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fictionfan's review
5.0
Devilishly good...
The Flaxborough Citizen tells the worthy people of the town that the Folklore Society’s revel to celebrate Roodmas was well attended. It sounds like it was a fun do, with a discussion of old traditions round a bonfire, followed by refreshments and dancing. But sometimes newspapers don’t tell the whole story...
The next day, it is discovered one of the revellers, a promiscuous young lady by the name of Edna Hillyard, has gone missing, leaving only her car and her neatly folded clothes behind her. Inspector Purbright is at first inclined to think that she’s simply gone off for a bit of jiggery-pokery, but when the newspapers begin to print lurid reports that black magic and witchcraft have turned respectable little Flax into the Town of Fear, he realises he’ll have to take it all a bit more seriously. Especially when some of the town’s prominent citizens become the targets of witchly curses...
Of all twelve of the Flaxborough Chronicles, this is the one I love best. I think Watson peaked here, finding the perfect story with which to lampoon all his favourite targets at once. As always, he pulls aside the net curtains of respectability to let us glimpse the salacious shenanigans going on behind them. But his humour on the subject of sex is of the saucy seaside postcard variety – more “Ooh, you are awful!” than Fifty Shades of Grey. Class is as prevalent in Watson’s books as it is in British society, and he has a delicious lack of reverence for the town’s worthies as, indeed, does Inspector Purbright. It’s a joy to see him manipulating his Chief Constable, Mr Chubb – a man who finds it hard to accept that his social equals could possibly be up to any kind of skulduggery.
What makes this one stand out even more is the inclusion of the Lucillite campaign, complete with the Lucies – a group of girls going door-to-door as part of the drive to persuade the ladies of the houses to change their laundry detergent. First published in 1972, Watson ruthlessly lampoons the advertising campaigns of the day to persuade women that all their troubles could be solved by changing to a new brand of soap powder, thus enabling them to achieve an idyllic marriage by ensuring their husbands’ shirts are whiter than white. At the same time, he mercilessly mocks the kind of managerial lingo that was coming into vogue then (and still exists in some of our sadder companies – I speak from bitter experience!).
All the regulars are here – Purbright and Chubb, Sergeant Love of the innocent face and rather less innocent mind, and Miss Teatime, up to her delicately feminine armpits in Psychical Research. Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention, the plot’s excellent too. Great fun!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Farrago.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
The Flaxborough Citizen tells the worthy people of the town that the Folklore Society’s revel to celebrate Roodmas was well attended. It sounds like it was a fun do, with a discussion of old traditions round a bonfire, followed by refreshments and dancing. But sometimes newspapers don’t tell the whole story...
Naked as on the day she was born, save for a double-looped string of amber beads and a pair of harlequin-framed spectacles, Mrs Flora Pentatuke, of 33 Partney Avenue, Flaxborough, leaped nimbly over the embers of the fire.
The next day, it is discovered one of the revellers, a promiscuous young lady by the name of Edna Hillyard, has gone missing, leaving only her car and her neatly folded clothes behind her. Inspector Purbright is at first inclined to think that she’s simply gone off for a bit of jiggery-pokery, but when the newspapers begin to print lurid reports that black magic and witchcraft have turned respectable little Flax into the Town of Fear, he realises he’ll have to take it all a bit more seriously. Especially when some of the town’s prominent citizens become the targets of witchly curses...
Of all twelve of the Flaxborough Chronicles, this is the one I love best. I think Watson peaked here, finding the perfect story with which to lampoon all his favourite targets at once. As always, he pulls aside the net curtains of respectability to let us glimpse the salacious shenanigans going on behind them. But his humour on the subject of sex is of the saucy seaside postcard variety – more “Ooh, you are awful!” than Fifty Shades of Grey. Class is as prevalent in Watson’s books as it is in British society, and he has a delicious lack of reverence for the town’s worthies as, indeed, does Inspector Purbright. It’s a joy to see him manipulating his Chief Constable, Mr Chubb – a man who finds it hard to accept that his social equals could possibly be up to any kind of skulduggery.
What makes this one stand out even more is the inclusion of the Lucillite campaign, complete with the Lucies – a group of girls going door-to-door as part of the drive to persuade the ladies of the houses to change their laundry detergent. First published in 1972, Watson ruthlessly lampoons the advertising campaigns of the day to persuade women that all their troubles could be solved by changing to a new brand of soap powder, thus enabling them to achieve an idyllic marriage by ensuring their husbands’ shirts are whiter than white. At the same time, he mercilessly mocks the kind of managerial lingo that was coming into vogue then (and still exists in some of our sadder companies – I speak from bitter experience!).
All the regulars are here – Purbright and Chubb, Sergeant Love of the innocent face and rather less innocent mind, and Miss Teatime, up to her delicately feminine armpits in Psychical Research. Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention, the plot’s excellent too. Great fun!
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Farrago.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
vsbedford's review
4.0
An extremely enjoyable Flaxborough mystery that is substantially enlivened by Miss Lucilla Teatime, who is quickly becoming my favorite flim-flam woman of all time, and the vague whiffs of sulfur that emanate from a folk society/coven that has been at work in Flaxborough. The mystery, as per usual, takes a back seat to the towns people and the invasion of such by a detergent campaign. Mr. Watson has an obvious good time skewering advertising generally and ad-speak in particular, not an especially vanguard topic, sure, but his enjoyment seeps off the page. One of the funnier entries in a gentle series. A strong recommend.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
An extremely enjoyable Flaxborough mystery that is substantially enlivened by Miss Lucilla Teatime, who is quickly becoming my favorite flim-flam woman of all time, and the vague whiffs of sulfur that emanate from a folk society/coven that has been at work in Flaxborough. The mystery, as per usual, takes a back seat to the towns people and the invasion of such by a detergent campaign. Mr. Watson has an obvious good time skewering advertising generally and ad-speak in particular, not an especially vanguard topic, sure, but his enjoyment seeps off the page. One of the funnier entries in a gentle series. A strong recommend.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
An extremely enjoyable Flaxborough mystery that is substantially enlivened by Miss Lucilla Teatime, who is quickly becoming my favorite flim-flam woman of all time, and the vague whiffs of sulfur that emanate from a folk society/coven that has been at work in Flaxborough. The mystery, as per usual, takes a back seat to the towns people and the invasion of such by a detergent campaign. Mr. Watson has an obvious good time skewering advertising generally and ad-speak in particular, not an especially vanguard topic, sure, but his enjoyment seeps off the page. One of the funnier entries in a gentle series. A strong recommend.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
verityw's review
3.0
Witchcraft problems for the gang in Flaxborough. I didn't like this as much as I liked the last one, but it was still a lot of fun and a clever mystery. And as an idea for a mystery it wasn't really one that I've seen a lot of in British cozy crime-type series.
jrenee's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
scostner's review
3.0
A local folklore society turns out to be the cover for a coven of witches. After a recent celebration at the home of a coven member, an empty car is found and the owner is missing. Where has the driver gone? And where is the owner of a local store, who also hasn't been seen since that night? As the missing person investigations begin, police discover that members of the coven are not willing to discuss any helpful details of the celebration and even act as if being questioned is a persecution rather than an investigation.
The missing woman was a coven member, but the store owner was part of a local philanthropic group. Could there possible be any connection between the two disappearances? Everyone tries to help - the local pastor, the energetic Miss Teatime, and all the constables. But the town has also been overrun by a group of young ladies in white costumes doing a door-to-door campaign for a detergent and there will even be some commercials filmed with local folks participating. Could any of the people working on the add campaign have something to do with one or both of the missing persons? As usual, Purbright keeps working the case from all angles until he finally sees how the pieces fit together.
Those familiar with Flaxborough from previous installments in the series will recognize Purbright and other recurring characters, including Miss Lucy Teatime. Set in an English village in the mid-twentieth century, the novels all deal with crimes investigated by Purbright and the rest of the Flaxborough constabulary in a methodical and respectful way. There are no computers or rogue agents picking locks to find evidence, just a patient gathering of facts and fitting them together.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
The missing woman was a coven member, but the store owner was part of a local philanthropic group. Could there possible be any connection between the two disappearances? Everyone tries to help - the local pastor, the energetic Miss Teatime, and all the constables. But the town has also been overrun by a group of young ladies in white costumes doing a door-to-door campaign for a detergent and there will even be some commercials filmed with local folks participating. Could any of the people working on the add campaign have something to do with one or both of the missing persons? As usual, Purbright keeps working the case from all angles until he finally sees how the pieces fit together.
Those familiar with Flaxborough from previous installments in the series will recognize Purbright and other recurring characters, including Miss Lucy Teatime. Set in an English village in the mid-twentieth century, the novels all deal with crimes investigated by Purbright and the rest of the Flaxborough constabulary in a methodical and respectful way. There are no computers or rogue agents picking locks to find evidence, just a patient gathering of facts and fitting them together.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
anjana's review
3.0
As compared to the next book in line, this has a more innocuous title but is more risqué than its title leads us to believe. There are some cringeworthy moments in terms of men misbehaving, more than the previous books of the series. In this particular tale, the women are not blameless either. All that aside, the case at hand is very strange. It has people with unknown plans in secret societies, missing people and others who know more than they are revealing.There are also these women selling laundry detergents whose entire attitude borders on sinister. It has its moments but it does not rank among the funnier ones of the series. I have three more books to read. Stay tuned for those reviews since I think I might find them more hilarious. Inspector Purbright and Sidney Love continue their banter. It was hard to follow this case because there seemed to be more going wrong than first meets the eye. This is a series that continuous perusal throws up sudden gems so I shall keep the hunt going.
For other unrelated reviews : www.superfluousreading.wordpress.com
For other unrelated reviews : www.superfluousreading.wordpress.com
pgchuis's review
2.0
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I requested this one as it was the next in a series I have been enjoying without reading the blurb - that turned out to be a mistake. This instalment concerns a black magic/folklore/"Old Religion" society and a related death and disappearance. The humorous tone of the narration of this series didn't really work for me in conjunction with this subject matter. The opening scene at the "Revel" was over-long and confusing. The parts devoted to the Lucellite advertising campaign were arch and so dull that I skimmed them. The conclusion contained so many twists and turns that I'm not entirely sure I grasped the finer details of what exactly happened? What was the plan for the long term fate of Miss Hillyard?
Miss Teatime was superb as ever.
I requested this one as it was the next in a series I have been enjoying without reading the blurb - that turned out to be a mistake. This instalment concerns a black magic/folklore/"Old Religion" society and a related death and disappearance. The humorous tone of the narration of this series didn't really work for me in conjunction with this subject matter. The opening scene at the "Revel" was over-long and confusing. The parts devoted to the Lucellite advertising campaign were arch and so dull that I skimmed them. The conclusion contained so many twists and turns that I'm not entirely sure I grasped the finer details of what exactly happened? What was the plan for the long term fate of Miss Hillyard?
Miss Teatime was superb as ever.