Death of a Cozy Writer

By G. M. Malliet

Winner of the 2008 Agatha Award for Best First Novel

From deep in the heart of his eighteenth century English manor, millionaire Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk writes mystery novels and torments his four spoiled children with threats of disinheritance. Tiring of this device, the portly patriarch decides to weave a malicious twist into his well-worn plot. Gathering them all together for a family dinner, he announces his latest blow—a secret elopement with the beautiful Violet...who was once suspected of murdering her husband.

Within hours, eldest son and appointed heir Ruthven is found cleaved to death by a medieval mace. Since Ruthven is generally hated, no one seems too surprised or upset—least of all his cold-blooded wife Lillian. When Detective Chief Inspector St. Just is brought in to investigate, he meets with a deadly calm that goes beyond the usual English reserve. And soon Sir Adrian himself is found slumped over his writing desk—an ornate knife thrust into his heart. Trapped amid leering gargoyles and stone walls, every member of the family is a likely suspect. Using a little Cornish brusqueness and brawn, can St. Just find the killer before the next-in-line to the family fortune ends up dead?

Death of a Cozy Writer was chosen by Kirkus Reviews as a Best Book of 2008, nominated for a Left Coast Crime award (the Hawaii Five-O for best police procedural), short-listed for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery, nominated for the Anthony Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the David G. Sasher, Sr. Award for Best Mystery Novel.

Praise:

"Fans of English detective work will welcome Malliet's droll debut, the first in a new series."—Publishers Weekly

"Malliet's debut combines devices from Christie and Clue to keep you guessing until the dramatic denouement."—Kirkus Reviews

"Malliet's skillful debut demonstrates the sophistication one would expect of a much more established writer. I'm looking forward to her next genre-bender, Death and the Lit Chick."—Mystery Scene

"Almost every sentence is a polished, malicious gem, reminiscent of Robert Barnard...the book is perfect for the lover of the classical detective story or the fan of great sentences."—Deadly Pleasures

"In her series debut, Malliet, who won a Malice Domestic Grant to write this novel, lays the foundation for an Agatha Christie—like murder mystery."—Library Journal

"An affectionate homage to the Golden Age of British crime fiction by a skilled writer rapidly attracting attention."—The Sherbrook Record

"This tale cleverly adds modern touches to an Agatha Christie style classic house mystery."—Mystery Women Magazine

"Wicked, witty and full of treats!"—Peter Lovesey, recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Crime Writer's Association and Malice Domestic

"The traditional British cozy is alive and well. Delicious. I was hooked from the first paragraph."—Rhys Bowen, award-winning author of Her Royal Spyness

"Death of a Cozy Writer is a romp, a classic tale of family dysfunction in a moody and often humourous English country house setting."—Louise Penny, author of the award-winning Armand Gamache series of murder mysteries

"The connections made by St. Just are nothing short of Sherlock Holmes at his most coherent. A most excellent first mystery!"—Midwest Book Review

• Language: English
• Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
• Release date: Sep 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9780738716541

G. M. Malliet

G. M. MALLIET's Death of a Cozy Writer received the Agatha Award for Best First Novel and was named one of the best books of 2008 by Kirkus Reviews. It went on to earn nominations for Anthony, Macavity, and Left Coast Crime awards. The first books in the Max Tudor series—Wicked Autumn, A Fatal Winter, Pagan Spring, and A Demon Summer—also were nominated for the Agatha Award. She and her husband live in Virginia and travel frequently to the UK, the setting for many of her stories.

Reviews for Death of a Cozy Writer

[richardderus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rating: 3.5* of fiveThe Book Description: From deep in the heart of his eighteenth century English manor, millionaire Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk writes mystery novels and torments his four spoiled children with threats of disinheritance. Tiring of this device, the portly patriarch decides to weave a malicious twist into his well-worn plot. Gathering them all together for a family dinner, he announces his latest blow – a secret elopement with the beautiful Violet... who was once suspected of murdering her husband.Within hours, eldest son and appointed heir Ruthven is found cleaved to death by a medieval mace. Since Ruthven is generally hated, no one seems too surprised or upset – least of all his cold-blooded wife Lillian. When Detective Chief Inspector St. Just is brought in to investigate, he meets with a deadly calm that goes beyond the usual English reserve. And soon Sir Adrian himself is found slumped over his writing desk – an ornate knife thrust into his heart. Trapped amid leering gargoyles and stone walls, every member of the family is a likely suspect. Using a little Cornish brusqueness and brawn, can St. Just find the killer before the next-in-line to the family fortune ends up dead?My Review: Well! That was nice. I reviewed this author's first entry into a newer series, Wicked Autumn, in 2011, and I was underwhelmed. The identity of the killer and the motive for the killing in that book annoyed me beyond measure. That series isn't one I'm inclined to follow, given how very many there are to sample.THIS series, however, is a bit more to my liking. I think the character of St, Just, the policeman, is bland, a little uninteresting, but the characters of the bit players were vivid and amusingly overstated. I enjoyed the process of unwrapping the secrets and lies told by the many suspects in a series of nasty homicides, and the golden-age-mystery nature of their interconnections. Was it fresh, new, and exciting? No, not really, and not even particularly fresh a take on why the victims were offed. But, and this is crucial, the pace is excellently maintained and the cast is well presented...no character is slighted and none is made too much of as a red herring. It's a tough balancing act and Malliet gets it just right.So I think I'll get the next one from my village liberry and see what it has to show me. Pretty darn good work to overcome my annoyance with another series by the same author.

[leslie398 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While the solution to this mystery eluded me until the 'big reveal', I found certain aspects of it fairly obvious. Plus the whole Beauclerk-Fisk menage struck me as caricatures; I guess this was meant to be humorous but it didn't tickle my funnybone.

[majkia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Obnoxious, wealthy father brings his clan together as he plans to marry again. Of course someone ends up dead.Interesting characterizations, pretty good mystery. Nice setting. Nice debut book, so probably will continue the series.I'd have liked a bit more about the detective, but I did like the care taken with all the suspects. They were all multilayered and interesting.

[noneofthis_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I think I am just not much of a mystery person.

[cameling_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk, millionaire author of cozy murder mysteries, summons his 4 children to the castle for a family gathering. Having grown up under the tyrannical thumb of their father who constantly threatens them with disinheritance, none of the 4 dare disobey. But the announcement that Sir Adrian is not engaged to be married but has instead eloped and is already married, to a woman who was once suspected of murdering her first husband throws his 4 children into confusion and the already strained threads between them unravel rapidly over dinner. When first the eldest son Ruthven is found dead in the cellar, head bashed in with a mace and then later Sir Adrian himself is found slumped across his death, a dirk sticking out his back, the whole household comes under suspicion. Detective Chief Inspector St Just from the Cambridgeshire Constabulary is called to investigate the murders and in doing so, he uncovers a nest of vipers, secrets and conspiracies. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie murder mysteries, this first in the series is simply engaging, delightful and full of clever twists.

[ferrisscottr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My expectations were high since I had read a number of great reviews and I did enjoy the book but not as much as I thought I would have.

[anglophile65 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Looking forward to reading the other by same author.

[weisser4 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really had problem connecting with any of the characters in the book. I barely finished it and dreaded most every page.

[pmaurer_11 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

English oozy. Lots and lots of characters. Good to listen to while working out.

[daiseyb-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I picked this up because it looked interesting and the reviews mentioned a similarity of feeling with Agatha Christie (and it was a cheap e-book). The reviews are pretty middle of the road and I agree. I like the way it is written, the plot development, pacing etc. The characters were pretty well fleshed out. I do like the DCI and his Sargeant - enough so that I will read the next book in the series to find our more about them. I think the ending and resolution of who dunnit was muddled. I have to go back and re-read the last few chapters to pick up on what I seemed to have missed as to motive. So, that spoiled it a bit for me. I probably would have given this another star if the ending had been a little clearer. All in all not a bad read and I will read at least one more in this series to see where it goes.

[herbcat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a polished first novel, in the tradition of Agatha Christy and her groups of nasty murder suspects all gathered together as one after another gets knocked off before the real mystery is solved. This one has a twisty plot with lots of red herrings, some good humor, some sense of righting long ago wrongs, and a new start for the innocent.

[cathyskye · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a book which was written with the author's tongue firmly planted in her cheek. G. M. Malliet must have smiled her way through Death of a Cozy Writer. From Sir Adrian hovering spider-like at the center of his web to each of his flies...er...children dancing on the threads, this book is a feast of wit and laughter. When told that the plot of his book, 12:40 from Manchester, was thought of by Dame Agatha Christie first, Sir Adrian replies, "Of course she did. But my book was better." The man has twisted each of his children so that none of them are likable, but their ill-thought plans and venom-laced dialogue are just plain fun to read. Naturally, what sets this bizarre household to buzzing feverishly is the introduction of a sane man-- Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just. It can be difficult for a rational person to make sense of the completely irrational, and watching St. Just make his way slowly through this house of Bedlam can be a treat. However, I do wish his character had been developed a bit more.Moreover, an under-developed main character isn't the only problem in this book. The author takes a long time to set up the action. By page 100, there's no murder and we have yet to meet St. Just. It almost makes me wonder if Malliet had a bit too much fun setting her stage. An under-developed main character, thoroughly unlikable suspects, a very long set-up... in most cases these things would be the kiss of death to a book for me. They weren't in the case of Death of a Cozy Writer because I enjoyed the author's wit so much. In case you're wondering if I'm always such a soft touch, I can say honestly that I'm not. There's a lot hinging on the second book in the series. If Malliet can keep the wit, shorten the introductory section, and tell me more about St. Just, I'll consider this a series with which to continue. If not....

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have read G M Malliet many times, thoroughly enjoying the Max Tudor series. Death of a Cozy Writer, a St Just Mystery, lacked the zest of the Max Tudor series. G M Malliet brings many interesting subjects into her stories through her characters. I adore how Malliet introduces her characters at the beginning of her books, and this story has discussion questions at the end, which is always a delight. All the characters bring faults as well as strengths, and vivid sex scenes and graphic violence disappear in favor of setting and characters. Names of the characters provide great amusement as the Detective Chief Inspector is St. Just, his Sergeant is Garwin Fear, and the coroner is Dr. Malenfant. The English countryside glitters in the Christmas season.

[lydiasbooks · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

blah. mostly read it because it was free.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was humorous and contained interesting charachter portrayals. I liked it right up to the end, at which time it became quite complicated. I am usually very good at figuring out murder mystery puzzlers like this, but this one had way too many complications, twists, and hidden relationships. Not enough clues to point the reader in the right direction. I have read the other books written by this author, and found this one to be disappointing in the end.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cozy author Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk has asked his children to come to his castle for his wedding. When they arrived, they discover their father has already eloped to Gretna Green. It's not long until the oldest son is found dead. DCI St. Just comes to investigate. Then, as the title implies, the father is also found dead. It's a locked room mystery with plenty of suspects and motives. The detective's character was inadequately developed. The mystery was not spell-binding. The plot was rather stale, seeming more of a recycled plot than something original. However, it is a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

[bigmoose_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Wanting to expand my reading experience, I decided to try a mystery, and why not a "cozy' mystery. As I read, I kept envisioning the chief investigator in some British movie I saw long ago as he met with the entourage of characters in the library of the country mansion and filled in all the details in the last scene, announcing the murderer, who was present, of course. I was not disappointed, as the last chapter of the book was exactly this scene. It was fun to read as the characters developed slowly at first, only revealing what was necessary to keep the story moving. I liked it and may read another someday, after other, more pressing, obligations are met!

[anissaannalise-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very fun read. This is my first experience with G.M. Malliet & I thoroughly enjoyed the way the mystery unravelled. With two grisly murders, a manor house, blustery weather & the appearance of some well placed cats, I was completely swept up in this story. I'm a big fan of British mysteries in general and this one kept me page turning & guessing up to the last. Also, there are some truly funny though macabre moments along the way. I often stopped to highlight, laugh & tell myself it was somewhat wrong to laugh at such a thing no matter how insightful or true.

The characters were very well rendered and as there were quite a few of them, I was impressed. DCI St. Just & his assistant, Sergeant Fear take a while to arrive in the story to begin their investigation but as the preceding is very much important to telling us who the Beauclerk-Fisk clan are, it's not awkward at all. The connections all came together & I must admit that I was reading agog. Fantatastic. As this is a mystery, I won't give anything plot-worthy away, I will only say that as murder mysteries go, this one is worth reading. It's perfect for a rainy weekend when you're looking for a good yarn. I have another of G.M. Malliet's St. Just mysteries on my Kindle & will be reading it.

[annarellix-322425 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A real page turner. A good mystery in the Christie tradition.Really enjoyed the plot and the charachters.

[Valerie Laing · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In this case I think the written word for this book is the way for me. The narrator sounds as if she's reading to a very young child. I found this a distraction with all the strained over the top voices. However her Max Tudor series is an all time favorite with superb narration, wonderful characters .

[kathy89_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Patriarch invites his family to his country estate to tell them of his impending nuptials to an unsuitable young woman (who had been accused of murdering her 1st husband). It’s not long before the eldest heir is murdered and plenty of blame and secrets to go around. This was not a good audiobook because there were a lot of characters and it was slow to get started.

[limelite_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Early on laugh out loud send-up of the classic English mansion murders typical of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and the 1930s. No need to describe the plot. Of course its about a dysfunctional English family, the head of which is himself a cozy mystery writer and mean-spirited and well hated, to boot. Include your secret kinships, your unlikely romantic pairing, your red herrings, and, of course, your obligatory butler, and you know all you need to about this book.In spite of being (in the beginning) a witty, sharp, and fun read the author isn’t able to sustain that light touch and it is forgettable, unlike many of the classics it parodies. The story has enough fingerprints all over it that by a third of the way through, the reader pretty much guesses the outcome in spite of some authorial shenanigans – introducing information very late and having the investigating officer piece the case together and draw conclusions from very sketchy evidence.Better to read the "origina;ls" than this knock-off.

[katebaxter_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A quick and delightful cozy murder mystery set at a British country estate. All the members of the family are loons in each of their own special ways and each would be justified in committing murder. But who actually did the dirty deed?Synopsis:From deep in the heart of his eighteenth century English manor, millionaire Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk writes mystery novels and torments his four spoiled children with threats of disinheritance. Tiring of this device, the portly patriarch decides to weave a malicious twist into his well-worn plot. Gathering them all together for a family dinner, he announces his latest blow – a secret elopement with the beautiful Violet... who was once suspected of murdering her husband. Within hours, eldest son and appointed heir Ruthven is found cleaved to death by a medieval mace. Since Ruthven is generally hated, no one seems too surprised or upset – least of all his cold-blooded wife Lillian. When Detective Chief Inspector St. Just is brought in to investigate, he meets with a deadly calm that goes beyond the usual English reserve. And soon Sir Adrian himself is found slumped over his writing desk – an ornate knife thrust into his heart. Trapped amid leering gargoyles and stone walls, every member of the family is a likely suspect. Using a little Cornish brusqueness and brawn, can St. Just find the killer before the next-in-line to the family fortune ends up dead?

[cbl_tn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best-selling cozy mystery author Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk might be loved by his readers, but his family? That's a different story. His four children are continually at odds with him and with each other. Sir Adrian loves nothing better than to stir the pot, and his favorite “spoon” is changing the beneficiaries in his will. An invitation to Sir Adrian's upcoming wedding draws the family to his estate in Cambridgeshire. Not everyone who arrived will be leaving...Mysteries about mystery writers can be fun, and this is no exception. Sir Adrian is described as superstitious regarding his writing. One of his superstitions is that all of his novels have exactly 26 chapters, “regardless of whether or not this served the needs of the narrative”. After reading this sentence, I naturally turned to the table of contents to see how many chapters this book has. Exactly 26. The book can be read as a straightforward cozy, or as a spoof of the country house party murder mystery. It works either way.Other aspects of the book didn't work as well for me. The first murder doesn't take place until a third of the way through the book. St. Just doesn't appear until the police are notified. This is a “St. Just Mystery”, yet St. Just doesn't appear until page 116 of 286 pages. His character is bland in contrast with the colorful cast of suspects. Some of the clues that led St. Just to the murderer's identity weren't shared with the reader until he presented his summation of the case. One of the things I enjoy about mysteries is trying to spot the clues among the insignificant details. I want authors to try to misdirect my attention, not withhold information from me.I've read the first book in Malliet's Max Tudor series. I liked this one better. The series has potential, and it's one I'll likely continue to read.