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The Ham-Hill Murder Mysteries #1
A Village Murder
An English village can be deadly, when your past catches up with you...
In the beautiful rural Somerset village of Lower Hembrow, crammed full with English eccentrics, something is amiss...
Landscape gardener Imogen Bishop has spent the last thirty years trying to forget one fateful school night but when her estranged husband Greg Bishop is found dead in the grounds of her fathers Georgian hotel, danger threatens to overwhelm her.
Retired police officer Adam Hennessey, hoping for a peaceful life running his traditional Somerset country pub, finds himself drawn into the unfolding drama in the hotel across the road.
Imogen, Adam and Harley the stray dog form an unlikely partnership as they try to untangle a knot of secrets, solve a murder mystery, and bring a killer to justice.
In the beautiful rural Somerset village of Lower Hembrow, crammed full with English eccentrics, something is amiss...
Landscape gardener Imogen Bishop has spent the last thirty years trying to forget one fateful school night but when her estranged husband Greg Bishop is found dead in the grounds of her fathers Georgian hotel, danger threatens to overwhelm her.
Retired police officer Adam Hennessey, hoping for a peaceful life running his traditional Somerset country pub, finds himself drawn into the unfolding drama in the hotel across the road.
Imogen, Adam and Harley the stray dog form an unlikely partnership as they try to untangle a knot of secrets, solve a murder mystery, and bring a killer to justice.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
July 16, 2023
On the contrary! Any one of us is capable of murder, given the right circumstances.
Cozy Mystery Alert! 🕵️♂️
A Village Murder is the first book in the Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries.
It is set in the rural Somerset village of Lower Hembrow.
On the day of her father's funeral, landscape gardener Imogen Bishop finds her estranged husband, Greg Bishop, dead in her fathers' Georgian hotel.
Retired police officer, Adam Hennessey, is hoping for a peaceful life running his Somerset country pub, but finds himself drawn into the unfolding drama in the hotel across the road.
Imogen and Adam form an unlikely partnership as they solve a murder mystery and bring a killer to justice.
‐‐-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This story is delightful! I especially enjoyed Charlotte Strevens' narration. Her voice reminds me of actor and audiobook narrator, Anna Massey. She did a brilliant job and made the story more enjoyable.
For fans of the show, Midsomer Murders, this is the book for you!
Cozy Mystery Alert! 🕵️♂️
A Village Murder is the first book in the Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries.
It is set in the rural Somerset village of Lower Hembrow.
On the day of her father's funeral, landscape gardener Imogen Bishop finds her estranged husband, Greg Bishop, dead in her fathers' Georgian hotel.
Retired police officer, Adam Hennessey, is hoping for a peaceful life running his Somerset country pub, but finds himself drawn into the unfolding drama in the hotel across the road.
Imogen and Adam form an unlikely partnership as they solve a murder mystery and bring a killer to justice.
‐‐-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This story is delightful! I especially enjoyed Charlotte Strevens' narration. Her voice reminds me of actor and audiobook narrator, Anna Massey. She did a brilliant job and made the story more enjoyable.
For fans of the show, Midsomer Murders, this is the book for you!
June 14, 2020
When Imogen returns from her father's funeral, she finds her estranged husband in the orangery. But he's dead. Imogen had returned to the village to run her father's hotel after his death. Ex-policeman, Paul runs the pub across the street and Imogen joins him to find out who killed her husband and clear her name.
This is a cosy murder mystery that's set in Somerser, in England. It's well written with plenty of clues. There's a few .ilkley suspects to choose from. There's nosey neighbours, gossip and all the other goings on that happen in small villages. I really enjoyed this book. This is the first ook in a new series and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment.
I would like to thank NetGalley. Boldwood Books and the author Frances Evesham for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
s
This is a cosy murder mystery that's set in Somerser, in England. It's well written with plenty of clues. There's a few .ilkley suspects to choose from. There's nosey neighbours, gossip and all the other goings on that happen in small villages. I really enjoyed this book. This is the first ook in a new series and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment.
I would like to thank NetGalley. Boldwood Books and the author Frances Evesham for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
s
July 23, 2020
This was quite an entertaining murder mystery where excop Adam was soon pulled into the murder mystery.
My first book by this author, what I thought to be a cozy mystery, turned out to be a great investigative murder trail. I loved the fast pace and well plotted story line which was a great incentive to read the book at one go.
A compelling fun read. Who doesn't love a well whodunit?
My first book by this author, what I thought to be a cozy mystery, turned out to be a great investigative murder trail. I loved the fast pace and well plotted story line which was a great incentive to read the book at one go.
A compelling fun read. Who doesn't love a well whodunit?
June 28, 2020
This is the first book in a possible new series by Frances Evesham. It features landscape designer Imogen Bishop and retired Police Detective, current pub owner Adam Hennessey. Imagen has just inherited the hotel her father owned and has come to the village to decide how to move forward. The hotel is in serious financial trouble; but the more time she spends there the more drawn to it she becomes.
As part of her immersion into village life, Imogen offers to host a night of song being proposed by a local songstress, Madam Maria Rostropova. Adam is somewhat smitten with Madam Rostropova; but doesn’t have the space to host the event, so he helps her approach Imogen who is delighted to have the opportunity to become more involved in village activities.
Unfortunately, Imogen’s ex-husband is murdered on the night of the gala, and his body is discovered by Imogen. The police rush to the conclusion that Imogen is the murderer, and Adam fears that having reached that conclusion they will stop looking for the real killer. Imogen also feels threatened by the police, so together they decide to investigate. With Adam’s previous police history he has some good contacts, he also has some knowledge of how to conduct a successful investigation.
As Imogen and Adam delve further into this murder, they also become curious about Imogen’s father’s death, which was originally determined to be an accident. The local police inspector is focused on Imogen; but Adam’s reputation is such that he will not totally discount Adam’s involvement and the information uncovered.
There are several side stories that add depth and color to this book, including the memories Adam has of his last case, some parts of which are brought up to him in vivid detail as he encounters similar events with the present investigation. Also, Imogen discovers evidence her father was once involved in a scheme to import and sell rare, protected plants, another mark against him as Imogen and he had a rocky relationship, partly due to his tendency to pursue women on a regular basis. In addition to these, Imogen’s high school crush reemerges, and is connected to the investigation into the rare plants. Imogen is once again smitten with him, but her hopes are initially dashed as she realizes he is accompanying one of her old friends to a high school reunion.
The pacing of the novel is good, and the plot is inventive enough to be engaging. There are clues galore, along with a healthy dose of red herrings to keep the reader engaged. Add to the mix a stray puppy Imogen befriends, and you have multiple elements designed to please a wide array of readers. I found Adam to be more interesting than Imogen, as well as more unique and fully developed. He is worthy of a series of his own, and this series could be improved by featuring him more, with Imogen as a secondary character.
A big thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As part of her immersion into village life, Imogen offers to host a night of song being proposed by a local songstress, Madam Maria Rostropova. Adam is somewhat smitten with Madam Rostropova; but doesn’t have the space to host the event, so he helps her approach Imogen who is delighted to have the opportunity to become more involved in village activities.
Unfortunately, Imogen’s ex-husband is murdered on the night of the gala, and his body is discovered by Imogen. The police rush to the conclusion that Imogen is the murderer, and Adam fears that having reached that conclusion they will stop looking for the real killer. Imogen also feels threatened by the police, so together they decide to investigate. With Adam’s previous police history he has some good contacts, he also has some knowledge of how to conduct a successful investigation.
As Imogen and Adam delve further into this murder, they also become curious about Imogen’s father’s death, which was originally determined to be an accident. The local police inspector is focused on Imogen; but Adam’s reputation is such that he will not totally discount Adam’s involvement and the information uncovered.
There are several side stories that add depth and color to this book, including the memories Adam has of his last case, some parts of which are brought up to him in vivid detail as he encounters similar events with the present investigation. Also, Imogen discovers evidence her father was once involved in a scheme to import and sell rare, protected plants, another mark against him as Imogen and he had a rocky relationship, partly due to his tendency to pursue women on a regular basis. In addition to these, Imogen’s high school crush reemerges, and is connected to the investigation into the rare plants. Imogen is once again smitten with him, but her hopes are initially dashed as she realizes he is accompanying one of her old friends to a high school reunion.
The pacing of the novel is good, and the plot is inventive enough to be engaging. There are clues galore, along with a healthy dose of red herrings to keep the reader engaged. Add to the mix a stray puppy Imogen befriends, and you have multiple elements designed to please a wide array of readers. I found Adam to be more interesting than Imogen, as well as more unique and fully developed. He is worthy of a series of his own, and this series could be improved by featuring him more, with Imogen as a secondary character.
A big thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2025
4⭐️ = Good.
Audio book.
I was undecided on my rating for this book…. a 3.5 or a 4*. I settled on a 4 as I usually notch up a little for an audio book as never usually as engaged as when reading a physical book.
The storyline was good but maybe slightly slower paced than I was in the need for. The characters were well balanced and believable. I could picture the setting quite clearly and actually think this would make a good Sunday evening series: especially for my fellow UK readers.
Audio book.
I was undecided on my rating for this book…. a 3.5 or a 4*. I settled on a 4 as I usually notch up a little for an audio book as never usually as engaged as when reading a physical book.
The storyline was good but maybe slightly slower paced than I was in the need for. The characters were well balanced and believable. I could picture the setting quite clearly and actually think this would make a good Sunday evening series: especially for my fellow UK readers.
June 28, 2020
First in a new series of cozy mysteries set in a rural Somerset village, A Village Murder begins at a funeral; that of Imogen Bishop’s father, a larger-than-life figure who owned a country house hotel and was a town councillor for many years. Dealing with your father’s death is difficult enough, but finding your ex-husband’s body in a greenhouse right after the funeral is another level. Imogen’s grateful for the help offered by publican from across the road Adam Hennessy, especially when she discovers he’s a retired police detective with a stellar reputation.
Adam’s retired to run a pub and have a quiet life, but with a murder practically on his doorstep- and he was with Imogen when she found the body - he can’t resist a little bit of quiet investigation on the side. Digging deeper in part by just listening to the talk in the pub, he slowly discovers his sleepy new home might have more than a few secrets… that some people might prefer stay buried.
I liked Adam a lot - he’s not in any way conventionally attractive, being short, fat, grey-haired and in Imogen’s internal description would make an excellent Santa Claus in the right suit - but Imogen was a little bit of a harder sell. We didn’t really get to know her through internal narrative in the same way we did Adam, though she definitely grew on me when she took on stray dog Harley. This is my first book by the author and the first in the series, and I admit I wasn’t really sure after reading this whether Imogen is going to continue being such a ‘main’ character in the narrative of the series. Adam’s the ‘Poirot’ of the series, obviously (he amusingly compares himself to Poirot when noting his physical characteristics at one point) but I don’t know where Imogen really fits in - central character or just the primary surviving victim of this particular story?
There’s a reasonable-sized supporting cast, but I think the author falls a little too much into the trap of not wanting to give away the answer too soon. Which is all very well, but if you don’t actually put enough clues in the text, you deny the reader the ‘Aha!’ moment, where the reader either gets to realise they were right in their assumption because they were clever enough to pick up the clues, OR realise that the author outsmarted them BUT the clues were there to be found. That’s sort of the point of a mystery… and yes, some people will figure it out, but you have to allow that to happen. You can put in all the misdirection and red herrings you want to try and lead them in the wrong direction, but you have to have the real clues there too. Or, like I did, the reader will get to the end of the book and say “Huh. Okay then. Whatever. Didn’t know anything about that person,” and set it aside because I never got the ‘Aha!’ moment.
I quite enjoyed the read, and I liked Adam as a principal character, but I definitely felt cheated by the ending and the failure of the story to leave the ‘trail of breadcrumbs’ for me to follow to solve the mystery for myself along with Adam and Imogen. I’ll give it three stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources.
Adam’s retired to run a pub and have a quiet life, but with a murder practically on his doorstep- and he was with Imogen when she found the body - he can’t resist a little bit of quiet investigation on the side. Digging deeper in part by just listening to the talk in the pub, he slowly discovers his sleepy new home might have more than a few secrets… that some people might prefer stay buried.
I liked Adam a lot - he’s not in any way conventionally attractive, being short, fat, grey-haired and in Imogen’s internal description would make an excellent Santa Claus in the right suit - but Imogen was a little bit of a harder sell. We didn’t really get to know her through internal narrative in the same way we did Adam, though she definitely grew on me when she took on stray dog Harley. This is my first book by the author and the first in the series, and I admit I wasn’t really sure after reading this whether Imogen is going to continue being such a ‘main’ character in the narrative of the series. Adam’s the ‘Poirot’ of the series, obviously (he amusingly compares himself to Poirot when noting his physical characteristics at one point) but I don’t know where Imogen really fits in - central character or just the primary surviving victim of this particular story?
There’s a reasonable-sized supporting cast, but I think the author falls a little too much into the trap of not wanting to give away the answer too soon. Which is all very well, but if you don’t actually put enough clues in the text, you deny the reader the ‘Aha!’ moment, where the reader either gets to realise they were right in their assumption because they were clever enough to pick up the clues, OR realise that the author outsmarted them BUT the clues were there to be found. That’s sort of the point of a mystery… and yes, some people will figure it out, but you have to allow that to happen. You can put in all the misdirection and red herrings you want to try and lead them in the wrong direction, but you have to have the real clues there too. Or, like I did, the reader will get to the end of the book and say “Huh. Okay then. Whatever. Didn’t know anything about that person,” and set it aside because I never got the ‘Aha!’ moment.
I quite enjoyed the read, and I liked Adam as a principal character, but I definitely felt cheated by the ending and the failure of the story to leave the ‘trail of breadcrumbs’ for me to follow to solve the mystery for myself along with Adam and Imogen. I’ll give it three stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources.
August 20, 2021
I was hoping for something light and was drawn into the story initially as the characters seemed quite interesting, but then they weren't.
Stuff and nonsense the whole lot of it.
Kindle Unlimited
If KU choices continue to irk me as much as this book did I will have to drop it. Maybe my next choice will work out.
Stuff and nonsense the whole lot of it.
Kindle Unlimited
If KU choices continue to irk me as much as this book did I will have to drop it. Maybe my next choice will work out.
December 20, 2021
Another British murder mystery, this one set near the small Somerset village of Ham Hill. One of the main characters is the owner of the Plough Pub, who just happens to be a retired big city DCI. That's really cliché for this type of book, but in this case the characters are well written and make for an engaging story. Who knew there is an illegal underground market for extremely rare and exotic plants? Of course there is a murder or two to up the ante.
Another new author for me and one I shall read again. There is one other book in this series, so far, but she has written another series based in a seaside village of Exham-on-Sea, also in Somerset.
Another new author for me and one I shall read again. There is one other book in this series, so far, but she has written another series based in a seaside village of Exham-on-Sea, also in Somerset.
March 18, 2021
Welcome to Lower Hembrow, a rural village nestled in rolling hills of Somerset. A hidden gem often bypassed en route to more sought after destinations like Devon and Cornwall. The village is filled with winding lanes, rolling hills and quaint little chocolate box houses as well as the resident eccentrics and busybodies. But as charming and as picturesque as Lower Hembrow is, something is amiss. And soon secrets will come bubbling to the surface.
Local businessman and councillor, Horace Jones, has died as a result of a car accident. His landscape gardener daughter Imogen has returned to the village she grew up in for his funeral and to decide what to do about the Georgian hotel her father owned that she has now inherited. But returning to Lower Hembrow brings with it a whole deluge of memories she has spent that last 30 years trying to forget. Taking over the Streamside Hotel was never part of the plan but having recently split up with her husband and selling the flat they shared has left Imogen at a bit of a loose end. But all that is about to change when a body is discovered in the Orangery in the hotel's gardens.
Retired police detective Adam Hennessey, a former DCI, had come to Lower Hembrow for a quiet life. Leaving his police life back in Birmingham, Adam bought The Plough pub - across the road from the Streamside Hotel - and was looking forward to spending his retirement quietly running his pub and painting landscapes. And then Adam's quiet life was disrupted by the sudden and exuberant entrance of a stray dog that has chosen to lay his head, and his paws, at Adam's feet. Knowing nothing about dogs, for he'd always been a cat person, Adam found the young dog to be something of a hurricane...albeit a lovable one. But despite his police background, Adam never imagined to be investigating a murder but upon discovering the body of of Imogen's estranged husband Greg Bishop, his detective nose starts twitching and he soon finds he is unable to resist getting involved.
Imogen, Adam and Harley the dog join forces in an unlikely partnership as they attempt to untangle the knot of secrets to uncover the murderer and clear Imogen's name, as the police seem to think she's the most likely suspect with the most to gain from his demise. Throughout their investigations, Imogen learns a lot about her father, her estranged husband and their nefarious activities. Shocked at their discoveries, Imogen also reconnects with old friends from school that she hasn't seen since leaving three decades ago. But as they follow the trail leading them back 30 odd years into Imogen's past, will they be successful in their quest for the truth or will the killer evade justice?
I love the handful of characters in this delightful cosy mystery. I especially loved Adam and his quirky features, and of course the delightful Harley. Who doesn't love a book where the dog takes centre stage? My only concern on that front would be that something happens to the dog...and in my opinion, that can never happen. Kill off whoever else you want BUT LEAVE THE DOG ALONE!! In any event, Harley - so named by the little boy Adam rescued after being knocked off his bike by Councillor Smith - has landed on his paws when he adopted Adam and the two become something of an unlikely duo before Adam despairs that he knows next to nothing about dogs or who to train then when Imogen takes the effervescent Harley off his hands. And then the duo somehow become a trio hot on the trail of killers, blackmailers and buried secrets of the past. Together they are tenacious as they root out all possible suspects to get to the truth.
I have to admit, Frances Evesham had me completely bamboozled by red herrings that I had no clue as to who the guilty party was. Not. A. Clue. I felt like I was in Midsomer with a dash of St Mary Mead as the plot thickened with yet even more suspects. The finale is in true Agatha Christie style bringing each and every suspect into the room as hypotheses are theorised and methods are speculated...until the killer is finally revealed.
With an abundance of quirky characters, A VILLAGE MURDER is an engaging read from start to finish with plenty of surprises along the way to keep you guessing. It is a fun, light read that can be devoured rather quickly. I read it in one sitting last night curled up in bed.
The first in a delightful new cosy series, I look forward to further adventures involving Imogen, Adam and of course, Harley.
If you love Agatha Christie-type mysteries, then this book is for you!
I would like to thank #FrancesEvesham, #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #AVillageMurder in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Local businessman and councillor, Horace Jones, has died as a result of a car accident. His landscape gardener daughter Imogen has returned to the village she grew up in for his funeral and to decide what to do about the Georgian hotel her father owned that she has now inherited. But returning to Lower Hembrow brings with it a whole deluge of memories she has spent that last 30 years trying to forget. Taking over the Streamside Hotel was never part of the plan but having recently split up with her husband and selling the flat they shared has left Imogen at a bit of a loose end. But all that is about to change when a body is discovered in the Orangery in the hotel's gardens.
Retired police detective Adam Hennessey, a former DCI, had come to Lower Hembrow for a quiet life. Leaving his police life back in Birmingham, Adam bought The Plough pub - across the road from the Streamside Hotel - and was looking forward to spending his retirement quietly running his pub and painting landscapes. And then Adam's quiet life was disrupted by the sudden and exuberant entrance of a stray dog that has chosen to lay his head, and his paws, at Adam's feet. Knowing nothing about dogs, for he'd always been a cat person, Adam found the young dog to be something of a hurricane...albeit a lovable one. But despite his police background, Adam never imagined to be investigating a murder but upon discovering the body of of Imogen's estranged husband Greg Bishop, his detective nose starts twitching and he soon finds he is unable to resist getting involved.
Imogen, Adam and Harley the dog join forces in an unlikely partnership as they attempt to untangle the knot of secrets to uncover the murderer and clear Imogen's name, as the police seem to think she's the most likely suspect with the most to gain from his demise. Throughout their investigations, Imogen learns a lot about her father, her estranged husband and their nefarious activities. Shocked at their discoveries, Imogen also reconnects with old friends from school that she hasn't seen since leaving three decades ago. But as they follow the trail leading them back 30 odd years into Imogen's past, will they be successful in their quest for the truth or will the killer evade justice?
I love the handful of characters in this delightful cosy mystery. I especially loved Adam and his quirky features, and of course the delightful Harley. Who doesn't love a book where the dog takes centre stage? My only concern on that front would be that something happens to the dog...and in my opinion, that can never happen. Kill off whoever else you want BUT LEAVE THE DOG ALONE!! In any event, Harley - so named by the little boy Adam rescued after being knocked off his bike by Councillor Smith - has landed on his paws when he adopted Adam and the two become something of an unlikely duo before Adam despairs that he knows next to nothing about dogs or who to train then when Imogen takes the effervescent Harley off his hands. And then the duo somehow become a trio hot on the trail of killers, blackmailers and buried secrets of the past. Together they are tenacious as they root out all possible suspects to get to the truth.
I have to admit, Frances Evesham had me completely bamboozled by red herrings that I had no clue as to who the guilty party was. Not. A. Clue. I felt like I was in Midsomer with a dash of St Mary Mead as the plot thickened with yet even more suspects. The finale is in true Agatha Christie style bringing each and every suspect into the room as hypotheses are theorised and methods are speculated...until the killer is finally revealed.
With an abundance of quirky characters, A VILLAGE MURDER is an engaging read from start to finish with plenty of surprises along the way to keep you guessing. It is a fun, light read that can be devoured rather quickly. I read it in one sitting last night curled up in bed.
The first in a delightful new cosy series, I look forward to further adventures involving Imogen, Adam and of course, Harley.
If you love Agatha Christie-type mysteries, then this book is for you!
I would like to thank #FrancesEvesham, #NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #AVillageMurder in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
September 8, 2022
Although this is not in the same league as Miss Marple, it is nonetheless a pleasant listen from the pen of Frances Evesham and well read by Charlotte Strevens. Set in a fictitious Somerset village where Adam Hennesey, a retired Detective Chief Inspector, has taken over as the landlord of the Plough Inn. At the nearby Stream Side Hotel, Imogen Bishop is supervising the funeral f her father when she stumbles upon the body of her estranged husband Greg. Teaming up with Adam the pair start to look into the case, which leads them back into her schooldays.
While this might be tagged as a "cosy" mystery the characters are well presented and the plot follows a well trodden path of this type of mystery. All round this, although not a memorable story, is a good listen that past an enjoyable few hours.
While this might be tagged as a "cosy" mystery the characters are well presented and the plot follows a well trodden path of this type of mystery. All round this, although not a memorable story, is a good listen that past an enjoyable few hours.
November 9, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up
A cosy mystery set in an English village that fit my mood perfectly...hence the rounding up.
I will certainly read more in this series when I'm in the mood for comfort.
A cosy mystery set in an English village that fit my mood perfectly...hence the rounding up.
I will certainly read more in this series when I'm in the mood for comfort.
August 30, 2020
Once again I was on the trail of a new mystery writer at the library and found this author on Hoopla.
I really enjoyed this British who-dun-it because it reminded me of Midsomer Murders. Lots of characters, everyone has secrets, everyone lies, and it wraps up in a reasonable length of time.
This book is classified as 'cozy mystery' by most reviewers and I guess that is how they indicate there is no sex or graphic violence. Some cozy mystery books put me off because they are too saccharine. This one was not. I will listen to more books by this author.
I really enjoyed this British who-dun-it because it reminded me of Midsomer Murders. Lots of characters, everyone has secrets, everyone lies, and it wraps up in a reasonable length of time.
This book is classified as 'cozy mystery' by most reviewers and I guess that is how they indicate there is no sex or graphic violence. Some cozy mystery books put me off because they are too saccharine. This one was not. I will listen to more books by this author.
August 22, 2021
OK for a traditional whodunnit. Lacked clarity and polish and I found it confusing in places, particularly around the timeline and Imogen’s story. The retired detective character was well defined.
October 6, 2021
I enjoyed this book, the narration kept me entertained and the story was planned well. I didn't guess the murderer but there were several possibilities.
All in all a good cosy crime.
All in all a good cosy crime.
June 23, 2020
In A Village Murder, a man is found dead in a hotel in a peaceful town in the English countryside. His body is found by his wife Imogen, and by the former investigator, now pub owner, Adam Henessy.
Adam is my favorite kind of character: cheerful, funny, a little awkward. Definitively not the tall, dark, and handsome hero one expects. His inner beauty shines through, and I was touched by his unassuming way of leading the investigation.
Imogen found her dead husband's body during her father's funeral. A landscaping artist, her life was in shambles, but she found the strength to keep going and help Adam.
Some side characters were very cunning and exciting. Imogen reconnects with her school friends as they all face middle-age and the weight of their life choices.
Harley, a stray dog, helps to build the cozy atmosphere of the story and to delineate the real disposition of the characters. I have to confess that I love books with dogs!
A Village Murder is an enjoyable read with a lovely setting and very charming characters.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 06/23/2020 as part of the book's blog tour*
Merged review:
In A Village Murder, a man is found dead in a hotel in a peaceful town in the English countryside. His body is found by his wife Imogen, and by the former investigator, now pub owner, Adam Henessy.
Adam is my favorite kind of character: cheerful, funny, a little awkward. Definitively not the tall, dark, and handsome hero one expects. His inner beauty shines through, and I was touched by his unassuming way of leading the investigation.
Imogen found her dead husband's body during her father's funeral. A landscaping artist, her life was in shambles, but she found the strength to keep going and help Adam.
Some side characters were very cunning and exciting. Imogen reconnects with her school friends as they all face middle-age and the weight of their life choices.
Harley, a stray dog, helps to build the cozy atmosphere of the story and to delineate the real disposition of the characters. I have to confess that I love books with dogs!
A Village Murder is an enjoyable read with a lovely setting and very charming characters.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Adam is my favorite kind of character: cheerful, funny, a little awkward. Definitively not the tall, dark, and handsome hero one expects. His inner beauty shines through, and I was touched by his unassuming way of leading the investigation.
Imogen found her dead husband's body during her father's funeral. A landscaping artist, her life was in shambles, but she found the strength to keep going and help Adam.
Some side characters were very cunning and exciting. Imogen reconnects with her school friends as they all face middle-age and the weight of their life choices.
Harley, a stray dog, helps to build the cozy atmosphere of the story and to delineate the real disposition of the characters. I have to confess that I love books with dogs!
A Village Murder is an enjoyable read with a lovely setting and very charming characters.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*This review will be posted on https://lureviewsbooks.com on 06/23/2020 as part of the book's blog tour*
Merged review:
In A Village Murder, a man is found dead in a hotel in a peaceful town in the English countryside. His body is found by his wife Imogen, and by the former investigator, now pub owner, Adam Henessy.
Adam is my favorite kind of character: cheerful, funny, a little awkward. Definitively not the tall, dark, and handsome hero one expects. His inner beauty shines through, and I was touched by his unassuming way of leading the investigation.
Imogen found her dead husband's body during her father's funeral. A landscaping artist, her life was in shambles, but she found the strength to keep going and help Adam.
Some side characters were very cunning and exciting. Imogen reconnects with her school friends as they all face middle-age and the weight of their life choices.
Harley, a stray dog, helps to build the cozy atmosphere of the story and to delineate the real disposition of the characters. I have to confess that I love books with dogs!
A Village Murder is an enjoyable read with a lovely setting and very charming characters.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2020
Imogen has to return home for the funeral of her father. Dying in a car crash was not a surprise for Imogen as he was a rotten driver. Imogen is returning to her roots after a very long time because she is also trying to put behind her memories from thirty years past. A school girl incident which left one of their number dead, and which no one wishes to talk about at all.
Finding her estranged husband's body in the orangery during her father's funeral adds to Imogen's misery as she now finds several clues not adding up at all. Detectives in charge of the case seem to find Imogen as their chief suspect in the murder of her husband anyway but it is retired detective Adam who runs the local pub who sees a link between not just the death of her husband, but also her father and the death of the school boy thirty years ag
How to link the three together in this village of eccentrics, cranks and those hell bent on revenge is the task before both Adam and Imogen.
Set in beautiful Somerset countryside the story is full of characters of a village where everyone knows everyone else's business. This adds to the atmosphere of the story. The mystery murder is just one component.
Finding her estranged husband's body in the orangery during her father's funeral adds to Imogen's misery as she now finds several clues not adding up at all. Detectives in charge of the case seem to find Imogen as their chief suspect in the murder of her husband anyway but it is retired detective Adam who runs the local pub who sees a link between not just the death of her husband, but also her father and the death of the school boy thirty years ag
How to link the three together in this village of eccentrics, cranks and those hell bent on revenge is the task before both Adam and Imogen.
Set in beautiful Somerset countryside the story is full of characters of a village where everyone knows everyone else's business. This adds to the atmosphere of the story. The mystery murder is just one component.
January 7, 2022
One star reviews being reserved solely for books that make me annoyed they exist, this earns a resounding one and a half stars.
It is a reasonable facsimile of a book, there is definitely a plot that happens and it happens to what are more or less characters. I laughed through the entire conclusion, it works as a list of all the most hackneyed tropes of the tamest mystery tales. Imagine Agatha Christie except without the charm, originality, invention, wit, or pace. I don’t even particularly like Agatha Christie but this makes her look like a Nobel laureate.
It is a reasonable facsimile of a book, there is definitely a plot that happens and it happens to what are more or less characters. I laughed through the entire conclusion, it works as a list of all the most hackneyed tropes of the tamest mystery tales. Imagine Agatha Christie except without the charm, originality, invention, wit, or pace. I don’t even particularly like Agatha Christie but this makes her look like a Nobel laureate.
September 22, 2023
Pleasant read with a few nice twists and interesting characters. Narrator’s voice was warm and clear.
March 25, 2025
Not my favourite novel by a long, long way. I don't mind cozy (or cosy) mysteries but this was close to soporific. Adam Hennessey has retired from the police force to buy a pub in the Cotswolds - police pensions must be incredibly generous these days. In the village of Lower Hembrow he meets his new neighbour, Imogen Bishop, a successful garden designer who has inherited the village's Streamside Hotel - another character not short of cash. In fact, the further one goes through the novel the more difficult it becomes to find someone in financial difficulties, other than Imogen's employees who she treats as serfs with child-like intelligence. Then the murders come: Greg, Imogen's ex-husband, then Horace, Imogen's father, and finally Julian, Imogen's old schoolfriend. Are you thinking you know who did it? Well, you're wrong. The story may send the reader to sleep but it's not that straightforward.
There are some strange moments in it. Strange in the way they are written. Right at the beginning Adam is at home in his pub - remember he is a former police detective inspector, very knowledgeable when it comes to security - when there is some banging at his back door. He investigates just as the door is forced open, its security chain snapped. Who is the culprit? Some burly housebreaker? No, it's a stray dog. Our brilliant copper had fitted a chain so weak a half-starved mongrel could thump it apart.
Much later Adam is helping Imogen look into her father's suspicious death. Adam wants to go through the hotel's accounts, double-entry bookkeeping being an essential part of police training. There follows chapter 27, helpfully titled Accounts, in which for eight pages they entertain the reader with some in depth analysis of shady accounting methods.
And then there are the events leading up to Julian's death. The characters were at school when it happened. A picnic in a disused tunnel that went tragically wrong. The police put it down as an accidental death. Julian stumbled, fell and struck his head. Towards the end of the story we find out that it wasn't so and one of the men, a schoolboy at the time, mentions to Adam that he had seen something strange yet never mentioned it to the police. While the other kids brought torches, food, alcohol and LSD, one of them had a hammer. Possibly that person had the wrong idea about the nature of hard boiled eggs but it seems odd that no one linked the presence of a hammer to a boy with a shattered skull.
Finally, as a nod toward Agatha Christie, the story ends with the suspects gathered together and Imogen and Adam explaining how the evidence rules out everyone except one person. A three chapter-long cliche. One reason why an Agatha Christie comparison for the whole novel doesn't hold is that Christie tended to have her suspects and villains come from the aristocratic or moneyed classes, and the detectives and witnesses from those who worked for a living. Most of the stories seemed to end with the aristos paying for their arrogance or jealousy with the ignominy of handcuffs snapped on wrists. Crime never pays, even for the rich while, not inheriting anything, the meek have a good laugh. In A Village Murder everyone seems to be in the same social class so in the end there is no sense of retribution. The villain confesses and life goes on as normal for the rest.
There is little wrong with the story. It is a basic murder mystery without any original crimes or methods of death: rat poison, engineered car crash, blow to the head with a hammer, while the characters struggle to rise above dullness and the situations vary between ordinary and quite silly. I probably won't be visiting Ham Hill again any time soon.
There are some strange moments in it. Strange in the way they are written. Right at the beginning Adam is at home in his pub - remember he is a former police detective inspector, very knowledgeable when it comes to security - when there is some banging at his back door. He investigates just as the door is forced open, its security chain snapped. Who is the culprit? Some burly housebreaker? No, it's a stray dog. Our brilliant copper had fitted a chain so weak a half-starved mongrel could thump it apart.
Much later Adam is helping Imogen look into her father's suspicious death. Adam wants to go through the hotel's accounts, double-entry bookkeeping being an essential part of police training. There follows chapter 27, helpfully titled Accounts, in which for eight pages they entertain the reader with some in depth analysis of shady accounting methods.
And then there are the events leading up to Julian's death. The characters were at school when it happened. A picnic in a disused tunnel that went tragically wrong. The police put it down as an accidental death. Julian stumbled, fell and struck his head. Towards the end of the story we find out that it wasn't so and one of the men, a schoolboy at the time, mentions to Adam that he had seen something strange yet never mentioned it to the police. While the other kids brought torches, food, alcohol and LSD, one of them had a hammer. Possibly that person had the wrong idea about the nature of hard boiled eggs but it seems odd that no one linked the presence of a hammer to a boy with a shattered skull.
Finally, as a nod toward Agatha Christie, the story ends with the suspects gathered together and Imogen and Adam explaining how the evidence rules out everyone except one person. A three chapter-long cliche. One reason why an Agatha Christie comparison for the whole novel doesn't hold is that Christie tended to have her suspects and villains come from the aristocratic or moneyed classes, and the detectives and witnesses from those who worked for a living. Most of the stories seemed to end with the aristos paying for their arrogance or jealousy with the ignominy of handcuffs snapped on wrists. Crime never pays, even for the rich while, not inheriting anything, the meek have a good laugh. In A Village Murder everyone seems to be in the same social class so in the end there is no sense of retribution. The villain confesses and life goes on as normal for the rest.
There is little wrong with the story. It is a basic murder mystery without any original crimes or methods of death: rat poison, engineered car crash, blow to the head with a hammer, while the characters struggle to rise above dullness and the situations vary between ordinary and quite silly. I probably won't be visiting Ham Hill again any time soon.
December 14, 2021
What a lovely English cozy mystery!
March 11, 2022
An easy read, nothing to really dislike but nothing that stands as remarkable or original. The storyline seemed a little disjointed at times & I struggled with the timeline. The thirty year gap between events didn't work for me - not helped by the fact that I visualised Imogen being early thirties rather than late forties she must have been - & the reason behind the murders resulted in a rather audible "tut"!
It passed the time nicely but I've read better. Then again I've read much worse... ;o)
2.5 stars from me
It passed the time nicely but I've read better. Then again I've read much worse... ;o)
2.5 stars from me
July 6, 2020
I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie's Poirot series, owning most of the series in hardback. I also really love TV shows such as Midsomer Murders. There's just something cozy about them — despite the subject of murder being quite gruesome! I was really excited to pick up A Village Murder by Frances Evesham, which promises to be just that — a cozy and comforting English murder mystery.
A Village Murder is set in the Somerset village of Lower Hembrow. Adam Hennessey is a retired police officer, now landlord of The Plough and is hoping for a quiet life (or so he says!). Meanwhile, Imogen Bishop has recently inherited The Streamside Hotel, opposite the pub — after he father died in a car accident. Her father was popular in the village, a councillor, philanthropist and entrepreneur. The police have blamed his car accident on slippery roads, fly-tipped rubbish and thinning tyres — until Imogen's husband is found dead in the hotel orangery on the day of the funeral. Adam and Imogen then form a partnership to try and solve both deaths and bring the killer to justice.
This book begins with a stray dog barrelling through the door of Adam's pub. He later names the dog Harley, and despite always being a cat person, slowly learns how to love a dog. Now, how could I hate a book that has a dog as such a central part of the story?!
I really liked both Adam and Imogen's characters. Adam is very positive and upbeat, and I could feel his warmth and kindness through the pages. He is a really likeable character and his background as a detective makes the story very plausible. Imogen herself is incredibly strong, smart and resilient. I especially liked that her friends from school and Adam describe her as being totally different to how she sees herself - one of her school friends even says: "She looked like a Greek goddess." Something I think everyone could learn from!
While investigating the murder, Imogen learns a lot about her father and about her late husband - some things she knew about, as well as other areas that she didn't. It feels like it gave her some closure to know the truth about them both at last, that would allow her to move on with her life. She also reconnects with old friends from school, who she hadn't seen since leaving the village after leaving school.
There are also lots of quirky characters in the village, such as Helen Pickles, the local vicar, and Maria Rostropova, a beautiful Romanian woman who uses her charms to persuade others in the village to help her.
The story itself moves along at a good pace with some surprises along the way. There are some interludes, for example with Adam and Imogen hosting a charity concert for Maria and a little bit of romance. It ends with the traditional set of all the suspects in a room together while Adam and Imogen talk us through it until the murderer is revealed. I thought I had guessed who the murderer would be, but it turns out that there were a lot of red herrings in the story! This was a really fun, light read - I enjoyed it and would love to read more from Adam and Imogen (and Harley!). They made a great team in the book so I'd love to read about their future adventures, as well as others in the village!
A Village Murder is set in the Somerset village of Lower Hembrow. Adam Hennessey is a retired police officer, now landlord of The Plough and is hoping for a quiet life (or so he says!). Meanwhile, Imogen Bishop has recently inherited The Streamside Hotel, opposite the pub — after he father died in a car accident. Her father was popular in the village, a councillor, philanthropist and entrepreneur. The police have blamed his car accident on slippery roads, fly-tipped rubbish and thinning tyres — until Imogen's husband is found dead in the hotel orangery on the day of the funeral. Adam and Imogen then form a partnership to try and solve both deaths and bring the killer to justice.
This book begins with a stray dog barrelling through the door of Adam's pub. He later names the dog Harley, and despite always being a cat person, slowly learns how to love a dog. Now, how could I hate a book that has a dog as such a central part of the story?!
I really liked both Adam and Imogen's characters. Adam is very positive and upbeat, and I could feel his warmth and kindness through the pages. He is a really likeable character and his background as a detective makes the story very plausible. Imogen herself is incredibly strong, smart and resilient. I especially liked that her friends from school and Adam describe her as being totally different to how she sees herself - one of her school friends even says: "She looked like a Greek goddess." Something I think everyone could learn from!
While investigating the murder, Imogen learns a lot about her father and about her late husband - some things she knew about, as well as other areas that she didn't. It feels like it gave her some closure to know the truth about them both at last, that would allow her to move on with her life. She also reconnects with old friends from school, who she hadn't seen since leaving the village after leaving school.
There are also lots of quirky characters in the village, such as Helen Pickles, the local vicar, and Maria Rostropova, a beautiful Romanian woman who uses her charms to persuade others in the village to help her.
The story itself moves along at a good pace with some surprises along the way. There are some interludes, for example with Adam and Imogen hosting a charity concert for Maria and a little bit of romance. It ends with the traditional set of all the suspects in a room together while Adam and Imogen talk us through it until the murderer is revealed. I thought I had guessed who the murderer would be, but it turns out that there were a lot of red herrings in the story! This was a really fun, light read - I enjoyed it and would love to read more from Adam and Imogen (and Harley!). They made a great team in the book so I'd love to read about their future adventures, as well as others in the village!
June 21, 2020
In the beautiful rural Somerset village of Lower Hembrow, crammed full with English eccentrics, something is amiss. Landscape gardener Imogen Bishop has spent the last thirty years trying to forget one fateful school night but when her estranged husband Greg Bishop is found dead in the grounds of her fathers' Georgian hotel & on the day of her father’s funeral things start to get on top of her. Retired police officer Adam Hennessey, hoping for a peaceful life running his traditional Somerset country pub, finds himself drawn into the unfolding drama in the hotel across the road.
Imogen, Adam and Harley the stray dog form an unlikely partnership as they try to untangle a knot of secrets, solve a murder mystery, and bring a killer to justice.
This is the start of a new series & I found it to be a well written entertaining read. The characters are well fleshed & I liked both Adam & Imogen who's relationship grew throughout the book & I hope they continue to solve crimes in the idyllic Somerset countryside, Harley is a great addition with the cat loving Adam almost becoming a dog person. There are plenty of red herring plus twists & turns & a growing number of murders before he culprit is revealed. I happily whiled away a few hours with this engrossing read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Imogen, Adam and Harley the stray dog form an unlikely partnership as they try to untangle a knot of secrets, solve a murder mystery, and bring a killer to justice.
This is the start of a new series & I found it to be a well written entertaining read. The characters are well fleshed & I liked both Adam & Imogen who's relationship grew throughout the book & I hope they continue to solve crimes in the idyllic Somerset countryside, Harley is a great addition with the cat loving Adam almost becoming a dog person. There are plenty of red herring plus twists & turns & a growing number of murders before he culprit is revealed. I happily whiled away a few hours with this engrossing read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
May 2, 2021
In the English village of Lower Hembrow retired police officer, Adam Hennessy, runs the Plough Pub and paints as a hobby. Across the way is the Streamside Hotel. The owner, the Councilor, had just died from a car accident, and his daughter, Imogen Bishop is the new owner. She is also a landscape gardener, and is designing gardens at Haselbury House, a prestigious project nearby. Imogen is separated from her husband Greg, who wasn't at the funeral. Emily, the hotel manager, had asked Adam to help her with the food and drink at the hotel after the funeral. Imogen asks Adam to have a drink with her in the garden after folks had left. As it starts to rain, they go to the Orangery, and find Imogen's husband dead.
Imogen remembers a picnic when her school friends last got together, when they went into a tunnel out of the basement of the school. One of the boys was found dead in the tunnel the next day. When Adam determines that her father's car accident was probably a murder, she begins to wonder if the boy dying thirty years ago has anything to do with Greg's and her father's murder.
I enjoyed this story. The characters were interesting, and the story was well done. I look forward to number 2 in the series.
Imogen remembers a picnic when her school friends last got together, when they went into a tunnel out of the basement of the school. One of the boys was found dead in the tunnel the next day. When Adam determines that her father's car accident was probably a murder, she begins to wonder if the boy dying thirty years ago has anything to do with Greg's and her father's murder.
I enjoyed this story. The characters were interesting, and the story was well done. I look forward to number 2 in the series.
May 14, 2020
A local businessman and town councillor has died and following his funeral, his daughter, Imogene, discovers the corpse of her soon-to-be-ex-husband in the greenhouse. She, of course, is the main suspect. Happily, her new friend and neighbor, is a former detective and believes she’s innocent. Between the two of them, they dig up some clues and talk to several other folks who might have had reason to kill Greg. And a tragedy from 20+ years ago might shed light on the killings.
I liked the characters and the town. Adam is wonderful, happy and friendly, and good at what used to be his job. I assume he’s also a good pub owner, but it’s hard to tell. I liked how reasonable and (mostly) calm Imogene is. She’s honest, although not necessarily with the cops, and tries to have a clear view of her situation. I also like that she and Adam are not flirting; they both have other love interests. And I adored the dog.
The mystery itself pulled together well, but the motive was a little weak for me. Twenty year old secrets are good, but I need a bit more from a killer than what the author gave.
I liked the characters and the town. Adam is wonderful, happy and friendly, and good at what used to be his job. I assume he’s also a good pub owner, but it’s hard to tell. I liked how reasonable and (mostly) calm Imogene is. She’s honest, although not necessarily with the cops, and tries to have a clear view of her situation. I also like that she and Adam are not flirting; they both have other love interests. And I adored the dog.
The mystery itself pulled together well, but the motive was a little weak for me. Twenty year old secrets are good, but I need a bit more from a killer than what the author gave.
October 18, 2021
New-to-me author and new-to-me series but I'm excited to have discovered them both!
A Village Murder is a bit different from my usual cozy fare but I enjoyed it just the same. First off, the protagonist is male -- retired police office turned publican, Adam Hennessy. It's what I imagine retired Chief Inspector Barnaby from Midsomer Murders might be like. :-) Adam has opted to settle into quiet village life running the local pub but when murder happens very nearly on his doorstep, he can't resist the urge to put the pieces together. There's a great cast of secondary characters, including murder suspect Imogen and the story was told from both Adam's and Imogen's POV. There are a bit more layers to the mystery than the usual cozy and it's on the more serious side. Though some comic relief is provided by a rescue mutt with mega personality. Have to say I was stumped right up to the big reveal at the very end. I had plenty of suspects but no clue as to who the killer really was.
I listened to the audible edition and enjoyed Charlotte Stevens' narration. Will definitely be continuing with this series in this format.
A Village Murder is a bit different from my usual cozy fare but I enjoyed it just the same. First off, the protagonist is male -- retired police office turned publican, Adam Hennessy. It's what I imagine retired Chief Inspector Barnaby from Midsomer Murders might be like. :-) Adam has opted to settle into quiet village life running the local pub but when murder happens very nearly on his doorstep, he can't resist the urge to put the pieces together. There's a great cast of secondary characters, including murder suspect Imogen and the story was told from both Adam's and Imogen's POV. There are a bit more layers to the mystery than the usual cozy and it's on the more serious side. Though some comic relief is provided by a rescue mutt with mega personality. Have to say I was stumped right up to the big reveal at the very end. I had plenty of suspects but no clue as to who the killer really was.
I listened to the audible edition and enjoyed Charlotte Stevens' narration. Will definitely be continuing with this series in this format.
September 19, 2022
Really liked the setting and main characters; looking forward to the rest of the series.
April 3, 2022
3-*
I kept listening right until the end as I wanted to see who'd dunit.... too many read herrings for me to guess.
Other than the short, overweight, balding, retired Policeman, none of the other characters at Ham Hill were engaging enough for me to want to listen further in this series.
Extra: good chunks of the book read a little like teen angst revisited amongst grown-ups.
I kept listening right until the end as I wanted to see who'd dunit.... too many read herrings for me to guess.
Other than the short, overweight, balding, retired Policeman, none of the other characters at Ham Hill were engaging enough for me to want to listen further in this series.
Extra: good chunks of the book read a little like teen angst revisited amongst grown-ups.
October 7, 2021
Audiobook
December 12, 2021
I listened to this to put myself to sleep at night —don’t care enough about the characters to stay awake.
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