Slaying Is Such Sweet Sorrow: A Far Wychwood Mystery [Large Print] [Paperback]

Patricia Harwin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 23, 2005

Librarian and former New Yorker Catherine Penny has settled in the tiny English town of Far Wychwood. But nowhere is too far for painful memories when her ex-husband, who left her single in her sixties, arrives with his new lady love. Catherine can't avoid him at an awards ceremony for their son-in-law, Peter, who is a shoo-in for a prestigious appointment at Mercy College. Then Peter's rival for the appointment is found murdered . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] delightful new series."
-- Mystery Scene (Mystery Scene )

About the Author

PATRICIA HARWIN is the author of the national bestseller Arson and Old Lace, the first novel in her acclaimed Far Wychwood mystery series. Like her heroine Catherine Penny, she is a librarian. She lives with her husband in Rockville, Maryland, where she is hard at work on the next Far Wychwood mystery. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 363 pages
• Publisher: Wheeler Publishing; 1 edition (November 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159722099X
• ISBN-13: 978-1597220996
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,946,360 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

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for fans of character-driven cosies - like me, March 21, 2005

By 

Elizabeth A. Root (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Slaying is Such Sweet Sorrow (Far Wychwood Mysteries, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought that the first book, Arson and Old Lace: A Far Wychwood Mystery (Harwin, Patricia. Far Wychwood Mystery Series.), was good, but this volume is even better. I was gripped by the story, sitting up until the wee hours with it, and am becoming very fond of the characters. I would recommend that fans of Jeanne Dams' Dorothy Martin series give it a try.

This series features a woman who has moved from New York City to a small English village near Oxford, where her daughter, son-in-law and grandchild live. Catherine's relationship with her daughter is prickly, but thankfully not overwrought into melodrama; I sympathize with both characters. Harwin doesn't try to substitute bickering for plot. This volume has a lot of fun with the difference between England and the US, especially in vocabulary. The chapters are headed with quotes from 15th-16th century works that are exceptionally well-chosen for their beauty.

In this book, Catherine is forced to confront her ex-husband at family affairs. One thing that I like about this series is that it appears that the character is not going to be locked into an unchanging formula, facing the same problems without resolution over and over again. When her likeable son-in-law is accused of murder, and Catherine finds that the police see no reason for further investigation, she goes into action. Although I would like Harwin to find solutions for Catherine other than breaking and entering, I am very happy to say that she is NOT the sort of amateur who, hearing that an axe murder might be in the cellar, goes down to check.

While I don't think that Harwin is necessarily ruling out romance, I like that Catherine is an independent woman who can do just fine by herself. Harwin doesn't follow the rather tired plot device of having the character find Mr. Pluperfect in the first book.

In addition to Jeanne Dam's Dorothy Martin series, I also recommend Monica Ferris' Needlecraft Mysteries featuring Betsy Devonshire and Katherine Hall Page's Body in the ... series, featuring Faith Fairchild.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an excellent read, June 13, 2005

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Slaying is Such Sweet Sorrow (Far Wychwood Mysteries, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

It should have been an occasion for great celebration for Catherine Penny: her gentle, scholarly son-in-law, Peter, is about to be named head of faculty of non-Shakespearean Elizabethan Drama department at Oxford's Mercy College. Except that her faithless ex-husband, Quin, who broke her heart when he left her for his younger secretary, has decided to attend the ceremony with that woman! Catherine is not sure if she can be in the same country with Quin without bursting a blood vessel, but she's agreed to try for her daughter's (Emily) and for Peter's sakes. But on the night that the announcement of headship is to be made, Edgar Stone -- a pompous sarcastic and detestable character, known for his emotional cruelty towards his wife, his womanising ways and his great dislike for Peter -- is named head instead of Peter, much to everyone's dismay. And when hours later, Stone is found murdered in his house with Peter caught looming over the dead body. The police automatically assume that Peter had murdered Stone out of professional jealousy and anger; especially since they had received an emergency 'phone call from Stone claiming that Peter was at his door threatening him with a knife, just before he was found dead. Peter's solicitor wants Peter to plead temporary insanity; but Catherine fears that such a move would spell the end of Peter's career even if he gets off. And so determined to help Peter and Emily, Catherine decides to do some investigating of her own in order to unmask the read murderer. After all a great many people hated the detestable Edgar Stone! Now if only she can keep her attention focused on the investigation at hand, instead of her anger at Quin...

I, also thought that Slaying is Such Sweet Sorrow" was a much better mystery novel than "Arson and Old Lace." And isn't that how it should be? The second novel surpassing the first? Not that "Arson and Old Lace" was a shabby book. To the contrary: it was a fantastic read. It's just that I thought that Patricia Harwin had got the proportions interspersing her heroine's private life with the mystery at hand, much better in this installment. Catherine Penny's inner turmoil at having to come face to face with the faithless Quin and his middle aged floozy, and her confused emotions where Quin was concerned, was nicely juxtaposed with the mystery subplot of who murdered the unlikable Stone and framed Peter, perfectly, without one subplot hijacking the other. Both subplots were vital to this story and I was in awe with the competency with which the author handled them. Add this to the wonderfully vivid and affectionate manner in which she brought Oxford University with its deer park and spires to life; the skillful manner in which she fleshed out her characters (both primary and secondary); and the masterful manner in which she kept things quietly suspenseful and constantly humming, and you have a book worth touting as an excellent read. I'm really looking forward to the next Far Wychwood mystery.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great mystery set in England, October 9, 2005

By 

Dawn Dowdle "Mystery Lovers Corner reviewer" (Lynchburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Slaying is Such Sweet Sorrow (Far Wychwood Mysteries, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

Catherine Penny, a former New York librarian, now lives in a tiny English town of Far Wychwood. She has to deal with painful memories when her ex-husband and his new lady love show up to attend an awards ceremony honoring their son-in-law Peter. He is supposed to be a shoo-in for a prestigious appointment at Oxford's Mercy College. They are shocked when he is not chosen. The man that is chosen, Edgar Stone, is a womanizer and is not well liked.

Stone is found dead, and Peter is accused. Catherine does everything she can to prove he's innocent. Unfortunately the police have a call from Stone saying that Peter is there threatening him with a knife right before he's found dead.

Her daughter and ex-husband have hired a solicitor, but he doesn't seem to be much help. Her relationship with her daughter is tenuous at best, and these circumstances really wear on it. Plus Catherine and her ex-husband run into each other more than Catherine would want. This adds a lot of tension in the family.

I am not a big fan of mysteries set in England. I think one of the reasons I like this series is that it is an American who has moved to England. So often she will explain the idiosyncrasies I would otherwise not understand.

Catherine is an enjoyable character. I like seeing England through her eyes. I enjoy the English countryside. Her relationship with her family is very difficult and always adds to the story.

I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it and the first book in the series.