From the start the premise of this book intrigued me. The blurb gave me the vibe of Miss Marple/Murder She Wrote, two cosy crime styles that I grew up on and loved and it gave me this in spades.
Miss Hortense is a retired nurse who had emigrated from Jamaica in the 60’s and settled into a community in Bigglesweigh in Birmingham. Finding that they were being denied things such as bank accounts along with some others in the community they set up a parder… a way of raising money to help each other to make the most if their lives. Ousted from the group for reasons that become clear later she has washed her hands of everything to do with it until the current head of the pardner is found dead. Despite all the ill feelings between the two women Miss Hortense is determined to find out what really happened even if it means confronting things she would like to forget.
Miss Hortense is hard not to like; despite her age there is nothing she won’t get involved with and it is clear she still has some loyal friends within the community that turned their backs on her before. Her nephew although reluctant to get involved as it may jeopardise his carer in the police force is soon caught up in the unofficial investigations and he uncovers things that affect what he thought he knew about his own parents.
The book has a dual timeline that gives the reader the background to the characters and goes a long way to explain the events that are taking place and reveal secrets that some have worked hard to keep hidden. The glimpses into those early years really helped cement Miss Hortense as a person of principle and her determination to protect the community and her friends, whilst may have been intense at times showed that it was coming from the right place. Did she always get things right, maybe not but she never wavered from what she believed in.
Despite the cosy crime feel to this book it still dealt with some unpleasant themes that were dealt with more off the page than on so as not to distract from the story. As the secrets and lies are all revealed and the truth about what happened to set off the chain of events there is more than one person who must atone for their actions. Mel Pennant managed to give us a larger-than-life character in Miss Hortense, and I hope that it won’t be long before we catch up with her again.

I enjoyed this book and thought it stood out from other crime sleuth stories.
I liked getting to know the characters, particularly Miss Hortense, and i loved her history.
Can't wait for the second!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Hortense - what a wonderful character!
She is a mix of Miss Marple, Agatha Raisin and Precious Ramotswe, someone who gardens, bakes and solves crimes.
After retirement from nursing, Miss Hortense finds herself solving a crime at her local “partner” savings club.
Hopefully this is the beginning of a brand new series.

The first book I have read by Mel Pennant. A gentle thriller that entertained me with some whacky characters. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

A Murder for Miss Hortense was an emotionally rich mystery speaking to some ugly truths of society. Mel Pennant is one to watch.

Miss Hortense joins a long line of iconic sleuths with an arresting voice right from the first page. She is exceptional – observant, clever and deeply caring behind a wall of steel. Watching her work with her investigation was fantastic. She takes no rubbish and she will let nothing stop her from solving this, especially as it harkens back to some of the darkest secrets of her own history. That emotional thread is horrific and really pulls on your heartstrings. I liked how Pennant sits in the messiness and complexity of the situation, allowing it to unravel and truly let the consequences of people’s actions unfold around them. Miss Hortense herself is hiding a deep hurt that still haunts her. She is complex and doesn’t always make the right choices, particuarly as we start to uncover the full truth from all those years ago, but she is all the more human and endearing for it. Life has been incredibly tough and you can understand the protective mechanisms she’s put in place for herself.

I really liked how Pennant wove the past and present together to give a rich backdrop of the history that brought this community together. People like Miss Hortense are the unsung heroes, the backbone of places that help them pull together and find a semblance of home in an environment that hates them to their core. The racism faced by the Windrush generation was despicable and is still perpetuated today. It feels like a timely reminder of the reality of the hatred and monstrosity that people can hold in their hearts, but it does also offer snatches of hope in finding a community that truly understands, uplifts and loves you.

A Murder for Miss Hortense introduces a sleuth that will steal your heart and a brilliant new voice that tells an enthralling and engaging story.

MIss Hortense is one heck of a formidable woman. A stalwart of the Jamaican community in Bigglesweigh, a matriarchal figure, of sorts, to many, much to the chagrin of one or two of her former neighbours. She was one of the founding members of the community Pardner network, a kind of Jamaican co-op system that helps out its members though a kind of savings and loan arrangement, she has long been ousted from her position there, but stills sees it as her duty to advise its remaining committee members on the safety of certain proposed investments - surreptitiously, of course. When one of the aforementioned committee members, her greatest nemesis and her the person who orchestrated Miss Hortenses' removal from the Pardner, is found dead, Miss Hortense instinctively knows there is more to her demise than meets the eye. When a second body is found soon after in the dead woman's home, MIss Hortense is forced to face a part of her past that she'd sooner forget, one that could prove to be deadly.

I really quite liked MIss Hortense as a character. She has a straight talking, no messing about personality. The kind of woman the phrase 'doesn't suffer fools' was designed to describe. She has a natural instinct and intuition when it comes to people who aren't acting on the straight and narrow, and whilst she may at times appear intolerant, she is actually a very compassionate women, even when it comes to those who would do her harm. Apart from Constance Brown, her nemesis and the reigning 'Pardner Lady'. She has a ind of Miss Marple esque awareness of what is going on around her, and a fearlessness, but with a decidedly Jamaican air.

I'll admit that I did struggle initially to settle into the book. The author quite rightly uses patois in the conversations between many of the characters, particularly those who emigrated from Jamaica in the 1960s as you would likely expect. There is a sense of authenticity derived from including this closeness, an almost closed door community, and use of the language that would come most naturally to them. My brain always, always, tries to translate any speech in local dialect, to English-English when I read, but when I switch off my inner duolingo and just let myself fall into the rhythm and patterns of their conversations, it all flows perfectly. The author does a great job in explaining some of the more traditional aspects of the Jamaican community, such as what a pardner is, which is necessary for those of us completely ignorant, and this makes the first half of the book feel like a different pace to the latter half, where we, and Miss Hortense, get to the crux of the investigation.

The book as a feel of classic amateur sleuth investigation akin to an Agatha Christie story but with a vibrant and passionate Jamaican heart. The more I was drawn into the story, the more curious I was about what it was in Miss Hortense's past that saw her thrown out of the pardner she created, and what was the cause of such deep regret. The story delves into the past of the characters, giving a glimpse of those early days in the 1960s to allow us to establish all of the main characters, although the majority of the action takes place in the present. There is a darker side to the book, although the toughest part of the story are told after the fact in a more respectful way, not forcing readers to live through what could otherwise be quite a difficult scene to read about. There is no doubting the impact of what happens in the past, or how it informs and reflects upon the present, but it is handled with full sensitivity by the author.

The final scenes take place in a very Miss Marple like way with all of the key suspects gathered in one place whilst Miss Hortense completes the big reveal. Whether everyone who deserves it gets their just deserts, I'll leave you to decide. But I am intrigued by that ending and the promise of more to come. Miss Hortense definitely has the smarts and I get the feeling that the community of Bigglesweigh hasn't given up all of its secrets yet. Definitely recommended for fans of a Christie Classic with a very modern, and more culturally inclusive, slant.

Having emigrated from Jamaica Miss Hortense has lived in a suburb of Birmingham for many years. Now retired from her nursing career she finds herself some what ostracised from many in her community following a death that occurred several decades ago . When Constance Brown is found dead in her home the past rears its head and secrets long buried start to affect the community. A book that covers many topics - murder, fraud, drug trafficking, racism and violence assault this is not your usual cosy crime. The use of Jamaican dialect did take me a little while to get use to but this added to the authenticity of the book and certainly didn’t spoil it for me. Miss Hortense is a strong feisty woman who rarely takes no for an answer and I loved her bravery and spirit. I’m hoping we may meet her again as the ending of the novel gives a hint of more to come. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review

A community that looks after it's own. Ostracized by the locals but built and helped so many succeed. Blighted by one mistake and the death of a close friend. Instead of being the heart of the community relegated to the edges.
So many little things, not adding up leaf to Hotty to reopen the death of her friend and now the new deaths occuring.
A story that will open your eyes to generational racism and how the truth can be hidden in plain site.
A story that will keep you guessing.

Miss Hortense came to Birmingham in the 1960s from Jamaica and along with friends from her community she is out to solve the murder of the Pardner Lady who has been in charge of the local savings scheme but has come to an untimely end.

I really struggled with this one which is sad as I was looking forward to it.
I didn’t sink into the Jamaican way of speech which meant I had to go back reading out loud sentences just to make sense of the story.

A sad 2.5 stars from me.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Hortense, a retired Jamaican nurse, is drawn into a murder mystery - can her knowledge of the area and its inhabitants help her solve the crime?

Unfortunately I found this story to be overly long and drawn out, and very hard to get into - I found myself skim reading a lot. I liked the added recipes scattered throughout, and I liked Hortense's character, but it just went on too long for me and lost my interest frequently.

This took me a while to get into and I did find it a bit long and so many characters to keep track of. However, as it progressed it became very Compulsive and Miss Hortense grew in stature. Cozy crime this is not. It's got racism, violence, misogyny, greed and a clear picture of what the Windrush generation had to put up with but Miss Hortense is a keeper and it was well written and plotted.

I had such high hopes for this one, it sounded like it could compare to the cosy crimes of Richard Osman etc. and I loved the inclusion of an older woman as our main character. But it didn't live up to my expectations.

It's written in a dialect to show Miss Hortense's Jamaican background, and I know this will be a "me" problem, but I just couldn't get into it. I am not used to reading books in a specific dialect or accent and I found it jarring which meant I couldn't get into the story or feel much for the characters.

It felt slow at times and then at other times it jumped all around which confused me greatly. I didn't find any of the characters all that loveable and I found myself falling out of love with it the more I got in, rather than finding it picked up.

So sadly this wasn't for me, but looking at some other reviews, other people are definitely liking it so it's clearly a personal taste issue.

A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant is a richly layered and compelling debut that breathes new life into the cosy crime genre. Set in the Afro-Caribbean community of Bigglesweigh, Birmingham, the novel introduces Miss Hortense, a retired Jamaican nurse with a sharp mind, a keen eye for detail, and a no-nonsense attitude. When a man is found dead in a Pardner member's home—a communal savings scheme integral to the community—Miss Hortense is drawn into a mystery that intertwines present dangers with long-buried secrets from her past.​
Pennant masterfully weaves a narrative that is both a gripping whodunit and a poignant exploration of community, identity, and the immigrant experience. The novel delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and the complexities of communal bonds, all while maintaining the suspense and intrigue characteristic of classic detective fiction. Miss Hortense's character is a standout—formidable, witty, and deeply human, she navigates the intricacies of her community with both empathy and determination.​
The prose is enriched with Jamaican patois and cultural references, adding authenticity and depth to the setting. While some readers may find the dialect and the extensive cast of characters challenging initially, these elements ultimately contribute to the novel's immersive quality. The story's structure, with its layers of past and present intertwining, keeps readers engaged, culminating in a satisfying and unexpected resolution.​
A Murder for Miss Hortense is more than just a murder mystery; it's a celebration of resilience, community, and the enduring strength of its protagonist. Fans of Agatha Christie and Alexander McCall Smith will find much to admire in Pennant's debut, which promises an exciting new series led by the indomitable Miss Hortense.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I struggled to get into this book but once I did I really enjoyed it. Was good to see how the past mysteries weee solved

A new and very distinctive sleuth has been created in what promises to be an interesting new series. Miss Hortense has deep seated Caribbean roots having been part of the Windrush move to England. Her heritage is current in the book as she tries to keep her place and value in her community. Her powers of observation and deductive skills come into their own as one of their pardoner group is found dead

I do like Miss Hortense, she is a more feisty Miss Marple. A highly entertaining book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could see this being made into a TV drama, but we would need more for a full series !

Retired nurse, Miss Hortense lives in a quiet suburb of Birmingham
She hones her skills, acquired in 35 years of nursing to solve crimes in her local Community
“Death has come to her door step”
It’s a cozy crime with a darker twist
I loved the character of Miss Hortense, she’s someone you don’t mess with
A fab debut novel in similar vain to Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, although it does take a while to get use to the narrative style
Excellently plotted, paying tribute the Windrush Generation
Thanks @mel-pennant @baskervillejmp & @netgalley for introducing me to the funny, clever and brilliant amateur sleuth, Miss Hortense

Miss Hortense is a fiery woman, and one hell of a sleuth! Her experience as an immigrant from Jamaica, her career in nursing and her active life within the community has led to her being incredibly aware and suspicious of, what seems like, everyone around her! The mystery of the Pardner Network in this title adds to the story, with readers being left what is left to uncover. Whilst it wasn’t quite the page turner I had hoped, I was still interested in Miss Hortense and what scent she’d picked up on!

Cleverly written and fun at times,
I liked that it wasn’t the usual and liked th characterisation and that for once it was in a different area of the uk.

One can only guess that this writer has a clear link to both areas in Jamaica and England, because she describes them so well. The Pardner money schemes have run across the West Indies for decades with varying success and it is the money aspect that causes issues in this story, leading to murder. The other part of this story is how Miss Hortence and her friends adapt to life 4,000 miles away from home with a very different culture and certainly, different weather. The characters are excellent, exactly right for both countries but I did wonder if there were too many to keep up with. The use of the individual’s local dialect keeps this story flowing and feels real throughout this book. I did find the book a little long, but it does get there in the end and you’ll be pleased you stayed with it.