I watched the T.V. adaptation Magpie Murders, which I really enjoyed. It has the fabulous Lesley Manville in it as Susan. When I saw it in our Audible library I thought it would be the perfect thing to listen to.
Here’s the blurb …
When editor Susan Ryeland is given the manuscript of Alan Conway’s latest novel, she has no reason to think it will be much different from any of his others. After working with the bestselling crime writer for years, she’s intimately familiar with his detective, Atticus Pünd, who solves mysteries disturbing sleepy English villages. An homage to queens of classic British crime such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, Alan’s traditional formula has proved hugely successful. So successful that Susan must continue to put up with his troubling behavior if she wants to keep her job.
Conway’s latest tale has Atticus Pünd investigating a murder at Pye Hall, a local manor house. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but the more Susan reads, the more she’s convinced that there is another story hidden in the pages of the manuscript: one of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition, and murder.
Masterful, clever, and relentlessly suspenseful, Magpie Murders is a deviously dark take on vintage English crime fiction in which the reader becomes the detective.
It is very clever – there is a golden age crime type of mystery and a modern mystery. Both written in the appropriate style.
Atticus Pünd is a quieter, less flamboyant version of Poirot. And I loved how the author in the story (Conway) wrote his neighbours, family, etc. in and changed their names to something appropriate. For example, Locke became Chubb (i.e. the people who make locks). I suspect Anthony Horowitz had a lovely time writing this novel.
Susan is an engaging character/detective and I enjoyed how we followed her thought processes.
If you like crime, and in particular cozy crime, then this is for you.
A review.
