The Vicarage Murder

Monica Noble Detective, Book 1

Meet Monica Noble: the vicar’s wife with a taste for solving crimes.

Please note this book was first published as An Unholy Mess under Faith Martin’s pen name Joyce Cato.

In a quiet Cotswold village, all hell is about to break loose.

Monica Noble is throwing a party to welcome the village’s new residents. The guests include Margaret and her cheating husband Sean. Also on the list are a celebrity chef, an Oxford university professor, a 40-something divorcee, and the owner of a chain of gyms.

Then as the drinks are flowing, a shotgun blast rings out. One of the guests is found dead.

DCI Dury and Sergeant Jim Greer are soon on the scene and discover that the victim had many enemies. Almost all the guests harbor secrets and motives for murder. Even Monica’s daughter comes under suspicion.

When another villager is strangled to death nearly a week later, the stakes are raised.

Can Monica help the local detectives save her daughter and solve the murders before anyone else pays the ultimate price?

This is the first of a series of enjoyable murder mysteries with great characters and baffling crimes which will keep you gripped till the final minute.

Perfect for fans of classic whodunits by authors like Agatha Christie, LJ Ross, TE Kinsey, and J.R. Ellis.

©2022 Faith Martin (P)2022 Spotify Audiobooks

Excellent story

I really enjoyed this cosy mystery! It is well written and nicely narrated. I recommend it!

Started ok then went downhill

The book started ok for me. I liked the premise of an older sedate vicar married to a younger more modern wife. It reminded me a little of the characters in Ms Marple’s Murder at the vicarage. However, as a result of how the book progressed, I started to sour on the heroine. She appears to be a bit emotionally unstable and confused. I doubt if I will continue with this series.

Plot twists!

It was very easy to figure out who the murder victim was going to be, but nearly every character had reason enough. Well, except for the vicar and the vicar's wife. During a somewhat impromptu garden party on the grounds of the former vicarage turned apartment building the blast of a shotgun is heard, but the body is found in an apartment that is being painted and decorated pre sale. The only things more prevalent than suspects are the red herrings and plot twists! I read it on one hot day and loved it!

Too much tiny detail

Disliked the story going around and around and around in tiny circles. It was tedious

Weird tension

All I can to say for this book is that the tension between this “happily” married vicar’s wife and the detective is garbage. What a strange subplot. It ruined the book. I lost all respect for the characters involved- no they don’t act on it but my gosh - A murder mystery with this? Why the author ruined her book is beyond me. It ruined it. Seriously ruined the book. But that aside it wasn’t great either way. The daughter is frustrating. The main character lost credibility. I recommend you avoid. The performance is good, so it’s got that.