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Helen Lightholder #2
A Simple Country Funeral
Death returns to the country ...
A quiet country life continues to elude Helen Lightholder, as she wrestles with her recent bereavement. When the grisly murder of a nameless vagabond shocks the local community, Helen sets out to unearth the truth behind the inexplicable killing.
But Bookminster hides secrets almost as old as it’s 14th century market place, and the village’s inhabitants will do anything to thwart a prying outsider. Helen’s snooping at a convalescent home for wounded soldiers leads to an apparent dead end, even as other obstacles loom in her path. With Inspector Graves blocking her investigation at every turn and a mysterious, shadowy figure continuing to dog her steps, can Helen unmask the most dangerous killer she has ever faced?
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2019
518 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Blythe Baker
117 books387 followersBlythe Baker is a thirty-something bottle redhead from the South Central part of the country. When she’s not slinging words and creating new worlds and characters, she’s acting as chauffeur to her children and head groomer to her household of beloved pets.
Blythe enjoys long walks with her dog on sweaty days, grubbing in her flower garden, cooking, and ruthlessly de-cluttering her overcrowded home. She also likes binge-watching mystery shows on TV and burying herself in books about murder.
Blythe enjoys long walks with her dog on sweaty days, grubbing in her flower garden, cooking, and ruthlessly de-cluttering her overcrowded home. She also likes binge-watching mystery shows on TV and burying herself in books about murder.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 4, 2019
Another great but too short story. Helen tries to live a quiet life, but that’s not to be. When a body is discovered, Helen tries to solve it. Outstanding.
April 14, 2021
A foreigner comes to town looking for someone or something, but the language barrier presents problems. Some think he's German, others think Polish. Later, the foreigner, who had been begging, is found dead. Helen becomes involved with trying to find out who killed him. Are the breakins at her house related?
May 13, 2020
Simple murder mystery
Would recommend for easy reading. Will read the whole series just to see how this character develops. Love the setting.
Would recommend for easy reading. Will read the whole series just to see how this character develops. Love the setting.
August 12, 2020
Great book
In book two of this series Helen solves the murder of a Polish refugee, but at a risk to herself. Ms. Baker keeps her writing brisk and her characters to grow.
In book two of this series Helen solves the murder of a Polish refugee, but at a risk to herself. Ms. Baker keeps her writing brisk and her characters to grow.
August 14, 2020
Delightful
A great mystery which Helen of course solves. Terrific description of a British village, you feel like you are there.
A great mystery which Helen of course solves. Terrific description of a British village, you feel like you are there.
August 19, 2020
Shallow. Disappointing.
February 4, 2021
Simple and good
It was an interesting story. Nice visuals it gave me of the countryside of England during the war. I enjoyed the courageous female protagonist.
It was an interesting story. Nice visuals it gave me of the countryside of England during the war. I enjoyed the courageous female protagonist.
July 8, 2021
Onward thru the series
Still being her curious self, still troubling the good inspector??
Still being warned to cease her prying !
Where is this leading???
Still being her curious self, still troubling the good inspector??
Still being warned to cease her prying !
Where is this leading???
May 21, 2022
Full Steam Ahead
Love this cozy series! It’s a very addicting read. The characters are well developed and it’s good to see them developing more with each book!
Love this cozy series! It’s a very addicting read. The characters are well developed and it’s good to see them developing more with each book!
February 28, 2020
This is a lovely little cozy mystery set in 1940. Thoroughly light and enjoyable. In each of the first two episodes, Helen Lightholder, a young war widow who has gone to live in small village, solves a murder. Well, it's not so much that she solves them, but the murderers confess.
No bother. The mystery is just sort of fun.
The books are short, super short, and there is a larger mystery that continues from the first to the second and beyond. It's almost like all the books are one book, which is annoying because makes the books rather expensive altogether. I'll have to think about it, but I will miss the lovely little British village.
No bother. The mystery is just sort of fun.
The books are short, super short, and there is a larger mystery that continues from the first to the second and beyond. It's almost like all the books are one book, which is annoying because makes the books rather expensive altogether. I'll have to think about it, but I will miss the lovely little British village.
March 4, 2020
Grief and guilt monologues
Helen lost her husband during an air raid in London, and has moved to the middle of nowhere England. I need more than just a flat grief stricken one note character. Angst and more angst. Read like a bad soap opera. Skip it.
Helen lost her husband during an air raid in London, and has moved to the middle of nowhere England. I need more than just a flat grief stricken one note character. Angst and more angst. Read like a bad soap opera. Skip it.
February 15, 2020
Still no spies or treason mentioned in the tagline of the first book. Another village murder without much of a mystery. No clues. No red herrings. Just plodding along suspecting the wrong people, sneaking into places that are annoyingly stupid for her to be venturing alone, until she stumbles on the identity of the killer.
I also feel like there isn't much research being done for these books. It's WW2 with everyone living on rations and yet people keeps putting several lumps of sugar in each cup of tea? And crime scene tape in the 1940s??? I don't think so! It was invented in the US in the 1960s. I tried this series because my elderly mom loved them but I'm done.
I also feel like there isn't much research being done for these books. It's WW2 with everyone living on rations and yet people keeps putting several lumps of sugar in each cup of tea? And crime scene tape in the 1940s??? I don't think so! It was invented in the US in the 1960s. I tried this series because my elderly mom loved them but I'm done.
September 12, 2019
This second book in the series continues to give a captivating glimpse of wartime village life. War weariness is apparent, with some heartrending grief, but a game effort to maintain normality, to "carry on". I like Helen's character, and Sidney, and Inspector Graves, and really all the characters, who are well-rounded individuals but at the same time recognizably typical. The parts about the haberdashery shop are interesting, with the shortage of new clothes encouraging people to give old outfits a new look or alter them for family members. The descriptions of clothes are vivid.
I find a problem with the very limited perspective. Helen is the narrator and we never know more than she knows, her observations and musings and the things people tell her. First-person narration is very common nowadays, of course, and often it works well, but in some cases, as here, it feels frustrating that the full story never comes out. I am sure the author has studied the period, but it felt to me implausible that a foreign vagrant could just wander around in wartime even when drawn to the attention of the police, who appear to be neither security-conscious nor helpful (and evidently, they could have found his family for him if they'd tried). I couldn't believe that in the days of "Is your journey really necessary?" a couple are summoned across the country to be given bad news in a cafe. Then also, the cliched finale annoyed me: the heroine foolishly puts herself in danger, only to get a confession from the murderer who intends to kill her – a sneaky way to get around the lack of evidence. Sometimes it's believable; here I didn't find it so. These and other things niggled at me quite a bit, but nonetheless I found it a worthwhile and heartfelt read.
I find a problem with the very limited perspective. Helen is the narrator and we never know more than she knows, her observations and musings and the things people tell her. First-person narration is very common nowadays, of course, and often it works well, but in some cases, as here, it feels frustrating that the full story never comes out. I am sure the author has studied the period, but it felt to me implausible that a foreign vagrant could just wander around in wartime even when drawn to the attention of the police, who appear to be neither security-conscious nor helpful (and evidently, they could have found his family for him if they'd tried). I couldn't believe that in the days of "Is your journey really necessary?" a couple are summoned across the country to be given bad news in a cafe. Then also, the cliched finale annoyed me: the heroine foolishly puts herself in danger, only to get a confession from the murderer who intends to kill her – a sneaky way to get around the lack of evidence. Sometimes it's believable; here I didn't find it so. These and other things niggled at me quite a bit, but nonetheless I found it a worthwhile and heartfelt read.
September 2, 2019
Sorry but this failed in a major spot
A good plot but the author should have paid more attention to the character of the refugee. The man wouldn't have said 'kobieta' he would actually have said 'moja córka'. No way during this period would a Pole be so discourteous as to use the blanket term woman for someone close to him. Plus the plot fell apart into a rather washed out ending. The subplot however is far more interesting with numerous break-ins to her flat. But it does surprise me that she hasn't had another lock or something put onto not only her shop but also the flat. What exactly are they looking for? Is it something in his letters or perhaps in the box of his belongings? What exactly is Sam doing in the village? No-one has even bothered to find out how he is supporting himself? Surely with her nose for trouble and insatiable curiosity that would have been one of her first questions?
A good plot but the author should have paid more attention to the character of the refugee. The man wouldn't have said 'kobieta' he would actually have said 'moja córka'. No way during this period would a Pole be so discourteous as to use the blanket term woman for someone close to him. Plus the plot fell apart into a rather washed out ending. The subplot however is far more interesting with numerous break-ins to her flat. But it does surprise me that she hasn't had another lock or something put onto not only her shop but also the flat. What exactly are they looking for? Is it something in his letters or perhaps in the box of his belongings? What exactly is Sam doing in the village? No-one has even bothered to find out how he is supporting himself? Surely with her nose for trouble and insatiable curiosity that would have been one of her first questions?
September 12, 2019
Helen feels bad about the beggar getting killed because people thought he was a German and wants to find out who killed him. This gets her into some serious trouble. Something else is going on. She comes home from work and finds her flat has been broken into and ransacked. Nothing is missing. Who would do this? Just a matter of days later her business is ransacked. What is this person looking for? Again nothing is missing. A figure watches her from a distance. And again I wonder just who is Sidney? Could he have something to do with this? Why does he spend so much time fixing things for her and doesn't want to be paid? There is some mystery and suspense. A story of a young woman trying to make a new life for herself after her husband is killed in an air raid over London. I'm enjoying the story. I have liked all of Blythe's books.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book and I'm voluntarily posting a review. My opinion is entirely my own.
October 27, 2019
Another mystery solved!
October 25, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
The courageous and curious (to the point of putting her life in jeopardy) Helen returns to become involved in another unnatural death. Although the plot moved along slowly at times yet another murderer was brought to justice by her efforts. I am still intrigued by the identity of the shadowy character who seems to have Helen in his sights.
Read as a free ARC but this review is my voluntary and honest opinion.
October 25, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
The courageous and curious (to the point of putting her life in jeopardy) Helen returns to become involved in another unnatural death. Although the plot moved along slowly at times yet another murderer was brought to justice by her efforts. I am still intrigued by the identity of the shadowy character who seems to have Helen in his sights.
Read as a free ARC but this review is my voluntary and honest opinion.
December 6, 2019
Second in series.
Another quick read. This time finds Helen feeling bad when a beggar that the village thought was German but was Polish is murdered. She is still being plagued with a figure that watches her from afar. What does the figure want? Who murdered the vagabond?
I received an ARC. This is my honest review.
Another quick read. This time finds Helen feeling bad when a beggar that the village thought was German but was Polish is murdered. She is still being plagued with a figure that watches her from afar. What does the figure want? Who murdered the vagabond?
I received an ARC. This is my honest review.
September 13, 2019
Another story of the effects of the war, that is both personal, heart breaking, when a man is mistaken as an enemy. A small village and the people within, makes a good series.
September 14, 2019
An English mystery
A simple entertaining mystery that can be read in a couple of hours. The heroine is very polite but quick to pick up clues
A simple entertaining mystery that can be read in a couple of hours. The heroine is very polite but quick to pick up clues
October 12, 2019
A nice light, Brit read. The author leads you readily to her next book. Well done.
October 27, 2019
Read the 2nd book now on to #3
I cannot how fast this book went. I would recommend it but you should have the next in the series downloaded.
I cannot how fast this book went. I would recommend it but you should have the next in the series downloaded.
November 3, 2019
Enjoyable kept me engrossed
A good light read great for on holiday. Looking forward to the next book as the story is becoming more intriguing
A good light read great for on holiday. Looking forward to the next book as the story is becoming more intriguing
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews