It wasn't the rain that upset Carole Seddon during her walk on the West Sussex Downs, nor was it the dilapidated barn in which she sought shelter. What upset her was the human skeleton she discovered there, neatly packed into two blue fertilizer bags.
Thus begins the mystery for strait-laced Carole and her more laid-back neighbor Jude, whose investigation takes them to the small hamlet of Weldisham. There gossips quickly identify the corpse as Tamsin Lutteridge, a young woman who disappeared from the village months before, after becoming involved with several practitioners of alternative medicine. But Detective Sergeant Baylis will confirm nothing, and Tamsin's mother is adamant that her daughter is still alive. Others believe a serial killer is on the loose. As Jude sets out to find Tamsin—either dead or alive—Carole digs deeper into Weldisham's history and the bitter relationships simmering beneath the village's gentle fa├ºade.
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"Even though the outcome was predictable, the story moved briskly along, and I enjoyed the story. The lack of information about Jude, while intriguing at first, is mildly frustrating and is beginning to be somewhat of a bore. Too bad." — Yeva (4 out of 5 stars)
"Even though the outcome was predictable, the story moved briskly along, and I enjoyed the story. The lack of information about Jude, while intriguing at first, is mildly frustrating and is beginning to be somewhat of a bore. Too bad."
“Like all the best English whodunits, this murder mystery is set in one of those old Home Counties villages where everything looks immaculate on the outside but old secrets have been simmering. Beautifully plotted, with a sharp eye for the social comedy of middle-class middle England.”
“Few crime writers are as enchantingly gifted…as Simon Brett…[He] writes in an amused satiric style.”
“Mr. Brett’s light touch produces an enjoyable mystery.”
“As in Agatha Christie mysteries, the characters are larger than life, but all the clues are provided to help the reader feel part of the puzzle-solving process. Simon Brett has a good track record…He’s onto another winner with the Fethering mysteries.”
“There’s something special about well-written British mysteries, and Simon Brett’s Death on the Downs is special, indeed.”
“Brett is off again on a marvelous send-up of contemporary British society…mixed with the kind of writing that makes you want both to savor the prose slowly and to turn the page quickly to find out what twist lies ahead.”
" As another reader labeled this, "a cozy mystery." A quiet English style mystery with interesting characters. Are they sleuths or "busy bodies"? Turns out the bones are one element of a larger police case about which we hear little until the end. Brett writes well; enjoyed descriptions of the English countryside and the townsfolk encountered while trying to decipher the clues. "
" Great listen. "
" As entertaining as the first. The reason Carole and Jude investigate this murder is fairly plausible (leaving aside the chances of Carole stumbling over yet another body). The rest of the plot is as wildly implausible as before, but still good fun. Mind you, if real village life is even remotely like what is portrayed in these books then I'm retiring to an inner city apartment! "
" Another fun installment in the Fethering mystery series! "
" This was a nice, easy read - a cozy-ish who dood it. "
" A nice murder mystery, likeable protagonists, interesting plot. I thought the ending could have been a bit better, but overall, it was a fun read. "
" The second entry in the Fethering series continues the character study of two unlikely friends who stumble into murder and mischief. I guessed the killer fairly early on--to me, the clues seemed a bit obvious--but still, a pleasant way to spend a few hours. "
" British mystery "
" Carole Seddon of Fethering discovers a body of bones in a barn "
" I love all the books in the Feathering Mystery Series, and this one is no exception. Highly Recommended! "
" It started rather boring, but it got better and more enjoyable. "
" I haven't read anything by this author before, but he seems like a good writer. After this book I'll need to go back to the beginning of the series. "
" Another case for Carole & Jude, very enjoyable very english murder mystery, lovely summer read!! "
" I started reading this series years ago. I may not remember the plot, but I recall the series having likeable characters if little mystery. I enjoyed the titles well enough that I read the new releases. "
" Meh. Don't bother. "
" If you like I-live-in-an-English-country-village mysteries (and I do), Simon Brett's Feathering series delivers with a more contemporary feel than expected. This second in the series has made me a fan. "
" Nice light British mystery. Well developed characters both women are believable. "
" This is one of the first books with Carole and Jude working together to solve a crime. I enjoyed reading their interaction and feelings as much as solving he puzzle. "
" Fethering Mysteries #2 "
" Enjoyed the characters even more in the second book. You just can't beat those British village mysteries. I like the reader too. "
" this is such a good series "
" Still enjoying this series, even if I did accidentally read it a little out of order. "
" At the begin it was boring, but it got better and I started enjoying the story. "
" great stuff. I love those two ladies are the characters they come accross! "
" Typical English mystery with enough to keep you interested and turning pages easily. I use books like these to decompress from the heavier ones. "
" Brett, Simon-DEATH ON THE DOWNS-G Woman finds bones in old barn, comes out of herself, English "
Simon Brett is the creator of four series of detective novels, the Charles Paris, Mrs Pargeter, Fethering, and Blotto & Twinks series. His 1984 stand-alone novel A Shock to the System was adapted as a film starring Michael Caine. He was awarded an OBE in 2016 for his services to literature and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Before turning to writing full time, he worked with BBC radio and London Weekend Television Other radio work includes several one-off plays for Radio 4 and a number of episodes of the Baldi detective series. A former president of Britain’s Crime Writers Association, he is president of the Detection Club, as well as being involved with various writers’ organizations.
Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) was a stage actor and an award-winning narrator. He recorded more than 100 audiobooks in his lifetime and won the prestigious Audio Award for Best Narration and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.
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