Simon Brett is one of my favorite British cozy mystery writers, and I've loved the Mrs. Pargeter series. Mrs. Pargeter's Past, however, is not his best.

Mrs. Pargeter (a mashup of Judy Holliday and Jennifer Hart) is the Essex-based widow of a London gangster whose mission in life is balancing a life of ease (her husband left her lots of loot) with good works. So when a former associate of her husband is kidnapped by Italian gangsters from her husband's past, Mrs. Pargeter and her team of high-end crooks are on the case. Soon, the gang's back together and the caper is on.

Although I was happy to join in the fun, it was work climbing through the cast of characters. I found myself bookmarking pages and making note of who was whom--which took away from the joy of being immersed in the story. Having said that, a visit with Mrs. Pargeter and her team of smooth operators is always a treat. Simon Brett's astute observations on how crime and legitimacy are often a matter of perspective are more relevant than ever.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to review an ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
No. 10 in the series is another charming, quirky addition to the series.
With a eclectic cast of characters (former associates of the late Mr. Pargeter) who have mainly gone straight, and the financial help from Mrs. P, the group tries to save one of theirs from a nasty demise, the result of his owing a huge gambling debt.
Another fun read!

In a serendipitous turn of events, the day I had wondered if there would ever be a new book in Simon Brett’s Mrs. Pargeter series, Mrs. Parteger’s Past magically appeared. It is a delight to see her and her eclectic comrades again. Much is familiar—Mrs. P’s schtick of ignorance about the work of her late husband and the collection of uniquely talented individuals she inherited from him, the sticky wickets in which Mrs. P. finds herself—past and present, and the seemingly effortless way in which she turns the table and comes out on top. As noted in earlier reviews in the series, if you are a stickler for plausibility, this series is not for you, but if you like a clever caper with entertaining companions, then look no further.

Mrs. Pargeter, a wealthy widow, once again finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Mr. Pargeter was definitely not a criminal, and one of his associates (who was also definitely not a criminal) finds himself in trouble. Short Head has a gambling problem and borrowed from the wrong people; he now needs to disappear while Mrs. Pargeter and her team of definitely-not-criminals work to destroy the loan sharks’ operations. 

This is a fun, breezy series with charming characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wealthy widow Mrs. Melita Pargeter is back with book #10 in the series, which was revived in recent years after eight Mrs. Pargeter Mysteries were published from 1986 to 1998. Mrs. Pargeter's beloved husband left her a wealthy woman, but she was never interested in knowing exactly what he did for a living (we readers have our strong suspicions). Not only does she live in style, but whenever she needs some help with a sticky problem, she need only look into the little black notebook willed to her by her husband, and she is sure to find an expert with the particular skills she is seeking. Some of them have questionable pasts, it's true, but all claim to be aboveboard in their current occupations.

In Mrs. Pargeter's Past, It is one of these problems that leads her to try to rescue her husband's former accountant, Short Head Shimmings, who has significant gambling debts. Although Mrs. P offers to pay off his debts, the real issue is that the loan shark brothers cannot tolerate a challenge to their reputation, and one of them would be thrilled to make a deadly example of the hapless Short Head. Nothing less than a dismantling of the criminal brothers' extensive empire will solve the problem. And while Mrs. P feels confident she can achieve that goal, she suddenly has reason to wonder if the brothers, under assumed names, might have had something to do with a dangerous situation she found herself in years ago.

In this book, we get a glimpse of Mrs. Pargeter's life when her husband was alive. As always, it is a quick read, with an interesting cozy mystery and very little violence, sparkling dialogue, and a lot of whimsy.

My thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Quick Witted Romp..
Mrs Pargeter and her crew are back in this wonderful tenth instalment to the series and another quick witted romp. This time, wanting to assist an associate of her late husband (neither of which, as every reader will know, were once notorious criminals), Mrs Pargeter takes action - needless to say this does not go according to plan. Written with the usual style, wit and eloquence, this latest offering is another sheer joy to devour. Wonderful stuff.

Another delightful entry in the series. This book gives a glimpse of Mrs. Pargeter’s life before the demise of her beloved husband. A host of dubious and well meaning characters round out the cast of characters. This very British novel is highly recommended for a fast, entertaining read.

Mrs Pargeter has always been most...helpful to her late husband's associates, without ever really knowing what they all did.

Now Short Head Shimmings, the accountant, is in bother with the wrong people, who are out for his blood.

Time to open that little bvalck contacts book again...

Another brilliant adventure in this excellent series

Fun, quick read with a look at Mrs. Pargeter's marriage and early days married to Mr. Pargeter, a master criminal (about which Mrs. Pargeter remains, at least publicly, determinedly unknowing). Best for fans of the series who do not need an introduction to the characters. In the range of 3 to 4 stars. Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for the ARC.