Synopses & Reviews
When a teenage girl disappears from a north London suburb a few days before Christmas, Detective Sergeant Effie Strongitharm puts would-be cult leader and reputed exorcist Nigel Tapster on her list of people to be questioned.
But when Effie witnesses Tapster's agonizing death during a church service, she needs to ask a different question: What holy terror spiked the sacraments with strychnine?
With her mentor Detective Superintendent Mallard battling forced retirement, Effie turns to children's book writer Oliver Swithin to help her in a double quest —to bring the girl home and the murderer to justice in time for Christmas.
But is there a connection between the cases? And what does any of this have to do with another case of Shakespearean indecent exposure, a Scotland Yard commissioner's personal hygiene, a six-year-old Hell's Angel, Finsbury the Ferret's Guide to Being Absolutely Beastly, and the return of Underwood Tooth, the world's leading expert on being ignored?
Review
" this first novel succeeds in large part because of its humor, light tone, imaginative characters, and fascinating murder scenes. A pleasant distraction." --Library Journal of An Embarrasment of Corpses, "In the end, it's difficult to say what's most appealing about this book: Oliver's beguiling personality, the inventive plot, or the clever wordplay, raucous jokes, and hilarious innuendos. No matter. Beechey has concocted a sparkling little gem of a mystery that's a treat to read." --Booklist of Murdering Ministers
Synopsis
"Filled with clever repartee, memorable characters, and an ending as satisfying as it is unexpected."--Booklist
What holy terror spiked the sacraments with strychnine?
When a teenage girl disappears from a north London suburb a few days before Christmas, Detective Sergeant Effie Strongitharm puts would-be cult leader and reputed exorcist Nigel Tapster on her list of people to be questioned.
But when Effie witnesses Tapster's agonizing death during a church service, she needs to ask a different question: What holy terror spiked the sacraments with strychnine?
With her mentor Detective Superintendent Mallard battling forced retirement, Effie turns to children's book writer Oliver Swithin to help her in a double quest--to bring the girl home and the murderer to justice in time for Christmas.
But is there a connection between the cases? And what does any of this have to do with a Scotland Yard Commissioner's personal hygiene, a six-year-old Hell's Angel, a guide to beastly behavior featuring Finsbury the Ferret, a touch of Shakespeare, and the return of the mysterious, virtually invisible Underwood Tooth?
Synopsis
What holy terror spiked the sacraments with strychnine? When a teenage girl disappears from a north London suburb a few days before Christmas, Detective Sergeant Effie Strongitharm puts would-be cult leader and reputed exorcist Nigel Tapster on her list of people to be questioned. But when Effie witnesses Tapster's agonizing death during a church service, she needs to ask a different question: What holy terror spiked the sacraments with strychnine? With her mentor Detective Superintendent Mallard battling forced retirement, Effie turns to children's book writer Oliver Swithin to help her in a double quest--to bring the girl home and the murderer to justice in time for Christmas. But is there a connection between the cases? And what does any of this have to do with a Scotland Yard Commissioner's personal hygiene, a six-year-old Hell's Angel, a Guide to beastly behavior featuring Finsbury the Ferret, a touch of Shakespeare, and the return of the mysterious, virtually invisible Underwood Tooth?
About the Author
Alan Beechey was born in England and grew up in London. He moved to Manhattan in his twenties and now lives with his three sons in Rye, New York, a city named after the English seaside town where his grandmother was born. Murdering Ministers is the second title featuring children's book author and amateur sleuth Oliver Swithin and his girlfriend, Scotland Yard detective Effie Strongitharm. They first met in An Embarrassment of Corpses, which The Bookshop Blog included in its list of the "Best 100 Mysteries of All Time," and reappeared in Murdering Ministers. Alan is also the co-author of a non-fiction book on American culture and values.