Posted to Death
By Dean James
3.5/5
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About this ebook
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks Mystery Series, a traditional British village cozy mystery series…with a twist!
“Sure to revolutionize the traditional British cozy and win the hearts of fans everywhere.” —Publishers Weekly
“A delightful English village whodunit filled with some of the most eccentric characters you’ll ever run across in a mystery novel.”—The Denver Post
Amateur sleuth, Simon Kirby-Jones is looking forward to settling into his new home in the quaint British village of Snupperton—despite a few potential challenges. Not only is Simon an American, but he’s also a gay vampire who controls his vampiric urges and sun sensitivity with an effective medication.
Delighted to be in the cozy English village of his dreams, he’s eager to make Snupperton his home, and joins the fundraising committee of the local church. But at the first meeting, an argument breaks out between the town matriarch Lady Prunella Blitherington, and the nosy village postmaster, Abigail Winterton.
When Abigail is found murdered the next day, Simon determines to reveal the murderer in town-- and in the process discovers all the delightfully sordid secrets of Snupperton!
Dean James
Dean James, a seventh-generation Mississippian, is a librarian and Edgar-nominated author of over twenty works of fiction and nonfiction. His nonfiction has won both the Agatha Award and the prestigious Macavity Award. Writing as Miranda James, he is the New York Times bestselling author of the Cat in the Stacks series, featuring librarian Charlie Harris and his trusty rescue cat Diesel. He is also the author of The Trailer Park Mysteries, writing as Jimmie Ruth Evans and the Bridge Club Mysteries, writing as Honor Hartman. As Dean James, he’s authored The Deep South Mystery Series and The Simon Kirby-Jones Mysteries. He lives in Houston, Texas, with two cats and thousands of books. See www.catinthestacks.com to discover even more!
Read more from Dean James
Cruel as the Grave Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
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Reviews for Posted to Death
54 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Decent little cozy mystery,I liked the MC Simon, a gay vampire writer. The biggest weakness in the story is that almost universally the villagers are dislikeable, except for Jane the other vampire. She was just leading Simon along to throw off the fact that she was the murderer. It's hard for the reader to like a story, when all of the characters are offensive. Simon even compares the English village to small town Mississippi. Which Simon as a gay vampire had little good to say.
“Sounds like where I grew up in Mississippi,” I drawled. “People might know you’re gay, but they gloss right over the fact because it’s not something one mentions in polite society. As long as you don’t make an issue of it or embarrass anyone by bringing your boyfriend home for a visit, it simply is ignored. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We learn on page one that our hero is 1) a vampire and 2) gay. Soon we discover Simon Kirby-Jones, Ph.D., is NO garden-variety vampire. In fact, he is not the blood-sucking sort at all; on the contrary, the sight of blood makes him a trifle queasy. A recent arrival in the tiny English village of Snupperton Mumsley, the New-Age vampire is asked to join the St. Ethelwold’s Church Restoration Fund Committee – and it’s at the first meeting, he’s introduced to many of the characters that will shortly become murder suspects. Although Kirby-Jones is an unusual hero for what is essentially an English village mystery – albeit an offbeat, quirky one -- the other characters are quite typical. With names like Lady Prunella Blitherington (nee Ragsbottom), readers know from the get-to that they’re in for some fun.Dr. Kirby-Jones (formerly Sam Jones of Pleasant Springs, Mississippi and Houston, Texas) moves into Laurel Cottage to continue his very successful writing career. Allowed by modern pharmaceuticals to avoid some of the more unpleasant aspects of being one of the living dead, he gains a few benefits from the transformation. For one, he only needs two hours’ sleep – leaving him 22 hours to write. And write he does. Known for English history and biography, he also writes very popular historical romance and hard-boiled-detective fiction under the pen names Daphne Deepwood and Dorinda Darlington. As he narrates the tale, readers will quickly note Kirby-Jones has no problems with self-esteem – in fact, quite the opposite. He manages to look down his distinguished nose at just about everybody. But why shouldn’t he? He’s smart, rich, handsome (so he tells us) and, since he’s already dead, doesn’t need to worry about the ills that befall mere mortals. He can’t be done in by the usual methods – unless he winds up overdosing on garlic or taking a wooden stake in the heart, he can live on indefinitely. The other characters, as I have mentioned, are the standard fare in English mysteries: the vicar and his devoted wife; the young lord of the manor; and the “horsy” postmistress who seems to snort a lot. Then there are the Colonel, the local detective inspector and a Jane-Marple-ish character that turns out to be a 400-year-old vampire. Well, she’s not that typical.All the suspects and the victim are members of the church’s Restoration Fund Committee or the local dramatic society. The two groups have come together to plan a theatrical event to benefit the Restoration Fund. When Abigail Winterton suggests a putting on play by an anonymous local writer, a play about moral decay in an English village much like Snupperton Mumsley, Kirby-Jones senses a threatening element in the suggestion. Maybe even a hint of blackmail. His foreboding is proven right when Ms. Winterton is found dead, the murder rather bloodless as in most “cozies.” Kirby-Jones, who has time on his hands, decides to do some investigating of his own, as he uses the opportunity to meet his new neighbors. He unearths lots of village secrets – but which one was dark enough to warrant killing the person who threatened to reveal it? Posted to Death is not a book I would have selected, being put off by the blood and violence associated with vampires. That would have been too bad, because I really enjoyed it. Kirby-Jones is a likeable and believable character. The plot is well-drawn – no loose ends -- and the author plays fair with his readers. The writing moves along at a fast pace, and the book was a fun read. First published in Mystery News, April-May 2002 issue. (This was my very first published review.)
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Cute cozy mystery starring Simon Kirby-Jones, a gay writer and vampire. First in a series.