A Smattering of Reviews

‘A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans.’

P.D.JAMES

-o0o-

‘Simon Brett writes stunning detective stories. I would recommend them to anyone.’

JILLY COOPER

-o0o-

‘Murder most enjoyable... An author who never takes himself that seriously, and for whom any fictional murder can frequently form part of the entertainment industry.’

COLIN DEXTER

-o0o-

‘One of the wittiest crime writers around.’

ANTONIA FRASER

-o0o-

‘Simon Brett writes the kind of good whodunits that could have been written fifty years ago... and he has a sly sense of humour.’

THE TIMES

-o0o-

‘Simon Brett is one of British crime’s most assured craftsmen, with idiosyncratic characters proving winning creations... A feast of red herrings, broadly drawn characters, and gentle thrills and spills litter the witty plot. Crime writing just like in the good old days, and perfect entertainment.’

THE GUARDIAN

-o0o-

‘One of the exceptional detective story writers around.’

DAILY TELEGRAPH

-o0o-

‘Few crime writers are so enchantingly gifted... as Simon Brett.’

THE SUNDAY TIMES

-o0o-

‘Like all the best English whodunits, this murder mystery is set in one of those old Home Counties villages where everything looks immaculate on the outside but old secrets have been simmering. Beautifully plotted, with a sharp eye for the social comedy of middle-class, middle England.’

DAILY MAIL

-o0o-

‘Like a little malice in your mysteries? Some cynicism in your cosies? Simon Brett is happy to oblige.’

THE NEW YORK TIMES

-o0o-

‘England’s pre-eminent author of the comic mystery story.’

SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER

-o0o-

‘No one delivers more pure entertainment.’

SAN DIEGO UNION

-o0o-

‘The great British mystery writers, P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, and Brett, have a way of making murder so, well, civilised.’

MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

Mrs Pargeter's Patio

A bizarre discovery right under Mrs Pargeter's patio turns a quiet and sunny June morning into a thrilling hunt for answers in this new instalment of the light-hearted and entertaining Mrs Pargeter mystery series.

When widow Mrs Pargeter decides to have her morning coffee on the patio of her mansion in Chigwell, her intention is to admire her beautiful garden in peace and quiet. Little does she expect one of the patio's paving slabs to crack in two, depositing her on the ground - and revealing a human skull with a neat hole in the middle of its forehead!

Not wanting to bother the police just yet, Mrs Pargeter decides to save them some trouble and starts investigating the curious find herself. And who better to assist than her late husband's 'business associates', private investigator Truffler Mason and chauffeur Gary?

The trio are soon certain that a murder has been committed and the body disposed of under some convenient building works. But who is the mysterious victim? And more importantly, who put the body under Mrs Pargeter's patio?

Mrs Pargeter and her friends must find out the truth and soon, before the finger of suspicion points in an unthinkable direction: towards the late, great Mr Pargeter, whose business dealings Mrs P remains - naturally! - in blissful ignorance of...