To Kill a Coconut

Inspector Henry Tibbett Mystery #13

by Patricia Moyes

A U.S. Senator is found brutally murdered with a machete on the grounds of an exclusive golf club on one of the British Seaward Islands. John and Margaret Colville, who operate a modest hotel on the island, ask their friends Chief Superintendent Henry Tibbett and his wife, Emmy to come to St. Mathews' to conduct an investigation. Although an amiable young islander who tends bar for the Colvilles has been arrested for the crime, Henry soon discovers that the murder rests on complex motives reaching far beyond the Caribbean.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

222 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1977

About the author

Moyes was born in Dublin on 19 January 1923 and was educated at Overstone girls' school in Northampton. She joined the WAAF in 1939. In 1946 Peter Ustinov hired her as technical assistant on his film School for Secrets. She became his personal assistant for the next eight years. In 1960 she wrote the screenplay for the film School for Scoundrels starring Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, and Alastair Sim. She married photographer John Moyes in 1951; they divorced in 1959. She later married James Haszard, a linguist at the International Monetary Fund in The Hague. She died at her home on the island of Virgin Gorda (British Virgin Islands) on 2 August 2000.

Her mystery novels feature C.I.D. Inspector Henry Tibbett. One of them, Who Saw Her Die (Many Deadly Returns in the US) was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1971. She also wrote several juveniles and short stories.

Series:
* Inspector Henry Tibbett Mystery

Reviews

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friends of Detective Chief Superintend Henry Tibbett and his wife, Emmy, decide to retire to the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Matthew's (mythically located in the British "Seaward" Islands). They've just got their pub and inn up and running when their young bartender is accused of murdering a United States senator in a brutal machete attack. The Colville's are convinced that Sandy Robbins couldn't have possibly have committed such a cruel crime and beg Henry to come to the island and straighten matters out.

Of course, he can't do so without proper authority, but that soon comes. A previous assignment saw him in the area and, as he has experience in the Caribbean, his superiors think he's just the man for the job. It isn't long until it becomes clear that Sandy is a convenient scapegoat and the wealthy British who oversee most of the island just want someone official to rubberstamp the "investigation" and prove them right. But that's not the way Henry Tibbett works--especially when his "nose" tells him there's more going on than racial unrest. Sure, the black revolutionary movement seems ready to take advantage of the situation, but everything indicates that Sandy wasn't part of the movement. So, why was the senator killed? And, if Sandy didn't do it, then who did?

A second brutal slaying and a kidnapping leads Tibbett to look for clues in--of all places--New York City, which in turn leads him to a hide-out deep in the island's rain forest. Everything he uncovers seems to point corruption springing from important political and economic sources. But he still needs to find the person behind it all...before racial unrest turns into a full-blown revolution.

This is a decent, quick read. The mystery plot is serviceable and the primary characters are well-drawn (some of the secondary, revolutionary characters less so). But it does miss a certain something. In the mysteries I've read by Moyes, I find that I much prefer Henry Tibbett when he stays in Europe. The Caribbean background is not Moyes' forte--as I note in my review for Black Widower (where Tibbett got his much-valued experience in the tropics). This outing fares a bit better in my ratings simply because I don't think the clues are quite so obvious. At least we're not hit over the head with them as in Widower.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Joey Mazz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was well written but kind of non-sensical, a U. S. Senator was hacked to death with a machete on golf course in the Caribbean and the U. S. Government did not seem to care. Like at all. Also, the lead detective takes two civilians on a search party that turns into a firefight and no one cares. Also, a cop was murdered and no one cared. But overall it was fine easy read with an interesting enough mystery. Seeing as how the book is like 36 years old I’m sure no one else will read it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are only two places to stay on the unspoiled island of St. Matthew--the ultra-ritzy Golf Club and the homey Anchor, recently purchased by friends of Henry and Emmy Tibbett. When the Anchor's bartender Sandy is arrested for viciously murdering a U.S. Senator on the golf course, the friends want help in clearing their employee--and the island authorities want an outsider to "investigate" (coming to the same conclusion, of course) to defuse any possible racial tensions. And that's why Henry and Emmy leave London, along with Henry's sergeant, who will stay undercover at the Golf Club while the Tibbetts visit the Anchor. Since this book was originally published in 1977, attitudes are rather dated in some respects.

[Louise Culmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry and Emmy are back in the Caribbean again, Henry is investigating a murder at a posh golf club, a barman called Stanley has been arrested for it, but of course things are never that simple. Henry as usual has an eye for an attractive woman, and they abound in this one. In one chapter he meets ‘one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen’ and a couple of chapters later he meets ‘one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen’. Poor Emmy. This is one of the mysteries which turns into a thriller, with kidnappings, shootouts etc. Fairly entertaining but not one of the best in the series.

[Melisende · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will preface this with advice for anyone from the "woke brigade" to avoid due to the fact that I am sure they will be offended by the dated and slightly pompous and rather colonial tropes ascribed.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to try this vintage series by Moyes but found that this thirteenth entry was the only library copy in the entire province.

The story stands alone, but I think it would have been an advantage to have some background on Henry & Emmy Tibbett, and the sort of 'style' he uses. I couldn't quite get my footing as to whether I was reading a cozy or an international political thriller. Other than that, I enjoyed reading this well-plotted story.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Coconut Killings by Patricia Moyes is the 14th book of the Inspector Henry Tibbett mystery series set in the late 20th-century. Most of the series is set in London, where Henry is Chief Superintendent at Scotland Yard; this story is set on the (fictional) British Seaward Islands in the Caribbean. Henry and his wife Emmy have happy memories vacationing in the islands. Their friends John and Margaret own the Anchorage Inn on St. Mathews. When John and Margaret's bartender is accused of murder, they contact Henry and Emmy with a desperate plea for Henry to come solve the case. They are certain of his innocence, but the local police believe he is guilty. John and Margaret trust that Henry will objectively search for the truth. As the victim was a US Senator, Scotland Yard approves a discreet investigation to avoid an international incident and lost tourism for the B.S.I. While Henry is investigating the murder, a band of local youths begin a spree of riots and vandalism. Henry is attacked by and meets one of the ringleaders, a woman who calls herself Diamond. Henry is able to analyze all the events and see that a smokescreen covers up the true criminal operation still underway. The challenge is in getting the local forces to understand and appropriately respond. It takes Henry's skill and easygoing personality to resolve the conflicts.

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here is another Tibbetts tale with massive holes. Despite an otherwise good story, the holes in the novel cannot be ignored. The worse is the use of a machete on a human with no apparent problem of the resulting blood being everywhere after the action. Apparently this was a clean machete murder. Seems Moyes didn't learn about what happens when violently hacking a machete. She did learn about how it should have been done.

This problem makes the rest of the book impossible. Seems to me Moyes had an ending in mind, built and outline and then filled in the blanks. This would explain how few seem concerned about the violence of the murder involved and what happens later. Especially the Tibbetts, who are not even on their home turf. Moyes writes Henry Tibbett as nearly a superman who barges around with no fear of death and flies long distances in record time.

Bottom line: I don't recommend this book. 4 out of ten points.

[John Bohnert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy, I can read one after another of these Patricia Moyes crime fiction novels and enjoy every one of them.

[Harriet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing and somewhat boring plot. Not one of Moyes' better efforts.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ended quickly but the suspense was great and I loved the setting.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry and Emmy's American friends John and Margaret Colville are happily excited when he takes early retirement and they decide to buy an inn on the Caribbean island of St. Matthew's in the British Seaward Islands. This island is relatively undeveloped, except for the Golf Club, where the wealthy American and British visitors can stay, and avoid the riffraff.

But when one of the visitors at the Golf Club is murdered, apparently by an islander, tensions escalate between the locals and the tourists. The Governor sends an SOS to Scotland Yard, and Henry is dispatched to investigate. Emmy comes too, and they stay with the Colvilles at their inn. As Henry tries to discover what really happened and why, violence breaks out following the arrest — against his advice — of a local agitator. How Henry eventually untangles the various threads makes for a very interesting story. Recommended.

[David C Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most interesting in the very good Henry Tibbett series but ok. Murder - of a senator - and political unrest - and more killings - in the Caribbean. Tibbett does manage to get himself, and Emmy, sent to a lot of non English crime locales! There’s a lot of running around and it’s not quite clear why the first killing was necessary…which actually is the case in a lot of mysteries.
One thing: if a U.S. senator got killed there would be a massive American police/FBI presence on the island, plus media…

[Teri Am · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series. They remind me of the cozy mystery series set in the 1920s and 1930s , yet they are set in the 1960s/1970s. Inspector Henry Tibbet is a marvelous character and I enjoy how the author shows some, but not all of his deduction process. The reveal was a total surprise to me, which makes reading the story more enjoyable. Will be reading all of the books in this series.

[Lindsey Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Follow the clues

Henry Tibbetts books are always like the best crosswords - a pleasure to solve.
The settings are meticulously researched and all the information is given to allow you to reach the same conclusion as Henry. This is not the best in the series but still worth the read.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stellar read from P Moyes. I will truly be sad at the end of the Henry Tibbett books! Lovely locations, extraordinary characters, empathetic humor, exciting action - has it all - every book in the series! And, oh yes, murder mysteries!

[Jlnpeacock Peacock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do enjoy the characters in this book and the manner in which the mystery is handled by the Chief Superintendent and his wife’s assistance. It was particularly interesting to view the political influences and ideas of that time period.

[Courtney Hugger · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Not my favorite of the Tibbett series! But it served its purpose of giving me a mystery to solve on the plane

[Diane Dunham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining.

[Lyle Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to read on a rainy Sunday

[Allison Henle]

I only finished this book out of a vague impression that it might get better. It did not.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second by Moyes that is set in the "British Seawards" - after Black Widower and before Angel Death. I have been reading the series as I can get it - my library doesn't own all the books, so I have to get the others through interlibrary loan. This means I don't always read them in order. For the most part, this doesn't matter - although in this book, I knew the ultimate fate of a couple of characters because of what happens later. This didn't detract from the story, though. The plot has enough layers and reveals to keep you engaged yet intrigued, although there were a couple of oblique "is that so?" reveals to Henry but not the reader that keep you from completely tying it up on your own.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is clear from the start who are the good guys and who are the bad guys who must be the murderers, but this short mystery on a sunny tropical island was a nice distraction on a couple cold rainy days.

[Caroline Kubale · Rating 4 out of 5]

MTK

[Lawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book has 213 pages