Murdering Ministers: An Oliver Swithin Mystery [Hardcover]

Alan Beechey (Author), Beechey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1999

Oliver Swithin, creator of the notorious "Finsbury the Ferret" series of children's books, has been commissioned to write a satirical article on modern religious practices from the point of view of his atheist ferret character. With Christmas approaching, Oliver and his friend, photographer Ben Motley, attend an evening service at a dowdy United Diaconalist church in a north London suburb, chosen by the publisher to represent the English "low church" tradition.

Oliver is surprised to discover that the minister of the church is an old school friend, the Reverend Paul Piltdown. Piltdown soon confides to them that the recent arrival in the congregation of lay preacher Nigel Tapster, whose influence over the young people threatens to create a separate cult, has the church members up in arms.

Wondering if Tapster is a better subject for his article, Oliver visits the lay preacher later that week, only to discover that Tapster was surprisingly voted onto the diaconate of the church, replacing long-serving deacon Cedric Potiphar at the day's previous meeting.

But the following Sunday, as communion wine is passed out, Tapster takes a drink, falls convulsing to the floor, and dies. Having passed the glass to Tapster, Piltdown becomes the main suspect in his poisoning. Both Oliver and his new girlfriend, Detective Sergeant Effie Strongitharm, strongly feel that Piltdown has been wrongly accused, and that they must find out who in the congregation had the best motive for revenge.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Beechey's second mystery is filled with clever repartee, memorable characters, and an ending as satisfying as it is unexpected. Writer Oliver Swithin agrees to write a magazine piece about the United Diaconalist Church, a popular fundamentalist sect. On his first visit to the church, Oliver realizes its minister is none other than his former schoolmate Paul ("I just love cassocks") Piltdown. Then bad things start to happen. The teenage daughter of a church deacon goes missing, and charismatic youth leader Nigel Tapster dies from strychnine poisoning. Luckily, Oliver's girlfriend, Effie, is a Scotland Yard detective, and she and Oliver team up to find the missing teen and solve Tapster's murder. In the end, it's difficult to say what's most appealing about this book: Oliver's beguiling personality, the inventive plot, or the clever wordplay, raucous jokes, and hilarious innuendos. No matter. Beechey has concocted a sparkling little gem of a mystery that's a treat to read. Emily Melton

From Kirkus Reviews

Second in a series featuring Oliver Swithin, a writer whose children's stories relate the adventures of nasty Finsbury the Ferret. Oliver's uncle is Supt. Tim Mallard of Scotland Yard, a part-time Shakespearean actor whose enforced retirement from the CID seems imminent. But Olivers own thoughts are far from his uncle. Hes preoccupied with his article on Plumleys United Diaconalist Church, where Rev. Paul Piltdown is an old school friend. In the course of his research, Oliver (An Embarrassment of Corpses, 1997) meets some of the parishioners, among them the Quarterboys and their teenage daughter Tina; Deacon Cedric Potiphar; and Nigel and Heather Tapster. Nigel, a constant source of anxiety for Rev. Piltdown, has gathered around him a group of teenagers who seem fanatic in their near-worship of their charismatic leader. It's at a service a few days before Christmas that Nigel, taking his Deacon's chair for the first time, dies of strychnine poisoning. Young Tina had disappeared some time before and Sgt. Effie Strongitham, on loan to Plumley's police department, is at the service pursuing her search. She and Oliver work together as Oliver probes the intricate relationships among the parishioners, eventually coming up with the twisted motives that propelled the killing. Burdensome, often incomprehensible plotting casts a pall on the author's playful way with words and characters. P.G. Wodehouse fans may stick to the end; others are allowed an early exit. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312209029
• ISBN-13: 978-0312209025
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,295,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A delicious mystery with a wry wit, October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Murdering Ministers: An Oliver Swithin Mystery (Hardcover)

Scotland Yard Detective Sergeant Effie Strongitharm is temporarily reassigned to the sprawling London suburb of Plumley. The brass forces Detective Superintendent Timothy Mallard to take an extended vacation leading to a retirement. Mallard was Effie's mentor and his nephew fellow officer Oliver Swithin is her boy friend.

In Plumley, Oliver and Effie work on two different cases that intersect. Effie seeks a missing teen whose parents belong to the Plumley Diaconilist Church. Oliver investigates the Church's leader, Paul Piltdown who was arrested for murdering one of the church members. As they work on their respective cases, Timothy tries to help even if his beloved force wants him retired (but he has a plan that will stop that notion.)

Following on the heels of the well designed first Swithin mystery (AN EMBARASSMENT OF CORPSES) author Alan Beechey provides another novel sure to receive fan and critic acclaim. MURDERING MINISTERS includes returning characters that imbue the story line with a feeling of welcome to the village of Plumley. Mr. Beachey uses misdirection to trick the reader into looking down the wrong path. The interaction between the characters feels genuine and filled with wit that turns this book into an entertaining, complex mystery.

Harriet Klausner

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars finsby the ferret frolics again, December 1, 1999

By 

Lorelei Macdonald "L. Ashe" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murdering Ministers: An Oliver Swithin Mystery (Hardcover)

Even better than the first - A compelling plot, well crafted with entertaining twists and turns. Clever repartee combined during the Christmas season make this a perfect antidote to holiday stress.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wit, Wisdom and Words, May 9, 2002

By 

H. L. Chappell (Royal Oak, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murdering Ministers: An Oliver Swithin Mystery (Hardcover)

Alan Beechey is one of the fastest, funniest writers in mysteries today. His witty plots and his original characters never fail to make for a great read. I'd suggest his books to anyone looking for a screwball comedy approach to the genre. Dying, said Richard Brinsley Sheridan is easy; comedy is hard. Yet Beechey makes it look effortless.