Published 2019 by Black Torn
248 pages
ISBN 978-1-83885-383-9
Genre: cozy mystery, English village, gossip, murder, Judy & Carole mystery, Fethering village,
Grade: 4/5
Will I read more by this author: yes, it is fun
Gossip is a returning issue in this book, ‘never underestimate Fethering gossip. It’s almost always hopelessly wrong on detail, but it often gets the main outlines right’ (p17). The gossip centers around the pub ‘Crown & Anchor’ with pub owner Ted.
That gossip is important is stressed in Harari’s Sapiens: the reason human sapiens (we) have a language is to gossip and get more information about our tribe’s members: who is honorable? Who can you trust? Who is friend with who? That is how it is possible to live in a community of more than 150 members!
In the book is a funeral of Leonard, a little-known person, a new comer whose wife, Heather is singing in the church choir; not much is known about the couple, which makes the gossip machine work over-time especially as Leonard is known to be difficult.
After the funeral there is an extremely upsetting incident where Alice, Leonard’s daughter accused her step-mother, Heather, of having murdered Leonard. That became the topic of gossip
in the pub for days afterwards.
Carol was present at the incident which she attended out of convention even though she did not really know him or the family she believes there is something to investigate.
The new vicar, Bob feels he has to help bringing calm and peace to his flock although nobody really looks for religious blessings, even less for going to church; he is offended the police will tell him what is going on.
The police do not think there is anything to the rumors and the slander and closes the case, and the body is cremated. The vicar asks Carol & Judy to stop telling lies and gossip.
Alice is about to get married and Heather wants it to be a very special day; Judy observes Alice and Heather together and finds that their behavior is more like mother-and daughter than evil stepmother to step daughter, which makes Judy wonder what is going on.
Heather arranges a choir outside the church to meet in the pub to prepare quality singing at the wedding, Judy joins reluctantly. The wedding is incredible and very successful, but afterwards Heather disappears only to turn up murdered after a few days. Also, the groom disappeared after a disagreement with Alice. The police and Carol & Judy all start to investigate.
My comments:
I did not find the solution, and found it a bit thin. But I enjoy the small village atmosphere with two women not born yesterday, Carol is somewhat strict and by the book, avoiding conflicts; with Judy who has never been married, but men like her as she does them, she is outgoing and accepts that justice is sometimes served best by not investigating too deep, and justice does not always mean that the police should be involved.
I live in a small community and can recognize ‘the everybody knows everything about you’, it is difficult not to meet the gossip, on the other hand it is not always malignant but an expression of general concern in a neighborly way; I believe it is better than living in a block where nobody talks to each other and do not know one another.
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