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Anty Boisjoly Mysteries #4
The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse
Anty Boisjoly takes on his twistiest test to date in a tale of curses and crows, crypts and conspiracies, concealed corridors and clever crimes, delivered with a generous overpour of locked room murder and bouyant Boisjoly badinage.
The ancient curse of Carnaby Castle has begun taking victims again — either that, or someone’s very cleverly done away with the new young bride of the philandering family patriarch, and the chief suspect is none other than Carnaby, London’s finest club steward.
Anty Boisjoly’s wits and witticisms are tested to their frozen limit as he sifts the superstitions, suspicions, and age-old schisms of the mediaeval Peak District village of Hoy to sort out how it was done before Carnaby’s served his last scotch-and-soda.
Like the other Anty Boisjoly adventures, this is a stand-alone, repertory story intended for those who like their twisty mysteries narrated with a little strategic silliness and boisterous banter.
The ancient curse of Carnaby Castle has begun taking victims again — either that, or someone’s very cleverly done away with the new young bride of the philandering family patriarch, and the chief suspect is none other than Carnaby, London’s finest club steward.
Anty Boisjoly’s wits and witticisms are tested to their frozen limit as he sifts the superstitions, suspicions, and age-old schisms of the mediaeval Peak District village of Hoy to sort out how it was done before Carnaby’s served his last scotch-and-soda.
Like the other Anty Boisjoly adventures, this is a stand-alone, repertory story intended for those who like their twisty mysteries narrated with a little strategic silliness and boisterous banter.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 29, 2022
265 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Fitzsimmons
13 books280 followersI’m a freelance ghost for mainstream genres but when I’m my own man I write strictly for the laughs. I dream of an alternative reality in which PG Wodehouse wrote locked room mysteries, and in which I’m PG Wodehouse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
August 6, 2022
Remarkable wit, unforgettable characters, and a plot that all bring out the best in the mystery genre. Shades of Vincent Price and Agatha Christie mixed with the verbal dexterity of Pratchett. The phrase “vicissitudes visited” is one of my favorite examples of the wordplay. It feels like a classic in the making. I laughed and gasped throughout and will likely do so again the next time I read this. What a fun adventure with so many twists!! I adored the characters, the eccentric yet familiar setting, and the way everything eventually tied together. I’ll certainly be looking for more from this author.
So grateful to have received a copy via BookSirens and am delighted to give honest feedback.
So grateful to have received a copy via BookSirens and am delighted to give honest feedback.
August 16, 2022
Anty's antics. Are they a crime?
In creating our hero, Anthony (Anty to friends) Boisjoly, the author has pulled off his ambition of combining P G Wodehouse and Agatha Christie. We have a superficially bumbling and dilettante bachelor who enjoys the finer things in life yet his main occupation is clubbing, servant civility and baiting the police. He has the perfect foil in a police inspector who is as officious as his dignity allows and always seems to charge the offence against those Anty holds most dear.
Setting it in England in the roaring twenties allows for class conflict, interplay with domestic servants and intellect more important than technology. This particular tale is set in the Peak District and the geography and geology of that area is relevant to the plot.
The plot introduces conflict between supernatural forces and science with witchcraft and prejudices playing their parts too. There is playfulness and diversion aplenty and we learn more about Anty's intelligence and education. There are more twists in the plot than a collection of corkscrews. I did work out who was responsible for murder, but found the ending very satisfying both morally and completing the story.
It can be read as a standalone, but does extend the pleasure for those who are already fans of Anty's antics. Thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read and I look forward to the next in the series.
I received a free advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In creating our hero, Anthony (Anty to friends) Boisjoly, the author has pulled off his ambition of combining P G Wodehouse and Agatha Christie. We have a superficially bumbling and dilettante bachelor who enjoys the finer things in life yet his main occupation is clubbing, servant civility and baiting the police. He has the perfect foil in a police inspector who is as officious as his dignity allows and always seems to charge the offence against those Anty holds most dear.
Setting it in England in the roaring twenties allows for class conflict, interplay with domestic servants and intellect more important than technology. This particular tale is set in the Peak District and the geography and geology of that area is relevant to the plot.
The plot introduces conflict between supernatural forces and science with witchcraft and prejudices playing their parts too. There is playfulness and diversion aplenty and we learn more about Anty's intelligence and education. There are more twists in the plot than a collection of corkscrews. I did work out who was responsible for murder, but found the ending very satisfying both morally and completing the story.
It can be read as a standalone, but does extend the pleasure for those who are already fans of Anty's antics. Thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read and I look forward to the next in the series.
I received a free advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 21, 2022
I've been a huge fan of the Any Boisjoly mysteries, so I pounced on the chance to read the latest installment. It was enjoyable, but for me, it lacked the charm and wit of the earlier volumes in the series. Anty's snarky voice has always been one of the most delightful aspects of the series, but in The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse, I felt that his earlier wit had been reduced to alliteration and cutesy rhyming word play. The character names were also all odd (actually, that's even literally true in the case of Odd, the owner of one of the local pubs), and while I'm not suggesting everyone should be name John or Matt or Steve, given the preponderance of unusual names, each with its own accompanying unusual nickname, I spent half my time trying to remember whether Buns or Bunty was the human (the other being a bird), or figuring out how the heck to pronounce Wselfwulf.
That said, Fitzsimmons continues to impress in the genre of the locked room mystery, and I've gotten enough enjoyment from the earlier volumes in the series that I will doubtless pick up any future Anty Boisjoly mysteries and read them with great anticipation.
I received a copy of this book from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
That said, Fitzsimmons continues to impress in the genre of the locked room mystery, and I've gotten enough enjoyment from the earlier volumes in the series that I will doubtless pick up any future Anty Boisjoly mysteries and read them with great anticipation.
I received a copy of this book from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 21, 2023
This was enjoyable enough, but a little too complicated even by the standards of a complex and twisty series. After a certain point, the revelations cease to astonish, if you know what I mean.
February 27, 2023
3.55 stars rounded up
When Carnaby, the Juniper Club steward fails to return from vacation on time and his inferior replacement, Hallowit reveals a cryptic telegram sent to Carnaby before he left, Anty Boisjolay hies off to Hoy in the Lakes District for a little recon. Anty discovers Inspector Ivor Wittersham is one step ahead of him. It seems there's been a mysterious death at the Castle. A woman was ... killed in full view of six witnesses who all claim she was "taken up" by the mists, a result of a 400-year-old family curse. Witterhsam and Anty don't believe in the curse and set out to find out what happened. Anty keeps more of an open mind and his investigation leads to some puzzling clues that may in fact confirm the truth about the curse. Can Anty figure things out before his club loses the best steward in all of London? Can he find the killer before the killer finds him and either the mists get him or he gets lost under the castle?
I love the world of P.G. Wodehouse's Drones Club so I was delighted to discover this mystery centers around the steward of the Juniper Club, which is basically the same thing as the Drones Club- a gentlemen's club of idle aristocrats with few brains and less money. Anty being the exception of course. The first third of this novel was too full of information that seemed random and I lost interest and did something else. I returned to the novel and when it was time for light's out, the story suddenly picked up! I read a little longer - almost to the 50% mark, and then shut it down. I had a hard time doing that though. I had to finish it before bedtime tonight! I couldn't put it down. The clues were there but I missed them completely. I only got the obvious one about the missing amulet. I thought surely Anty had missed it but he didn't. So score 4 Anty and score 0 me. This novel didn't quite have the belly laughs of the second one, which is my favorite, but it got a few chuckles from me. It got funnier as the plot wound down!
Anty is Bertie Wooster with brains. He's an idle aristocrat, wanders aimlessly chatting about nothing and yet manages to get crucial information out of people that way and put the clues together! It's amazing! The big joke in this story is how Carnaby is presenting himself off as the amateur sleuth (as Anty)! Carnaby is highly valued at the club and he's irreplaceable. He seems like just another valet or butler or some such but it turns out he's actually a Carnaby of the Castle Carnabys of Hoy! He's merely the third in line to inherit, being a cousin, and there's really nothing TO inherit and a great big curse on the brides of the Castle! Wselfwulf Carnaby is sweet, simplistic and loyal. Who he's loyal to exactly is a bit of a mystery. Ivo thinks Carnaby is the murderer! Anty doesn't think so, knowing Carnaby well, but he's the only one without an alibi for the time Ludovica Carnaby was taken up by the mists and found crumpled at the bottom of Hoy Scarp.
In Hoy, the loyalties are sharply divided between the Townies and the Castle. At the Castle, the Carnaby family has ruled for centuries but if the line dies out, the Castle reverts to the town. That's a very real possibility because 400 years ago, a witch cursed the Carnaby line and doomed their brides to death before bearing heirs. Any Carnabys still around were born and raised elsewhere. There's only a handful left at the Castle now. Cecil, the patriarch, doesn't believe in curses. He brought his bride to the Castle and now wants to know who used the curse to kill his bride. By all accounts she was happy being married to Cecil and living in the Castle. I can't see how. He's a miser and has a nasty temper. He's suspicious of his relatives and has no love for the locals.
Cecil now decided to charge rent to the proprietress of the Castle Pub and local witch, Miss Wandalen Kettle who has now removed her protections from the Castle. Did she kill the bride in revenge? She always seems to be poking around and knows her way around. As always with witches, she seems to be an outcast unless people want to buy an amulet or charm to protect them, as is the case with the Carnaby matriarch. Mrs. Elizabeth Stokely aka Bunty, is a firm believer in the curse and absolutely terrified she'll be next. Nevermind the fact she's not a bride and probably past childbearing years. Bunty is not too intelligent, superstitious and fearful. She comes across as someone the others make fun of and probably not smart enough to murder someone and lie about it.
Her niece, Cressida, is eager to become a bride but to marry someone outside of Carnaby and Hoy. She doesn't really believe in the curse and it won't affect her if she marries Anty! Poor Anty feels himself becoming trapped if he can't sidestep Sid! Sid is nervous because some accidents have befallen the Castle and seemed to target her. She has every motive to leave the castle. Sid's brother, Barnaby, is a wannabe Anty. He hasn't been to London in some time and any polish or sophistication he MIGHT have had has worn off. He's a country bumpkin pretending to be a man about town. He's not the brightest bulb in the box. I think both these young people are freeloaders and they feared their new stepaunt was after the family money. Did one or both murder her before she had a chance to bleed Cecil dry?
Belowstairs at the Castle are three witnesses to the death of the new Mrs. Carnaby. Miss Prax Carnaby is the cook. She makes the best out of very little. She seems too sensible to believe in curses or mists. Anty uncovers a secret about her that would give her a motive for wanting Ludovica out of the way. Miss Lindingfleis "Lint" Carnaby is a mousy little maid. She seems a bit timid at first but isn't really. She's intelligent and has big dreams. Mister Wurt Carnaby, the butler, is a hoot. He's always drunk and tends to forget where he is or what he's supposed to be doing. He has an alibi for the time of the murder. I think he's too unsteady on his feet to murder someone but then there's a twist and I began to think he did do it after all. Maybe he doesn't remember? Maybe it was an accident? The final suspect is a man who gives his name as Elwin Smith or Elwin Jones. He's a Teddy Roosevelt type but not very smart. His lies are easy to detect, at least for the Inspector and Anty, and he turns out to have the biggest motive of all. If he did kill Ludovica for the reason Anty thinks he did, he should have done his homework ahead of time before he resorted to drastic measures. Or maybe it was just revenge?
Other eccentric locals who play a big part in the story are Odd, the proprietor of the Castle Pub, a rival to the other one which he shall not name. The accommodations are shabby but the food is excellent. Odd is an odd sort of character. He doesn't like the Castle Carnabys at all. He fears the witch and if he had an opportunity, I think he would push one or more of them off the cliff. He'd at least think about it. Blewitt, the country constable, is a large man of easygoing temperament. He's never had to solve a murder before and he simply doesn't have the wits to do so. He tags along on the official investigation and assists Ivo with the local intel, which Anty gets just by being brainless and charming. Blewitt is pretty funny and charming himself though. Finally, the animal sidekick in this one is a crow Anty names "Buns." Buns becomes Anty's best friend and faithful companion. He's very wise as crows tend to be and seems to know more about what's going on than Anty! Anty's valet Vickers comes along in spite of his age and dementia. I know his condition is supposed to read as funny but as someone whose family is affected by dementia, I found him sad and Anty a little uncaring. As usual, Vickers pops out the most important knowledge even though he can't find his bedroom. (That IS actually the way things work sometimes!)
While I didn't find this story quite as engaging as the first two, I liked it better than the previous one. I'm REALLY looking forward to the next one. I love escaping into this lighthearted world of idle aristocrats. If you love Bertie Wooster you'll love Anty Boisjolay!
When Carnaby, the Juniper Club steward fails to return from vacation on time and his inferior replacement, Hallowit reveals a cryptic telegram sent to Carnaby before he left, Anty Boisjolay hies off to Hoy in the Lakes District for a little recon. Anty discovers Inspector Ivor Wittersham is one step ahead of him. It seems there's been a mysterious death at the Castle. A woman was ... killed in full view of six witnesses who all claim she was "taken up" by the mists, a result of a 400-year-old family curse. Witterhsam and Anty don't believe in the curse and set out to find out what happened. Anty keeps more of an open mind and his investigation leads to some puzzling clues that may in fact confirm the truth about the curse. Can Anty figure things out before his club loses the best steward in all of London? Can he find the killer before the killer finds him and either the mists get him or he gets lost under the castle?
I love the world of P.G. Wodehouse's Drones Club so I was delighted to discover this mystery centers around the steward of the Juniper Club, which is basically the same thing as the Drones Club- a gentlemen's club of idle aristocrats with few brains and less money. Anty being the exception of course. The first third of this novel was too full of information that seemed random and I lost interest and did something else. I returned to the novel and when it was time for light's out, the story suddenly picked up! I read a little longer - almost to the 50% mark, and then shut it down. I had a hard time doing that though. I had to finish it before bedtime tonight! I couldn't put it down. The clues were there but I missed them completely. I only got the obvious one about the missing amulet. I thought surely Anty had missed it but he didn't. So score 4 Anty and score 0 me. This novel didn't quite have the belly laughs of the second one, which is my favorite, but it got a few chuckles from me. It got funnier as the plot wound down!
Anty is Bertie Wooster with brains. He's an idle aristocrat, wanders aimlessly chatting about nothing and yet manages to get crucial information out of people that way and put the clues together! It's amazing! The big joke in this story is how Carnaby is presenting himself off as the amateur sleuth (as Anty)! Carnaby is highly valued at the club and he's irreplaceable. He seems like just another valet or butler or some such but it turns out he's actually a Carnaby of the Castle Carnabys of Hoy! He's merely the third in line to inherit, being a cousin, and there's really nothing TO inherit and a great big curse on the brides of the Castle! Wselfwulf Carnaby is sweet, simplistic and loyal. Who he's loyal to exactly is a bit of a mystery. Ivo thinks Carnaby is the murderer! Anty doesn't think so, knowing Carnaby well, but he's the only one without an alibi for the time Ludovica Carnaby was taken up by the mists and found crumpled at the bottom of Hoy Scarp.
In Hoy, the loyalties are sharply divided between the Townies and the Castle. At the Castle, the Carnaby family has ruled for centuries but if the line dies out, the Castle reverts to the town. That's a very real possibility because 400 years ago, a witch cursed the Carnaby line and doomed their brides to death before bearing heirs. Any Carnabys still around were born and raised elsewhere. There's only a handful left at the Castle now. Cecil, the patriarch, doesn't believe in curses. He brought his bride to the Castle and now wants to know who used the curse to kill his bride. By all accounts she was happy being married to Cecil and living in the Castle. I can't see how. He's a miser and has a nasty temper. He's suspicious of his relatives and has no love for the locals.
Cecil now decided to charge rent to the proprietress of the Castle Pub and local witch, Miss Wandalen Kettle who has now removed her protections from the Castle. Did she kill the bride in revenge? She always seems to be poking around and knows her way around. As always with witches, she seems to be an outcast unless people want to buy an amulet or charm to protect them, as is the case with the Carnaby matriarch. Mrs. Elizabeth Stokely aka Bunty, is a firm believer in the curse and absolutely terrified she'll be next. Nevermind the fact she's not a bride and probably past childbearing years. Bunty is not too intelligent, superstitious and fearful. She comes across as someone the others make fun of and probably not smart enough to murder someone and lie about it.
Her niece, Cressida, is eager to become a bride but to marry someone outside of Carnaby and Hoy. She doesn't really believe in the curse and it won't affect her if she marries Anty! Poor Anty feels himself becoming trapped if he can't sidestep Sid! Sid is nervous because some accidents have befallen the Castle and seemed to target her. She has every motive to leave the castle. Sid's brother, Barnaby, is a wannabe Anty. He hasn't been to London in some time and any polish or sophistication he MIGHT have had has worn off. He's a country bumpkin pretending to be a man about town. He's not the brightest bulb in the box. I think both these young people are freeloaders and they feared their new stepaunt was after the family money. Did one or both murder her before she had a chance to bleed Cecil dry?
Belowstairs at the Castle are three witnesses to the death of the new Mrs. Carnaby. Miss Prax Carnaby is the cook. She makes the best out of very little. She seems too sensible to believe in curses or mists. Anty uncovers a secret about her that would give her a motive for wanting Ludovica out of the way. Miss Lindingfleis "Lint" Carnaby is a mousy little maid. She seems a bit timid at first but isn't really. She's intelligent and has big dreams. Mister Wurt Carnaby, the butler, is a hoot. He's always drunk and tends to forget where he is or what he's supposed to be doing. He has an alibi for the time of the murder. I think he's too unsteady on his feet to murder someone but then there's a twist and I began to think he did do it after all. Maybe he doesn't remember? Maybe it was an accident? The final suspect is a man who gives his name as Elwin Smith or Elwin Jones. He's a Teddy Roosevelt type but not very smart. His lies are easy to detect, at least for the Inspector and Anty, and he turns out to have the biggest motive of all. If he did kill Ludovica for the reason Anty thinks he did, he should have done his homework ahead of time before he resorted to drastic measures. Or maybe it was just revenge?
Other eccentric locals who play a big part in the story are Odd, the proprietor of the Castle Pub, a rival to the other one which he shall not name. The accommodations are shabby but the food is excellent. Odd is an odd sort of character. He doesn't like the Castle Carnabys at all. He fears the witch and if he had an opportunity, I think he would push one or more of them off the cliff. He'd at least think about it. Blewitt, the country constable, is a large man of easygoing temperament. He's never had to solve a murder before and he simply doesn't have the wits to do so. He tags along on the official investigation and assists Ivo with the local intel, which Anty gets just by being brainless and charming. Blewitt is pretty funny and charming himself though. Finally, the animal sidekick in this one is a crow Anty names "Buns." Buns becomes Anty's best friend and faithful companion. He's very wise as crows tend to be and seems to know more about what's going on than Anty! Anty's valet Vickers comes along in spite of his age and dementia. I know his condition is supposed to read as funny but as someone whose family is affected by dementia, I found him sad and Anty a little uncaring. As usual, Vickers pops out the most important knowledge even though he can't find his bedroom. (That IS actually the way things work sometimes!)
While I didn't find this story quite as engaging as the first two, I liked it better than the previous one. I'm REALLY looking forward to the next one. I love escaping into this lighthearted world of idle aristocrats. If you love Bertie Wooster you'll love Anty Boisjolay!
August 19, 2022
Anty Boisjoly never lets me down. He's perpetually cheerful, witty, and scathingly observant.
This latest installment in the series finds Anty yet again helping out a friend with a little spot of murder mystery solving. It features all the usual elements of his exploits: bizarre suspects, cocktails, a long-suffering police detective, and of course murder. This time he even picks up an avian sidekick with a taste for baked goods.
Will Anty save the day and identify the killer/killers? Or will he too fall prey to the Carnaby Castle Curse and its murderously misty machinations? You'll have to read it and find out.
If you have ever enjoyed the style of PG Wodehouse or Agatha Christie, I implore you to read P.J. Fitzsimmons' work. It's hilarious and engaging. P.J., just like Anty, never disappoints. The books are so good that after I read them in ebook format, which I receive for free from BookSirens (thank you!), I then purchase a paperback copy for my mom. She raised me to love this stuff.
This latest installment in the series finds Anty yet again helping out a friend with a little spot of murder mystery solving. It features all the usual elements of his exploits: bizarre suspects, cocktails, a long-suffering police detective, and of course murder. This time he even picks up an avian sidekick with a taste for baked goods.
Will Anty save the day and identify the killer/killers? Or will he too fall prey to the Carnaby Castle Curse and its murderously misty machinations? You'll have to read it and find out.
If you have ever enjoyed the style of PG Wodehouse or Agatha Christie, I implore you to read P.J. Fitzsimmons' work. It's hilarious and engaging. P.J., just like Anty, never disappoints. The books are so good that after I read them in ebook format, which I receive for free from BookSirens (thank you!), I then purchase a paperback copy for my mom. She raised me to love this stuff.
August 15, 2022
P.J. Fitzsimmons did it again. Awesome book with the story stating out own London's famous club Juniper member Mr Antony Boisjoly. This time the sword is hanging in the neck of the Juniper steward Wselfwulf Carnaby. Wselfwulf Carnaby belongs to Hoy in peak district which is famous for the curse on Carnaby castle. Characters who are unique in themselves like Cressida, Barnaby, Bunty, Wurt, Lint, Prax,Cecil and Lucida who are all castle Carnaby. This story starts with the death of Lucida which was taken by curse. Our own Anty tries to unlock the mystery with his old adversary Ivor wittersham and blewit the constable. Antiques of Anty are notable. Author has beautifully narrated the story which keeps you engaged. Overall Would say it's really a very good story and also a must read Goodreads....🙂
August 15, 2022
I just LOVE spending time with Anty! This mystery had all the best feels - pubs and catacombs, a wise crow, gloomy castle under an ancient curse, and Anthony Boisjoly trading identities with his favorite club steward. Such wit and danger! I love watch Anty getting himself into AND out of impossible scrapes (or scarps, as in this case!). There is no better cure for boredom this side of the pond than to brew a pot of tea and pick up a Boisjoly mystery. Can’t wait for the next in this satisfying series. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via BookSirens, and was under no obligation to post a review.
May 20, 2024
52 Books, 2023 Edition: Roaring Twenties
It's a bit hard to evaluate these books cause it's always the same--I can't follow the mystery very well in audio form, but I stay for the wonderful main character and the witty narration.
I can only say I was a bit more lost than usual, and it seemed a bit less witty.
On the other hand I loved Anty's friendship with a crow.
It's a bit hard to evaluate these books cause it's always the same--I can't follow the mystery very well in audio form, but I stay for the wonderful main character and the witty narration.
I can only say I was a bit more lost than usual, and it seemed a bit less witty.
On the other hand I loved Anty's friendship with a crow.
August 19, 2022
I'm still enjoying this series which always includes locked room mysteries in country houses. The detective is amusing and smart and his interaction with the police lieutenant is entertaining. As usual there are lots of twists and interesting characters. I will continue to follow this series.
December 29, 2025
3.5 stars (between good and very good)
Check out this series for the mysteries, but stay for the fun and the vibe and all the PGWesque cleverness. Or vice versa!
Reading a cozy little Anty Boisjoly mystery has become a bit of a Christmastime tradition for me. I’m not sure how this Fitzsimmons guy is able to churn them out so quickly. The first one was published in 2020 and it looks like has he already has ten of them in the can, so I have several more Christmases of Anty stories to enjoy. I can say the first four have all been quite entertaining, but I think I might dip my toe into one of his Teddy Quillfeather mysteries next just for grins.
Check out this series for the mysteries, but stay for the fun and the vibe and all the PGWesque cleverness. Or vice versa!
Reading a cozy little Anty Boisjoly mystery has become a bit of a Christmastime tradition for me. I’m not sure how this Fitzsimmons guy is able to churn them out so quickly. The first one was published in 2020 and it looks like has he already has ten of them in the can, so I have several more Christmases of Anty stories to enjoy. I can say the first four have all been quite entertaining, but I think I might dip my toe into one of his Teddy Quillfeather mysteries next just for grins.
December 10, 2025
This had quite a setting in a small town with spooky catacombs and a castle with dangerous hidden passages. It's over the top good fun. All the Carnaby's were sometimes hard to keep track of but the many characters made for a lot of suspects. I didn't even try to figure it out on my own.
This one was not as funny (for me) as The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine which I found absolutely hilarious. That could also be a product of my mood at the moment so I may give this book a try again at a later date to see if I can discover more LOL moments therein.
This one was not as funny (for me) as The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine which I found absolutely hilarious. That could also be a product of my mood at the moment so I may give this book a try again at a later date to see if I can discover more LOL moments therein.
March 13, 2024
A very good read and highly recommend.
August 4, 2022
I love the wit and humor in this book. I love the way things are phrased. The grammar is such a delight. I think that is the main thing that draws me to this series.
The book is somewhat deceptive. Although less than 300 pages, it seems to take me a long time to read. This wasn't at all upsetting as I enjoyed it so much. It was just a bit surprising to me. I am used to finishing enjoyable books so quickly and not knowing what to read next. This time I was able to savor each page.
I loved lines like "had views as broad as a piano wire" or references to a silence as that before a particular line in a play or after a tray is dropped at high teas. Each of the expressions allowed me to "be there." The author has a great talent for description that brings the reader into the story to experience what is being related. The entire book is every engaging for the reader.
The story is somewhat complicated with trying to keep track of people who have names and nicknames, a dual town with things having the same name - which is which? - and the mysterious secret passages going here, there, and everywhere. But it is great fun to try and keep it all straight in the reader's head. Perhaps that is what took me so long to read this - but again, I didn't begrudge a minute to this book because I found it so enjoyable. But now I am left with the problem once again of what to read next.
The book is somewhat deceptive. Although less than 300 pages, it seems to take me a long time to read. This wasn't at all upsetting as I enjoyed it so much. It was just a bit surprising to me. I am used to finishing enjoyable books so quickly and not knowing what to read next. This time I was able to savor each page.
I loved lines like "had views as broad as a piano wire" or references to a silence as that before a particular line in a play or after a tray is dropped at high teas. Each of the expressions allowed me to "be there." The author has a great talent for description that brings the reader into the story to experience what is being related. The entire book is every engaging for the reader.
The story is somewhat complicated with trying to keep track of people who have names and nicknames, a dual town with things having the same name - which is which? - and the mysterious secret passages going here, there, and everywhere. But it is great fun to try and keep it all straight in the reader's head. Perhaps that is what took me so long to read this - but again, I didn't begrudge a minute to this book because I found it so enjoyable. But now I am left with the problem once again of what to read next.
August 3, 2022
This review covers the first four in the series.
Good prose, good characters, a lot of self deprecating humor, good world building, good stories, complicated locked room mysteries. Lots of fun.
Good prose, good characters, a lot of self deprecating humor, good world building, good stories, complicated locked room mysteries. Lots of fun.
May 22, 2025
Unlike the first book where the manor house is just CALLED a castle, this book is ACTUALLY set at a (small) castle! All the hallmarks of this series are here: Anty immediately and inexplicably befriends an unusually intelligent and personable animal (this time, it's a raven), Ivor is there investigating things because why not, there's a murder nobody could have committed which everyone thinks was done by ghosts (or "the mists"), and then there's a second murder, because there is ALWAYS a second murder. Like 100% of the time. I'm not sure why, but the author seems convinced that this is the way of locked-room-style (that is, "impossible") murder mysteries. At this point I just try to guess who might be the 2nd victim. I have to say I'm shocked that Anty, an otherwise brilliant chap who recognizes patterns, has never yet guessed ahead of time that there might be a 2nd victim, nor tried to save them.
Tim Bruce continues to totally kill it as the audiobook narrator. I can't even imagine reading one of these books without him. In fact, book 9 is out right now in novel form and I am just dying to read it... but I just don't have the time to just sit and look at something all evening (no, I don't watch TV as a hobby, who's got the time)... but even if I did I think I'd wait on the audiobook, because I just love hearing the voices of Anty, Ivor, and Vickers.
How was the actual story? Eh, more of the same for this series. This is probably not a high point for the series, very rote, but I enjoyed it because I enjoy the characters; the mystery was fun, and the books are short, so why not. Anty goes to a small village where there's a murder, we meet a colorful cast of weirdos who all could have done it, there is a 2nd murder, Anty is helped by his animal friend, and then he solves not only the murders but also the life problems of the people involved. (I kind of like this aspect of the books... even though most of the characters are usually, in some way, people who are guilty of SOMETHING, they are still mostly likable and it feels rewarding that they have all their problems solved in the end. Usually those life problems are the reasons that they had motives for the murder in the first place.)
Tim Bruce continues to totally kill it as the audiobook narrator. I can't even imagine reading one of these books without him. In fact, book 9 is out right now in novel form and I am just dying to read it... but I just don't have the time to just sit and look at something all evening (no, I don't watch TV as a hobby, who's got the time)... but even if I did I think I'd wait on the audiobook, because I just love hearing the voices of Anty, Ivor, and Vickers.
How was the actual story? Eh, more of the same for this series. This is probably not a high point for the series, very rote, but I enjoyed it because I enjoy the characters; the mystery was fun, and the books are short, so why not. Anty goes to a small village where there's a murder, we meet a colorful cast of weirdos who all could have done it, there is a 2nd murder, Anty is helped by his animal friend, and then he solves not only the murders but also the life problems of the people involved. (I kind of like this aspect of the books... even though most of the characters are usually, in some way, people who are guilty of SOMETHING, they are still mostly likable and it feels rewarding that they have all their problems solved in the end. Usually those life problems are the reasons that they had motives for the murder in the first place.)
August 19, 2025
In this cozy historical comedy mystery, Anty Boisjoly has to do his level best to try to prove that the steward of his club is not guilty of murdering a relative. He's also trying to do his best to prove that the Carnaby Castle Curse does not exist and was equally not at fault.
This mystery takes a bit of a twist for Anty as, until now, he's pretty much been neck-deep in locked room mysteries for friends and relatives that he has passing acquaintances with. But for one to directly affect the enjoyment of his own club lifestyle? Safe to say, the stakes have been raised.
This book, although good, has a bit too much of a 'confusing small town aesthetic' about it. A town where your either a Castle Carnaby or a Town Carnaby, with no in-betweens does tend to lead to a bit of an over-saturation of Carnaby's. At times it takes a bit of a effort to care overly much about the tribalism. For this reason alone, I felt this may just chip in as my least favourite Boisjoly novel. I was debating on giving it a four or a three star rating and settled on a three, although I'd go so far as to give it a high three.
I enjoyed the characters and the backstory that goes into the Carnaby family as a whole. I also feel the author fleshed out the town relatively well, but could have gone a bit deeper. As ever, Inspector Witersham has to suffer through another outing with Anty, which makes the whole affair far more enjoyable for the reader. As does the animal companion, a crow in this one, that Anty befriends.
Overall, this was a fine addition to the series and I look forward to going back to Boisjoly at some point in the near future
This mystery takes a bit of a twist for Anty as, until now, he's pretty much been neck-deep in locked room mysteries for friends and relatives that he has passing acquaintances with. But for one to directly affect the enjoyment of his own club lifestyle? Safe to say, the stakes have been raised.
This book, although good, has a bit too much of a 'confusing small town aesthetic' about it. A town where your either a Castle Carnaby or a Town Carnaby, with no in-betweens does tend to lead to a bit of an over-saturation of Carnaby's. At times it takes a bit of a effort to care overly much about the tribalism. For this reason alone, I felt this may just chip in as my least favourite Boisjoly novel. I was debating on giving it a four or a three star rating and settled on a three, although I'd go so far as to give it a high three.
I enjoyed the characters and the backstory that goes into the Carnaby family as a whole. I also feel the author fleshed out the town relatively well, but could have gone a bit deeper. As ever, Inspector Witersham has to suffer through another outing with Anty, which makes the whole affair far more enjoyable for the reader. As does the animal companion, a crow in this one, that Anty befriends.
Overall, this was a fine addition to the series and I look forward to going back to Boisjoly at some point in the near future
September 3, 2022
The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse follows amateur detective Anty Boisjoly as he attempts to clear the name of his friend, Carnaby, and disprove the notion of a curse lurking about the castle grounds.
This was my first Anty Boisjoly novel but it won’t be my last! The style of this story telling is something I can only describe as sarcastic, witty, Doyle-meets-Christie-esque. I laughed aloud multiple times during this mystery, but remained constantly on my toes, as the twists and turns just kept coming.
At the conclusion of the mystery, I had narrowed down one of the two murderers, but the final conclusion was one I hadn’t seen coming. I did appreciate the run-through of the clues and how Anty deduced who the culprit was at the end.
Admittedly, I found myself getting somewhat confused by all of the different characters (as they all had the last name Carnaby and Anty had nicknames for each and every one of them), but some of that stems from my schedule forcing me to read this book over a longer period of time than is typical.
If you enjoy a murder mystery that doesn’t focus on the murder itself (i.e. Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, etc.) but rather the race to unmask the murderer, I’d recommend adding Anty Boisjoly to your checklist. His wit and humor used throughout the novel was very unexpected at first, yet quite enjoyable, and the use of language was succinct, which is always appreciated.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was my first Anty Boisjoly novel but it won’t be my last! The style of this story telling is something I can only describe as sarcastic, witty, Doyle-meets-Christie-esque. I laughed aloud multiple times during this mystery, but remained constantly on my toes, as the twists and turns just kept coming.
At the conclusion of the mystery, I had narrowed down one of the two murderers, but the final conclusion was one I hadn’t seen coming. I did appreciate the run-through of the clues and how Anty deduced who the culprit was at the end.
Admittedly, I found myself getting somewhat confused by all of the different characters (as they all had the last name Carnaby and Anty had nicknames for each and every one of them), but some of that stems from my schedule forcing me to read this book over a longer period of time than is typical.
If you enjoy a murder mystery that doesn’t focus on the murder itself (i.e. Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, etc.) but rather the race to unmask the murderer, I’d recommend adding Anty Boisjoly to your checklist. His wit and humor used throughout the novel was very unexpected at first, yet quite enjoyable, and the use of language was succinct, which is always appreciated.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 3, 2022
PJ Fitzsimmons has brought another Andy Boisjoly escapade in THE CASE OF THE CARNABY CASTLE CURSE!
I was excited to have another of this alliteration achieving Anty adventure! Yeah, sorry...couldn't help myself.
Anty is caught up again in an impossible murder that involves his very trusted club steward, Carnaby. There is something afoul when a Carnaby wife is "taken by the mists" and none of the Castle Carnaby's or town Carnaby's seem at all affected by this recurring deadly mist. Off to the Castle Anty goes with his trusted steward to help the Inspector find out what is really afoot in this haunting mystery.
I was utterly in the mood for Anty's banter with all who think themselves above him. The humor is witty and smart. This particular mystery still included a variety of characters, but I felt I was better able to keep everyone aligned, though the nicknames did make me stumble a time or two. After reading some heavy stories, I needed a lighter murder mystery full of snark and sarcasm to bring me back up. This was just the thing. It was also clever enough to keep me invested and challenged. I did guess the "who" in this Whodunnit, but I got the motive wrong and I appreciated the small twist there.
Thank you to @booksirens for this digital copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone with a need for a humorous and intelligent cozy mystery. I will be keeping tabs on future Anty Boisjoly mysteries!
I was excited to have another of this alliteration achieving Anty adventure! Yeah, sorry...couldn't help myself.
Anty is caught up again in an impossible murder that involves his very trusted club steward, Carnaby. There is something afoul when a Carnaby wife is "taken by the mists" and none of the Castle Carnaby's or town Carnaby's seem at all affected by this recurring deadly mist. Off to the Castle Anty goes with his trusted steward to help the Inspector find out what is really afoot in this haunting mystery.
I was utterly in the mood for Anty's banter with all who think themselves above him. The humor is witty and smart. This particular mystery still included a variety of characters, but I felt I was better able to keep everyone aligned, though the nicknames did make me stumble a time or two. After reading some heavy stories, I needed a lighter murder mystery full of snark and sarcasm to bring me back up. This was just the thing. It was also clever enough to keep me invested and challenged. I did guess the "who" in this Whodunnit, but I got the motive wrong and I appreciated the small twist there.
Thank you to @booksirens for this digital copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone with a need for a humorous and intelligent cozy mystery. I will be keeping tabs on future Anty Boisjoly mysteries!
October 23, 2023
This is one of the best of the series so far, perhaps the finest. Fitzsimmons seems to have hit his stride here, with the book and characters being their own sort rather than a pastiche of Jeeves and Wooster types.
The same sort of themes continue, but in a more mature way, and the story has more substance to it than some of the previous books. There's quite a bit of clever language here, and Fitzsimmons feels like he's more at home with the time period and patois of the period.
This time, its close to home for Anty with the steward of his club in trouble. Seems he belongs to a family cursed by a witch long ago, and deaths are resulting. Everything happens in a crumbling old castle and the village nearby, where the Carnabys are so much a part of the town almost everyone is related.
There are some creepy bits: a catacomb, a strangely intelligent crow, a witch, eerie mists, etc. Anty walks through it all mostly unphased and jolly as ever, but his good nature is severely challenged a few times. Like previous books I had a pretty good idea who was responsible but not exactly how.
By this point the inspector is less antagonistic and more willing to treat Anty as a valuable asset, if perhaps unwelcome. Oh, and the names. Fitzsimmons really dug deep for some of these names.
The same sort of themes continue, but in a more mature way, and the story has more substance to it than some of the previous books. There's quite a bit of clever language here, and Fitzsimmons feels like he's more at home with the time period and patois of the period.
This time, its close to home for Anty with the steward of his club in trouble. Seems he belongs to a family cursed by a witch long ago, and deaths are resulting. Everything happens in a crumbling old castle and the village nearby, where the Carnabys are so much a part of the town almost everyone is related.
There are some creepy bits: a catacomb, a strangely intelligent crow, a witch, eerie mists, etc. Anty walks through it all mostly unphased and jolly as ever, but his good nature is severely challenged a few times. Like previous books I had a pretty good idea who was responsible but not exactly how.
By this point the inspector is less antagonistic and more willing to treat Anty as a valuable asset, if perhaps unwelcome. Oh, and the names. Fitzsimmons really dug deep for some of these names.
August 8, 2022
Anty Boisjoly is intrigued when Carnaby, club steward for the Juniper Gentlemen’s Club in London, does not return from a holiday; more, a telegram has been sent to Carnaby telling him not to return to his home town of Hoy in the Peak District because the “curse” has returned to the Castle. Traveling to the village with his faithful retainer Vickers, Boisjoly quickly finds that the division between the Town Carnabys and the Castle Carnabys results in part from the 400-year history of the famed curse, that a new bride in the family has been killed by being “taken up by the mists,” and that there are any number of Carnabys with reason to murder…. Although this is the fourth book in a series, it serves as a stand-alone in that all the information that the reader needs about Boisjoly is included here. It is a witty tale, with rather too many self-conscious plays on words, alliterative chapter titles and silly names; the author is evidently going for a breezy, P.G. Wodehouse style, but doesn’t quite make it. Nevertheless, there were quite a few places where I laughed out loud and the mystery moved along at a rather madcap pace, so I would recommend it as a slight but enjoyable read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 3, 2025
Delightful. Utterly delightful.
After an extremely miniscule dip in quality in the somewhat overly repetitive and convoluted The Tenpenny Tontine, Fitzsimmons and Anty snap right back into form.
There are more twists, turns, secret passages, hidden agendas, and fake identities in this one than should fit in two novels and yet it never feels overworked, overwrought, or overdone. The plot zips along at a cracking pace, the humor is top notch, and there are a couple of really beautifully written descriptions of the Peak District landscape to boot.
It all comes together with the help of a wayward crow and a whole heaping dose of the Boisjoly charm...although I love the light tease of misty mystery right at the very end. I'm also glad to see that Wittersham is a bit more ready to believe Anty could be useful, but still wishes he would just go home...that's character growth but not a total about face in how their relationship works.
Looking forward to book five - Anty's Mum at last, plus an elephant accused of murder. Egads!
After an extremely miniscule dip in quality in the somewhat overly repetitive and convoluted The Tenpenny Tontine, Fitzsimmons and Anty snap right back into form.
There are more twists, turns, secret passages, hidden agendas, and fake identities in this one than should fit in two novels and yet it never feels overworked, overwrought, or overdone. The plot zips along at a cracking pace, the humor is top notch, and there are a couple of really beautifully written descriptions of the Peak District landscape to boot.
It all comes together with the help of a wayward crow and a whole heaping dose of the Boisjoly charm...although I love the light tease of misty mystery right at the very end. I'm also glad to see that Wittersham is a bit more ready to believe Anty could be useful, but still wishes he would just go home...that's character growth but not a total about face in how their relationship works.
Looking forward to book five - Anty's Mum at last, plus an elephant accused of murder. Egads!
October 29, 2025
When Anty’s favorite steward, Carnaby, doesn’t return to London from his vacation, Anty sets out to find out what is happening. He is surprised to learn that Carnaby’s family owns a castle. But it comes with a curse that has just carried off the patriarch’s new wife. Or was it murder? Anty is determined to find out and clear Carnaby of suspicion.
This book doesn’t play too much into spooky, but it does have some elements that made it fun to read during October. The mystery is strong with several elements that kept me guessing until the end. As always, I appreciated how the mystery was laid out. The suspects could have been a little stronger, but I did still care about the outcome. The writing took me a chapter to get used to, but once I did, I was easily caught up in the story and laughing at the very dry British humor. No matter what time of the year you read this book, you’ll be glad you picked it up.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This book doesn’t play too much into spooky, but it does have some elements that made it fun to read during October. The mystery is strong with several elements that kept me guessing until the end. As always, I appreciated how the mystery was laid out. The suspects could have been a little stronger, but I did still care about the outcome. The writing took me a chapter to get used to, but once I did, I was easily caught up in the story and laughing at the very dry British humor. No matter what time of the year you read this book, you’ll be glad you picked it up.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 1, 2023
Once again, Anthony "Anty" Boisjoly is on the road. His club's steward, Carnaby, is missing and that is throwing Anty off. Especially when he finds out that Carnaby left after receiving a telegram that warns that a curse is once again alive.
So Anty follows him to Hoy and meets none other than Inspector Wittersham on the train down. This time, the two actually have a nice conversation. When they get to Hoy, they discover that there are castle Carnabys and town Carnabys. Basically a thems-that-has and thems-that-hasn't. Except that the castle Carnabys don't have any money while the town Carnabys are doing more than fine.
Those at the castle are especially riled because the local fog has taken the recent bride of the current head of the family. No fewer than six people saw her at the edge of the river, the fog come in, and then she was gone; and there was no way that anyone could have possibly done it.
So Anty follows him to Hoy and meets none other than Inspector Wittersham on the train down. This time, the two actually have a nice conversation. When they get to Hoy, they discover that there are castle Carnabys and town Carnabys. Basically a thems-that-has and thems-that-hasn't. Except that the castle Carnabys don't have any money while the town Carnabys are doing more than fine.
Those at the castle are especially riled because the local fog has taken the recent bride of the current head of the family. No fewer than six people saw her at the edge of the river, the fog come in, and then she was gone; and there was no way that anyone could have possibly done it.
March 17, 2023
I really enjoy these books. I’d read something much more serious before this and thought I might find this too light but Anty Boisjoly is such an interesting and really funny character. He likes everyone and feels pretty sure they all like him.
In this story he heads to the Peak District when the steward of his gentleman’s club, who has gone there to see family, doesn’t come back and a mysterious telegram is found.
Inspector Wittersham is there again both being annoyed at Anty and valuing his help.
I love that Anty has a way with animals. In one story it was a cow, in this one it’s a crow.
Apart from a crow, we have a curse, witches, very suspicious deaths and someone who tries to do away with Anty.
The characters are really well drawn and our narrator is really very amusing and clever.
In this story he heads to the Peak District when the steward of his gentleman’s club, who has gone there to see family, doesn’t come back and a mysterious telegram is found.
Inspector Wittersham is there again both being annoyed at Anty and valuing his help.
I love that Anty has a way with animals. In one story it was a cow, in this one it’s a crow.
Apart from a crow, we have a curse, witches, very suspicious deaths and someone who tries to do away with Anty.
The characters are really well drawn and our narrator is really very amusing and clever.
August 29, 2022
This might be my favorite Anty mystery yet. As with the previous books, I consumed this book within a matter of days. I shouldn’t like the main character, but he is written with so much wit and charm that I can’t help it. I want to see him interact and banter with all the other characters. Anty’s moneyed and idle lifestyle develops a serious hitch when his club steward appears to be under a family curse. So off he goes, meeting his Inspector and discovering impossible murders and locked room mysteries. The story is enjoyable and doesn’t fail to entertain.I look forward to the next book where the death of Anty’s father and history will finally be touched on.
Thank you to Book Sirens for providing me with an advanced review copy for free, and I am reviewing this voluntarily.
Thank you to Book Sirens for providing me with an advanced review copy for free, and I am reviewing this voluntarily.
July 31, 2022
Anty answers all alliterative allegations.
Fitzsimmons has done it again. This is the fourth Anty Boisjoly book. It is replete with all the banter required for laugh out loud enjoyment. Add to that cracking good mysteries. Even if you haven't read the others, this, like them, are able to be read stand-alone.
Those who enjoy Workhouse and that ilk will, no doubt, find these even better. I will wait on tenterhooks for the next!
Fitzsimmons has done it again. This is the fourth Anty Boisjoly book. It is replete with all the banter required for laugh out loud enjoyment. Add to that cracking good mysteries. Even if you haven't read the others, this, like them, are able to be read stand-alone.
Those who enjoy Workhouse and that ilk will, no doubt, find these even better. I will wait on tenterhooks for the next!
August 4, 2022
The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse is Book 4 in An Anty Boisjoly Mystery by P J Fitzsimmons. Book 4 finds our 1929 Anty looking for his Gentleman Club Stewart, Carnaby. I thought that this cozy mystery was enjoyable with great characters. The mystery has a murder, curse and Anty hot on the trail of a killer. After all, a man has to find his favorite Gentleman Stewart. Received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
August 3, 2022
Castle, curses, mists and a crow
Carnaby, the club steward, disappears, and Anty follows him to an ancient castle. While the plot twists and turns around alibis and an ancient curse, it is the dialogue which makes this book a five star. Wodehouse could not have been more lyrical. I loved this book as much as the first in the series and look forward to the next one. Highly recommended.
Carnaby, the club steward, disappears, and Anty follows him to an ancient castle. While the plot twists and turns around alibis and an ancient curse, it is the dialogue which makes this book a five star. Wodehouse could not have been more lyrical. I loved this book as much as the first in the series and look forward to the next one. Highly recommended.
August 17, 2022
This is yet another delightful and witty read in this excellent series. This time Anty is trying to prove the death of a new wife was murder and not the curse that the locals are convinced exists.
As usual, this is full of wonderful eccentric characters and the story seems almost playful and I find myself reading with a smile on my face. Looking forward to the next one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As usual, this is full of wonderful eccentric characters and the story seems almost playful and I find myself reading with a smile on my face. Looking forward to the next one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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