[.ca] The Body on the Beach: The Fethering Mysteries (ISBN 0330445243)

The Jude and Carole Show . . . .:
Simon Brett is a very good writer, and I enjoyed the logical flow of the story. The reader can clearly understand the mood and scene of each situation. His two amateur sleuths, Jude and Carole are complete opposites in character, but develop a friendship and a quirky ability to jointly solve a murder. Why only 3 stars? Some parts of the story just seemed a little dry - I was expecting a little more wit and lighthearted conversation between characters. Also, Carole just wasn't that interesting - granted, she is a character that is suppose to have a pretty uninspiring look on life, but it's a little too uninspiring.

Oh Happy Days:
This is the first of two vols in Brett's latest series. It is a typical(?) Briddish mystery, with much toing and froing. The main character may seem a bit dry, but by the end of the story she has loosened up quite a bit. Such as going to a pub! I expect that there will be an expansion of her character with perhaps a bit of, dare I say it, romance? Anyhoo, Brett is off to a good start with this one and the second book is on the shelves. Treat yourself to seaside England....tides, rain and some snooty people doing their thing. Enjoy, and aloha...

Entertaining, witty series debut:
I quite enjoyed this series debut, set in Feathering, a small English village. A prim woman finds a (you guessed it) body on the beach. It's gone by the time the police arrive and they think she made a mistake (it doesn't help that the woman washes her dog and then her kitchen before phoning them). Her new "Bohemian" neighbor believes her story and suggests they investigate what may have happened. A well-plotted, witty book, with memorable characters. The relationship between the reserved narrator and her outgoing new neighbor is well-depicted and it should be interesting to see how their relationship develops as the series progresses.

Another winner for Simon Brett:
I was hoping for another Charles Paris story however I started reading and realized that Carol and Jude are as interesting as old Charles. I can't wait to find out more about this pair. Mr. Brett's strength lies in his ability to make his characters human and interesting; his plots believable. You want them to be safe and happy.

A Strong Beginning to a Fine Series:
Mix one up-tight newly retired ex-civil servant with a penchant for being reclusive, Carole Seddon, with a devil-may-care new female neighbor with a shadowy past, Jude (no last name), in class conscious Fethering, and you have plenty of room for good fun. Add to those mismatched characters mysterious events . . . and murder, and your plate will soon be overflowing with interesting reading. Unlike new writers who are often awkward with their first books in a new mystery series, the talented and experienced Simon Brett (author of Mrs. Pargeter and Charles Paris mysteries) is sure-handed from the first word. Here's part of the book's opening paragraph: "Fethering is on the South Coast, not far from Tarring. Though calling itself a village, Fethering isn't what that word immediately brings to the minds of people nostalgic for the idealized, simpler England. Despite the presence of many components of a village -- . . . a whole bunch of people who reckon they're the squire - Fethering is in fact quite a large residential conurbation." This book presents great challenges event to a seasoned pro. Carole and Jude are amateur detectives and avoid involvement with the police. They have to get people to talk to them, reveal secrets, and track down clues on their own. It's difficult to do without creating serious mistakes in the plot. At the same time, this book requires a lot of character development. Mr. Brett pulls it off while making it all look ridiculously easy. Here's the story's beginning. Carole likes to walk her dog (one of the few activities she has other than cleaning her spotless house) for exercise. One morning, she heads for the beach and is disturbed while someone races past her without the customary village nod. Soon thereafter, Carole finds a dead body. But Carole's not easily flustered. She heads home, washes her dog, cleans the house, and eventually calls the police about the body some time later before the tide comes in again. They investigate and find no body. Carole feels pretty silly. Soon thereafter, Carole bumps into her new neighbor Jude, a little before she had planned to meet her. When Jude believes Carole about the body and suggests they do something, Carole is delighted . . . even though she isn't exactly sure that Jude is someone she wants to spend too much time with. The story is filled with such delightful class-conscious set-ups. Fethering seems to have been occupied with more than its share of people who think they are the squire. The mysteries deepen as other strange occurrences follow. What does it all mean? Mr. Brett does a fine job of making sense of out what seems pretty far-fetched . . . so stick around to the end.