I usually love a Simon Brett whodunnit but I'm afraid that The Killer In The Choir didn't quite do it for me. This book works well as a standalone, I haven't read the others in this series and as one of the main characters , Carole who is one of a pair of amateur sleuths is so rude and overall quite unlikeable, I doubt that I will. I thought that whilst the language Brett uses is beautifully rich and powerful, the plot was not.

This story could have been written and set anytime in the last century and would probably make rather good Sunday evening television.

It’s easy to get hooked by the goings on in Fethering. You don’t however need to have read any of the earlier books to get straight In to involvement with the Sussex village and the characters. This is a well plotted murder mystery with interesting characters a light humour and pleasing setting with a satisfying conclusion.

Once you have read it you will want more as author Simon Brett has created a successful series of books. When is the next one due?

Set in the seaside town of Fethering, friends Carole and Jude learn of Leonard Mallett's tragic fall down the stairs leading to his death. At the wake, the deceased's daughter Alice makes a startling statement - that her stepmother, Heather, had killed her father. Cue the investigative minds of Carole and Jude to find out if this claim was true... with the gossip and finger pointing of a small village, will they ever find out if this is true?

Thank you to @Netgalley, @canongatebooks and Simon Brett for an advanced copy of this book! With a bright and beautiful cover it is hard not to be attracted to this and of course, who doesn't love a village mystery? The overall plot line of the story is very well done and I didn't see any of the revelations coming about, which is always a plus in my opinion! The main characters of Carole and Jude are absolutely brilliant together and resemble what you believe a pair of retiree best friends to be like - think Grace & Frankie without the craziness! If you are a lover of fast-paced books then I wouldn't recommend this one to you, it is very relaxed in the development of the story and it's a nice read to sit down with alongside a cup of tea on a rainy weekend!

This book is due to be released on 5 November 2020.

This was my first book to read in the Fathering Mysteries series and I really enjoyed it. I love cozy mysteries and this was a quick easy read. I am looking forward to going back and starting at the beginning of this delightful series.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this enjoyable book.

I couldn’t believe my eyes!.
A novel from Simon Brett, that doesn’t have an alliteration as a title! What is the world coming to?. Mind you, the best I came up with was, Criminality in the Choir, and that implies an over serious view, to what is another welcome addition to this series of warm and cosy whodunnit novels.
This book also works well as a stand alone read. The two main characters of Carole, retired Home Office civil servant, prim and disapproving, contrasts well with Jude, a healer and masseuse,who is generous with her skills and kinder, but chalk and cheese have always rubbed along quite well.
The story starts at the funeral of an elderly man, who apparently fell down the stairs and Heather, his downtrodden, wouldn’t say boo to a goose wife, suddenly becomes a very Merry Widow. At the post funeral meal, Alice, the step daughter, drunkenly accuses Heather of murder.
Then the body count starts. This is a light hearted novel, that relates the nosiness and gossiping ways of many English villages. It is a good natured and slightly waspish tone that is set by the author, and although the characters and location are familiar to the series, I found my interest was still maintained. It was a good test of the ‘little grey cells’.
Addictive, you can’t stop at just one book!!
I gave this a four star read. I will post this review to Goodreads and Amazon. I have recommended this to my book group.

Although this book is one of many in the series I was advised that these are very much standalone books, and they are but you will end up starting at book one once you have read this one.

The story starts at a funeral and the wife, Heather, is accused of murdering him. It's down to Carole and Jude to solve it.

I love a cozy 'whodunnit'. They are perfect for reading on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I loved the characters, I felt a good connection with them, especially Carole and Jude, even if I did feel a little sorry for Jude. Great setting for the story and loved how it unfolded. I will be buying more of this series

A darker tone for this instalment in the long running Fethering mystery series, but retaining the usual Brett sense of humour and the stoicism and empathy double act from our amateur sleuths, Carole & Jude.

Loved how it’s about two neighbours whom are amteaur sleuths! They join their local choir to get to the bottom of a murder! Was good in parts and was pro longed in parts too.

The village of Fethering is very much like a local Miss Marple village with plenty of murders and all the locals know all the gossip. We have Carol ex Home Office who is very much reserved and likes to keep her private life private. The opposite is Jude a local healer very outgoing who joins in local activities like the choir. The death of Leonard Mallett will become the 1st murder. Carol and Jude come at the investigation from opposite ends with Jude getting the locals to open up about their secrets. These two characters are neighbours and friends but their quirkiness leads to very enjoyable mystery.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My feeling is that Simon Brett has struggled with the last few "Fethering" novels and this one sadly continues the trend.

They are always reliably entertaining and often amusing and this one does have a slightly darker feeling to it. But I am getting bored with Carole and her disapproving asides - after all these years has nothing of Jude's character rubbed off? Initially the vivid contrast between Carole and Jude worked well but by now it is rather tedious.

The "villain" was obvious very early on even though the logic behind the killing(s) wasn't particularly well signposted.

I sort of enjoyed "The Killer in the Choir" and it saddens me to say that maybe Mr Brett needs to bring the hitherto enjoyable series to an end.

Mt thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book. It's a very dry form of cozy mystery. It doesn't move that fast but its good at getting to people. I was surprised by who the bad guy in the end was. It all seemed to go badly for him. #TheKillerintheChoir #NetGalley

I got started on Simon Brett's Fethering series many years ago while looking for something light and fun to listen to in the car on my many long drives as a country rep. I have since listened to almost all apart from the last couple as with COVID I haven't been traveling. (Side note: Simon reads his own audios and is fantastic).

This long running series just never gets old or tired. Simon continually manages to find funny comments and quirky characters that make the reader just laugh out loud. Yet the crimes are clever with the stories always bringing to light some darker side of a supposedly peaceful country English village and I find I very rarely manage to pick who 'dunnit'. Carole and Jude are the perfect foil for each other and I have loved following the development of their friendship throughout the books.

These books are perfect for Midsomer Murders fans. You could easily read these out of order as standalones though in all series, I like to read them in order to get the most out of the character development. Be warned, you can't stop at just one....

In Which Carole And Jude Join The Choir.....
Neighbours and sometime amateur sleuths, Carole and Jude, have a new case on their hands in this entry in The Fethering Village Mysteries when they join the local choir to get to the bottom of a murder. Some darker themes in this one although still chock a block full of the characteristic wit of this series as a whole.

Fethering ought to be renamed Midsomer-on-Sea. There can scarcely be a single resident who hasn't been involved in a suspicious death, and, as ever, with the rising body count they'll be running out of potential victims soon...

We find Carole at a funeral, the funeral of an elderly man who'd fallen downstairs. At the funeral, his widow didn't seem all that distressed, and his very drunk daughter accused her stepmother of murdering him.

Inevitably, in Fethering, Leonard Mallett WAS murdered. And he won't be the only one.

Brilliant and funny as ever :)