Trouble In The Town Hall

Dorothy Martin #2

by Jeanne M. Dams

A Shereby resident for a year now, American Dorothy Martin is still learning her way around the charming English cathedral town. But she recognizes a dead body when she sees one. As town debate rages over what to do about the decaying town hall, Dorothy is at that very site when the body of an unknown young man is found. Her passion for mysteries is as hot as ever, of course. Despite warnings from her dear friend Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt not to get in the way of the official investigation, Dorothy simply can't resist taking a look around. What she discovers is that there are plenty of skeletons in local closets, enough to keep an amateur sleuth on her toes -- unless the hands of a murderer reach her first.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, British Literature, Cozy, Crime, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Jeanne M. Dams lives in South Bend, Indiana. The Body in the Transept, which introduced Dorothy Martin, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dams is also the author of Green Grow the Victims and other Hilda Johansson mysteries published by Walker & Company.

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Trouble in the Town Hall" by Jeanne M. Dams.

This is the 2nd in the Dorothy Martin mystery series.

I've determined, in my own mind at least, that the character of Dorothy Martin closely resembles the author in that they are both anglophiles.
This once again is a mystery so well written I found it hard to put down and as a matter of fact ...looked forward to continuing in the story each day.
Dorothy and Chief Constable, Alan Nesbitt, are moving forward not only in their relationship but in their investigation. This time a body has been found by the cleaning woman, Ada Finch, in the Town Hall. Dorothy is with Ada at the time bringing her into a mystery that dates back several years in another town.

This story is so inviting that it was a pleasure to read. This very gifted author, as a lover of England and English ways, brings the reader to a higher level of unraveling a mystery.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I just wasn't quite as enthusiastic about this second book of Dorothy Martin. It was good but the village politics while part of the plot was a bit overdone. I do enjoy the historic aspect of this series even though it's set in a fictional town! And Dorothy came off a little to the absurd side of eccentric. I will probably go on the next one though!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alot of small town politics. Just not for me.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars...

A decent story - I rated it lower because there's not much mystery here. The Dorothy Martin series is very tame, laid-back, and slow. While murders definitely happen, the who and the why take Dorothy some time to work out. There are plenty of red herrings along the way, but overall, this book is too slow and too staid for me.

[Marfita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Middle-aged romance, murder, obsession with hats - what's not to like? Argh. Too easy to guess who the victim was and Dorothy Martin's clumsy detecting just seemed silly. And I think I'm tired of first person narration. And Americans should go home and leave the Brits alone.

I suppose there's a certain amount of wish fulfillment in this - an American in a quaint English village in a Jacobean house that's for sale (but needs work). I just prefer to read about Amurrikins in Amurrika and Brits in Britain - by their respective authors' nationalities. Oh, now I'm just picking on the book. The Richard Jury series is okay even if Martha Grimes is Amurrikin. What is my problem today?

Cozy mysteries didn't used to bother me so much. There was minimal gore and a certain amount of nosiness on the part of the unofficial investigator but the victim was a friend or the accused was a friend or the UI was a suspect and needed to clear her/himself. I just think Mrs. Martin's investigating didn't have an excuse. No one she knew was involved. Well, she's sort of "dating" the chief constable, but what sort of excuse is that? And why doesn't he tell her to keep her nose out of it? That's standard! Yet she boldly goes visiting strangers to ask them not-so-coyly what they were doing on the night of blah-blah-blah or some such. It's like watching "The Lucy Show," a program that used to send me hiding behind the couch because I hate to see people get in trouble. Oh, no, she's going to search someone's room! Gaaaah! She'll take evidence, which would compromise it! Where's the couch? Where's the couch?

I just wanted to get through with this to start on a non-fiction book that's burning a hole in my bookbag. I'm afraid I skimmed the last third just to confirm my suspicions. I was right. [Rolls eyes.]

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a charmer! I don't get the hats but I love cats and I'm an anglophile so she had me at Cathedral close. They call these "cozy" mysteries and that seems about right. Very tame but fun

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another intriguing read from Jeanne. M Dams. She really keeps you guessing

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the Dorothy Martin mystery series. Dorothy is an American widow who lives in the UK and blessed with an insatiable curiosity about her fellow human beings. There is a certain amount of controversy about what to do in Sherebury with the now redundant Town Hall. One day Dorothy is walking past the Town Hall and sees Mrs Finch who cleans the building at the window. Dorothy uses this as an opportunity to see inside and between them they find a body.

Trying to find out who the body is – or was – and precisely what is going on with certain so-called pillars of the community is going to tax all Dorothy’s detections skills to their very limits. In between trying to solve a murder Dorothy is wondering where her relationship with Alan Nesbitt, the Chief Constable, is going. He is very much occupied with a Royal visit to a concert in the cathedral and cannot spend as much time with Dorothy as either of them would like.

This is an entertaining mystery featuring a very determined widow in her sixties who is gradually getting used to living on her own. I like the characters and the background to this small town mystery. It is firmly rooted in everyday life and everyday events and characters go about their daily lives in between trying to solve crimes and prevent corruption in their midst.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Second verse, same as the first . . . though maybe a little worse. Though I wasn't enamored of it, the first in the series was fine for a first attempt, but this didn't get any better. The mystery was painfully obvious, and Mrs. Martin started to get on my nerves with her absolute lack of subtlety. She doesn't seem particularly good at sleuthing; she just barges around asking intrusive questions of suspects, which they don't answer and get offended by, and then calling up loverboy Inspector Alan, who's doing the actual work. And yet she's always the one to find the murderer. It's not convincing. I suppose it's nice to have such an imperfect heroine for a change, but does she have to be quite such a mess? Maybe if I were an old lady who adores church I'd understand, but as it is, the only thing we have in common is our love of English tea rooms.

One thing I did enjoy was the description of a town hall meeting, which sounds exactly like my small town's meetings: "A few malcontents grumbled about various aspects of the problem, and a few more wandered far from the issue at hand, arguing about everything from civic government in general to environmental issues to animal rights, but most of the comments reiterated support for Mrs. Dean's preservation efforts, and the audience grew restive" (p. 53).

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just very meh. There are the murder parts, and then there is a lot of other stuff and they don't seem to mesh well. For such a short book, it seems really long because of all of the side stuff. (I would say side drama, but that suggests that interesting stuff is happening) If you are a completist or if you are really invested in the amble toward marriage of one of the least exciting couples in literature, (who spend very little time with each other and who seem to be attracted to each other because??? They are the only people of a certain age in the town?? They both have complicated driving situations?? They are the definition of no chemistry. It's very confusing.) then this is the book for you, otherwise other books in this series are more of a fun read.

[Sarah "Kat" · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the first few of the series, but this one was just plan annoying. The protagonist is a busy body and down right obnoxious with her style of getting answers. I don't buy it either that the police would be so accommodating to her and her getting involved. She is whiny and bothersome. Sorry to say that I won't bet reading any more of this series.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the first book in the series, but this one felt pointless and rather stupid. Dorothy is a terrible sleuth, but she gets answers handed to her constantly for no reason I can discern.

And if you know who did it, leave a message for the police even if you can't reach the person you most want to talk to. This isn't rocket surgery.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

American widow Dorothy Martin is slowly adapting to her new hometown of Sherebury, England, with the help of her neighbour Jane Langland and Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, and by busying herself with the affairs of the town. She knows there is dissension concerning the dilapidated town hall, which some people want to preserve and others want to gut and turn into a shopping centre; while snooping around the place, she stumbles upon a dead body stuffed into a closet. The questions of who the victim is, and how he might or might not be tied to the local building controversy, keep nagging at Dorothy, until she knows that she must dig deeper for the truth…. This is the second book in this cozy mystery series, and, like the first, it’s light and frothy, with murder and other unsavory events generally discussed but not graphically seen. I like Dorothy, although she can be a bit annoying at times because she seems to like to get herself into a dither emotionally from time to time; still, anyone who names their cats Esmeralda and Samantha (after “Bewitched,” of course!) can’t be all bad. The story, full of the obligatory red herrings and misdirections, plays relatively fair with the reader, too. I would take issue with the idea that even in 1996 (when this was published) then-Prince Charles would make a Royal Visit to open a wing of a small hospital in a minor cathedral town - lesser royals, sure, but the Heir to the Throne would have more important things to do - but otherwise, a pleasant enough read. Mildly recommended.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good Cozy Mystery. In many ways, it is so well written that I found (at times) hard to put down. However, at other times, it disappointed some and dragged. Generally, the main character of Dorothy reminded me a bit of Jessica Fletcher blended with a bit of the naiveness of Nancy Drew. As well, some of the political infighting certainly could have been developed more in the plot. It just kind of hung there somewhat. I struggled ~ 3 or 4 Stars; I rated it lower because there's not much real mystery here.

A bright spot in “Trouble in the Town Hall” was the likable characters of our protagonist Dorothy Martin and Alan Nesbitt, the Chief Constable, who appear to be moving forward not only in their relationship but in their investigation of this murder. Dorothy is an American widow who now lives in this small English hamlet and who is blessed with an insatiable curiosity. Although likeable, at times Dorothy's insatiable curiosity got a little pushy and even obnoxious. Some of the other characters seemed to lack the depth and development I like. This one tended to be a bit slow and repetitive in parts, but over-all it was a light read with charming characters. However, if you like a decent cozy mystery, give it a try. I will return to the first one in the series and give it a try.

[Christine Goodnough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the series was quite enjoyable for the most part. Not so much focus on the mystery; the murder takes second place to the issue of preserving old buildings and architecture in England. Still, a body has turned up and Dorothy undertakes to play detective, often annoying people with her questions and suggestions.
I'd like to give this author an award for having her characters act like real people would when some wanna-be detective comes calling and asks suggestive questions. Often in cozy mysteries the amateur sleuth gets in a witness or suspect's face aggressively demanding answers and they spill all they know. But here we have the reserved Brits who aren't into divulging personal info and Dorothy gets her comeuppance. She has her flaws and thankfully recognizes them now and then. She does a lot of jumping to wild conclusions--and is right sometimes.
The ending didn't really work for me. For one thing, I can't see sensible English folks, especially so admiring of the Royals, behaving in such an indecorous way in front of a Prince, no matter what. It just wouldn't be done.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A LOVELY OLD BUILDING HIDES A NASTY CRIME
"A Sherebury resident for a year now, American Dorothy Martin is still learning her way around the charming English cathedral town. But she recognizes a dead body when she sees one. As town debate rages over what to do about the decaying town hall, Dorothy is at that very site when the body of an unknown young man is found. Her passion for mysteries is as hot as ever, of course. Despite warnings from her dear friend Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt not to get in the way of the official investigation, Dorothy simply can't resist taking a look around. What she discovers is that there are plenty of skeletons in local closets, enough to keep an amateur sleuth on her toes -- unless the hands of a murderer reach her first."
~~back cover

A charming little English cozy, in the genre of Miss Marple but with more active detecting, leading her more into danger than Miss Marple ever faced. A complex cast of characters, some of whom are not what they seem to be, keeps our Dorothy hot on the trail, only to find herself in grave danger as she gets ever closer to the killer.

[Constantreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

They grow on you

I'm on the fourth book (not in order), and they've grown on me. English cathedral town, modern setting, mild romance, no sex. The leading character is unashamedly middle-aged, American, and quite foolhardy. She would definitely meet an unknown person at midnight in a deserted place, leaving no indication where she had gone, convinced she knew the person's identity and guilt and could talk her way out of trouble. She is, however, quite charming and nearly believable, has two cats, and eats or drinks *something* roughly every third page. She admits to being both plump and nosy. She has a startling habit of being present at the discovery of bodies, murder victims, whose murderers she proceeds to uncover while contravening every rule of police procedure, with the apparent tolerance. (if not connivance) of the police. They *are* cozies, after all. Not my favorite genre, but nicely written, and readable when you can't concentrate on anything more serious or demanding. If they are your genre, you should enjoy them.

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over 6 months has passed since the events in #1 in this series, THE BODY IN THE TRANSEPT.

Dorothy is thrust into world of building by the state of the roof of her cottage, and also by the local controversy over what will be happening to the town hall now that the Town Council has moved to new premises on the outskirts of the town.

Since the last book Dorothy has acquired another cat and has been developing her friendship with the Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt. Despite Alan's warnings to take things carefully and circumspectly, Dorothy attends a town meeting when discussion about turning the old Town Hall into a shopping mall becomes very heated.

Dorothy discovers the body of a young man in a cupboard in the Town Hall, and then becomes curious about why a work colleague becomes faint every time the incident is mentioned.

Eventually Dorothy predictably outs herself in danger yet again, and another work colleague is murdered.

If you enjoy cozies you will probably enjoy this series, but make sure you read them from the beginning.

[Rhondda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dorothy Martin is an inquisitive, ex-patriot American widow, who has followed her dream and come to the UK to experience life in an English village. This is the second story about Dorothy who has remained in Sherebury after a difficult beginning. This time she has discovered a body in the old, boarded-up town hall. Of course she can't help herself and is soon talking with all the people who might have information about the crime. Her friend, the chief constable, Alan Nesbitt, is somewhat distracted being busy handling the security for an upcoming visit by the Prince of Wales and not available for advice. When one of her fellow volunteers at the cathedral book store can't be found Dorothy fears the worst and her imagination starts working overtime.
This is a pleasant, leisurely mystery told with charm and a light-touch.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I am currently suffering from a ceiling leak right above the front door I could certainly empathise with Dorothy.
Two items before one even got into the story: the covers always show Dorothy's hat and seasonal flowers but never her face and there is a map of the town, important when the place is fictional. Since I am known for hat wearing that is another spot of fellow feeling.
Dorothy is a nice person - in the best way - she is rooted in her feelings and morals, she is public spirited and she is truthful. She is competent and confident and she is a woman of mature years. Not an "old lady" but a woman who has lived and worked in the community where she has a certain confidence in speaking her thoughts aloud. I like her and the writing is such as makes you want to give her a hand in her inquiries.
A great series.

[Claudia Cheyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorothy Martin is still learning her way around Sherebury. Her biggest challenges are driving on the wrong side of the road, navigating roundabouts, and discovering dead bodies. Their once beautiful Town Hall building has fallen into such a state of disrepair that it seems like the best thing to do is tear it down. But many residents think it can be saved and put to good use as something else. Dorothy wants to look around inside. As she is walking by, she notices Ada Finch, the cleaning woman doing her job. During their tour the women discover the body of a young man.
Ada and her son Bob are new additions to Dorothy's list of friends as she is getting acquainted with more people in the village. Alan Nesbitt is very busy planning security for a visit from Prince Charles (who just became King today!) So Dorothy must solve this mystery on her own.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy

I'm enjoying the series . At one point, I was tempted to put this book down; Mrs. Martin, the American England protagonist , can be a little abrasive. It's almost like Englishmen writing about an American in England . We're not really that insensitive and forward. But still look cute and has some quirky characters and cats . I was wondering when we would feel some heat between Mrs. Martin and her police chief . That finally showed near the end of the book and I was glad . I didn't not guess the ending and whodunit . So that was good . I'll read more about the American in England , because I, like she, have come to love England through the mystery books of Agatha Christie and Mary Stewart and all the others that I have read throughout my life .

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

American expatriate Dorothy Martin stops in the now defunct town hall to admire its ancient woodcarvings, when the charlady finds a body in the closet. Since Dorothy's gentleman friend is the local chief constable, she learns more than an ordinary witness would about the death, which she fears is connected to the disagreement about preservation/reuse of the town hall. At the same time, she's looking for a builder to repair her leaky roof. She works in the cathedral bookstore with the wife of one of the town's leading builders, a man who wants to turn town hall into a shopping mall. Dorothy snoops--there's no other word for it--and finds information that the police, who are focusing their attention on an upcoming royal visit, are not aware of.

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again the protagonist, who fancies herself as an older Nancy Drew, finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time to be present with the person who discovers a dead body. This one tended to be a bit slow and repetitive in parts, but overall it was a light read with charming characters. Because there was a bit of a romance at the end, it may be enticing to follow up with the third book in the series. I can see why a fellow book club member particularly enjoys this series--because there is a subtle emphasis on the two household cats, who really don't add anything to the plot just perhaps a bit of humor if one cares about or understands feline whims--Can they really knock on the bedroom door when they're hungry???

[elizabeth mcguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed first one and was worried Dorothy, would, as many writers do, keep repeating the descriptions of places and character. Happy she keeps it to a minimum and carries on with the plot.
Our amateur sleuth finds herself in a pickle as her rented home, which she would like to purchase, is a listed building and has a leaky roof. During her venture to find a suitable builder she finds herself mixed up with another dead body.
Minus the help from her policeman friend she goes it alone. Luckily for her he has not forgotten her nosing into dangerous situations and sends his DI to help and listen to her findings.
No spoilers, hate that. Just a good cozy murder. Onto the next one. Hope it is as entertaining.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up from 2.5. I actually started this book before the third one, then stopped and read it first before coming back to this one. After 3 in the series, I have decided I do not care for Dorothy Martin. She is a busybody, and immature for the the age she is supposed to be. She tries to justify her interference by her need to find the bad guy. This is the weakness of most cozy stories. The AMATEUR always seems to know more than the professionals. Maybe once is possibly believab!e, after that forget about it as the bodies pile up. Only Jessica Fletcher is successful at that.

I thought I would give these books, set in Britain, a try, but the fatal flaw of cozies is their unbelievability, and the weakness of the main character does nothing to correct that.

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading Book 2, I am rather in a quandary. There is much to like in this series. I love the settings and I like the hero very much. But the heroine's actions are generally so ridiculous that I have to grit my teeth and read on. Surely, no self respecting head of a police department would put up with her interference and nonsense. Except, of course, that he is smitten, so maybe that's the answer.

And, by the way, where did the second cat come into the picture. I only remember one cat in book 1 and now there is Samantha as well.

Anyhow, Book 3 may answer a lot of the problems I have with Mrs. Martin, so I will give it a go as they say. I do love a village mystery and, while this isn't a village, the principal is the same.

[Scott Kalas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read, a Jessica Fletcher type mystery

Though it is no exactly a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat, as a page turner, I’m enjoying the Dorthy Martin series more then I thought I would.

She reminds me of Jessica Fletcher, a sleuthing amateur detective, who also happens to be a widow and whose husband’s name was Frank as was Dorthy’s husband and both retired school teachers.

There are some dissimilarities. Dorthy is not a best selling mystery writer and there are other differences but like the TV series Murder She Wrote, Dorthy Martin Mysteries is clean and entertaining.

I’m not sure how far I’ll get into the series before I yearn for a more on the edge of my seat, page turner but I’m quite certain I’ll be entertained until I do.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy is in the middle of a murder investigation again when she, asking with the local cleanet, find a body in the old Town Hall.

Dorothy, being who she is, cannot leave the case alive, and when a work colleague (Dorothy volunteers at the Cathedral Bookshop) comes faint everytime the murder is mentioned, she is more than intrigued.

Alan is forever telling her to be careful, but she ploughs on regardless, wil this be her last case?

There's also a new feline resident at her cottage, a Siamese called Samantha; who, along with Emmy make sure Dorothy cannot slack in the mornings until she's fed them!

I enjoyed reading this book, the 2nd in the series, and am looking forward to the next one.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorothy makes a new friend when she meets the woman who is the official town hall cleaner. Together, they discover a body in the town hall and as Dorothy sets out to find answers, it's politics as usual with a suspect list that grows by the minute. The big question is, will Dorothy ever get the roof on her historic house repaired and catch a murderer, and why is her new romantic interest so aloof lately ?! This second book in the Dorothy Martin series was fun to read, and of course, Dorothy's hats are clearly as important to her as Sherlock Holmes's deerstalker cap - although, Dorothy likes to keep the feathers in her cap during an exciting concert with royalty at the cathedral. I will be reading the 3rd book in this fun series.