It takes a while to adjust to the style of the Mrs. Bradley series; certainly I find them unlike most of the other golden era offerings. The writing is superb, the settings range from melodramatic to classic (country house, quiet village etc.) but there are elements of gothic fiction not just in the plotting but in the characters. Mrs. Bradley is a grotesque if likeable figure. Her infuriating habit of explaining the crime away one way, only to renounce that explanation and explain it another way, coupled with her rather ungenerous habit of holding the cards too close to her chest for even the reader to see, can be irritating but the compensation of the witty, and atmospheric writing helps.

This book is one of the more standard, classic plots; a disappearance, a murder, a dollop of romance and lots of her trademark psychology. The characters are likeable and there's plenty of false leads, and suspicious characters. My only real quibble was the solution felt flat, slightly unsatisfying but it's well worth the read like most of the series. ( )

Gladys Mitchell is a bit of a weirdo, I think ;-) Technically this is Golden Age era cosy mystery, but rather than a nice, quick poisoning, the victim is bludgeoned, decapitated, quartered, and hung to dry in a butcher's shop, which is a bit queasy-inducing even for my 21st century stomach.

They also feel a bit long—a bit too rambling, not quite neat. And I'm annoyed when characters interfere in the clean solving of a murder—I recently read a Craig Rice where the protagonists, children, did everything from hide fugitive witnesses to steal clues—and this book also features youngish characters mucking things up on purpose, it just annoys me.

And yet I read, and wonder about the solution, it's just all the while I wish it would go a little faster and be a tad less grisly. I'll read her again, though. Nothing wrong with a 3-star read, it's just I wish it were even better. 2-stars, now, you've let me down, that's different. But she's a good solid 3-star read, and after all, I've just about finished every Agatha Christie and Margery Allingham and am happy to find a prolific writer to ease the pain.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). ( )

Stop, James!" came in deep rich tones from the depths of the chair. "You are wearing grey flannel trousers!"
"Yes," agreed Jim, glancing down at them.
"If I had my way," said Mrs Bradley firmly, "grey flannel trousers should be taxed, together with dogs, automobiles, wireless receiving-sets, income, and the colour curiously termed beige."

I like Mitchell's character studies and her humour but her plotting and convoluted storytelling left me, yet again, puzzled beyond what I can put up with. I was lost by the half-way mark, and the red herrings and inconsequential discussions in the second half did nothing to salvage the mystery for me.

Not even the humour and obvious Christie-mockery could make up for it.
Shame.

*Edit* - I've changed my rating from 2 to 3 stars. I did enjoy the writing and the humor more than a 2-star rating would lead to believe. ( )

The Mystery of a Butcher Shop by Gladys Mitchell is the second in her Mrs. Bradley series of mysteries. This book has been described as “superbly odd” and I heartily agree with that statement. Considering that this story included a dismembered body displayed in a butcher shop, at times it seemed like a comedy of errors as clues appeared and disappeared randomly, a number of suspects were continuously lying and covering up their movements for the strangest of reasons, and the police weren’t even sure of the identity of the headless corpse for most of the book. Thank heaven Mrs. Lestrange Bradley was on the case and was able to sort through the muddle.

With many twists and turns, the story slowly unfolds as to what happened in the Manor Woods that night and although it seemed like everyone in the village was in those woods at one time or another, Mrs. Bradley is able to assist the police to arrive at the most believable outcome.

Other than I felt this mystery moved a little slow, I enjoyed it. I know that in real life I would run a mile from a woman like Mrs. Bradley with her reptilian ways, leering smile and pushy nosiness, but I must admit on paper she has me most intrigued and I will certainly be continuing on with this mystery series. ( )

Very funny novel, but I think it would have worked better without a mystery since that was the weakest part by far (the resolution and the end in general is extremely abrupt and a sad disappointment). The writing is excellent - the author reproduces speech patterns and idiosyncracies which is a tad disconcerting at first and may be tiring after a while but it adds so much humour. The eccentric characters wouldn't be out of place in a P.G. Wodehouse book and the main character's really endearing. Again, my only problem was with the mystery which was convoluted to the point of being seriously confusing but I'm sticking with this author to see if she has some better stuff out there - the setting, characters and writing are all too good to dismiss. ( )