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On a blustery November night, a lone Dutch traveller arrives at the rural French monastery of Saint Augustin. He is taken in and cared for by the benevolent monks. However, the young man soon dies and as detectives Mallery and Hobbs arrive to investigate, it's evident that foul play is afoot. Suspicion falls on every one of the seventy residents and, with the arrival of the Dutchman's grandmother, Mallery's team are under pressure to deliver.
Emotions run deep and it seems that every suspect is hiding their own secret, causing the team to get more and more confused at every turn. With a second death and a centuries old mystery, can Mallery and Hobbs fit together the pieces of the puzzle?
Emotions run deep and it seems that every suspect is hiding their own secret, causing the team to get more and more confused at every turn. With a second death and a centuries old mystery, can Mallery and Hobbs fit together the pieces of the puzzle?
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2020
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Griffiths-Jones
33 books73 followersA.J.Griffiths-Jones is a historian & genealogist with a special interest in Victorian Crime. After a decade of living & working in China, she now lives in Shropshire, England. A.J's interests include cooking, travelling & swimming.
Her debut book 'Prisoner 4374' was the result of ten years research in to the life of Dr.Thomas Neill Cream, the notorious Lambeth Poisoner & Jack the Ripper suspect.
A.J. is currently working on a sequel Ripper book and a series of novels, the first of which 'The Villagers' was published early 2016.
Her debut book 'Prisoner 4374' was the result of ten years research in to the life of Dr.Thomas Neill Cream, the notorious Lambeth Poisoner & Jack the Ripper suspect.
A.J. is currently working on a sequel Ripper book and a series of novels, the first of which 'The Villagers' was published early 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 25, 2020
When a rain-drenched Dutch traveller hitches a lift to a rural French monastery, the monks take care of him. But when the young man dies, detectives Mallery and Hobbs launch an investigation and the monastery’s seventy inmates quickly fall under suspicion. The mystery deepens when the Dutchman’s grandmother arrives, as the old woman introduces another piece of the puzzle for the detecting duo to explore. After another man dies, the search is on for a missing item from the Dutchman’s backpack. Could it hold a clue to the identity of the murderer and the possibility of buried treasure?
This is the second book in the Mallery and Hobbs series and the fourth I’ve read by this talented author. As with ‘Isobel’, its setting in the quaint town of Saint Margaux gives the tale an added layer of interest, with its English/French characters and the (slight) clash of cultures. The story is well told, taking us through the daily lives of the monks as the police try to work out what the heck’s going on. There’s a nice ordinariness to the sequence of events that (naturally) belies a sinister undercurrent, and the inclusion of the officers’ private lives (especially Mallery’s secret assignations with a certain lady), combine to allow the unravelling of the mystery with an exquisite slowness. Along with plenty of reddish herrings to put us on the wrong track, there’s a lot to like about this book.
Another cracking good yarn from Ms Griffiths-Jones.
This is the second book in the Mallery and Hobbs series and the fourth I’ve read by this talented author. As with ‘Isobel’, its setting in the quaint town of Saint Margaux gives the tale an added layer of interest, with its English/French characters and the (slight) clash of cultures. The story is well told, taking us through the daily lives of the monks as the police try to work out what the heck’s going on. There’s a nice ordinariness to the sequence of events that (naturally) belies a sinister undercurrent, and the inclusion of the officers’ private lives (especially Mallery’s secret assignations with a certain lady), combine to allow the unravelling of the mystery with an exquisite slowness. Along with plenty of reddish herrings to put us on the wrong track, there’s a lot to like about this book.
Another cracking good yarn from Ms Griffiths-Jones.
May 3, 2020
Having devoured Isobel, I was keen to get to grips with Noel. The story follows on seamlessly from the first novel, with new characters entering the fray, along with most of the much-loved characters from the first book.
A young Dutchman arrives at a monastery on a cold and stormy night, only to expire soon afterwards. Was it natural causes, or is something darker lurking?
It's not just a murder mystery, elements from the past are added to the already brimming ingredients, with local history and forsaken love coming to bear.
I loved how the characters continue to evolve. Mallery, the debonair detective, with a penchant for cigarettes and dangerous liaisons. Kicking alongside is Jack Hobbs. The ginger Yorkshireman adds a touch of pragmatism to the local police team, with some wonderful dialogue and many references to his homeland.
And it's not just the main protagonists that shape the book, there is a grieving grandmother, along with the shadowy goings-on at the local monastery and the battle between good and bad, played-out behind the ancient sandstone walls.
A wonderful read, which has left me aching for the next instalment.
An easy five stars.
A young Dutchman arrives at a monastery on a cold and stormy night, only to expire soon afterwards. Was it natural causes, or is something darker lurking?
It's not just a murder mystery, elements from the past are added to the already brimming ingredients, with local history and forsaken love coming to bear.
I loved how the characters continue to evolve. Mallery, the debonair detective, with a penchant for cigarettes and dangerous liaisons. Kicking alongside is Jack Hobbs. The ginger Yorkshireman adds a touch of pragmatism to the local police team, with some wonderful dialogue and many references to his homeland.
And it's not just the main protagonists that shape the book, there is a grieving grandmother, along with the shadowy goings-on at the local monastery and the battle between good and bad, played-out behind the ancient sandstone walls.
A wonderful read, which has left me aching for the next instalment.
An easy five stars.
February 7, 2021
A wonderful story encompassing the true power of everlasting love and never-ending hate
Noel is the second book I have read from Ms Griffith-Jones (the first being the fantastic Isobel), and it was obvious from the beginning that this was going to be a story laden with twists and blind alleys designed to confound and captivate. And Noel didn’t disappoint in the intrigue stakes. Named after the young man Noel Van Beek who, in the middle of a rain-swept night, visits St Augustine Monastery near Bordeaux, a place run by strict Benedictine monks who are virtually isolated from the outside world… and so begins a story where second-guessing just can’t be done, the writing is that good.
Stepping back from the mysterious drama, it is apparent that Noel is a wonderful story of everlasting love and never-ending hate. These two emotions define the actions of the characters and the intricate plotlines that show the true power of these two forces when they are put against each other. With the setting in a Monastery and the suspects all being closed and secretive monks, Ms Griffith-Jones instantly catapults the reader into a setting devoid of twenty first century living. The monks, trapped in a time a century past or more, by their own stated conviction, faith and belief, renouncing the fripperies of modern day life, for an existence, barren of external communication, and reliant on self-sufficiency but still holding on to such powerful, repressed feelings that only the murder of another human can serve to abate. A true powder keg awaiting an undoubted explosion.
Amongst the hushed calm of the Monastery’s corridors, secrets are kept. Tales of past lives to affect those in the present. Anger and hurt colliding with devastating results. How can anyone in the Sacred Order be responsible for such a heinous crime, whisper the monks between themselves. And what of the midnight escapades; the deft footsteps in the dark heading to places unknown. So many questions facing the Bordeaux police investigators headed up by the debonair DI Max Mallery. Thankfully, answers to these and many more are found, not just by the police, but by other characters who discover the truth in realistic, enchanting ways.
The story balances the dynamic of the investigation team, DI Mallery, handsome but single, and his newly recruited Detective Sergeant Jack Hobbs - hailing from the Yorkshire Dales, but figuring out life in rural France - with the mysterious events in the Monastery and the evident shows of brinkmanship and hubris despite their outward image of a benevolent Brotherhood.
I must confess that I have a little crush on Mallery. It started in Ms Griffith-Jones’ first book Isobel, and in this book, the characterisation has gone deeper. I imagine Mallery to be the kind of man who, if you were in a room with him, would drive to the very heart of you with just one smoldering look, and you’d completely acquiesce to his enquiry. It is obvious in Noel that he has a powerful demeanor and strong investigative ability and is worthy of a much higher rank, than just DI, but his wayward eye and string of indiscretions (not least with the Commissionaire’s wife!) has somewhat scuppered his rise up the promotional ladder. Indeed, the fact he was ‘relocated’ out of the Paris office and dropped into Bordeaux’s force indicates demotion.
Mallery is a team player, giving opportunities to Luc, Thierry and Gabriella, as well as Jack ‘Jacque’ Hobbs, although, clearly, he enjoys ribbing Hobbs, and picking up his ‘English sayings’ to amuse himself, there is still a strong sense of partnership and a growing friendship for the young Yorkshire chap.
Reading Mallery, there is something deeply touching about the way his character evolves over the pages, and one feels that he has chased an ideal that is really unobtainable, and thus, as suave, sophisticated and accomplished he may look, inside, he is a desperately lonely man searching for someone to really love him. The silent stillness of his immaculate, plush penthouse is juxtaposed beautifully with the loud unruliness of Hobbs’ domestic life. In some scenes the slithers of envy of Hobbs’ bliss with his loving wife and new born baby filter into Mallery’s mind, as he recognises the mistakes he’s made.
I really admire Ms Griffith-Jones’ writing feature of dotting French phrases in amongst the dialogue. Such phrases, more often than not are translated straight, but sometimes their meanings are inferred by the following actions in the scene, and this enables the reader to become more invested in the moment that unfolds on the page, and you, as a reader are transported seamlessly, by that technique into the action.
I said in the beginning that at it’s centre, Noel is a story of everlasting love and never-ending hate, but it is also a tale of inner-reflection. Of knowing who you really are, having the courage to face up and know your true path. Noel highlights the sacrifices that the characters make to live up to a vision of what they think they’re expected to be. Living a life of denial. An easier path, rather than one that takes you to face the truth.
These are deep themes, handled with unwavering skill and enthralling storytelling. Noel is a fabulous read and one that I recommend to all who enjoy an intriguing murder mystery.
Noel is the second book I have read from Ms Griffith-Jones (the first being the fantastic Isobel), and it was obvious from the beginning that this was going to be a story laden with twists and blind alleys designed to confound and captivate. And Noel didn’t disappoint in the intrigue stakes. Named after the young man Noel Van Beek who, in the middle of a rain-swept night, visits St Augustine Monastery near Bordeaux, a place run by strict Benedictine monks who are virtually isolated from the outside world… and so begins a story where second-guessing just can’t be done, the writing is that good.
Stepping back from the mysterious drama, it is apparent that Noel is a wonderful story of everlasting love and never-ending hate. These two emotions define the actions of the characters and the intricate plotlines that show the true power of these two forces when they are put against each other. With the setting in a Monastery and the suspects all being closed and secretive monks, Ms Griffith-Jones instantly catapults the reader into a setting devoid of twenty first century living. The monks, trapped in a time a century past or more, by their own stated conviction, faith and belief, renouncing the fripperies of modern day life, for an existence, barren of external communication, and reliant on self-sufficiency but still holding on to such powerful, repressed feelings that only the murder of another human can serve to abate. A true powder keg awaiting an undoubted explosion.
Amongst the hushed calm of the Monastery’s corridors, secrets are kept. Tales of past lives to affect those in the present. Anger and hurt colliding with devastating results. How can anyone in the Sacred Order be responsible for such a heinous crime, whisper the monks between themselves. And what of the midnight escapades; the deft footsteps in the dark heading to places unknown. So many questions facing the Bordeaux police investigators headed up by the debonair DI Max Mallery. Thankfully, answers to these and many more are found, not just by the police, but by other characters who discover the truth in realistic, enchanting ways.
The story balances the dynamic of the investigation team, DI Mallery, handsome but single, and his newly recruited Detective Sergeant Jack Hobbs - hailing from the Yorkshire Dales, but figuring out life in rural France - with the mysterious events in the Monastery and the evident shows of brinkmanship and hubris despite their outward image of a benevolent Brotherhood.
I must confess that I have a little crush on Mallery. It started in Ms Griffith-Jones’ first book Isobel, and in this book, the characterisation has gone deeper. I imagine Mallery to be the kind of man who, if you were in a room with him, would drive to the very heart of you with just one smoldering look, and you’d completely acquiesce to his enquiry. It is obvious in Noel that he has a powerful demeanor and strong investigative ability and is worthy of a much higher rank, than just DI, but his wayward eye and string of indiscretions (not least with the Commissionaire’s wife!) has somewhat scuppered his rise up the promotional ladder. Indeed, the fact he was ‘relocated’ out of the Paris office and dropped into Bordeaux’s force indicates demotion.
Mallery is a team player, giving opportunities to Luc, Thierry and Gabriella, as well as Jack ‘Jacque’ Hobbs, although, clearly, he enjoys ribbing Hobbs, and picking up his ‘English sayings’ to amuse himself, there is still a strong sense of partnership and a growing friendship for the young Yorkshire chap.
Reading Mallery, there is something deeply touching about the way his character evolves over the pages, and one feels that he has chased an ideal that is really unobtainable, and thus, as suave, sophisticated and accomplished he may look, inside, he is a desperately lonely man searching for someone to really love him. The silent stillness of his immaculate, plush penthouse is juxtaposed beautifully with the loud unruliness of Hobbs’ domestic life. In some scenes the slithers of envy of Hobbs’ bliss with his loving wife and new born baby filter into Mallery’s mind, as he recognises the mistakes he’s made.
I really admire Ms Griffith-Jones’ writing feature of dotting French phrases in amongst the dialogue. Such phrases, more often than not are translated straight, but sometimes their meanings are inferred by the following actions in the scene, and this enables the reader to become more invested in the moment that unfolds on the page, and you, as a reader are transported seamlessly, by that technique into the action.
I said in the beginning that at it’s centre, Noel is a story of everlasting love and never-ending hate, but it is also a tale of inner-reflection. Of knowing who you really are, having the courage to face up and know your true path. Noel highlights the sacrifices that the characters make to live up to a vision of what they think they’re expected to be. Living a life of denial. An easier path, rather than one that takes you to face the truth.
These are deep themes, handled with unwavering skill and enthralling storytelling. Noel is a fabulous read and one that I recommend to all who enjoy an intriguing murder mystery.
August 13, 2022
Just excellent. I love this author. You don’t just get a someone’s been killed now the detectives solve the crime, you get so much more. You get a few other things going on too which all end up tying nicely together and you get to know the detectives too but not in a way that becomes boring and doesn’t take away from the story either. Very clever and I highly recommend
April 28, 2020
On a freezing wintery night, just before Midnight, a young Dutchman arrives at The Monastery of Saint Augustin, banging on the door and pleading to be let in.When the door is opened, the young man soaked to the skin collapses..and is taken to the Infirmary inside and placed in the care of Brother Alberon.Within the next day or so,the young man's fever seems to subside ..when he suddenly takes a turn for the worst and dies.On the same day Brother Benedict along with Abbot Arnaud are also taken to a hospital outside of the monastery. Arnaud it seems with a heart attack, whilst Benedict has poison in his body..For Inspector Max Mallery and Detective Jack Hobbs, it has been six months since their last murder investigation, where there had been a wrongful arrest with the beautiful Isobel Green , who has since left Saint Margaux..It seems within the sacred walls of the monastery, where Abbot Arnaud has spent the last 30 years of his life...there is a murderer amongst the 70 men who live here..Noel Van Beek was just 23 years old..Why was he killed..? And what made him turn up at the monastery so late at night ....? With the arrival of Noel's only living relative, his Grandmother Annalise, the case begins to take a sinister turn ..Then when Mallery finds out from Annalise there is something missing from the young man's case...it takes Mallery and his team from St.Margaux to St.Magdelena's Church in Salbech..Where graves have been unearthed in the night...The Truth when uncovered is a story of Lies, Love, Sin and Revenge..A Revenge that has festered in a cold, cold heart.. After reading Isobel ,my first read from this author, I looked forward to the second book in the series..Mallery we begin to see in a different light..This case has made him reflective..For although Mallery, a perfectionist has a beautiful apartment, is exceedingly handsome..and has played the field..In just a short while, the beautiful Annalise, a calming gentle soul has shown Mallery that sometimes you must make sacrifices in Life..Hobbs ,Mallery's partner who is settling down in St .Margaux is also seeing St.Margaux in all its beauty..I read this story late into the night..For me the ending was just beautiful..Mallery made me cry...A story with so much pain and darkness..yet so beautifully written ..Absolutely Beautiful writing ..with all the stars ....
July 9, 2020
A magical mosaic that is building a must read series:
A cosy crime novel with all of the magical mosaic I expect from this truly accomplished author.
A.J. once again, manages to weave a fascinating story with engaging characters with complex relationships – what’s not to love about that. I particularly like that this series of books (read Isobel as book 1) is set in France where a building partnership of police detectives adds real magic.
A red haired (no nonsense) Yorkshire man, Hobbs, a detective sergeant, with poor language skills (mauvaises competence linguistiques), married to a French lady, and a suave Detective Inspector, sent south in disgrace, from his beloved Paris; a sophisticated sore thumb. The word interplay between the two officers and the CID team, is a delight and looks like it will grow as more Mallory and Hobbs books are written.
The story: A hitchhiking young Dutchman is caught in a torrential rain storm. He arrives at a French monastery in fading health, but as he recovers, he unexpectedly dies; foul play suspected. But why did the young man seek out the monastery – and that sets the scene for the A.J. creative mosaic. The plot appears at first simple, but it is not. The Abbot is taken ill. The relationships between senior monks are tested and, across local churchyards, old graves are being dug up, seemingly at random.
It would be unfair of me to reveal any more except to say, the journey of discovery is as intriguing as it is engaging, and the ending, as I have come to expect with A.J. is sublimely satisfying and left me wanting mor
A cosy crime novel with all of the magical mosaic I expect from this truly accomplished author.
A.J. once again, manages to weave a fascinating story with engaging characters with complex relationships – what’s not to love about that. I particularly like that this series of books (read Isobel as book 1) is set in France where a building partnership of police detectives adds real magic.
A red haired (no nonsense) Yorkshire man, Hobbs, a detective sergeant, with poor language skills (mauvaises competence linguistiques), married to a French lady, and a suave Detective Inspector, sent south in disgrace, from his beloved Paris; a sophisticated sore thumb. The word interplay between the two officers and the CID team, is a delight and looks like it will grow as more Mallory and Hobbs books are written.
The story: A hitchhiking young Dutchman is caught in a torrential rain storm. He arrives at a French monastery in fading health, but as he recovers, he unexpectedly dies; foul play suspected. But why did the young man seek out the monastery – and that sets the scene for the A.J. creative mosaic. The plot appears at first simple, but it is not. The Abbot is taken ill. The relationships between senior monks are tested and, across local churchyards, old graves are being dug up, seemingly at random.
It would be unfair of me to reveal any more except to say, the journey of discovery is as intriguing as it is engaging, and the ending, as I have come to expect with A.J. is sublimely satisfying and left me wanting mor
May 13, 2020
When there is knocking at the door of The Monastery of Saint Augustin, the Brothers do not expect to see a freezing Dutch man on their doorstep. Brother Alberon cares for the young man in the Infirmary and he soon starts to improve and then inexplicably he deteriorates and dies. Abbott Arnaud has a heart attack and is taken to hospital, while later on Brother Benedict is also taken to the hospital as he appears to have been poisoned!
Inspector Mallery and Detective Hobbs certainly have their work cut out trying to find out what has been happening at the monastery! Why has the Dutch man called Noel been killed? Why are graves being dug up and opened in the middle of the night? Surely these cases can’t be connected, can they?
I enjoyed this book as it had a bit of everything. It was a story of love, revenge, betrayal and lies that had me hooked from the moment Noel arrived at the monastery. I enjoyed getting to know more about Mallery and Hobbs, not just their characters in work but their private lives too.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Inspector Mallery and Detective Hobbs certainly have their work cut out trying to find out what has been happening at the monastery! Why has the Dutch man called Noel been killed? Why are graves being dug up and opened in the middle of the night? Surely these cases can’t be connected, can they?
I enjoyed this book as it had a bit of everything. It was a story of love, revenge, betrayal and lies that had me hooked from the moment Noel arrived at the monastery. I enjoyed getting to know more about Mallery and Hobbs, not just their characters in work but their private lives too.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
May 9, 2021
Noel, Mallery & Hobbs Murder Case Book 2, opens with a haunting scene of a stranger, a young Dutch backpacker, arriving at an old monastery in France on a cold and rainy night. Griffiths-Jones knows how to build an atmosphere from the get-go, the reader drawn into the mystery with much anticipation. Nothing can be more tempting for the mystery lover than these elements. Abbot Arnaud is harbouring a dark secret.
Meanwhile English-expatriate detective Jack Hobbs deals with a domestic, and his boss Inspector Max Mallery enjoys a night with his lover, the commissioner’s wife. But that’s a side issue. When the domestic turns out to be the jealous wife of the man who drove the stranger to the door of the monastery, the plot set-up for a great mystery is laid out.
The two plot lines progress in parallel and slowly converge after Hobbs and Mallery visit the hitchhiker. The author makes full use of the monastery setting in what is a delightful and intriguing read packed with unexpected twists and turns and a satisfying helping of French pastries.
Meanwhile English-expatriate detective Jack Hobbs deals with a domestic, and his boss Inspector Max Mallery enjoys a night with his lover, the commissioner’s wife. But that’s a side issue. When the domestic turns out to be the jealous wife of the man who drove the stranger to the door of the monastery, the plot set-up for a great mystery is laid out.
The two plot lines progress in parallel and slowly converge after Hobbs and Mallery visit the hitchhiker. The author makes full use of the monastery setting in what is a delightful and intriguing read packed with unexpected twists and turns and a satisfying helping of French pastries.
May 6, 2020
I was looking forward to this one ever since I read Isabel and I was not disappointed it’s so enjoyable I found myself lost in the book I Could not put it down I just had to see what was going to happen next, it also had me talking to myself about what I thought was going to happen just like when you watch a film and you say to the TV don’t open that door or go out side Im sure some of you will know what I mean.
The characters are fantastic and plus you get to follow them again if you have Isabel then you will know what I mean . As they investigate the crime and you also get to know a bit about there personal life’s so you get to know the characters and there personalities , I can’t wait to find out more about them in the next book and investigation.
I would say that this is an excellent read and I can not wait for the next in the series you will not be disappointed it’s a top quality book and deserves to be a best seller
The characters are fantastic and plus you get to follow them again if you have Isabel then you will know what I mean . As they investigate the crime and you also get to know a bit about there personal life’s so you get to know the characters and there personalities , I can’t wait to find out more about them in the next book and investigation.
I would say that this is an excellent read and I can not wait for the next in the series you will not be disappointed it’s a top quality book and deserves to be a best seller
September 4, 2020
Detectives Mallery and Hobbs get involved in an odd one in this very well written story. A young man comes to a monastery in their province, falls ill, then dies. It turns out he was poisoned. Who, among a group of monks, could have done such a dastardly thing? Read the book and you will find out. No spoilers from me. I love the author's stories. She is a master craftsperson with the usage of the English language, and combines it with French in this story (a matter of the setting of the story). Her descriptions of people, places, the notions controlling the minds of her characters, always have a reality, yet add more than what is real, to each of them. Her characters have flesh, live their adventure, or their murderous attitude right in front of you as you read the book. This is an easy five stars.
April 16, 2021
The second in the Mallery and Hobbs series, Noel, lives up to the excellent start in Isobel (Book 1). The same cast of French policemen with their adopted bobby operating in sleepy villages in the Bordeaux countryside are confronted with a second murder involving a foreign visitor. The scene of the crime is a Benedictine monastery and to solve the crime, Jack, Max and the team have to delve into a mystery involving several generations of religious life. As ever, A.j.Griffiths-Jones regales the reader with prose enhanced by glorious details the fluency of which sweeps the story to its tragic but satisfying conclusion. I’m looking forward to Book 3 and the others in the series, highly recommended.
August 10, 2020
Noel by A. J. Griffiths-Jones, is a completely different style of mystery. Set mainly in a monastery in France, the intricate, detailed writing grabs the reader’s attention from the first page and does not release until the last. With a Yorkshire detective coming to grips with the French language, a host of Holy Men, each with their own agenda, a centuries-old mystery and strange goings-on that were human, if not holy, this story is set on multiple levels.
The build-up is very clever, the twists believable and the seemingly unconnected pieces all coming together in the final fifth of the book. Noel would make an excellent film!
The build-up is very clever, the twists believable and the seemingly unconnected pieces all coming together in the final fifth of the book. Noel would make an excellent film!
December 9, 2021
The second book in the Mallery and Hobbs series. A man turns up at a monastery which leads to a death and an investigation. What has caused the death and why has a man died??
I really enjoyed this book a quick page turner. I love the relationship between Mallery and Hobbs and like the way their stories are beginning to u fold. Really looking forward to book 3 xx
I really enjoyed this book a quick page turner. I love the relationship between Mallery and Hobbs and like the way their stories are beginning to u fold. Really looking forward to book 3 xx
November 1, 2020
Really enjoyed this story,
July 19, 2023
Love and Hate and a Monastery where Death Occurs
Noel: Mallery & Hobbs Book Two, by A.J. Griffiths-Jones, is the second book in the series. It is a standalone story in the series, as is all the stories, though Mallory & Hobbs carry forth solving crimes. Like the rest of Griffiths-Jones’s stories, the plot starts off running; the author is sunk into the action from Page 1. The action unfolds with many twists and turns, dead ends, or discoveries put on hold till loose ends can come together. This story left me guessing till near the end. A young man makes his way to a monastery and soon dies. As the story progresses, another life-threatening illness occurs, leading to death. Mallory & Hobbs have a great mystery on their hands to unravel as to why and how these two people died. It being a monastery, it is difficult to uncover secrets tightly held. The monks live a cloistered life and each has their own history and past failings about which no one should learn. Yet, all is revealed as the story revolves around the young man, Noel.
This author uses many French phrases. Early on, she writes in such a way that we understand the meanings. As the story progresses, no translation is needed. The action clarifies exactly what is being said. Griffiths-Jones has a unique way of writing and even foreign language does not slow down the read. The foreign phrases add the flavor of authenticity.
As detectives work to solve the secrets held at the monastery, they must also solve the mystery of why graves in churchyards are being dug up. Could this action be connected to the mysterious deaths? Do the graves contain information held as tightly as that of the tight-lipped monks? Griffiths-Jones weaves a tale that takes the reader in several different directions at once. Each shocking revelation, each new discovery pulled this reader deeper into the story till it all came together at the end. That is the sign of a great writer. And of course, I am reading Sabine, the next delightful mystery in this series.
Noel: Mallery & Hobbs Book Two, by A.J. Griffiths-Jones, is the second book in the series. It is a standalone story in the series, as is all the stories, though Mallory & Hobbs carry forth solving crimes. Like the rest of Griffiths-Jones’s stories, the plot starts off running; the author is sunk into the action from Page 1. The action unfolds with many twists and turns, dead ends, or discoveries put on hold till loose ends can come together. This story left me guessing till near the end. A young man makes his way to a monastery and soon dies. As the story progresses, another life-threatening illness occurs, leading to death. Mallory & Hobbs have a great mystery on their hands to unravel as to why and how these two people died. It being a monastery, it is difficult to uncover secrets tightly held. The monks live a cloistered life and each has their own history and past failings about which no one should learn. Yet, all is revealed as the story revolves around the young man, Noel.
This author uses many French phrases. Early on, she writes in such a way that we understand the meanings. As the story progresses, no translation is needed. The action clarifies exactly what is being said. Griffiths-Jones has a unique way of writing and even foreign language does not slow down the read. The foreign phrases add the flavor of authenticity.
As detectives work to solve the secrets held at the monastery, they must also solve the mystery of why graves in churchyards are being dug up. Could this action be connected to the mysterious deaths? Do the graves contain information held as tightly as that of the tight-lipped monks? Griffiths-Jones weaves a tale that takes the reader in several different directions at once. Each shocking revelation, each new discovery pulled this reader deeper into the story till it all came together at the end. That is the sign of a great writer. And of course, I am reading Sabine, the next delightful mystery in this series.
October 2, 2022
This book is the second in a series of six, although I feel it could be read as a standalone novel with ease. The story follows Mallery, the French detective with his love of dangerous relationships, and Hobbs, the Yorkshire policeman who always seems a little out-of-place with his lack of the French language. Together they try to solve the latest crime.
This time, a young Dutchman arrives at a monastery in the middle of the night. Within a short time, he is dead. Who within the monastery would have cause to do such a thing? And why?
Mallory and Hobbs have their work cut out to discover the killer. Several monks are under suspicion, each harbouring their own secrets, which makes it impossible to deduce who the murderer could be. They also don’t take kindly to outsiders invading the monastery, which makes investigating more difficult. Throw into the mix the deceased’s grieving grandmother, a long-lost love affair, grave robberies and some iffy gardening skills and you know you’re in for a good read.
I felt the author had expanded on the characterisation of the main characters from the first book. I enjoyed their trips to the area where the first murder appeared. It gave me the chance to reconnect with some of those secondary characters from the first book.
There were several twists to the story, which took me by surprise and these made it a very enjoyable read, which I highly recommend.
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