The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn

Clarice Beech #1

by Kate High

'Animal lovers will delight' Ann Granger

' A real treat . . . I loved it. Cats, dogs, murder and a credible and relatable heroine' Barbara Nadel

'This debut promises to build up into a popular series' Daily Mail

Clarice Beech has two passions in animal rescue and Detective Inspector Rick Beech. She is devoted to the first but she and Rick have been separated for the past six months - life without him is hard.

Clarice shares her other love, for contemporary ceramics, with the charming Lady Vita Fayrepoynt. When Vita's adopted three-legged ginger cat Walter disappears from Weatherby Hall Clarice is called in to find him. Walter, snug in an old barn, is quite well. But his discovery ends with Clarice in hospital, and Rose Miller, late of the Old Vicarage in the morgue. There is nothing natural about Rose's death...

Putting their differences aside, Clarice and Rick are drawn together to try to understand the murder that has shaken the rural Lincolnshire community. As she explores Rose's past Clarice is pulled into a shady world of blackmail, scams and violence. And as the secrets of Weatherby Hall and the Fayrepoynt family threaten to spill out Clarice finds friendships tested, and her own life at risk.

A debut mystery set in the Lincolnshire Wolds, featuring an amateur detective who mixes sleuthing with her other great animal rescue. The perfect classic crime mystery for fans of Ann Granger, M. C. Beaton and Caroline Graham's Midsomer Murders .

Genres: Mystery, Contemporary, Murder Mystery, Crime, Audiobook, Animals, Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 Sterne

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn is an engaging début that I found very fresh. I really enjoyed the mystery with its copious twists and turns - the developments were well-paced, and the tension really peaked in the second half. There was a lot going on and Kate High did an excellent job of pulling in all the loose ends in the final stages.

Set in rural Lincolnshire, England, artist and amateur sleuth Clarice was a very likeable lead; I found her kind, realistic, intelligent and also very level-headed. I enjoyed reading about her animal rescue activities and many cats though this part of the story did not overshadow the mystery. The secondary characters were deftly drawn as well, including Clarice’s estranged husband DI Rick Beech and Clarice’s loyal friends.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to friends, family and crime lovers; it’s a fantastic read that left me wishing I could immediately move onto the next in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Little, Brown Book Group via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really hate saying this, but this book was absolutely terrible. So boring. I don’t mind reading a book about rich people talking if it’s Austen or Elliot writing. (I know they are two of the greatest writers who ever lived, so very unfair comparison). At least they understood that if your story is character driven, you need interesting people and humour. If this book was to be an easy going ‘who did it?’, where is the humour? It’s just people talking! The title is fun and quirky. It implies that there will be funny local “characters” akin to “the darling buds of May” or “all creatures great and small”. But no. There are no quirky people, no jokes, no fun. Even the animals are boring and I’m a sucker for a cat or dog on the cover of a book.

The main character has absolutely no charisma. She’s also not phased about falling and waking up
on a corpse. That’s not believable, and yet there are no jokes about it. It’s a straight storyline with no sarcasm or irony so we are supposed to believe this woman is perfectly fine with seeing a neighbours half eaten face right beside her own! The main protagonist just wanders around talking to people that have no depth and are equally boring. The stereo typical landed gentry could have been a place for great humour similar to Vanity Fair. But no. They are boring. Anyway, my review is scathing and repetitive so I’ll leave it at that.

The cover is beautiful, and fair play to anyone who writes a book. I’ve never had the courage! But this will be the prettiest book in the charity shop.

[Selina B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 Sterne

[Daniela Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gelungener Reihenauftakt mit sehr detailreicher Story und spannender Mordermittlung

Ich vergebe 3,5 Sterne – da es halbe Sachen nicht gibt, runde ich tendenzmäßig auf 4 Sterne auf.

Clarice stößt bei ihren Nachforschungen auf einige Ungereimtheiten, war doch die Tote Rose nicht die, die sie vorgab zu sein. Rose´ Tod ruft dann auch noch deren geldgierige und nicht minder gewaltbereite Verwandtschaft auf den Plan und lüftet das eine oder andere Dorfgeheimnis. Clarice schafft es Dank ihres Noch-Ehemannes und sehr guter Freunde, der Lösung des Falls immer näher zu kommen. Dabei scheut sie vor keiner Gefahr zurück, setzt Freundschaften aufs Spiel, geht an ihre Grenzen und stellt alles in Frage, was sie über die Bewohner ihres Heimatortes Castlewick zu wissen glaubt.

Ich mag die Story und auch der Schreibstil an und für sich gefällt mir gut. Doch für meinen Geschmack hätte ein bisschen mehr vom typisch englischen trockenen Humor enthalten sein können (davon gab es kaum was), dafür ein bisschen weniger Charaktere. Denn die haben mich echt überfordert und ich hätte mir eine Charakterauflistung im Buch gewünscht. Es fiel mit recht schwer, mich zurecht zu finden, wer ist wer und wie stehen die nun wieder zueinander. Das war eher anstrengend. Dazu kommt dann noch der recht verzwickte Fall mit vielen hineinspielenden Richtungen, so dass es kein lockerflüssig zu lesender Wohlfühlkrimi ist, sondern ein guter, recht unvorhersehbarer ernsthafter Krimi.

Das liest sich jetzt ein bisschen negativ, doch das täuscht. Denn im Ganzen fand ich den Krimi wirklich gelungen: tolle Story, verzwickter Fall, sich wandelnde Charaktere und obendrauf noch ein paar Tiere in schöner englisch-ländlicher Gegend. Das Setting hat mir sehr gut gefallen, weil schön bildhaft beschrieben. Auch die Charaktere waren detailliert beschrieben und lösten – je nachdem – in mir wahre Abneigungsschübe und Hassanflüge aus. Clarice selbst… mit ihr bin ich irgendwie nicht so warm geworden, konnte mich nicht mit ihr identifizieren. Obwohl sie – wie ich – sich für Tiere einsetzt und diese liebt. Für mich war sie zu unnahbar, ungreifbar, unpersönlich. Aber das ist nur mein persönliches Empfinden.

Ich vergebe 3,5 Sterne – bedeutet: zwischen gut und sehr gut. Für 4 (sehr gut) oder 5 (ausgezeichnet) Sterne fehlt mir hier das gewisse Etwas und empfand ich die Charakterflut als zu übermächtig. Dennoch bin ich gespannt auf die Fortsetzung und werde diese sicher auch lesen.

Die ausführliche Rezension inkl. Leseprobe findet ihr wie immer in meinem Blog LESEZAUBER_ZEILENREISE https://lesezauberzeilenreise.blogspo...

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery, pets and a very noisy neighbor… the perfect combination to accompany you any night! I don’t know what attracts me from this book; the cover or the plot, but believe me I hit the jackpot, I couldn’t stop reading.
When my mind is stressed I love reading cozy mysteries; they have a variety of characters, a mystery and always an intelligent and brave woman who tries to discover the truth. In this book you’ll meet Clarice Beech, she loves animals and good mysteries but most importantly, has a good heart and always searches for the truth, it doesn’t matter how hard it is. In this story, Clarice will “find” a body in a barn; and as you can expect, she will have to discover who she is and what really happened to her, it will not be an easy case but she will have her detective husband, Rick, on her side trying to discover the truth.
Rick and Clarice had been separated for 6 months, they are still friends but things are not the same between them, you’ll feel the emotions and weird situations during the story, and this gives a human touch and realistic story to the plot, you could relate with their feelings and how they feel with each other. They are not a couple, not friends but they still miss each other…
I don’t want to talk much about the case, I really don’t want to make any spoiler, only that the victim is not as innocent as anyone could want, she is dark and greedy and everyone around her could have motives to kill. Be prepared for a few surprises and a lot of dangerous characters surrounding the victim.
This is an addictive book, you’ll start reading for the mystery but you’ll stay for the pets and the characters; believe me, impossible to put down! I really hope we’ll see a new case with Clarice and Rick soon, their chemistry together is amazing and they both are great detectives!
Are you ready?

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In case I’m not back when you arrive, Rex Cook spotted Walter near the Hanging Barn – YIPPEEEE! I’m going over to get him while he’s still there. Cherry cake in the cake box, see you later. Clarice xx”

My thanks to Little, Brown Group U.K. Constable for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn’ by Kate High.

First published in 2021, this is the first book in her Clarice Beech series of cosy mysteries set in Lincolnshire.

Six months ago Clarice separated from her husband, Detective Inspector Rick Beech, though she is finding life without him difficult. She works with ceramics and also encourages local artists. The other great passion in her life is animal rescue.

When Lady Vita Fayrepoynt contacts her about the disappearance of Walter, her adopted three-legged ginger cat, Clarice is happy to help with the search. She finds him snug and quite well in a ruined building, known as the Hanging Barn, as it was where justice was carried out locally up until the mid-18th Century.

However, Clarice also finds a dead body in the barn and has an accident that lands her in the hospital with a broken foot. So, she spends a lot of the novel hobbling about on crutches.

The case also brings she and Rick together as Clarice enjoys a bit of sleuthing. They try to understand the reasons behind the murder that has shaken their rural community. Of course, a darker underside to the small town is revealed in the process as well as more bodies.

I found ‘The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn’ an enjoyable cosy mystery and appreciated the role played by Clarice’s rescue cats and dogs. Since its publication there have been two further books in the series with another due in 2024. I hope to read these at some point in the near future.

[CherryCarrot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn is an engaging, satisfyingly complex mystery which felt simultaneously both classic and fresh, which if you read a lot of crime like I do you’ll know is no mean feat. I really enjoyed the mystery with its many twists and turns - the developments felt very well-paced, and the tension and threat-factor really ramped up in the second half. There was a lot going on but it always fell on the right side of complex, and debut author Kate High did an excellent job of drawing all the loose ends together at the end in a Poirot-style showdown with all the suspects grouped together in one room (my favourite crime trope!).

Amateur sleuth Clarice made a very likeable lead - she is kind, empathetic, realistic, intelligent and also very level-headed. As a pet lover, I especially liked reading about her animal rescue activities and many cats (my favourite scene in the book - without spoilers - involved top cat Ena taking some very decisive action). If you’re not an animal lover don’t let this angle put you off - while the cats and dogs Clarice owns and rehomes are very much part of the story, they never overshadow the mystery. Secondary characters were likeable and deftly drawn too, from Clarice’s estranged police inspector husband Rick to the elderly, perceptive Linda, and Clarice’s loyal friends come surrogate parents Sandra and Bob.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to crime lovers - it’s a fantastic read that left me wishing I could immediately move onto a sequel. Five stars!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for a cosy mystery and if that mystery happens to include cats or dogs then I’m suckered, this book has both.

Clarice lives a near idyllic life in Lincolnshire, she is a skilled ceramic artist and she also is the go to person in her neighbourhood for looking after animals with nowhere else to go. Her life would be fully perfect if her policeman husband was still at home and not living elsewhere.

Whilst on the lookout for one of her neighbours rogue cats she not only finds the missing moggy hiding in a local barn but when the floor gives way beneath her she also comes across a body. The body belongs to a local woman, Rose, a woman whose past seems a little bit dodgy to say the least.

Clarice’s discovery brings her back in to the path of her ex-husband Rick, despite his insistence she doesn’t get involved, she finds herself looking in to Rose’s past and discovers that she was definitely not who she said she was and when less than savoury relatives of Rose’s turn up, Clarice finds herself looking over her shoulder. She also discovers that the murder may lead to a murkier secret which may cause a local family to give up their secrets.

This was an enjoyable read, some cosy crimes can be a bit twee but this wasn’t, it was the perfect balance of fun and crime and you could almost imagine Miss Marple inserting herself in to the picturesque setting.

A fun read, perfect for all cosy crime fans.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Milly Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across Clarice Beech three years ago when I read The Man Who Vanished and the Dog Who Waited, which I realised afterwards was the second in the series. Therefore, finally, I have picked up Book 1. Clarice is not only a ceramicist, she is also a rescuer of animals. Her house is full of cats and two or three dogs - and the pets are charming and although most are not instrumental in the plot, they do add a lovely cosy background. Who can resist a Labrador who wanders around with presents in its mouth? In this story, 3-legged Walter who had been adopted by Lady Vita, an acquaintance and sort of patron of Clarice, has gone missing. Clarice goes on the hunt and finds him in an old barn. But he is not alone in the barn as Clarice discovers when she falls trying to grab hold of him and discovers a body. DI Rick Beech who separated from Clarice 6 months previous and is still on friendly terms with her, investigates and the pair are drawn together to try to understand what has happened. This is not a simple murder and secrets that have been long hidden emerge. This is set in rural Lincolnshire near the Wolds and I found Clarice to be a likeable character as are the animals that scamper in and out of the pages. It was nice to finally read the start of the series.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up in the local indie bookshop on a whim. I love a cosy 'whodunnit' with a female protagonist, and the cover attracted me. It's the first book in a series by Kate High (others coming later) and it did feel like a first novel, but nonetheless I enjoyed it and found it engaging and true to type.
Clarice is an accomplished ceramicist, separated from her detective husband (of course) but they still have a relationship - a bit 'will they, won't they' that I'm sure will continue. She finds a body courtesy of a cat (of course), she runs an animal fostering place, and there are plenty of cats and dogs that appear throughout the story - sometimes adding, sometimes padding, but it's an unusual quirk and would think will appeal to lots of people.
She's nosy (of course), knows everyone in the village and can find out lots by chatting and being interested in other people. There's good tension building, some jeopardy, and a satisfying conclusion.
My only criticism is that there were too many characters, some of whom were completely superfluous, but who I assume will be useful in the forthcoming books. I liked it and I'll look out for the others in the series.

[Stacy Sarling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clarice Beech has two passions in life: animal rescue and Detective Inspector Rick Beech. She is devoted to the first but she and Rick have been separated for the past six months - life without him is hard. Meanwhile, she is still known as a bit of a sleuth and continues to work on her ceramics to which she shares this love with the elegant Lady Vita Fayrepoynt.
When Lady Vita’s 3 legged rescue cat Walter goes missing, Clarice is brought in to help search for him. Upon finding him in an old decrepit barn with a missing roof, Clarice falls from the roof beams and lands straight onto the dead body of Rose Miller…
Can Clarice and her separated husband Rick work together to find out what happened to Rose? What will happen when they are pulled into the world of blackmail, scams and violence?
This was a perfect cosy crime read full of some wonderful characters and lots of loveable animals. Where the storyline was a little predictable in places, it did not stop me from reading, immersing myself into the story completely and thoroughly enjoying it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sian Morant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t read cozy mysteries all the time, but I do enjoy the odd one. Plus, they make the perfect foil when you read a lot of psychological thrillers.
I seemed to have overlooked this one, but this particular story involved cats, murder and eccentric characters. What’s not to like? It’s set in the country in Lincolnshire. It’s a very entertaining debut from Kate High and there is just enough mystery to stop it from descending into sickly, sweet territory.
The eccentric character, in this case, is the lead, Clarice Beech who loves animals and solving mysteries. Clarice finds a body in a barn and turns her hand to try to find out what happened, despite crossing her newly separated husband. Rick is a detective in the police, and Clarice’s antics both dismay him and pique his interest in her.
The murder victim turns out to be a thoroughly unlikable character and a number of people she has crossed all have a reason to want her dead. It’s down to Clarice to sort out the competing threads and make sense of the case.
A lovely book which I have no hesitation in recommending

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What delightful start to what I hope is a new series. Clarice, an artist specializing in ceramics works from home in a converted outbuilding. She is also heavily invested both financially and emotionally in local animal welfare, often taking in injured and problem cats and dogs. It is no surprise when she receives a call about a lost cat spotted near the Hanging Barn. Off she goes to rescue3 legged Walter. Climbing up the rafters is not a good idea in a derelict barn, but Clarice is determined to follow Walter and bring him home. Almost in reach, she leans forward and the rafter breaks. Concussed, it takes a while for Clarice to come around and when she does, she finds Walter placidly sitting on her and underneath she finds a decaying corpse!
This is a great read and I hope more will follow. Thank you to netgalley and Little Brown for an advance copy. Highly recommend.

[Chelsea May xxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be honest they 1st 100 pages I found it really hard to get into this book as your learning about all the different characters whilst also beem thrown straight into the murder which I wasn’t expecting. Once I got my head around who all the characters were and the story of the book I started to really enjoy reading it and I found my self excited to read more. I absolutely adored and loved all the animals in this book. The story and the plot of the book were so well written and told so well. I didn’t like a few characters if am been honest but I also didn’t expect the killer to be who it was as I was expecting it to be someone else so to learn the background of why the killer did what they did was so interesting and so well told. I will be continuing with this series. Xxx

[Helen Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved his well-written cozy mystery from Kate High.

Clarice Beech, the main character and amateur sleuth, is likeable and her animal rescue activities add a dimension to her that made me care about her enough to fear for her at some points.

Her relationship with her estranged husband, Rick, a local detective inspector, felt very realistic and the way they bounced off each other added to the richness of the story.

The plot is engaging and Kate does a great job of showing the dark side behind the small-town facade.
There are couple of red herrings, and twists and turns galore, leading to a satisfying ending that took me by surprise.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-paced and enthralling whodunnit.

[Lisa Heidke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn is an engaging tale about Clarice Beech, a woman with two passions: animal rescue and DI Rick Beech, her estranged husband. Set in rural Lincolnshire, UK, this cozy murder mystery sees amateur sleuth, Clarice, fall onto a dead woman whilst trying to catch a runaway three legged cat. Fun with twists, red herrings and more than a few animals. I felt the first half dragged, probably because this novel is the first in a series and characters needed to be introduced and accounted for. The final third rollicked along and completely held my interest. I’d read this author again.

[Fleurtje Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

She definitely had me fooled, Kate High - the author of The Cat and the Corpse in the Old Barn, because there were unexpected twists at the end.

I have to say, there were quite a lot of people involved in this story, lots of names had me confused like Mary and Maggie; Bob and Bill; Laura, Linda and Lucy; Paula and Peggy...
And I kept wondering who Ena was, but you'll remember Ena in the end. She is the one majestically sitting on top of kitchen table.

If this is a series, I'm looking forward to a next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

[Becky Lisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous cosy ' Who done it? ' book with a touching and engaging back story about the challenges of Clarice and Rick's marriage, not to mention the comings and goings of various four-legged or even three-legged characters along the way.

100% recommend this book to anyone, another fabulous book to add to the collection.

All of Kate High's book I have read so far I have truly enjoyed and felt a connection to their realistic story line's. These books need more widespread recognition for the fantastic novelist behind them. Welldone Kate!

[Jane Wynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The strap line on the book is 'Animal lovers will delight in this'. I am an animal lover but found it a tedious addition and if all the 'taken another animal for rescue' had been cut out, it would have been half a book. The characters were very two dimensional and why is it always a female who is the sleuth in the village, the nosy woman? There were so many characters in the 'big house' I could have used a chart to keep track and the gathering in the drawing room at the end? Do me a favour. Not one for me I'm afraid.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope this the first in a series because I thoroughly enjoyed and would be happy to read other stories featuring these characters.
It's an engrossing and entertaining story that kept me hooked and guessing.
I loved the likeable and fleshed out characters and the solid mystery full of twists and turns.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Helene · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pfui. Viel Geplätscher, null Substanz.
Das Hörbuch ist fast elf Stunden lang, ich habe knapp in der Mitte abgebrochen, weil einfach NICHTS passiert. Es gibt am Anfang einen Leichenfund und dann... nur unzählige platte Gespräche zwischen den Dorfbewohnern, die sich ja eigentlich alle ewig kennen, aber sich für den Leser ihre Liebesgeschichte erzählen in Form von "du weißt ja, ich habe diesunddasundjenes" und das ist einfach nur peinlich.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read and a promising new quirky mystery series.

My only real criticism is that there were a lot of characters to try and remember, plus I felt the story meandered a little at times.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review

[Marit · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most satisfying complex debut cozy mystery with twists and turns galore. Many characters to remember with the delightful cats and dogs the icing on the cake. Clarice and her estranged detective husband work together on solving multiple murders, all connected to each other and the past. Looking forward to the next book.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this from my book club's trolley, after it caught my eye previously.

It was a pleasant cosy mystery read, and it felt quite comforting for me, as it mentioned some locations that I was familiar with. Animals also play a big part in the story, so if you're animal person, you would probably like this.

[Graham Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad mystery, but there are way too many animals and their presence only makes the book longer than it needs to be.

I had difficulty keeping track of all the humans and their inter-relationships; it would be easier to read if there was a list of characters and their relationships at the start.

[rhianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

this wasn’t the most gripping of stories, but it was still enjoyable. it was quintessentially british, easy to read, and ideal for fans of the genre. despite being the first book in a series, it can easily be read as a standalone – and although i won’t be rushing to pick up the next instalments anytime soon, i loved the relationship between clarice (our main character) and rick (her estranged husband) so much that i’ll definitely be coming back to the series at some point!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4. First 100 pages or so didn't grip me but suddenly it just did and I really enjoyed it and rooted for the characters. The plot was neatly and cosily tidied up too. So after a very slow start, an enjoyable read ☺️

[Denaiir · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a bit confusing and I couldn't really follow the plot, but some parts were quite engaging. I didn't care for Calrice and her friends that much, they were too pushy and nosey, but a few things will stay with me

[Sue Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one. I love how each dog and cat was given enough personality to be able to tell one from the other. I especially like the dog's habit of "borrowing" pieces of cloth and clothing and offering it as a "gift" to the humans. I definitely plan to continue the series.