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Much awaited Cambridge cosy crime 'Cursed'
The porters at All Saints’ College, Cambridge, feel under threat. Witchy spells, hate mail and buckets of flour over the Porters’ Lodge. Are these just harmless student pranks or are they in real danger? Inspector Abley's mind is elsewhere, so Professor Elizabeth Green starts to dig out clues to try to help, but can't solve the mystery before the death of a porter.
With famous stones also going missing, and privilege and pomp getting in the way, will Professor Green be able to unravel the mystery before another porter dies?
If you love Cosy mysteries this one is a treat. And one for readers who love a traditional English backdrop, as Cambridge bleeds through every page.
The porters at All Saints’ College, Cambridge, feel under threat. Witchy spells, hate mail and buckets of flour over the Porters’ Lodge. Are these just harmless student pranks or are they in real danger? Inspector Abley's mind is elsewhere, so Professor Elizabeth Green starts to dig out clues to try to help, but can't solve the mystery before the death of a porter.
With famous stones also going missing, and privilege and pomp getting in the way, will Professor Green be able to unravel the mystery before another porter dies?
If you love Cosy mysteries this one is a treat. And one for readers who love a traditional English backdrop, as Cambridge bleeds through every page.
- GenresMystery
383 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2016
26 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Charlot King
14 books144 followersCharlot King is an international best-selling author, best known for creating evocative murder mystery novels including 'The Cambridge Murder Mysteries' series set in Cambridge England, which have been described as “gripping”, “page-turning”, and “refreshingly new”, and which are rapidly becoming well known and popular reads in the whodunnit mysteries genre.
'Poison' (Bk 1 of The Cambridge Murder Mysteries) was the debut novel published in 2015 and became a popular title for traditional British detective readers and women sleuth fans. Charlot has an increasing number of loyal readers who get notified through pre-order of deals, and also when her books go on sale through her mail list. Bk's 1-5 in the series are out now: 'Poison', 'Cursed', 'Blood Moon', 'A Christmas Mystery', 'Valentine's Day - Kiss of Death', and Bk6 coming later this year. There is also a prequel novella in the series, 'Christmas Eve in Grantchester'.
Charlot studied for a doctorate at the University of Cambridge and went on to lecture as a Don at Oxford University. She then moved to work for the BBC in Drama and worked in development in the UK film industry. Charlot is now a part time tutor at Madingley Hall, the University of Cambridge.
'Poison' (Bk 1 of The Cambridge Murder Mysteries) was the debut novel published in 2015 and became a popular title for traditional British detective readers and women sleuth fans. Charlot has an increasing number of loyal readers who get notified through pre-order of deals, and also when her books go on sale through her mail list. Bk's 1-5 in the series are out now: 'Poison', 'Cursed', 'Blood Moon', 'A Christmas Mystery', 'Valentine's Day - Kiss of Death', and Bk6 coming later this year. There is also a prequel novella in the series, 'Christmas Eve in Grantchester'.
Charlot studied for a doctorate at the University of Cambridge and went on to lecture as a Don at Oxford University. She then moved to work for the BBC in Drama and worked in development in the UK film industry. Charlot is now a part time tutor at Madingley Hall, the University of Cambridge.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 5, 2023
Enjoyable but not as good as #1. Despite being an Anglophile, I found the setting of only Cambridge without much geographical variety a bit stultifying and slightly boring. However, I will give this series one more try.
November 26, 2016
I was a little disappointed with this book having enjoyed the first one in the series. It started well. Porters at All Saints College seem to be under threat - hate mail, practical jokes, threats and undergraduates being thoroughly unpleasant to them. No one takes it too seriously - feeling it is just high spirits. It seems as though there could be a witchy element to the threats but again no one takes it seriously. Then one of the porters is found dead and a memorial stone is missing. Could the same person be responsible for both?
Inspector Bob Abley is pre-occupied with his private life which is in meltdown so Professor Elizabeth Green finds herself once again helping the police as she feels the dead porter was poisoned. I felt the plot lost its way somewhere in the middle of the book and unless I misunderstood it seemed to me that Elizabeth's car ended up in two different places at the same time and being driven by two different people.
There were all sorts of odd jarring notes in the book and rather too many ingredients which made me feel that the author had tried to use too many good ideas in one novel. There were also some glaring errors such as the beneficiary under a will being referred to as a benefactor. I didn't like the student characters either as they seemed to me to be unnecessarily unpleasant and I found I had no sympathy for them at al.
Other people may love this book but I didn't enjoy it and found it a struggle to finish it.
Inspector Bob Abley is pre-occupied with his private life which is in meltdown so Professor Elizabeth Green finds herself once again helping the police as she feels the dead porter was poisoned. I felt the plot lost its way somewhere in the middle of the book and unless I misunderstood it seemed to me that Elizabeth's car ended up in two different places at the same time and being driven by two different people.
There were all sorts of odd jarring notes in the book and rather too many ingredients which made me feel that the author had tried to use too many good ideas in one novel. There were also some glaring errors such as the beneficiary under a will being referred to as a benefactor. I didn't like the student characters either as they seemed to me to be unnecessarily unpleasant and I found I had no sympathy for them at al.
Other people may love this book but I didn't enjoy it and found it a struggle to finish it.
September 1, 2020
Second in the series and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. You get a better feel for the characters as a series progresses and Prof. Elizabeth Greene is proving to be a formidable lady who reminds me a little of a modern day Miss Marple, but with a much sharper disposition who doesn't suffer fools. This story was again set in Cambridge Uni and involved the theft of a very valuable and important substantial sized stone, taken in the night using a digger and the murder of one of the lodge Porters. There seems to be someone leaving amulets around the Uni which point to a white witch, poison pen letters and some rather elaborate and somewhat questionable pranks. Elizabeth soon manages to wangle herself onto the case, aided by her grandson, Godric once again and the distracted Inspector Abley is back and not doing so well after his wife leaves him. This is an enjoyable whodunit in a slightly old fashioned manner that is mainly about a mystery and good old legwork investigation as opposed to lots of gore and multiple murders which would be a tad unrealistic for Cambridge. Onward to the next in the series.
February 26, 2020
Charlot King's second book of the series, Cursed, was an outstanding follow-up to Poison. Once again, she takes the reader right to Cambridge and the surrounding area with her exquisite description. When a porter at the college is murdered, Dr. Elizabeth Green, poison expert and knowledgeable gardener, Inspector Abley, Sergeant Lemon, and Green's grandson, Godric, again team up to solve the mystery which has an excellent plot. Adding to the storyline are subplots, including witchcraft and college pranks. The book is hard to put down and is a very enjoyable read. I hope there will be much more from Charlot King.
October 10, 2022
Really convoluted plot
There were lots of new characters, three murders, several lovers who couldn't quite get it together, and lots of lies. In other words, I had trouble keeping track with what was going on. The solution of who was the killer was impossible because the author kept some clues to the knowledge of the heroine only. I still enjoyed the story and plan to give the author one more chance with the next book in the series. I liked the first book a lot and hope book number three will be better than book number two.
There were lots of new characters, three murders, several lovers who couldn't quite get it together, and lots of lies. In other words, I had trouble keeping track with what was going on. The solution of who was the killer was impossible because the author kept some clues to the knowledge of the heroine only. I still enjoyed the story and plan to give the author one more chance with the next book in the series. I liked the first book a lot and hope book number three will be better than book number two.
March 23, 2018
This one kept me guessing right up to the end. Just as in the first book, the author sets up a complicated mystery and gives us several characters with a motive. Elizabeth, the main character, continues to delight, and she holds her cards close - we don't always know what she knows.
I would have enjoyed the book more if I'd been less worried about Soot, so I will go ahead and assure fellow cat lovers that Soot will be fine.
I would have enjoyed the book more if I'd been less worried about Soot, so I will go ahead and assure fellow cat lovers that Soot will be fine.
August 12, 2018
Cursed is the second book in the Cambridge Murder Mysteries series. Once again Professor Elizabeth Green helps the police to solve the murder of a college porter, with the assistance of her grandson Goddy.
If you are a fan of Agatha Christie, or TV series like Grantchester, then this is the series for you.
If you are a fan of Agatha Christie, or TV series like Grantchester, then this is the series for you.
November 5, 2018
Another 'Cursed' murder mystery has happened in Cambridge. Again Professor Elizabeth Green along with her grandson Godric are busy sleuthing to try and find who is murdering the College Porters. This time she has the blessing of Inspector Abley, for reasons that cannot be mentioned here. Cupid also appears shooting his arrows of love at Godric and Valentino and at a small group of students one of which is a white witch, one an extremelky rich oriental and their friend Peregrine. Twisted intrigue involes a visit to Duxford, a missing cat called Soot and two dogs left in carriers at the airport awaiting collection by Godric. Yes again this was a thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery by the author of 'Poison'. Well done Charlot King. I'm eagerly awaiting your next tome.
July 27, 2020
cursed, the 2nd book, i couldnt wait to read and it didnt disappoint really liked the whole plot of this story and i feel like i know cambridge so well, and elizabeth green definitely a heroine looking forward to book 3. charlot king definitely has a place on my bookshelf ;]
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December 29, 2023
The series is picking up speed! Just 1 more until I'm caught up to book 4 where I started. Lots of plot twists! I figured out some things, but not others! Book 2 is even better than the 1st book. I love this cast of characters!
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October 5, 2024Killing the porters
The Cambridge porters are dying,
but how and why? Professor Green begins dabbling in the case. An exceptionally annoying group of students are involved somehow, but it is going to take work to figure out how. It is a complex and enjoyable mystery.
The Cambridge porters are dying,
but how and why? Professor Green begins dabbling in the case. An exceptionally annoying group of students are involved somehow, but it is going to take work to figure out how. It is a complex and enjoyable mystery.
November 18, 2018
Another enjoyable murder mystery but for me the sudden red herring at the end felt a bit of a let down. The characters are very likeable.
July 28, 2020
What a rollercoaster ride! So many twists & turns. Great read!
October 14, 2016
Plowed through this one. So much fun!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews