Murder in the Afternoon (Kate Shackleton) - Hardcover

Brody, Frances

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1250037026 ISBN 13: 9781250037022

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2014

Synopsis

An intricate plot in the post-WWI English countryside and Frances Brody's "refreshingly complex heroine" (Kirkus) combine in Murder in the Afternoon, an absorbing mystery.

Dead one minute

Young Harriet and her brother Austin have always been scared of the quarry where their stone mason father works. So when they find him dead on the cold ground, they rush off quickly to look for some help.

Alive the next?

When help arrives, however, the quarry is deserted and there is no sign of the body. Were the children mistaken? Is their father not dead? Did he simply get up and run away?

A sinister disappearing act

It seems like another unusual case requiring the expertise of Kate Shackleton--and Mary Jane, the children's mother, is adamant that only she can help. But Mary Jane is hiding something--a secret from Kate's past that raises the stakes and puts both Kate and her family at risk.

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About this title

Review:

Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs . They make excellent heroines. Literary Review on the Kate Shackleton Mysteries

Frances Brody succeeds brilliantly. . . Her post-war world in which making any sort of living is hard grind and where an independent career woman is viewed with hostility is entirely convincing. Kate is a heroine to like and admire. . . Her further adventures are eagerly awaited. The Daily Mail on Murder in the Afternoon

Brody again displays her prodigious talent for misdirection, tempered by her fair play with clues that render the possibility that the reader will not be fooled. But don't bet on it.... Steeped in period color, A Medal for Murder again showcases a winning heroine and a clever plot, a combination reminiscent of the genre's golden age but one made fresh and gripping by an author who melds murder with mercy. Richmond Times-Dispatch on A Medal for Murder

Brody's excellent second offers a morally conflicted sleuth, historically detailed flashbacks to the Boer War and a clever mystery indeed. Kirkus on A Medal for Murder

This lusciously written historical cozy is an excellent addition to the crowded 1920s market, and Brody's second series entry (after Dying in the Wool) positions her for deserved attention. Her gentle and traditional structure (noteworthy use of flashbacks) pairs nicely with Kerry Greenwood (see review above) and Jacqueline Winspear titles. Library Journal on A Medal for Murder

The traditional British mystery is alive and well, thanks in part to Frances Brody and her lady detective, Kate Shackleton Kate is very adept at sizing people up and maximizing the information that she can get from them I especially liked the number of curves the author threw in toward the end of the novel. Mystery Scene on A Medal for Murder

Detective Kate Shackleton solves her second murder mystery in this fun, well-plotted mystery set in 1920s Harrogate Brody presents us with a mystery full of lively characters and significant stories of both past and present. As Faulkner said, the past isn't dead. It isn't even past. Brody's mystery is expertly crafted and keeps the reader guessing right up until the last pages, as a good mystery should. HistoricalNovelSociety.org on A Medal for Murder

More twists and turns than a country road. I hope that Ms. Brody writes more of these novels because I thoroughly enjoyed this one I just had to keep reading so that I could try to figure out who the murderer was. I never knew until the last page and then I still wondered if they caught the real murderer. NightOwlReviews.com on A Medal for Murder

These gentle crime novels, that have you guessing at every turn are a pure joy. Refreshing and highly entertaining, especially for the winter nights. Yorkshire Gazette and Herald on A Medal for Murder

A Medal for Murder contains all the elements of crime fiction - theft, kidnap, murder, a feisty private detective, a handsome Detective Inspector, a (sometimes) dour sidekick, plenty of suspects and all the twists and turns we expect from our genre.... A work of extraordinary depth, lightness of touch and strength of characterisation. Mystery Women on A Medal for Murder

[Kate Shackleton's] lively wit and intuitive abilities serve her well as she steps into the limelight of this drama filled with theft, deception, assumed identities, faked kidnapping, blackmail, and murder-- a veritable theatrical trunk full of mystery-plot props. The author's period details-- including some flashbacks to the Boer War, involving incidents vital to the present-day plot-- add further historical flavor and thoroughly enhance Brody's show. bookreviewsbydavidmarshalljames.blogspot.com on A Medal for Murder

The setting of A Medal for Murder is England in the 1920s, an idyllic time for crime solving. The right mix of mobility (motor cars) and technology (telephone and telegraph) keeps the story moving along at a pleasant place The story line is enhanced by quips, fashion and social commentary and generally charming banter among the characters. Mystery fans not familiar with Ms. Brody's mystery series are encouraged to catch up post haste! Highly recommended. josephsreviews.wordpress.com on A Medal for Murder

The first in a planned series introduces a refreshingly complex heroine and adds a fine feeling for the postwar period. Kirkus on Dying in the Wool

Brody, who has written historical fiction, presents a carefully researched setting, with accurate references to the popular culture of the day and clear explanations of the dyeing and weaving processes at the mill. Booklist on Dying in the Wool

Excellent.... Ms. Brody does an excellent job of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. DYING IN THE WOOL has a lot of unanticipated twists and turns. I was completely surprised at the end! There were so many ways the story could have gone. Cheers to the author for keeping us in suspense until the very last pages. I can't wait to read more Kate Shackleton! This is a series I am definitely hooked on. historyundressed.blogspot.com on Dying in the Wool

Dying in the Wool has a winning heroine, a fresh and fascinating setting, richly detailed and well-woven into the plot, and a mystery that twists and tightens and twists again, before pulling together to a surprising and satisfying solution. Catriona McPherson, author of Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains, on Dying in the Wool

Reminiscent of Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie with a thoroughly likeable protagonist and a plot that held me to the end. Mignon F. Ballard, author of the Miss Dimple Kilpatrick Mystery Series, on Dying in the Wool

This well-plotted and atmospheric tale is enriched by technical expertise and a vividly imagined Yorkshire setting. Kate Shackleton joins Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs in a sub-group of young female amateur detectives who survived and were matured by their wartime experiences . They make excellent heroines. Literary Review on Dying in the Wool

Brody's winning tale of textile industry shenanigans is shot through with local color. The Independent (UK) on Dying in the Wool

Highly entertaining Frances Brody writes with charm and yet knows how to keep the reader guessing at every stage of the book. If you like pure detective novels you will love this. Gazette & Herald (UK) on Dying in the Wool

The story, with its secure setting in the richly-detailed woollen industry, is an excellent read. The characterization is strong and convincing and the sense of period well conveyed. Mystery Women on Dying in the Wool

The background detail of milling and dyeing is spot on as is her ear for the West Riding accent and dialect. The plot twists nicely and the denouement was, to me, unexpected. Country Life on Dying in the Wool

This is whimsical, colorful stuff and readers will warm to the entrepreneurial yet fragile Kate. Take a Break on Dying in the Wool

Kate Shackleton is a delightful leading character. The flavor of First World War England is beautifully portrayed. The world of the mill and the mill owner has gone, but in this book it is easy to image what it must have been like . [Kate's] aristocratic connections give the story a whiff of Wimsey and a touch of Christie, but mostly this is just an enjoyable and gripping mystery story with a nasty sting in the tail. CrimeSquad.com on Dying in the Wool

Dying in the Wool is a delightful book... the descriptive detail of the countryside and small village of Bridgestead is so vivid I could literally have been there. Kate Shackleton is a wonderful character and I connected with her immediately. She's a very determined soul in a time when women were still treated as second class citizens.... A very gentle book, but with a lot of substance. BookChickCity.com on Dying in the Wool

The 1920s are a fascinating and under-used period for new crime fiction, so it's a particular pleasure to have Frances setting her story at that time. Kate Shackleton is a splendid heroine I'm looking forward to the next book in the series! Ann Granger on Dying in the Wool

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About the Author:

FRANCES BRODY is the author of Dying in the Wool, A Medal for Murder, and Murder in the Afternoon. She lives in the North of England, where she was born and grew up. Frances started her writing life in radio, with many plays and short stories broadcast by the BBC. She has also written for television and theatre. Her one woman play Jehad was nominated for a Time Out award. Before turning to crime, she wrote historical sagas under her real name, winning the HarperCollins Elizabeth Elgin award for most regionally evocative debut saga of the millennium.

About this edition

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1250037026
• ISBN 13: 9781250037022
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 387