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You can buy Murder in the Valleys...Here
The Blurb...
Out walking near the rain-swelled river running past her small Welsh town, she comes across the body of Amber Morgan. Fabia’s police training tells her instantly that the death is the result of foul play. But no longer in the force, all she can do is call it in.
Yet she has mixed feelings when she discovers it is her former colleague, Matt Lambert, newly promoted to chief inspector, who will head the investigation into the girl’s death.
Despite this, having known the victim, and bored with her new job as an illustrator, Fabia can’t help probing into the murder. However, her inquiries further upset the quiet of the town. Not least her neighbour, busybody Rhona Griffiths, who was seen arguing with the victim the day before her death.
Fabia’s activity bothers Matt Lambert but time and time again Fabia’s instincts are proved right. He can’t help leaning on her in order to progress the investigation but that will also involve confronting why she left the force years ago.
Can they put their differences aside and work together to bring the perpetrator to justice despite Fabia’s painful past being brought up again? Or will Fabia’s moonlighting get her into further danger?
MURDER IN THE VALLEYS is set in the fictional town of Pontygwyn in the Welsh valleys under the shadow of the Black Mountains. It will appeal to readers who like traditional whodunnits, those who like the landscape, atmosphere and people of South Wales, and everyone who likes a good read that keeps you turning the page.
Yet she has mixed feelings when she discovers it is her former colleague, Matt Lambert, newly promoted to chief inspector, who will head the investigation into the girl’s death.
Despite this, having known the victim, and bored with her new job as an illustrator, Fabia can’t help probing into the murder. However, her inquiries further upset the quiet of the town. Not least her neighbour, busybody Rhona Griffiths, who was seen arguing with the victim the day before her death.
Fabia’s activity bothers Matt Lambert but time and time again Fabia’s instincts are proved right. He can’t help leaning on her in order to progress the investigation but that will also involve confronting why she left the force years ago.
Can they put their differences aside and work together to bring the perpetrator to justice despite Fabia’s painful past being brought up again? Or will Fabia’s moonlighting get her into further danger?
MURDER IN THE VALLEYS is set in the fictional town of Pontygwyn in the Welsh valleys under the shadow of the Black Mountains. It will appeal to readers who like traditional whodunnits, those who like the landscape, atmosphere and people of South Wales, and everyone who likes a good read that keeps you turning the page.
My Review...
First of all, lets get the misconception out of the way. When one thinks of the valleys it conjures up gritty, working class areas that are often socially deprived. So the title Murder in the Valleys would conjour up an abrasive, visceral backdrop. The murder takes place in the fictional village of Pontygwyn which as far as I can make out is somewhere between Rhymney and Blaenavon which would fit the hard nosed, valley setting. In actuality Pontygwyn is very twee and middle class. It is very Agatha Christie, Midsomer Murders. Apart from dropping the odd place in and one "butt" and one "bach" the novel could have been set anywhere.
I found the spelling of "hallo" through out the book to be a bit odd. I have always used "hello."
Having said that the cosy crime caper gently drags you in and is quite enjoyable. It is not a difficult read and is softly welcoming. It is actually two mysteries. One is the murder of a young, promiscuous woman and a subsequent murder of a nosy old crone. The other mystery is the original reason for the fall from grace from the Police Force of our protaganist Fabia Havard. We are fed a diet of red herrings in the shape of several potential (stereotypical?) suspects before the culprit is revealed.
A nice example of a comfortable genre. Enjoyable but I don't think it's ever going to make my top 10.
About the Author...
South Wales has played a big part in Pippa’s life, two of her three sons were born in Swansea and she visits close friends near Newport as often as she can. Brought up in Mauritius, she’s spent a lot of her life travelling, to Guernsey, London, South Africa, South Wales, Iran and back to Guernsey. She began writing in school exercise books to entertain her friends, which resulted in dubious exam results but much laughter. She’s had many poems and short stories published and, once her boys had been packed off to school, started on the novels. For 17 years she taught a creative writing class, and in her spare time she’s worked as a volunteer with a national charity, helped run Guernsey’s local Eisteddfod, and looked after a gorgeous husband and a cowardly cat. All these activities have helped her avoid time wasting activities such as housework and gardening. Her series of crime novels, Murder in the Valleys, Murder at the Old Abbey and Murder by the River Usk and Murder in a Welsh Town, are all published by The Book Folks, and feature two of her best (fictional) friends, Fabia Havard and Matt Lambert. She has now written a romantic thriller, Liberation Day, which is based in Guernsey and is full of adventure and interesting characters, and has just published another romantic thriller based in London and Mauritius. Now it's time to get back to the fifth book in the Havard & Lambert series, which has been slightly delayed by a move to Hampshire to be nearer her sons and grandchildren.
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