Overall, though, an enjoyable read that would certainly encourage me to read more of the author’s work, and deserving of a 4-star rating…. The book is also a bit over-padded with unnecessary descriptions of the village, of what characters were wearing, even of Max’s backstory – I felt it could have lost roughly a third of its 300 pages and been better for it. The plot is shrouded in mystery till the very end and although some clues are given, really the dénouement relies too much on a twist that the reader could not have known, so not as fair as most Golden Age mysteries were. Some of the villagers are well fleshed out, though there is a tendency towards stereotyping. Following a road to Damascus moment, he has come late to his calling as vicar and brings his worldly knowledge to bear on this mystery. Max Tudor is a likeable protagonist, who has left MI5 after becoming disillusioned.
Well written and with a good deal of mild humour, the book nods repeatedly towards Agatha Christie and the author is clearly trying to emulate that style, with some success. This is a fun take on the Golden Age mystery with much to recommend it. Nobody likes her, but does someone hate her enough to kill her? When she is found dead during the Harvest Fayre, local MI5-agent-turned-vicar Max Tudor suspects foul play… President of the Women’s Institute and self-proclaimed leader of all village ventures, Wanda Batton-Smythe is overbearing and rude to all.
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