaged children who can have her ripping out her hair, and elderly parents she wants to keep a loving eye on. Her constables and sergeants are also an interesting lot with their own foibles and intrigues. Watching all these characters work together is a delight.
Templeton does such a great job of misdirection that, by book's end, I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen the solution coming. But wait! Two of her most trusted investigators don't agree with Marjory's conclusions? Could Marjory be wrong? No, she can't be-- all the pieces have finally locked into the right pattern. Up until the very last sentence, the ending is an emotional rollercoaster-- and absolutely brilliant.
If you haven't read one of Aline Templeton's Detective Inspector Marjory Fleming books, you're, without doubt, missing some seriously good writing.
There is trouble brewing in Detective Inspector Marjory Fleming's small community of Kirkluce in southwestern Scotland. The town is fiercely divided over the plans of a superstore chain to open there. Half the citizens welcome the convenience and the possibility of more jobs; the other half knows that it would sound the death knell to most of the small shops on the High Street. Even farmers would be affected, since they would be forced to accept the much lower prices the new superstore would insist upon in exchange for their meat and produce.
If that's not enough, there's a group of teenaged boys who have too much time on their hands and not enough direction given them at home. They've taken to terrorizing an elderly lady on the outskirts of town, running amok on their motorcycles and doing damage.
When an old man who was opposed to the superstore is found gunned down on his doorstep and a second villager is the apparent victim of a random shooting, the press fans the flames of panic by announcing that there's a sniper on the rampage in Kirkluce, and the once bustling streets become deserted.
"Big Marge" has a lot on her plate trying to find the killer... or could it be two killers? Her right hand man is still out on sick leave, although the Robbie Burns-spouting Tam MacNee is doing his own investigating on the sly (and creating even more problems for his boss as a result). The most likely suspects seem to have iron clad alibis, while those who appear guilty simply cannot be. It's all down to good, solid, meticulous police work to get all the facts and put them together to find the truth.
For those of you who tend to steer clear of police procedurals or private detective stories because of blood and gore, there's no need to do that here. Aline Templeton depends upon character, motive and situation, not a proliferation of dismembered bodies, to weave a tale that will keep you up till the wee hours of the morning.
Her characterization is one of the main reasons why I enjoy her books so much. Her DI Marjory Fleming stands alongside Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope, Judith Cutler's Fran Harman, and Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway as my favorite British female crime fighters. Marjory is a force to be reckoned with on the job, but she has a husband who's a hardworking farmer, two teenaged children who can have her ripping out her hair, and elderly parents she wants to keep a loving eye on. Her constables and sergeants are also an interesting lot with their own foibles and intrigues. Watching all these characters work together is a delight.
Templeton does such a great job of misdirection that, by book's end, I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen the solution coming. But wait! Two of her most trusted investigators don't agree with Marjory's conclusions? Could Marjory be wrong? No, she can't be-- all the pieces have finally locked into the right pattern. Up until the very last sentence, the ending is an emotional rollercoaster-- and absolutely brilliant.
If you haven't read one of Aline Templeton's Detective Inspector Marjory Fleming books, you're, without doubt, missing some seriously good writing.
September 1, 2012
‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ by Aline Templeton
Published by Hodder & Stoughton, August 2008. ISBN: 978-0-340-92228-6
A proposed superstore development has divided the once peaceful town of Kirkluce in Scotland. The casting vote lies with the land owner Colonel Andrew Carmichael, but will he agree to sell the land or not? The development is not just a matter of the march of progress onto a quiet town, it will kill the Craft Centre and strike at the livelihoods of Romy Kyle, Ellie Burnett and Alanna Patterson. Feelings are running high as the townsfolk gather in the church hall to hear the ALCO spokesman state the supermarket proposal. But there is more than just the controversy of a proposed supermarket development disturbing the town’s peace – a group of teenage bikers are creating havoc in the streets, and by way of a change terrorising an old lady who lives on a remote farm.
This is a book rich in characters, demonstrating the catastrophic effect of disturbing influences on the ordinary person, and what can happen when they are pushed to breaking point. As someone who lives alone in the country I found the terrorisation of the old lady particularly disturbing. How does one deal with that sort of threat, what recourse does one have.
There are two killings and DI Margery Flemming can find no link between them – surely they don’t have two murderers in their midst. Even though she has her hands full, she is still keeping Tam MacNee out of the investigation until he is signed off as fit for work. But Tam’s a wily bugger, and can’t resist sniffing around. On a personal level, Big Marge (as she is known) has a few of her own problems, one being a teenage daughter who seems to be in with the wrong crowd – aren’t they always.
Dealing ably with the situations that seem to arise everywhere in today’s society, this is the type of book which stays with you long after you have closed the last page. Highly recommended.
-----
Lizzie Hayes
Published by Hodder & Stoughton, August 2008. ISBN: 978-0-340-92228-6
A proposed superstore development has divided the once peaceful town of Kirkluce in Scotland. The casting vote lies with the land owner Colonel Andrew Carmichael, but will he agree to sell the land or not? The development is not just a matter of the march of progress onto a quiet town, it will kill the Craft Centre and strike at the livelihoods of Romy Kyle, Ellie Burnett and Alanna Patterson. Feelings are running high as the townsfolk gather in the church hall to hear the ALCO spokesman state the supermarket proposal. But there is more than just the controversy of a proposed supermarket development disturbing the town’s peace – a group of teenage bikers are creating havoc in the streets, and by way of a change terrorising an old lady who lives on a remote farm.
This is a book rich in characters, demonstrating the catastrophic effect of disturbing influences on the ordinary person, and what can happen when they are pushed to breaking point. As someone who lives alone in the country I found the terrorisation of the old lady particularly disturbing. How does one deal with that sort of threat, what recourse does one have.
There are two killings and DI Margery Flemming can find no link between them – surely they don’t have two murderers in their midst. Even though she has her hands full, she is still keeping Tam MacNee out of the investigation until he is signed off as fit for work. But Tam’s a wily bugger, and can’t resist sniffing around. On a personal level, Big Marge (as she is known) has a few of her own problems, one being a teenage daughter who seems to be in with the wrong crowd – aren’t they always.
Dealing ably with the situations that seem to arise everywhere in today’s society, this is the type of book which stays with you long after you have closed the last page. Highly recommended.
-----
Lizzie Hayes
September 3, 2008
LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER (Pol. Proc-DI Marge Fleming-Scotland-Cont) – VG
Templeton, Aline – 4th in series
Hodder & Stoughton, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN; 9780340922286
First Sentence: ‘No,’ the woman said..
The small town of Kirkluce, Scotland is in the midst of a debate on whether to allow the building of a superstore. There is a debate as to whether elderly Colonel Carmichael who owns the property currently containing a craft center and flats. Instead of showing up at a town meeting and announcing whether he would sell the property, the Colonel is found the next morning murdered by a shotgun blast.
An elderly woman is being terrorized by teens on motorcycles. She claims she fired over their heads, but one young man is dead from a shotgun blast. DI Marge Fleming and her team need to sort out the lies from the truth and find the killer or killers.
Being one who loves good characters, Ms. Templeton certainly fills that need. Marge, with her husband, children and the farm, make a refreshing contrast from the usual angst-ridden, relationship-challenged policeman. There are touching, normal human interludes to offset the investigation. But with a nickname of “Big Marge,” she’s no pushover either. Her canny sidekick, and friend, Tam McNee is here still quoting Robbie Burns.
Having the story set in a small, rural town, where the residents know each other, provides a different and interesting dynamic than a large city. Templeton’s style is a formula of introducing all of the possible suspects prior to the crime, but it works. The story’s plot is well done with a lot of possible villains but no one who really stands out.
Just when you think you know the villain, maybe you don’t. This makes the revelation at the end all the more effective and has a greater impact. It is always a pleasure to read an Aline Templeton book.
Templeton, Aline – 4th in series
Hodder & Stoughton, 2008, UK Hardcover – ISBN; 9780340922286
First Sentence: ‘No,’ the woman said..
The small town of Kirkluce, Scotland is in the midst of a debate on whether to allow the building of a superstore. There is a debate as to whether elderly Colonel Carmichael who owns the property currently containing a craft center and flats. Instead of showing up at a town meeting and announcing whether he would sell the property, the Colonel is found the next morning murdered by a shotgun blast.
An elderly woman is being terrorized by teens on motorcycles. She claims she fired over their heads, but one young man is dead from a shotgun blast. DI Marge Fleming and her team need to sort out the lies from the truth and find the killer or killers.
Being one who loves good characters, Ms. Templeton certainly fills that need. Marge, with her husband, children and the farm, make a refreshing contrast from the usual angst-ridden, relationship-challenged policeman. There are touching, normal human interludes to offset the investigation. But with a nickname of “Big Marge,” she’s no pushover either. Her canny sidekick, and friend, Tam McNee is here still quoting Robbie Burns.
Having the story set in a small, rural town, where the residents know each other, provides a different and interesting dynamic than a large city. Templeton’s style is a formula of introducing all of the possible suspects prior to the crime, but it works. The story’s plot is well done with a lot of possible villains but no one who really stands out.
Just when you think you know the villain, maybe you don’t. This makes the revelation at the end all the more effective and has a greater impact. It is always a pleasure to read an Aline Templeton book.
March 20, 2014
*I received this book as a gift in exchange for an honest review*
Wow.
The story takes place in the little town of Kirkluce where everyone has something to hide. When someone shoots a sheep and leaves it in the middle of town no one thinks much of it- probably just miscreant teens screwing around. But when an influential man is gunned down on his front doorstep Detective Marjory Fleming begins to wonder if the two incidents aren't somehow related. And when things continue to escalate, the citizens of Kirkluce can no longer keep their skeletons hidden in their closets.
I really enjoyed the small town dynamic of Kirkluce. The author juggles a lot of families throughout the book and I thought she navigated the multiple story lines really well. The way she set everything up slowly and pulled it all together in the end was extremely impressive. The story itself is great. There is a lot of detail without being boring, and I think the town scandals are all very realistic things people deal with every day. The characters all seemed very flawed and genuine which I found refreshing. The mystery behind these crimes is just fascinating to watch unfold. I was sufficiently baffled for most of the book, and was not able to figure out what the heck was going on any more than the characters! We are slowly given little clues here and there as Detective Fleming and her team try to piece together the mystery and let me tell you- I did NOT see that ending coming! My only gripe would be that the ending seemed a little abrupt and I REALLY want to know what happened to one person in particular... but I would definitely recommend this book. 4 stars
Wow.
The story takes place in the little town of Kirkluce where everyone has something to hide. When someone shoots a sheep and leaves it in the middle of town no one thinks much of it- probably just miscreant teens screwing around. But when an influential man is gunned down on his front doorstep Detective Marjory Fleming begins to wonder if the two incidents aren't somehow related. And when things continue to escalate, the citizens of Kirkluce can no longer keep their skeletons hidden in their closets.
I really enjoyed the small town dynamic of Kirkluce. The author juggles a lot of families throughout the book and I thought she navigated the multiple story lines really well. The way she set everything up slowly and pulled it all together in the end was extremely impressive. The story itself is great. There is a lot of detail without being boring, and I think the town scandals are all very realistic things people deal with every day. The characters all seemed very flawed and genuine which I found refreshing. The mystery behind these crimes is just fascinating to watch unfold. I was sufficiently baffled for most of the book, and was not able to figure out what the heck was going on any more than the characters! We are slowly given little clues here and there as Detective Fleming and her team try to piece together the mystery and let me tell you- I did NOT see that ending coming! My only gripe would be that the ending seemed a little abrupt and I REALLY want to know what happened to one person in particular... but I would definitely recommend this book. 4 stars
October 14, 2016
Really enjoying this series by an author who deserves to be more widely known. All 4 of the books I have read so far in this series have interesting characters and good plots along with an engaging writing style. My only minor quibble with the series as a whole is that you really have to work to keep track of the number of characters she introduces early on. Of the four books I have read so far, I liked Lamb to the Slaughter a little less than the first 3. While it has a surprise twist at the end, the killer's motive could have been spelled out a bit more. What happened wasn't really credible and it wasn't tied in, as far as I could see, with the main story line about the pros and cons of opening a large supermarket in a small town, which would have had a negative impact on local shops. Also, the way the killer was exposed was not at all suspenseful. In fact there was not a lot of really gripping suspense throughout this one. Maybe I just didn't get it. Still, I will definitely read the next in this series.
May 16, 2020
This series is really enjoyable. Well written with complex plots that actually make sense at the end. This is the fourth book in the series. The characters are well developed and the setting is interesting. In this boook a sheep is the first casualty with three murders to follow. While it seems like one person did all the murders all the suspects have an alibi for at least one of the time frames. A good mind exercise for the reader.
June 28, 2011
Just started but Aline never disappoints. Wow, finished now and it was a great read. The story raced along right from the first kill - a sheep, but that was only the start and three bodies later I was still wondering whodunnit. Aline writes a cracking good story and her DI Fleming is a down to earth farmer's wife as well as avery believable cop. I would highly recommend this book.
October 17, 2015
3.5
Why doesn't Tam have to pay for his Burns' quotes anymore? (I realize this stopped a book or two ago.)
Why doesn't Tam have to pay for his Burns' quotes anymore? (I realize this stopped a book or two ago.)
August 15, 2025
Im kleinen Ort Kirkluce kochen die Emotionen hoch. Ein neuer Superstore soll gebaut werden- ausgerechnet auf dem Platz, an dem eine Gruppe Künstler ihre Ateliers hat. Der Superstore bringt sicherlich Vorteile für die Bewohner des Orts, aber die Künstler bringen Touristen und damit Geld nach Kirkluce. Die Fronten sind verhärtet, längst wird nicht nur mit Worten gestritten. Eine junge Frau fand schon ein totes Schaf vor ihrem Atelier.
Ausgerechnet an dem Abend, an dem eine Versammlung über die Zukunft des kleinen Orts entscheiden soll, wird der Besitzer des Grundstücks erschossen.
Kirkluce mag ein kleiner Ort sein, aber hier passiert viel. Nicht nur das tote Schaf, auch eine Bande junger Männder mit Motorrädern terrorisiert die Gemeinde. Aus anfänglichen Ruhestörungen wird schnell mehr.
DI Fajorie Fleming steht zwischen allen Stühlen. Die jungen Leute sind Schulfreunde ihrer Tochter. Die steckt mitten in der Pubertät und nimmt sie Einmischung ihrer Mutter sehr persönlich. Der Mord an einem angesehenen Bürger soll schnell aufgeklärt werden, aber es fehlen die Mittel und die Unterstützung. Dazu kommt noch dass einer der Ermittler offensichtlich der Presse Informationen zusteckt.
Es ist viel, was auf Ermittler und Leser zukommen. Jeder einzelne Aspekt für sich ist interessant, aber die Autorin geht nur oberflächlich darauf ein. Die Ermittlungen gehen sehr langsam voran und springen von Spur zu Spur. Für mich hat das kein rundes Bild ergeben. Täter und Motiv waren wiederum eine interessante Überraschung, aber davor und auch danach gab es zu viel Geplänkel.
Ausgerechnet an dem Abend, an dem eine Versammlung über die Zukunft des kleinen Orts entscheiden soll, wird der Besitzer des Grundstücks erschossen.
Kirkluce mag ein kleiner Ort sein, aber hier passiert viel. Nicht nur das tote Schaf, auch eine Bande junger Männder mit Motorrädern terrorisiert die Gemeinde. Aus anfänglichen Ruhestörungen wird schnell mehr.
DI Fajorie Fleming steht zwischen allen Stühlen. Die jungen Leute sind Schulfreunde ihrer Tochter. Die steckt mitten in der Pubertät und nimmt sie Einmischung ihrer Mutter sehr persönlich. Der Mord an einem angesehenen Bürger soll schnell aufgeklärt werden, aber es fehlen die Mittel und die Unterstützung. Dazu kommt noch dass einer der Ermittler offensichtlich der Presse Informationen zusteckt.
Es ist viel, was auf Ermittler und Leser zukommen. Jeder einzelne Aspekt für sich ist interessant, aber die Autorin geht nur oberflächlich darauf ein. Die Ermittlungen gehen sehr langsam voran und springen von Spur zu Spur. Für mich hat das kein rundes Bild ergeben. Täter und Motiv waren wiederum eine interessante Überraschung, aber davor und auch danach gab es zu viel Geplänkel.
July 13, 2018
Another good book in this series.
The small Scottish town has a difficult dilemma, one that has the residents on opposite sides: should a big supermarket be allowed to come into their high street? It would, potentially, kill the local small businesses. Also, the proposed site is home to several art stores. Their patron, and land lord, Sir Andrew Carmichael, has said he will not sell the land. But then, he is murdered!
DI Fleming is, once again, given a difficult case to solve. Her right hand man, Tam, is still off on the injured list, and his absence is felt by all the team.
When a young boy is also killed by shotgun, the police have to consider if the two instances are related.
The DI has her own family concerns to deal with. This is one of the endearing qualities of this series: how the characters have their own problems, their own lives, and how these impact the relationships in the station.
The small Scottish town has a difficult dilemma, one that has the residents on opposite sides: should a big supermarket be allowed to come into their high street? It would, potentially, kill the local small businesses. Also, the proposed site is home to several art stores. Their patron, and land lord, Sir Andrew Carmichael, has said he will not sell the land. But then, he is murdered!
DI Fleming is, once again, given a difficult case to solve. Her right hand man, Tam, is still off on the injured list, and his absence is felt by all the team.
When a young boy is also killed by shotgun, the police have to consider if the two instances are related.
The DI has her own family concerns to deal with. This is one of the endearing qualities of this series: how the characters have their own problems, their own lives, and how these impact the relationships in the station.
October 2, 2018
Aline Templeton writes a good honest police mystery novel. The characters are interesting and varied. The police are not perfect and the towns people aren't either. The novel is set when the policing was still village based rather than the new expanded idea that polices by area and loses a lot of the connection with the community. The ending was satisfying but a little short.
May 4, 2019
I have read 3 other books in this series, and I enjoyed this one the least - it is an earlier book, and I think the characters have grown stronger and more rounded over the series. I also thought the denouement was not well constructed, and a bit of a stretch. Read the later books in the series
May 7, 2019
Great story about a murder or 3
I liked the fact that I had no clue who the murderer was and found I had picked one character or another only to have them proven stupid and innocent or just innocent. Had to pull up an English do too very for some I idiomatic slang.
I liked the fact that I had no clue who the murderer was and found I had picked one character or another only to have them proven stupid and innocent or just innocent. Had to pull up an English do too very for some I idiomatic slang.
September 14, 2017
Thought denouement was not credible, but characters were likeable.
September 10, 2019
As with other books written by this writer, I thoroughly enjoyed it and again there was a twist at the end. I never seem to guess what's coming!
June 22, 2021
Enjoyed it. The ending would have been more plausible with more build-up and explanation - I wasn't very convinced.
May 22, 2023
I did wonder why somebody wasnt interviewed properly a little earlier. I still think the series is enjoyable.
January 20, 2024
I'll continue the series
May 8, 2024
There's a lot of characters here, and many perspectives. At first it's a task to stay across them, but the story develops well, and in the end I was gobsmacked. 4/5, good read!
October 24, 2024
Still not as good as the first. I'm done.
March 3, 2017
Well paced thriller
August 6, 2014
This is the one set in Kirkluce where a controversy over plans to build a super store in the community has created bad feelings and tensions. When the aristocratic landowner who must decide whether or not to sell the needed land to the big corporation is killed there are a lot of people who might have a motive.
Another well constructed story, but hobbled somewhat by a cast of characters that come across a bit too weirdly inbred, neurotic and/or stereotypically upper crust.
26. MemoryWalk - in Mr. Tolpy's biology classroom at North Peace Senior Secondary School (the old one long since demolished)... Two students are busy at each of workstations dissecting a dead lamb. "Biology Bill" is walking about the room and observing and commenting. There is a loud noise in the hallway, the door of the classroom bursts open and a motorcycle snarls its way to a stop at the back of the room. The rider, dressed in black leathers and a helmet with tinted face guard pulls a shotgun from the scabbard on his back and shoots the teacher in the chest.
Another well constructed story, but hobbled somewhat by a cast of characters that come across a bit too weirdly inbred, neurotic and/or stereotypically upper crust.
26. MemoryWalk - in Mr. Tolpy's biology classroom at North Peace Senior Secondary School (the old one long since demolished)... Two students are busy at each of workstations dissecting a dead lamb. "Biology Bill" is walking about the room and observing and commenting. There is a loud noise in the hallway, the door of the classroom bursts open and a motorcycle snarls its way to a stop at the back of the room. The rider, dressed in black leathers and a helmet with tinted face guard pulls a shotgun from the scabbard on his back and shoots the teacher in the chest.
August 31, 2015
A dead sheep is left in town, a prominent citizen is found dead on his doorstep, and then there's a third death. What do these deaths have in common beyond the fact that they all been blasted with a shotgun? Perhaps it's a protest against the proposed new supermarket. DI Marge Fleming is left with a somewhat diminished crew as Tam McNee is still on leave, recuperating from the devastating blow to his head. Her daughter Cat, has taken to hanging around with some unsavory teenage boys on motorbikes, who may or may not be guilty of harassing an elderly cottager. As usual, Fleming has to balance the demands of her job as head of CID with her personal life.
I didn't find this one as engaging as the first two in the series; Marjorie's character seemed a bit distant. Plus most of the suspects were less than likable. I will continue reading the series, however, for at least one more installment.
I didn't find this one as engaging as the first two in the series; Marjorie's character seemed a bit distant. Plus most of the suspects were less than likable. I will continue reading the series, however, for at least one more installment.
November 12, 2015
I think I'm done with this series. Like the previous book, this one has a rushed ending. I'm not sure how and why some of the murders were committed. It's too bad because some of the characters are terrifically entertaining.
I noticed that in this one the author cut way back on the number of Scotticisms, and the ones that are here are explained much more clearly in context. I think they were making the books hard to sell in the rest of the world--perhaps even in England.
I noticed that in this one the author cut way back on the number of Scotticisms, and the ones that are here are explained much more clearly in context. I think they were making the books hard to sell in the rest of the world--perhaps even in England.
September 2, 2009
I really enjopyed the above about the investogation into the shooting of 2 people and a sheep in the village
It had a unexpected twist which was ended the book well
Another good bok by Aline Templeton
It had a unexpected twist which was ended the book well
Another good bok by Aline Templeton
June 17, 2014
Another complex, character-rich mystery featuring DI Marjory Fleming and her team, with lots of small-town intrigue. Templeton is a wonderful writer and I'm looking forward to reading her stand-alones once I'm doing with this excellent series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews