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Banbury Cross #1
The Hide and Seek Murders
Hide and seek may be child’s play, but murder most certainly is not.
Summer 1959. When murder comes to the garden party of the Reverend George Sixpence, the curmudgeonly Inspector Leslie Dykeman and the irascible Sergeant Stanley Shapes are despatched from Banbury police station to apprehend the killer.
Arriving at the splendid Victorian vicarage, Dykeman and Shapes find a group of suspects riddled with envy, bitterness and contempt for one another. As the two policemen struggle to uncover meaningful clues and Dykeman finds himself distracted by the arrival of pathologist Dr Sheila Delph, the killer stalks their next victim. This is one game the two policemen cannot afford to lose, but it seems as if the killer is out-playing them at every turn and it begins to look like there will be only one winner.
The Hide and Seek Murders is the first in a classic murder mystery series set in the Oxfordshire town of Banbury in the early 1960s by British author Ben Westerham. If you like classic murder mysteries with a touch of romance and a streak of humour, then you’ll love these.
Buy The Hide and Seek Murders now to find out for yourself if the two policemen will be able to up their own game and stop death from visiting the vicarage for a second time.
Summer 1959. When murder comes to the garden party of the Reverend George Sixpence, the curmudgeonly Inspector Leslie Dykeman and the irascible Sergeant Stanley Shapes are despatched from Banbury police station to apprehend the killer.
Arriving at the splendid Victorian vicarage, Dykeman and Shapes find a group of suspects riddled with envy, bitterness and contempt for one another. As the two policemen struggle to uncover meaningful clues and Dykeman finds himself distracted by the arrival of pathologist Dr Sheila Delph, the killer stalks their next victim. This is one game the two policemen cannot afford to lose, but it seems as if the killer is out-playing them at every turn and it begins to look like there will be only one winner.
The Hide and Seek Murders is the first in a classic murder mystery series set in the Oxfordshire town of Banbury in the early 1960s by British author Ben Westerham. If you like classic murder mysteries with a touch of romance and a streak of humour, then you’ll love these.
Buy The Hide and Seek Murders now to find out for yourself if the two policemen will be able to up their own game and stop death from visiting the vicarage for a second time.
- GenresMystery
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2019
304 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 6, 2020
This is not a bad book. It's perfectly fine. I did find that the Detective's complete disdain for the upper classes of society (aka everyone he was investigating) wore really thin, really quickly. Also, I could have dealt with a little less of his sergeant lusting after any attractive woman (often suspects) they were questioning every time they entered the room. Also, called the murderer very early on, based on nothing but the fact that they made the least sense.
Mildly curious about future books, but we'll see.
Mildly curious about future books, but we'll see.
November 30, 2020
An excellent who dunnit.
During a garden party at a Victorian vicarage in Oxfordshire, someone is murdered. Inspector Dykeman and his partner Sergeant Shapes are faced with a household full of suspects.
Set in the 1960s, this is a good old-fashioned murder mystery with a touch of humour which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
During a garden party at a Victorian vicarage in Oxfordshire, someone is murdered. Inspector Dykeman and his partner Sergeant Shapes are faced with a household full of suspects.
Set in the 1960s, this is a good old-fashioned murder mystery with a touch of humour which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
April 25, 2020
Unpleasant Characters and Attitudes
I will confess to not finishing this book. I couldn’t get past the disdain with which the detectives felt for everyone, the reverse classism, and the sexualization of female characters. Perhaps this was meant to be fun. Not so much. Very disappointing. At least I got it on sale.
I will confess to not finishing this book. I couldn’t get past the disdain with which the detectives felt for everyone, the reverse classism, and the sexualization of female characters. Perhaps this was meant to be fun. Not so much. Very disappointing. At least I got it on sale.
April 18, 2020
Two dreadful detectives (especially Shapes), and an author TRYING to be humorus. Meh, waste of a couple of hours., but at least I don't have to read anymore.
January 6, 2020
Good mystery!
I was hooked on this story shortly after I started reading it. The story was very well written, the characters were well developed, and it was really funny in spots. This is my first book by Ben Westerham, and I look forward to reading more of his books. I highly recommend it to other mystery readers.
I was hooked on this story shortly after I started reading it. The story was very well written, the characters were well developed, and it was really funny in spots. This is my first book by Ben Westerham, and I look forward to reading more of his books. I highly recommend it to other mystery readers.
October 11, 2020
2.5 stars is my verdict on this book.
Where to start on this? I chose that book as it was advertising itself as a traditional British mystery and I was expecting something in the style of Agatha Christie but what I found is a very pale imitation.
The story turns around 2 coppers and a group of people gathered at a vicarage for a weekend. The group of « Toffs » as one of the copper keeps saying is there to have a good time with the vicar but their fun is marred by the murder of one of the guest which brings the 2 unlikable coppers on the scene; one of the 2 being a leecherous man obsessed with women too young for him. Not long after, the host is killed and the plot supposedly thickens but to me the culprit became obvious and the 2 coppers are still struggling with their investigation. To add unnecessarily to the plot, is the dead of a second guest that is never really explained. Overall, the leech proves to have half a brain when he finds the missing piece to the puzzle a few dozens of pages too late. Try as I might, the only character that appealed to me in the book is the pathologist and she is barely there. The End was my joyful moment in reading this book.
I apologize to the author for the harshness of my comments but I thing a little less useless side stories would do that story good as would a little less bitterness on the part of the coppers. As my Brit friends would say, this book was not my cuppa.
Where to start on this? I chose that book as it was advertising itself as a traditional British mystery and I was expecting something in the style of Agatha Christie but what I found is a very pale imitation.
The story turns around 2 coppers and a group of people gathered at a vicarage for a weekend. The group of « Toffs » as one of the copper keeps saying is there to have a good time with the vicar but their fun is marred by the murder of one of the guest which brings the 2 unlikable coppers on the scene; one of the 2 being a leecherous man obsessed with women too young for him. Not long after, the host is killed and the plot supposedly thickens but to me the culprit became obvious and the 2 coppers are still struggling with their investigation. To add unnecessarily to the plot, is the dead of a second guest that is never really explained. Overall, the leech proves to have half a brain when he finds the missing piece to the puzzle a few dozens of pages too late. Try as I might, the only character that appealed to me in the book is the pathologist and she is barely there. The End was my joyful moment in reading this book.
I apologize to the author for the harshness of my comments but I thing a little less useless side stories would do that story good as would a little less bitterness on the part of the coppers. As my Brit friends would say, this book was not my cuppa.
November 3, 2019
This book is hard to put down. It has so many rabbit trails that you can get lost in the warren!!!!
You will need pen and paper to keep track of the characters and clues. Wish I had done it.
I had it figured out by the actions of someone. I also entertained one of the theories as the police at one time.
Question is the person on the bike in the beginning the same as another person near the end?
Note that this is British English.
This is my honest and freely given review. I did receive an ARC book.
You will need pen and paper to keep track of the characters and clues. Wish I had done it.
I had it figured out by the actions of someone. I also entertained one of the theories as the police at one time.
Question is the person on the bike in the beginning the same as another person near the end?
Note that this is British English.
This is my honest and freely given review. I did receive an ARC book.
November 12, 2019
Hide and Seek Murders reminds me a little of the Agatha Christie mysteries. There’s class consciousness, lovely gardens, large home, and weekend guests. I only gave the book four stars because I guessed who-dunnit pretty early in the book. The author writes well. I was sad that none of the characters appealed to me.
June 3, 2020
Loved the characters, the plot not so much.
The detective and his assistant were hilarious! I was laughing out loud sometimes. The plot started out ok but near the end it sort of "ran out of gas". I think too much time was spent on the interviews; especially since they didn't seem to further the case. I will buy the next book in the series.
The detective and his assistant were hilarious! I was laughing out loud sometimes. The plot started out ok but near the end it sort of "ran out of gas". I think too much time was spent on the interviews; especially since they didn't seem to further the case. I will buy the next book in the series.
March 22, 2020
What a fun read! I had a hard time putting it down, finishing it at 1:30 AM. The detectives and investigation were fun to follow. This is my first book by Ben Westerham, and I look forward to reading more of his books. I highly recommend it.
May 4, 2020
Could not finish this . The degree of arrogance and rudeness in the main characters was awful. I need to warm to to the characters to keep reading. Such a pity because I love books set in the time frame.
November 8, 2020
A funny quick read
Set in an English Estate this murder mystery is seen through the eyes of the characters. The thoughts of the policemen add levity as well as insight into motive.
Set in an English Estate this murder mystery is seen through the eyes of the characters. The thoughts of the policemen add levity as well as insight into motive.
January 3, 2020
i love this author. He provides humor and suspense in a colorful dialog that is a pleasure to read.
May 14, 2020
Strange who-done-it5
I continue to have difficulty with British vocabulary and sentence structure; however, I did enjoy the plot somewhat. I will read book 2
I continue to have difficulty with British vocabulary and sentence structure; however, I did enjoy the plot somewhat. I will read book 2
May 30, 2020
Good read
This was fun to read. I really enjoyed it. I figured out who done it and I was right, but not until the end was I sure.
This was fun to read. I really enjoyed it. I figured out who done it and I was right, but not until the end was I sure.
October 23, 2020
Unlikeable protagonists barely offset the quirkiness of the rest of the characters.
November 20, 2019
Intriging
Mystifying and attention grabbing. A good story that holds the readers interest wanting to find the solution and the responsible party.
Mystifying and attention grabbing. A good story that holds the readers interest wanting to find the solution and the responsible party.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews