Death and the Decorator: A Fethering Mystery, Book 21

The neighbors snoop and get called out for it; Carole makes a new friend; a 30-year-old mystery is solved and life goes on. Nothing really ever changes in Fethering.

Once again Simon Brett has brought together the characters of Fethering and it is a delightful read.

There’s a clever twist toward the end, which was much appreciated. This is a good read, and I look forward to the next Feathering mystery.

At 4% read, it jumped right up.."Chrissie and HER WIFE, Karen"I am so fed up with the de rigueur WORSHIP of homosexuality.....I just quit participating now, when this pandering starts up...JUST STOP IT

Death and the Decorator is the 21st (!!) book in the Fethering cozy mystery series by impressively prolific author Simon Brett. Released 5th July 2022 by Severn House, it's 222 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.Simon Brett is an indisputably gifted writer. He writes consistently, entertainingly, and well. All the parts of his mysteries (and they are varied and numerous) fit together and do precisely what they're meant to do. The characters are believable and well rendered albeit slightly eccentric. The dialogue works and is never clunky or awkward. This is a long running and well established series and it's always a joy to check in on Jude and Carol and revisit Fethering and the locals. This one is written around a cold case murder and soon Carole's investigating the disappearance of a young woman 30 years prior.I found it a delightful read and despite the potentially serious subplot elements, Mr. Brett manages to imbue the whole with enough humour to make it an entertaining and quick read. North American readers should be aware that it's written in British vernacular (torch, lift, flat, etc). The plotting is well paced and engaging with a surprisingly twisty denouement and resolution. I found the ending good, but surprisingly melancholy.The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 6 hours and 57 minutes and is capably narrated by the author himself. Sound and production quality are high throughout.Four stars. Really well done and one of my favo(u)rite consistently good cozy series. I'm looking forward to future installments in anticipation of a pleasant rainy afternoon's reading with a pot of tea and maybe some scones beside me.Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Jude is having her sitting room repainted and has hired the decorator Pete, who is currently working in Footscrow House, an old building that has housed many different businesses, all of which have failed and thus has been nicknamed Fiasco House. Jude meets with him there, and while they talk, he is removing a panel. When the panel is out, it reveals a small triangular alcove holding a red leather woman's handbag. Besides the usual items, the bag has a new passport in the name of Anita Garner. Jude takes the the bag to the police. It appears that Garner disappeared about 30 years previously when the building was a senior care facility, and Anita, age 23 worked there.Jude and her friend Carole immediately begin investigating. Anita was an only child, and was Catholic. She had been still living with her parents. The senior care facility was owned and managed by Veronica and Harry Laselle. It was their son, Roland, who was now renovating it for holiday flatlets. Carole goes to the Library to read the old newspapers, and a man approaches her to tell she is reading his writings. The former newsman, Malt Penberthy, helps her find information. There is a lot of gossip around town, including that Roland and or his father was hitting on Anita. When Harry Laselle dies of carbon monoxide poisoning on his boat, the gossip continues along with ideas on whether it was murder, suicide, or an accident.I enjoyed this book, which is very clever, includes humor, and there is a great surprise near the end.

I love a cozy set in Great Britian. The characters were realistic and likeable. The murder mystery kept you guessing.

Death and the Decorator by Simon Brett. (hardcover)Another romp with Jude and Carole in Fethering. An enjoyable read with my 2 favorite sleuths.Jude is having her front living room redecorated by Pete. Pete the decorator is well liked around the Fethering neighborhoods and gainfully employed. Currently he is on another job at the Fiasco House or so it's been named due to all the failed businesses it has been used for over the years. The last was a care home for the aged.So while Pete is stripping down one of the rooms Jude stops by to go over her choices of color for her walls at Woodside. While chiseling away at a panel a space is opened up. Pete and Jude peer inside and discover a ladies purse. On further examination it appears to belong to Anita Garner. Anita Garner was a woman who mysteriously disappeared from Fethering decades ago. Her whereabouts has never been discovered and whether she was murdered remains unknown.I loved getting back to Fethering and those sleuth-some twosome Jude and Carole. An interesting read and fun read with our old reliable Ted and the Crown and Anchor. The unraveling goes beyond simple guesses.

Silly Question , 😂😂 leisure 📖 reading, not propping up a wobbly table 😂 its the latest one in the FEATHERING MYSTERY SERIES .2 ladies amateur sleuths investigate yet another murder .Nice plot and the two main characters are completely diverse in their outlook on life . Simon Brett brings them to life and you feel like that you know them .I have the complete series and hope that THE HOLIDAY AREA OF FEATHERING CONTINUES TO HAVE MORE MURDERS AND BRINGING THEM BACK INTO ACTION .Love to pop one in my suitcase when going away . An enjoyable read that doesn't stretch your grey matter.

A Fethering mystery is always an enjoyable and escapist pleasure. I hope there will be more.

Reading for pleasure.