Love this series of books, they are just right for an afternoon of old fashioned policing, with a gentle crime and amusing characters

Plaster Sinners is the 11th Flaxborough mystery by Colin Watson. Released 12th July, 2018 by Farrago, it's 160 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats. This edition is a reformatting and re-release of Watson's original from 1980. For a book which is almost 40 years old, the wordplay is still droll and quite amusing.

As in all of the (highly recommended) books in this series, Colin Watson manages to skewer English village life. His characters are well drawn and humorous. And yes, this book is ridiculous, none of it would fly in real life, but it really works as a funny mystery/procedural. As with the other books in the series, puns and wordplay get a starring role. It's well worth reading and savoring this series slowly to enjoy the masterful writing. Colin Watson had a rare talent, and it's a joy to be able to revisit Flaxborough.

Five stars. I'm a bit sad that there's just one more book in the series after this one.

This story begins with Sidney Love looking for something to purchase in an auction. He is then attacked while he ponders putting in a bid. Inspector Purbright is the only one who smells something bigger in the odd behaviour surrounding the lot for sale in question. He starts digging and a London detective enters the scene to assist and add to the general ambience of the tale. There are a lot of mistakes, and resistance from within the constabulary itself to continue an investigation into something only Purbright can see. There are a lot of false leads and attention needs to be paid to the last chapter to confirm what actually transpired. 

 It is a small book and worth the little time it would take to read it.It makes you work to understand the plot, but it is rewarding work because there are quite a few conversations that will have you chuckling if read in the right mood.

A bit slow to start off with and will definitely be an acquired taste. This rural cozy crime series based in the 70's is a genteel stroll down policing as it used to be. Not much happens but if you're into the genre it's well worth a read.

A v.v. enjoyable Flaxborough mystery (although we do get Purbright in the Old Smoke for some of the mystery) that focuses more on our Inspectors and constables than the townspeople, which is all to the good. 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.

Antiques and antiquities anguish and agitate D.I. Purbright and Sergeant Love in 'Plaster Sinners'. The pair must dig deep to unearth secrets and scandal amongst the upper echelons. Trademark wry humour and witty asides coupled with a frantic plot and engaging characters make this an entertaining read. More wicked, perhaps, than others in the Flaxborough series but..... oh, so enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Delightful British detective series! I love the quaint characters and the wry humor. Inspector Bradley was a great addition to this novel. Thanks to Farrago band to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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: someone bashes the cop on the head hard enough to knock him out and then the worthless tray of geegaws he was looking at inexplicably sells at auction for several hundred pounds. What is going on?

Soon local Detective Inspector Purbright is joined by a London detective, Inspector Bradley. 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.

I raced through this again - it's not my favourite in the series, but I liked the ideas and I love the regular characters and the setting. 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.

Forty years have passed from the first release of this story, yet it holds a timeless quality that harkens back to simpler days and times, fitting quite nicely into the mysteries favored by fans of classic British authors. Colin Watson’s facility with words combine with his sharp observations and wit and bring a story that is rich in character, twists and cleverness In this story, our intrepid DI Purbright is brought into a case due to his Detective Sergeant Love’s interest in a crudely constructed plaster bas-relief of a little country cottage, and his attack from behind when inspecting the trinket.

The trinket leads the investigation into the Twilight Close Home for the Elderly, and fingerprints on the doorknob that so aptly disabled DS Love lead to a well-known to authorities person of interest, and his death brings us Inspector Bradley from London to join in the mystery. Add to the mix of people and problems, the local gentry, the aging Moldham family and their solicitor, one “Rich Dick” Loughborough, all seeming to stall enquiries and a more than uptight Chief Constable Chubb, afraid of the upset caused the gentry, and the multitude of threads of inquiry, pointed observations and a few sharply delivered laugh out loud moments are a highlight here.

Characters come and go, full of subtleties (and some outright caricature-portrayals) with their own issues, opportunities and motives that lead our detectives on a merry set of enquiries, where everyone seems to hold one or more reasons to stall or steer the investigation into yet another direction. A bit of an us v them story, especially with Chubb and the Moldham’s as the clear adversaries in the detectives’ search for the truth, the story is classic Watson: twists, observations, sly asides and multiple threads and leads all coming together to form a clear picture of a murder – motivations included, as you enjoy every step of the unraveling.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-9UC/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

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 370 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 mystery that moves at a rather slow pace. The characters are the star here. 4 stars!

Plaster Sinners is set in rural England in the 1970s. If you’re not British, I would recommend reading this on an eReader to make it easy to look up unusual words.

Thanks to the publisher, Farrago, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This Flaxborough mystery is somewhat lighter on the social satire, but it's still there, and makes up for it with a delightfully tricky plot.

It starts when a police officer is kiboshed at an auction house while holding what appears to be an innocuous plaster picture. At the auction it sells for a bundle, causing the police to ask why. The pursuit of answers involves an old folks home, impoverished upper classes, and Scotland Yard.

It's tons of fun.

*4.5 stars rounded up. I've really enjoyed these old British police procedurals from the 70s and 80s that Farrago UK has been republishing of late but I'd have to say, this is one of my favorites thus far.

The mystery is intriguing. It starts off with poor Sergeant Love getting coshed over the head with an antique doorknob while at a public auction. Then the box of junk he was interested in goes for an exorbitant amount of money during the auction. What gives? Is there a hidden treasure there?

Fingerprints on the doorknob used as a weapon point to a London robber who has recently been missing so an inspector from London familiar with the criminal journeys to Flaxborough to aid Inspector Purbright in his investigation. When the trail of clues point to a wealthy squire and his family, police can't avoid stepping on a few toes if they want to do their job.

Number eleven in the series has the same delightful blend of wry humor and intelligent investigation I've come to expect in these mysteries. There's an interesting look at British society of that era too. I'm so sad that there's only one more book to go in the series as author Colin Watson passed away in 1983. I've really enjoyed this series--quick, absorbing reads!

Many thanks to Farrago UK for the opportunity to read the books in this series via NetGalley for an honest review.

I’m a big fan of the series, but not of this particular installment. The characters and dialog are wonderful as always. Watson writes with a dry wit and if you read too fast, you’ll miss some great lines. “Returning” to Flaxborough and the quirky citizens who reside there is always a joy.
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. It’s not a bad book by any means, and I see that a good number of people liked this much more than I did, but for me, there are others in the series that were more enjoyable.

I love the Flaxborough Mystery series: these books are very enjoyable, well witten and full of great humour.
This book was no exeception and I really liked it.
A solid mystery, with a cast of old and new characters. All of them are enjoyable and interesting.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Farrago and Netgalley for this ARC

I received this book from the publishers and this is my freely given opinion. This is definitely British and yet unpredictable! The characters are quite believable and humorous at times. The English police come through unexpected twists and turns and keep the reader interested!

Sid Love, faithful constable, is perusing items at a local auction when he is hit from behind and no one sees his assailant. While poor Sid is rushed to the hospital, the auction goes on without him and the lot he was interested in sells for an incredible amount. What is it about the last few belongings of a recently deceased resident of the local retirement home that can cause such interest and violence?

Inspector Purbright must delve into the affairs of some of the local gentry, which always makes his Chief a bit anxious. Chief Constable Chubb has a great respect for tradition and treating the landed folk of the area with kid gloves, which makes it more difficult for Purbright and the rest of the force to investigate.

It seems that the plaster scene painted during therapy at the retirement home holds some sort of secret. Why are the folks up at the hall hiding the fact of a break-in? How did a stranger who was at the auction wind up dead in the lock? And how could a retiree, the local gentry, and a petty thief have anything in common? 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.

Sergeant Love has his eye on a dinky picture for his young lady, but before the bidding at the auction even begins, he gets a wallop on the head. Love ends up in the hospital and the bidding goes unreasonably high.

Sergeant Love is disappointed at losing the picture and the rest of the Flaxborough force are curious about the high stakes bidding, but when a detective from London turns up, secrets begin spilling out everywhere.

The story is complex but deftly plotted. The characters are loopy but not over the top. Inspector Purbright shows up in a different light as he works with the detective from London. The Flaxborough series is well written and witty, and this book is no exception.

DS Sidney Love is hit on the head whilst browsing an antique auction. At the time he was having a look at Lot 34 - a random group of items that are attracting alot more attention than one would suppose, looking at the contents. DS Sidney is even more surprised at the final auction price.
A DI is sent from London, to help with the investigation which rapidly turns into a murder investigation.
I loved this book - it was a funny mystery with a bit of social comment thrown in for good measure. Perfect read in the sun! #Flaxborough #NetGalley

With his previous books, Colin Watson seemed to include a secondary theme in his writings. I thought he may have used the Wind in the Willows idea when he described his characters and the inhabitants of Moldham Hall but he didn’t follow through completely. He did base his story on a ” thirities’ detective story” as commented by Purbright’s London counterpart. Plaster Sinners was a simple Golden Age detective story not like his previous ones with many characters and complexing plots. 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 100s of pages.