Death at Applewick Schoolhouse

Applewick Village #1

by Sue Fortin

Welcome to the English villages - Applewick, Appledown, Applemere and Appleside - collectively known as ‘The Apples’ and home to the young Fairfax sisters - Esme, Bella and Isla. Theirs is a peaceful existence, enjoying the gentle rhythm of rural life... until Applewick receives a rude awakening. The body of local headteacher, Max Bartholomew, has been found bludgeoned to death in his study.

Sleepy Applewick is suddenly a hive of activity and Frank Fairfax, local funeral director and father of the three sisters, becomes the prime suspect. He was the very last person to see Max Bartholomew alive and, for some reason, the police are seemingly uninterested in looking for another potential perpetrator.

Determined to prove their father’s innocence, the sisters team up and sleuth their way through the clues in bid to find the identity of the real murderer. But with Esme's detective husband in charge of the case for the local CID, will the intrepid sisters be able to solve the murder before their amateur interference starts raising red flags? Or will their involvement lead to even more deadly consequences?

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2022

About the author

Writing historical fiction as Suzanne Fortin and mystery/suspense & romance as Sue Fortin.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly engaging mystery, with really good characters.

[Mandy Baggot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured the first in this new cosy crime/murder mystery series. I've long been a fan of Sue/Suzanne Fortin's writing - both emotional thrillers and her dual timeline novels - so this was a must buy. The setting is as much a part of the book as the mystery, it was like stepping into an episode of Midsomer Murders with the country cottages, quirky characters and village life. I adored the Fairfax sisters coming together to help solve the murder and their sisterhood was adorable. I had no idea who the guilty party was and there were plenty of twists and turns and red herrings delivered flawlessly. I would highly recommend this read for fans of Richard Osman's The Thursday Night Murder Club. Loved it!

[Hayley Fortin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death at Applewick Schoolhouse🍎

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars!)

After the suspicious death of Max Bartholomew, the Fairfax Sisters find themselves at the heart of this cosy village mystery. With their father named as the prime suspect, Esme, Bella and Isla team up to clear their fathers name.

I absolutely loved this cosy mystery, it is the perfect autumnal read! I could not put this book down and enjoyed the characters and the great world building that Sue Fortin has created in The Apples community. If you love Agatha Christie, Midsummer Murders and Jonathan Creek, this is the book for you!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the storyline of three sisters working together to save their dad from going to jail. This book is a YA.