Fethering has everything a sleepy coastal town should: snug English pubs, cosy cottages, a little local library – and the occasional murder . . .Bestselling author Burton St Clair, complete with soaring ego and wandering hands, has come to town to give a talk. But after his corpse is found slumped in his car, he won’t be leaving. Jude is the prime suspect; she was, after all, the last person to … to see Burton St Clair alive. If she is to prove her innocence, she will have to dust off her detective skills and recruit her prim and proper neighbour (and partner-in-sleuthing) Carole to find the real culprit.
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When I see a book that’s written about a library, I get excited. But this one was just not a well written book. The fact that it is the 18th in the series surprises me. The characters are not well developed and I can’t believe the author has managed to tweak out 18 books without making them realistic.
The advantage of this book is that it is a quick read…and a mystery. So if you want something you can pick up and read one night while you’re curled up in front of the fireplace, then this would be the perfect book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Créme de la Crime for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I loved reading THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY by Simon Brett from beginning to end. Jude finds herself Suspect Number One in the murder of author Burton St. Clair, who is found murdered after giving a talk at her local library. How can she prove her innocence when both St. Clair and his ex-wife have insisted she’s the reason for the breakup of their marriage? A fast-moving mystery with a satisfying ending that will appeal to those who love the Golden Age of Mystery mysteries.
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Member Review
The Liar in the Library
by Simon Brett
Pub Date: 06 Jun 2019
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Review by
Janet B, Reviewer
Last updated on 05 Jul 2019
My Recommendation
I received an ARC of this book which I enjoyed very much. A classic whodunit that kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good, intriguing mystery!
The Liar in the Library is the 18th installment in the series, but my first . It can be read as a stand-alone but I do recommend reading others first for a better understanding of the characters and their relationships. I really enjoyed this.story.
Sleazy author Burton St Clair has been murdered. Late last night, his wandering hands found their way onto Jude and today the police are on her doorstep. Not only was Jude at the library-cum-crime scene, but she was the last person to see Burton St Clair alive. Now a prime suspect, Jude recruits Carole to dust off their detecting skills and prove Jude’s innocence.
Prim and proper Carole Seddon is a textbook Fethering citizen, but her neighbor, Jude, the bohemian healer with a colorful past, is not. Despite their differences, they make for an unbeatable, amateur sleuthing team and their skills are needed now more than ever.
Full of wonderful characters that are well rounded, reminds of a Miss Marple type of village characters and setting. I found it had a good plot and that there were enough.red herrings to keep me guessing.till almost the end. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes Agatha Christie mysteries.
I requested and received an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
This is the eighteenth book in the Fethering Mystery series by Simon Brett. I haven’t read them all, but I’ve read at least half of them and this one is an excellent example of the series. The books feature Jude, a free spirited healer whose life experiences are broad and characterized by her frequent ability to say yes to whatever life offers. Contrasting Jude, the other partner in this crime duo is Carol, who has retired from government service and is the picture of a person who has followed the rules all her life and suspects any and all who color outside the lines.
In THE LIAR IN THE LIBRARY, Jude is the primary protagonist which is understandable as she is also the prime suspect for the police. This is somewhat a departure for the series as all the books I have read previously have had Jude and Carol combining forces almost from the beginning, despite their differences in how they approach life. Through their efforts to solve murders they have become unlikely and uneasy friends who spend time together but perhaps don’t exactly enjoy each other’s company.
Jude has gone to a lecture at the library featuring a former acquaintance and, although Carol was invited she quickly declined as she is sure lecture series are not for her. In her opinion, the library is really only good for books and things that she can get to entertain her two grandchildren. Unfortunately, after the lecture is over, Jude is the last person seen with the victim and the police quickly fix on her as their number one suspect.
It doesn’t help any that the victim’s first wife has developed this unshakable belief that Jude and her former husband had an affair and that was the reason for their divorce. Although Jude assures everyone this isn’t true, the police seem determined to believe the ex-wife, even without any proof.
Forced to try and extricate herself from as sticky situation, Jude first teams up with a handsome man she met at the lecture series. They begin to investigate, but are warned off by the detective in charge. In behavior that is totally foreign to Jude, she backs off and allows herself to become unnerved by the activity around her. Finally, she decides she needs to do something to solve the murder so she enlists Carol’s help. Initially, Carol begins to investigate alone, a task she thoroughly enjoys as it allows her to become queen bee in her own mind. Before she can get too far along in her investigation, Jude has a change of heart and decides she will not allow the police to dictate her into a shrinking violet personality, and she joins Carol as the investigation proceeds.
It is typical of Carol that she resents Jude’s presence as she was enjoying being top detective, a slot she has felt too often has been designated to Jude. However, they begin to work together and fall into their typical relationship pattern of investigating in tandem and then discussing what they have learned over a glass each of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, their wine of choice.
This book fits well into the series which is characterized by quiet investigations, interesting dynamics between the two primary protagonists, and a little local color to add substance. It is well plotted and has good red herrings and clues. I did solve this one prior to the end, although the twist is a nice one. If you are looking for a gentle read, one that has no violence to speak of (other than the initial murder) and insight into two older women who are vastly different and yet find ways to grow a friendship of sorts, this may be one you would enjoy. The book stands alone and there is little reason to read the series in order. Carol and Jude’s life change slightly over the course of the series, however, not in ways that are significant to developing the characters.
Simon Brett as two other series as well, one featuring Charles Paris, an aging actor, and one featuring Mrs. Pargeter, the widow of a former burglar. All three series are unique in their own way and all are well plotted. While I have my favorite, this review cannot be enhanced by my outlining it hear other than to say all three series have merits and are worth exploring. Thank you to NetGalley and Black Thorn Books for providing me an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
I put this book under the cozy mystery category. As such it was an easy and enjoyable read.
I liked the two main woman characters and how they interacted with each other. The police appeared to be arrogant and you might shake your head at some of the character portrayed.