Maxwell's Grave

Peter Maxwell Mystery #10

by M.J. Trow

When Peter 'Mad Max' Maxwell took his kids from Leighford High on an archaeological dig, all should have been learning and fun. The professionals were very excited - was the grave they had found that of Alfred the Great? No, because the corpse was not Saxon and it wasn't a king, but an altogether more recent murder.
No sooner has the first body been found than another, a policeman on the case, is found dead at the wheel of his car. What knowledge did he possess that led to his death? And does his colleague, Maxwell's partner Jacquie Carpenter, unwittingly have the same information? Maxwell locks horns with the great and not so good in a vicious world of skulduggery, academic back-biting and religious mania which can only end in murder.

Genres: Mystery, Crime

286 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Meirion James Trow is a full-time teacher of history who has been doubling as a crime writer for seventeen years. Originally from Ferndale, Rhondda in South Wales he now lives on the Isle of Wight. His interests include collecting militaria, film, the supernatural and true crime.

Reviews

[Bettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Description: By day, Peter Maxwell is the golden-hearted, cynical Head of Sixth Form at a comprehensive school on the South Coast. By night, at weekends and in the holidays, he is doing his bit to fight crime.

4* Maxwell's House
3* Maxwell's Flame
4* Movie
3* War
3* Curse
3* Ride
4* Reunion
TR Match
TR Inspection
4* Grave

[Richard J. Sullivan]

This well-written and highly entertaining "Maxwell's Grave" was my introduction to the author and his characters. Although this yank lived for three years in the mid-1990s in Hertfordshire, I did miss many of the older cultural references and jokes. My bad, not the author's. The characters were interesting, well developed and believable. Protagonist Maxim "Mad-Max" Maxwell is a high school history teacher with a background of interfering in and solving local murders.His colleagues and local coppers are well drawn characters whose personalities ring true. The story begins in the first millennium, C.E. and really gets going around the turn of the twenty-first century with the report of a significant archeological discovery. Complicating the plot are mysterious land developers, petty professional jealousies, twisted and hidden motives and misunderstandings. The unraveling of this plot is a pure joy for the reader. The ending, while somewhat ambiguous is most satisfying without being cloying. Plan to spend several hours or days delving into the author's imagination. You shall be entertained and amused. This is well worth the investment in time and geld. I was moved to read the First novel in the series "Maxwell's House," and was delighted with that experience also.

[PR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxwell strikes again. Perhaps a humvling , confronting,terrifying exercise this time.

Only a couple things rattle me about this series. I have read all but one book thus far: the constant repetition of words and phrases Max uses every day keep popping out of other people's mouths...even strangers speak in the words of Max...it is unrealistic and disconcerting to have the author's presence hovering over e?very book...not everyone speaks in Max's voice...Jacquie maybe, Henry, maybe, Mrs. B....bnonono. And: I the name dropping...it never ceases...it gets a tad annoying after all this time and effort...maybe every Englishman and Englishwoman knows the references this author constantly adds to Every novel ...it is as if the author is present with every reference book known to woman and man as his right or left hand waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting Reader! I get tired of looking things up on nearly every page.
In spite of these annoyances...and without a number of them, I think, I would love reading these well plotted, wonderful three dimensional characters , great settings,the 'you are there...present as 'things ' unfold books.
One more to go and Afterwards, in spite of the Author,'s ever present presence... I will miss them and alk the characters I have come to love.
I recommend b these books. Highly.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

When an archeologist invites Max to bring his students to a dig nearby, Max thinks it will be a good time for the students, until one of the students discovers the body of said archeologist at the site. In the meantime, Max is dealing with a fellow teacher who has apparently been having an affair with an underage student, and when both of them disappear following Max’s confrontation with the teacher, everybody fears the worst. And then a police officer is killed and two others are kidnapped, including Max’s beloved Jacquie, a state of affairs that cannot be allowed to stand….This tenth novel in the Peter Maxwell series was published some 20+ years ago, and feels a little out of date now, but there is still a lot to like in the tale, especially little bits of the history of Saxon England that come along with the archeological dig. I still miss some of the contemporary references, not having lived in England in the early 2000s, but I also still like Max as a character and enjoy reading about his exploits; mildly recommended.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would That I might Read On and On

Maybe I could read these forever…original, humorous, grim, believable, wry, sad, wonderful, harsh, triumphant, tense & Intense Exciting & addicting.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consistently a good read. Interesting characters, potted bits of history and a plot that has plenty going on.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable installment, with an exciting twist at the end.
Excited for the next book in the series

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was time for my next term at Leighford High with Head of Sixth, Peter 'Mad Max' Maxwell. This is the 10th of the series and I think that the character of Max has changed, perhaps moderated would be a better word.

He is still as cantankerous as ever and his teaching methods would no doubt have him in trouble today. However, he is a no nonsense teacher of the old school.

He still loves his old films although he doesn't quote from them as much as he used to do. He is still painting his miniature solders for his diorama of the Charge of the Light Brigade and he is still talking things over with his cat.

Although there has been humour in these stories when you stop to consider, he is quite a sad and lonely widower. Fortunately it seems that this is about to change.

My wife who has now reread the whole series maintains that they get better as the series progresses. I am still in agreement with her.

This latest story is about a local archeological dig for a possible Saxon settlement and the body of one of the archeologists that is found nearby. Maxwell becomes involved when he is invited to take some of his sixth form to visit the dig and it is one of them that finds the body. In addition to this Maxwell has problems at school when a girl disappears.

Things escalate , tension mounts and pages have to turn faster than before.

Another success and a 4.5 but with still half the series to go, with reluctance, rounded down but the 5 can't be far away.

15th June 2025.

[Tria · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st GR read, 2 June 2011; 2nd, 2 August 2016. Not bad at all, but not flawless. 3.5*