When one of Sheila Malory’s elderly friends is found dead in her flat, suspicion turns first on her landlord, a rather smarmy doctor who wanted to repurpose the residential building for an old folks’ home. However, soon it is revealed that he could not have been responsible, and both Sheila and the police are at a loss as to who else might be culpable. But when the wife of the woman’s nephew is also killed, and it turns out that the nephew stands to receive a very substantial and hitherto unknown inheritance from the old lady, the field of possible suspects widens considerably…. This is the sixth book in the Mrs. Malory series, and once again she is close to home, observing her neighbours and friends as they cope with both the modern world and murder. I quite like this cozy series, because Mrs. Malory is such a likable middle-aged lady who one might suspect of meddling if it weren’t for her obvious good intentions. We learn a little more about village life in this book, and her son Michael is rather more prominent than he has been previously, but the story basically centers on Sheila and her friends, with cameos by her animals, of course! Recommended. ( )

ordinary cozy set in seaside town with gossipy amateur detective, fairly forgettable

Miss Graham has lived in a flat in a nice ocean-side building for most of her life and plans to live there until she dies. When she discovers that Dr. Cowley has plans to turn the building into a nursing home and make a tidy profit, she becomes completely upset. She enlists the help of Mrs. Malory to find out what to do and how to stop the greedy doctor from following through.

Things turn upside down when Miss Graham is found murdered. Interesting thing is that she has a weak willed nephew that she wills all her property to along with her money. A larger inheritance that anyone expected. Also part of the picture is the nephew's strong-willed wife. Could they be the culprits?

Also a new resident comes to live and work in quiet Taviscomb; Jenny, a new legal exec with Tom's law firm. Could there be a little romantic interest there, Mrs. Malory wonders. Is she really what she seems?

There is also Mrs. Wheatley, Miss Graham's neighbour. She is a bit mysterious and she is seen having a conference with Dr. Cowley. Is she part of his scheme to convert the building?

For a cozy murder, there is quite a bit of action and red herrings. Mrs. Malory and some of her friends are determined to solve the mystery of Miss Graham's death. Did I mention that there is also another murder that needs solving?

I fun, light read. I do plan to read more of this series. ( )

Hazel Holt was the friend, biographer and literary executor of Barbara Pym, and their voices are not dissimilar. Mrs. Malory, her series character, is a widow living in a small British seaside town, with one son, two dogs and a Siamese cat. Her days are filled with good works both organized and ad hoc, and it is in doing some of the latter, visiting lonely old ladies, that she discovers a murder. There are a couple of obvious suspects and then a surprise ending (although I could see it coming). Not the best of her books, but quite satisfactory as an exemplar of the "cozy" mystery. ( )