Product Description

In the tradition of Paul Gallico's classic "Too Many Ghosts" with a touch of Caroline Graham's "Midsomer" series, and a hint of Katie Forde's rural romance, this is a tale of engaging misfits and muddlers in a Kent village, whose theatrical endeavours rouse the long arm of the past with murderous consequences. 'Artist Libby Sarjeant's fresh start in a picturesque Kent village includes an exciting new venture - the Oast House Theatre. She never expects it to include a new romance in the form of Ben, but who's complaining? She just isn't expecting ingredients three, four and five: mystery, intrigue, and the shadow of old murder...' First in a new series - watch out for more murder mysteries featuring middle aged actress come investigator, Libby Sarjeant.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7784 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
"Take Murder in Steeple Martin on the plane with you, and annoy your fellow-passengers by laughing out loud." --Judith Cutler in Shots Magazine

From the Author
Libby Sarjeant, along with Fran and many other characters from Murder in Steeple Martin, will be making a return appearance in 2007. Watch this space!

About the Author
A freelance features writer and editor, Lesley turned to short fiction for the women's weekly magazines in the nineties, taught Creative Writing for the Adult Education Service and the WEA, and following her Master's Degree in 2003 edited the first Sexy Shorts collection for Accent Press.

Customer Reviews

Slow starter soon pulls you in
This book starts a little slowly but very soon rewards those who stick with it and becomes one of the most engaging books I have read in a long time. Vaguely reminiscent of Agatha Raisin, in that the heroine is a dumpy middle-aged, neurotic woman who lives in deeply rural England with a cat. Yet this is by no means a rip-off.

Somewhat less manic than A.R., both series carry on an old and well-established style of British Mystery writing. That said, it is clear that Lesley Cookman has gone out of her way to break some of the rules. For example there is only -shock, horror!- *one* murder in her book;her characters have no access to the Police enquiry, so are working completly in the dark; and as much as she can she has avoided having characters do obviously stupid things.

This is not an earth-shattering book, but it is a thoroughly good read and is well-worth the asking price. I will definately be reading all sequels and recommend other to do likewise.

nicely staged
A delightful murder mystery artfully staged. The theme of a play about to be performed in the village playhouse by local actors stirs up some murky doings in the past, leading to tragic consequences. I thought I'd guessed who dun it...but the twists and turns came thick and fast and it turned out I wasn't the next Miss Marple after all. Libby Sarjeant might be, though.

More, please!
This was a 'great escape' when I needed one! Quite apart from a supremely likeable heroine in Libby, and twists even a spot-the-twist reader like me couldn't see coming, I particularly loved the fascinating flashbacks into the old hop-pickers' era. A great page-turning read - how about Libby starting up another theatre in another village setting with all sorts of lovely murk lurking in the woodwork??