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Reverend Shaw Mysteries #2
The King is Dead
Christmas, 1930. An exiled Balkan king, living incognito in rural Suffolk, is shot dead in his secluded mansion following a meeting with the local vicar, Reverend Lucian Shaw.
Special Branch detectives are soon on the trail of sinister agents of a foreign power that they think are responsible, but Shaw begins to realise that the culprit could be much closer to home.
Observation, cogitation, meditation and prayer lead him down a dangerous road towards a desperate killer who will stop at nothing to evade capture.
Special Branch detectives are soon on the trail of sinister agents of a foreign power that they think are responsible, but Shaw begins to realise that the culprit could be much closer to home.
Observation, cogitation, meditation and prayer lead him down a dangerous road towards a desperate killer who will stop at nothing to evade capture.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 31, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 31, 2021
It's a little early for me to start my mysteries with snow & Christmas themes but I borrowed this on Kindle Unlimited and just decided to jump in.
It was an engaging mystery and while I suspected correctly the killer and their motive, I didn't have everything figured out and was hanging on to the end for the answers. The characters were well done and I enjoyed the vicar Shaw very much. I still had one question after the story concluded: ? I suspect that was mostly a red herring to follow and it had me seriously hooked and trying to decide on which of the three women on the premises were likely. Very enjoyable puzzle.
I will have to read the book that comes before this one. Recommended.
As of October 2021, the summary isn't listed for this book so here it is:
Christmas, 1930. An exiled Balkan king, living incognito in rural Suffolk, is shot dead in his secluded mansion following a meeting with the local vicar, Reverend Lucian Shaw.
Special Branch detectives are soon on the trail of sinister agents of a foreign power that they think are responsible, but Shaw begins to realise that the culprit could be much closer to home.
Observation, cogitation, meditation and prayer lead him down a dangerous road towards a desperate killer who will stop at nothing to evade capture.
It was an engaging mystery and while I suspected correctly the killer and their motive, I didn't have everything figured out and was hanging on to the end for the answers. The characters were well done and I enjoyed the vicar Shaw very much. I still had one question after the story concluded: ? I suspect that was mostly a red herring to follow and it had me seriously hooked and trying to decide on which of the three women on the premises were likely. Very enjoyable puzzle.
I will have to read the book that comes before this one. Recommended.
As of October 2021, the summary isn't listed for this book so here it is:
Christmas, 1930. An exiled Balkan king, living incognito in rural Suffolk, is shot dead in his secluded mansion following a meeting with the local vicar, Reverend Lucian Shaw.
Special Branch detectives are soon on the trail of sinister agents of a foreign power that they think are responsible, but Shaw begins to realise that the culprit could be much closer to home.
Observation, cogitation, meditation and prayer lead him down a dangerous road towards a desperate killer who will stop at nothing to evade capture.
March 20, 2025
I really like Hugh Morrison's stories set in the 1930s. This book is a variation on the "murder in the country house surrounded by snow" plot, but only gets 4 stars as I guessed the murderer, which rarely happens. I also think a simple map of the house would help us understand where all the rooms are in relation to each other.
An exiled Balkan king is shot dead in a darkened room in a rented house in rural Suffolk. The murderer sets up the scene so that the shot appears to come from outside the house, however that is not the case.
This is a Reverend Shaw Mystery and the clergyman is certainly a step ahead of the police in this fast-paced tale. On to the next High Morrison mystery book!
An exiled Balkan king is shot dead in a darkened room in a rented house in rural Suffolk. The murderer sets up the scene so that the shot appears to come from outside the house, however that is not the case.
This is a Reverend Shaw Mystery and the clergyman is certainly a step ahead of the police in this fast-paced tale. On to the next High Morrison mystery book!
July 10, 2026
I am very glad to have discovered this cozy mystery series whose protagonist is a very clever village clergyman in the 1930s' small town in England!
These books are not very long, and the plots are complicated and ingenious.
In this second book, Reverend Shaw gets involved in the assassination of a Balkan king hiding in the rural Suffolk town.
I very much enjoyed the sinister atmosphere that author Hugh Morrison created, and the humor that pops up from time to time to break up the tension.
The narrator, Mr. Charles Johnston knows how to act all the parts to bring the characters to life.
I loved this book, and am already listening to the next book in the series. I am glad there are 7 books, and will listen to all of them.
These books are not very long, and the plots are complicated and ingenious.
In this second book, Reverend Shaw gets involved in the assassination of a Balkan king hiding in the rural Suffolk town.
I very much enjoyed the sinister atmosphere that author Hugh Morrison created, and the humor that pops up from time to time to break up the tension.
The narrator, Mr. Charles Johnston knows how to act all the parts to bring the characters to life.
I loved this book, and am already listening to the next book in the series. I am glad there are 7 books, and will listen to all of them.
December 6, 2025
A wonderful book - nice ambience, great main characters, captivating storyline and very well written. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars. This was a crime story set in 1030 in England that follows classical Agatha Christie style at its very best. It is about a king from a small Eastern European country who got overthrown by communists and who now seeks asylum in England - and, as the title says, the king gets killed. Who did it? I was guessing and weighing options until the very end - and enjoyed it very much. I am looking forward to the next “Reverend Shaw” book!
September 16, 2024
Some Part Ridiculous
In two of these books a Shaw exposed himself to unnecessary risk by Confronting the murderer. alone with no form of self defence ,in Third Class Murder it's the knife wielding Miss Ellis, in this book it's the shotgun wielding Zorard utterly ridiculous .
I like these books but let's have a bit of realism or is Hugh Morrison trying to get Shaw killed off.
In two of these books a Shaw exposed himself to unnecessary risk by Confronting the murderer. alone with no form of self defence ,in Third Class Murder it's the knife wielding Miss Ellis, in this book it's the shotgun wielding Zorard utterly ridiculous .
I like these books but let's have a bit of realism or is Hugh Morrison trying to get Shaw killed off.
August 9, 2022
Another cracking good yarn
Reverend Shaw finds himself entwined within another mystery in rural 1930s Suffolk. An exiled king embarks upon a new life, foreign agents sent to perform dastardly deeds and a femme fatale with no limits to her ambition.
As ever, HM writes with authenticity and wry wit to produce a highly entertaining tale of intrigue and derring-do!
Reverend Shaw finds himself entwined within another mystery in rural 1930s Suffolk. An exiled king embarks upon a new life, foreign agents sent to perform dastardly deeds and a femme fatale with no limits to her ambition.
As ever, HM writes with authenticity and wry wit to produce a highly entertaining tale of intrigue and derring-do!
December 1, 2022
Mr Shaw book 2
I have enjoyed reading this series. Not your typical British historical mystery but much better. It would be helpful for the books to be numbered so those who read the first book in the series could look for book 2. I plan to read the next book in this series.
I have enjoyed reading this series. Not your typical British historical mystery but much better. It would be helpful for the books to be numbered so those who read the first book in the series could look for book 2. I plan to read the next book in this series.
July 19, 2025
Sorry, got really bored, made it only a few chapters in and have no interest in reading more. I expect it'll pick up, but I've tried twice and found noone engaging, so nothing to keep me reading. So early in the book, no-one's been murdered yet, so I know I should persevere
June 18, 2026
Both this and the first in the series make for fun holiday reads
The characters are well drawn and the scenes well described
In both books the killer was pretty obvious from very early on but I don’t mind this in a short read
The characters are well drawn and the scenes well described
In both books the killer was pretty obvious from very early on but I don’t mind this in a short read
October 27, 2021
A good escape
Hugh Morrison writes a charming English murder mystery. A good escape from the modern world full of doom and gloom.
Hugh Morrison writes a charming English murder mystery. A good escape from the modern world full of doom and gloom.
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June 6, 2023I regret I didn't read more than a couple of pages of this as my trial membership of Amazon Kindle Unlimited ended.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews