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Edward Crisp #1
Who Killed Miss Finch?
Do YOU love a classic WHODUNNIT?
Edward Crisp does.
That is, until hated local Head Teacher Miss Finch is found dead and shy school librarian Edward finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation.
Motives and alibis, secrets and lies, a ton of suspects and a sharp police detective, all in the tiny seaside village of Chalk Gap: every ingredient for the type of quintessential mystery novel Edward loves.
Except this time it isn’t fiction: the suspects are Edward’s friends, colleagues and neighbours, and the detective is a face from his past he’d rather forget.
No, this is very real - although Edward can’t quite convince his teenage library assistant, Noah, who happily thinks one of their beloved murder mysteries has come to life.
Can Edward overcome his crippling anxiety and face up to reality, in order to solve the mystery himself?
Can Edward Crisp work out WHO KILLED MISS FINCH?
And can YOU?
__________
Who Killed Miss Finch? is a quirky, modern murder mystery with an underdog detective to root for: a whodunnit with a heart. It is written for adults but is also suitable for a YA audience.
Edward Crisp does.
That is, until hated local Head Teacher Miss Finch is found dead and shy school librarian Edward finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation.
Motives and alibis, secrets and lies, a ton of suspects and a sharp police detective, all in the tiny seaside village of Chalk Gap: every ingredient for the type of quintessential mystery novel Edward loves.
Except this time it isn’t fiction: the suspects are Edward’s friends, colleagues and neighbours, and the detective is a face from his past he’d rather forget.
No, this is very real - although Edward can’t quite convince his teenage library assistant, Noah, who happily thinks one of their beloved murder mysteries has come to life.
Can Edward overcome his crippling anxiety and face up to reality, in order to solve the mystery himself?
Can Edward Crisp work out WHO KILLED MISS FINCH?
And can YOU?
__________
Who Killed Miss Finch? is a quirky, modern murder mystery with an underdog detective to root for: a whodunnit with a heart. It is written for adults but is also suitable for a YA audience.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 17, 2020
618 people are currently reading
507 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
February 24, 2022
1.5
positives
-nice atmosphere
-some of the characters were interesting
-good diversity!
negatives
-asperger’s? the correct term is ASD now, and as someone with autism it annoyed me that the incorrect term was used
-i also disliked the presentation of noah. although his ‘quirks’ do align with asd traits, autistic people are much deeper and more complex than that. Noah felt like a very 2D representation of autism
-the writing was very cliche, and the conversations just didn’t seem realistic! some of the conversations between characters were so cringey and unnatural
-everyone just sort of accepts that a school librarian can solve a murder..? and the way that he gets into solving the murder seemed weird and implausible (like he just decides to do it?? and no one questions it apart from the DI, and even he goes along with it fairly quickly)
-the fact that he just kind of solves stuff from thin air. the biggest revelations (patrick and emma’s secrets) he just kind of guesses. there is no truly good detective work
overall not my thing at all. but i could see why someone would like it! i’m sure the other books improve upon this. maybe i’ll read them one day if i’m bored and don’t know what else to do.
positives
-nice atmosphere
-some of the characters were interesting
-good diversity!
negatives
-asperger’s? the correct term is ASD now, and as someone with autism it annoyed me that the incorrect term was used
-i also disliked the presentation of noah. although his ‘quirks’ do align with asd traits, autistic people are much deeper and more complex than that. Noah felt like a very 2D representation of autism
-the writing was very cliche, and the conversations just didn’t seem realistic! some of the conversations between characters were so cringey and unnatural
-everyone just sort of accepts that a school librarian can solve a murder..? and the way that he gets into solving the murder seemed weird and implausible (like he just decides to do it?? and no one questions it apart from the DI, and even he goes along with it fairly quickly)
-the fact that he just kind of solves stuff from thin air. the biggest revelations (patrick and emma’s secrets) he just kind of guesses. there is no truly good detective work
overall not my thing at all. but i could see why someone would like it! i’m sure the other books improve upon this. maybe i’ll read them one day if i’m bored and don’t know what else to do.
February 20, 2023
Thoroughly entertaining. Good prose, decent characterization, good world building, good mystery, no theme. More like 3.5 stars rounded down by coin toss.
Did not know that this is YA. Did not have focus on YA characters doing YA things. Had two 16 year-olds who were minor characters. Everyone else is an adult doing adult things.
Mr. Boon, there is no need to label your characters. Just write them true to life and your readers will come to their own conclusions.
Did not know that this is YA. Did not have focus on YA characters doing YA things. Had two 16 year-olds who were minor characters. Everyone else is an adult doing adult things.
Mr. Boon, there is no need to label your characters. Just write them true to life and your readers will come to their own conclusions.
March 23, 2023
4.5
I don’t typically read murder mystery/whodunnits, so this was pretty fun to read! I buddy read this and had a great time trying to decide who the murderer was.
It was full of twists and red herrings that one can expect from this type of book. It also explores various themes such as Asperger’s Syndrome, sexuality, family, etc., but does it in a subtle way. It’s not forced or overly didactic.
However, there were two things that brought the overall story down. One, this is marketed as YA, but doesn’t have that “Young Adult” feel to it. I believe if the cover was marketed differently but had the exact same copy, it wouldn’t make a difference. Also, there were only two teenage characters in the novel—yes they’re pivotal to the plot but I wanted more teenage angst!
Two, and this is a personal book pet peeve of mine, the “reveal” of the murderer was done in a monologue-type way. That is, Edward relayed all the evidence he gathered in a confrontation with the murderer—which seemed to “tell” more than “show.” I know that style is popular, and I’m sure some would say necessary, in whodunnits. However, it took me out of the story/thrill a bit.
Overall, if you’re looking for a quick fun murder mystery, check this one out.
I don’t typically read murder mystery/whodunnits, so this was pretty fun to read! I buddy read this and had a great time trying to decide who the murderer was.
It was full of twists and red herrings that one can expect from this type of book. It also explores various themes such as Asperger’s Syndrome, sexuality, family, etc., but does it in a subtle way. It’s not forced or overly didactic.
However, there were two things that brought the overall story down. One, this is marketed as YA, but doesn’t have that “Young Adult” feel to it. I believe if the cover was marketed differently but had the exact same copy, it wouldn’t make a difference. Also, there were only two teenage characters in the novel—yes they’re pivotal to the plot but I wanted more teenage angst!
Two, and this is a personal book pet peeve of mine, the “reveal” of the murderer was done in a monologue-type way. That is, Edward relayed all the evidence he gathered in a confrontation with the murderer—which seemed to “tell” more than “show.” I know that style is popular, and I’m sure some would say necessary, in whodunnits. However, it took me out of the story/thrill a bit.
Overall, if you’re looking for a quick fun murder mystery, check this one out.
January 19, 2021
This is a YA novel, so I am not the intended market. If I were, I am sure that I would have marked it as 4* or maybe even 5*.
The story revolves around a young, socially awkward school librarian, Edward, and his schoolboy assistant, Noah, who is a 16 year old with Aspergers. Miss Finch is the hated school headmistress who is murdered just before the launch of a new Academy school.
Set in a small village, there is a limited pool of suspects, mostly Edward’s colleagues. As a big fan of murder mysteries, Edward tries to discover the killer.
This is a well written novel, with a number of twists and turns, and for me at least, an unexpected killer.
I am sure it will appeal to the YA market.
The story revolves around a young, socially awkward school librarian, Edward, and his schoolboy assistant, Noah, who is a 16 year old with Aspergers. Miss Finch is the hated school headmistress who is murdered just before the launch of a new Academy school.
Set in a small village, there is a limited pool of suspects, mostly Edward’s colleagues. As a big fan of murder mysteries, Edward tries to discover the killer.
This is a well written novel, with a number of twists and turns, and for me at least, an unexpected killer.
I am sure it will appeal to the YA market.
November 11, 2024
I couldn’t help but feel that this book was written for teens - it just had a childish style. Lacked depth in my honest opinion
April 12, 2021
What happens when the one person everybody hates, is murdered? How do you work out who did it, when everyone has motive? These are the questions Edward Crisp, school librarian and murder-mystery lover, has to answer when the hated headteacher, Miss Finch, is murdered. Can he ask the uncomfortable questions to his friends, colleagues and even his family, to solve the crime?
Edward Crisp is a school librarian who dreams of writing his own novels about murder mysteries whilst dealing with his anxiety and pushy relatives who want to know when he'll find someone to settle down with. He's me. My own struggles, my aspirations and dreams are all that of Edward Crisp, and that's why he's so relatable, why this book is a great read, and that's without the plot itself.
The murder mystery itself was great, I definitely didn't see it coming, and the amount of times I second guessed myself, made me ready most of it in one sitting. But this book also brings to question the question of guilt. Can the murder of someone who treats people despicably, be wrong? This is especially important once the murderer is revealed and we as the reader, have to ask ourselves how we truly feel about it. It's an uncomfortable feeling of not feeling bad for the murdered, and feeling conflicted towards the murderer.
This book is definitely a fun, easy read, especially for a Sunday curled up on the couch. I loved the references to all the classic murder authors and how mysteries are usually solved but I would've liked more development in the narration as sometimes I felt that the narrator was solving things in an instant that weren't explained as to how he'd uncovered it, but this is something which changes between each individual reader and their preferences.
That being said, if you're a fan of murder mysteries and love the classics, or even if you have a spare afternoon and you're unsure how to spend it, then this is one you should definitely pick up and solve.
Edward Crisp is a school librarian who dreams of writing his own novels about murder mysteries whilst dealing with his anxiety and pushy relatives who want to know when he'll find someone to settle down with. He's me. My own struggles, my aspirations and dreams are all that of Edward Crisp, and that's why he's so relatable, why this book is a great read, and that's without the plot itself.
The murder mystery itself was great, I definitely didn't see it coming, and the amount of times I second guessed myself, made me ready most of it in one sitting. But this book also brings to question the question of guilt. Can the murder of someone who treats people despicably, be wrong? This is especially important once the murderer is revealed and we as the reader, have to ask ourselves how we truly feel about it. It's an uncomfortable feeling of not feeling bad for the murdered, and feeling conflicted towards the murderer.
This book is definitely a fun, easy read, especially for a Sunday curled up on the couch. I loved the references to all the classic murder authors and how mysteries are usually solved but I would've liked more development in the narration as sometimes I felt that the narrator was solving things in an instant that weren't explained as to how he'd uncovered it, but this is something which changes between each individual reader and their preferences.
That being said, if you're a fan of murder mysteries and love the classics, or even if you have a spare afternoon and you're unsure how to spend it, then this is one you should definitely pick up and solve.
May 9, 2021
Another little murder mystery 👀
Who Killed Miss Finch? - Peter Boon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I always find murder mysteries difficult to review without giving the whole thing away 😂 but this was a lovely little read.
It’s a YA, a real whodunnit, believable characters, interesting little plot line, and I never would have guessed the murderer.
If you want a fun little read for a rainy Sunday, I highly recommend. I loved all the references to the classic murder authors (wishlist has definitely increased) and I really enjoyed that Boon entwined those classics into the plot line of his own novel. When I realised the truth, I wasn’t sure how Boon was going to make it work but he pulled it off exceptionally and I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the Edward Crisp series.
Heads up - this is also on kindle unlimited at the moment.
Who Killed Miss Finch? - Peter Boon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I always find murder mysteries difficult to review without giving the whole thing away 😂 but this was a lovely little read.
It’s a YA, a real whodunnit, believable characters, interesting little plot line, and I never would have guessed the murderer.
If you want a fun little read for a rainy Sunday, I highly recommend. I loved all the references to the classic murder authors (wishlist has definitely increased) and I really enjoyed that Boon entwined those classics into the plot line of his own novel. When I realised the truth, I wasn’t sure how Boon was going to make it work but he pulled it off exceptionally and I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the Edward Crisp series.
Heads up - this is also on kindle unlimited at the moment.
March 26, 2021
I loved this book. The characters, the setting, the writing style. It's hard to write much of a review without spoiling, but I will be reading more from this author.
March 14, 2024
Wholesome and comforting - such a lovely YA read
April 13, 2022
I really liked this one, it was fun, interesting and a quick little read. The characters managed to hold my interest and the story was good. Even managed to surprise me a couple of times. I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
August 12, 2022
Thoroughly delightful!
I really enjoyed this first installment in the series. It took me a while to get to know the characters but once I did I enjoyed them very much! It was very fast moving! Lots of humor! A bit of romance! And a well thought out plot that kept me guessing right till the end! I am on to book two !!
I really enjoyed this first installment in the series. It took me a while to get to know the characters but once I did I enjoyed them very much! It was very fast moving! Lots of humor! A bit of romance! And a well thought out plot that kept me guessing right till the end! I am on to book two !!
May 17, 2022
Not for me, however, I am not the intended audience, I didn’t realise this was YA before I started reading and I can see how a younger person might enjoy this.
2.5 stars for the fact that it was a relaxing read you didn’t have to think too much about, and some of the characters were interesting. However, some of the characters just didn’t seem real and the main characters investigation wasn’t believable, everyone in the town just accepts that he, a librarian, can solve the case and allows him into their houses to grill them on their whereabouts etc. I just wasn’t buying it.
2.5 stars for the fact that it was a relaxing read you didn’t have to think too much about, and some of the characters were interesting. However, some of the characters just didn’t seem real and the main characters investigation wasn’t believable, everyone in the town just accepts that he, a librarian, can solve the case and allows him into their houses to grill them on their whereabouts etc. I just wasn’t buying it.
October 16, 2022
Seemed like amateur writing and even the map was unimaginative. I skipped the last half of the book to find out “who done it “.
January 2, 2023
why was the only good character an antagonist
February 9, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A cracking debut novel. A quirky feel good whodunit that had me chuckling. This isn’t my usual go to end of the crime spectrum. A most pleasant diversion though 😊
#1 in the Edward Crisp mystery series.
A traditional murder mystery with an unlikely duo trying to solve the murder of Miss Finch. Miss Finch is the newly appointed headmistress to the school and is instantly hated by everyone, so there are plenty of suspects from the new school. Edward Crisps is the school librarian and one half of the quirky investigative duo who suffers from crippling anxiety, the other Noah a young pupil and assistant librarian who suffers from Aspergers making them both socially difficult and isolated. The one thing they have in common is their love of murder mysteries. They really are the most likeable characters.
The target audience is from YA to adult. I feel with the light easy going style and the humour it’s weighted more towards the YA end. I really like the cover, which I think is more suggestive of YA content.
The writing style made it instantly appealing and engaging. It is written in the first person, I liked that Edward Crisp is talking to us directly.
The pace is brisk, it’s an easy fun read.
A minor irritation for me is the constant use of the word trope.
I would have loved a bit more humour in the dialogue with Noah.
My fav quote from the book.
‘ you’re a little odd, but you’re the smartest guy I know. And this young man (Noah) is even odder, so that probably means he’s even smarter’
I am looking forward to the next instalment The Snow Day murders
A cracking debut novel. A quirky feel good whodunit that had me chuckling. This isn’t my usual go to end of the crime spectrum. A most pleasant diversion though 😊
#1 in the Edward Crisp mystery series.
A traditional murder mystery with an unlikely duo trying to solve the murder of Miss Finch. Miss Finch is the newly appointed headmistress to the school and is instantly hated by everyone, so there are plenty of suspects from the new school. Edward Crisps is the school librarian and one half of the quirky investigative duo who suffers from crippling anxiety, the other Noah a young pupil and assistant librarian who suffers from Aspergers making them both socially difficult and isolated. The one thing they have in common is their love of murder mysteries. They really are the most likeable characters.
The target audience is from YA to adult. I feel with the light easy going style and the humour it’s weighted more towards the YA end. I really like the cover, which I think is more suggestive of YA content.
The writing style made it instantly appealing and engaging. It is written in the first person, I liked that Edward Crisp is talking to us directly.
The pace is brisk, it’s an easy fun read.
A minor irritation for me is the constant use of the word trope.
I would have loved a bit more humour in the dialogue with Noah.
My fav quote from the book.
‘ you’re a little odd, but you’re the smartest guy I know. And this young man (Noah) is even odder, so that probably means he’s even smarter’
I am looking forward to the next instalment The Snow Day murders
August 30, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by this! Why? Well, it's a privately published title -- I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited -- and, while the quality of self published stuff has definitely improved in the last 15 years, there are still a pretty good minority that aren't "ready for prime time". But this was very enjoyable and kept me reading.
Is it great literature? No. But it absolutely slots solidly into the cozy mystery category. Amateur detective, small village, limited suspects, etc. The secondary characters are, to a large extent, types, but there are nuances even there and the main characters definitely have a bit more depth. The mystery is complex enough to be interesting without being too complicated. And the solution was completely logical with a twist I didn't see.
I liked Edward Crisp -- not perfect by any means but pretty self aware. Subject to fits of anxiety, he's nevertheless super-smart with an especial affinity for murder mysteries classic and modern. But when the roundly disliked new head teacher of his school (he's the librarian) is found dead, he's not at all sure he likes the idea of living inside one. But friends and family are coming under suspicion and even the police detective -- his old bully from school -- begins to realize there are some things Edward can find out quicker and easier than he can.
This is the first in a series so it's pretty clear that Chalk Gap is about to become the next Cabot Cove or Midsomer. But I'll happily revisit -- I've already downloaded the next in the series.
Is it great literature? No. But it absolutely slots solidly into the cozy mystery category. Amateur detective, small village, limited suspects, etc. The secondary characters are, to a large extent, types, but there are nuances even there and the main characters definitely have a bit more depth. The mystery is complex enough to be interesting without being too complicated. And the solution was completely logical with a twist I didn't see.
I liked Edward Crisp -- not perfect by any means but pretty self aware. Subject to fits of anxiety, he's nevertheless super-smart with an especial affinity for murder mysteries classic and modern. But when the roundly disliked new head teacher of his school (he's the librarian) is found dead, he's not at all sure he likes the idea of living inside one. But friends and family are coming under suspicion and even the police detective -- his old bully from school -- begins to realize there are some things Edward can find out quicker and easier than he can.
This is the first in a series so it's pretty clear that Chalk Gap is about to become the next Cabot Cove or Midsomer. But I'll happily revisit -- I've already downloaded the next in the series.
April 13, 2021
Can I start by saying that I really enjoyed the debut novel from this Author, Your Truth or Mine? It certainly fits into my psychological thriller genre perfectly and I’m especially open to Authors globally.
At the start I was a bit unsure as there’s a lot of ‘government’ talk in which I felt a little bit out of my depth if I’m being completely honest.
Fifteen years ago, three 16-year-old girls meet at Wescott, an exclusive private school in India. Two are popular and the third, Alia feels her happiness depends on being accepted.
We follow multiple timelines, between Alia and Sabah in the present and the girls fifteen years ago at school but I also found this quite difficult as each personality felt so different from when they were young.
I didn’t know where this story was going as the Author leads you down one path and the twist spins you in an absolute U-turn. But the twist was explosive. I certainly didn’t expect that. When I realised what was happening, I didn’t think it would be able to be pulled off well but it all wrapped up in the end and I thought it very clever.
Whilst I found the book very well written, it did feel hard to connect and I wasn’t didn’t feel the sadness you can experience when I got to the end of it. I’ve tried to analyse why, but it’s something I just can’t put my finger on. It could be something as simple as the impact and love I had had for ‘Girl A’ which I’d read the week before.
At the start I was a bit unsure as there’s a lot of ‘government’ talk in which I felt a little bit out of my depth if I’m being completely honest.
Fifteen years ago, three 16-year-old girls meet at Wescott, an exclusive private school in India. Two are popular and the third, Alia feels her happiness depends on being accepted.
We follow multiple timelines, between Alia and Sabah in the present and the girls fifteen years ago at school but I also found this quite difficult as each personality felt so different from when they were young.
I didn’t know where this story was going as the Author leads you down one path and the twist spins you in an absolute U-turn. But the twist was explosive. I certainly didn’t expect that. When I realised what was happening, I didn’t think it would be able to be pulled off well but it all wrapped up in the end and I thought it very clever.
Whilst I found the book very well written, it did feel hard to connect and I wasn’t didn’t feel the sadness you can experience when I got to the end of it. I’ve tried to analyse why, but it’s something I just can’t put my finger on. It could be something as simple as the impact and love I had had for ‘Girl A’ which I’d read the week before.
February 11, 2024
School librarian Edward Crisp loves classic whodunnits so when the unpopular new headteacher is murdered he seizes the opportunity to do some amateur sleuthing. This is an old-style whodunnit set in a small seaside village where everyone knows everyone else, where there is a limited cast of suspects where almost every suspect has a secret to be uncovered, where more or less everyone has a motive for murder, and where forensic evidence is very much in the background (this is not a police procedural). The clues are well hidden but not unfairly so and there is a final twist just before the denouement.
I prefer my whodunnits to be a little more realistic and my characters to have more depth. There should be at least some sense that murder is horrid and can create enormous emotional trauma. But this novel is a worthy example of the 'puzzle' subgenre. It's a quick, light, entertaining read and well-written. The pacing follows the classic four-part structure, the body being discovered at 25% and major turning-points occurring at 50% and 75%.
I enjoyed the meta-fiction aspect to it: the amateur sleuth's side-kick keeps identifying fictional tropes, such as:
"Sir, do you think this is a closed-circle mystery?" (Ch 19)
"Major suspect going missing is such a cliche, sir! So it can't be him." (Ch 20)
I am definitely tempted to read the next in the series.
I prefer my whodunnits to be a little more realistic and my characters to have more depth. There should be at least some sense that murder is horrid and can create enormous emotional trauma. But this novel is a worthy example of the 'puzzle' subgenre. It's a quick, light, entertaining read and well-written. The pacing follows the classic four-part structure, the body being discovered at 25% and major turning-points occurring at 50% and 75%.
I enjoyed the meta-fiction aspect to it: the amateur sleuth's side-kick keeps identifying fictional tropes, such as:
"Sir, do you think this is a closed-circle mystery?" (Ch 19)
"Major suspect going missing is such a cliche, sir! So it can't be him." (Ch 20)
I am definitely tempted to read the next in the series.
January 13, 2021
Though I like the occasional 'cosy mystery' I generally prefer a gritty crime thriller. I saw this recommend on one of the book clubs I am a member of and thought I would give it a read. I was not disappointed at all. This little treasure was wonderful, I absolutely loved it.
The story and characters took me back to a classic Agatha Christie style book. There were many mentions of Christie herself and her books in this story which I really enjoyed.
In a nutshell the story is about the murder of unpleasant headmistress Miss Finch, and the school librarian, Edward Crisp, trying to work out who had killed her. I loved the story and the way the book was written. My favourite things were the lovely coastal setting of the book and the wonderful characters. I especially loved Noah and also Edward's mum, she's quite the character. The dynamics between Edward and Noah were really enjoyable to read, I love how Edward takes Noah under his wing, it's very endearing.
I highly rate and recommend this book. This is a new author for me, and the second book in this series has just been released and already downloaded on to my kindle.
The story and characters took me back to a classic Agatha Christie style book. There were many mentions of Christie herself and her books in this story which I really enjoyed.
In a nutshell the story is about the murder of unpleasant headmistress Miss Finch, and the school librarian, Edward Crisp, trying to work out who had killed her. I loved the story and the way the book was written. My favourite things were the lovely coastal setting of the book and the wonderful characters. I especially loved Noah and also Edward's mum, she's quite the character. The dynamics between Edward and Noah were really enjoyable to read, I love how Edward takes Noah under his wing, it's very endearing.
I highly rate and recommend this book. This is a new author for me, and the second book in this series has just been released and already downloaded on to my kindle.
February 7, 2021
This is the first of Peters books I've read and what a delight it was.
It's a cosy murder mystery set in a fictional village by the seaside.
Miss Finch is a school headteacher who is despised by most. It comes as no great surprise when she is murdered. The biggest question was who out of their close knit community both within the school and out, could have done it.
Although the police are on the case, Edward, the school librarian, and his eager assistant Noah, are keen to get involved as they both love murder mysteries such as Agatha Christie.
This is very cleverly done, slowly drip feeding clues and the secrets start to come out that everyone seems to have, relevant or not to the case.
Another interesting aspect was the crippling anxiety experienced by Edward. As a sufferer the author has nailed it, never thinking you are good enough and struggling to accept praise.
Then there's Noah, who suffers from Aspergers. His overenthusiasm, obsession to one topic and lack of awareness of feelings, along with a black and white view of right and wrong, along with the prejudices were also spot on.
I hope there will be many more adventures for Edward and Noah.
It's a cosy murder mystery set in a fictional village by the seaside.
Miss Finch is a school headteacher who is despised by most. It comes as no great surprise when she is murdered. The biggest question was who out of their close knit community both within the school and out, could have done it.
Although the police are on the case, Edward, the school librarian, and his eager assistant Noah, are keen to get involved as they both love murder mysteries such as Agatha Christie.
This is very cleverly done, slowly drip feeding clues and the secrets start to come out that everyone seems to have, relevant or not to the case.
Another interesting aspect was the crippling anxiety experienced by Edward. As a sufferer the author has nailed it, never thinking you are good enough and struggling to accept praise.
Then there's Noah, who suffers from Aspergers. His overenthusiasm, obsession to one topic and lack of awareness of feelings, along with a black and white view of right and wrong, along with the prejudices were also spot on.
I hope there will be many more adventures for Edward and Noah.
April 2, 2021
What a great be read! I am found this on the Kindle store in under the prime reading section. I was drawn in by the cover as it reminded me of some of the other YA murder mystery books. It didn't have loads of reviews but those who have read it seemed to have loved it.
It's a really easy read which doesn't take itself too seriously.
The story line is nice and straight forward; someone has murdered the school's very unlikeable headteacher. Several characters, each of which have their own motives, are found to have been in or around the school at the time, this makes for a classic "who dunnit' type story. It is not meant to be the modern day psychological thriller. It's based on the classics, think Agatha Christie etc.
The interesting spin on the classics is that the 'detective' is Edward Crisp, the school librarian.
I loved this book and unfortunately @peterboonauthor I didn't guess correctly, I suspected so many people along the way too 📖🕵️♂️
I would definitely recommend reading this, there are a further two in the series, the third being released in August.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's a really easy read which doesn't take itself too seriously.
The story line is nice and straight forward; someone has murdered the school's very unlikeable headteacher. Several characters, each of which have their own motives, are found to have been in or around the school at the time, this makes for a classic "who dunnit' type story. It is not meant to be the modern day psychological thriller. It's based on the classics, think Agatha Christie etc.
The interesting spin on the classics is that the 'detective' is Edward Crisp, the school librarian.
I loved this book and unfortunately @peterboonauthor I didn't guess correctly, I suspected so many people along the way too 📖🕵️♂️
I would definitely recommend reading this, there are a further two in the series, the third being released in August.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
July 7, 2023
Peter Boon (2020) WHO KILLED MISS FINCH?
London. Meadowcroft Publishing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 out of 5 stars
The sleeve reads, "Do YOU love a classic WHODUNNIT? Shy school librarian Edward Crisp does - until his hated headteacher Miss Finch is found murdered. Motives and alibis, secrets and lies, a ton of suspects and a sharp police detective, all in the tiny seaside village of Chalk Gap: every ingredient for the type of quintessential mystery novel Edward loves. Except this time it isn’t fiction: the suspects are Edward’s friends, colleagues and neighbours, and the detective is someone he’d rather forget. Can Edward overcome his crippling anxiety and face up to reality, in order to solve the mystery himself? Can Edward Crisp work out WHO KILLED MISS FINCH? And can YOU?"
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Thoroughly enjoyable whodunnit. I really loved the references to Marple/Poirot too.
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#PeterBoon #WhoKilledMissFinch #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads
London. Meadowcroft Publishing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 out of 5 stars
The sleeve reads, "Do YOU love a classic WHODUNNIT? Shy school librarian Edward Crisp does - until his hated headteacher Miss Finch is found murdered. Motives and alibis, secrets and lies, a ton of suspects and a sharp police detective, all in the tiny seaside village of Chalk Gap: every ingredient for the type of quintessential mystery novel Edward loves. Except this time it isn’t fiction: the suspects are Edward’s friends, colleagues and neighbours, and the detective is someone he’d rather forget. Can Edward overcome his crippling anxiety and face up to reality, in order to solve the mystery himself? Can Edward Crisp work out WHO KILLED MISS FINCH? And can YOU?"
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Thoroughly enjoyable whodunnit. I really loved the references to Marple/Poirot too.
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#PeterBoon #WhoKilledMissFinch #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads
January 17, 2021
I saw this book on Facebook, put it on my wish list and was given it as a gift on Christmas Day and I am SO glad I was.
I found I couldn’t put the book down and was hooked from the first page. The book is written in little chapters and just “gets on with it”, there’s no fillers about scenery or unnecessary bits, which some authors seem to do, to spread the book out.
I also liked the majority of the characters and pictured the village of Chalk Gap in my head, as I read each page.
Brilliant book, keeps you interested and well written. Will definitely buy other books by Peter Boon 🥰
P.S For any saddos, like me, the book is really good quality, feels nice and has thick quality paper!! I know, how sad haha 🤓
I found I couldn’t put the book down and was hooked from the first page. The book is written in little chapters and just “gets on with it”, there’s no fillers about scenery or unnecessary bits, which some authors seem to do, to spread the book out.
I also liked the majority of the characters and pictured the village of Chalk Gap in my head, as I read each page.
Brilliant book, keeps you interested and well written. Will definitely buy other books by Peter Boon 🥰
P.S For any saddos, like me, the book is really good quality, feels nice and has thick quality paper!! I know, how sad haha 🤓
August 26, 2020
A brilliant 1st novel from an old friend of mine. It’s not my usual type of genre but I wanted to support a friend and new and upcoming author.
I really enjoyed reading this and absolutely flew through the book. It was such an easy read and I found that I couldn’t stop reading and every time I had to put it down to do something, I found myself thinking about who could possibly be guilty?! Lots of twists, turns and truths revealed. The setting sounds amazing and I’d love to visit ‘Chalk Gap’ and have a drink in the pub with The Crisps.
I’m really looking forward to the next book in Edward and Noah’s investigations! Well done Pete!
I really enjoyed reading this and absolutely flew through the book. It was such an easy read and I found that I couldn’t stop reading and every time I had to put it down to do something, I found myself thinking about who could possibly be guilty?! Lots of twists, turns and truths revealed. The setting sounds amazing and I’d love to visit ‘Chalk Gap’ and have a drink in the pub with The Crisps.
I’m really looking forward to the next book in Edward and Noah’s investigations! Well done Pete!
October 19, 2020
I really liked this book. It was a nice cozy murder mystery with not your standard detectives. Throughout the book I really grew to like Edward and his friend Noah and I certainly did not see the plot twists that kept coming in this book.
Since I read this book for my challenge, I enjoyed binge reading it in a day. It was easy to read with nice paced chapters and I felt that each chapter had something to offer. The mystery was not confusing and it helped me as a relatively novice reader of that genre enjoy it. Both Edward and Noah are lovely characters to get to know. The side characters are well developed too. Overall a nice atmosphere for a British murder mystery story.
Since I read this book for my challenge, I enjoyed binge reading it in a day. It was easy to read with nice paced chapters and I felt that each chapter had something to offer. The mystery was not confusing and it helped me as a relatively novice reader of that genre enjoy it. Both Edward and Noah are lovely characters to get to know. The side characters are well developed too. Overall a nice atmosphere for a British murder mystery story.
September 1, 2022
Many of the Kindle Unlimited books are, well, limited. This is not. This is the best cozy mystery I've read in a long time. The narrator is a school librarian a bit "on the scale". He has a protege student with Asberger's. Both love mysteries and constantly quote murder mystery tropes. In a small town, where everyone knows everyone and think they know each other's secrets, the head teacher is murdered. Like the closed room mysteries, all the suspects are there. This book is an appropriate homage to Agatha Christie, the narrator's idol. I am so glad Mr. Boon has another out. I have to leave now. I'm going to download Edward Crisp mystery #2.
December 20, 2020
Fab-U-lous!
I loved this. Pacy, well plotted with many references to Christie, encouraging one to become misled!
Great characters, especially Edward and his "Hastings/Watson".
These two brought a delightfully quirky and warm flavour to the mix of characters, who will hopefully all continue
to feature in future titles. Well, those who survived!
This book is a little treasure to be shared. Congratulations to Peter Boon. I shall look for Edward's next outing with great pleasure.
I loved this. Pacy, well plotted with many references to Christie, encouraging one to become misled!
Great characters, especially Edward and his "Hastings/Watson".
These two brought a delightfully quirky and warm flavour to the mix of characters, who will hopefully all continue
to feature in future titles. Well, those who survived!
This book is a little treasure to be shared. Congratulations to Peter Boon. I shall look for Edward's next outing with great pleasure.
November 30, 2022
Chalk Gap Academy librarian (Edward Crisp) and student librarian (Noah) become Poirot and Hastings to solve the death of Head Teacher Miss Finch. I loved the ties to the Golden Age of cozy Murder mysteries and discussion of the tropes and developing their own. Looking forward to the next two.
Ideas
The more public places that have books to read, the better.
There’s an entire world of fictional stories that help our world make sense to him (Noah). If this is his way of coping, then I don’t mind, and to hell with what people think.
Ideas
The more public places that have books to read, the better.
There’s an entire world of fictional stories that help our world make sense to him (Noah). If this is his way of coping, then I don’t mind, and to hell with what people think.
May 9, 2024
I don't think this is a YA not sure why that was added. This is my first Peter Boon book and I by and large enjoyed it. It hit all the points of a whodunit which I enjoy but I still felt the murderer was sort of forced on us it was a bit of a surprise I didn't feel all the right clues were there, or maybe I am doing this book a disservice and I need to reread, if I do I will edit. Having said that I love the classic British Detective Novel and this fits in lovely in that genre and I will definitely be reading more from this author. Will be rereading, would recommend.
August 28, 2020
A Gripping Whodunnit
A great debut novel from Peter Boon. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters especially Edward Crisp and Noah. This whodunnit really keeps you guessing, and my jaw dropped near the end of the book when the killer was revealed. I didn’t see that coming. Well done Peter. Definitely five stars. I look forward to your next mystery. Highly recommended.
A great debut novel from Peter Boon. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters especially Edward Crisp and Noah. This whodunnit really keeps you guessing, and my jaw dropped near the end of the book when the killer was revealed. I didn’t see that coming. Well done Peter. Definitely five stars. I look forward to your next mystery. Highly recommended.
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