Terror on Tuesday

Lois Meade Mystery #2

by Ann Purser

Working-class mum and housecleaner Lois Meade plies her sleuthing skills once again after discovering a dead body--dressed in a suit of armor--in a chapel.

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

314 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Ann Purser lives in the East Midlands, in a small and attractive village which still has a village shop, a garage, pub and church. Here she finds her inspiration for her novels about country life. She has only to do her daily shopping down the High Street to listen to the real life of the village going on around her.

Before turning to fiction, she had a number of different careers, including journalism – she was for six years a columnist in SHE magazine – and art gallery proprietor. Running her own gallery in a 400-year-old barn behind the house, she gained fascinating insights into the characters and relationships of customers wandering around. She had no compunction about eavesdropping, and sharpened up her writer’s skills in weaving plots around strangers who spent sometimes more than an hour in her gallery.

Working in a village school added more grist to the mill, as does singing in the church choir and membership of the Women’s Guild. She reminds herself humbly that Virginia Woolf was President of her local WI…

Six years hard study won her an Open University degree, and when she faltered and threatened to fall by the wayside, writer husband Philip Purser reminded her that he was paying good money for the course. During this period, she wrote two non-fiction books, one for parents of handicapped children (she has a daughter with cerebral palsy) and the other a lighthearted book for schools, on the explosion of popular entertainment in the first forty years of the twentieth century.

Ten years of running the gallery proved to be enough, and while it was very successful she decided to sell. The business moved down the street to another barn and owner, and Pursers stayed on in their house next to the village school – another rich source of material for the stories. Time to start writing novels.

Round Ringford became Ann’s village in a series of six novels, each with a separate story, but featuring the same cast of characters with a few newcomers each time. The list of books gives details of each story, and each features an issue common to all villages in our rural countryside. “Just like our village!” is a frequent comment from Ann’s readers.

Next: the Lois Meade Mysteries, each title reflecting a day of the week. Ann has always loved detective fiction, and determined to make it her next series. So Murder on Monday was born, followed by Terror on Tuesday, and Weeping on Wednesday. The rest of the week follows!

Mornings are set aside for writing, and the rest of the day Ann spends walking the dog, retrieving bantams’ eggs from around the garden, gossiping and taking part in the life of the village. She is never bored!

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than the first one. This one didn’t seem as slow paced and I liked the story better. I liked seeing Lois get her business started and the addition of her cleaners who I hope will be recurring characters (although probably not one who I liked). #readforkimberly

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked part two just as much as the first one - characters, the lovely setting and the winding development path of the stories and events that make up the mystery. I’ll definitely see more of Lois in the future.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book in the series. This one seemed disjointed to me -- I could never figure out what the bad guys were really up to, or why they did some of the things they did but didn't do others.

As always, good characterization and good writing. Lois Meade, the main character, starts a cleaning business (in the last book, she went out as the cleaner herself). So we have more steady characters, and therefore more plot opportunities.

Again, it's not my favorite cozy series, but if I was forced to read either this series or some beach book, this series would win hands down!

[Marilyn Saul · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this three stars, but Lois is just such an annoying, bitchy woman.

[Ppcfransen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sexist.

I had to check. This book was first published in 2003, but save for the odd mention of mobile phones it might as well have been set in 1963. The reason Prue ended up in hospital is definitely 1963 not 2003.

Lois set up a cleaning business and wants to hire some staff. One of her applicants is a man. A man! Her husband says she should put him on the ‘no’ pile for that reason alone. (Pretty sure discrimination on gender is against the law too in Britain.) Surely a man cannot be a cleaner. And no one says the obvious: why not? He’s got two hands and opposable thumbs. What more do you think he needs to hold on to a duster or broom?

The story grew on me after a while (perseverance and all that), but the omniscient narrator that told me way more than Lois could ever find out, but then conveniently not tell things to create more of a mystery, did annoy at times.

As did the secret rendez-vous Lois kept having with inspector Cowgill to share information. Why not share this information over the telephone? Why share information at all? Some of the information Lois shares the police should have found out on their own.

Not a cozy and not my thing.

[Michelle Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so enjoying this series. Along with Peter Lovesey's, Diamond series and Benedict Jacka's, Verus series, I'm reading them almost straight through. Series rarely hold up straight through, hence I stagger them. These are suppose to be the light reading to balance the others. But Purser's book are hardly light reading and certainly not cozies, despite what the cover looks like.
As with the first book, I'd compare these to Midsomer Murders. There is multibody count, and it gets suspenseful at the end, with none of the mounting dread of a thriller. A fast reader, plot holds together, and Writer doesn't waste too much time with protagonist mulling facts. If you love a British mystery without the gore this series is for you.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Lois Meade series.
Not sure what time period this is set in. Gives a good view of British village life plenty of tea and cooking and time in the pub.
It is easy to read with no nasty surprises nor gory descriptions. Quite like a bit of gore but nice to get just the easy to read books too. Would recommend.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good mystery with interesting characters. This is a cozy village mystery but set in modern times with modern characters and problems. There is a good mystery to follow with ample clues and red herrings, some suspense, and very little mild language. There's a great sense of place in the novel, as well, and I always like a good setting.

[Lalla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a entertaining mystery set in the English countryside with interesting working class characters. The author catches the spirit of the characters and the reader is captured by the intriguing plot. There are others in this series and I look forward to reading them as well. Cozy mystery readers will be sure to enjoy them.

[Dick Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read these books intermittently and in order but somehow I missed this one and went back to read it. It is really marvelous. The character Lois Meade is written as so strong, down to earth, and realistic that you wonder if the author is not describing herself. The story moves along quickly and is a wonderful puzzle.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do enjoy mysteries and I do like the characters in this series. Some new characters have been added to those in the first book, whether any will figure in the next installment is unknown. The author handles and develops her characters well. And although you might figure out whodunnit, it takes the last pages to get all the details.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realized after I started this that I had read it before. This takes place in a small town in England. Lucy Mead is a housewife who starts a cleaning service. While cleaned the local church she stumbles on a man who has been murdered. The police detective on the case feels she might be useful to his investigation. Several suspects later and we have the person who did the crime.

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the first in this series a number of years ago but never got back to it. I’ve now finished this second entry, and it was terrific. Some comments refer to a “cozy” but I don’t particularly agree. It seems to me more of an “English village mystery,” but done in a more modern atmosphere, current events style; as such, it was quite good and I will read more.

[Christine (KizzieReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Lois quite unlikeable. She was rude to people, bossy and very abrupt. A little hypocritical as well. Sometimes she was just downright mean. I liked the mystery of it. Had a feeling who it was but never expected all of it. Still have questions though, as I don't feel like everything was wrapped up

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. I did however, have trouble at times understanding its particular British vernacular. I liked the characters of Lois and her husband Derek.

I’d gladly read another in this series but unfortunately I don’t have any and neither does my library.

[Richard Federline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding this to be an incredible series. Lois is not your normal heroine. She is not a detective, nor bent on revenge, nor a genius, She is just a housewife who decides to start a cleaning company that becomes a source of informantion.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome, I loved it. Wondering if all the endings of her books have a similar thread, though. Hope not.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lois Meade starts a new cleaning business in an English village, at the same time, she tries to solve two murders. Couldn’t put it down!

[Tracy Quick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I love how Louis seems to get herself into some interesting situations. It’s fun trying to figure out who done it

[Joni Kuzma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, Lois...you are a caution. On to Wednesday!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in an excellent series.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I look forward to reading more books by Ann Purse.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

[Hermione Volino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Lois Meade mystery. Ann Purser continues to give us such a delightful, though deadly, mystery. I can't wait to read her next one.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series may not be for me since I don't understand the English slang. Don't know if they are complimenting or insulting people.

[Chana · Rating 2 out of 5]

A "cozy" mystery, you know, lots of cups of tea, a few dead bodies of people that no one will miss terribly much and a woman snooping around and figuring it all out. This particular woman has a cleaning business in a little village. First she discovers a dead man in a small church and later a dead man tied to a tree in the woods. The plot wasn't that good or consistent, Lois (the above mentioned lady with the cleaning business) often came off rude, or at least very abrupt, and I couldn't predict her reactions to things, it seemed off. An OK, but nothing special, mystery.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the first. It was much more exciting and fast paced. There was still to many characters to try and keep track of and it felt like you never had any idea who was good and who was bad. I didn't like how the main character seemed really rude to everyone. And no one stood up to her. So that bothered me. But other than that, it was a decent read. And seeing as how I have the next book in the series sitting here, I might as well read that.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though Lois, the woman who owns the cleaning business in this series, isn't the most likeable character, I found myself enjoying the book. Lois certainly doesn't view the world thought rose-colored glasses and this helps her to navigate the underside of her small English village. I think that perhaps it's her toughness that made me want to read this second book in the series, and I will probably look for the next volume.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this sequel better than the original "Murder on Monday." I liked the romance between Lois and her husband, and her compassion for Gary, Bridie, and Hazel. I find it unrealistic how quickly characters recover from a variety of incidents in this book, but I did grow to like the Hazel character. I think my teen would like that character as well, as a strong-willed, brave teen. I did figure out the people involved in the crime. I borrowed this book from my mother-in-law.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE/AUTHOR: TERROR ON TUESDAY by Ann Purser
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/# OF PGS/PUB DATE: Mystery, 314 pgs, 2003
TIME/PLACE: Long Farnden, UK
CHARACTERS: Lois Meade/house cleaner
COMMENTS: #2 in series. Lois expands her
business & hires several employees. She
discovers a dead body in a suit of armor
at the local chapel.