War and Peas (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 8) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jill Churchill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1997

Wealthy old Auguste Caspar Snellen, the legendary Pea King, is long gone, but his greatest legacy lives on: the Snellen Museum, an institution dedicated to the glorification of local lore and legumes. But at this years annual Pea Festival, the museum sustains a terrible loss when its able, innovative director, Regina Price Palmer, is shot to death during a noisy reenactment of a Civil War battle.

Suburban single mom Jane Jeffrey was a costumed participant in the deadly pageant. Now her part-time work at the museum has put Jane and best friend Shelley Nowack in the midst of a veritable podful of murder suspects. And its up to Jane and Shelley to determine who fatally beaned poor Regina--before another victim is planted six feet under.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If the sub-category of mysteries called "Cozies" are your passion, then you probably know all about Churchill and her series of paperbacks about a cat-loving Chicago housewife and amateur detective named Jane Jeffrey. (The last one was called -- ready? -- The Silence of the Hams.) Now Jeffrey is making her hardcover debut, in a story full of the same kind of homey, light-hearted stuff. The head of the Snellen Museum, founded by pea king Auguste Snellen, has been shot to death during a Civil War battle reenactment at the annual pea festival. Jane -- single mother of three troublesome teenagers -- helps her policeman boyfriend solve the case in typically clever style. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

The intuition, wisdom and penchant for prying of Churchill's series heroine Jane Jeffry (The Silence of the Hams) make her an invaluable ally to police detective and significant other Mel VanDyne in this swift and agreeably perplexing tale. Regina Palmer, director of the Snellen Museum (dedicated to the study of rural history and founded by pea king Auguste Snellen) near Chicago, has been shot with an antique derringer during the Civil War reenactment that is a highlight of the small town's annual pea festival. Jane, who was one of the reenactors and who has her hands full as a single mother of three teenagers, utilizes her volunteer hours at the Snellen Museum to relentlessly pry beneath the surface of small-town respectability in hopes of finding Regina's killer. Was the murderer a rejected suitor? Was the insufferably arrogant Snellen family enraged that the museum took most of their inheritance? Was the killer (who strikes again in a particularly grisly fashion) seeking an heirloom pea? A slew of suspects?smarmy, lecherous, devious and greedy, but never dull?are queried by Jane and her equally nosy friend Shelley, with relevant information passed on to Mel. This is the eighth appearance for Jane and her first in hardcover. Churchill's cozy setting, beguiling plot and three-dimensional characters will keep readers fully engaged?and amused. 30,000 first printing; author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Avon Books (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380787067
• ISBN-13: 978-0380787067
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #938,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jill Churchill has won the Agatha and Macavity Mystery Readers Awards and was nominated for an Anthony Award for her bestselling Jane Jeffry series. She is also the author of the highly acclaimed Grace and Favor mysteries and lives in the Midwest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Museum Mystery, May 17, 2008

By 

Andrea "Readaholic" (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: War and Peas (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 8) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book starts off with a reenactment of a historical battle.

Jane, the main character, and her best friend Shelley are doing volunteer work at a museum. The museum's main focus is peas because the founders were pea growers. At the gift shop, there are pea t-shirts, pea jumpropes, etc.

There is a murder or two. And some very interesting things that happen along the way. Jane and Shelley are mystified, but they are determined to figure it out.

I love museums and history, so needless to say, I enjoyed the setting. Unlike some of the other books in this series, very few scenes were at Jane's and Shelley's houses; most of the action took place in the museum.

This book took a very interesting twist at the end. I was surprised.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, light cozy mystery, May 12, 2008

By 

drebbles (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: War and Peas (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 8) (Mass Market Paperback)

It is the annual Pea Festival in Jane Jeffrey's hometown and Jane and her friend Shelley Nowack are participating in a number of activities including sorting through items at the Snellin Museum and taking part in a Civil War reenactment. Jane thought the reenactment would be interesting, but she wasn't expecting museum director Regina Price Palmer to be murdered during the battle. Jane's boyfriend, police detective Mel Van Dyne, is investigating the case, but Jane's work inside the museum gives her a good way of also investigating the murder since most of the suspects are involved in the museum. When there is a second murder, Jane is even more eager to solve the case before there is yet another victim.

"War and Peas" is an enjoyable, yet somewhat light cozy mystery. The book gets off to an interesting start with the Civil War reenactment and having the murder take place during the battle is a great touch since it provides plenty of suspects. Having the novel set around a pea festival and a pea museum is a very funny touch and not meant to be taken seriously by readers although the characters in the book are serious about it. There is a nice gentle sense of humor throughout the book with a few laugh out loud moments - one involving notes Jane's children leave her and when Jane cleans out her car. At this point in the series (this is the eighth book in the series) Jane is a fully developed and rich character as are the supporting characters in the book. The mystery is well written and well plotted and readers will have fun trying to figure out who the murderer is.

"War and Peas" is another nice cozy mystery by Jill Churchill.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun read, January 1, 2003

By 

Jeanne Gibbs (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: War and Peas (Jane Jeffry Mysteries, No. 8) (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm a sucker for titles that make me groan, and I've liked other light mysteries by this author, so I knew about what to expect. It is not profound literature, but it was a fun, fast read. And, gee, I don't think I've ever read a murder mystery set in a pea museum, so it was a familiar experience with a touch of novelty.