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Bunburry #3
Schlechter Geschmack ist tödlich
Der Weg allen Fleisches ...
Alfie genießt seinen sonntäglichen Lunch mit Liz und Marge im "Drunken Horse" - bis die aufgebrachte Betty Thorndike in den Pub stürmt und die Gäste darüber aufklärt, woher das Fleisch auf ihren Tellern kommt! Nämlich von Edwards' Farm, eigentlich dem Vorzeigebetrieb der Region. Doch Betty hat einige unappetitliche Details zu berichten ... Leider ist auch Nigel Edwards selbst gerade im Pub, und es kommt zu einer hässlichen Szene. Kurz darauf ist Edwards tot - und Betty sitzt wegen Mordverdachts in Untersuchungshaft. Doch Alfie, Liz und Marge sind überzeugt, dass der wahre Mörder noch frei ist und sie Bettys Unschuld beweisen müssen! Nur leider ist das Ermitteln auf einer Farm nicht so einfach, wenn man wie Alfie panische Angst vor Kühen hat...
Alfie genießt seinen sonntäglichen Lunch mit Liz und Marge im "Drunken Horse" - bis die aufgebrachte Betty Thorndike in den Pub stürmt und die Gäste darüber aufklärt, woher das Fleisch auf ihren Tellern kommt! Nämlich von Edwards' Farm, eigentlich dem Vorzeigebetrieb der Region. Doch Betty hat einige unappetitliche Details zu berichten ... Leider ist auch Nigel Edwards selbst gerade im Pub, und es kommt zu einer hässlichen Szene. Kurz darauf ist Edwards tot - und Betty sitzt wegen Mordverdachts in Untersuchungshaft. Doch Alfie, Liz und Marge sind überzeugt, dass der wahre Mörder noch frei ist und sie Bettys Unschuld beweisen müssen! Nur leider ist das Ermitteln auf einer Farm nicht so einfach, wenn man wie Alfie panische Angst vor Kühen hat...
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2018
275 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
About the author
Helena Marchmont
40 books186 followersHelena Marchmont is a pseudonym of Olga Wojtas, who was born and brought up in Edinburgh. She was encouraged to write by an inspirational English teacher, Iona M. Cameron. Olga won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in 2015, has had more than 30 short stories published in magazines and anthologies and recently published her first mystery Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
December 19, 2023
Im dritten Band der Cosy Crime Reihe geht es im weiten Sinn um Tierwohl, Tierschutz und fleischliche Ernährung.
Auf einer Farm sollen die Tiere schlecht gehalten und behandelt werden, was eine Tierschützerin anprangert. Kurz danach ist der Farmer tot und die Tierschützerin gerät unter Verdacht.
Wieder ein sehr unterhaltsamer und kurzweiliger Band dieser Reihe mit einem Thema, das aktueller kaum sein könnte.
Hat mir sehr gut gefallen.
Auf einer Farm sollen die Tiere schlecht gehalten und behandelt werden, was eine Tierschützerin anprangert. Kurz danach ist der Farmer tot und die Tierschützerin gerät unter Verdacht.
Wieder ein sehr unterhaltsamer und kurzweiliger Band dieser Reihe mit einem Thema, das aktueller kaum sein könnte.
Hat mir sehr gut gefallen.
May 21, 2021
Someone may miss the late Nigel Edwards, a greedy, bullying, corrupt farmer, but we never hear of anyone. That’s how awful, tightfisted and deceptive Edwards was. Even so, Bunburry newcomer Alfie McAllister is dragged into investigating by his two adopted “aunts,” Marge Redwood and Liz Hopkins. It’s got a very unexpected ending, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
September 21, 2022
3 ⭐ = Quite Good.
Number three in this series and every bit as enjoyable.
Might be for you if you are after a gentle cosy mystery in a delightful village setting.
Number three in this series and every bit as enjoyable.
Might be for you if you are after a gentle cosy mystery in a delightful village setting.
December 17, 2021
Die Bunburry-Crimes sind Krimis in gleichbleibender Qualität.
Es ist alles
...nicht zu blutig,
...nicht zu aufregend,
... nicht zu Agatha Christie.
Obwohl sich gerne auf die "Queen of Crime" bezogen wird. Es sei Helena Marchmont nachgesehen.
Mittlerweile habe ich die Serie kreuz und quer gehört, obwohl die Hintergrundhandlung fortlaufend ist. Natürlich wird man marginal gespoilert, finde ich persönlich jetzt aber nicht sooo schlimm.
Es ist alles
...nicht zu blutig,
...nicht zu aufregend,
... nicht zu Agatha Christie.
Obwohl sich gerne auf die "Queen of Crime" bezogen wird. Es sei Helena Marchmont nachgesehen.
Mittlerweile habe ich die Serie kreuz und quer gehört, obwohl die Hintergrundhandlung fortlaufend ist. Natürlich wird man marginal gespoilert, finde ich persönlich jetzt aber nicht sooo schlimm.
June 13, 2019
Good grief, this was as silly as the last one. Alfie was scared to drive in A Murderous Ride and in this one he’s scared to death of cows. He’s afraid he’s going to be eaten by a herd of them, because of something that happened when he was 12 years old. Really? At 42 he doesn’t know that cows AREN’T carnivores?
I’m done with Bunburry. I’ll head back to the Cherringham cozies.
No romance and no swearing.
Anyway, in this one Alfie was looking into a murder of a farmer, with the help of Marge, Liz, Betty and Emma.
As to the narration: Nathaniel Parker is a fabulous narrator. I’d never listened to him until these 3 Bunburry novellas but I will definitely look and see what else he has. His emotions and male voices are so good I don’t even mind that the women’s voice sounds a little deep. Better the women sound deep than a man sounding girly.
I’m done with Bunburry. I’ll head back to the Cherringham cozies.
No romance and no swearing.
Anyway, in this one Alfie was looking into a murder of a farmer, with the help of Marge, Liz, Betty and Emma.
As to the narration: Nathaniel Parker is a fabulous narrator. I’d never listened to him until these 3 Bunburry novellas but I will definitely look and see what else he has. His emotions and male voices are so good I don’t even mind that the women’s voice sounds a little deep. Better the women sound deep than a man sounding girly.
June 18, 2022
2 1/2 stars
I finished listening to this while I was doped up on pain killers and muscle relaxants. My hazy memory of it says it was just "ok".
Audiobook
Narrated by Nathaniel Parker
Duration: Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes
I finished listening to this while I was doped up on pain killers and muscle relaxants. My hazy memory of it says it was just "ok".
Audiobook
Narrated by Nathaniel Parker
Duration: Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes
October 9, 2025
This is a wonderful cozy audiobook British mystery series that fills in the space when I need a break from the many popular reads. Nice intelligent characters with plenty of humor to go around. The narrator, Nathaniel Parker, does an outstanding job. One of the characters that he represents reminds me of Mrs. Doubtfire, portrayed by the late Robin Williams.
June 7, 2019
“A Taste of Murder” is the third in the Bunburry series. I guess it could stand alone, but I’d suggest reading the first two. They’re short anyway, around 100 pages, so it’s not a huge commitment, and that way you’ll be introduced to the town and Alfie and have more background going on this one.
Alfie is settling into village life. He has friends and a favorite restaurant, even though his friend, Oscar, is still trying to lure him back to London with food and Oscar Wilde quotes.
And of course, we have another murder in quiet little Bunburry. Just after Alfie’s friend, Betty, learns that a local farmer is no longer treating his cows humanely, the farmer ends up dead. The incompetent and mean sheriff, of course, jumps to the conclusion that the killer must have been Betty and Alfie’s ready to jump to her defense.
I always wish the Bunburry books were a little longer. I really like the characters and the charming town. We have a few suspects and a couple of clues, and I actually thought the whodunit was fitting.
I do enjoy short audio mysteries. They’re a nice break.
Alfie is settling into village life. He has friends and a favorite restaurant, even though his friend, Oscar, is still trying to lure him back to London with food and Oscar Wilde quotes.
And of course, we have another murder in quiet little Bunburry. Just after Alfie’s friend, Betty, learns that a local farmer is no longer treating his cows humanely, the farmer ends up dead. The incompetent and mean sheriff, of course, jumps to the conclusion that the killer must have been Betty and Alfie’s ready to jump to her defense.
I always wish the Bunburry books were a little longer. I really like the characters and the charming town. We have a few suspects and a couple of clues, and I actually thought the whodunit was fitting.
I do enjoy short audio mysteries. They’re a nice break.
July 11, 2019
Really Fun Murder Mysteries. Closer to a 3.75 star than 3.
March 11, 2021
⭐️3.25⭐️
June 27, 2021
Not much in the way of a murder mystery, but enjoyable nonetheless. Great reader.
March 15, 2020
I am really enjoying this cozy mystery series, we are starting to get more of Alfie's story about what happened in London. I look forward to listening to more of these stories.
October 27, 2020
Für mich ging es wieder zurück nach Bunburry, allerdings habe ich die Teile bisher nicht in der richtigen Reihenfolge gelesen, was aber nicht schlimm ist. Dadurch, dass die einzelnen Episoden abgeschlossen sind und man das drumherum auch so mitbekommt, kann man die kurzen Geschichten auch ohne Vorkenntnisse genießen.
Mir gefällt das Setting sehr gut: Das kleine Bunburry, sehr dörflich, aber trotzdem belebt, ist ein Ort, den ich selbst mal besuchen würde. Seine Bewohner sind liebenswert, ein bisschen schrullig und eigen, was dazu führt, dass die ein oder andere witzige Situation entsteht - gerade wenn ganz unterschiedliche Charaktere aufeinander treffen.
Ganz besonders habe ich die beiden Damen Liz und Marge ins Herz geschlossen. Sie sind so sympathisch und mit ihrer neugierigen Art, den Verbindungen zu den anderen Dorfbewohnern und ihrem selbstgemachten Karamel die perfekten Ermittlerinnen. Auch Alfie finde ich als Kontrast sehr gelungen, auch wenn er an der ein oder anderen Stelle sehr verschlossen wirkt.
Der Fall an sich ist sehr kurzweilig, sodass man ihn perfekt zwischendurch lesen kann. Allerdings darf man jetzt nicht sooo viel Spannung erwarten, denn im Vordergrund steht, wie für einen Cosy-Krimi üblich, die Art und Weise der Ermittlungen. Es ist auch so, dass das Ende dann relativ schnell kommt, man als Leser aber schon eine Ahnung hat, was genau passiert ist.
Mir gefällt die Serie richtig gut und ich werde auf jeden Fall "dranbleiben".
Mir gefällt das Setting sehr gut: Das kleine Bunburry, sehr dörflich, aber trotzdem belebt, ist ein Ort, den ich selbst mal besuchen würde. Seine Bewohner sind liebenswert, ein bisschen schrullig und eigen, was dazu führt, dass die ein oder andere witzige Situation entsteht - gerade wenn ganz unterschiedliche Charaktere aufeinander treffen.
Ganz besonders habe ich die beiden Damen Liz und Marge ins Herz geschlossen. Sie sind so sympathisch und mit ihrer neugierigen Art, den Verbindungen zu den anderen Dorfbewohnern und ihrem selbstgemachten Karamel die perfekten Ermittlerinnen. Auch Alfie finde ich als Kontrast sehr gelungen, auch wenn er an der ein oder anderen Stelle sehr verschlossen wirkt.
Der Fall an sich ist sehr kurzweilig, sodass man ihn perfekt zwischendurch lesen kann. Allerdings darf man jetzt nicht sooo viel Spannung erwarten, denn im Vordergrund steht, wie für einen Cosy-Krimi üblich, die Art und Weise der Ermittlungen. Es ist auch so, dass das Ende dann relativ schnell kommt, man als Leser aber schon eine Ahnung hat, was genau passiert ist.
Mir gefällt die Serie richtig gut und ich werde auf jeden Fall "dranbleiben".
July 21, 2020
Five reasons I'm giving Five Stars to The Bunburry Mysteries by Helena Marchmont:
1. The series - Alfie McAlister inherits a cottage in the village of Bunburry. Someone has died recently, the locals think that it is an accident, but Alfie is not convinced.
2. The protagonist - Alfie is a Cary Grant kind of protagonist - intelligent and elegant with a keen appreciation of fun.
3. The literary connection - "anyone can be good in the country, there are no temptations there" - we are in Oscar Wilde country with a bit of Miss Marple thrown in.
4. The Atmosphere - these books are so light they may very well float away if you don't hold them tightly.
5. In short - if you are in the market for a short and gentle read, contemporary with a vintage feel, these may well be the mystery novellas for you.
1. The series - Alfie McAlister inherits a cottage in the village of Bunburry. Someone has died recently, the locals think that it is an accident, but Alfie is not convinced.
2. The protagonist - Alfie is a Cary Grant kind of protagonist - intelligent and elegant with a keen appreciation of fun.
3. The literary connection - "anyone can be good in the country, there are no temptations there" - we are in Oscar Wilde country with a bit of Miss Marple thrown in.
4. The Atmosphere - these books are so light they may very well float away if you don't hold them tightly.
5. In short - if you are in the market for a short and gentle read, contemporary with a vintage feel, these may well be the mystery novellas for you.
January 17, 2019
A Quick Read
The story was entertaining and educational for me. I've seen a mare give birth to a foal. So that part wasn't new to me, but this author does come up with some interesting facts. I assume they are facts. It wasn't as funny as I have learned to expect.
The story was entertaining and educational for me. I've seen a mare give birth to a foal. So that part wasn't new to me, but this author does come up with some interesting facts. I assume they are facts. It wasn't as funny as I have learned to expect.
January 12, 2019
Not Up to Standard
A really poor effort compared to the first two four star books. Not worthy of any further comment at all.
A really poor effort compared to the first two four star books. Not worthy of any further comment at all.
September 20, 2023
Disjointed and choppy. There are a lot of flashbacks that feel rather unnecessary (although I am guessing the idea is to let Alfie’s traumas be revealed one by one during flashbacks, as the series proceed?) and a lot of scenes that just feel haphazardly thrown in as fillers. The entire case gets solved in the epilogue and the actual story focuses more on Alfie being torn between two attractive women and his dead fiancé…
I don’t like love triangles, and I don’t really need to know how attractive people are, or how unattractive (which apparently equals fat - which by the way also has a tendency to equal lazy, rude and/or stupid - according to this author, who needs to work on her fat phobia…) to be interested in a story. Quite the opposite, I find the constant rating of how attractive people are very jarring and it disturbs my reading experience.
Lastly, if you want to write a Green Party-centered character who crusades for animal rights and environmental issues, you might want to look into the matter yourself. Dairy cows apparently don’t get eaten, according to Betty, the vegetarian, bicycling Green Party American (she is weird and doesn’t like gas guzzling veteran cars or beef steaks so best to make her American. Everyone knows Americans are weirdos… #sarcasm) who seems to be rather clueless. Betty really needs to do some research into vegetarianism vs veganism, and THEN she might be a bit more believable.
I think I am going to say bye-bye to Bunburry, if that wasn’t already blatantly obvious by my review… ;)
I don’t like love triangles, and I don’t really need to know how attractive people are, or how unattractive (which apparently equals fat - which by the way also has a tendency to equal lazy, rude and/or stupid - according to this author, who needs to work on her fat phobia…) to be interested in a story. Quite the opposite, I find the constant rating of how attractive people are very jarring and it disturbs my reading experience.
Lastly, if you want to write a Green Party-centered character who crusades for animal rights and environmental issues, you might want to look into the matter yourself. Dairy cows apparently don’t get eaten, according to Betty, the vegetarian, bicycling Green Party American (she is weird and doesn’t like gas guzzling veteran cars or beef steaks so best to make her American. Everyone knows Americans are weirdos… #sarcasm) who seems to be rather clueless. Betty really needs to do some research into vegetarianism vs veganism, and THEN she might be a bit more believable.
I think I am going to say bye-bye to Bunburry, if that wasn’t already blatantly obvious by my review… ;)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2020
I listened to the first of this mystery series within the past year, and when I found there were more "episodes" I thought I'd continue the series. Each is under a 3-hour audiobook listen. Because of the length, each feels like more of a short story than a novel/novelette, although, because core characters continue and relationships develop, listening to all six of them (so far) makes it more like one long story with several mysteries. Each could stand alone, but would be best read in order because of the development of character relationships. I generally do not do any plot synopsis in my reviews, so this review can apply to any of this series.
The mysteries themselves are not that great, so go into these without great expectations on anything mind-challenging. I thought it was very similar to the Cherringham mystery series, which I have also enjoyed. The narrator is fine, but I thought the volume and clarity of sound fluctuated so that it was better for me to listen to these with headphones than with a speaker. That might be because of my own hearing, but I noticed the same thing with the Lübbe Audio recordings of the Cherringham series.
The mysteries themselves are not that great, so go into these without great expectations on anything mind-challenging. I thought it was very similar to the Cherringham mystery series, which I have also enjoyed. The narrator is fine, but I thought the volume and clarity of sound fluctuated so that it was better for me to listen to these with headphones than with a speaker. That might be because of my own hearing, but I noticed the same thing with the Lübbe Audio recordings of the Cherringham series.
November 14, 2025
OK, this one involves an outrage. To have your palette all set for a Sunday roast beef with locally sourced meat and vegetables served with Yorkshire pudding and homemade gravy, whipped out from under you and replaced with an indifferent mushroom risotto...
Look, I live in Singapore. People are moon-eyed over mushrooms, we have a cornucopia of different types of mushrooms to choose from. I understand how valuable mushrooms are as a food source. Because in Singapore you can't get locally sourced beef and vegetables. So to read of someone having locally sourced heaven snatched away in favour of the modern equivalent of soylent yellow - it's a sad state of affairs.
I mean, a dude dies, so there's also that. But once your Sunday roast is gone, it will never be the same Sunday roast again. You can't put your foot in the same river twice.
Look, I live in Singapore. People are moon-eyed over mushrooms, we have a cornucopia of different types of mushrooms to choose from. I understand how valuable mushrooms are as a food source. Because in Singapore you can't get locally sourced beef and vegetables. So to read of someone having locally sourced heaven snatched away in favour of the modern equivalent of soylent yellow - it's a sad state of affairs.
I mean, a dude dies, so there's also that. But once your Sunday roast is gone, it will never be the same Sunday roast again. You can't put your foot in the same river twice.
June 5, 2021
2.5 and that's being generous because of Liz and Marge. I thought these could be nice, short "read it and forget it" type of books. But I'm giving up on the series, Alfie is without a doubt the most selfish, annoying and uninteresting main character ever. We get to learn more and more about his past throughout the books and I don't care for it one bit. I wish these stories would be centered about Liz and Marge (and maybe set a few years in the past so it would also include Alfies aunt), they are the Miss Marple type characters that make the story interesting.
Sadly with this one there is also absolutely not a lot of good to say about the mystery. It's starts out well enough but loses steam quickly and the ending is way too rushed (even for a short book like this) and just explained in the epilogue. Not my thing, will not continue.
Sadly with this one there is also absolutely not a lot of good to say about the mystery. It's starts out well enough but loses steam quickly and the ending is way too rushed (even for a short book like this) and just explained in the epilogue. Not my thing, will not continue.
April 13, 2021
This was more like 2.5 stars. I wanted this series to be quaint and fun and all cozy-esque. But we kept delving further into Alfie's past and I don't really care that much about it. They told us about it and I was all good leaving it at the one time of explanation. But we're delving deeper and deeper now. Sigh... it felt like half of this story was about Alfie's past and not about the mystery. The mystery itself was lackluster and I've already forgotten who did it. I'll give a few more books a try (listening on audible) but if they don't go anywhere, I'm going to call it with this series.
June 2, 2019
I have a problem with the Bunburry series
Its entirely too short and the stories are too far apart! I really do enjoy Ms. Marchmonts cozy mysteries (and I am a devoted military sci-fi freak! ). She has spent three books developing these characters and she has brought them along at a perfect pace. Bunburry is a wonderful place to stop and rest for a while as others fight in the depths of space. Spend your money and your time wisely - read about Alfie and his friends it's well worth it.
Its entirely too short and the stories are too far apart! I really do enjoy Ms. Marchmonts cozy mysteries (and I am a devoted military sci-fi freak! ). She has spent three books developing these characters and she has brought them along at a perfect pace. Bunburry is a wonderful place to stop and rest for a while as others fight in the depths of space. Spend your money and your time wisely - read about Alfie and his friends it's well worth it.
never-finished
March 26, 2022This started off fine, with a quaint English village full of quirky characters--perfect setting for a cozy mystery. But then it went off the rails. It became clear that the author didn't really want to write a mystery; she wanted to write heart-rending angst and tried to shoehorn that into a cozy mystery format. Yeah, no. I think I got about halfway, and still no murder and the main character was hair-shirting his way through his depressing backstory, so I decided to jump ship.
December 29, 2024
This is the third book in this cosy mystery series. Set in a small English village, Alfie has escaped his past in London and now living in a house he inherited from an Aunt he hardly knew. In this book, a farmer who is practising a controversial breeding program on his cattle is found dead. Alfie witnesses a heated argument with his friend and soon feels the need to investigate to help clear her name.
A short and easy to read cosy for all ages.
A short and easy to read cosy for all ages.
October 26, 2025
Vivian has been mentioned in previous books. Her absence from Alfie's life has been a bit murky. In this book, we get more information not only on why she is no longer with Alfie, but also how the two met. But that is wrapped around a murder in the present day.
A local farmer is murdered. Alfie's friend Betty is suspected of the crime as she had had an arguement with the man about how he treated his animals.
A local farmer is murdered. Alfie's friend Betty is suspected of the crime as she had had an arguement with the man about how he treated his animals.
December 28, 2018
An enjoyable, short little cozy mystery set in the Cotswolds. Alfie's friend, a Green Party member, is accused of killing a farmer whose cattle raising she doesn't approve of. Alfie also reveals more about his girlfriend's death. Each story stands alone and the characters have become like friends.
January 20, 2019
Lovely story
Taking us to the quaint countryside of England Ms. Marchmont has written a tale of mystery dealing with a death of a very unpleasant man. We also learn more background on Alfie and get to meet again the delightful inhabitants of Bunburry. I very much enjoyed this book
Taking us to the quaint countryside of England Ms. Marchmont has written a tale of mystery dealing with a death of a very unpleasant man. We also learn more background on Alfie and get to meet again the delightful inhabitants of Bunburry. I very much enjoyed this book
February 6, 2019
Fantastic
Another great 👍book in the series of Countryside Mysteries,the characters are just so exciting you can just picture them running around doing the things they do: Alfie Margie, Liz, and Emma as they solve the mysteries and the sheriff constantly getting mad 😠 at them. Love it. Can't stop laughing and reading the books 📚
Another great 👍book in the series of Countryside Mysteries,the characters are just so exciting you can just picture them running around doing the things they do: Alfie Margie, Liz, and Emma as they solve the mysteries and the sheriff constantly getting mad 😠 at them. Love it. Can't stop laughing and reading the books 📚
June 4, 2019
Alfie and gang find themselves in the midst of a factory farm murder and the villagers are mad. The locally sourced beef from the Drunken Horse has taken a turn for the worse and everyone is eating a lot more veg while they find a new supplier. We also learn that Alfie has bovine phobia - will he overcome his fear?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews