Murder at the Old Vicarage (G K Hall Large Print Book Series) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Jill McGown (Author)

Book Description

Series: G K Hall Large Print Book Series | Publication Date: July 1990

"A murder so baffling it might even have stumped Agatha Christie's Miss Marple...A lively, entertaining mystery."
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
A killing blow on the head took the life of Graham Estow, but the vicar and his wife were hardly grieved. He was the son-in-law who had severely beaten their daughter Joanna a few months ago. Unfortunately, it appears that someone very close to the household is the murderer, though no one is about to confess to it.
Leave it to that canny police duo of Inspector Lloyd and Detective Sergeant Judy Hill to wander through a maze of self-confessed killers, myraid motives, and their own frustrating partnerships, to find a murderer with a message....

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This finely crafted whodunit pays homage to Agatha Christie. But what differentiates McGown's work from the grande dame's classic tale bearing almost the same title is the interesting relationship she establishes between her two protagonists, Acting Chief Inspector Lloyd, known only by his surname, and Det. Sgt. Judy Hill. The duo, who debuted in A Perfect Match , work together and are lovers who have a problem: she is married and Lloyd wants to change the status quo. It's Christmas and they are assigned to investigate a murder in the English village of Byford at the home of vicar George Wheeler. His wife, Marian, has discovered the body of Graham Elstow, the estranged husband of their daughter, Joanna, after returning from the midnight service. To escape Elstow's physical abuse, Joanna has been living with her parents. Seeking a reconciliation, Elstow had visited her earlier in the day, and she is the last person to have seen him alive. Though it appears to be an open-and-shut case, numerous undercurrents bear investigation, including the vicar's sexual attraction to one of his parishioners. McGown's complex plot is masterful and her sleuths and their predicament are enthralling. Christie couldn't have done it better.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

"A murder so baffling it might even have stumped Agatha Christie's Miss Marple...A lively, entertaining mystery."
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
A killing blow on the head took the life of Graham Estow, but the vicar and his wife were hardly grieved. He was the son-in-law who had severely beaten their daughter Joanna a few months ago. Unfortunately, it appears that someone very close to the household is the murderer, though no one is about to confess to it.
Leave it to that canny police duo of Inspector Lloyd and Detective Sergeant Judy Hill to wander through a maze of self-confessed killers, myraid motives, and their own frustrating partnerships, to find a murderer with a message.... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: G K Hall & Co (July 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816148384
• ISBN-13: 978-0816148387
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,081,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another masterpiece, October 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Murder at the Old Vicarage (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read quite a lot of crime fiction written either by British writers or by other nationals who based their story in Britain and Jill McGown clearly is one of the best in her genre - if not the best at the moment. Her characters are people like you and me and the stories are brilliantly written. This book is another masterpiece.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nicely written little police procedural with twists..., March 3, 2003

By 

Laurie Fletcher "Laurie Fletcher" (Casper, Wyoming, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder at the Old Vicarage (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm struggling with this review of what was a really fun book that had loads of my favorite police procedural elements and serves as the introduction to a writer I hadn't previously read, but have seen very well reviewed. So why am I struggling? Because it was a fun book and I enjoyed it, but it is not particularly dynamic. It is actually more like the "Cornwall" books by Janie Bolitho. But I don't want to damn it with faint praise because it was a wonderful character study and frankly, I couldn't read a "Minette Walters-style" book every time - too exhausting. So let me just say that this is a nice, quick fun read and I see nothing here that doesn't make me want to read more McGown books. Ouch! That sounds like faint praise. Let me try again: as much as this is a murder mystery (the murdered is completely unsympathetic so no pathos there), this is a fine character study of the true motivations and desires of people we assume have their lives all figured out and a small meditation on how time and place can drive decisions that should not be so easily influenced. There...that's better.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good British Procedural, June 7, 2002

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder at the Old Vicarage (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this book because it was an Amazon recommendation. I was pleasantly surprised. It's a pretty good little mystery. The plot keeps you guessing right through. It's also a twist when you have too many self-confessed killers in the classic "closed door" mystery story. Lloyd and Judy are an interesting detective pair. It's intersting to see their personal story unfold along with the plot. I think I may try to read more in this series to see if Ms. McGown continues to create classic little puzzles like this one.