What do you think?
Rate this book
Alex Duggins Mystery #3
Melody of Murder
The arrival of a talented, ambitious and unusual new family leads to mayhem and murder in the peaceful Cotswold village of Folly-on-Weir
The idyllic Cotswold village of Folly-on-Weir, with its traditional pub, sumptuous tea rooms and fragrant bakery, is a piece of paradise found ... until 'those incomer Quillams' arrive. A young piano virtuoso and his neglected but talented half-sister, their controlling father, the pianist's beautiful, acquisitive and passionate mother, an ambitious family retainer, and an intimidating woman who has always run the Quillam household form a successful little empire - until it starts to crumble.
The Quillams' arrival has also attracted the attentions of a sly, clever and perverted killer who desperately needs a jackpot and knows where to find one - if the obstacles can be removed. Once again pub owner Alex Duggins and her veterinarian friend Tony Harrison must use their wits and resourcefulness to prevent further carnage - and ensure that they themselves don't become the killer's next victims.
The idyllic Cotswold village of Folly-on-Weir, with its traditional pub, sumptuous tea rooms and fragrant bakery, is a piece of paradise found ... until 'those incomer Quillams' arrive. A young piano virtuoso and his neglected but talented half-sister, their controlling father, the pianist's beautiful, acquisitive and passionate mother, an ambitious family retainer, and an intimidating woman who has always run the Quillam household form a successful little empire - until it starts to crumble.
The Quillams' arrival has also attracted the attentions of a sly, clever and perverted killer who desperately needs a jackpot and knows where to find one - if the obstacles can be removed. Once again pub owner Alex Duggins and her veterinarian friend Tony Harrison must use their wits and resourcefulness to prevent further carnage - and ensure that they themselves don't become the killer's next victims.
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2016
1341 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Stella Cameron
106 books421 followersStella Cameron is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. With over fourteen million copies of her books in print, Cameron is now turning her pen to mysteries and independently publishing COLD, Introducing Alex Duggins. She draws on her English background for this new, already critically acclaimed mystery series. Atmospheric, deeply character and relationship driven, COLD reveals the power of old secrets to twist the present. Cameron’s reputation for using her backgrounds to add tension and allure to her stories is heightened again.
Cameron is the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Achievement Award for distinguished professional achievement and for enhancing the stature of the Northwest Literary community. She lives in Washington with her husband Jerry, her Papillon Millie, black cat Zipper, and a cheeky little tabby named Jack.
Cameron is the recipient of the Pacific Northwest Achievement Award for distinguished professional achievement and for enhancing the stature of the Northwest Literary community. She lives in Washington with her husband Jerry, her Papillon Millie, black cat Zipper, and a cheeky little tabby named Jack.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
March 6, 2016
This is the first book I have read by author Stella Cameron and in honesty I didn't feel that I connected with the characters which hindered my overall enjoyment of the story.
Set in the Cotswold village of Folly on Weir the lead characters Alex and Tony try to unravel the murder of a young woman. The book is well written but did not work for me personally though I am sure there are many other readers who will disagree. The book forms part of a series so maybe the further development of the characters will improve the enjoyment.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Severn House for supplying me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
Set in the Cotswold village of Folly on Weir the lead characters Alex and Tony try to unravel the murder of a young woman. The book is well written but did not work for me personally though I am sure there are many other readers who will disagree. The book forms part of a series so maybe the further development of the characters will improve the enjoyment.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Severn House for supplying me with a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
June 21, 2020
"Well written"
I wouldn't presume to write about Kentucky, because I've no idea what it's like. Whether the writer has spent much time in England I don't know, but this could have been set anywhere. The story is more about the characters and they weren't people I recognised. No matter how good the descriptive passages were I still couldn't enjoy the story itself. Another book that's selling like hot cakes and I can't understand why. There are dozens of British writers who do this genre better.
I wouldn't presume to write about Kentucky, because I've no idea what it's like. Whether the writer has spent much time in England I don't know, but this could have been set anywhere. The story is more about the characters and they weren't people I recognised. No matter how good the descriptive passages were I still couldn't enjoy the story itself. Another book that's selling like hot cakes and I can't understand why. There are dozens of British writers who do this genre better.
June 10, 2020
I enjoyed the first two books. This one points up all of the bad characteristics of Alex. At some point the lead character (Alex) has to get a grip on her life. In this book she is even more neurotic and continues to withhold information from the authorities. People die because she withholds information. I'm not sure what the author is trying to develop in this book. All in all it was very disappointing.
July 29, 2016
The story was fairly interesting, but the conversations that the characters have were quite disjointed. I had to keep rereading to understand what they were trying to say. And I say this as an accomplished reader.
I picked this book up because Booklist said another one by this author was "Top-notch...much in the manner of Louise Penny." I've read every Louise Penny book except the newest one, and I certainly didn't make this connection, other than it taking place in a village. The characters certainly are not as engaging as Ms. Penney's.
I picked this book up because Booklist said another one by this author was "Top-notch...much in the manner of Louise Penny." I've read every Louise Penny book except the newest one, and I certainly didn't make this connection, other than it taking place in a village. The characters certainly are not as engaging as Ms. Penney's.
August 10, 2020
I liked the first two books. This one was poorly written. For example, two people are talking and dropped into the writing: “...sat at a table with great chunks of silence hanging between them.” I quickly scanned the last 1/3 of the book.
March 28, 2016
Alex and Tony are once again discovering dead bodies. This time the body is that of Laura Quillam - a temporary resident in the village. Could it be suicide or natural causes? The Quillams are a charismatic family. Elyan - eighteen year old piano virtuoso with a great career ahead of him, Percy Quillam - controlling paterfamilias; glamorous Sonia - Elyan's mother and Laura's stepmother. They are renting Green Friday - a local estate - for the summer to give Elyan peace and quiet to practice but their stay turns out to be very different from what they expected.
Folly on Weir is once again rocked by murder and mayhem and Alex and Tony fall under suspicion when Dan O'Reilly and Bill Lamb are sent to investigate Laura's death and find it too much of a coincidence that Alex is once again first on the scene of a suspicious death.
I find Alex a bit too highly strung for my taste but the book is well plotted and the characters are interesting. I thought the Quillams and their hangers on were especially well drawn. The book is well plotted and I didn't work out who was the murderer until the frightening conclusion.
If you enjoy well plotted typically English crime novels set in small communities then you might want to try this one. It is part of a series but each book can be read as a standalone novel. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
Folly on Weir is once again rocked by murder and mayhem and Alex and Tony fall under suspicion when Dan O'Reilly and Bill Lamb are sent to investigate Laura's death and find it too much of a coincidence that Alex is once again first on the scene of a suspicious death.
I find Alex a bit too highly strung for my taste but the book is well plotted and the characters are interesting. I thought the Quillams and their hangers on were especially well drawn. The book is well plotted and I didn't work out who was the murderer until the frightening conclusion.
If you enjoy well plotted typically English crime novels set in small communities then you might want to try this one. It is part of a series but each book can be read as a standalone novel. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for review.
April 10, 2021
Okay, and this is where I really, really regretted buying an omnibus. The first two were okay. They had some unusual story premesis, the whole idea of a "thriller" set in the countryside wasn't bad. In the second book already I wondered about the choppy dialogue, the character hopping and the disjointed plotting but it still sort of worked.
Here, it all falls apart.
The whole novel is cobbled together, the dialogue is a shambles, the mystery is no mystery, people do strange things for no apparent reason, the police suddenly is okay with the amateur sleuth until they are not...
This list is endless.
I'm not going to read anything else from this author.
Here, it all falls apart.
The whole novel is cobbled together, the dialogue is a shambles, the mystery is no mystery, people do strange things for no apparent reason, the police suddenly is okay with the amateur sleuth until they are not...
This list is endless.
I'm not going to read anything else from this author.
September 2, 2016
Pub owner Alex Duggins is thinking through her problems outside the church, when she hears a woman singing inside. But when she goes in a while later, she finds the woman dead. She and her boyfriend, the local vet, try to investigate, much to the displeasure of the local police. After all, this is the third body Alex has found in recent years. Soon it seems that everyone in the village is involved in the affairs of the musical Quillam family, whose center is brilliant young pianist Elyan.
March 19, 2022
I'm really enjoying the lovely characters and the storylines.
Another great read. Onto the next one....
Another great read. Onto the next one....
June 22, 2016
Death stalks those close to the Quillan family.
Alex Duggins is in St Aldwyn’s church yard in Folly-On-Weir. She’s trying to find the perfect spot to place a bench in honour of her daughter Lily who passed away at a very young age. She hears a girl singing in the church and finds herself drawn to the music and the beautiful tone of the girl’s voice when suddenly the singing stops and she hears a loud crash. Alex rushes in to find the young girl lying on the floor and already dead.
The young girl turns out to be Laura Quillan, the half-sister of a very gifted young pianist; Elyan Quillan. The Quillans have taken up residence in a large country house, called Green Friday, near the village.
The police forensics confirm that Laura has been murdered, using an overdose of heart medication, but are stymied in their search for the perpetrator of this senseless act. However, they are sure that the killer is one of those staying at the house.
Alex and Tony (her boyfriend) soon get dragged into the investigation and must help DCI Dan O’Reilly and DS Bill Lamb solve the case. It is not going to be a straightforward investigation as each member of the household has a motive.
This was a pleasant quick read but unfortunately, I can’t say that I ever found myself engrossed in the plot. One of the reasons might be that the Stella Cameron kept harping back to previous cases in which Alex and Tony were involved.
I found Alex, supposedly the heroine, just too twee and the elderly maiden sisters (part of the those living in the village) an irritation rather than adding anything to the story. The characters were all somewhat lacking in any kind of personalities that I could empathise with.
Having said this, I’m sure that I might be in the minority and that Stella Cameron has a good and loyal following.
Treebeard
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Alex Duggins is in St Aldwyn’s church yard in Folly-On-Weir. She’s trying to find the perfect spot to place a bench in honour of her daughter Lily who passed away at a very young age. She hears a girl singing in the church and finds herself drawn to the music and the beautiful tone of the girl’s voice when suddenly the singing stops and she hears a loud crash. Alex rushes in to find the young girl lying on the floor and already dead.
The young girl turns out to be Laura Quillan, the half-sister of a very gifted young pianist; Elyan Quillan. The Quillans have taken up residence in a large country house, called Green Friday, near the village.
The police forensics confirm that Laura has been murdered, using an overdose of heart medication, but are stymied in their search for the perpetrator of this senseless act. However, they are sure that the killer is one of those staying at the house.
Alex and Tony (her boyfriend) soon get dragged into the investigation and must help DCI Dan O’Reilly and DS Bill Lamb solve the case. It is not going to be a straightforward investigation as each member of the household has a motive.
This was a pleasant quick read but unfortunately, I can’t say that I ever found myself engrossed in the plot. One of the reasons might be that the Stella Cameron kept harping back to previous cases in which Alex and Tony were involved.
I found Alex, supposedly the heroine, just too twee and the elderly maiden sisters (part of the those living in the village) an irritation rather than adding anything to the story. The characters were all somewhat lacking in any kind of personalities that I could empathise with.
Having said this, I’m sure that I might be in the minority and that Stella Cameron has a good and loyal following.
Treebeard
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Read
November 30, 2018Miniseries: An Alex Duggins Mystery
December 27, 2025
"DEADLY ILLUSIONS
"The idyllic Cotswold village of Folly-on-Weir, with its traditional pub, sumptuous tearooms and fragrant bakery, is a piece of paradise found...until those 'those incomer Quillams' arrive. A young piano virtuoso and his neglected but talented half sister; their controlling father; the pianist's beautiful, acquisitive and passionate mother; an ambitious family retainer; and an intimidating woman who has always run the Quillam household all form a successful little empire--until it starts to crumble.
"The Quillams' arrival has awoken a killer who will remove any obstacles that stand in the way of his dark scheme. Once again pub owner Alex Duggins and her veterinarian friend, Tony Harrison, must use their wits and resourcefulness to prevent further carnage...and ensure that they themselves don't become the killer's next victims."
~~back cover
Oh this is a scrumptious mystery! Every one of the Quilliams' entourage could certainly be the murder, and then there's an assortment to choose from in the village itself. And despite copious clues, the killer remains undiscovered until the very last pages, and then is a total surprise, and the least likely of culprits.
You'll love it. And thankfully this is not the last in the series.
"The idyllic Cotswold village of Folly-on-Weir, with its traditional pub, sumptuous tearooms and fragrant bakery, is a piece of paradise found...until those 'those incomer Quillams' arrive. A young piano virtuoso and his neglected but talented half sister; their controlling father; the pianist's beautiful, acquisitive and passionate mother; an ambitious family retainer; and an intimidating woman who has always run the Quillam household all form a successful little empire--until it starts to crumble.
"The Quillams' arrival has awoken a killer who will remove any obstacles that stand in the way of his dark scheme. Once again pub owner Alex Duggins and her veterinarian friend, Tony Harrison, must use their wits and resourcefulness to prevent further carnage...and ensure that they themselves don't become the killer's next victims."
~~back cover
Oh this is a scrumptious mystery! Every one of the Quilliams' entourage could certainly be the murder, and then there's an assortment to choose from in the village itself. And despite copious clues, the killer remains undiscovered until the very last pages, and then is a total surprise, and the least likely of culprits.
You'll love it. And thankfully this is not the last in the series.
August 4, 2020
The family of a famous teen-aged piano virtuoso rents an estate in Folly for the summer so Elyan Quillan can practice for his upcoming tour. Hugh, the new manager at Alex's pub, owns this magnificent property so we get a glimpse into his personal life which had been a mystery of its' own up to this point. Shortly after their arrival Elyan's half sister Laura is found dead in the local church where she had been borrowing the piano to practice singing. Alex happened to be wandering around the attached cemetery enjoying the woman's beautiful bluesy voice recital. She discovered Laura's still warm body when she entered the church to compliment her on the music. Tony arrived a few minutes later looking for Alex. Once again they become involved in an investigation along with Dan O'Reilly and Bill Lamb when this death turns out to be a murder.
April 26, 2021
Alex is outside a church, thinking about the baby she lost, and hearing someone, inside playing blues on a piano. She hears a crash on the piano keys, and instead of going inside (come on now, wouldn't you be curious!?!), she wanders around. Then after who knows how much time, she finally goes inside and finds a body...surprise, surprise.
I found this 3rd, in the series, to be disappointing as the main character, Alex Duggins, seems to be getting more ditzy, as time, and events, go on. Tony, or the detectives, seem to have to always be saving her, as she simply doesn't understand the meaning of the word "danger". Her brain and mouth are not connected in this novel, so is it any wonder the words pouring out of her mouth, are attracting a murderer?
Going on to book #4, and I'm hoping she finally gets a good dose of common sense into herself.
I found this 3rd, in the series, to be disappointing as the main character, Alex Duggins, seems to be getting more ditzy, as time, and events, go on. Tony, or the detectives, seem to have to always be saving her, as she simply doesn't understand the meaning of the word "danger". Her brain and mouth are not connected in this novel, so is it any wonder the words pouring out of her mouth, are attracting a murderer?
Going on to book #4, and I'm hoping she finally gets a good dose of common sense into herself.
February 4, 2024
Half-sister Laura found dead in the church by Alex - determined to be murder. Elyan - pianist - father very controlling - probably for the money -
Bill Lamb and Dan O'Reilly back again to investigate;
Quillam family - Percy, husband - Sonia, wife - Laura, daughter - Elyan, son - Maud Meeker, housekeeper - Sebastian Carstens, piano teacher - Daisy, his daughter - Audrey, Laura's mother (first wife, wealthy, died) - Wells Giglio, Elyan's agent - Annie, Elyan's girlfriend.
Hugh Rhys - owner of the house they are renting - new manager at the Pup; knows Sonia from the past.
Alex and Tony get involved with solving the case.
(The plan was for Laura to attempt suicide and get sent back to London.......it backfired. She died.
Meeker knew the plan so Elyan had to kill her.
He was a bit mad, feeling that everyone was always demanding too much of him.
Bill Lamb and Dan O'Reilly back again to investigate;
Quillam family - Percy, husband - Sonia, wife - Laura, daughter - Elyan, son - Maud Meeker, housekeeper - Sebastian Carstens, piano teacher - Daisy, his daughter - Audrey, Laura's mother (first wife, wealthy, died) - Wells Giglio, Elyan's agent - Annie, Elyan's girlfriend.
Hugh Rhys - owner of the house they are renting - new manager at the Pup; knows Sonia from the past.
Alex and Tony get involved with solving the case.
(The plan was for Laura to attempt suicide and get sent back to London.......it backfired. She died.
Meeker knew the plan so Elyan had to kill her.
He was a bit mad, feeling that everyone was always demanding too much of him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2024
Melody of Murder (Alex Duggins Mystery #3) by Stella Cameron.
This is the third book in this series and while the murder mystery is very well done and the same quirky people who inhabit this quaint village pop up in the story, the main characters of Alex and Tony continue to bumble along with their relationship. I am reading this series in order and the first book was a fantastic read. I like the genre and was full of hope for the rest of the books in this 7-book series. One of the main characters, Alex is a bit neurotic and exhibits tendences, where she confuses her rose coloured glasses outlook of the world with reality, where she deliberately puts herself in danger and is confused when she ends up in life threatening situations. I am not sure what the author is trying to convey here. I am starting book 4 with hope that Alex grows as a character and learns from her experiences.
This is the third book in this series and while the murder mystery is very well done and the same quirky people who inhabit this quaint village pop up in the story, the main characters of Alex and Tony continue to bumble along with their relationship. I am reading this series in order and the first book was a fantastic read. I like the genre and was full of hope for the rest of the books in this 7-book series. One of the main characters, Alex is a bit neurotic and exhibits tendences, where she confuses her rose coloured glasses outlook of the world with reality, where she deliberately puts herself in danger and is confused when she ends up in life threatening situations. I am not sure what the author is trying to convey here. I am starting book 4 with hope that Alex grows as a character and learns from her experiences.
December 21, 2020
Far from the best Cotswolds murder mystery, this was the first in the series I've read, so maybe I'm missing some things. The main character is Alex, a young woman who owns a pub. There are so many missed opportunities here for drama and flair, but alas, no. Alex is "pals" with the village vet. He seems much nicer than Alex. I don't understand her back and forth about whether she will let him into her life, though they are lovers. What? The scenery goes out of its way to not be interesting. I don't live there, so I'd like to know more about what it looks, tastes, and smells like. The unlikely plot lines of this book where the girl is murdered while Alex is outside walking around the cemetery, seems so unrealistic. The final twists were interesting, but the characters were flat throughout.
June 18, 2020
Interesting plot twists
The story itself is interesting, although the author is going to great lengths to figure out how to get more murderous people to come to seemingly a small village-but I am getting a bit tired of the heroine’s wishy washy attitude towards the Vet-he seems to always be there for her, but she seems determined to hold him in a perpetually uncomfortable place between lovers and a real partnership-it’s difficult to enjoy the back and forth when there is this constant feeling of waiting for her to chuck him over because “she still has a lot of work to do in herself( sarcasm)”
The story itself is interesting, although the author is going to great lengths to figure out how to get more murderous people to come to seemingly a small village-but I am getting a bit tired of the heroine’s wishy washy attitude towards the Vet-he seems to always be there for her, but she seems determined to hold him in a perpetually uncomfortable place between lovers and a real partnership-it’s difficult to enjoy the back and forth when there is this constant feeling of waiting for her to chuck him over because “she still has a lot of work to do in herself( sarcasm)”
October 12, 2021
I have purchased the whole series, that's what I usually do if available when looking for something new to read. Until now I was always lucky. With this series, however, I might have bought just one book and tested the waters. As many reviewers pointed out, the plots are quite nice but the characters and their interactions are difficult to follow. I'm getting impatient with Alex, one of the main characters here, and feel like shaking her and telling her to grow up and get a grip and either help the police or stay clear and stop meddling. Not sure what it's supposed to mean but I hope the rest of the series will be better.
April 30, 2022
In this third in the series of Cotswold murders, Alex trips over a murder weapon in the church, is run off the road and crashes her bike during which her dog suffers a broken leg, and she is trapped by the killer in an abandoned railway car. Meanwhile, the bartender is discovered to be heir to a fortune. All this and two murders. There is a bit of composer name dropping (Rachmaninov), and a couple of editing oversights which I found annoying. A decent enough book, but not a winner. I bought the four together and there is a compulsion to read the last, but it won’t be terribly soon.
November 15, 2020
Too predictable
The writing is all right but the plot is too predictable. The heroine finds the body - again - agonizes over a perfectly straightforward romance - again - butts heads with the police and keeps secrets again - and foolishly goes off alone with the killer - again! This is the third book in the series and she has done the same things every time. It would be much improved if it didn’t end with her almost getting killed because of her own naïveté. Again.
The writing is all right but the plot is too predictable. The heroine finds the body - again - agonizes over a perfectly straightforward romance - again - butts heads with the police and keeps secrets again - and foolishly goes off alone with the killer - again! This is the third book in the series and she has done the same things every time. It would be much improved if it didn’t end with her almost getting killed because of her own naïveté. Again.
April 29, 2022
The stories are compelling enough in Stella's books, but the odd Americanisms (jelly doughnuts, for example) and continuity errors (is Bogie a boy or a girl? It changes every other chapter!), coupled with the inane stupidity of Alex constantly running stubbornly into peril and having to be rescued by a man, really do make them a challenge at times. I have one more in the boxset on my Kindle and don't think that I'll be buying more.
October 17, 2020
Village Mystery
Very enjoyable. Your typical English mystery, but without a typical murder! I love Alex, the pub owner and Tony the local vet. This is the 3rd in the series, but stands alone easily. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a English mystery. I didn't figure it out until the very end!
Very enjoyable. Your typical English mystery, but without a typical murder! I love Alex, the pub owner and Tony the local vet. This is the 3rd in the series, but stands alone easily. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a English mystery. I didn't figure it out until the very end!
February 28, 2021
Maybe it would have helped to read the first two in the series but I found it hard to connect to the characters and I didnt immediately get into the story. I found it very slow in a couple of places. I did read to the end but found it a sad tale, with so many unhappy people. Not sure I will read anything else from the author from this.
June 4, 2020
Terrific!
Great series! Small town, insular, lots of gossip and too many murders! These mysteries are exciting, intriguing, and unusual. Characters are excellent and their interactions are a great part of the mystery!
Great series! Small town, insular, lots of gossip and too many murders! These mysteries are exciting, intriguing, and unusual. Characters are excellent and their interactions are a great part of the mystery!
June 22, 2020
I tried again tonight to finish this book, but it is just too "English". I don't understand much of the language or terminology and feel like I have missed something that was in previous books. I have read Stella Cameron before but didn't realize (or remember) that she had a British background.
August 4, 2020
Now read..not an enthralling book to read although i did get to the end.. It took time and some understanding.. some characters appeared out of the storyline. However, written well and the mystery was not to bad.. Not the best murder story I have read but readable..
August 18, 2020
enjoyable book, must admit the culprit did come as a bit of a surprise. Have read the previous 2 books as well. Would not classify them as mind blowingly good, but enjoyable nonetheless, enjoyable enough to make me want to read the next in the series.
August 24, 2020
Another great story
Another great story in the Alex Duggins series. It is amazing the scrapes she gets into in such a small location. Avery enjoyable read and I already have the next one to read.
Another great story in the Alex Duggins series. It is amazing the scrapes she gets into in such a small location. Avery enjoyable read and I already have the next one to read.
November 7, 2020
What a story!!
Enjoyed this as it kept twisting and turning and kept me wondering! Really love the characters and enjoy the dogs. Hope others really love reading this as much as I did.
Enjoyed this as it kept twisting and turning and kept me wondering! Really love the characters and enjoy the dogs. Hope others really love reading this as much as I did.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews