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Foraging for Murder: A quintessentially British country cosy murder mystery.
"Agatha Raisin meets the Great British Bake Off in Foraging for Murder. Simon Whaley blends bucolic eccentricities, village gossip, food festivals and cold-blooded murder in his latest cosy mystery." - Bookish Jottings
Book Description
Three butchers. Two deaths. One four-hundred-year-old grudge.
It’s Aldermaston’s first food festival as the Eighth Marquess of Mortiforde and it’s not going well. One butcher is missing.
Another has been threatened. And the Vegetarian Society has been sent a meaty ultimatum.
Meanwhile, Lady Mortiforde desperately needs her husband to find some wild boar meat for her savoury pie entry into the festival’s Bake Off competition.
When the Council’s Chief Archivist disappears, along with the Food History Marquee’s star attraction, a seventeenth-century recipe book, Aldermaston has all the ingredients of a murder mystery that’s been marinating for over four hundred years.
Can he find the missing butchers before it’s too late? Will Lady Mortiforde avoid a soggy bottom in the Bake Off competition? And why do all the butchers take their pet pigs for a walk in the woods at night?
"We are in safe hands with Whaley a man unafraid of capturing the class-based absurdities of British life." - PAJ Newman
"When describing Foraging for Murder to both Spouse-Critter and one of my besties, I found myself saying that it reads like Agatha Christie did the plot outline, handed it to the cast of Monty Python and walked away!" - Puzzle Paws Blog
"Aldermaston had me laughing a few times!" The Page Ladies
"Foraging for Murder is a hilarious, uplifting and thrilling murder mystery sprinkled with plenty of tension, intrigue and suspense to keep readers chewing their nails and on the edge of their seats until the end." Bookish Jottings
"Full of culinary delights and dark deeds past and present, it is jam packed full of wonderful and very likeable eccentric characters with a deliciously wicked streak of humour running through it." The Word Is Out
"Wow. Foraging for Murder is a fantastic book. It’s stuffed with some very British quirkiness, rival butchers, an obnoxious new Chief Executive for the local Council, and a slightly bumbling, but good-hearted, member of the nobility, his wife, his eminently competent butler, as well as his extremely eccentric brother." MJ Porter
Book Description
Three butchers. Two deaths. One four-hundred-year-old grudge.
It’s Aldermaston’s first food festival as the Eighth Marquess of Mortiforde and it’s not going well. One butcher is missing.
Another has been threatened. And the Vegetarian Society has been sent a meaty ultimatum.
Meanwhile, Lady Mortiforde desperately needs her husband to find some wild boar meat for her savoury pie entry into the festival’s Bake Off competition.
When the Council’s Chief Archivist disappears, along with the Food History Marquee’s star attraction, a seventeenth-century recipe book, Aldermaston has all the ingredients of a murder mystery that’s been marinating for over four hundred years.
Can he find the missing butchers before it’s too late? Will Lady Mortiforde avoid a soggy bottom in the Bake Off competition? And why do all the butchers take their pet pigs for a walk in the woods at night?
"We are in safe hands with Whaley a man unafraid of capturing the class-based absurdities of British life." - PAJ Newman
"When describing Foraging for Murder to both Spouse-Critter and one of my besties, I found myself saying that it reads like Agatha Christie did the plot outline, handed it to the cast of Monty Python and walked away!" - Puzzle Paws Blog
"Aldermaston had me laughing a few times!" The Page Ladies
"Foraging for Murder is a hilarious, uplifting and thrilling murder mystery sprinkled with plenty of tension, intrigue and suspense to keep readers chewing their nails and on the edge of their seats until the end." Bookish Jottings
"Full of culinary delights and dark deeds past and present, it is jam packed full of wonderful and very likeable eccentric characters with a deliciously wicked streak of humour running through it." The Word Is Out
"Wow. Foraging for Murder is a fantastic book. It’s stuffed with some very British quirkiness, rival butchers, an obnoxious new Chief Executive for the local Council, and a slightly bumbling, but good-hearted, member of the nobility, his wife, his eminently competent butler, as well as his extremely eccentric brother." MJ Porter
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2021
7 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 5, 2022
The Marquess of Mortiforde has a lot on his plate. With the first food festival about to begin and a new Chief Executive arriving early to upset the apple cart, there is a lot at stake for Aldermaston. Caught between the Vegetarian Society and the meat brigade, the last thing he needs is a series of threatening and mysterious notes, along with deliveries of pig meat which are clearly intended to add sauce to the threats. Can Aldermaston track down the missing butchers and keep everyone happy before the Bake-Off competition cooks everyone’s goose?
This is the second book in Simon Whaley’s Marquess of Mortiforde Mysteries series and the first of his that I’ve read. The tone of the book is light-hearted and peppered with lots of foody puns and silly names, like Jock Trotter and Beouf Boucher. The plot reminded me of a comic version of The Archers (BBC Radio 4), with the usual sniping and back-stabbing you’d expect in an off-beat story of village life. Though there’s perhaps a little too much dialogue at times, which slows the pace a bit, this was an enjoyable read that will please fans of cosy mysteries and dramas like Midsomer Murders etc.
An amusing and entertaining read.
This is the second book in Simon Whaley’s Marquess of Mortiforde Mysteries series and the first of his that I’ve read. The tone of the book is light-hearted and peppered with lots of foody puns and silly names, like Jock Trotter and Beouf Boucher. The plot reminded me of a comic version of The Archers (BBC Radio 4), with the usual sniping and back-stabbing you’d expect in an off-beat story of village life. Though there’s perhaps a little too much dialogue at times, which slows the pace a bit, this was an enjoyable read that will please fans of cosy mysteries and dramas like Midsomer Murders etc.
An amusing and entertaining read.
June 29, 2022
Reading a cosy mystery during a winter storm was a nice way to pass the time. The characters all have that small hometown feel. It's nicely written and the pace is pleasant and goes well with the flow and feel of the story. The book has what you expect for a cosy mystery and I liked that the author added a touch of humor to the story. Aldermaston had me laughing a few times! It's the second book in the series, I wonder what Aldermaston will be investigating in the next book!
Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Simon Whaley for sharing this book with me and for having me on the tour!
Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Simon Whaley for sharing this book with me and for having me on the tour!
February 9, 2022
Aldermaston has now been Eighth Marquess of Mortiforde, a town on the Welsh Borders, for nearly two years. Along with the title comes the job of chair of the Borderer’s Guild, a group of people originally formed as an army by the local Lord to battle the Welsh in olden days but who now fight for the good of the community and its prosperity, including this weekend’s famous food festival. They have close links with Borderlandshire Council and share admin help from Lisa, the new Democracy Support Officer and also co-owner of the local B&B. Since the departure of the previous incumbent under a cloud, a new Chief Executive is due to start work very soon. Just before the festival kick off Aldermaston is approached by butcher Seth Shepherd and his pet pig Maisie, and learns that the man has received a threatening note. Seth blames the Vegetarian Society who are in hot competition with the town’s three butchers’ shops to win best burger, especially when it transpires the judge Boeuf Boucher will be picking a supplier for Royal Garden parties. Then the veggies receive a pig’s heart and blame the butchers, one of whom seems to have disappeared. The new Council leader, Abigail, arrives a couple of days early just as the festival is about to get underway and makes it clear she has no time for the Borderers. Ha! Little does she realize just what she is taking on. Meanwhile Aldermaston’s brother Basildon thinks he has devised an inventive way of trying to land a job with MI5 and Lady Mortiforde learns she has to become a dab hand at baking to impress the Ladies Legion. Aldermaston, his personal assistant Daniel and Lisa soon find themselves up to their ears in missing people, porcine body parts and a four-hundred-year-old recipe book. So why do all butchers have a pet pig, who is the woman in the pink top, will Felicity master her Boor Pie and will Basildon’s truth serum reveal all? And most importantly, will Aldermaston save the day?
Having thoroughly enjoyed book 1, Blooming Murder, I couldn’t wait to devour this story and I absolutely adored my second visit to Mortiforde. Full of culinary delights and dark deeds past and present, it is jam packed full of wonderful and very likeable eccentric characters with a deliciously wicked streak of humour running through it.
I loved every page and laughed my socks off at some bits, and I really do hope there will be more books to come in this series. 5*
Having thoroughly enjoyed book 1, Blooming Murder, I couldn’t wait to devour this story and I absolutely adored my second visit to Mortiforde. Full of culinary delights and dark deeds past and present, it is jam packed full of wonderful and very likeable eccentric characters with a deliciously wicked streak of humour running through it.
I loved every page and laughed my socks off at some bits, and I really do hope there will be more books to come in this series. 5*
February 8, 2022
When Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources announced this blog tour, I pounced on it! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first book, Blooming Murder last summer, and hoped that the next book in the Mortiforde Mysteries series would be just as good. Oh man, guys, I have to tell you....It's not Just as good, it's BETTER!
When describing Foraging for Murder to both my spouse and one of my besties, I found myself saying that it reads like Agatha Christie did the plot outline, handed it to the cast of Monty Python and walked away! This book has a blurb that is all buttoned-up, I suspect the butler wrote it! However, once you crack the pages, the oh-so-serious plots of kidnapping, culinary sabotage, and a new Chief Exec with an axe to grind converge and blend into an adventuresome romp, with hilarious wordplay and situations aplenty.
I've been a fan of BBC mystery series for years, and I dearly hope that this series gets picked up for a miniseries because I desperately want to see some of the characters on screen. Basildon, the Marquess's older brother is perpetually obsessed with gaining entry to the ranks of MI5; I see him as a gloriously chaotic mix of Q (James Bond) and Q (Star Trek). Aldermaston is a sweet man who is absolutely overwhelmed by juggling his position as Marquess and husband, but does his best to take care of Mortiforde and his family. Cartwright is the best sort of butler; and Lisa and Daniel are the Marquess's indispensable helpers and friends. The residents of the village are even more colorful if that's possible!
I don't want to go too deep into the plot because Simon Whaley wields the theory of Chekov's Gun to great effect! Suffice it to say that if you love watching/reading cozy mysteries, The Great British Baking Show, and enjoy a good laugh, you'll love this book!
When describing Foraging for Murder to both my spouse and one of my besties, I found myself saying that it reads like Agatha Christie did the plot outline, handed it to the cast of Monty Python and walked away! This book has a blurb that is all buttoned-up, I suspect the butler wrote it! However, once you crack the pages, the oh-so-serious plots of kidnapping, culinary sabotage, and a new Chief Exec with an axe to grind converge and blend into an adventuresome romp, with hilarious wordplay and situations aplenty.
I've been a fan of BBC mystery series for years, and I dearly hope that this series gets picked up for a miniseries because I desperately want to see some of the characters on screen. Basildon, the Marquess's older brother is perpetually obsessed with gaining entry to the ranks of MI5; I see him as a gloriously chaotic mix of Q (James Bond) and Q (Star Trek). Aldermaston is a sweet man who is absolutely overwhelmed by juggling his position as Marquess and husband, but does his best to take care of Mortiforde and his family. Cartwright is the best sort of butler; and Lisa and Daniel are the Marquess's indispensable helpers and friends. The residents of the village are even more colorful if that's possible!
I don't want to go too deep into the plot because Simon Whaley wields the theory of Chekov's Gun to great effect! Suffice it to say that if you love watching/reading cozy mysteries, The Great British Baking Show, and enjoy a good laugh, you'll love this book!
May 2, 2022
Simon Whaley’s Foraging for Murder is an immensely enjoyable cosy mystery that is witty, uproarious and so much fun!
As the eight Marquess of Mortiforde, Aldermaston is about to host his first food festival – and so far, things are looking far from promising. One butcher has disappeared off the face off the earth whilst another one is on the receiving end of some terrifying threats. As if Aldermaston does not have enough to worry about, the vegetarian society is also making its voice heard issuing a shocking ultimatum – and Lady Mortiforde is on his case asking him to procure some wild boar for a savoury pie she is baking for the Bake Off competition. Poor Aldermaston has certainly got his plate full and there is more stress on the way!
The Chief Archivist from the Council has also vanished and so too has the food festival’s star attraction: a seventeenth century recipe book. With everything that could possibly go wrong going awry, Aldermaston doesn’t know which way to turn as he tries to locate the missing butchers, allay Lady Mortiforde’s worries about a soggy bottom and figure out why on earth all the butchers take their pet pigs for a stroll in the woods late at night!
Agatha Raisin meets the Great British Bake Off in Foraging for Murder. Simon Whaley blends bucolic eccentricities, village gossip, food festivals and cold-blooded murder in his latest cosy mystery. Foraging for Murder is a hilarious, uplifting and thrilling murder mystery sprinkled with plenty of tension, intrigue and suspense to keep readers chewing their nails and on the edge of their seats until the end.
An entertaining yarn guaranteed to brighten up even the most dismal of days, cosy mystery fans will love Simon Whaley’s delightful new novel, Foraging for Murder.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
As the eight Marquess of Mortiforde, Aldermaston is about to host his first food festival – and so far, things are looking far from promising. One butcher has disappeared off the face off the earth whilst another one is on the receiving end of some terrifying threats. As if Aldermaston does not have enough to worry about, the vegetarian society is also making its voice heard issuing a shocking ultimatum – and Lady Mortiforde is on his case asking him to procure some wild boar for a savoury pie she is baking for the Bake Off competition. Poor Aldermaston has certainly got his plate full and there is more stress on the way!
The Chief Archivist from the Council has also vanished and so too has the food festival’s star attraction: a seventeenth century recipe book. With everything that could possibly go wrong going awry, Aldermaston doesn’t know which way to turn as he tries to locate the missing butchers, allay Lady Mortiforde’s worries about a soggy bottom and figure out why on earth all the butchers take their pet pigs for a stroll in the woods late at night!
Agatha Raisin meets the Great British Bake Off in Foraging for Murder. Simon Whaley blends bucolic eccentricities, village gossip, food festivals and cold-blooded murder in his latest cosy mystery. Foraging for Murder is a hilarious, uplifting and thrilling murder mystery sprinkled with plenty of tension, intrigue and suspense to keep readers chewing their nails and on the edge of their seats until the end.
An entertaining yarn guaranteed to brighten up even the most dismal of days, cosy mystery fans will love Simon Whaley’s delightful new novel, Foraging for Murder.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 9, 2022
This is the second book in the series and after reading the first one I just knew that I would love this one and I was certainly right!
This is a perfect cosy murder mystery book to read, it was very easy to just devour it as it was so good to read you didn't want to stop!
Three butchers....two deaths and a 104year old grunge... join the investigation and find out whodunit!
The storyline of the book definitely grabs you right from the start , it pulls you in with the humour, the setting and the characters then as soon as the murders happen you immediately put your detective hat on and try figure it our for yourself. An absolutely brilliantly written book, one which is bound to become part of your new favourite series!
This is a perfect cosy murder mystery book to read, it was very easy to just devour it as it was so good to read you didn't want to stop!
Three butchers....two deaths and a 104year old grunge... join the investigation and find out whodunit!
The storyline of the book definitely grabs you right from the start , it pulls you in with the humour, the setting and the characters then as soon as the murders happen you immediately put your detective hat on and try figure it our for yourself. An absolutely brilliantly written book, one which is bound to become part of your new favourite series!
February 24, 2022
It’s a humorous whodunnit which, unusually for the genre, begins with a threat, not a murder. The well-intentioned hero Aldermaston wrestles with more threats, kidnappings and murders against the background of the local Food Festival. His antagonist is the new CEO of the local authority, a Londoner who doesn’t understand the customs and economics of a rural county.
Fears, rivalries and dirty tricks are explored, tension mounts and is maintained. The characters and setting are well described and authentic and the denouement is satisfying. The author is clearly very familiar with the preoccupations, politics and drama of the struggle for financial survival in a county town. I enjoyed my read and trust Mr Whaley is making progress on the third book!
Fears, rivalries and dirty tricks are explored, tension mounts and is maintained. The characters and setting are well described and authentic and the denouement is satisfying. The author is clearly very familiar with the preoccupations, politics and drama of the struggle for financial survival in a county town. I enjoyed my read and trust Mr Whaley is making progress on the third book!
January 21, 2022
This was an okay read for me, the story was well paced and well written but I didn’t feel drawn to any of the characters and I wouldn’t say that I was invested in the story. There is nothing specifically wrong with the story, I just couldn’t get into it enough, I couldn’t feel any energy from it. Nothing stood out that made me think ‘this is a great read’ - it was just okay.
If you like easy, cosy style crime and mystery stories then I’d say give this one a go.
3 Stars.
I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a review copy of this book for free. Views and opinions are my own and have not been influenced by anyone.
If you like easy, cosy style crime and mystery stories then I’d say give this one a go.
3 Stars.
I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a review copy of this book for free. Views and opinions are my own and have not been influenced by anyone.
February 13, 2022
Wow. Foraging for Murder is a fantastic book. It’s stuffed with some very British quirkiness, rival butchers, an obnoxious new Chief Executive for the local Council, and a slightly bumbling, but good-hearted, member of the nobility, his wife, his eminently competent butler, as well as his extremely eccentric brother.
Genuinely, I can’t recommend this book enough. It made me laugh out loud and was a joy to read.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, and each character is well sketched, and unique. It’s filled with all the sorts of little details that I love – it has a strong historical element running through it, and of course, an ancient manuscript. It’s also filled with quirky little details, the sort of eccentric characters that make up a small community and yet none of it feels overcooked. And the mystery is both complex enough, and realistic enough, that you’re not going to quibble with the eventual resolution, even if we, as the readers, get there before the cast do.
I have book 1 in the series ready to read and I really hope we get more books featuring this wonderful cast. And wow, book 1 has an amazing opening chapter. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
(I would just like to reassure that this book is not stuffed with animal butchery – in fact, a few of the animals do get to star in it. There is some reference to parts of an animal when they’re no longer on that animal – if that makes sense. I don’t want to give anything away, but also, don’t want someone to stumble into the book unawares.)
For fellow readers, if you’ve read Skelton's Guide to Suitcase Murders then this will definitely appeal, even if it has a more modern setting.
Genuinely, I can’t recommend this book enough. It made me laugh out loud and was a joy to read.
The story is told from multiple perspectives, and each character is well sketched, and unique. It’s filled with all the sorts of little details that I love – it has a strong historical element running through it, and of course, an ancient manuscript. It’s also filled with quirky little details, the sort of eccentric characters that make up a small community and yet none of it feels overcooked. And the mystery is both complex enough, and realistic enough, that you’re not going to quibble with the eventual resolution, even if we, as the readers, get there before the cast do.
I have book 1 in the series ready to read and I really hope we get more books featuring this wonderful cast. And wow, book 1 has an amazing opening chapter. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
(I would just like to reassure that this book is not stuffed with animal butchery – in fact, a few of the animals do get to star in it. There is some reference to parts of an animal when they’re no longer on that animal – if that makes sense. I don’t want to give anything away, but also, don’t want someone to stumble into the book unawares.)
For fellow readers, if you’ve read Skelton's Guide to Suitcase Murders then this will definitely appeal, even if it has a more modern setting.
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December 22, 2024Slapstick
Ok it's not got quite the same impact as the first . But some slapstick stupidity a rather long winded plot makes it an enjoyable read. Not the best but I would read another.
Ok it's not got quite the same impact as the first . But some slapstick stupidity a rather long winded plot makes it an enjoyable read. Not the best but I would read another.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews