Mrs. Pargeter's Plot [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Simon Brett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2000

Melita Pargeter, widow of much-loved crook Mr Pargeter, embarks on an escapade to prove the innocence of her beloved friend, builder "Concrete Jacket", who has been arrested for murder. Someone has set him up - but who? Mrs P calls on her band of ex-cons to help her trap the real killer.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Melita Pargeter, the genteel heroine of Simon Brett's series of whimsical cozies, is hardly your typical moll. Then again, the late Mr. Pargeter was considered (by his criminal cohorts, at least) a veritable prince among men. Now that he is gone (while his fortune lives on), Mrs. Pargeter decides to use some of her inheritance to build a country home. For such a large undertaking, Mrs. P. turns to someone she can trust, an old friend of her husband's who sports the moniker "Concrete Jacket." Despite his best intentions to keep on the straight and narrow while in Mrs. Pargeter's employ, it isn't long before Concrete finds himself in hot water when a corpse turns up in the wine cellar--to his dismay, all the evidence points to him. Before the cell door can slam behind him, the redoubtable Mrs. Pergeter is on the case, aided by the shadiest bunch of do-gooders this side of Robin Hood's Merry Men. Good writing, hilarious plot twists, and great characters make Mrs.Pargeter's Plot loads of fun. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In her latest adventure, Mrs. Pargeter's house-building plans hit a snafu when her builder is accused of murder after a body is found in the wine cellar. With the aid of her dead husband's cronies, Mrs. Pargeter comes to the builder's rescue. More ready wit and super plotting.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Isis Audio; Unabridged edition (February 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753109042
• ISBN-13: 978-0753109045
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,196,754 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unusual legacy --, March 31, 2001

By 

kellytwo "kellytwo" (cleveland hts, ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MRS PARGETERS PLOT: A MRS PARGETER MYSTERY (Mrs. Pargeter Mysteries) (Hardcover)

After a good many books about Charles Paris, the out-of-work radio actor, Mr. Brett has created a new series about the widowed Mrs. Pargeter. How fortunate for his many readers!

I was vividly reminded of some of the antics of the long-ago 'Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight' by many of the happenings in this book, although it almost totally dissimilar. Such a contradiction! But it's true!

Mrs. Pargeter's late lamented was well-loved and respected by nearly everyone with whom he came in contact. It must be said, however, that most of those folks were on the shady side of the law. It was Mr. Pargeter's opinion, that whatever one did, one should do well, and so, for instance, he sent his 'driver' to school to learn those extra little tricks which can make all the difference in a getaway. He has also left Mrs. P. very well provided for--not only financially, but also with a wide variety of useful personages.

One of these is the builder, Concrete Jacket (shades of Damon Runyon in the naming of these characters!) who has undertaken to build Mrs. P.'s dream house. Unfortunately, a visit to inspect the progress quickly turns into a nightmare when a body is found in the proposed wine cellar.

Through the efforts of the hotelier, Hedgeclipper Clinton; the driver, Gary (such a plain name for such a talented young entrepreneur); Truffler Mason, the private investigator, and his secretary, the much-divorced Bronwen, a nasty scheme is unraveled just in time to prevent mayhem on a major scale.

Mr. Brett is a master of parody and satire, carefully balancing at the edge of the abyss, but never going overboard. He leaves that plunge up to the reader, who, after one book, is never quite satisfied, but must embark on a longer voyage through half a dozen or more of his many books before becoming sated.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positively delightful, November 28, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: MRS PARGETERS PLOT: A MRS PARGETER MYSTERY (Mrs. Pargeter Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Widow Mrs. Melita Pargeter decides to have a country home built for her from the inheritance she received upon the death of her beloved, but definitely crooked spouse. She hires a crony of her late husband, Concrete Jacket, to build her house. Of course, being an associate of Mr. P, Concrete is a felonious individual, who respects just about no one. However, this is Mr. P's widow, so he treats Mrs. P with the utmost esteem and honor that can be bestowed on such a VIP.

There are three basic laws of life: You are born; you die; and Concrete gets into criminal trouble during a construction job. This time, in spite of Concrete's vows to stay clean (at least during the job), a corpse is found in the newly built wine cellar. All the evidence points towards Concrete as being the culprit and he is doing nothing to counteract the charges. Even at the risk of her life, Mrs. P decides to prove her employee is innocent, but first she must figure out why Erasmus the monkey is residing with her in her plush London hotel room.

The Mrs. Pargeter English cozies are one of the finest series (if not the finest) in the sub-genre. Mrs. P and her cohorts are humorous and seem to always land in jocular (for us the reader), but grave (for Mrs. P and company) scenarios. The fourth entry, MRS. PARGETER'S PLOT, is the best of this exemplary collection. Fans of humorous or English cozies should try Simon Brett's Mrs. P books because they are the royalty of the sub-genre.

Harriet Klausner