An old fashioned whodunit set in rural Suffolk around 1958 replete with family dysfunction, adulterous frolics, muderous grudges, lots of gin and tonics, and blessed with a twisty plot full of surprises & a rather unappealing set of very well drawn characters whose emotions run the gamut from cantankerous boorishness to innocent despair.
Murder at Standing Stone Manor is Eric Brown's latest romp involving the genial mystery writer Don Langham and his long time partner Maria Dupré, the smart and wordly duo now recently married and always ready to put their sleuthing skills to.the test.
Elegantly written and very entertaining this wonderful novel should definitely be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Canongate/Severn for this terrific ARC

I really like this series and was surprised to see this is now the eighth book featuring author/private detective, Donald, and his French wife, Maria. The couple have now moved to the country, to Yew Tree Cottage in the village of Ingoldby-over-water. Their time is spent unpacking (at one point I did wonder how much the spare room could hold, Maria was so often unpacking boxes in there!) and meeting the neighbours.

The locals include Professor Robertshaw, at Standing Stone Manor, who lives with his invalid wife, Xandra, son Randall and orphaned niece, Nancy. Both the Professor, and Randall, are aggressive, heavy drinkers and Donald has barely moved into his new cottage before the Professor wants to consult him about some unpleasant notes. Meanwhile, Maria befriends young Nancy, who is used as a dogsbody by her uncle, resented by Randall and is in love with a young man named Roy Vickers, who lives in a disused caravan and works for a nearby farmer.

This is a slightly slower instalment than some previous books in the series, but I enjoyed meeting the locals and assume that some more books might be set in the location of Ingoldby-over-water, now that the author has set the scene. This is a story of secrets, with many of those involved having long held resentments against each other. A good addition to the series with, I hope, more to come. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

Donald Langham and new wife Maria Dupré have just moved from London to the small village of Ingoldby-Over-Water and are busy setting up house and meeting the new neighbors. The neighbors are a colorful and charming lot that they like quite a lot until Donald gets a summons from the resident of the local manor house, retired archeological Professor Edwin Robertshaw, who wants to discuss some “fishy” business. Robertshaw is a very self-centered and unlikable man. He is totally obsessed with the standing stone behind the manor and is conducting a dig to try and locate other stones that he believes to exist. He is thoroughly disliked by his neighbors, and is feuding with one over the ownership of the land where he is digging. He also reveals that he is being blackmailed and asks Donald, who is a private detective as well as a writer, to investigate. When a murder takes places by the standing stone Donald and Maria join with the local police to find the killer. Although this is part of a series, this worked well as a stand alone novel. The author does a fine job of creating varied and well rounded characters as well as believable dialog. I enjoyed his writing and plot development and plan to read other books in this series. I would strongly recommend it to fans of Agatha Christie and other cozy mysteries. Thanks to Severn House Publishers and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

224 pages

5 stars

Donald Langham and new wife Maria Dupré have just moved from London to the countryside. So far, they love it. They meet several new neighbors and for the most part like them very much.

When Langham gets a call from a neighbor retired archeological Professor Edwin Robertshaw, he meets him to discuss some “fishy” business. It seems someone is attempting to blackmail him.

Robertshaw is a decidedly unlikable man. He is so self-centered it is like no one else exists. He is having feuds with most, if not all of his neighbors. When he turns up dead, it is no surprise. But to determine who committed the murder, Langham teams up with the assigned detective Montgomery.

This little story is charming and very well written. I really like the way Donald and Maria get along together. Their talents compliment each other so very well. The characters in this book are all colorful, even the ones I didn't like. Mr. Brown sure has a talent for character development. I await the publication of the next book in this great series.

I want to thank NetGalley and Canongate Books / Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love this series and I liked this new installment even if it's not my favorite.
It's a slow burning story featuring a country setting and it's slow burning, a bit too slow at the beginning.
We get to know Donald and Maria neighbours and there's an underlying tension that makes you understand that something will happen.
The mystery is gripping, full of twists and turns and red herring. The solution came as a surprise and is quite complex.
There're some humorous moment that made me laugh.
It can be read as a standalone.
It's an entertaining and I recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Whodunnit In Traditional Vein....
The eighth in this wholly entertaining and satisfying series of mysteries finds Donald and Maria, as newlyweds, settling into their idyllic cottage and new found country life in Ingoldby-over-Water. They soon find that tensions bubble under the seemingly calm exterior of village life and when a body is discovered beside a standing stone in the grounds of the local manor it becomes clear that those tensions have bubbled over. A whodunnit in traditional vein with likeable protagonists and an enjoyable plot populated with a credible and colourful cast of supporting characters this is an excellent addition to an already engaging series.