Murder on Monday (Lois Meade Mysteries (Hardcover)) [Hardcover]

Ann Purser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2002 | Series: Lois Meade Mysteries (Hardcover)

A devoted wife and mother of three, Lois Meade cleans houses in the quaint village of Long Farnden. When a local spinster is murdered, Lois finds herself poking around her clients' houses for clues. But her quest for the killer will uncover some surprising secrets about this seemingly peaceful village-and put her family in mortal danger.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A refreshingly working-class heroine, a devoted wife and mother of three, plays reluctant sleuth in this winning cozy from British author Purser (Pastures New), set in the quaint village of Long Farnden. When the village spinster, who lives in a thatched cottage reminiscent of a tea cozy, is strangled to death, the police are eager to seek information about the victim's neighbors and friends. Who better to aid their investigation than Lois Meade, who as a house cleaner has ample access to what goes on behind her clients' closed doors? Priding herself on her professional demeanor, Lois hesitates when asked by PC Keith Simpson if she'll help, but curiosity and her recent need for personal fulfillment cause her to accept. In her quest for the killer, Lois ultimately uncovers some surprising secrets of some of Long Farnden's most prominent citizens, shaking the foundations of this seemingly peaceful village, including those of her own house. Traditional and modern combine smoothly. The village men all own Barbour coats, while the vicar inhabits a poorly heated contemporary house overlooking the town's sewage dump. A strong plot and believable characters, especially the honest, down-to-earth Lois, are certain to appeal to a wide range of readers.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

To supplement her income, Lois Meade cleans houses in the village of Long Farnden. She only works for a select few, in her own no-nonsense way, but her experience there allows her to help police when a prominent local woman is murdered in the village hall. Lois, who wants special constable status anyway, digs up information on likely suspects: a helpful doctor, a randy professor, a preoccupied nurse, an ineffectual reverend, and a jealous gallery owner. Her own family, in the meantime, interrupts her investigation with its own emergencies. Fans of British "cozies" will enjoy this delightful mystery with its quaint setting and fascinating players.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers; 1st World Ed edition (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727858602
• ISBN-13: 978-0727858603
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,514,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed., December 22, 2006

By 

Barbie "themysterycat" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Murder On Monday (Lois Meade Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

You would think by now I would have learned not to judge a book by its cover, but that's exactly what I did in this case. The picture on the front cover is charming. The words "Fresh, engaging, and authentically British" from a Booklist reviewer are splashed on the cover. And that reeled me in.

If you like the cozy mystery genre, and are a fan of Agatha Christie, Anne Perry, Dianne Day, Rita Mae Brown, or Margaret Miles, this may not be the book for you. If you liked the 90's TV show Roseanne, you're in for a treat. She's back, this time as a British house cleaner named Lois. Ann Purser goes out of her way to make Lois unsympathetic, and her husband Derek and daughter Josie downright annoying and unlikeable. It seems as though Purser's trying to break down the stereotype of the British mystery by choosing working-class characters in modern times, which I completely respect, but she's building up another stereotype at the same time: that working-class people are brash, crass, and argumentative.

Aside from unsympathetic and sometimes annoying characters, the conclusion of this mystery is a bit far-fetched, and leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The sad thing is, I'm not even all that curious about having them answered.

A very unsatifying read.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A pleasing British mystery, January 31, 2004

By 

mdmom "mdmom" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder On Monday (Lois Meade Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

Not a typical heroine, but a nice murder mystery set in a small British town. The story unfolds well, with not too many clues, but enough to make the ending fit well. I enjoyed it and will look for more by this author.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An English village cozy, May 30, 2003

By 

Valerie Adolph "Coast Journal" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder on Monday (Lois Meade Mysteries (Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

This book epitomizes the English village who-dun-it, brought up-to-date. To be sure, there is the thatched cottage, the vicar, the doctor and the district nurse plus a cast of other worthy individuals. But this village has a cleaning lady with attitude and a certain lack of respect for worthiness.

The writer is no stranger to writing books about life in an English village, and this experience with the setting and the characters stands her in good stead here. Unlike other writers who only dream their English village, this one actually knows what they, and their inhabitants, are like.

The plot is sound, the pacing is good and the dialogue is first rate - one of the best features of the book. It was a fun read - I look forward to reading more mysteries by this writer - and finding out what happened between the cleaning lady and that dishy policeman.