It has often occurred to me while watching, say, Father Brown mysteries, that they live in such a beautiful place. Wouldn't it be nice to live in the village? You would know everyone and it would be peaceful and friendly except that once a week someone is murdered.
Not just dies, but is murdered.
So when I saw the title of this book, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village, I had to read it. I'm glad I did! The one word I would use to describe this book is "clever". It is indeed.
I especially enjoyed the humorous illustrations Jay Cooper (@jaycooperart) provides. Many of them made me laugh.
Maureen Johnson's (@maureenjohnson) wit had me grinning all the way through. It's not a long read, but one that I will plan to share with family and friends. I'll be thinking about it next time I read one of J. R. Ellis' locked room mysteries from Yorkshire and maybe even while watching Vera (not always in a village, but, with the same aura, pet).
Johnson and Cooper tapped into the elements that make us enjoy these mysteries and gave readers a smile. It’s not just humor. It carries a kind of knowing camaraderie … it’s obvious they love these stories too.
Whatever our fascination is with these quaint English villages, we can be sure that sometime soon there will be a body and the fun begins.
Fun post. I’ll be more wary of bell towers.
I need to read this book. I've loved murder mysteries set in villages for many years. I'm reminded of something Sherlock Holmes said. Paraphrased, he believed the countryside more dangerous than the city. Father Brown, Midsummer Murder, among others, prove him to be correct. :-)
That being said, I'd still happily risk it.