Introducing a series utterly perfect for cozy fans of Alan Bradley, Alexander McCall Smith, and Louise Penny. The Reverend Tom "Father" Christmas, the newest vicar of Thornford Regis, an idyllic rural town in England, turns detective when one of his parishioners turns up dead in a drum, and everyone in town seems to have something to confess. Tom Christmas came to picturesque Thornford Regis with his young daughter to escape the terrible experience of losing his wife in the city. Her murder sent him packing to the bucolic and charming town, where violent crime isn't supposed to happen and the greatest sin is supposed to be nothing a member of the clergy can't handle. Then, at the town fair, a woman is found murdered. Tom soon learnsthat everyone in Thornford Regis has a secret to hide--infidelity, theft, even past murders. Twelve Drummers Drumming showcases a lovely place to live and/or die, and marks the debut of a planned twelve-book mystery series featuring the brilliant Father Christmas.
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"This was definitely, for me, a book I couldn't put down. It was a well-written and enjoyable mystery set in a beautiful English village. I loved "Father" Christmas and all the other characters (I especially enjoyed Madrun's letters to her Mother). I was happy to read that the author is at work on the next "Father" Christmas mystery, Eleven Pipers Piping - I can't wait." — Linda (5 out of 5 stars)
"This was definitely, for me, a book I couldn't put down. It was a well-written and enjoyable mystery set in a beautiful English village. I loved "Father" Christmas and all the other characters (I especially enjoyed Madrun's letters to her Mother). I was happy to read that the author is at work on the next "Father" Christmas mystery, Eleven Pipers Piping - I can't wait."
" Plodding, plodding, plodding. Did finish it, but there wasn't much joy. Injections of previous events were confusing as times. Never grabbed me. "
" I loved this book. The author is Canadian, writing about life in England. I have a better than average vocabulary, but some of the English colloquialisms were beyond me. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Agatha Christi. "
" Following the violent death of his wife in the city, Father Christmas moves to the quiet countryside to raise his daughter and come to terms with his grief. But just as Miss Marple showed us...any and everything that can happen in the city, also happens in the village.... "
" A fun little mystery with some great names for the characters and the title. "
" In the first 50 pages a man went missing and a young woman is found murdered. Unfortunately the story does not live up to its beginning. There just was 310 pages of describing everything. "
" I just could not get into this one. I read the first four parts of the audio-book and just decided that there are too many books that keep my interest to keep going. Maybe I will finish some day? "
" very slow, wordy "
" It has been a while since I had trouble keeping track of all the characters in a book, but once I did it was a good mystery and had an unpredictable ending. I would give this 4 stars but I really didn't enjoy the language in the book , some of which was unnecessary. "
" A fun read about another priest - mystery hound in England. The writer has a very predictable writing habit dropping a clue in one chapter and leaving you hanging until the next to answer it. The device is so transparent that it is annoying. "
" I liked this book and its main character, the new vicar. Quite a few dangling ends were left, to be tied in the next book (I hope). It sure wasn't much of a CHRISTMAS book, however! "
" Good mystery---even though I'd guessed the killer, a few of the aspects were a real surprise. Takes place in a small village in England. "
" English countryside, deaths, all around the theme of a Reverend Christmas and letters from his housekeeper to her mother about the goings on in a small rural English town. "
" Was looking for an English cozy mystery and stumbled onto this one. Much better than I could have hoped for. Good balance between quaint village scenery and being rooted in modernity. "
" I'll read more of this planned series, but was disappointed this book is set in May--I thought it would be an inspiring Christmas read. Lots of great characters to pick up with next book, and the 11 lords a leaping are mentioned. "
" Pretty solid cozy, which is not quite as lightweight as the requisite punny title might suggest. "
" So glad Jane Bee made an appearance. I loved the Her Majesty novels and am glad Douglas is writing again! "
" Too much uninteresting extraneous material for me!! Decent mystery otherwise. "
" I really enjoyed the audio version of this book. Thw readers, one voice for the housekeeper writing daily letters to her mother and the other voice for the vicar. Very well done. "
" A wonderful find! Just the cozy genre of mystery I love with great characters and setting... the plot's great too! "
" I bought the audio version after I read Eleven Pipers Piping. The mystery is strong. The villagers are delightful; Father Tom, Miranda and Mudane are entertaining... Highly Recommended. "
C. C. Benison has worked as a writer and editor for newspapers and magazines, as a book editor, and as a contributor to nonfiction books. A graduate of the University of Manitoba and Carleton University, he is the author of five novels. He lives in Winnipeg.
Steve West, the winner of multiple Earphones Awards for narration, is an international actor who has starred on London’s prestigious West End stage, including productions of Mamma Mia! and Oh, What a Night! He is widely known for his television and film work in both the United States and the UK, and he has performed for Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. He hosts his own television show for the UK live from Los Angeles.
Jil Gilpin is a British actress who has starred in numerous BBC television shows, including The Dutchess of Malfi and Dad’s Army, among others. She also spent a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company and three years with the Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre. She currently lives in Los Angeles.
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