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This was my first Tope, and I am told that her other, earlier works are better. I hope so, for the sake of those who like her stories, because I don't think I will be reading any more. The main character was boring. Actually most of the characters were rather flat. I felt as if Tope were trying too hard to make things interesting. Hen A somewhat cozy British mystery with an interesting premise, a fluffed out, substantially dull middle, and a not so satisfying conclusion. Hence the fluffed out middle. I was bored to tears in places.
There were also places where I felt she dropped accidental red herrings that she didn't even notice herself. For instance, there were plenty of opportunities for her to bolster up the plot by playing on some of the situations she described at length. But apparently she just wanted to describe things for no apparent reason.
My husband laughed when I declared, "Finally, someone else died! One in particular really didn't stand to gain a thing. I only really persevered because the book was a gift. This English mystery is set on a farm near a small village. Guy Beardon is the victim of the very dirty death referred to in the book's title, drowning in a slurry pit.
At first everyone, including the police assume it is an accident. But when another death occurs, second looks are taken. Guy's daughter Lilah finds herself suspicious of everyone except her younger brother and the young policeman she went to school with. As she interacts with people from the village, she finds herself looking care This English mystery is set on a farm near a small village. As she interacts with people from the village, she finds herself looking carefully at their actions and questioning their motives.
She is also compelled to look closer at her own relationship with her father and the influence he had on her life. An interesting mystery, as well as watching a young woman forced to face adulthood with the loss of her father, a very quick growing up. Dec 07, Kirsty Darbyshire added it. Oct 12, Caroline Ryan rated it it was amazing. If you like Midsomer Murders then you'll like these books. A great story, several murders, lots of twists and turns and I didn't work out who dunnit! Quite a long book, length is used to build up the tension and confusion as to who is doing the killings and more over what the motive is, as the victims appear unconnected.
Called a West Country story, but other than occasional references to things like 'Devon hedges' I didn't feel it was anymore specifically Devon, than any other rural farming area. Didn't realise this was the first of a series, will read others if I see them, but won't go searching for them. New-to-me author that I find I really like. The story got off to a bit of a slow start, but as the characters and plot developed it all came together for a great mystery - plenty of hints to lead the reader astray as to "who did it". I found it a riveting page turner from the start.
Lilah is the daughter of a farmer who is not popular with many in the local area, and the nightmare starts for her when she finds him dead in the slurry pit one morning. As the story develops, more people come under suspicion, especially when the deaths begin to mount up.
I liked the characterisation where Lilah and her mother in particular are developed as very different people who rub each other up the wrong way, and where emotions such as shock I found it a riveting page turner from the start. I liked the characterisation where Lilah and her mother in particular are developed as very different people who rub each other up the wrong way, and where emotions such as shock are dealt with in a realistic and powerful way.
There is also a subplot of a love interest between Lilah and Den, a police constable she once had a crush on at school. The setting is also very well realised, certainly for the period when written , obviously due to the author's own practical experience with life on a farm and looking after livestock. I've only read this author's cozy crime novels previously, but this shows that she is more than capable of producing a darker story dealing with the undercurrents of emotion and spite in a rural setting.
Others have given a good synopsis of the plot so I will just say that the best part of this book is the descriptions of the family reactions to death and murder of a loved one. The inability to accept things, the difficulties of social interactions with people who are afraid to talk to you, suspicious of you or just plain uneasy in your presence. I had a hard time accepting that people who suspected that the first death in the book was murder didn't tell the police about the person who was a stra Others have given a good synopsis of the plot so I will just say that the best part of this book is the descriptions of the family reactions to death and murder of a loved one.
I had a hard time accepting that people who suspected that the first death in the book was murder didn't tell the police about the person who was a stranger in town and had a public confrontation with the victim. Even the inveterate gossips felt this was unimportant. Also there was an incident of a shoe in the slurry pond which no one felt the size of which could help find the killer, rather the finger was pointed at one who would have had a Cinderella ugly stepsister moment if the shoe had been tried on Arghh!
But I liked the book and would read another by this author. Jul 28, Carol rated it really liked it. I will definitely read more of Rebecca Tope. Her mystery syle made it difficult to figure out who committed the three murders in the West Country community. The writing was awkward in spots and the characters were a bit undefined but the plot made up for these lapses.
Jul 15, Fran rated it did not like it.
I read the whole Costwolds series and liked most of them. So I was really enthusiastic about reading more of Tope's books. This book, however, turned out to be a disappointing read. It was so boring that I stopped reading after just one third. This is my first kindle read so I was pleased to say I found it very easy going but it kept me guessing who the killer was right to the end, I look forward to reading more.
Mar 06, Patricia rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Really enjoyed this first book in the West Country series. Dec 05, Brenda rated it liked it.
I'm not usually a big fan of Britsh mysteries for some reason. This seemed to take me forever to get through but I didn't completely guess who-done-it before the end and that's always a plus. Mark and Jesse are both impressed but a bit worried when joining Steve whose young friend Jake Hallman presents them to the set in the desert where Kyle Lewis professionally produces crazy stunt motor bike videos in the dunes but loses riders to Casey, a girl who is just out for profit. Then they witness Kyle's top rider and friend Spleen dying in a crash and find both bike and helmet were sabotaged.
Jake is eager to grab his chance taking Spleen place, which makes him a suspect, and his hacksaw fits the traces on the doctored bike. When Amanda finds amphetamine traces in Spleen, Kyle points out that fits Casey's dealing past.
Then Steve fails to arrest a masked burglar on a motor bike who just knocked out Sheila, who has a lover jealousy motive. A generous contract in favor of Spleen and a video recorder inspire Mark to set a trap Written by KGF Vissers. All perform well and the episode is mainly about motor bikes and murder. All in all, another entertaining episode of this most enjoyable series!
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A Dirty Death has ratings and 26 reviews. Bev said: literally! guy is found dead in a slurry pit and it is deemed an accident. he was not well like. When the unpopular Guy Beardon meets a very dirty death in his own farmyard, no one, even the vicar who officiates at his funeral, is prepared to mourn him.
Season 5 Episode Mark and Jesse are both impressed but a bit worried when joining Steve whose young friend Jake Hallman presents them to the set in the desert where Kyle Lewis professionally produces crazy IMDb's Guide to Streaming. List of television programs by date. Share this Rating Title: Down and Dirty Dead 11 Dec 7. Use the HTML below.
Then they witness Kyle's top rider and friend Spleen dying in a crash and find both bike and helmet were sabotaged. Feb 04, Kae Cheatham rated it liked it Shelves: Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Yes, I was disappointed. Annually, 9 lakh million litres of sewage water and industrial effluent is let into rivers across the state while only 4. Retrieved March 29, The death is ruled accidental.
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