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Herring Mysteries #9
Farewell My Herring
Ethelred Tressider and his agent Elsie Thirkettle have been invited to lecture on a creative writing course at Fell Hall, a remote location in the heart of ragged countryside that even sheep are keen to shun. While Ethelred's success as a writer is distinctly average, Elsie sees this as an opportunity to scout for new, hopefully more lucrative, talent. But heavy snow falls overnight, trapping those early arrivals inside, and tensions are quick to emerge between the assembled group.
When one of their number goes missing, Ethelred leads a search party and makes a gruesome discovery. With no phone signal and no hope of summoning the police, can Ethelred and Elsie identify the killer among them before one of them is next?
When one of their number goes missing, Ethelred leads a search party and makes a gruesome discovery. With no phone signal and no hope of summoning the police, can Ethelred and Elsie identify the killer among them before one of them is next?
300 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2021
9 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
L.C. Tyler
34 books90 followersL. C. Tyler grew up in Essex and studied geography at Jesus College Oxford University and systems analysis at City University in London. During a career with the British Council he lived in Malaysia, Sudan, Thailand and Denmark. More recently he has been based in Islington and West Sussex and is an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, of which he was previously Chief Executive. He is married and has two children and one dog.
Series:
* Elsie and Ethelred Mystery
* John Grey Historical Mystery
Series:
* Elsie and Ethelred Mystery
* John Grey Historical Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 22, 2021
Ethelred Tressider and his agent Elsie Thirkettle have been invited to lecture on a creative writing course at Fell Hall, an out-of-the-way manor in the Yorkshire countryside. Ethelred is a mystery writer with limited success, whilst his agent, chocolate lover Elsie sees this as an opportunity to scout for new talent. But with heavy snowfalls overnight, the authors, agents and publishing professionals who arrived early are trapped inside, and tensions are quick to emerge. When one of their assembled group goes missing, Ethelred leads a search party and finds a dead body.
In my first read in the series, I was enticed by the fascinating title, and I think this worked fine as a standalone. It's narrated in alternating points of view between Ethelred and Elsie. L C Tyler did a really good job creating an atmosphere that evoked both isolated mystery tension and satire. Farewell My Herring is a book that delivers a great whodunit without taking itself too seriously. Tressider and Thirkettle's wit and banter read delightfully and although I enjoyed the overall tone, it took me a while to get into the book because of the introduction of many characters simultaneously. The author triumphed at merging vintage tropes and atmosphere with very modern references, characters, and dialogues. Farewell My Herring is the ninth book in the Herring Mysteries series, and I will be checking out the other instalments.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
In my first read in the series, I was enticed by the fascinating title, and I think this worked fine as a standalone. It's narrated in alternating points of view between Ethelred and Elsie. L C Tyler did a really good job creating an atmosphere that evoked both isolated mystery tension and satire. Farewell My Herring is a book that delivers a great whodunit without taking itself too seriously. Tressider and Thirkettle's wit and banter read delightfully and although I enjoyed the overall tone, it took me a while to get into the book because of the introduction of many characters simultaneously. The author triumphed at merging vintage tropes and atmosphere with very modern references, characters, and dialogues. Farewell My Herring is the ninth book in the Herring Mysteries series, and I will be checking out the other instalments.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
April 2, 2021
Fun and fluffy. I was enticed by the weird title, which I guess is a reference to something but I don't know what (it's never explained in the novel). I didn't know this was a series and haven't read any of the others, but this seemed to work fine as a standalone.
It's narrated in alternating points of view between a boring, failing historical crime novelist, Ethelred, and his agent Elsie. I can only hope that their characters are a bit more fleshed out in the previous books, because in this one about 90% of Elsie's character was just "likes chocolate". In one chapter she mentions chocolate on literally every page. I don't know if it's meant to be cute or funny or what but I did not get it. Still, the film critic Mark Kermode suggests the 'six-laugh test' as the standard for a comedy, and I will say I found more than six of the jokes funny, so it was a success there. I did hope there would be more insight into or lampooning of the literary world (I know it's a busman's holiday but I can't resist books about writers and the writing world), but it didn't get any deeper than a puddle.
For what it was, though, I enjoyed it – I've had terrible insomnia the past few nights and this was just the sort of light, half-asleep sort of thing I needed at 3am.
It's narrated in alternating points of view between a boring, failing historical crime novelist, Ethelred, and his agent Elsie. I can only hope that their characters are a bit more fleshed out in the previous books, because in this one about 90% of Elsie's character was just "likes chocolate". In one chapter she mentions chocolate on literally every page. I don't know if it's meant to be cute or funny or what but I did not get it. Still, the film critic Mark Kermode suggests the 'six-laugh test' as the standard for a comedy, and I will say I found more than six of the jokes funny, so it was a success there. I did hope there would be more insight into or lampooning of the literary world (I know it's a busman's holiday but I can't resist books about writers and the writing world), but it didn't get any deeper than a puddle.
For what it was, though, I enjoyed it – I've had terrible insomnia the past few nights and this was just the sort of light, half-asleep sort of thing I needed at 3am.
April 22, 2021
Can you believe we are at instalment number nine in this cosy series? Full of mystery, twists, historical accuracy and characters that really make the story what it is - delightfully witty, charismatic with lots of heart and soul, it just gets better and better. The characters’ warmth juxtaposed against the frigid snowy conditions outside make for a beguiling read and the mystery keeps you riveted throughout. You cannot go wrong if you enjoy good old fashioned cosy escapism. Highly recommended.
May 1, 2021
The story opens as mid-list author Ethelred Tressider and his agent chocaholic Elsie Thirkettle travel to Fell Hall, a remote location in the rugged countryside in the north of England, where they have been invited to lecture on a creative writing course. The final leg of their journey is by taxi and their spirits are not raised by the driver’s comments on the locality.’ No phone signal after Butterthwaite, a village we passed three miles back. Not that you can call it a village, school closed 1911, pub closed 1963. Now just a farm and a row of cottages. A man vanished without trace, a year or two back.’ His parting comment ‘I think that you have just made it in time, another hour and there’ll be a couple of inches of snow.’
Welcomed by the course director Wendy Idsworth, they are directed to their rooms. To Ethelred ‘You’re in Ripon– a small single room but adequate for a short stay’. To Elsie, ‘as requested, you are in in the Malham suite, you will find it very comfortable’. Taxed by Ethelred as to how she had acquired such a comfortable billet, Elsie, who always put Elsie first, sapped back ‘Forward thinking Ethelred - have I ever explained the Internet to you?
Later they meet the other two tutors, writers Jasper Lavant and Hal Compton, and two of the participants Claire and Fliss who have mistakenly arrived a day early much to the annoyance of the efficient Wendy, who does not hide her irritation, telling them to stay out of the way until dinner. Elsie remarks to Ethelred, ‘I’d employ her. She won’t let unimportant things like people or common decency stop her meeting her targets. Over dinner served by Jenny, Wendy’s general dogsbody, there is much literary discussion about their books from the established authors, and from Claire an aspiring writer, who is partway through her first book.
Heavy snow overnight results in the road to Fell Hall being impassable and thus the early arrivals are isolated from the outside world. Whilst debating whether to start the course with just two participants, it being unlikely that anyone else will make it through the snow, it becomes apparent that they are one person missing. The remining party search the house and a body is found.
With no contact with the outside world and therefore no way of summoning the police. Ethelred and Elsie decide to track down the killer themselves. As with no idea of motive, which one of them could be next?
The story is told in the first person in alternating chapters by Ethelred and Elsie. Their approaches to interrogation are different – Elsie adopting an American approach favouring a good cop, bad cop scenario, whilst Ethelred is just, Ethelred.
As with all the previous eight books in this series the witty dialogue and humour is wonderful, but in no way detracts from the cleverly constructed plot, which had me foxed up the end. But the clues are there if you can suss them out. As you would expect if you are as I am, a devotee of this series, chocolate will play a part - in this book 16 chocolate mousses.
There are many secrets to be uncovered before the mystery is solved, and the ends are tied up satisfactorily. An enjoyable and intriguing read that is most highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
Welcomed by the course director Wendy Idsworth, they are directed to their rooms. To Ethelred ‘You’re in Ripon– a small single room but adequate for a short stay’. To Elsie, ‘as requested, you are in in the Malham suite, you will find it very comfortable’. Taxed by Ethelred as to how she had acquired such a comfortable billet, Elsie, who always put Elsie first, sapped back ‘Forward thinking Ethelred - have I ever explained the Internet to you?
Later they meet the other two tutors, writers Jasper Lavant and Hal Compton, and two of the participants Claire and Fliss who have mistakenly arrived a day early much to the annoyance of the efficient Wendy, who does not hide her irritation, telling them to stay out of the way until dinner. Elsie remarks to Ethelred, ‘I’d employ her. She won’t let unimportant things like people or common decency stop her meeting her targets. Over dinner served by Jenny, Wendy’s general dogsbody, there is much literary discussion about their books from the established authors, and from Claire an aspiring writer, who is partway through her first book.
Heavy snow overnight results in the road to Fell Hall being impassable and thus the early arrivals are isolated from the outside world. Whilst debating whether to start the course with just two participants, it being unlikely that anyone else will make it through the snow, it becomes apparent that they are one person missing. The remining party search the house and a body is found.
With no contact with the outside world and therefore no way of summoning the police. Ethelred and Elsie decide to track down the killer themselves. As with no idea of motive, which one of them could be next?
The story is told in the first person in alternating chapters by Ethelred and Elsie. Their approaches to interrogation are different – Elsie adopting an American approach favouring a good cop, bad cop scenario, whilst Ethelred is just, Ethelred.
As with all the previous eight books in this series the witty dialogue and humour is wonderful, but in no way detracts from the cleverly constructed plot, which had me foxed up the end. But the clues are there if you can suss them out. As you would expect if you are as I am, a devotee of this series, chocolate will play a part - in this book 16 chocolate mousses.
There are many secrets to be uncovered before the mystery is solved, and the ends are tied up satisfactorily. An enjoyable and intriguing read that is most highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
March 18, 2021
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
April 21, 2021
'If I were to kill you somewhere like this,' said the taxi driver cheerfully, 'it would be months before they found the bits the buzzards didn't want. Every time I drop a passenger off round here, I think: now, there's a good place for a quiet murder.'
Sometimes you just need an escape, a harmless diversion from all the doom and gloom, and this 9th outing for mid-list author Ethelred Tressider and his shamelessly cynical literary agent Elsie Thirkettle delivers the perfect piece of escapist cozy crime fiction. The pair travel to the remote Fell Hall to take part in a creative writing weekend, and together with their fellow teachers they have arrived the day before the course starts to prepare and discuss the course. Unfortunately, and much to the chagrin of the course director Wendy Idsworth, a couple of the students have turned up early. Even more unfortunately, a blizzard is setting in, cutting off the house from the outside world.... Needless to say, before too long one of the characters ends up dead as a dodo, and as our hapless pair of amateur sleuths investigate it seems that everyone has a motive for killing the victim. When a second person disappears, the race is on to find the culprit before the snow melts and they can escape.
I had read three of the previous novels in the series, so I knew what to expect, but this works perfectly well as a stand-alone novel for anyone new to the books. The narrative perspective alternates between Ethelred and Elsie, which at times gets a bit of getting used to, but the book delivers everything you would want without ever taking itself seriously. It's fun, with enough clues and/or red herrings to keep you guessing as the plot rattles along apace. An added bonus for book-lovers is that the theme of this novel means that there is a lot of joy to be had poking fun at writers, publishers and the general world of books. So, switch off your phone, make a cup of tea and put your feet up - just enjoy the mystery and escape the real world for a few hours.
Sometimes you just need an escape, a harmless diversion from all the doom and gloom, and this 9th outing for mid-list author Ethelred Tressider and his shamelessly cynical literary agent Elsie Thirkettle delivers the perfect piece of escapist cozy crime fiction. The pair travel to the remote Fell Hall to take part in a creative writing weekend, and together with their fellow teachers they have arrived the day before the course starts to prepare and discuss the course. Unfortunately, and much to the chagrin of the course director Wendy Idsworth, a couple of the students have turned up early. Even more unfortunately, a blizzard is setting in, cutting off the house from the outside world.... Needless to say, before too long one of the characters ends up dead as a dodo, and as our hapless pair of amateur sleuths investigate it seems that everyone has a motive for killing the victim. When a second person disappears, the race is on to find the culprit before the snow melts and they can escape.
I had read three of the previous novels in the series, so I knew what to expect, but this works perfectly well as a stand-alone novel for anyone new to the books. The narrative perspective alternates between Ethelred and Elsie, which at times gets a bit of getting used to, but the book delivers everything you would want without ever taking itself seriously. It's fun, with enough clues and/or red herrings to keep you guessing as the plot rattles along apace. An added bonus for book-lovers is that the theme of this novel means that there is a lot of joy to be had poking fun at writers, publishers and the general world of books. So, switch off your phone, make a cup of tea and put your feet up - just enjoy the mystery and escape the real world for a few hours.
May 7, 2021
Fell Hall is remote, no wifi connections, cut off from the outside world and ideal for a creative writing retreat. When just three of the participants turn up (two of them one day early), the others are the lecturers it is a mixed crowd and does not sit quite right.
All are crime writers of different strengths and popularity and the convenor of them all seems very detached from it all. Running the event with an iron hand and according to rules with no deviation Wendy has done this before and hopes to conclude this one successfully. She did not envisage that those who came had all got complicated histories and that one of them was a blackmailer.
When one body is discovered and when the whole Hall is cut off completely due to inclement weather it is upto Ethelred and Elsie to do the detective work themselves and try to find which of their small group is the murderer. It seems straightforward at first like all mystery murders but then they get side tracked by additional bits of information and events.
Set over just a couple of days, the story goes back and forth dissecting each person present and the reasons they could or could not be the murderer. Why the victim was chosen is fairly straightforward and the end was not too complicated.
A well told mystery.
All are crime writers of different strengths and popularity and the convenor of them all seems very detached from it all. Running the event with an iron hand and according to rules with no deviation Wendy has done this before and hopes to conclude this one successfully. She did not envisage that those who came had all got complicated histories and that one of them was a blackmailer.
When one body is discovered and when the whole Hall is cut off completely due to inclement weather it is upto Ethelred and Elsie to do the detective work themselves and try to find which of their small group is the murderer. It seems straightforward at first like all mystery murders but then they get side tracked by additional bits of information and events.
Set over just a couple of days, the story goes back and forth dissecting each person present and the reasons they could or could not be the murderer. Why the victim was chosen is fairly straightforward and the end was not too complicated.
A well told mystery.
April 26, 2021
The opening paragraphs were humorous, a nice insight into the two protagonists and encouraged me to keep reading. I loved the rural setting and the classic who-done-it structure of the story. However, the character of Elsie started to grate on my nerves before long because she was too much over-the-top. I felt as if the writer was trying too hard to get a laugh.
It was otherwise fairly well-plotted with a lot of red herrings and an interesting read.
It was otherwise fairly well-plotted with a lot of red herrings and an interesting read.
April 22, 2021
I have read a few of the early entries in this series about the hapless author Ethelred and his feisty agent Elsie, and was interested to see how I would react to Number 9.
The novel is set in a remote house which hosts courses for aspiring writers. Murder takes place, and the house is cut off by heavy snow, a classic Golden Age mystery situation. There are lots of tensions amongst the characters and Ethelred and Elsie attempt to unravel the plot-strands.
This is very easy-reading and mildly amusing but I did not greatly enjoy it. I now find the relationship between Ethelred and Elsie rather tediously predictable and the banter and humour rather thin.
Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the digital review copy.
The novel is set in a remote house which hosts courses for aspiring writers. Murder takes place, and the house is cut off by heavy snow, a classic Golden Age mystery situation. There are lots of tensions amongst the characters and Ethelred and Elsie attempt to unravel the plot-strands.
This is very easy-reading and mildly amusing but I did not greatly enjoy it. I now find the relationship between Ethelred and Elsie rather tediously predictable and the banter and humour rather thin.
Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the digital review copy.
March 13, 2021
"Farewell my Herring" is the 9th volume in T.C. Tyler's "Herring mysteries" and as usual it doesn't disappoint at all!
Crime writer Ethelred Tressider (the 14th century medieval murder mystery specialist) and his overbearing agent Elsie Thirketlle have been invited to a crime-writers' seminar at Fells Hall (Northern Yorkshire) where the mild mannered Ethelred has been asked to give some lectures.
But unfortunately they get snowed in with 7 others before more participants manage to arrive and very soon one of them is found dead..... of course mayhem ensues behind closed door with lots of chocolate mousse and no way to communicate with the outside world....
In this very funny and twisty whodunit Mr. Tyler brilliantly turns the tables on his peers and mercilessly pokes fun at them and their trade with priceless dialogues and lots of laughter. A delicious treat that the reader can go ahead and enjoy without moderation. Please Mr. Tyler send us another Herring very soon🙏👍
Many thanks to Netgalley and Allison&Busby for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date
Crime writer Ethelred Tressider (the 14th century medieval murder mystery specialist) and his overbearing agent Elsie Thirketlle have been invited to a crime-writers' seminar at Fells Hall (Northern Yorkshire) where the mild mannered Ethelred has been asked to give some lectures.
But unfortunately they get snowed in with 7 others before more participants manage to arrive and very soon one of them is found dead..... of course mayhem ensues behind closed door with lots of chocolate mousse and no way to communicate with the outside world....
In this very funny and twisty whodunit Mr. Tyler brilliantly turns the tables on his peers and mercilessly pokes fun at them and their trade with priceless dialogues and lots of laughter. A delicious treat that the reader can go ahead and enjoy without moderation. Please Mr. Tyler send us another Herring very soon🙏👍
Many thanks to Netgalley and Allison&Busby for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date
June 12, 2024
This was an enjoyable quick read with a satisfying ending. It has a classic set up of a group of people cut off from the outside world when one of their number is bumped off and everyone has a motive for the murder. Can you guess who did it?
April 19, 2021
Rating- 3.5
This was a lovely, cosy murder mystery with intriguing characters and an atmospheric setting. It was very hard to put down and the writing was clever and the humour refreshing.
I have not read any of the other books in the series but will definitely keep an eye out for more in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the eARC.
This was a lovely, cosy murder mystery with intriguing characters and an atmospheric setting. It was very hard to put down and the writing was clever and the humour refreshing.
I have not read any of the other books in the series but will definitely keep an eye out for more in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the eARC.
April 22, 2021
If you enjoy the likes of "The Thursday Murder Club", "Agatha Raisin" or "Rosemary and Thyme" this should appeal to you.
Rating 3.5/5
I first encountered Ethelred and Elsie back in 2007 when they first appeared on the scene in "The Herring Seller's Apprentice". I was sufficiently taken by them that I have now read all nine of their adventures, with this, "Farewell My Herring", being the latest of them.
If you are new to the series, please do not be put off by the fact that you have not read the earlier books. Each story is self-contained and works perfectly well as a standalone read. You may initially miss out slightly on the background to the banter between the two main characters, but the essence of their relationship and interaction will soon become clear enough in the pages of this book.
Ethelred Tressider is a published author of crime and other genres ... but not one of any great distinction. Elsie Thirkettle is his long-standing, chocolate-loving literary agent. In this adventure, Ethelred and Elsie have been invited to a remote country hall in the north of England. They are joined there by two other writers as guest speakers on a creative writing course. However, as the bitter winter weather closes in and makes the group even more isolated, they are about to find themselves faced with a real murder to solve.
Len Tyler is a very capable writer and it is something of an injustice that his work doesn't enjoy a higher profile. This is a traditional style of "whodunnit?", executed in a fairly cosy, lighthearted fashion, but still with a proper, solid structure to the plot. There is also plenty of clever, witty humour, often poking fun at the author's own profession and literary genre, such as when he refers to 'blurb on the back that describes a book that somebody might actually want to read rather than the one the author wrote'. There is no danger of that here. Once again, Len Tyler has delivered a highly entertaining murder mystery with its usual comedic slant.
I am a little surprised that this series has never been picked up by one of the television production companies. Perhaps one of these days it will be. In my mind I have already cast Liza Tarbuck in the role of Elsie, but Ethelred is still up for grabs. Time will tell.
Rating 3.5/5
I first encountered Ethelred and Elsie back in 2007 when they first appeared on the scene in "The Herring Seller's Apprentice". I was sufficiently taken by them that I have now read all nine of their adventures, with this, "Farewell My Herring", being the latest of them.
If you are new to the series, please do not be put off by the fact that you have not read the earlier books. Each story is self-contained and works perfectly well as a standalone read. You may initially miss out slightly on the background to the banter between the two main characters, but the essence of their relationship and interaction will soon become clear enough in the pages of this book.
Ethelred Tressider is a published author of crime and other genres ... but not one of any great distinction. Elsie Thirkettle is his long-standing, chocolate-loving literary agent. In this adventure, Ethelred and Elsie have been invited to a remote country hall in the north of England. They are joined there by two other writers as guest speakers on a creative writing course. However, as the bitter winter weather closes in and makes the group even more isolated, they are about to find themselves faced with a real murder to solve.
Len Tyler is a very capable writer and it is something of an injustice that his work doesn't enjoy a higher profile. This is a traditional style of "whodunnit?", executed in a fairly cosy, lighthearted fashion, but still with a proper, solid structure to the plot. There is also plenty of clever, witty humour, often poking fun at the author's own profession and literary genre, such as when he refers to 'blurb on the back that describes a book that somebody might actually want to read rather than the one the author wrote'. There is no danger of that here. Once again, Len Tyler has delivered a highly entertaining murder mystery with its usual comedic slant.
I am a little surprised that this series has never been picked up by one of the television production companies. Perhaps one of these days it will be. In my mind I have already cast Liza Tarbuck in the role of Elsie, but Ethelred is still up for grabs. Time will tell.
June 28, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable novel, interesting characters travel to a remote location in the English countryside to hear a lecture on a creative writing course but it all changes with a sudden twist that turns into a murder! The author is very clever and it's refreshing to read a book.
There is much humour in this book and some really witty dialogue which, I've enjoyed, the book ends well with some nicely tied up ends and many secrets which seem mysterious at first an in fact divulged, quite rightly so. I really didn't see where the plot was going to be honest, it caught me by surprise which I must say is very refreshing, nobody likes a know it all and it's even better when you have no clue either, very unpredictable.
With thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this free ARC in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
There is much humour in this book and some really witty dialogue which, I've enjoyed, the book ends well with some nicely tied up ends and many secrets which seem mysterious at first an in fact divulged, quite rightly so. I really didn't see where the plot was going to be honest, it caught me by surprise which I must say is very refreshing, nobody likes a know it all and it's even better when you have no clue either, very unpredictable.
With thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this free ARC in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 22, 2021
In Farewell My Herring, author LC Tyler has created a thoroughly enjoyable novel that is a wonderful example of the understated British humor that I like so much. And the humor comes writ large via Tyler’s spot-on send-up of the classic “isolated mansion in a snowstorm” trope – nicely updated as a rumored CIA (or MI6? or KGB?) safe house in a snowstorm. But it also comes writ small, in short bone-dry off-hand comments scattered throughout the book. And there were enough of these that I had to read the book by myself so no one would hear me suddenly laughing out loud.
Protagonists Ethelred, a moderately successful mystery author, and Elsie, his chocoholic always-on-the-make agent, have been invited to be guest lecturers in a short course for aspiring authors – held, of course, in the aforementioned mansion, Fell Hall. The send-up starts in the very first paragraph, as E&E’s taxi driver cheerfully opines about how easy it would be for him to knock them off somewhere along the lonely road to the Hall, and “it would be months before they found the bits the buzzards didn’t want”. It continues as we meet the course director, Wendy, who may or may not be a secret agent; the local help, Jenny, who knows Fell Hall inside and out; and a nice mix of authors and students, all of whom have more-or-less shady pasts. Of course, someone soon dies, and Tyler then proceeds to skillfully skewer just about every “isolated mansion” plot device known to humankind, including disappearing characters, mysterious notes, odd noises, flickering lights, spooky basements, late night searches (conducted in pairs, naturally), and a boat-full of titular red herrings.
Tyler also excels at slightly sardonic humor, and Farewell My Herring reminds me a lot in that respect of my all-time favorite author, Sarah Caudwell, whose short four-book Hilary Tamar series engenders the same sort of chuckles. (Which is a huge compliment, by the way, since I don’t compare many books to hers…) However, also like Caudwell’s books, the plot is not really the strong point of Farewell My Herring – it’s more like a foil for the characters and the humor. I found that I had guessed the murderer and most of the motive early on, but in the end, it didn’t make any difference to me, because I was having so much fun otherwise reading the book. But, if you are a reader who really cares about the nitty-gritty of the murder case itself, you may find yourself a teeny bit frustrated. In any case, myself, I’m not that kind of reader, and I’m thrilled that Farewell My Herring is Tyler’s ninth book in the series, since that means I now have eight more I can go back and read! Farewell My Herring easily earns a five-star rating, which I only give to maybe one in thirty or forty books that I read. And finally, my thanks to the publisher, Allison & Busby, and to NetGalley for the advance review copy.
Protagonists Ethelred, a moderately successful mystery author, and Elsie, his chocoholic always-on-the-make agent, have been invited to be guest lecturers in a short course for aspiring authors – held, of course, in the aforementioned mansion, Fell Hall. The send-up starts in the very first paragraph, as E&E’s taxi driver cheerfully opines about how easy it would be for him to knock them off somewhere along the lonely road to the Hall, and “it would be months before they found the bits the buzzards didn’t want”. It continues as we meet the course director, Wendy, who may or may not be a secret agent; the local help, Jenny, who knows Fell Hall inside and out; and a nice mix of authors and students, all of whom have more-or-less shady pasts. Of course, someone soon dies, and Tyler then proceeds to skillfully skewer just about every “isolated mansion” plot device known to humankind, including disappearing characters, mysterious notes, odd noises, flickering lights, spooky basements, late night searches (conducted in pairs, naturally), and a boat-full of titular red herrings.
Tyler also excels at slightly sardonic humor, and Farewell My Herring reminds me a lot in that respect of my all-time favorite author, Sarah Caudwell, whose short four-book Hilary Tamar series engenders the same sort of chuckles. (Which is a huge compliment, by the way, since I don’t compare many books to hers…) However, also like Caudwell’s books, the plot is not really the strong point of Farewell My Herring – it’s more like a foil for the characters and the humor. I found that I had guessed the murderer and most of the motive early on, but in the end, it didn’t make any difference to me, because I was having so much fun otherwise reading the book. But, if you are a reader who really cares about the nitty-gritty of the murder case itself, you may find yourself a teeny bit frustrated. In any case, myself, I’m not that kind of reader, and I’m thrilled that Farewell My Herring is Tyler’s ninth book in the series, since that means I now have eight more I can go back and read! Farewell My Herring easily earns a five-star rating, which I only give to maybe one in thirty or forty books that I read. And finally, my thanks to the publisher, Allison & Busby, and to NetGalley for the advance review copy.
May 1, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Farewell My Herring is a stylishly clever classic mystery and the 9th Herring Mystery by L.C. Tyler. Released 22nd April 2021 by Allison & Busby, it's 227 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This hitherto unfamiliar (to me) series is a genuinely funny and surprisingly nuanced homage to golden age mystery in general, and Christie specifically. The author uses the classic tropes: inaccessible mountain writers' retreat cut off by a winter snowstorm, a murder and disappearance, atmospheric (creepy) house with a mysterious major domo... but he manages to avoid the pitfall of just riffing endlessly on canonical Christie which becomes boring in short order.
The plot is well engineered and the characters were well written and (although snarky and silly in places) mostly believable. The returning characters, hapless author Ethelred, and his sarcastic and cynical literary agent, Elsie are by turns earnest and cynical. The story is told with alternating chapter point-of-views between Elsie and Ethelred which weren't any problem to keep straight since their voices were so distinct from one another (and the chapter headers are labeled).
This is a neatly stylish, entertaining, and self-contained mystery. The character backstories are provided by the author and it wasn't obviously a series book. I had no trouble following along and the denouement and resolution were complete and satisfying. It was good enough that I fully intend to chase down the earlier books in the series.
Four stars. Entertaining and well crafted.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Farewell My Herring is a stylishly clever classic mystery and the 9th Herring Mystery by L.C. Tyler. Released 22nd April 2021 by Allison & Busby, it's 227 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This hitherto unfamiliar (to me) series is a genuinely funny and surprisingly nuanced homage to golden age mystery in general, and Christie specifically. The author uses the classic tropes: inaccessible mountain writers' retreat cut off by a winter snowstorm, a murder and disappearance, atmospheric (creepy) house with a mysterious major domo... but he manages to avoid the pitfall of just riffing endlessly on canonical Christie which becomes boring in short order.
The plot is well engineered and the characters were well written and (although snarky and silly in places) mostly believable. The returning characters, hapless author Ethelred, and his sarcastic and cynical literary agent, Elsie are by turns earnest and cynical. The story is told with alternating chapter point-of-views between Elsie and Ethelred which weren't any problem to keep straight since their voices were so distinct from one another (and the chapter headers are labeled).
This is a neatly stylish, entertaining, and self-contained mystery. The character backstories are provided by the author and it wasn't obviously a series book. I had no trouble following along and the denouement and resolution were complete and satisfying. It was good enough that I fully intend to chase down the earlier books in the series.
Four stars. Entertaining and well crafted.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 2, 2021
4.33 stars
In Farewell My Herring, our protagonists are Ethelred Tressider, an author, and Elsie Thirkettle, his agent. They are invited to Fell Hall, a manor in the middle of nowhere that offers an exclusive and immersive creative writing course. All the lecturers arrive the day before the course begins, as do a couple of attendees who decided to ignore the rules and show up a day early. During dinner, tension starts to build as it seems that one of the guests has a hidden agenda of her own.
A heavy snowfall traps the characters in the manor, and then one of them goes missing. Without any ways to communicate with the outside world until the snow stops, Tressider and Thirkettle take it upon themselves to lead the investigation.
Tyler did a really good job creating an atmosphere that evoked both the classic isolated mystery tension and a satirical take on popular mystery tropes. Farewell My Herring is a book that delivers a great whodunnit without taking itself too seriously. Tressider and Thirkettle banter is reminiscent of Carr’s detectives and reminded me a lot of Sir Henry Merrivale tongue in cheek demeanor. It reads delightfully satirical and witty.
Although I enjoyed the overall tone of Farewell My Herring, it took me a while to get into the book because too many characters were introduced at the same time. I felt like I only knew the protagonists and Claire until about 1/3 of the way in. I think it is just a matter of preference, as I do like backstories. I also feel that the book lost me a little bit with the espionage subplot. These are just minute reader preferences that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book!
Tyler stayed true to the Golden Age Mystery traditions and played fair with his plot. He also excelled at meshing vintage tropes and atmosphere with very modern references, characters, and dialogues. Farewell My Herring is the 9th book in the Herring Mysteries series, and I will be checking his other books!
Thank you, Allison & Busby, L. C. Tyler and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Farewell My Herring in exchange for an honest review.
#FarewellMyHerring #NetGalley
In Farewell My Herring, our protagonists are Ethelred Tressider, an author, and Elsie Thirkettle, his agent. They are invited to Fell Hall, a manor in the middle of nowhere that offers an exclusive and immersive creative writing course. All the lecturers arrive the day before the course begins, as do a couple of attendees who decided to ignore the rules and show up a day early. During dinner, tension starts to build as it seems that one of the guests has a hidden agenda of her own.
A heavy snowfall traps the characters in the manor, and then one of them goes missing. Without any ways to communicate with the outside world until the snow stops, Tressider and Thirkettle take it upon themselves to lead the investigation.
Tyler did a really good job creating an atmosphere that evoked both the classic isolated mystery tension and a satirical take on popular mystery tropes. Farewell My Herring is a book that delivers a great whodunnit without taking itself too seriously. Tressider and Thirkettle banter is reminiscent of Carr’s detectives and reminded me a lot of Sir Henry Merrivale tongue in cheek demeanor. It reads delightfully satirical and witty.
Although I enjoyed the overall tone of Farewell My Herring, it took me a while to get into the book because too many characters were introduced at the same time. I felt like I only knew the protagonists and Claire until about 1/3 of the way in. I think it is just a matter of preference, as I do like backstories. I also feel that the book lost me a little bit with the espionage subplot. These are just minute reader preferences that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book!
Tyler stayed true to the Golden Age Mystery traditions and played fair with his plot. He also excelled at meshing vintage tropes and atmosphere with very modern references, characters, and dialogues. Farewell My Herring is the 9th book in the Herring Mysteries series, and I will be checking his other books!
Thank you, Allison & Busby, L. C. Tyler and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Farewell My Herring in exchange for an honest review.
#FarewellMyHerring #NetGalley
April 6, 2021
I had never read a book in this series before but I a) didn't feel like I was missing anything and b) am now very intrigued about the rest of the series. The ending was a little mushy and sort of left open like there might be more to the story in later books and there some plot points were sort of glossed over but generally I liked the well-built characters and the descriptive creation of setting.
Though it is hard to believe, there are still places in the world where people cannot get wi-fi or cell service. I live near one of them so there was no suspension of disbelief for me when this mystery was set in a remote old house, Fell Hall. Ethelred and his agent Elsie have been invited to a conference where they will discuss writing mysteries and how to get your book noticed, respectively. There are only supposed to be the three authors (Elsie and Ethelred have had interactions with both of the other writers but I'm not sure if it was in other books or not.) They are there to confer with the woman, Wendy, who runs the writing seminars with one other person, Jenny who helps with the cleaning and cooking, in the building. However, two of the participants have shown up early. It is that evening that the snow begins to fall. This very much annoys Wendy who is the type of regimented person who wants things to not only run smoothly but to run her way. Even worse, one of the two participants seems to be causing consternation among the authors.
Added to the mix another participant shows up the next day, even with the deep snow, and he seems to have some sort of information about Wendy. Then one of their number dies. And one disappears. Elsie and Ethelred take it upon themselves to investigate the murder.
It was really interesting being in the head of both of these characters, especially since I didn't actually like either one all that much. But they are both fully formed, this being the 9th book in the series, and Tyler certainly has them so down pat that one book really gives the reader a full idea of who they each are.
Though it is hard to believe, there are still places in the world where people cannot get wi-fi or cell service. I live near one of them so there was no suspension of disbelief for me when this mystery was set in a remote old house, Fell Hall. Ethelred and his agent Elsie have been invited to a conference where they will discuss writing mysteries and how to get your book noticed, respectively. There are only supposed to be the three authors (Elsie and Ethelred have had interactions with both of the other writers but I'm not sure if it was in other books or not.) They are there to confer with the woman, Wendy, who runs the writing seminars with one other person, Jenny who helps with the cleaning and cooking, in the building. However, two of the participants have shown up early. It is that evening that the snow begins to fall. This very much annoys Wendy who is the type of regimented person who wants things to not only run smoothly but to run her way. Even worse, one of the two participants seems to be causing consternation among the authors.
Added to the mix another participant shows up the next day, even with the deep snow, and he seems to have some sort of information about Wendy. Then one of their number dies. And one disappears. Elsie and Ethelred take it upon themselves to investigate the murder.
It was really interesting being in the head of both of these characters, especially since I didn't actually like either one all that much. But they are both fully formed, this being the 9th book in the series, and Tyler certainly has them so down pat that one book really gives the reader a full idea of who they each are.
May 13, 2021
Thank you to both #NetGalley and Allison & Busby for providing me an advance copy of L.C. Tyler’s ninth book in the Herring Mysteries series, Farewell My Herring, in exchange for an honest review.
Initially, I was unaware that #FarewellMyHerring was part of an entire series. Whether this fact bodes well for readers or not, will depend on the individual reader. On the one hand, you can easily read this novel without knowing any background details or characters. On the other, readers who are fans of the series may be disappointed in the story arc. Since I have neither read any books in this particular series nor any other novels written by this author, you should take my review with a grain of salt if you are fond of either.
The style in which the book was written might have annoyed me the most. I tend to enjoy books that are told from the perspective of multiple characters, but the format did not work as well here since each chapter was written in the first person. For instance, you would have a chapter for Ethelred and then a chapter or two later it would switch back to Elsie, but both characters would be speaking as “I.” Also, at first the witty banter between the characters was quite charming, but this sparkle fizzled quickly into tedious dialogue.
In addition, while the novel is well-written from a technical perspective, the crisp, clear sentences are mostly devoid of imagery. However, this may be due to the fact that the book is essentially a locked-room mystery novel (i.e., the setting is Fell Hall).
Lastly, I found many of the “twists” and “turns” in the novel to be predictable. I also did not ever connect or care for any of the characters. Again, take this review with a grain of salt because I coming into this series on book nine. Thus, this will definitely have an impact on how I am describing the characters as well as how I view the storyline.
Overall, I give the novel a three, but would be open to reading a future standalone written by this author—there were some humorous passages and intriguing parts.
Initially, I was unaware that #FarewellMyHerring was part of an entire series. Whether this fact bodes well for readers or not, will depend on the individual reader. On the one hand, you can easily read this novel without knowing any background details or characters. On the other, readers who are fans of the series may be disappointed in the story arc. Since I have neither read any books in this particular series nor any other novels written by this author, you should take my review with a grain of salt if you are fond of either.
The style in which the book was written might have annoyed me the most. I tend to enjoy books that are told from the perspective of multiple characters, but the format did not work as well here since each chapter was written in the first person. For instance, you would have a chapter for Ethelred and then a chapter or two later it would switch back to Elsie, but both characters would be speaking as “I.” Also, at first the witty banter between the characters was quite charming, but this sparkle fizzled quickly into tedious dialogue.
In addition, while the novel is well-written from a technical perspective, the crisp, clear sentences are mostly devoid of imagery. However, this may be due to the fact that the book is essentially a locked-room mystery novel (i.e., the setting is Fell Hall).
Lastly, I found many of the “twists” and “turns” in the novel to be predictable. I also did not ever connect or care for any of the characters. Again, take this review with a grain of salt because I coming into this series on book nine. Thus, this will definitely have an impact on how I am describing the characters as well as how I view the storyline.
Overall, I give the novel a three, but would be open to reading a future standalone written by this author—there were some humorous passages and intriguing parts.
April 7, 2021
Quirkier and twistier than an old stone spiral staircase in a crumbling castle, this charming story is set in rural Yorkshire where the pretty roads are unnervingly narrow and the scenery idyllic. There ought to be an award for The Funniest First Paragraph in a Book! Even the Acknowledgements at the back is written with wit. Details like this are what elevate a good book to an outstanding book. It is loaded with personality.
Wendy owns and operates Fell Hall where a writer's course is held. Amongst the guests are Ethelred Tressider, an author, and his agent, Elsie Thirkettle. Mix in a snowstorm, good food and no internet and voila...an opportune time for murder. Ethelred and Elsie hilariously tell the story through their points of view which I love. The wit and sarcasm are excellent. L. C. Tyler has such a refreshing way with words. Have I mentioned wit?
All the attendee have skeletons in their closets which up to now hadn't been aired. But inevitably, that's precisely what happens. People get jumpy and suspicious. And the snow prevents them from leaving, so...
Those mystery readers who are just discovering this author, you are in for a treat!
My sincere thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the privilege of reading the e-ARC of this delightful book!
Wendy owns and operates Fell Hall where a writer's course is held. Amongst the guests are Ethelred Tressider, an author, and his agent, Elsie Thirkettle. Mix in a snowstorm, good food and no internet and voila...an opportune time for murder. Ethelred and Elsie hilariously tell the story through their points of view which I love. The wit and sarcasm are excellent. L. C. Tyler has such a refreshing way with words. Have I mentioned wit?
All the attendee have skeletons in their closets which up to now hadn't been aired. But inevitably, that's precisely what happens. People get jumpy and suspicious. And the snow prevents them from leaving, so...
Those mystery readers who are just discovering this author, you are in for a treat!
My sincere thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the privilege of reading the e-ARC of this delightful book!
April 13, 2021
The latest addition to the Herring Mysteries, L.C. Tyler’s FAREWELL MY HERRING is a fluffy whodunnit with a fun plot but few surprises.
This is the third book I’ve read this year alone that is set in a snowed-in hotel with the guests forced to face the fact that the murderer is one of their own, so I guess that’s my niche now! The two protagonists, crime writer Ethelred and his publisher Elsie, appoint themselves the police of the scene and attempt to find all of the clues before the killer strikes again.
This is definitely a fast read and easy to get through, but I wouldn’t say that i was actually invested in anything. None of the characters seemed very panicked that there was a murder and murderer in their midst, so it was hard for me to care either. There was a lot of bouncing around between suspects, and it never stuck with one suspect long enough for me to actually be convinced that they did it. Therefore, the ending, while certainly interesting, wasn’t necessarily shocking. It had a lot of interesting plot lines and ideas, it just didn’t follow them far enough for me to become wholly engrossed in anything.
I’m sure fans of the series will love this new addition to the canon (and it is certainly easy to follow as a standalone as well!), but I just thought it was a fluffy read with not a whole lot else going on.
This is the third book I’ve read this year alone that is set in a snowed-in hotel with the guests forced to face the fact that the murderer is one of their own, so I guess that’s my niche now! The two protagonists, crime writer Ethelred and his publisher Elsie, appoint themselves the police of the scene and attempt to find all of the clues before the killer strikes again.
This is definitely a fast read and easy to get through, but I wouldn’t say that i was actually invested in anything. None of the characters seemed very panicked that there was a murder and murderer in their midst, so it was hard for me to care either. There was a lot of bouncing around between suspects, and it never stuck with one suspect long enough for me to actually be convinced that they did it. Therefore, the ending, while certainly interesting, wasn’t necessarily shocking. It had a lot of interesting plot lines and ideas, it just didn’t follow them far enough for me to become wholly engrossed in anything.
I’m sure fans of the series will love this new addition to the canon (and it is certainly easy to follow as a standalone as well!), but I just thought it was a fluffy read with not a whole lot else going on.
May 31, 2021
Ethelred Tressider, just barely successful writer of comic mysteries and his agent Elsie Thirkettle, always on the lookout for more successful talent, are invited to take part in a weekend of lectures on mystery writing in a location so remote 'even sheep are keen to shun'. The writers and a couple of members of the audience have arrived early to get prepared. Unfortunately, over night, a heavy snowfall traps everyone inside. Tensions are already starting to mar the already ruined weekend when one of their members goes missing.
Farewell My Herring is the ninth entry in the Herring Mysteries by LC Tyler but the first I've read. I admit my main reasons for requesting this from Netgalley were the title and the cover and that's always an iffy proposition. I wasn't sure what to expect except perhaps a rather humorous homage to the Golden Age of mysteries and there are certainly traces of that here. But that was just a bit of what kept me reading.The characters are all interesting, especially Ethelred and Elsie who make for a very likeable pair of would-be sleuths. As well, the dry wit of the dialogue, and the numerous red herrings scattered about kept me engaged and entertained throughout. Overall, great fun to read, perfect for a lazy afternoon.
Thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Farewell My Herring is the ninth entry in the Herring Mysteries by LC Tyler but the first I've read. I admit my main reasons for requesting this from Netgalley were the title and the cover and that's always an iffy proposition. I wasn't sure what to expect except perhaps a rather humorous homage to the Golden Age of mysteries and there are certainly traces of that here. But that was just a bit of what kept me reading.The characters are all interesting, especially Ethelred and Elsie who make for a very likeable pair of would-be sleuths. As well, the dry wit of the dialogue, and the numerous red herrings scattered about kept me engaged and entertained throughout. Overall, great fun to read, perfect for a lazy afternoon.
Thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
April 12, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It was a 4½ stars read. It has exceeded my expectations. It has clichés, but that is part of the premise: we have a group of people reunited in an isolated place for a course about writing mystery books, so we obviously expect it to follow the path of the classics.
What I wasn't expecting was the whole metalinguistic part. It was great to see the insights about the literary universe, and the analysis about the writing itself, it seems that the characters are dissecting the story from the inside. It was a lot of fun.
Speaking of fun, the main characters are really funny, both in their own way. I just felt sometimes a bit confused about whose part I was reading, Elsie's or Ethelred's, but nothing so serious.
The mystery is good, the suspects, the plot twists, all is quite well put, with the plus that I have often found myself giggling. That is exactly what I needed at the moment.
Nothing in the story gives much away about the former books in the series, what is great! Now I'm looking forward to read them all.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What I wasn't expecting was the whole metalinguistic part. It was great to see the insights about the literary universe, and the analysis about the writing itself, it seems that the characters are dissecting the story from the inside. It was a lot of fun.
Speaking of fun, the main characters are really funny, both in their own way. I just felt sometimes a bit confused about whose part I was reading, Elsie's or Ethelred's, but nothing so serious.
The mystery is good, the suspects, the plot twists, all is quite well put, with the plus that I have often found myself giggling. That is exactly what I needed at the moment.
Nothing in the story gives much away about the former books in the series, what is great! Now I'm looking forward to read them all.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2021
A classic cosy murder mystery with semi-successful writer Ethelred Tressider and his ambitious agent Elsie Thirkettle trapped by the snow with other writers at a retreat in the wilds of Yorkshire. One of their number is murdered, and the pair set out to investigate.
This was an enjoyable, easy read with a nice side of banter between the two main characters. There were plenty of clues to help them (and the reader) solve the murder, and they got there in the end.
Where I felt this novel lacked was in characterisation and atmosphere. Even the two protagonists were fairly two-dimensional - Elsie a selfish chocolate addict Ethelred a bumbling author who was actually a lot more competent than he appeared - and the other characters even more so. While everyone had a possible motive for the murder, none of them felt very believable to me, nor did the characters seem very bothered that there was a murderer among them who could possibly strike again.
Still, this was a fun read, especially for those who love the cosy country house murder mystery genre.
With thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance review copy of this book.
This was an enjoyable, easy read with a nice side of banter between the two main characters. There were plenty of clues to help them (and the reader) solve the murder, and they got there in the end.
Where I felt this novel lacked was in characterisation and atmosphere. Even the two protagonists were fairly two-dimensional - Elsie a selfish chocolate addict Ethelred a bumbling author who was actually a lot more competent than he appeared - and the other characters even more so. While everyone had a possible motive for the murder, none of them felt very believable to me, nor did the characters seem very bothered that there was a murderer among them who could possibly strike again.
Still, this was a fun read, especially for those who love the cosy country house murder mystery genre.
With thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance review copy of this book.
July 11, 2021
This was a delightful and hilarious cozy murder mystery in the vein of Queen of Crime Christie. Set in a remote country house in English countryside, cut off from the outside world, guests trapped due to a blizzard, took upon themselves to find the killer before they become his/her next victim.
The most I loved about this is the duo Elsie and Ethelred. Elsie is a literary agent to Ethelred - crime fiction writer. Both have been invited along with other crime authors Hal and Jasper. The participants were Claire, Dean, and Fliss, who arrived a day earlier, much to the annoyance of course organizer Wendy, who plans everything down to a tee.
Adored Elsie, for her tongue in cheek remarks, with sharpest tongue in the world, go to any length to get her chocolate fix. Funnily this chocolate obsession has taken her one step closer to solving the case. The way she shamelessly tries to poach authors was hilarious. I was laughing throughout the book. Ethelred, complete contrast to Elsie. He was sensible, not at all stupid as Elsie made of him.
The witty dialogues cracked me up throughout the book but no way deviated from the brilliantly constructed plot.
As the title hinted, it was filled with a galore of red herrings. Though there were a very few characters, Elsie and Ethelred had to jump a lot of hoops to identify the killer in their midst. As every guest had something to hide, and had a motive to kill, the good cop and bad cop had to weed them out. The mystery is solid and a great one. Loved how everything tied together at the end. I was busy laughing and completely engrossed in the investigation and amazed how the author had given enough clues to guess the murder.
Overall, it was a highly enjoyable murder mystery and would highly recommend it. I am looking forward to catching up with the previous books and would gladly pick them up to get out of my reading slumps.
The most I loved about this is the duo Elsie and Ethelred. Elsie is a literary agent to Ethelred - crime fiction writer. Both have been invited along with other crime authors Hal and Jasper. The participants were Claire, Dean, and Fliss, who arrived a day earlier, much to the annoyance of course organizer Wendy, who plans everything down to a tee.
Adored Elsie, for her tongue in cheek remarks, with sharpest tongue in the world, go to any length to get her chocolate fix. Funnily this chocolate obsession has taken her one step closer to solving the case. The way she shamelessly tries to poach authors was hilarious. I was laughing throughout the book. Ethelred, complete contrast to Elsie. He was sensible, not at all stupid as Elsie made of him.
The witty dialogues cracked me up throughout the book but no way deviated from the brilliantly constructed plot.
As the title hinted, it was filled with a galore of red herrings. Though there were a very few characters, Elsie and Ethelred had to jump a lot of hoops to identify the killer in their midst. As every guest had something to hide, and had a motive to kill, the good cop and bad cop had to weed them out. The mystery is solid and a great one. Loved how everything tied together at the end. I was busy laughing and completely engrossed in the investigation and amazed how the author had given enough clues to guess the murder.
Overall, it was a highly enjoyable murder mystery and would highly recommend it. I am looking forward to catching up with the previous books and would gladly pick them up to get out of my reading slumps.
July 18, 2021
"That’s the trouble with male writers - put them in a bar full of girls for long enough and they’ll wake up the next day trying to remember how many draft first novels they’ve promised to read."
What starts off as a fiction writing course, turns into a nightmare for most of these really shady authors. Its in a really isolated area, they're all snowed in, and then there's a murder.
I was surprised by who the killer was, and I relate to Elsie on a spiritual level. I did think that Elsie and Ethelred were absolute psychopaths for being that chill with a dead body in front of them, but I haven't read any of the other books in the series. I was slightly put off with how they kept telling their theories to different people, but that was also a great way to draw more information out. I did skim over their dialogue towards the end of it, but I'm glad that Elsie's chocolate obsession led to something. While I don't read a lot in this genre, I do think that this is perfect for people who liked Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys growing up!
Thank you, NetGalley for a chance to read and review this!
What starts off as a fiction writing course, turns into a nightmare for most of these really shady authors. Its in a really isolated area, they're all snowed in, and then there's a murder.
I was surprised by who the killer was, and I relate to Elsie on a spiritual level. I did think that Elsie and Ethelred were absolute psychopaths for being that chill with a dead body in front of them, but I haven't read any of the other books in the series. I was slightly put off with how they kept telling their theories to different people, but that was also a great way to draw more information out. I did skim over their dialogue towards the end of it, but I'm glad that Elsie's chocolate obsession led to something. While I don't read a lot in this genre, I do think that this is perfect for people who liked Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys growing up!
Thank you, NetGalley for a chance to read and review this!
April 28, 2021
Another book selected mostly for the unusual title, but also for the beautiful cover, Farewell My Herring was every bit as unusual as the title implies.
I did enjoy this comical crime novel, there is plenty to amuse the reader in the amateur detection of Ethelred and Elsie. A bit too overtop for me to want to read another, but it was a fun satirical adventure.
I had a look at his other titles--they all contain the word "herring." Ok, so when I saw this title I was immediately reminded of Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler, but when I looked at Tyler's other "herring" titles, Agatha Christie was well represented: Ten Little Herrings, The Herring in the Library, The Herring on the Nile, etc. Chandler and Christie were certainly the source of the Herring titles. :)
NetGalley/Alison and Busby
Comic Crime? April 22, 2021. Print length: 227 pages.
I did enjoy this comical crime novel, there is plenty to amuse the reader in the amateur detection of Ethelred and Elsie. A bit too overtop for me to want to read another, but it was a fun satirical adventure.
I had a look at his other titles--they all contain the word "herring." Ok, so when I saw this title I was immediately reminded of Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler, but when I looked at Tyler's other "herring" titles, Agatha Christie was well represented: Ten Little Herrings, The Herring in the Library, The Herring on the Nile, etc. Chandler and Christie were certainly the source of the Herring titles. :)
NetGalley/Alison and Busby
Comic Crime? April 22, 2021. Print length: 227 pages.
June 28, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable novel, interesting characters travel to a remote location in the English countryside to hear a lecture on a creative writing course but it all changes with a sudden twist that turns into a murder! The author is very clever and it's refreshing to read a book.
There is much humour in this book and some really witty dialogue which, I've enjoyed, the book ends well with some nicely tied up ends and many secrets which seem mysterious at first an in fact divulged, quite rightly so. I really didn't see where the plot was going to be honest, it caught me by surprise which I must say is very refreshing, nobody likes a know it all and it's even better when you have no clue either, very unpredictable.
With thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this free ARC in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
There is much humour in this book and some really witty dialogue which, I've enjoyed, the book ends well with some nicely tied up ends and many secrets which seem mysterious at first an in fact divulged, quite rightly so. I really didn't see where the plot was going to be honest, it caught me by surprise which I must say is very refreshing, nobody likes a know it all and it's even better when you have no clue either, very unpredictable.
With thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this free ARC in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 28, 2022
I've read most of the books in this series as well as other books by this author. I enjoyed this hugely. He manages to balance serious issues and quirkiness with a lightness of touch. And sends himself up and the book industry. The setting is a classic whodunnit as the cast are stuck out on the North Yorkshire moors without a mobile phone between them and then they are snowed in. Perfect. It was a good length too. I wonder if the author has ever been approached with a view to dramatising the books. I think they would be brilliant on the radio. Come on BBC R4 drama what are you waiting for. As with most series books it isn't the plot or the big reveal that's the draw but the characters and the two main protagonists, Ethelred and Elsie do not disappoint. There's also a supporting cast of interesting characters. Looking forward to number 10.
April 14, 2021
A cozy mystery with writers, staff and two early participants, all gathered at a retreat for crime writers. Then they becomes snowed in, without access to the wider world, and trouble arrives. Or, at least, murder is found, as one would expect in a set-up like this one. FAREWELL MY HERRING is another in a series involving the unlikeliest duo ever, a modest crime writer and his more ambitious agent. The insider conversations about publishing are cute, as is the constant repartee between the writer and his agent. This is a quick and entertaining mystery, with (red) herrings galore. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
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