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Constable Nick Mystery #21
Constable Under the Gooseberry Bush
Constable Nick Rhea is the local policeman of the idyllic village of Aidensfield.
Dealing with small disputes between neighbours is his daily life. But during the run up to the village Gooseberry growing contest, Nick soon learns how far his neighbours are willing to go to ensure victory.
Off the scenes from this rising drama, an unknown criminal is stealing some very expensive bikes. The thefts are seemingly random, and appear to spread throughout the entire northeast region. It's up to PC Nick to decipher the clues while keeping the village calm.
Constable Under the Gooseberry Bush is the captivating thirteenth novel of the Constable Nick series, written by a true master of this genre.
‘Stories of a constable on his village beat in North Yorkshire. All very gentle and far, far removed from the hurly burly of modern day city policing.’ – Daily Telegraph
‘A fascinating insight into the life of a rural constable … the book makes splendid reading,’ – Police Journal
‘The colourful as much as the criminal side of life is his professional lot, and in a whole series of attractively written anecdotes he reveals how the waywardness which leads both young and old into awkward individualism, as well as into evil, keeps him busy.’ – Countryman
‘Rhea’s real strengths are his sharp portraits of people, and absorbing detail of a country copper practising his craft … As with the Herriot series, the best humour comes from the author’s close understanding and affectionate portrayals of the character of Yorkshire country folk. Life as a North Riding copper must have been rich indeed.’ – Northern Echo
‘An account of the hilarious happenings to the county’s rural policemen over the years.’ – Yorkshire Post
‘Filled with Yorkshire characters to make you laugh and cry … shows rural life through the eyes of a village bobby.’ – Whitby Gazette
‘An excellent, well-written, humorous journey through the life of a village bobby.’ – Police Box
Nicholas Rhea , now retired, spent 30 years in the force, having started as a Police Cadet for the North Riding Constabulary. His best known work, the Constable series, provided the inspiration for the hugely popular TV series, Heartbeat, and he remained involved with the series as a consultant until filming ended in 2009.
Dealing with small disputes between neighbours is his daily life. But during the run up to the village Gooseberry growing contest, Nick soon learns how far his neighbours are willing to go to ensure victory.
Off the scenes from this rising drama, an unknown criminal is stealing some very expensive bikes. The thefts are seemingly random, and appear to spread throughout the entire northeast region. It's up to PC Nick to decipher the clues while keeping the village calm.
Constable Under the Gooseberry Bush is the captivating thirteenth novel of the Constable Nick series, written by a true master of this genre.
‘Stories of a constable on his village beat in North Yorkshire. All very gentle and far, far removed from the hurly burly of modern day city policing.’ – Daily Telegraph
‘A fascinating insight into the life of a rural constable … the book makes splendid reading,’ – Police Journal
‘The colourful as much as the criminal side of life is his professional lot, and in a whole series of attractively written anecdotes he reveals how the waywardness which leads both young and old into awkward individualism, as well as into evil, keeps him busy.’ – Countryman
‘Rhea’s real strengths are his sharp portraits of people, and absorbing detail of a country copper practising his craft … As with the Herriot series, the best humour comes from the author’s close understanding and affectionate portrayals of the character of Yorkshire country folk. Life as a North Riding copper must have been rich indeed.’ – Northern Echo
‘An account of the hilarious happenings to the county’s rural policemen over the years.’ – Yorkshire Post
‘Filled with Yorkshire characters to make you laugh and cry … shows rural life through the eyes of a village bobby.’ – Whitby Gazette
‘An excellent, well-written, humorous journey through the life of a village bobby.’ – Police Box
Nicholas Rhea , now retired, spent 30 years in the force, having started as a Police Cadet for the North Riding Constabulary. His best known work, the Constable series, provided the inspiration for the hugely popular TV series, Heartbeat, and he remained involved with the series as a consultant until filming ended in 2009.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1999
71 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 14, 2017
This book was a lot of fun to read. If you like small town mysteries and don't want all the violence and intense crime scene descriptions, this is the way to go. I loved the descriptions in this book of the people and their lives. I felt like I fell right into the story and became one of the locals and looked forward to every new chapter.
This book does not move along at a hurried pace, but it is funny and kept me interested. The camaraderie of the constable and the people he interacts with makes this book worth the time to read. I thought the paranoia over the gooseberries was hilarious, too. This was lighthearted and fun and helped through a rough afternoon.
Recommended for those who like books with plenty of humour and great characters. I will be going back for the rest of the books in the series now.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This book does not move along at a hurried pace, but it is funny and kept me interested. The camaraderie of the constable and the people he interacts with makes this book worth the time to read. I thought the paranoia over the gooseberries was hilarious, too. This was lighthearted and fun and helped through a rough afternoon.
Recommended for those who like books with plenty of humour and great characters. I will be going back for the rest of the books in the series now.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
August 4, 2017
Book received from NetGalley.
I love this series of books. While they are British police procedurals they have a definite cozy feel to them. The series takes place in the 1960's in the Yorkshire Dales, a place I came to love while reading James Herriot's books. What I enjoy the most about the series is that they don't focus on a murder mystery. While there are some murders in the books, you are just as likely to read about a robbery, a missing person, or kids who are annoying the local villagers. These are a definite recommend for me.
I love this series of books. While they are British police procedurals they have a definite cozy feel to them. The series takes place in the 1960's in the Yorkshire Dales, a place I came to love while reading James Herriot's books. What I enjoy the most about the series is that they don't focus on a murder mystery. While there are some murders in the books, you are just as likely to read about a robbery, a missing person, or kids who are annoying the local villagers. These are a definite recommend for me.
June 4, 2017
I received this free from NetGalley and Endeavour Press for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. Told from the viewpoint of a Constable in a small England town, I can only compare it to the James Herriot series All Creatures Great and Small, with interesting yet believable characters brought to life. This is the first book I have read in this series, but it certainly is not going to be the last.
I absolutely loved this book. Told from the viewpoint of a Constable in a small England town, I can only compare it to the James Herriot series All Creatures Great and Small, with interesting yet believable characters brought to life. This is the first book I have read in this series, but it certainly is not going to be the last.
May 26, 2022
This Constable Nick Mystery had three stories carrying through the whole book- a crime, an illness--and the gooseberry contest which was quite the competition for the village. The illness and the contest were somewhat related--the bicycle thefts a separate theme. Maybe that made it all seem a bit disjointed but I still like to spend my afternoon with Constable Nick and his surroundings.
May 20, 2021
Love Constable RHEA
Always entertaining and well paced. Usually at least two plots worked into the book. We learn the solution to the mystery when he does.
Always entertaining and well paced. Usually at least two plots worked into the book. We learn the solution to the mystery when he does.
July 13, 2021
Gooseberries
I really enjoyed this one. Bad was overcome in more ways than one. The bad guy was caught and the good guy overcame.
I really enjoyed this one. Bad was overcome in more ways than one. The bad guy was caught and the good guy overcame.
July 20, 2021
One of those great British village books where almost nothing happens but the characters are delightful. Perfect light summer fun read.
Read
September 7, 2021A fun book to read, all these books are.
April 9, 2017
Dealing with small disputes between neighbours is Nick’s daily life.
However during the run up to the village Gooseberry growing contest there are shenanigans as contestants strive to win
The president of the Old Gooseberry Society retires, & suffers some dramatic weight loss. Leaving speculation as to his reasons for his retirement from the position. Putting aside their competitive nature, the village groups together to raise fund to send him on a pilgrimage to Lourdes for a miracle cure.
Someone is stealing some very expensive racing bikes.
The thefts are seemingly random, and appear to spread throughout the entire northeast regions.
Then the thieves steal the new sergeant’s bike & Nick is determined to put an end to it.
He devises a plan, will the thieves fall the bait?
Another well written thoroughly enjoyable read from the author. The characters are so well portrayed & after reading a few books in the series I really feel that I know them. The usual minor characters feature & they all add to the enjoyment. The plot isn’t fast pace but ambles along fast enough to keep you turning the pages, there are minor humorous storylines as well as the more serious one of bike stealing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
However during the run up to the village Gooseberry growing contest there are shenanigans as contestants strive to win
The president of the Old Gooseberry Society retires, & suffers some dramatic weight loss. Leaving speculation as to his reasons for his retirement from the position. Putting aside their competitive nature, the village groups together to raise fund to send him on a pilgrimage to Lourdes for a miracle cure.
Someone is stealing some very expensive racing bikes.
The thefts are seemingly random, and appear to spread throughout the entire northeast regions.
Then the thieves steal the new sergeant’s bike & Nick is determined to put an end to it.
He devises a plan, will the thieves fall the bait?
Another well written thoroughly enjoyable read from the author. The characters are so well portrayed & after reading a few books in the series I really feel that I know them. The usual minor characters feature & they all add to the enjoyment. The plot isn’t fast pace but ambles along fast enough to keep you turning the pages, there are minor humorous storylines as well as the more serious one of bike stealing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
May 25, 2017
Three main plot threads wind their way through the narrative in this "Constable" entry; a gooseberry size competition, the declining health of the head of the gooseberry size competition, and a string of racing bicycle thefts. The narrowness of scope is rewarding, as we can really dig into some of the footwork in the thief capturing plan, but I couldn't care less about Joseph, his fretting wife Mabel, and the seventeenth conversation about whether he is really sick or if it's all in this old fool's head. As such, I ended up skimming like 40% of the book (because A LOT of time is spent with Joseph and Mabel) which necessarily taints my review. I suggest giving this one a shot, however, because my disinterest in the emotional lives of this couple may be a indication of my own moral shortcomings rather than those of this narrative.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 3, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this book. It took me awhile to finish it because I was reading it on my phone app and would read it only while waiting on something else. I think it is a testament of how well I liked the book because I kept coming back to it. Normally, if I don't continue reading and let some time pass, I lose interest in the story. This was a comfortable, gentle slow read. You get a chance to really get to know the people in this small village. There is no violence. In fact the only mystery was who was behind the stolen racing cycles and who was going to win the gooseberry competition. I highly recommend this book and thank the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.
June 21, 2021
Another great book
Another great book by Nicholas Russ featuring Aidensfields Bobby and lots of the regular characters. This book centred on two main stories which were well put together with both having good ending s.
Another great book by Nicholas Russ featuring Aidensfields Bobby and lots of the regular characters. This book centred on two main stories which were well put together with both having good ending s.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews