This is the first in a series of cozy English village mysteries featuring the vicar of Molehill in the 1950′s Surrey countryside. This series has a couple of twists which make it stand out from the familiar Murder at the Vicarage fare.
Aside from the character of Reverend Francis Oughterard, the two other main characters are a cat and a dog, who take turns (along with the vicar) narrating the story. Before you start rolling your eyes, let me tell you that it is delightful (have I ever steered you wrong in the matter of animal sleuths?).
The alternating chapters reveal the differing personalities of their various narrators. The story opens with the cat. Maurice is supercilious, sarcastic and erudite, and his writing style reveals as much. Bouncer the dog is next, and his style is an entertaining contrast to Maurice’s: crude, simple, and rollicking. Then the hapless, bumbling vicar takes up his pen. The juxtaposition of their respective versions of events is very funny, and it’s obvious early on that these three are going to end up together somehow.
The second twist is the plot and its various devices. It is revealed at the outset that the murder victim is Maurice’s owner, Elizabeth Fotherington, and the murderer the vicar himself. The character of Reverend Oughterard is such that the reader forgives him immediately, sympathizes with him wholeheartedly, and roots vehemently for his success in covering up the crime. Maurice and Bouncer feel the same: having ingratiated themselves into the vicarage after having lost their respective masters, they have no desire to give up the good life and do their part to help the vicar (or “F.O.,” as they call him). As a matter of fact, given the vicar’s ineffectual nature, Bouncer and Maurice are his only hope at getting away with it.
One last twist is that the vicar is being blackmailed over his role in the crime by a slimy old school chum. This adds to the tension and guarantees the poor vicar’s entanglement in many criminal activities to come. This was a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to the rest in the series. I hope F.O. never gets caught!
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Thanks, reader, for leaving such a generous comment! I hope you enjoy (have enjoyed?) the three subsequent adventures. The fifth and last appears this year. Best wishes, Suzette.