Lost and Found

Bunburry #13

by Helena Marchmont

Life is looking up for amateur sleuth Alfie McAlister. He has found relatives he never knew he had, and at long last, he has replaced the avocado suite in his bathroom. But he is shocked to get a plea for help from his niece Ruby, a young law graduate in Oxford. There is no support from his fellow amateur sleuths: Liz and Marge are having problems of their own, and Constable Emma Hollis isn't answering her phone. He offers Ruby sanctuary in Bunburry - but his invitation brings danger to the village...

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery, Crime, British Literature, Fiction, Contemporary

129 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2022

About the author

Helena Marchmont is a pseudonym of Olga Wojtas, who was born and brought up in Edinburgh. She was encouraged to write by an inspirational English teacher, Iona M. Cameron. Olga won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in 2015, has had more than 30 short stories published in magazines and anthologies and recently published her first mystery Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar.

Reviews

[♡ Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡]

Dieser 13. Band hat mir sehr gut gefallen, denn es passiert relativ viel auf den doch eher wenigen Seiten.
Alfie hat endlich seine Schwester und seine Nichte Ruby kennengelernt. Als die beiden ihn in Bunburry besuchen, vertraut Ruby sich ihm an. Sie hat einen Stalker, der ihr angst macht. Sie bekommt SMS von ihm, und scheinbar war er sogar schon in ihrer Wohnung!
Zugleich macht sich Alfie Sorgen um seine Tanten Liz und Marge. Scheinbar werden immer wieder Dinge vergessen und verlegt, und jede schiebt der anderen die Schuld zu...
💜 Ich mag diese gemütliche Buchreihe.
Ganz furchtbar fand ich hier, wie die Polizistin reagiert, als Ruby und Alfie sie über den Stalker informieren. 😨
Für mich wieder eine kurzweilige Unterhaltung.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee]

Hat mir wieder sehr gut gefallen.

[Andy]

Das war nicht cozy crime sondern goofy crime.
Die Akteure sind mir inzwischen zu dumm und ich verabschiede mich aus Bunburry.

[Dianne]

I really enjoy how this series introduces new characters while keeping the thread alive with the original characters. The writing is witty with each “mystery” being realistically portrayed. The audiobook narration by Nathaniel Parker is always superb!

[Shiloah]

This series never disappoints. I look forward to each mystery. Now I’m dying to know if anything comes of Emma and Alfie.

[Arnis]

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...

[Bobbi]

Another fun, light, cozy mystery in this delightful series.

[Mo]

It was a little strange... when I started this it did not feel like all the other books in the series.

Audiobook
Nathaniel Parker - Narrator
Duration: 03:27:46

[Kataklicik]

Audiobook : Spotify.
Read by Nathaniel Parker.

[Bethany]

So I'm loving the fact we finally found out what happened to Alfie's dad and the fact he now has family.
Still loving Nathaniel Parker's narration of the story.
Not loving Emma being the end game love interest. which I know because I wanted to see how many books were available and ended up reading the blurb of two books from now where Alfie has admitted he's in love with Emma. *HUGH SIGH* I know a lot of people are all on board with this pairing. But this is one of the few cases where I'm shipping the main guy with everyone but his main interests. (No, I'm still not on board with Betty either) Can we bring Francesca back? not that I want Alfie with her per say, but still.
Good story. I love the developing family dynamic between Alfie, his sister and his niece. The stalker mystery was okay, not a real surprise in the end.
Overall a solid addition to the series.
Recommended? Sure
Buy/Borrow? either or

[Maggie Mooha]

Review – Bunburry – Lost and Found – by Helena Marchmont
This addition to the Bunburry series finds Alfie in the midst of a family problem. His half sister has entered the picture, and with her his niece, who brings complications of her own. This mystery had me guessing until the very end. The characters and their relationships evolved and yet the characters remained the colorful people we’ve come to love. I think spending time with these characters is even more rewarding than finding the solution to the mystery. I guess that is what keeps me coming back. Pick this book up and read it. You’ll enjoy it.

[Tania Rook]

Alfie really is the Jessica Fletcher of Bunburry. Dad's dead (soz), but he bequeathed Alfie an older sister in his will. Like, 3 months older. Daddy was a playa Alf, you were aptly named.

Having a sister is wicked cool. You get to visit, be visited, eat food, share fudge. Pretty much what Alfie spends all his time doing anyway. But he also gets a niece, who is being stalked. So there's a mystery to be solved.

Honestly, if you're paying attention, it's exactly who you think it is. Might has well have a neon sign saying CLEARLY THIS GUY. So here's the thing, how good a lawyer is Alfie's niece going to be if she can't determine she is being stalked by the most obvious suspect? Not a great criminal lawyer, I'll tell you that much.

No matter, Alfie's bumbling interference earns his niece a better address, and a trivia night wraps up the mystery, which has for some reason moved to Bunburry. Probably so Alfie wouldn't have to miss the trivia night.

Speaking of the trivia night, degree is a measure of temperature and angle, and minute is a measure of time and distance. That knowledge won't help you answer any of the trivia questions, but will come up if you're digging into the details.

[Natalie]

Okay this one ticked me off bc it minimizes violence against women in an effort to keep the content light and frothy. If you wanna keep it cute, then just do that—don’t bring up a dark and dangerous situation (i.e. stalking, kidnapping, rape culture, b&e, assault, etc.) only to punk out at the end and make it all seem like a false alarm. The author wrote a chilling scene of the incompetence, misogyny, and apathy by law enforcement to acknowledge threats against women’s safety, only to then prove them correct in the end?? She was somehow overreacting?? The stalker turns out to be a Nice Guy™ who may be just a wee bit insane and rapey, but no worries?? He didn’t mean it?? I’m gobsmacked. Why include this narrative only to undermine it for the sake of the lucrative “cozy.” Badly done, Marchmont.

[Carol Evans]

Like all the Bunburry books, Lost and Found is light and cozy. This time around, Alfie meets his half-sister and his niece. Both are warm, charming women, but the niece has a problem Alfie is determined to help her solve. I should have figured out the answer to the main mystery, it's a short novella and there are only so many characters. I can't say I loved the mystery itself, but I read these more to spend time with the characters than for the plot. Alfie and his friends (and now family) are a delightful, colorful bunch.

[Gary and Sandra Sims]

Another cute story

Archie has found a family he didn't know, A sister and niece who are as happy as he is. There is one dilemma though, his niece has a stalker. As Archie tries to help her he accidentally brings the problem to Bunburry. This is the plot to a delightful story that begins to fill in some of Archie's missing father's story. Very enjoyable. P.S. Keep the monkey.

[Pinky]

Alfie is finally remodeling the cottage his Aunt Augusta left him. No more avocado bathroom suite. There’s also a new twist in Bunburry - Alfie is united with family! Lots of intrigue with multiple mysteries and confusion. Not all is revealed about Alfie’s father and his Aunt Augusta but there’s enough to feel good about the direction he’s going in.

[Kaija]

Lukijana ihana Nathaniel Parker.
Olipa taas hunajata korville kuunnella mr Parkerin ääntä. Ihanasti Alfien kotiutumista Bunburryyn on seurattu ja tällä kertaa esiteltiin pari uutta hahmoakin. Etsivätoimia ei tällä kertaa pahemmin ollut, mutta se ei haitannut. Pidän tämän kirjasarjan lämpimästä tunnelmasta.

[Chautona Havig]

There are too many to review, thanks to Goodreads' not-working sidebar, so I'm copying and pasting a series review on each one:

Marchmont has created a delightful village, hilarious characters, and interesting mysteries that kept me buying the next to find out what's up in the Cotswolds. An absolute delight.

[Homerun2]

These British village novellas are quick, satisfying and addictive. Main character Alfie is quite appealing and the storylines are interesting and well done.

This one involves Alfie's search for his father, who booked it before he was born.

[Judy Mccartney]

Alfie does it again.

The Burberry sleuths had their own problems so this book has some different twists and turns. And it is certainly leaving us with many new characters and future plots.

[Anne]

Miss Maple meets Arsenic and Old Lace

Marchmont again delivers an engrossing tale with new characters. My only complaint is I wish the stories were longer! But, they are well developed and complete

[Arliss]

Like all the Bunburry books, Lost and Found is fluff but it is such cozy, enjoyable, fluff that I'm all in. These characters, the setting–all of it, just an absolute pleasure every time. Reading Bunburry books is like I imagine spending time with Miss Marple would be. I love it.

[Neely Powell]

Alfie’s is finally remodeling the cottage. While waiting for the work to o be finished, he travels to Aberdeen to see his father’s grave. That is only the beginning of the adventures in this book. Good story.

[Deborah Baird]

Quite the mystery.

My favorite part was when the monkey was revealed. I would have liked the story to go on a bit more to see if something develops between Emma and Alfie.

[Lynne]

This was the usual Bunburry fare. I read this series for the characters and the “feel good” atmosphere. The mysteries are pretty light, but the characters are so delightful that doesn’t matter.

[Janet Phillips]

Typical of Alfie, too many wimen

Women will be the death of Alfie McAlister one day. He just can't catch a break about understanding them. Now he's gained two more in his life.

[Martha A. Wilson]

Surprise ending

A wonderful next step in Alfie's life. I just wish they were not so short. I read this in under 2 hours.

[Mae]

All is well

Another good mystery that in the end, turns out well.
Will the ‘engaged’ man really ask Emma to be his wife.
Can’t wait for the next book

[Ali]

Another fabulous story. I Love this series!

[Chris]

Enjoyable as always. Nice series, easily read, fun characters.