"Quintessential English village cozy mystery"
The small English village of Taviscombe is usually a
peaceful place where everyone knows their neighbors. One
of the residents Sidney Middleton is liked and respected
by everyone who knows him; they also feel sorry for him
because his son David is trying to push him into a nursing
home. The whole village mourns when Sidney passes away
and is shocked to discover the cause of death was carbon
monoxide poisoning. Someone deliberately murdered him by
tampering with the chimney. Stella learns at Sidney's funeral that he wasn't the good
hearted, generous person everyone thought he was. Instead
he pretended to be a nice soul. Brian Thorpe tells Mrs.
Mallory he's glad that Sidney is dead as the paragon
cheated on his wife with Brian's mother but then cruelly
dumped her. His mother had a nervous breakdown from which
she never recovered. Another resident learns that Sidney
was responsible for the death of his brother in WWII.
Stella begins to hear other ugly stories about the man
everyone respected and for once, she does not investigate,
half-hoping that someone does get away with murder. MRS. MALORY AND THE SILENT KILLER is the quintessential
English village cozy mystery. Readers are entertained by
the who-done-it because there are many suspects all of
whom were hurt by Sidney and had a motive for killing
him. It is impossible to figure out who the actual killer
is until Hazel Holt unmasks the perpetrator. The heroine
is very likeable and believable, the sort of person one
wants as their granny. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted February 24, 2004
Summary"Sink comfortably with the heroine into a burnished old
pub or a cup of tea."—Booklist
The entire village of Taviscombe is sent reeling when
Sidney Middleton, a popular and respected pillar of the
community, dies in a tragic accident. However, it soon
becomes apparent that his death was a most deliberate act.
How could someone so likable have any enemies—especially
one driven to kill? Mrs. Malory is dead-set on finding out.
But what she uncovers about Middleton could shock a
lightning bolt. The seemingly respectable man had dark—even
deadly—secrets. And suddenly she's looking at
everyone through suspicion-tinted glasses...
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