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No current Talk conversations about this book. Sergeant Sidney Love has some time before he's scheduled to go to work, so he stops at an auction. While there he sees a box of supposed junk items, and among them is a plaster cast of a little cottage. Sergeant Love thinks his young lady would enjoy this, and he's decided to bid on the lot. But while standing there he doesn't notice the man right behind him, the one who has a heavy doorknob in his hand.
He also doesn't notice when the man hits him in the back of the head with the knob, sending him straight to the floor. While unconscious, the man attempts to remove the plaster picture from Sid's hands, which are underneath his body, but is unable to do so. Upon waking, he realizes that no one has seen anyone about.
An ambulance is sent for, and they don't take him seriously when he tells him he's a police officer nor that some unknown person hit him. While at the hospital, he is visited by Detective Inspector Purbright, who takes the matter very seriously. After getting the details from Sergeant Love, he decides to visit the auction himself and tells someone there that they are not to release the contents of this lot, regardless of the purchaser.
He is surprised when the bidding tops nearly pounds. Once he discovers who the fingerprints on the knob belong to, things get even more interesting. And when a detective inspector from London arrives because he knows of the attacker, the story becomes even more bizarre as they start digging into the origins of the box of rubbish. When a body turns up in the river that is connected to the case, Purbright finds that he now has a murder on his hands as well While at the hospital, he is visited by Detective Inspector Purbright, who takes the matter very seriously.
After getting the details from Sergeant Love, he decides to visit the auction himself and tells someone there that they are not to release the contents of this lot, regardless of the purchaser. He is surprised when the bidding tops nearly pounds. Once he discovers who the fingerprints on the knob belong to, things get even more interesting.
And when a detective inspector from London arrives because he knows of the attacker, the story becomes even more bizarre as they start digging into the origins of the box of rubbish.
When a body turns up in the river that is connected to the case, Purbright finds that he now has a murder on his hands as well This book is another delightful entry in the Flaxborough Chronicles written by Colin Watson. It is quite as involved as all the others, and we are given bits and pieces throughout the story that all eventually connect to each other.
Purbright is always enjoyable to read about and I love the methods he uses while solving a case. We follow Purbright and crew as they dig into the reasons why anyone would be interested in a cheap plaster cast of a cottage. What we come away with is the fact that all is not what it seems, and someone was - and still is - willing to do whatever it takes to keep the cottage in the hands it was intentionally meant for.
The mystery itself was a tight one, with all the threads weaving together nicely at the end. It is always fascinating to see the means people will go to in order to keep their secrets hidden, and makes me grateful that I will never know any like this group of miscreants. I would like to thank Netgalley and Farrago for an advance copy of Plaster Sinners, the eleventh novel in the Flaxborough Chronicles series of police procedurals, originally published in Sergeant Love is at the auction intent on buying a picture of a plaster cast cottage for his girlfriend when, taking a final look at it he his hit over the head and suffers a concussion.
He promptly impounds it to investigate. He is joined in his investigation by Inspector Bradley of North London who has an interest in and knowledge of the chief suspect. I enjoyed Plaster Sinners which is a clever mystery and a fun read. It is not, perhaps, one of the better novels in the series as the humour is not as evident and the situation less absurd but it's still cleverly done and quite engrossing. Mr Watson tackles the class division in this one with much of it centred on the upper class Moldham family. He nails their sense of entitlement and imperiousness when faced with impertinent questions and Chief Constable Chubb's resistance to any suggestion of wrongdoing on their part.
It seems rather old fashioned in these more egalitarian times. The final solution is, however, rather jaw-dropping and worth the read. Inspector Purbright finds a like-minded investigator in Inspector Bradley and they work well together, two smart middle class men fighting against their "betters", with Purbright going as far as to admit that the "patrician" but not very bright Chief Constable thinks he is a"cad".
Plaster Sinners is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending. The investigation of why Lot 34 at the local auction attracted such high bidding leads to revelations of old family scandals, hidden wills and illegitimate children, involving the inhabitants of Moldham Hall and Twilight Close Home for the elderly.
This well-crafted tongue in cheek murder mystery pokes gentle fun at the Golden Age detective stories with their blend of cozy English gentility and menace. So DI Purbright, teamed up with a world-weary brother officer down from London, must dig deep into the dubious past of the local gentry, the laconic Moldhams, in their crumbling stately pile, to find out how the little plaster picture leads to a tale of heirlooms and murder.
These books are just fabulous, they may seem unassuming, but the have twists and turns you done see coming whilst meandering through the puzzle. Purbright will have to delve back into Flaxborough history to find the roots of this mystery and the identity of the mysterious thief. As usual, the characters of Flaxborough all play various parts in solving the mystery.
Sergeant Malley's knowledge of the local residents and village history is very helpful. Miss Teatime shows up briefly at the auction. And loyal retainer Benton, up at the hall, provides a few tidbits, too. These mysteries are carefully constructed so that everything dovetails neatly in the end, but readers must be patient with the slower speed of investigations set in a time before internet, CCTV, and other modern conveniences.
Recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries in historical settings. I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
Jul 28, Homerun2 rated it really liked it Shelves: I am quite fond of this charming and humorous British constable in a village mysteries. They are intelligently written and great fun. I have read several and they all do fine as standalones. This adventure begins innocently enough when a local policeman takes a liking to a small plaster cottage at an antique sale.
But then things begin to be odd: What is going on? They are both very bright and very funny and make an entertaining team as they try and sort through old secrets, nursing home shenanigans, attempted burglary, and some very unique characters -- and of course, a murder. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I am happy to see these books in print. Plaster Sinners is another fun Flaxborough romp! Detective Sergeant Love is coshed on the head while inspecting a plaster cottage bas-relief. Later, the item is sold for an astonishingly high pounds. Suspecting something shady, Inspector Purbright investigates. This is the eleventh book in the series of twelve. The characters are well-defined and the plots just keep getting better. The humor is more apparent in this series entry. It is a good choice for readers looking for a village cozy myste Plaster Sinners is another fun Flaxborough romp!
It is a good choice for readers looking for a village cozy mystery that moves at a rather slow pace. The characters are the star here. Plaster Sinners is set in rural England in the s. Thanks to the publisher, Farrago, and NetGalley for an advanced copy. Jul 12, Niken Widyastuti rated it it was amazing. For me, this was one of the best books in the Flaxborough Mystery series.
Murder of a villain always left some sort of dilemma. A villain is a villain, but a murder is also a murder. Like it or not, murder to anybody needs to be investigated. Ideally, police could not choose which one to be investigated. Following DI Purbright and his partner from London in their attempt to solve the case was en For me, this was one of the best books in the Flaxborough Mystery series. Following DI Purbright and his partner from London in their attempt to solve the case was enlightening and humorous at times.
It really was a very enjoyable read. Hope the next and last book in the series would be at least as good as this one. Jul 10, Drew K rated it liked it. The characters and dialog are wonderful as always. The plot of this book, however, I found to be very slow and not very engaging. An inexplicable murder, a jewelry theft, family secrets within an established Flaxborough family all come together, but for me, at a much different pace than the other books. Whiffs of melancholy and faded grandeur hang about this penultimate novel in the Flaxborough series.
There are secrets to be uncovered both in Twilight Close, a home for the elderly, and at Moldham Hall, the home of the local squire.
(A Flaxborough Mystery Book 11) Be sure to tag it using #Flaxborough # NetGalley . I enjoyed Plaster Sinners which is a clever mystery and a fun read. Editorial Reviews. About the Author. Colin Watson was born in He worked as a journalist but was most famous for his twelve 'Flaxborough' novels, set in a.
Secrets so important that they lead to murder. Why was there such interest at the local auction in an uninspired plaster plaque of a country cottage? How is a very incompetent London burglar involved in it all? With the aid of Inspector Bradley from London, and despite Whiffs of melancholy and faded grandeur hang about this penultimate novel in the Flaxborough series. With the aid of Inspector Bradley from London, and despite the attempts of various seemingly respectable local worthies to impede him, Purbright works it all out.
This was not laugh-out-loud funny, but did have its wry and tongue-in-cheek moments. With his previous books, Colin Watson seemed to include a secondary theme in his writings. Plaster Sinners was a simple Golden Age detective story not like his previous ones with many characters and complexing plots.
Still an exc With his previous books, Colin Watson seemed to include a secondary theme in his writings. Still an excellent read and to think he accomplish all his story lines in an uncommon number of pages as compared to the present detective book which requires s of pages. The actual death and detecting are neatly done - my one complaint is that Mr. Watson lays it on a bit too thick with take downs of institutionalized deference to the gentry. A strong recommend still, however. I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest revi A v.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Jul 12, Aileen Ailz Grist rated it it was amazing. I've yet to be disappointed by a Colin Watson Flaxborough book. This one has very few of the usual characters and introduces us to some of the local aristocracy and happenings from before the second world war. Our aristocratic lady was known to be a 'bit of a thruster' in her day and now as an old lady she's not changed all that much. An enjoyable read that brings in a detective from London, and an old folks home called 'Twilight Court' - enough to make you shudder.
The plot is interesting too - different from the normal run on cozy crime type plots. I liked it - and I'm sad that I'm coming to the end of this series. I love the Flaxborough Mystery series: This book was no exeception and I really liked it. A solid mystery, with a cast of old and new characters.
Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms. He also doesn't notice when the man hits him in the back of the head with the knob, sending Sergeant Sidney Love has some time before he's scheduled to go to work, so he stops at an auction. Fingerprints on the doorknob used as a weapon point to a London robber who has recently gone missing so an inspector from London familiar with the criminal journeys to Flaxborough to aid Inspector Purbright in his investigation. Sid Love, faithful constable, is perusing items at a local auction when he is hit from behind and no one sees his assailant. Get to Know Us. Watson apparently liked to aim for the elegantly spare wrap-up, just a few light paragraphs, bringing it all together with a sudden pass, like a magician. As with the other books in the series, puns and wordplay get a starring role.
All of them are enjoyable and interesting. These books are just fabulous, they may seem unassuming, but the have twists and turns you done see coming whilst meandering through the puzzle. The story just takes you along, and you really don't want to put it down but you really don't want to finish it. Maybe a little slow for a first time reader of Colin Watson, but it does get under your skin.
Aug 06, Susan rated it really liked it Shelves: Good traditional, well-written mystery with a classic English cast of characters and gentle sardonic humor. Another fun entry This series is welcome, and the plots are fantastic. In this entry, the town is all bidding on a lot of cheap items. Oct 19, Dan rated it really liked it. My last Colin Watson and that's a shame really. I have been reading for more than 40 years on a rationed basis and always enjoyed his writing. Some of course were better than others and this was one of the quite good, but not the top.