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Peter Brichter #4
Original Sin
Kori Price Brichter planned on a wonderful Christmas. She and her police officer husband, Peter Brichter, had invited their friends, Frank and Mary Ryder and Gordon Ramsey, to spend the holiday with them, their son Jeep, and their nanny, Jill. Most important, Kori had invited Evelyn Biggins to join them. Having believed that all of her relatives had died, Kori was particularly thrilled to have found Evelyn, now her only living relative, to tell her of her family history. But Evelyn had only been in the house for a few hours when she was found, dead, in the house’s library, victim of an apparent murder. Since the guests were now isolated in house because of a blizzard, the only possible conclusion is that one of them had killed Evelyn. But who?
“A bright gleam of the golden age peeks through in Original Sin and brings the word classic right up to date. All are party to a death that couldn’t have been committed by any of them. With astute misdirection and a cleverly concealed motive, Pulver has constructed a mystery of legendary proportions.” –Ellen Nehr, Murder ad lib
“In Original Sin, Mary Monica Pulver offers a delightful 1990s version of the classic traditional mystery. The setting is a country mansion (in the American Midwest) at Christmas, isolated by a snowstorm, with a group of people hiding various guilty secrets. The plot is beautifully and fairly constructed, and readers who enjoy good puzzles will find a great one here. But those who prize interesting characters won’t be disappointed. Further acquaintance with Kori and Peter Brichter and new baby Jeep will only whet the appetite for more books in the series. Altogether, Original Sin is a sparkling, thoroughly enjoyable novel—absolutely perfect holiday reading!” –Dean James, Manager, Murder by the Book
“Mary Monica Pulver is one of the best-kept secrets in mystery.... She turns out some of the finest books going. Original Sin is so elegant it takes your breath away.” –Drood Review of Mystery
“Clever trickery in the John Dickson Carr classic locked-room puzzle-mode.... A clever, cozy read.” –American Bookseller
“A bright gleam of the golden age peeks through in Original Sin and brings the word classic right up to date. All are party to a death that couldn’t have been committed by any of them. With astute misdirection and a cleverly concealed motive, Pulver has constructed a mystery of legendary proportions.” –Ellen Nehr, Murder ad lib
“In Original Sin, Mary Monica Pulver offers a delightful 1990s version of the classic traditional mystery. The setting is a country mansion (in the American Midwest) at Christmas, isolated by a snowstorm, with a group of people hiding various guilty secrets. The plot is beautifully and fairly constructed, and readers who enjoy good puzzles will find a great one here. But those who prize interesting characters won’t be disappointed. Further acquaintance with Kori and Peter Brichter and new baby Jeep will only whet the appetite for more books in the series. Altogether, Original Sin is a sparkling, thoroughly enjoyable novel—absolutely perfect holiday reading!” –Dean James, Manager, Murder by the Book
“Mary Monica Pulver is one of the best-kept secrets in mystery.... She turns out some of the finest books going. Original Sin is so elegant it takes your breath away.” –Drood Review of Mystery
“Clever trickery in the John Dickson Carr classic locked-room puzzle-mode.... A clever, cozy read.” –American Bookseller
158 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1991
9 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Mary Monica Pulver
17 books19 followersAKA Monica Ferris
AKA Margaret Frazer
Mary Monica Pulver (her maiden name) is an incidental Hoosier -- Terre Haute, Indiana, had the hospital closest to her parents' home in Marshall, Illinois. She spent the later part of her childhood and early adult life in Wisconsin, graduating from high school in Milwaukee. She was a journalist in the U.S. Navy for six and a half years (two in London), and later attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She is married to a museum curator.
Series:
* Peter Brichter
AKA Margaret Frazer
Mary Monica Pulver (her maiden name) is an incidental Hoosier -- Terre Haute, Indiana, had the hospital closest to her parents' home in Marshall, Illinois. She spent the later part of her childhood and early adult life in Wisconsin, graduating from high school in Milwaukee. She was a journalist in the U.S. Navy for six and a half years (two in London), and later attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She is married to a museum curator.
Series:
* Peter Brichter
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 11, 2018
Take one newly discovered relative, one woman desperate to learn her ancestors, two cops (one retired); a new bride with an old grudge, 3 other assorted adults, add one vicious snowstorm keeping them basically confined to the house. Mix together and you get the latest Brichter murder mystery.
And the ghosts of the past play a major role as well.
Quite relevant additions were the Tretower floor plans and McKay family tree. So many of the tales relayed by cousin Evelyn before her murder and discovered by Katherine in her research makes the relationships much more clear. The floor plan comes in handy while the full tour of the three main floors of the house occurs and eventually leads to the discovery of a hidden room.
The reasons I only gave it 4 stars was that the clues seemed to be re-iterated far too many times as well as the many references to Katherine and Peter's previous history (both together and younger) that expect the reader to already be familiar with the characters as this is the 4th book in the series.
As long as you can overcome those two problems, the story seems to move right along. Likely not much of a challenge for those who solve the most murky of mystery novels but an enjoyable read.
And the ghosts of the past play a major role as well.
Quite relevant additions were the Tretower floor plans and McKay family tree. So many of the tales relayed by cousin Evelyn before her murder and discovered by Katherine in her research makes the relationships much more clear. The floor plan comes in handy while the full tour of the three main floors of the house occurs and eventually leads to the discovery of a hidden room.
The reasons I only gave it 4 stars was that the clues seemed to be re-iterated far too many times as well as the many references to Katherine and Peter's previous history (both together and younger) that expect the reader to already be familiar with the characters as this is the 4th book in the series.
As long as you can overcome those two problems, the story seems to move right along. Likely not much of a challenge for those who solve the most murky of mystery novels but an enjoyable read.
March 1, 2020
Doing some genealogical research, Katherine Brichter comes in contact with a relative she did not know she had: Evelyn McKay Biggins, who had grown up in the big old house Katherine now owns. Katherine invites Evelyn to come back to her childhood home for a Christmas weekend gathering, and Evelyn arrives just before a blizzard leaves the Brichters and all their guests snowed in.
But soon after Evelyn's arrival she is found dead, apparently a victim of murder. Figuring out what happened is a challenging puzzle for police detective Peter Brichter, Katherine's husband. As he gets into his investigation, he finds out that more of his guests have a reason to dislike Evelyn than it first appears. I did not guess the eventual solution.
But soon after Evelyn's arrival she is found dead, apparently a victim of murder. Figuring out what happened is a challenging puzzle for police detective Peter Brichter, Katherine's husband. As he gets into his investigation, he finds out that more of his guests have a reason to dislike Evelyn than it first appears. I did not guess the eventual solution.
May 28, 2020
Kori Brichter, a young wife and mother raised by a cruel uncle in the family mansion near Denver, has asked her last living relative, long-lost elderly cousin Evelyn Biggins, to spend Christmas in the house where Evelyn, too, was raised. Invited to help Kori solve some of the mystery of her background, Evelyn arrives with a mystery of her own: her sister Inez disappeared 50 years ago and was never found. A blizzard snows in all the guests, including an older neighbor who is greatly disturbed by Evelyn's presence; the power fails; and Evelyn is found murdered. Kori's policeman husband takes charge of puzzling out the murder and in the process brings out other skeletons from the family closet.
January 13, 2023
Two and half stars. Eight people and an infant are trapped in a mansion in Colorado due to blizzard during Christmas holidays. Then the lights go out and one of them is murdered, and later a mummified corpse is found in a hidden room. There are long passages about such subjects as genealogy, 19th century architecture, horse care, meal preparation, infant care, detailed descriptions of items taken from a suitcase, relationships among the people in the genealogical chart, etc. The solution of the murder mysteries is interesting but is based on conjecture, and the stolen inheritance is not resolved. It would have been much better if the author had focused on the murders, especially the mummy in the hidden room, instead of all the rambling about irrelevant subjects.
November 10, 2019
Interesting mystery
I have long been a fan of this author's writing as Monica Ferris, but this was my first experience with her other books and I really enjoyed it. I had not read the earlier books in the series, so lacked some developmental details about the characters, but I soon became totally caught up in the clever, twisting p!ot. This was the first book I've read in ages that kept me guessing right up to the final Christie-ish reveal.
I have long been a fan of this author's writing as Monica Ferris, but this was my first experience with her other books and I really enjoyed it. I had not read the earlier books in the series, so lacked some developmental details about the characters, but I soon became totally caught up in the clever, twisting p!ot. This was the first book I've read in ages that kept me guessing right up to the final Christie-ish reveal.
Want to read
September 15, 2018Synopsis: murder makes an uninvited announcement at Peter and Kori Brichter's holiday house party.
July 18, 2011
A cracking good locked-parlor mystery. Young Kori Brichter has put together an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas for her small unconventional, but close-knit "family." A new addition to the this group is a maiden aunt Kori has never met, flying in from Arizona. The aunt arrives, just ahead of a savage blizzard, such as only central Illinois can provide... Six people are trapped in the house when the maiden aunt is found dead, by a single forceful blow to the head. Kori and her husband Detective Peter Brichter must find the killer with only the resources they have - in a house rapidly being buried in snow, and soon without electrical power.
Who, among Kori and Peter's small group of long-time friends, is not what they seem to be?
I am not much of a mystery reader - especially parlor mysteries - too boring and overdone.
But I make an exception for Mary Monica Pulver. The fun part of reading this, or any of Pulver's novels is the attention to detail which she lavishes onto every story. She does not use this detail to introduce "red herrings" for the reader. I think she just does it to make the tale more interesting, and the get the reader to come along.
Somehow I get the feeling from reading her books, that I'm sitting with her in front of a fireplace somewhere, coffee in hand, leaning back and quietly listening to her spin some amazing wonderful story. She's an author I can depend on.
Who, among Kori and Peter's small group of long-time friends, is not what they seem to be?
I am not much of a mystery reader - especially parlor mysteries - too boring and overdone.
But I make an exception for Mary Monica Pulver. The fun part of reading this, or any of Pulver's novels is the attention to detail which she lavishes onto every story. She does not use this detail to introduce "red herrings" for the reader. I think she just does it to make the tale more interesting, and the get the reader to come along.
Somehow I get the feeling from reading her books, that I'm sitting with her in front of a fireplace somewhere, coffee in hand, leaning back and quietly listening to her spin some amazing wonderful story. She's an author I can depend on.
December 20, 2021
I enjoy Mary Monica Pulver so I can tolerate her idiosyncrasies, including re-hashing the clues forty 'leven times and people being stupidly uncommunicative.
That said, despite several editing errors in the Kindle edition, this was an enjoyable summer read. The traditional snowstorm that traps everyone (very English country manor murder-y), the traditionally lovely Christmas trappings, and the oh-too-short and why-didn't-she-include-recipes traditional English fare made this a very traditional, and enjoyable, cozy.
That said, despite several editing errors in the Kindle edition, this was an enjoyable summer read. The traditional snowstorm that traps everyone (very English country manor murder-y), the traditionally lovely Christmas trappings, and the oh-too-short and why-didn't-she-include-recipes traditional English fare made this a very traditional, and enjoyable, cozy.
December 4, 2013
In the mood for a Christmas mystery? Is that an oxymoron? Whoever heard of a murder in a proper family right before Christmas, complete with an heirloom house, secret stairways, a plethora of likable - if not at times British stiff - characters, a baby and a dog? Did I get your attention yet? Mary Monica Pulver has created quite an interesting, seasonal read for the December time of year. But don't even attempt this until your Christmas shopping, baking, card writing, etc. are under control.
August 9, 2013
I found that I did not really like a couple of main characters, and the behaviors and reactions seemed at times melodramatic and unrealistic. The plot was okay, but the suspense could have been heightened a notch or two. The time frame for the story was a bit muddled; it had the feel of a Victorian era tale, but was actually placed in late 20th century Colorado. If this is a series, I will not be reading any additional entries--sorry!
July 8, 2013
Readable, but I found myself reaching a little with this storyline and there were just a few more more coincidences than I could easily accept.
I am also a character-driven reader and the character development is somewhat shallow for me as well. The previous book was in a setting I enjoyed that is rarely done accurately (horse show world) but this book had a few too many issues for me.
I am also a character-driven reader and the character development is somewhat shallow for me as well. The previous book was in a setting I enjoyed that is rarely done accurately (horse show world) but this book had a few too many issues for me.
November 3, 2013
I really liked this book and it reminded me of Agatha Christie novels. There was a lot of detail with the house description and furnishings, clothes, etc. That didn't bother me, but might bother some people. I didn't guess the ending, which was fun.
March 17, 2013
A closed-house mystery set at Christmas, with a very clever twist. Good read!!
July 5, 2013
I haven't read any of the others in this series, but now I want to. I found this thoroughly engaging and I really enjoyed the twist ending.
August 11, 2020
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
July 4, 2013
Snowed in, Christmas murder mystery. Unpredictable.
July 26, 2013
Good read
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews