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Pignon Scorbion #1
Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives
The year is 1910, and in the small and seemingly sleepy English municipality of Haxford, there’s a new chief police inspector. At first, the dapper and unflappable Pignon Scorbion strikes something of an odd figure among the locals, who don’t see a need for such an exacting investigator. But it isn’t long before Haxford finds itself very much in need of a detective.
Luckily, Scorbion and the local barber are old acquaintances, and the barbershop employs a cast of memorable characters who—together with an aspiring young ace reporter for the local Morning News—are nothing less than enthralled by the enigmatic new chief police inspector.
Investigating a trio of crimes whose origins span three continents and half a century, Pignon Scorbion and his “tonsorial sleuths” interview a parade of interested parties, but with every apparent clue, new surprises come to light. And just as it seems nothing can derail Scorbion’s cool head and almost unerring nose for deduction, in walks Thelma Smith—dazzling, whip-smart, and newly single.
Has Pignon Scorbion finally met his match?
For fans of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, author Rick Bleiweiss’s quirky new detective and ensemble cast of characters set against the backdrop of small-town England in the 1910s, will feel both comfortingly familiar and thrillingly new.
Luckily, Scorbion and the local barber are old acquaintances, and the barbershop employs a cast of memorable characters who—together with an aspiring young ace reporter for the local Morning News—are nothing less than enthralled by the enigmatic new chief police inspector.
Investigating a trio of crimes whose origins span three continents and half a century, Pignon Scorbion and his “tonsorial sleuths” interview a parade of interested parties, but with every apparent clue, new surprises come to light. And just as it seems nothing can derail Scorbion’s cool head and almost unerring nose for deduction, in walks Thelma Smith—dazzling, whip-smart, and newly single.
Has Pignon Scorbion finally met his match?
For fans of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot, author Rick Bleiweiss’s quirky new detective and ensemble cast of characters set against the backdrop of small-town England in the 1910s, will feel both comfortingly familiar and thrillingly new.
300 pages, Hardcover
Published February 8, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
February 18, 2022
Chief Inspector Pignon Scorbion claimed that he had not encountered any interesting cases of late. "I need intellectual stimulation...my brain is my most formidable weapon." How fortuitous! He was assigned as chief inspector of the British Hamlet of Haxford. The year was 1910. Twenty-five years ago, he was just a street copper when Calvin Brown was apprenticing at a barbershop. Calvin Brown now owned Brown's Barbershop in Haxford. Scorbion was excited to renew his friendship and frequented the shop often for a shave, haircut and shoeshine. Here in the barbershop, aided by an array of quirky characters, with a range of different perspectives, three new cases would be presented, discussed and hopefully concluded, given the expertise and dogged resolve of Pignon Scorbion.
Who's your daddy? "I, Pignon Scorbion, your new chief inspector, will take the case on to determine the authenticity or fraud of Mr. Jonathan Betine...possible heir to the Gromley fortune."
Calvin Brown's barbershop had three barber chairs along the left wall. Calvin, along with fellow barbers Barnabus and Yves, and shoeshine man Thomas, readied the shop to conduct interviews. A head table with six chairs behind it and two witness chairs on the opposite side of the table were set up. Young ace reporter, Billy of the Haxford Morning News, would participate in the proceedings. The method, a little unorthodox? Perhaps. In the words of Pignon Scorbion, "we have a paradox...this is the sort of conundrum that I live for and believe that I am singularly equipped to unravel."
Action heats up when a circus comes to town, "setting off a three ring spectacle of deception, detention and deduction." The special circus arrives with a performer attempting to set a new height record for stilt walking. The man who designed and built the giant stilts...dead! "His head had been bashed in and in falling, he collapsed into a mound of animal dung." Will the show go on as planned?
A theft at the home of Dr. Frank Morgan. His prized old American tomahawk, once prominently displayed above the hearth, stolen. A prize winning pig kidnapped. A farmer murdered. Are the cases connected?
Pignon Scorbion is a stickler for detail, from his one of a kind, cobbled shoes to his immaculately tailored suits. Eccentric? Absolutely. What of his trio of amusing "tonsorial artists" he deemed his amateur sleuths? The town drunk was even most observant, as was, the bright and beautiful bookseller.
"Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives" by Rick Bleiweiss is an enjoyable classic British detective novel. A delightful, fun read!
Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Who's your daddy? "I, Pignon Scorbion, your new chief inspector, will take the case on to determine the authenticity or fraud of Mr. Jonathan Betine...possible heir to the Gromley fortune."
Calvin Brown's barbershop had three barber chairs along the left wall. Calvin, along with fellow barbers Barnabus and Yves, and shoeshine man Thomas, readied the shop to conduct interviews. A head table with six chairs behind it and two witness chairs on the opposite side of the table were set up. Young ace reporter, Billy of the Haxford Morning News, would participate in the proceedings. The method, a little unorthodox? Perhaps. In the words of Pignon Scorbion, "we have a paradox...this is the sort of conundrum that I live for and believe that I am singularly equipped to unravel."
Action heats up when a circus comes to town, "setting off a three ring spectacle of deception, detention and deduction." The special circus arrives with a performer attempting to set a new height record for stilt walking. The man who designed and built the giant stilts...dead! "His head had been bashed in and in falling, he collapsed into a mound of animal dung." Will the show go on as planned?
A theft at the home of Dr. Frank Morgan. His prized old American tomahawk, once prominently displayed above the hearth, stolen. A prize winning pig kidnapped. A farmer murdered. Are the cases connected?
Pignon Scorbion is a stickler for detail, from his one of a kind, cobbled shoes to his immaculately tailored suits. Eccentric? Absolutely. What of his trio of amusing "tonsorial artists" he deemed his amateur sleuths? The town drunk was even most observant, as was, the bright and beautiful bookseller.
"Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives" by Rick Bleiweiss is an enjoyable classic British detective novel. A delightful, fun read!
Thank you Blackstone Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2022
3.5 stars.
An unusual and unconventional detective, Pignon Scorbion makes his appearance in Rick Bleiweiss’ first mystery novel. A dapper dresser, the detective is a little bored when he first walks into the Hackford barbershop of his friend Calvin, and Calvin’s team of intelligent and curious barbers.
Almost immediately, three cases occur in the town, one a paternity case, the other two robbery and murder. Instead of running around looking for clues, Pignon elects to deputize Calvin and company, then holds interviews with the cases’ parties within the barbershop. Pignon soon includes the forthright and intelligent Thelma Smith, local bookshop owner, in the proceedings for her perspectives on the potential suspects (and because Pignon is intrigued and attracted to her.) After several interviews with all the affected parties, of course Pignon does solve each case, because he’s smart, and the cases were not too complicated (I figured them out pretty quickly).
I liked this book, though I did find the dialogue often klunky, not flowing as well as I would have liked. The stories are set in 1910 Edwardian small town England, and I think people would have used less complicated sentences, and been less wordy than Bleiweiss has made them.
I was totally tickled, though, that Bleiweiss set Pignon in a world where these detectives are real: Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (Pignon knew Watson), and the inimitable Hercule Poirot, recently a refugee from Belgium, is starting his career as a detective in England. I had a big smile on my face when Pignon was contemplating making Poirot’s acquaintance at some time: I could envision Pignon and Poirot seated together, Pignon’s bi-colour polished shoes and tailored suits and Poirot’s shining green eyes and big moustache on display, discussing their approaches to detection.
Would I read the next Pignon Scorbion and the barbershop detectives book? Probably, as Bleiweiss’ detective’s unconventionality, gentleness, and respect for people was a pleasant change from grittier, hardbitten gumshoes I’ve encountered during the same time period in fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Blackstone Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.
An unusual and unconventional detective, Pignon Scorbion makes his appearance in Rick Bleiweiss’ first mystery novel. A dapper dresser, the detective is a little bored when he first walks into the Hackford barbershop of his friend Calvin, and Calvin’s team of intelligent and curious barbers.
Almost immediately, three cases occur in the town, one a paternity case, the other two robbery and murder. Instead of running around looking for clues, Pignon elects to deputize Calvin and company, then holds interviews with the cases’ parties within the barbershop. Pignon soon includes the forthright and intelligent Thelma Smith, local bookshop owner, in the proceedings for her perspectives on the potential suspects (and because Pignon is intrigued and attracted to her.) After several interviews with all the affected parties, of course Pignon does solve each case, because he’s smart, and the cases were not too complicated (I figured them out pretty quickly).
I liked this book, though I did find the dialogue often klunky, not flowing as well as I would have liked. The stories are set in 1910 Edwardian small town England, and I think people would have used less complicated sentences, and been less wordy than Bleiweiss has made them.
I was totally tickled, though, that Bleiweiss set Pignon in a world where these detectives are real: Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (Pignon knew Watson), and the inimitable Hercule Poirot, recently a refugee from Belgium, is starting his career as a detective in England. I had a big smile on my face when Pignon was contemplating making Poirot’s acquaintance at some time: I could envision Pignon and Poirot seated together, Pignon’s bi-colour polished shoes and tailored suits and Poirot’s shining green eyes and big moustache on display, discussing their approaches to detection.
Would I read the next Pignon Scorbion and the barbershop detectives book? Probably, as Bleiweiss’ detective’s unconventionality, gentleness, and respect for people was a pleasant change from grittier, hardbitten gumshoes I’ve encountered during the same time period in fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Blackstone Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.
April 4, 2022
The publisher and numerous favorable blurbs on Pignon Scorbion and the Barbershop Detectives compares our cerebral sleuth to such luminaries as Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes and Perry Mason. However, he doesn’t resemble any of them. Yes, he’s a dandy like Dame Agatha Christie’s famed detective, but there the resemblance ends, and he is much, much more pedantic than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation or Erle Stanley Gardner’s. It’s a shame that so many resort to comparisons as Scorbion is just a so-so protagonist. In fact, he makes me think of Lynne Truss’ Constable Twitten if he were more clever and resided in a novel that wasn’t ridiculous.
It’s 1910, and the impeccably dressed Pignon Scorbion has just accepted the position of chief police inspector in the town of Haxford, England, and, to his delight, reunites with an old pal, barber Calvin Brown. Inexplicably, Scorbion ignores his own constable and deputizes Brown, his two underling barbers, an uneducated shoeshine boy and a wannabe-reporter to assist him. (Indeed, Scorbion’s paid underlings, Sergeant Simon Adley and Roger Pawling, barely appear in the novel, and then only performing the most menial xtasks.) Not as ridiculous as Truss’ The Man That Got Away, but it did take some suspension of disbelief.
Author Rick Bleiweiss makes it clear that Pignon Scorbion and the Barbershop Detectives is the first in a new series, and I’m sure, with such illustrious friends as Nancy Pickard, Robert Arellano, Dick Lochte and Rex Pickett, he won’t have any trouble realizing that dream. But I’m not sure whether I’ll be along for the next one. Scorbion investigates several mysteries, including some murders, but they’re hackneyed and a bit contrived, and, while the novel is hailed as humorous, it’s not that funny. When an author ensures that secondary characters are always lauding Scorbion’s perspicacity and genius, it means that he fears the casual reader won’t notice. That’s not something you have to do with Poirot, Holmes or Perry Mason. Two stars, rounded up to three because of the resolution of the Bentine affair and my feeling generous.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
It’s 1910, and the impeccably dressed Pignon Scorbion has just accepted the position of chief police inspector in the town of Haxford, England, and, to his delight, reunites with an old pal, barber Calvin Brown. Inexplicably, Scorbion ignores his own constable and deputizes Brown, his two underling barbers, an uneducated shoeshine boy and a wannabe-reporter to assist him. (Indeed, Scorbion’s paid underlings, Sergeant Simon Adley and Roger Pawling, barely appear in the novel, and then only performing the most menial xtasks.) Not as ridiculous as Truss’ The Man That Got Away, but it did take some suspension of disbelief.
Author Rick Bleiweiss makes it clear that Pignon Scorbion and the Barbershop Detectives is the first in a new series, and I’m sure, with such illustrious friends as Nancy Pickard, Robert Arellano, Dick Lochte and Rex Pickett, he won’t have any trouble realizing that dream. But I’m not sure whether I’ll be along for the next one. Scorbion investigates several mysteries, including some murders, but they’re hackneyed and a bit contrived, and, while the novel is hailed as humorous, it’s not that funny. When an author ensures that secondary characters are always lauding Scorbion’s perspicacity and genius, it means that he fears the casual reader won’t notice. That’s not something you have to do with Poirot, Holmes or Perry Mason. Two stars, rounded up to three because of the resolution of the Bentine affair and my feeling generous.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2021
Quite enjoyed reading Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives. The moment I downloaded I started reading and did not put it down until I finished.. Hope to read more from this author in the future.
October 13, 2021
Pignon
Uses deductions of the kind Holmes and Poirot are famous for, but in a showy way (as a parlor trick).
Not really much new or Interesting.
Takes place in two timelines with flashes back to the stories leading up to the present case.
Pignon Scorbion is a police detective in the English countryside who solves mysteries with the help of a group of barbers and an aspiring journalist. The book describes a number of cases that Scorbion and his barbershop detectives review together and solve. Scorbion is a contemporary of Hercule Poirot and a fan of Sherlock Holmes and his methods (and is acquainted with Dr. Watson). In the course of the book, we learn quite a bit about Scorbion, his methods, and his habits, which are unique.
I was disappointed in this novel. In all fairness, the author’s claim to follow the examples of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle did make me skeptical and ready to find fault. But on the other hand, as a true fan of both authors, I was also hopeful that a new star had been born and I would soon be sucked into adventures of deductive reasoning and the use of the "little gray cells."
Unfortunately, as hard as I tried to enjoy this new detective, I found the writing itself as well as the plot to be forced. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural. The cases that the barbershop team took up were creative and could have been interesting, but the way that they were presented and the investigations were carried out did not flow. I felt that there was a lack of experience on the part of the author, Rick Bleiweiss, (which seems to be substantiated by the author's introduction to the book). Although he has a great deal of experience in publishing mysteries, he has little practice in crafting the writing himself. In the end it seemed that Bleiwiss was borrowing characteristics from Holmes and Poirot, taking and mixing together their traits and the plot devices in which they were involved.
This review will be shared on Amazon, Instagram, and Barnes & Noble. An advance reader copy was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Uses deductions of the kind Holmes and Poirot are famous for, but in a showy way (as a parlor trick).
Not really much new or Interesting.
Takes place in two timelines with flashes back to the stories leading up to the present case.
Pignon Scorbion is a police detective in the English countryside who solves mysteries with the help of a group of barbers and an aspiring journalist. The book describes a number of cases that Scorbion and his barbershop detectives review together and solve. Scorbion is a contemporary of Hercule Poirot and a fan of Sherlock Holmes and his methods (and is acquainted with Dr. Watson). In the course of the book, we learn quite a bit about Scorbion, his methods, and his habits, which are unique.
I was disappointed in this novel. In all fairness, the author’s claim to follow the examples of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle did make me skeptical and ready to find fault. But on the other hand, as a true fan of both authors, I was also hopeful that a new star had been born and I would soon be sucked into adventures of deductive reasoning and the use of the "little gray cells."
Unfortunately, as hard as I tried to enjoy this new detective, I found the writing itself as well as the plot to be forced. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural. The cases that the barbershop team took up were creative and could have been interesting, but the way that they were presented and the investigations were carried out did not flow. I felt that there was a lack of experience on the part of the author, Rick Bleiweiss, (which seems to be substantiated by the author's introduction to the book). Although he has a great deal of experience in publishing mysteries, he has little practice in crafting the writing himself. In the end it seemed that Bleiwiss was borrowing characteristics from Holmes and Poirot, taking and mixing together their traits and the plot devices in which they were involved.
This review will be shared on Amazon, Instagram, and Barnes & Noble. An advance reader copy was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2022
Love this concept but very disappointed in the execution. Too much tell and not enough show in this purported homage to Christie's Poirot and Doyle's Holmes really makes it pale in comparison. The Plot is burdened with so much "scene setting" and an inordinate time on the specifics of moving furniture and waiting for people to arrive at the barbershop that the somewhat clever descriptions of Scorbion's wardrobe and other characters' sparse details get lost. The language of both prose and dialogue is wooden and stilted, sometimes taking forever to advance the obvious Plot. Maybe needed better editing? For someone who is supposedly a detecting genius, Scorbion came across to this reader as one-dimensional and ridiculously long-winded, especially with his over-the-top reactions to his attraction to the far more intriguing Thelma. The large cast, including the barbershop Greek chorus, blend together except for the stuttering of one and the French of another. The author's attempt at humor fell flat for me. And I don't even know why I even sped-read to the end.
February 8, 2022
I received a copy of this book as a giveaway through Goodreads. The premise was very appealing to me as I love reading British period mysteries. Unfortunately the book fell flat in many ways. The mysteries themselves that Pignon solves are certainly interesting enough that I wanted to finish the book, but I had many issues with the writing. First of all the idea that a professional police officer would have a bunch of barbers and random people acting in interrogations is ridiculous. I found it difficult to keep track of so many minor characters. The dialogue was super awkward in places and as I was reading it, much or it did not come across as British, rather American English. I also found there to be too many details that were unnecessary.
August 24, 2021
Rick Bleiweiss’ book, Pignon Scorbion and the Barbershop Detectives, is fabulous. Written in the style of an Edwardian author, i.e. Conan Doyle, it captures perfectly the time frame. I’ve been reading European Noir books for ages, and this was a breath of fresh air. The police procedural part is spot on, with great characters and twists in the plot which kept the interest level at a maximum. Bravo, it’s fantastic. Do yourself a favor and buy a copy. Many thanks to Edelweiss for the advance.
January 9, 2023
Despite a horrible narrator, this was a really good read. I loved the little mysteries and how the Chief Inspector uses the knowledge of his friends in the barbershop to help him solve murders [I didn't know going in that this was a set of vignettes; not really short stories, but separate mysteries, with two being longer than the middle one. Typically I don't like that, but it works here in this set up and I ended up enjoying it] and how they all seem to grow as people by the end of the book.
I AM glad that there is a different narrator for book 2 as this one was just awful. Why anyone thought he was a good narrator [he speaks in staccato. Every. Single. Voice. Have you ever heard an {badly} French accent done in staccato? Yeah, its THAT bad. Ugh], was maybe leaning towards deafness and I will avoid anything he narrates in the future. This might have been a 5 star read if not for the hideous narration.
I AM glad that there is a different narrator for book 2 as this one was just awful. Why anyone thought he was a good narrator [he speaks in staccato. Every. Single. Voice. Have you ever heard an {badly} French accent done in staccato? Yeah, its THAT bad. Ugh], was maybe leaning towards deafness and I will avoid anything he narrates in the future. This might have been a 5 star read if not for the hideous narration.
March 30, 2022
Pignon Scorbion is a new detective on the block, inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. In fact, the character Pignon declares his admiration for Holmes and his friendship with Dr John Watson. Later in the book he mentions how he hopes to consult with Poirot.
As a fan of Holmes and Poirot myself, I expected to love this book. It was promising in many ways, but I found Scorbion just a little bit too far fetched and a tad irritating. The cases he investigates were also too convoluted to really draw me in. Three separate cases are included in this book. Perhaps a series of short stories would’ve worked better?
Scorbion explains to them that he took the Inspector position to find cases challenging enough for his (great) talents, and promises to explain the derivation of his name later. No sooner said than a citizen enters who wants Pignon to stop an outsider from claiming he is the heir to the citizen's estate.
Thus begins a series of three connected mysteries by Rick Bleiweiss, all solved in the barbershop by the uncanny intelligence of the formidable Scorbion with help from his “tonsorial” sleuths. For my taste, the mysteries were intriguing and well-plotted, but the secondary characters seemed one-dimensional, and Pignon Scorbion wasn't reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot. I imagined Scorbion as the Poirot played by Kenneth Branagh in Murder on the Orient Express, the over-the-top, self-conceited part.
The dialogue seemed made for the screen; now that I think about it, the whole of the novel would do much better on the screen with actors who can pull off the quirky characterizations and add depth to the dialogue.
I received a copy of this book from Blackwell Publishing via NetGalley. This is an honest review.
As a fan of Holmes and Poirot myself, I expected to love this book. It was promising in many ways, but I found Scorbion just a little bit too far fetched and a tad irritating. The cases he investigates were also too convoluted to really draw me in. Three separate cases are included in this book. Perhaps a series of short stories would’ve worked better?
Scorbion explains to them that he took the Inspector position to find cases challenging enough for his (great) talents, and promises to explain the derivation of his name later. No sooner said than a citizen enters who wants Pignon to stop an outsider from claiming he is the heir to the citizen's estate.
Thus begins a series of three connected mysteries by Rick Bleiweiss, all solved in the barbershop by the uncanny intelligence of the formidable Scorbion with help from his “tonsorial” sleuths. For my taste, the mysteries were intriguing and well-plotted, but the secondary characters seemed one-dimensional, and Pignon Scorbion wasn't reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot. I imagined Scorbion as the Poirot played by Kenneth Branagh in Murder on the Orient Express, the over-the-top, self-conceited part.
The dialogue seemed made for the screen; now that I think about it, the whole of the novel would do much better on the screen with actors who can pull off the quirky characterizations and add depth to the dialogue.
I received a copy of this book from Blackwell Publishing via NetGalley. This is an honest review.
October 26, 2021
This book is really different for me. Sadly, it is not riveting to me. A good detective book in my opinion, has me trying to figure out who did it as I read about a clever detective who outwits the criminal. I didn't care for Pignon Scorbion. What's worse is the fact that I didn't care about any of the characters. The telling didn't endear me to any one of the cast of characters. Scorbion is no Poroit for sure.
The premise of conducting the bulk of an investigation with non law enforcement individuals in a barbershop was ludicrous to me. With that being said, I can look at the time period and let that go for a fictional story. There are a few good basic 'mini storylines' within the cases and their outcomes.
I received this advanced reader's copy of the book and this is my own honest opinion. I acknowledge the amount of work that had to go into the writing. I appreciate trust in me to review but I can't think of anyone I'd recommend this book to.
The premise of conducting the bulk of an investigation with non law enforcement individuals in a barbershop was ludicrous to me. With that being said, I can look at the time period and let that go for a fictional story. There are a few good basic 'mini storylines' within the cases and their outcomes.
I received this advanced reader's copy of the book and this is my own honest opinion. I acknowledge the amount of work that had to go into the writing. I appreciate trust in me to review but I can't think of anyone I'd recommend this book to.
October 17, 2021
To me, Pignon was neither like Poirot nor Holmes. I found his character to be somewhat annoying, but I think that stems from the dialogue, which I felt like the author did not do a great job at. I thought that it was a great idea to show snippets of the "crimes" while the "trial" was going on. I haven't seen that before and it really really worked for me. I just felt like the writing was not that great and I couldn't really get into the characters. With Poirot (one of my favorite characters of all times) I could understand him and smile at his eccentricities, even if I couldn't relate to him. Not the same with Pignon. I didn't really understand him at all and his oddities seemed to push me further away.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 20, 2022
I don’t often give one star reviews because if a book is that bad, I usually quit before the end (too many books, too little time). But I listened to an audiobook version of this, and I kept thinking it can’t be much longer. This book draaaaaags. Pignon is boring as anything. He is obviously a Poirot character, except the author just gave him the fussiness and funny accent. No real characterization was done here, and the awkward, halting narration on the audiobook want to make me stop after chapter one.
May 9, 2022
I was sadly disappointed by this book, especially as I was so looking forward to reading it. I found the writing to be very clunky, like others I didn't care about the characters, and I was surprised that the editing hadn't caught and corrected more of the obviously incorrect "whom's" used as subjects. Finally, the anachronisms drove me crazy, only one among many examples being "Roger, that." Really, in 1910? I won't be reading any future books in the series.
February 17, 2022
I had high hopes that the book would be as entertaining as it’s title. While I appreciate the time and effort the author put into this book, sadly it was just not for me. Too many words, too much dialogue, too much and that is before the story begins to unfold. There is a story there but I just couldn’t wade through all of it to get to it. Applause for the attempt and effort.
January 29, 2022
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Copy provided by Blackstone Publishing.
Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives is a quirky new detective and ensemble cast of characters set against the backdrop of small-town England in the 1910s. In the small and seemingly sleepy English municipality of Haxford, there’s a new chief police inspector. At first, the dapper and unflappable Pignon Scorbion strikes something of an odd figure among the locals, who don’t see a need for such an exacting investigator. Scorbion and the local barber and the barbershop employs a cast of memorable characters who together with an aspiring reporter for the local Morning News—are nothing less than enthralled by the enigmatic new chief police inspector. Investigating a trio of crimes whose origins span three continents and half a century, Pignon Scorbion and his “tonsorial sleuths” interview a parade of interested parties, but with every apparent clue, new surprises come to light.
There are three seperate plots to the story, which made it a bit diffcult for me to know what was going on, but eventually made sense. It was a fun and enjoyable read. I loved all the characters helping Pignon solve the crimes. I had some issue with the language and how slow the audiobook pace was. This book was such a different mystery books I have read and was very interesting. I cannot wait to see what the next book in the series hold. If your fans of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot (which I have not read), I would definitely recommend reading this book.
Rating 3./5
Pignon Scorbion & The Barbershop Detectives is a quirky new detective and ensemble cast of characters set against the backdrop of small-town England in the 1910s. In the small and seemingly sleepy English municipality of Haxford, there’s a new chief police inspector. At first, the dapper and unflappable Pignon Scorbion strikes something of an odd figure among the locals, who don’t see a need for such an exacting investigator. Scorbion and the local barber and the barbershop employs a cast of memorable characters who together with an aspiring reporter for the local Morning News—are nothing less than enthralled by the enigmatic new chief police inspector. Investigating a trio of crimes whose origins span three continents and half a century, Pignon Scorbion and his “tonsorial sleuths” interview a parade of interested parties, but with every apparent clue, new surprises come to light.
There are three seperate plots to the story, which made it a bit diffcult for me to know what was going on, but eventually made sense. It was a fun and enjoyable read. I loved all the characters helping Pignon solve the crimes. I had some issue with the language and how slow the audiobook pace was. This book was such a different mystery books I have read and was very interesting. I cannot wait to see what the next book in the series hold. If your fans of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot (which I have not read), I would definitely recommend reading this book.
Rating 3./5
September 11, 2021
What a delightful surprise. This is very deliberately reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes while still uniquely it's own. Scorbion solves mysteries in the local barber shop with a wonderful cast of characters in attendance helping the detective. The mysteries are clever and thoroughly captivated, but it is the personalities of the characters especially Scorbion that makes this a fantastic read. Highly recommended.
October 8, 2021
This charming tale of Chief Inspector Pignon Scorbion is told in the detective style of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series, an investigator who uses brain over brawn. It's a pleasant tribute to classic British detective fiction and Edwardian England. Scorbion's likable yet unlikely group of "barbershop" deputies adds a nice twist to the classic mystery. It is an easy and comfortable read and a perfect old-fashioned escape. I look forward to more mysteries to be untangled by Pignon and his merry band of investigators.
Thank you to #NetGalley for an early readers copy. I voluntarily leave this review.
Thank you to #NetGalley for an early readers copy. I voluntarily leave this review.
February 25, 2022
I expected to thoroughly enjoy Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives. It features a chief police inspector but is at heart a cozy mystery set in a small town in England in 1910. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me.
Scorbion, is a dapper, overly observant detective, à la Poirot. He is a little more aware of other people’s feelings and actually has a love interest, but he didn’t stand out for me. There are a lot of characters, the folks at the barbershop, the local bookseller, the townspeople involved in the cases. There were too many for any to have more than one or two defining characteristics – this one’s short, this one is from France, this one is “modern.” I didn’t really care about any of them.
The mysteries were okay. They’re solved through interrogations at the barbershop, with a few behind-the-scenes phone calls from the police station. The flow wasn’t great, but there were a couple of interesting twists. The workers at the barbershop and a local reporter get to do some of the questioning, but clearly only Pignon is smart enough to put it all together. Eh.
The thing that disappointed me most was how stilted the writing was. It felt like the author was trying to use the writing style to place the book in 1910, but the dialogue is clunky and in general, it’s just overdone. I should probably stop reading books that are compared to Christie’s, they never live up to the hype.
The set-up is so promising, it’s a shame it didn’t live up to it.
Scorbion, is a dapper, overly observant detective, à la Poirot. He is a little more aware of other people’s feelings and actually has a love interest, but he didn’t stand out for me. There are a lot of characters, the folks at the barbershop, the local bookseller, the townspeople involved in the cases. There were too many for any to have more than one or two defining characteristics – this one’s short, this one is from France, this one is “modern.” I didn’t really care about any of them.
The mysteries were okay. They’re solved through interrogations at the barbershop, with a few behind-the-scenes phone calls from the police station. The flow wasn’t great, but there were a couple of interesting twists. The workers at the barbershop and a local reporter get to do some of the questioning, but clearly only Pignon is smart enough to put it all together. Eh.
The thing that disappointed me most was how stilted the writing was. It felt like the author was trying to use the writing style to place the book in 1910, but the dialogue is clunky and in general, it’s just overdone. I should probably stop reading books that are compared to Christie’s, they never live up to the hype.
The set-up is so promising, it’s a shame it didn’t live up to it.
March 5, 2023
As a mystery reader and a huge fan of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, this book is perfectly captures the best elements of these great writers. With a perfect balance of relatable, unique characters, humor and and wonderful mystery unraveled with spot in pacing, Rick Bleiweiss pulls you into the world he has crafted with beautiful writing! I couldn’t put this down and I’m diving into book 2 now!!!
February 5, 2022
Quite honestly, I have mixed feelings about this book...
It is a fun and easy read and contains enjoyable, if somewhat predictable, mysteries! I love all of the unique, misfit characters banding together to help Pignon solve his crimes! That said, I have issues with the language that is used in the dialogs. I felt it a completely unnecessary addition and I would have given this book more stars had it not been for that. Because of this, I chose to DNF it.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
It is a fun and easy read and contains enjoyable, if somewhat predictable, mysteries! I love all of the unique, misfit characters banding together to help Pignon solve his crimes! That said, I have issues with the language that is used in the dialogs. I felt it a completely unnecessary addition and I would have given this book more stars had it not been for that. Because of this, I chose to DNF it.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
April 22, 2023
Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives by Rick Bleiweiss
The year is 1910, and in the small and seemingly sleepy English municipality of Haxford, there’s a new chief police inspector. At first, the dapper and unflappable Pignon Scorbion strikes something of an odd figure among the locals, who don’t see a need for such an exacting investigator. But it isn’t long before Haxford finds itself very much in need of a detective.
The premise sounded fun, but I just could not get into this story. I tried both the ebook and the audiobook and found my mind wandering with both formats. I think it was the writing style that just didn't work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a free copy of Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. #NetGalley
The year is 1910, and in the small and seemingly sleepy English municipality of Haxford, there’s a new chief police inspector. At first, the dapper and unflappable Pignon Scorbion strikes something of an odd figure among the locals, who don’t see a need for such an exacting investigator. But it isn’t long before Haxford finds itself very much in need of a detective.
The premise sounded fun, but I just could not get into this story. I tried both the ebook and the audiobook and found my mind wandering with both formats. I think it was the writing style that just didn't work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a free copy of Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. #NetGalley
November 15, 2021
A new detective transfers to the municipality of Haxford, and the only person who is well acquainted (and awed by) him is the town barber. Scorbion soon assembles assistant sleuths (one goes on to become a reporter under Scorbion's tutelage) from the ranks of the shop's regulars and even proves that the town drunk is a very astute observer. Enter a short series of mysteries which Scorbion solves with attention to fine detail ( amassed by his willing assistants) and deductive logic. Good first in series! I got hooked by the publisher's blurb and it did not disappoint. Fun characters!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
April 13, 2022
Physically, the book is just great. Heavy for its size, and the paper is thick. Feels like a book.
The problem is what's printed on it.
Proclaimed as a cross between or like Periot and Sherlock, so I was prepared for the similarities.
but really, Pignon is a dandied up version of Periot. A few instances of deductions but that about it.
From being a foreigner and being fastiduious, he is mostly a charicature of Periot. Also has a hard to pronounce name.
Through in a bit of Nero wolfe as well, as he conducts his 'investigation' at the barbour shop in front of his fawning admirerers.
All of the characters are stilted and fake.
none of this is believeable.
Seemed a bit like Grantchester, as it was going to be a series of stories, but there was a main one, that was easy to figure out, long before the detective did.
Save yourself some time and skip this book.
The problem is what's printed on it.
Proclaimed as a cross between or like Periot and Sherlock, so I was prepared for the similarities.
but really, Pignon is a dandied up version of Periot. A few instances of deductions but that about it.
From being a foreigner and being fastiduious, he is mostly a charicature of Periot. Also has a hard to pronounce name.
Through in a bit of Nero wolfe as well, as he conducts his 'investigation' at the barbour shop in front of his fawning admirerers.
All of the characters are stilted and fake.
none of this is believeable.
Seemed a bit like Grantchester, as it was going to be a series of stories, but there was a main one, that was easy to figure out, long before the detective did.
Save yourself some time and skip this book.
January 18, 2022
I got an advance copy of the book and simply, LOVED IT! I read it in one sitting. It's a fun, throwback to the kind of mysteries that Agatha Christie used to write (Conan Doyle too), and I felt like I was right in the barbershop with all the people in the book. Loved the characters, the mysteries and the way it was written in that old style that made me feel like it was 1910. Highly Recommended. I hope it becomes a TV series or a movie.
October 21, 2022
I wouldn't have finished this book if it didn't come from NetGalley. The story doesn't make much sense, why would a supposedly brilliant Chief Inspector decide to conduct all his investigations in a barber shop with some friends that don't seem to offer any assistance. The writing needs polishing, the style is amateur, particularly in the dialogues, the ones between Scorbion and his girlfriend are particularly bad. #NetGalley
May 12, 2022
DNF - I quit about 1/3 of the way through. It felt like a rip-off of Agatha Christie. The author was so focused on making the main character as quirky as possible rather than having his quirks fit the story.
October 2, 2022
DNF. Just from the first two chapters the main character appears vain, arrogant, and makes assumptions on hearsay, not at all in the vein of detectives like Holmes or Poirot as is claimed at the outset. Didn't enjoy.
January 10, 2023
I think the general idea of the book is interesting and had potential, but the writing fell flat. The dialogue was awkward and bizarre at times. There was often unnecessary detail provided and descriptions were often convoluted. Interesting idea, but poor execution.
July 4, 2022
Three word review: Mock Sherlock schlock
What a disappointment! If you're looking for a Sherlock-like story, go for Karen Charlton's Detective Lavender series, and stay far away from this one despite the many suspiciously positive reviews on Amazon.
Why did I dislike it?
1) It was repetitive and drawn-out.
Towards the end of the book, one of the characters said, "I want to hear everything you have to disclose." I literally said out loud, "Not me!" but later pressed onwards, hoping for a surprise ending. Nope. The two chapters did tie up some loose ends, but didn't lift the book above an okay rating for me.
2) I found it inauthentic.
I'm no expert on Edwardian England, but words like "inappropriate" (instead of unladylike or ill-mannered) and "bonkers" (first documented use in 1947 England) were jarring. Puzzles were used as a metaphor for detective work, but they weren't considered a complex and adult pastime until the 1930s.
3) The barbershop premise was ludicrous.
I was initially attracted to the premise, thinking that the detective made breakthroughs in natural conversations while getting shaved. But instead, the chief police inspector (Scorbion) who was NEW in town, was conducting interrogations at a barber shop instead of at his own office, assisted by barbers and shoe-shine boys. That is just plain silly. The detective expresses gratitude for their help, but as far as I could see, they only asked obvious questions, sang Scorbion's praise and at best doggedly clung to an issue which turned out to be important.
4) One of the crimes didn't make sense.
Without spoiling the mystery, I can say that a character treats a long-long heirloom as something to be used and discarded.
5) Awkward dialogue
One character stuttered, which was basically his only defining characteristic and was t-t-t-tediously written. As far as I remember, the character was always disfluent no matter the situation and only repeated sounds, rather than showing other signs of disfluency like pauses, fillers, re-phrasing, giving up, etc. Another character spoke French, which was again basically his only defining characteristic. The French phrases weren't translated/explained and weren't phrases that everyone knows. One was a literal translation of piece of s*** (which doesn't seem to be a real French expression). Btw, the word s*** or its British spelling appeared 14 times in the book, which not everyone will appreciate (naturally expecting a style more similar to Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie).
That said, it was fun that the detective had correspondence with Watson and was planning on meeting Hercule Poirot, but this was just a brief mention. I also liked the mystery involving world-record stilt-walking (which was a big deal in the past) and the female lead Thelma.
I feel that there could be potential for the series, and I wish the author well, but I won't be reading any future installments.
What a disappointment! If you're looking for a Sherlock-like story, go for Karen Charlton's Detective Lavender series, and stay far away from this one despite the many suspiciously positive reviews on Amazon.
Why did I dislike it?
1) It was repetitive and drawn-out.
Towards the end of the book, one of the characters said, "I want to hear everything you have to disclose." I literally said out loud, "Not me!" but later pressed onwards, hoping for a surprise ending. Nope. The two chapters did tie up some loose ends, but didn't lift the book above an okay rating for me.
2) I found it inauthentic.
I'm no expert on Edwardian England, but words like "inappropriate" (instead of unladylike or ill-mannered) and "bonkers" (first documented use in 1947 England) were jarring. Puzzles were used as a metaphor for detective work, but they weren't considered a complex and adult pastime until the 1930s.
3) The barbershop premise was ludicrous.
I was initially attracted to the premise, thinking that the detective made breakthroughs in natural conversations while getting shaved. But instead, the chief police inspector (Scorbion) who was NEW in town, was conducting interrogations at a barber shop instead of at his own office, assisted by barbers and shoe-shine boys. That is just plain silly. The detective expresses gratitude for their help, but as far as I could see, they only asked obvious questions, sang Scorbion's praise and at best doggedly clung to an issue which turned out to be important.
4) One of the crimes didn't make sense.
Without spoiling the mystery, I can say that a character treats a long-long heirloom as something to be used and discarded.
5) Awkward dialogue
One character stuttered, which was basically his only defining characteristic and was t-t-t-tediously written. As far as I remember, the character was always disfluent no matter the situation and only repeated sounds, rather than showing other signs of disfluency like pauses, fillers, re-phrasing, giving up, etc. Another character spoke French, which was again basically his only defining characteristic. The French phrases weren't translated/explained and weren't phrases that everyone knows. One was a literal translation of piece of s*** (which doesn't seem to be a real French expression). Btw, the word s*** or its British spelling appeared 14 times in the book, which not everyone will appreciate (naturally expecting a style more similar to Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie).
That said, it was fun that the detective had correspondence with Watson and was planning on meeting Hercule Poirot, but this was just a brief mention. I also liked the mystery involving world-record stilt-walking (which was a big deal in the past) and the female lead Thelma.
I feel that there could be potential for the series, and I wish the author well, but I won't be reading any future installments.
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