Agatha Award-winning author G. M. Malliet has charmed mystery lovers and Agatha Christie devotees everywhere with the critically acclaimed Max Tudor mysteries featuring handsome former-spy-turned-cleric Father Max Tudor. Together for the first time are the first three books in the series: Wicked Autumn Ex-spy Max Tudor has established himself as vicar of a quiet idyllic English village. But when the peace is shattered with a harrowing murder, Max finds himself roped into an investigation that stirs up memories he'd rather not revisit. A Fatal Winter Max investigates two deaths at Chedrow Castle, but finds his investigation complicated by a raucous group of long-lost greedy relatives and a growing attracting to new-age believer Awena Owen. Pagan Spring Max's newfound happiness with Awena is disturbed when a dinner guest is murdered. Connections to long-ago crimes help Max unravel the clues-but can he restore peace to Nether Monkslip in time to finish his Easter sermon?
One of The Boston Globe's Best Mysteries of 2011 One of Library Journal's Best Mystery Books of 2011 "Hugely funny, exquisitely well written, a tongue-in-cheek village mystery to be savored. G.M. Malliet's arch tone and wry humor make her a writer to be treasured." —Julia Spencer-Fleming, New York Times bestselling author “Rarely have I read descriptions that have left me gasping, in both their hilarity and their painful truth. A wonderful read.” —Louise Penny, New York Times bestselling author The first in a delightful series, Wicked Autumn sharply skewers the quintessential English village in a cunningly modern version of the traditional drawing room mystery. Wickedly entertaining, it’s the perfect choice for Agatha Christie fans. Max Tudor has settled happily into his post as vicar of St. Edwold’s Church in Nether Monkslip. The quaint English village seems to be the perfect new home for Max, who has fled a harrowing past serving in MI5, the British domestic counter-intelligence agency. But his serenity is quickly shattered when the wildly unpopular president of the Women’s Institute turns up dead at the Harvest Fayre. The death looks like an accident, but Max’s MI5 training quickly kicks in, and before long he suspects foul play. *BONUS CONTENT: This edition of Wicked Autumn includes a new introduction from the author and a discussion guide
"There are certain things you want in a village mystery: a pretty setting, a tasteful murder, an appealing sleuth . . . Malliet delivers all that." —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Last year, Agatha Award-winning author G. M. Malliet charmed mystery lovers, cozy fans, and Agatha Christie devotees with Wicked Autumn, the first mystery featuring her captivating protagonist, Max Tudor, and the small English village of Nether Monkslip. In A Fatal Winter, Max—Anglican priest, former MI5 agent, and village heartthrob—investigates two deaths at Chedrow Castle. But his growing attraction to Awena Owen complicates his case, as does the recent arrival at Chedrow Castle of a raucous group of long-lost, greedy relatives, any one of whom has a motive for murder. With a cozy setting, intricate puzzles, and a handsome (non-celibate) priest doing the sleuthing, the books in this series are destined to become instant classics in the mystery world.
“G. M. Malliet has crafted the English village of our dreams.” —Charlaine Harris Agatha Award-winning author G. M. Malliet has charmed mystery lovers and cozy fans with her critically acclaimed mysteries. In Prior's Wood, featuring handsome spy-turned-cleric Max Tudor, won’t disappoint. Newly returned from investigating a murder in Monkslip-super-Mare, handsome Max Tudor wants nothing more than to settle back into his predictable routine as vicar of St. Edwold’s Church in the village of Nether Monkslip. But the flow of his sermon on Bathsheba is interrupted when the lady of the local manor house is found in a suicide pact with her young lover. Lady Duxter’s husband rallies quickly from the double tragedy—too quickly, it is murmured in the village. Lord Duxter already has offered his manor house to a motley crew of writers, including Max’s wife Awena, for his writers’ retreat, and he insists the show must go on. When a young girl goes missing and a crime writer becomes a target, DCI Cotton asks Max to lend his MI5 expertise to the investigation. Many suspects emerge as the scope of the investigation widens beyond the writers to villagers who had crossed swords with the insufferably smug crime author. But Max begins to wonder: was the attack on the writer only part of a broader conspiracy of silence?
*Nominated for the 2014 Agatha Award* Agatha Award-winning author G. M. Malliet has charmed mystery lovers, cozy fans, and Agatha Christie devotees everywhere with Wicked Autumn, A Fatal Winter, and Pagan Spring, the critically acclaimed mysteries featuring handsome former-spy-turned-cleric Father Max Tudor. In A Demon Summer, someone has been trying to poison the 15th Earl of Lislelivet. Since Lord Lislelivet has a gift for making enemies, no one—particularly his wife—finds this too surprising. What is surprising is that the poison was discovered in a fruitcake made and sold by the Handmaids of St. Lucy of Monkbury Abbey. Max Tudor, vicar of Nether Monkslip and former MI5 agent, is asked to investigate. But just as Max comes to believe the poisoning was accidental, a body is discovered in the cloister well. G.M. Malliet continues to delight readers in this standout mystery, the fourth book in her clever and engaging Max Tudor series.
Max Tudor must contend with his new role as a father as well as the murder of a glamorous film star in the next installment in G. M. Malliet’s wildly popular series.
Max Tudor must contend with his new role as a father as well as a murder all too close to home in Nether Monkslip in the next installment in G. M. Malliet's wildly popular series Agatha Award-winning author G. M. Malliet has charmed mystery lovers and cozy fans everywhere with Wicked Autumn, A Fatal Winter, and Pagan Spring, the critically acclaimed mysteries featuring handsome former-spy-turned-cleric Father Max Tudor. Hailed as "wittier than Louise Penny, lighter than Tana French, smarter than Deborah Crombie" (Cleveland Plain Dealer), Malliet is a top-notch writer whose work gets better with each book. Now, in The Haunted Season, something sinister is stirring at Totleigh Hall, the showcase of the English village of Nether Monkslip. Usually, the Lord and Lady of the manor are absent—high tax rates, it is murmured with more than a trace of envy, force them to live on the continent for most of the year. But Lord and Lady Baaden-Boomethistle have been in residence for some weeks now, and the villagers are hoping for a return to the good old days, when the lord of the manor sprinkled benefits across the village like fairy dust. Max Tudor also looks forward to getting better acquainted with the famous family that once held sway in the area. But a sudden, macabre death intervenes, and the handsome vicar's talent for sorting through clues to a murder is once again called into play in this charming and clever novel.
"There are certain things you want in a village mystery: a pretty setting, a tasteful murder, an appealing sleuth . . . Malliet delivers all that." —Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times G. M. Malliet has charmed mystery lovers, cozy fans, and Agatha Christie devotees everywhere with Wicked Autumn and A Fatal Winter, the critically-acclaimed mysteries that introduced former spy turned cleric Max Tudor. Now, Max returns to the small English village of Nether Monkslip, where some new residents cause quite a stir. Vicar Max Tudor, reveling in his new-found personal happiness with Awena Owen, feels that life at the moment holds no greater challenge than writing his Easter sermon. With Awena away, he looks forward to a dinner that includes newcomers to the village like West End dramatist Thaddeus Bottle and his downtrodden wife Melinda. But when one of the dinner guests is found dead in the pre-dawn hours, Max knows a poisonous atmosphere has once again enveloped his perfect village of Nether Monkslip. Connections to long-ago crimes, some sparked by the paintings of a famous local artist, help Max unravel the clues—but can he restore peace to Nether Monkslip and still manage to finish his sermon? Funny, smart, and perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Louise Penny, Pagan Spring is a one-of-a-kind mystery featuring everyone's favorite attractive vicar.
Winner of the 2008 Agatha Award for Best First Novel From deep in the heart of his eighteenth century English manor, millionaire Sir Adrian Beauclerk-Fisk writes mystery novels and torments his four spoiled children with threats of disinheritance. Tiring of this device, the portly patriarch decides to weave a malicious twist into his well-worn plot. Gathering them all together for a family dinner, he announces his latest blow—a secret elopement with the beautiful Violet...who was once suspected of murdering her husband. Within hours, eldest son and appointed heir Ruthven is found cleaved to death by a medieval mace. Since Ruthven is generally hated, no one seems too surprised or upset—least of all his cold-blooded wife Lillian. When Detective Chief Inspector St. Just is brought in to investigate, he meets with a deadly calm that goes beyond the usual English reserve. And soon Sir Adrian himself is found slumped over his writing desk—an ornate knife thrust into his heart. Trapped amid leering gargoyles and stone walls, every member of the family is a likely suspect. Using a little Cornish brusqueness and brawn, can St. Just find the killer before the next-in-line to the family fortune ends up dead? Death of a Cozy Writer was chosen by Kirkus Reviews as a Best Book of 2008, nominated for a Left Coast Crime award (the Hawaii Five-O for best police procedural), short-listed for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery, nominated for the Anthony Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the David G. Sasher, Sr. Award for Best Mystery Novel. Praise: "Fans of English detective work will welcome Malliet's droll debut, the first in a new series."—Publishers Weekly "Malliet's debut combines devices from Christie and Clue to keep you guessing until the dramatic denouement."—Kirkus Reviews "Malliet's skillful debut demonstrates the sophistication one would expect of a much more established writer. I'm looking forward to her next genre-bender, Death and the Lit Chick."—Mystery Scene "Almost every sentence is a polished, malicious gem, reminiscent of Robert Barnard...the book is perfect for the lover of the classical detective story or the fan of great sentences."—Deadly Pleasures "In her series debut, Malliet, who won a Malice Domestic Grant to write this novel, lays the foundation for an Agatha Christie—like murder mystery."—Library Journal "An affectionate homage to the Golden Age of British crime fiction by a skilled writer rapidly attracting attention."—The Sherbrook Record "This tale cleverly adds modern touches to an Agatha Christie style classic house mystery."—Mystery Women Magazine "Wicked, witty and full of treats!"—Peter Lovesey, recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Crime Writer's Association and Malice Domestic "The traditional British cozy is alive and well. Delicious. I was hooked from the first paragraph."—Rhys Bowen, award-winning author of Her Royal Spyness "Death of a Cozy Writer is a romp, a classic tale of family dysfunction in a moody and often humourous English country house setting."—Louise Penny, author of the award-winning Armand Gamache series of murder mysteries "The connections made by St. Just are nothing short of Sherlock Holmes at his most coherent. A most excellent first mystery!"—Midwest Book Review
Book 2 in the Agatha Award-Winning Series Cold-blooded murder is, like, totally un-cool As the wildly successful darling of the publishing industry, chick lit mystery writer Kimberlee Kalder is the guest of honor at an exclusive writers' conference at Dalmorton Castle in Scotland. But jealousy and resentment are soon replaced with shock when Kimberlee is found dead at the bottom of the castle's bottle dungeon. Who didn't want to see prima donna Kimberlee brutally extinguished like one of her ill-fated characters? It's up to Detective Chief Inspector St. Just to track down the true killer in a castle full of cagey mystery connoisseurs who live and breathe malicious murder and artful alibis... Praise: Named a Best Book of 2009 by Deadly Pleasures "[In] her superior second cozy, Malliet's satirical take on the mystery scene is spot-on."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Malliet excels at stylish writing very reminiscent of the golden age of British mysteries. A real find for old-school mystery fans."—Booklist (starred review) "An absolutely delicious skewering of the world of mystery publishing and its none-too-savory denizens, Death and the Lit Chick is even wittier and more skillfully constructed than her Agatha Award-winning Death of a Cozy Writer."—Denver Post "Delicious. Malliet is laugh-out-loud funny in describing the cadre of crime writers encountered by the sometimes-flustered St. Just."—Mystery Scene "An entertaining diversion"—Kirkus Reviews "A good choice for readers who enjoy intelligent cozies and traditional mysteries."—Library Journal "Readers who enjoy all things British, as well as a good whodunit, will find these novels just the ticket."—Free Lance-Star "The writing is A+—smooth, clever (in the good sense) and a pleasure to read."—Cozy Library "Death and the Lit Chick shows why classics never go out of style...Malliet belongs on your bookshelf."—Reviewing the Evidence "Malliet's old-fashioned style is reminiscent of the traditional whodunits of the past... but with a distinctly humorous flair. The book is a clever mystery as well as a witty satire." —Vickie Britton at Suite 101
