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The County Guides #4
Essex Poison
October 1937. Swanton Morley, the People’s Professor, sets off to Essex to continue his history of England, The County Guides. Morley’s daughter Miriam continues to cause chaos and his assistant Stephen Sefton continues to slide deeper into depression and despair.
Morley is an honorary guest at the Colchester Oyster Festival. But when the mayor dies suddenly at the civic reception suspicion falls on his fellow councillors. Is it a case of food poisoning? Or could it be… murder?
Join Morley, Miriam and Sefton on another journey into the dark heart of England.
Morley is an honorary guest at the Colchester Oyster Festival. But when the mayor dies suddenly at the civic reception suspicion falls on his fellow councillors. Is it a case of food poisoning? Or could it be… murder?
Join Morley, Miriam and Sefton on another journey into the dark heart of England.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 31, 2021
From the blurb, I expected a murder mystery, but what I got was a 1930s travelogue.
I would have potentially enjoyed the geographical detail and vintage pics if they had supplemented a decent Whodunnit, but the murder mystery seemed to have been added as an afterthought.
Written with jollity and pace, this wasn't a badly written book; however, the characters were irritating (or nondescript) and the story itself was thin.
A disappointed 2 stars.
I would have potentially enjoyed the geographical detail and vintage pics if they had supplemented a decent Whodunnit, but the murder mystery seemed to have been added as an afterthought.
Written with jollity and pace, this wasn't a badly written book; however, the characters were irritating (or nondescript) and the story itself was thin.
A disappointed 2 stars.
February 11, 2017
Another instalment in the eccentric life of Morley (the Arthur Mee figure) and his glamorous daughter Miriam and assistant/narrator Stephen, whose "County guides" series has reached Essex. The mayor of Colchester dies at the famous oyster feast - of natural causes, or not?
So many cultural references here, echoes of real people and events (with the opportunity for some benefit of hindsight stuff, like Morley's fantasy mobile phones). The cottage which Morley makes available for Stephen's use, for instance, seems very like T.E. Lawrence's rather primitive but charming hideaway in Dorset. (Oh, and a throwaway line about the "peculiar air of menace" in Colchester, which is exactly how I felt on my one and only ever visit!) This period, the late 1930s, is poised between the Spanish Civil War, which has left Stephen traumatised, and the approaching Second World War.
Many of us are familiar with the old County series, part of the background in the houses of an earlier generation and still to be found. They might be worth revisiting in conjunction with reading these novels.
So many cultural references here, echoes of real people and events (with the opportunity for some benefit of hindsight stuff, like Morley's fantasy mobile phones). The cottage which Morley makes available for Stephen's use, for instance, seems very like T.E. Lawrence's rather primitive but charming hideaway in Dorset. (Oh, and a throwaway line about the "peculiar air of menace" in Colchester, which is exactly how I felt on my one and only ever visit!) This period, the late 1930s, is poised between the Spanish Civil War, which has left Stephen traumatised, and the approaching Second World War.
Many of us are familiar with the old County series, part of the background in the houses of an earlier generation and still to be found. They might be worth revisiting in conjunction with reading these novels.
July 21, 2019
For a change , it appears that I have not started at the beginning of a series and if I had I may have got used to the style of narrative. I may also have worked out whether the author intended it to be comic/light hearted/ or tongue in cheek.
Although there was a death, the question of whether or not a crime had taken place seemed to dominate a lot of the book which seemed to be more of a travelogue than a murder mystery.
I enjoyed some of the humour and once you got used to the way the story was told, it was ok. However, I dont think that I will be chasing after the others in the series.
Although there was a death, the question of whether or not a crime had taken place seemed to dominate a lot of the book which seemed to be more of a travelogue than a murder mystery.
I enjoyed some of the humour and once you got used to the way the story was told, it was ok. However, I dont think that I will be chasing after the others in the series.
April 6, 2017
easy going novel in the county guides series a throwback to the 1930's style murder mystery novels with the backdrop of visiting different counties at the time.
June 24, 2019
Loved this. My favourite County Guide so far. Sefton is such a wonderful character, & he's developing more depth with each story. Really looking forward to reading the next one.
February 25, 2021
This was my first experience of the County Guides series, and I found it to be a fun and easy to read mystery, set in the 1930's
As an Essex native, I'm always intrigued to read about Essex in books, and in this story the 2 main protagonists are sent around the country to put together their thoughts on various counties. This latest journey brings them to Essex and all of its' contrasts and prejudices that outsiders bring with them of what they expect Essex to be! In the midst of this there's a suspicious death at the Oyster festival in Colchester, so Morley and his daughter do their best to involve themselves in the investigation!
What i loved about this are the little obscure observations about Essex that made me snigger as they travel to Colchester and Southend - oh to go back to the Kursaal of old instead of the current desolate place it has become thanks to the council - and find themselves in the middle of a darker side of Essex.
This was quirky, light and a pleasant read so I look forward to checking out the others in the series!
As an Essex native, I'm always intrigued to read about Essex in books, and in this story the 2 main protagonists are sent around the country to put together their thoughts on various counties. This latest journey brings them to Essex and all of its' contrasts and prejudices that outsiders bring with them of what they expect Essex to be! In the midst of this there's a suspicious death at the Oyster festival in Colchester, so Morley and his daughter do their best to involve themselves in the investigation!
What i loved about this are the little obscure observations about Essex that made me snigger as they travel to Colchester and Southend - oh to go back to the Kursaal of old instead of the current desolate place it has become thanks to the council - and find themselves in the middle of a darker side of Essex.
This was quirky, light and a pleasant read so I look forward to checking out the others in the series!
January 17, 2021
Not a bad story. Twist at the end. A lot of repetitive sentences in this book that began to irritate at the end. But all in all a good one and I look forward to the next
February 3, 2024
Not really the murder mystery I was expecting. That seemed almost an afterthought. It's more about the characters. It was okay, and this book is mid way through a series so might be better if read from the beginning. But I don't think I will be reading any more.
June 16, 2017
I love this quirky series about the People's Professor, his daughter and assistant(who never has his notebook or pencil at hand)travelling to various English counties gathering information for a series of "guides."
There's always a token mystery but the focus is really on local color and on the assistant, Sefton. Sefton is a veteran of the Spanish Civil War and seems to be suffering from PTSD - drowning his terrors in alcohol and gambling.
The Professor obviously sees something worth saving and in his own peculiar way, tries to set Sefton on the path to recovery.
All this takes place in wild and often hysterically funny travel experiences. A fun series for not-so-serious purist lovers of British mysteries.
There's always a token mystery but the focus is really on local color and on the assistant, Sefton. Sefton is a veteran of the Spanish Civil War and seems to be suffering from PTSD - drowning his terrors in alcohol and gambling.
The Professor obviously sees something worth saving and in his own peculiar way, tries to set Sefton on the path to recovery.
All this takes place in wild and often hysterically funny travel experiences. A fun series for not-so-serious purist lovers of British mysteries.
November 8, 2024
If you're after a carefully plotted and intricate mystery or crime tale, this isn't it. That's no bad thing. Many writers use the vehicle of the crime story for other purposes, which is often humour. There's some humour here, although a little laboured. The dialogue has its witty moments, but I wouldn't rate this especially highly as an example of the humour genre - as opposed, for example, to Alex Pearl's 'A Brand To Die For', which I have reviewed here, and which is often laugh out loud. (Or LC Tyler's works.) With Sansom's novel, the narrator is rather hapless and we don't get much of a glimpse of his character or psychology. Morley, however, feels like Sansom: a professorial know-all whose Latin tags require (and receive) no translation. So, overall, more than a touch of the Senior Common Room about the writing. Still, I read it through, it grew a bit on me and the research is very good, if, perhaps, a little too obvious.
February 16, 2018
This quirk novel blew hot and cold with me as Stephen Sefton accompanies Morley and his daughter Miriam on writing another 1930s County guide.
It felt more like a travel information novel and with a somewhat confusing end I'm not even certain any crime was committed, except when Sefton takes something to pay off a gambling debt.
Miriam and Sefton are interesting characters and for that reason I'd liked to have seen Miriam a lot more, only she takes herself off to hotel rooms and stays there.
Sefton is full of puns which made me groan and smile in equal measure, rather like a modern day Tim Vine.
I liked the idea of Sefton of Meeting Amy Johnson and was slightly disappointed when she flew out of the novel.
As a story I felt it wasn't bad but there was something missing, possibly there isn't much at stake.
It felt more like a travel information novel and with a somewhat confusing end I'm not even certain any crime was committed, except when Sefton takes something to pay off a gambling debt.
Miriam and Sefton are interesting characters and for that reason I'd liked to have seen Miriam a lot more, only she takes herself off to hotel rooms and stays there.
Sefton is full of puns which made me groan and smile in equal measure, rather like a modern day Tim Vine.
I liked the idea of Sefton of Meeting Amy Johnson and was slightly disappointed when she flew out of the novel.
As a story I felt it wasn't bad but there was something missing, possibly there isn't much at stake.
May 13, 2018
Another great brook in the 'County Guides' series (the fourth in the series). As with the others, it's great in terms of an engaging story, brilliant characters and lots of humour, offset by occasional dark undertones and more complex emotions. I think it's probably the funniest book in the series since the first one (The Norfolk Mystery). From a mystery point of of view, the plot is not as good as other aspects of the book, but this tends to be the case with Ian Sansom's books generally (perhaps the best plot in mystery terms is in the third book, Westmorland Alone). The book relies more on being a generally engaging and entertaining story with characters it's easy to care about.
December 27, 2019
It's clear from other reviews that this book is strictly for those who have already read earlier books in the series. Coming in "cold", I had no idea what to make of it. The blurb says it's all about someone called Morley but in the early chapters, Morley seems to be a bit player and the novel is written by someone called Sefton and is all about his money troubles, the cause of which isn't clearly explained.
If you'd like to read a travelogue which lovingly evokes 1930's England, this is the book for you. If you're looking for a whodunnit or even a mildly interesting plot, I'd choose something else.
If you'd like to read a travelogue which lovingly evokes 1930's England, this is the book for you. If you're looking for a whodunnit or even a mildly interesting plot, I'd choose something else.
September 14, 2021
The best word to describe this book would be whimsical. Yes, there's a death which may or may not be the result of murder, but the driving force here is Swanton Morley, the 'People's Professor', an astonishingly sagacious chap who has, it seems, written authoritative books on every subject known to man. The narrator is Morley's hapless assistant Stephen Sefton, and the third member of this trio is his lovely and brainy daughter Miriam. The story has them researching the English county of Essex for an upcoming guidebook, but it's really just an excuse for the parade of idiosyncratic (and whimsical) characters they come in contact with. This is a trifle, of course, but a quick and fun one.
October 30, 2017
This is the fourth of Sansom's County Guides mysteries, in which autodidact journalist Swanton Morley, his glamorous daughter Miriam, and factotum Stephen Sefton travel the length and breadth of Britain in the 1930s, writing travel guides and solving murders. Quality writing that is a cut above the usual cosy murder mystery fare: narrator Sefton is a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, and his troubled soul casts just the right amount of shadow over Morley's oblivious blowhardiness.
July 31, 2020
As a mystery/crime novel, this is pretty much negligible - I couldn't have cared less what happened at the Oyster Festival. However, as a comic romp through 1930s Essex it has much more to commend it. The characters are entertaining (especially the Professor and the fictionalised version of Amy Johnson) and there's some good jokes about the future that will come to pass (or which doesn't). It's a likeable book but not a page-turner, the sort for which words like 'quirky' might have been coined.
abandoned
January 10, 2023DNF
I was enjoying listening to this quirky comical book for almost the first half but I'm going to have to bail out now. I wasn't even minding that the death hadn't occurred until well into the book however there's not much mystery going on here. I'm no longer enjoying what is going on... long conversations about cars and oysters, etc.
I was enjoying listening to this quirky comical book for almost the first half but I'm going to have to bail out now. I wasn't even minding that the death hadn't occurred until well into the book however there's not much mystery going on here. I'm no longer enjoying what is going on... long conversations about cars and oysters, etc.
November 23, 2017
Best one of the series I believe. With so much character in these books the crime plots always seems a little inconsequential, similar to his mobile library series. However the writing, characters and comic asides make these a gem of a Series.
March 10, 2018
As usual, the People's Professor makes an entertaining travelling companion, as well as solving the obligatory murder mystery. This one is set close to home, with much of the action in inter-war Colchester. Southend's Kursaal also features, Becontree and the Dagenham Girl Pipers ...
May 5, 2018
Another Stanton Morley adventure. Set in Colchester and Mersea it gives a less than enthusiastic appraisal of both locations in pre war setting. Crime was a less gripping aspect of the story than the hilarious depiction of place and character.
June 10, 2018
Slow development of storyline, and the way Morley always going about with his random ramblings gets really tiresome once you reach halfway through the book. Expected a rich “crime”, mystery novel but instead was nothing like that.
July 21, 2018
Rather too much background / 1930’s travel info and not enough plot for me. Read the Norfolk mystery with the same outcome, the books moves into interest gear in the last 20 pages. Not a series for me
October 24, 2019
This is my first encounter with Swanton Morley, his urbane daughter Miriam and their long suffering sidekick Stephen Sefton but it won't be the last. Charming, gentle comedy set amongst the intrigue and occasional skulduggery of pre war Soho and Essex. A thoroughly recommended read.
December 2, 2020
I liked that the opening couple of chapters only featured Sefton with Morely absent. Morely can become very tiresome with his arcane trivia so it's just as well Miriam provides some colour and movement. I do admire Sansom's writing though.
May 17, 2023
I liked it - sort of… I read it before going on caravanning trip to East Mersea. Liked that I was familiar with all the areas. The characters are good except Morley who drove me mad but I presume that’s the point. Felt a bit surface level though.
March 10, 2017
Delightful.
March 23, 2017
Enjoyable, educational journey with Miriam, Sefton and Morley with very little shillyshalling or funking going on as they journey on their fourth County Guides into Essex... Joyous writing from Ian Sansom, roll on Sussex
February 12, 2020
Still like the concept more than the execution, but this has the benefit of being set in Essex - where I lived for 3 years and that really helped carry me through!
June 24, 2020
An offbeat classic murder with some very quirky characters.
August 20, 2020
I enjoyed this book so much I’m reading the next one in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews