Maxwell's Match

Peter Maxwell Mystery #8

by M.J. Trow

James 'Legs' Diamond has come up with another off-the-wall idea, and Peter Maxwell is in his sights. Diamond needs someone to take part in an exchange with a teacher from the private sector, and although Maxwell went to just such a school, he is not keen to take part in the experiment.
For once, however, his wiles fail him, and he finds himself ensconced under the eaves in a guest room at Grimond's school in the next county. It is only a day or so before tragedy strikes, as a teacher from the same house - Tennyson - plunges from the roof, literally above Maxwell's head.
Maxwell is plunged into an atmosphere of distrust and secrecy, where the pupils seem to hold the key. Henry Hall is full of secrets too - why are he and Jacquie on secondment, and what is it that they're not telling? Has Maxwell met his match on the playing fields of Grimond's?
'It's a good, hard to solve mystery.'
The Observer

Genres: Crime, Mystery

Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

Meirion James Trow is a full-time teacher of history who has been doubling as a crime writer for seventeen years. Originally from Ferndale, Rhondda in South Wales he now lives on the Isle of Wight. His interests include collecting militaria, film, the supernatural and true crime.

Reviews

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Description: History teacher Peter (Mad Max) Maxwell is sent on a short-term swap with another teacher at a nearby private school. Here he stumbles on an unnatural death. One of the housemasters falls from the roof - Maxwell believes he was pushed. Then another is found floating in a lake. And what's with all the gay porn? As Maxwell unravels the intricate web, suspicion falls on more and more of the eccentric cast of teachers, though some of the pupils also have motives.

4* Maxwell's House
3.5* Maxwell's Flame
4* Maxwell's Movie
3.5* Maxwell's War
3* Maxwell's Curse
3* Maxwell's Ride
4* Maxwell's Reunion
3* Maxwell's Match

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love these Mad Max books.
In this one he gets Shanghai-ed into a job swap. He ends up in a posh fee paying co-ed while one of their number goes to Leighford High.
Needless to say Max is no sooner there than one of the staff falls from the roof above him. Later another teacher is also found floating face down in the lake.
DI Hall has also found himself on secondment in the area and is given charge over the local inspector. Hall sends for Jacqui his sergeant to help.
This story baffles the usually astute Max for some time and again he places himself in harms way.
Max is a lovely character and his romance with Woman Policeman Carpenter is really very touching.
Have really enjoyed this series.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Good Read

Death seems to follow Peter Maxwell everywhere he goes. He has exchanged places with a teacher who works at a private school and it is not long before one of the other teachers meets his end. So Mad Max, as he is known at his school is "helping" the police and he always seems to do a better job. This is a good series and I am enjoying his romance with "woman policeman" as he calls Jacquie Carpenter.

[C.Denby · Rating 4 out of 5]

M J Trow is a historian, NOT a geographer! The book was as good as all of the Maxwell series are, but the geographical detail annoyed me as locations and places mentioned were either travelled to by a tortuous route or were totally in the wrong place! That aside, I love the Maxwell series and it has not put me off

[Ann Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining as usual

Peter Maxwell, Comprehesive teacher is out of his usual school to do an exchange to a posh private school. However, dark deeds lurk below the surface and Mad Max unravels a murderer with ambitions.

[Carole]

I love this man - again a series of books recommended by my best friend here - can be read as stand alone, however I just had to read the whole series of which there are 17!!!!! Borrowed them all from Carol as she had them all. His humour is just brilliant. A must read.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly my favourite of the series set so far. Being set in a private school gave it an extra edge

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Max is seconded to a private school, as is CDI Hall for different reasons. 3 deaths, pedophilia and rugby ensue. BTW Max and Jacquie are now a couple. Read on vacation, hence short review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxwell is on secondment to Grimonds school when the Head Of Tennyson is found dead. Did he jump from the roof of the building or was he pushed. DCI Henry Hall is also on secondment, and is for a time is in charge of the investigation until another death occurs.
An entertaining mystery

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started on this series, my wife who has just finished the latest, told me that they get better as they go along. All the 8 that I have read score over 4 on Goodreads and indeed the average does creep up although I am surprised how few ratings (and I assume readers) there have been.

My wife was so sure that I would like these books that she bought a collection of these first eigth for me. She was right and this is the first time that I have ever read eight books of a series one after the other.

I think one has to be a male of a certain age to fully appreciate the character of Peter Maxwell. Perhaps I am surprised that my wife enjoyed them as much as I did.

I don't like swearing but in these books it seemed to fit in and didn't really bother me.

I think that this story is the most complex yet as Mad Max is selected as Leighford High's teacher to participate in a teacher exchance with a school in the private sector. Coincidentally his now almost tamed DCI is also in the area on a similar Police Exchange.

Purely for my preference the author likes to play with a larger cast than I would like in a novel but I have to say that I have no difficulty in keeping track of them all.

If I have any moan at all, it is that in this one  Max seems more serious and less of the pedant and film quoting joker we saw at the beginning of the series.

I would have liked this to have been a 5* as much for the series so far and it was so close again.  Plenty of time yet for that but for me now, the end of this collection is a bit like singing the old school song in the assembly at the end of term as I am going to leave Leighford High now. A chance to catch up on other books on my shelf. But in my best Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'll be back"

10th Apr 2025

[Kabrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

The description of Henry Hall always lets Marcie come to mind:

[Tria · Rating 4 out of 5]

TBReviewed later.