I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of Death and the Decorator, the twenty first novel to feature amateur sleuths Carole Seddon and her neighbour Jude, set in the West Sussex village of Fethering.

Jude is redecorating and during a discussion with her decorator, Pete, at his other place of work, Footscrow House, they discover an old handbag belonging to Anita Garner, who disappeared thirty years ago. Jude and Carole are determined to discover what happened to her, and in the course of their investigation uncover more than one secret.

I enjoyed Death and the Decorator, which is another light, fun read set in the middle classes of Little England, where nothing is as it outwardly seems. It is a good mix of humour and mystery, so I was puzzled as I laughed.

The plot consists of Carole and Jude asking questions and generally riling up those who were around at the time until they get some answers. It seems unsophisticated, but it’s extremely well done and I would never have guessed how it turns out. It’s a bit of a masterclass in misdirection.

Much of the humour in the novel derives from the personality differences between Carole and Jude. Carole is rigid in her thinking and routines and very insecure, whereas Jude is relaxed, secure in herself and a healer. It works as a source of humour and each brings their own skills to their investigation. Jude is the people person, extracting information and making the character assessments while Carole is the researcher, using her rigidity to do a thorough job.

Death and the Decorator is a fun read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Oh how I look forward to the next mystery by Simon Brett! Death and the Decorator is a very solid addition to the Fethering series. I have read this series from the start and this book, his 21st entry, was as enjoyable as the first. There is an interesting mystery involving many of the usual village inhabitants, and lots of red herrings, as amateur sleuths Carole Seddon and Jude solve the mystery. From the start of the series the two sleuths are portrayed as very different personalities and the oft times difficulties this affords has remained. Jude is a go with the flow woman with a hazy, intriguing background who works as a healer. Her next door neighbor could not be more different. Carole, a retired government servant, lives a rigid life and has a difficult time understanding Jude's lifestyle. Carole has such a prickly nature and, honestly, so many issues a good therapist could help with, I think that is what I have come to enjoy so much in this cozy series. The enduring friendship between these women and the fact that their foibles remain even while the reader wishes that Carole could loosen up a bit. I look forward to the next installment to this series.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really enjoyed this book, it made me smile and would recommend to others. Great read

I loved this book, I loved the characters and even though I didn't realize it was part of a series I never read, I still loved it!

British cozy with twists and turns and a few red herrings. Carole Seddon and Jude snoop after a handbag belonging to Anita Garner, a woman missing for decades was found in a building under renovation, bringing old gossip alive. The village is in an uproar of speculation. Great cozy without humor, just intrigue. I recommend it for it’s twists and turns.
I requested and received a Net Galley ARC gratis and review in the same vein.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Another delicious outing in the Fethering series!
The two main protagonists, Jude and Carole, are in sleuthing mode again after Jude and Peter, her decorator, find the purse of a woman, missing for 30 years and presumably dead.
Jude and Carol's questioning of locals still around, stir up resentment, unease and gossip. Jude is still the easy-going, charming woman we've grown to love, Carol still the uptight, shy character who irks us. Still, the two remain friends, mostly due to their shared love of 'whodunits'.
Another must-read!

When Jude and local decorator Pete find a walled up handbag belonging to someone who disappeared thirty years previously, the Fethering gossip machine goes into overdrive. Surprisingly, the main people concerned in Anita's disappearance are still around, and have things to hide.

It's not long before there's a body to contend with, but is it suicide or murder? And what actually happened to Anita?

A classic Fethering adventure.

Much Musing In Fethering…
A new Fethering mystery from Simon Brett is a much anticipated joy and this couldn’t come soon enough. Sleuthing duo, Carole and Jude, are in search of justice once again in this enjoyable new Fethering outing. Jude employs a decorator, Carole is sceptical. Nothing changes. The discovery of a handbag leads the pair to investigate the circumstances around a missing Fethering woman from thirty years ago. Much nosiness and much musing amidst the locals ensues as they search for an explanation but soon a body mars the proceedings. Laced with dry,wry satirical humour despite some disturbing undercurrents, a keen human observation and a cast of characters that spring from the page not to mention two endearing protagonists. A comfort reading delight.