Death and the Decorator (A Fethering Mystery)

by Simon Brett

Neighbours Carole and Jude uncover more than they bargained for when Jude decides to redecorate her cottage in this lighthearted cosy mystery.

"An edgy cozy, filled with dry wit and deft plot twists"- Booklist Starred Review

Having decided to redecorate Woodside Cottage, Jude has engaged the services of local man Pete, who has painted and decorated the homes of Fethering residents for many years. Pete is currently working on Footscrow House, a large Victorian building which is being converted into holiday flats by a local developer.

Having arranged to meet at 'Fiasco House', as it is known locally due to the many failed business enterprises over the years, Jude and Pete make a surprising discovery behind a wall panel: a woman's handbag! The casual discovery becomes serious when the police identify the handbag's owner as Anita Garner, a young woman who vanished in suspicious circumstances twenty years earlier.

Determined to find out what really happened to Anita all those years ago, Jude and her neighbour Carole's investigations plunge them into a maze of deception and murder, as they uncover a number of uncomfortable secrets beneath the serene surface of Fethering life . . .

• ISBN10: 0727850679
• ISBN13: 9780727850676
• Publish Date: 5 July 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd
• Imprint: Severn House
• Edition: Main
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 192
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Death and the Decorator is the 21st (!!) book in the Fethering cozy mystery series by impressively prolific author Simon Brett. Released 5th July 2022 by Severn House, it's 222 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

Simon Brett is an indisputably gifted writer. He writes consistently, entertainingly, and well. All the parts of his mysteries (and they are varied and numerous) fit together and do precisely what they're meant to do. The characters are believable and well rendered albeit slightly eccentric. The dialogue works and is never clunky or awkward. This is a long running and well established series and it's always a joy to check in on Jude and Carol and revisit Fethering and the locals. This one is written around a cold case murder and soon Carole's investigating the disappearance of a young woman 30 years prior.

I found it a delightful read and despite the potentially serious subplot elements, Mr. Brett manages to imbue the whole with enough humour to make it an entertaining and quick read. North American readers should be aware that it's written in British vernacular (torch, lift, flat, etc). The plotting is well paced and engaging with a surprisingly twisty denouement and resolution. I found the ending good, but surprisingly melancholy.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 6 hours and 57 minutes and is capably narrated by the author himself. Sound and production quality are high throughout.

Four stars. Really well done and one of my favo(u)rite consistently good cozy series. I'm looking forward to future installments in anticipation of a pleasant rainy afternoon's reading with a pot of tea and maybe some scones beside me.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.