Death Cap

Inspector Rudd #2

by June Thomson

A village shopkeeper, Mrs. King, is killed by a poisoned mushroom. Rudd is very graphic about what happens to a person who is poisoned in that manner, and it isn't pretty, but it is still a great idea for a murder.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Procedural

186 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 1980

About the author

June Thomson, a former teacher, has published 24 crime novels, 18 of which feature Detective Chief Inspector Jack Finch and his sergeant, Tom Boyce. She has also written six short story collections of Sherlock Holmes pastiches. Her books have been translated into many languages. She lives in St Albans in Hertfordshire.

Reviews

[dmayr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rene King, an affable shopkeeper, dies quite violently from mushroom poisoning. An anonymous letter sends Inspector Rudd to investigate her death. Suspects are limited to those who have close connections to the victim including an impoverished farmer who was courting the victim, his bitter old mother, a greedy nephew, and a pair of unsociable neighbors. Strong beginning but it grew quite dull in the middle with all the routine police work that Rudd and Boyce had to do, and characterization seemed lacking as well. The confrontation at the end was quite good although the story wasn't wrapped up neatly as it traditionally does in these kind of mysteries.

[Kathi · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the mystery itself was somewhat interesting, the book suffered from being dated (copyright 1973). Thomson's writing style made for easy reading and I enjoyed getting to know Inspector Rudd and his colleagues. Thomson's characterizations are deft and her descriptions are full and complete enough to really feel like the reader is present in the story without distracting from the flow of the story.

2 stars because I didn't care for the ending at all, and the dated-ness interfered with my enjoyment of the story.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those quiet, understated, one might even say humble stories. Still, Inspector Rudd draws us in and we are happy to let our boat drift through these quiet waters. And in the end, Inspector Rudd has the answer to “whodunnit,” even if the solution isn’t going to lead to a courtroom reckoning.
I’ve long heard of June Thompson but never read her, this is now rectified, and I’m on the search for other used books in this forgotten old series.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Cup of Tea and A Cap of Death
"Armed with a copy of British Mushrooms and Toadstools, Inspector Rudd sets out to unravel a most genteel murder. One of Mrs. Rene King's acquaintances had managed to slip her a Mickey -- in this case a batch of deadly poisonous mushrooms, the infamousDeat Cap Amanita."
~~back cover

I love this series! Inspector Rudd reminds me of Mr. Mosely (Murder, Mr. Mosley, What Me, Mr. Mosley?, The Mind of Mr. Mosley, The Missing Mr. Mosley, Mosley by Moonlight, and Mists Over Mosley -- John Greenwood, author): as quiet, unassuming little man -- almost invisible, with a genius for solving mysteries.

Absorbing, well-plotted, a penetrating insight into psychology, and tea in England.

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

1973, #2 Inspector Rudd, rural Essex County; classic village cosy

Death by mushroom, or is it? Tidily plotted tale of an investigation into what might not be murder, with a somewhat bland Inspector but a very good setting. Not quite in Simpson or Christie's league, but an entertaining cosy about the nasty demise of "a lovely lady", and the characters who turn up during the investigation in a small, and closely-knit village. The ending is a tad weird, but interesting.

[Nita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old British procedural with Inspector Rudd and Sergeant Boyce! I wish I had started with book #1 in the series but that is a personal preference. Since I have #2 to #4, I didn't want to wait on that. It looks like each book can be read stand-alone. Nice little mystery set in the countryside!

[Bev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best of this series. Thomson has done better.

[Cathy Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice English small village cozy; good read

[Ronald · Rating 2 out of 5]

read some time in 1980

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: a village shopkeeper is killed by a poisoned mushroom and Rudd takes on the case.