Phi Beta Murder (A Rex Graves Mystery) [Paperback]

C.S. Challinor (Author)

Book Description

Series: A Rex Graves Mystery | Publication Date: March 8, 2010

BOOK 3 IN THE ACCLAIMED REX GRAVES MYSTERY SERIES

Scottish barrister Rex Graves will never understand why the devil his son Campbell chose to go to college in Florida rather than attending university in bonny Scotland. During Rex’s visit across the pond, tragedy strikes when a student is found hanging from a rope in his locked dorm room. Did the poor lad commit suicide, or was it murder?

With one student dead and his own son in danger, Rex Graves vows to learn the truth. In between trying not to worry about Campbell and trying to please his new love, Helen d’Arcy (while keeping ex-girlfriend Moira at bay), Rex conducts his own investigation. What he finds is a maze of sordid secrets in the university’s not-so-hallowed halls.

 Praise for the Rex Graves mystery series by C. S. Challinor:

  “A winner . . . a must for cozy fans.” —Booklist (starred review)

“A clever variant on the locked room mystery.  With a host of colorful characters, a dose of humor and a balmy locale, you will want to devour this well-plotted mystery.” 
—Mystery Scene

Phi Beta Murder is not affiliated or associated with the Phi Beta Kappa Society
 or any of its members or affiliated organizations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Challinor's thin third mystery to feature Scottish barrister Rex Graves (after 2009's Murder in the Raw), Rex's visit to his son, Campbell, a sophomore at Hilliard University in Jacksonville, Fla., takes a deadly turn. Dixon Clark, Campbell's resident adviser and peer mentor, apparently hangs himself in his dorm room. The authorities suspect suicide since instructions on how to commit suicide were downloaded from Dix's computer, but Keith and Katherine, the victim's disbelieving parents, ask Rex to investigate. As Rex researches Dix's past, a campus gossip Web site yields clues and a recent incident regarding Dix's role in the expulsion of another student. Extra stress arrives with Rex's distraught ex-girlfriend, Moira Wilcox, an aid worker who suffers from post-traumatic stress after witnessing a car-bombing in Iraq. Nothing if not resourceful, Rex focuses on sleuthing and being a good dad in this lightweight cozy. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Scottish barrister Rex Graves decides that it’s time to visit his son Campbell, who is attending college in Florida. The good news is that Rex and his son are bonding well as adults, and Rex’s fears that Campbell might be in trouble appear to be groundless. The first bad news is that a student in Campbell’s dorm is found hanging from a rope. The police dismiss the death as an unfortunate suicide, but the victim’s parents think otherwise. They ask Rex to try to uncover the mystery surrounding their son’s death. He agrees and eventually exposes many of the unpleasant sides of college life, while thanking his lucky stars that Campbell really is firmly grounded and doing well. The second bad news is that a former girlfriend follows Rex across the Atlantic and stages a suicide attempt of her own. Although the humor of Challinor’s writing is still in evidence, this novel is a bit more subdued than the first two in the series (Murder in the Raw, 2009, and Christmas Is Murder, 2008). --Judy Coon

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK; 1 edition (March 8, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738718904
• ISBN-13: 978-0738718903
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #605,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

C.S. Challinor was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and was educated in Scotland (St. George's School for Girls, Edinburgh) and England (Lewes Priory, Sussex; University of Kent, Canterbury: Joint Hons Latin & French). She now resides in Southwest Florida. Her short stories have been published in women's magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom. Challinor is a member of the Authors Guild for published writers. She is the author of the Rex Graves cozy mystery series featuring Scottish barrister-sleuth Rex Graves.

CHRISTMAS IS MURDER, the first in the series, is available in Large Print hardcover (Thorndike Reviewers' Choice). All Rex Graves titles (published by Midnight Ink Books, US) are available in trade paperback and Kindle. The fourth novel, MURDER ON THE MOOR, was released February 14, 2011. The fifth in the series will be out March 2012.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever Mystery--Best So Far?, February 6, 2010

By 

C. L. "Cozy Mystery Lover" (St. Johns County, FLA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Phi Beta Murder (A Rex Graves Mystery) (Paperback)

Amazon always delivers, and early! Got my copy day before yesterday and finished reading it this morning. As usual, a fast and interesting read, a bit more somber in mood than the first two as the themes are more serious (death of a young student, suicide, drug addiction). On top of that, Rex has to deal with a stalker, but funny interaction between Rex and his son Campbell, who we meet for the first time "in person." This was a clever mystery and I was way off the mark, as in Murder in the Raw. Rex is a well developed character, very believable and consistent throughout the series. Looking forward to Murder on the Moor which takes place in Scotland. First chapter tantalizingly included in this novel. Keep 'em coming.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COZY WITH A TWIST, April 15, 2010

By 

M. D. "Fan of Mystery & Literary Romance" (Wash., DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phi Beta Murder (A Rex Graves Mystery) (Paperback)

Sex, drugs & Hip-Hop. And suicide, or is it murder? Loveable Scottish sleuth Rex Graves finds himself on the case while visiting Hilliard University, a private college on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. A quick read full of twists and turns, "Phi Beta Murder" is a well-plotted whodunit with good insights into relationships, the true meaning of love and loyalty, and, most of all, what it takes to be a good dad. Very touching, with some hair-raising moments thrown in as well. Recommended if you like "cozies" that are not too twee.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scottish Barrister Investigates Student Murder at a Florida College, March 1, 2010

By 

Mystery Series Reviewer (NYC, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Phi Beta Murder (A Rex Graves Mystery) (Paperback)

"PHI BETA MURDER is a satisfying whodunit ideal for a plane ride or lazy afternoon."--Jacksonville Magazine

"This is a well-paced mystery that plays fair with the reader and provides a satisfying and surprising conclusion. The writing is crisp and dialogue-driven."--Mystery Scene Magazine

"Humor and well-written characters add to the story as does some reflection on the causes of suicide. A wonderful read and great plot for cozy mystery lovers."--ForeWord Magazine