Death and the Joyful Woman: A gripping, cosy, classic crime whodunnit from a Diamond Dagger winner

By Ellis Peters

No case is too strange or too baffling for the policeman George Felse and his son, Dominic. Over 13 instalments and two decades, the Felse Investigations will take them from their home on the Welsh Borders to the southernmost tip of India.

Is vulgarity grounds for murder? Alfred Armiger had antagonised many with his greed and crass acquisitiveness. So when the ruthless beer baron is discovered dead, his head beaten in by a magnum of champagne, there is no shortage of suspects.

All of Comerford is shocked when Detective George Felse arrests Kitty Norris, the daughter of a rival beer baron, the last person to see Armiger alive, and the main beneficiary of his will. But Kitty, charming and popular, has an unexpected advocate in Felse's young son, Dominic, who is secretly in love with her.

Passionately convinced of Kitty's innocence, Dominic sets out to find the true culprit, a hazardous undertaking that might well cost him his life.

'Highly recommended to those who still like a proper five-course whodunnit with all the trimmings' Sunday Times
'A cult figure of crime fiction' Financial Times
'Charm is not usual in murder mysteries, but Ellis Peters' stories are full of it' Mail on Sunday

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Aug 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781784972806

Ellis Peters

Ellis Peters (the pen name of Edith Pargeter, 1913–1995) is a writer beloved of millions of readers worldwide and has been widely adapted for radio and television, including her Brother Cadfael crime novels, which were made into a series starring Derek Jacobi. She has been the recipient of the Cartier Diamond Dagger, Edgar Award for Best Novel, Agatha Award for Best Novel, and was awarded an OBE for her services to literature in 1994.

Reviews for Death and the Joyful Woman

[quondame · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mysteries that involve the detective's family are tricky, and even though this starts off from the son's viewpoint and and involvement with a suspect, it doesn't break free of the tricky thorny aspect. Also the sweetly managing women gag me and all the young tender manhood garbage.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An unpleasant promoter turns a ice old house into a pony pub called The Jolly Barmaid. Then he is murdered. Felse has a suspect but his young son believes she is innocent.

[auntieknickers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In some ways I enjoyed Peters' Inspector Felse stories (contemporary to the time they were written) even more than the Cadfael series. This one focuses a lot on Felse's son Dominic and their relationship, but is no less a good mystery for that.

[bonniejune54 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nice characters. I liked the early twist that turned a murder mystery convention on its head.

[crazycathie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first Ellis Peters book I've read that wasn't a Cadfael story... I was amazed to see that she doesn't ALWAYS write in that old language style! Well written, but she puts too much into the being-in-love parts, in my opinion. Good story, but the characterization doesn't come through for me as much as the Cadfael books. Nor do I find as much historical atmosphere (it takes awhile to figure out the period).Fascinating part about the sign for the pub!

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inspector Felse must come to terms with the fact that his son is edging toward manhood. Dominic features a great deal in this mystery, and that's fine with me, because I love reading about his relationship with his father. The mystery is not exactly second fiddle in the story, but for me it was not as interesting as the characters, their motivations and the setting. I enjoyed this Felse story very much.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lovely. I was just about crying at the end - it's a funny mixture of real danger and concern, and delicate handling of (mostly adolescent) dignity. I remembered the picture and what it really was, but not the murderer - though I figured it out about the time Dominic did, before we were told. And why, again long before we were told. Dom was ridiculously brave and reckless - it was a lot of danger to put himself in! And here again there's the emotional side of it - he did it to help Kitty, which was all the reason he needed. By any rational measure, what he did was stupid - but it worked. Good story, Peters' normal excellent characterization, and at least two mysteries elegantly intertwined (again, as usual). Very good.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Modern crime novel, interesting but not the best I've read. Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.