Murder on Monday (Lois Meade Series #1) by Ann Purser

From the Publisher

A devoted wife and mother of three, Lois Meade cleans houses in the quaint village of Long Farnden. When a local spinster is murdered, Lois finds herself poking around her clients' houses for clues. But her quest for the killer will uncover some surprising secrets about this seemingly peaceful village-and put her family in mortal danger.

Publishers Weekly

A refreshingly working-class heroine, a devoted wife and mother of three, plays reluctant sleuth in this winning cozy from British author Purser (Pastures New), set in the quaint village of Long Farnden. When the village spinster, who lives in a thatched cottage reminiscent of a tea cozy, is strangled to death, the police are eager to seek information about the victim's neighbors and friends. Who better to aid their investigation than Lois Meade, who as a house cleaner has ample access to what goes on behind her clients' closed doors? Priding herself on her professional demeanor, Lois hesitates when asked by PC Keith Simpson if she'll help, but curiosity and her recent need for personal fulfillment cause her to accept. In her quest for the killer, Lois ultimately uncovers some surprising secrets of some of Long Farnden's most prominent citizens, shaking the foundations of this seemingly peaceful village, including those of her own house. Traditional and modern combine smoothly. The village men all own Barbour coats, while the vicar inhabits a poorly heated contemporary house overlooking the town's sewage dump. A strong plot and believable characters, especially the honest, down-to-earth Lois, are certain to appeal to a wide range of readers. (Oct.)

Library Journal

To supplement her income, Lois Meade cleans houses in the village of Long Farnden. She only works for a select few, in her own no-nonsense way, but her experience there allows her to help police when a prominent local woman is murdered in the village hall. Lois, who wants special constable status anyway, digs up information on likely suspects: a helpful doctor, a randy professor, a preoccupied nurse, an ineffectual reverend, and a jealous gallery owner. Her own family, in the meantime, interrupts her investigation with its own emergencies. Fans of British "cozies" will enjoy this delightful mystery with its quaint setting and fascinating players. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Now that her two sons have followed her daughter Josie to school and her mother is helping on the home front, Lois Meade has time to look around her. Though she finds nothing more appealing in her tiny Midlands village of Tresham than her electrician husband Derek, the town of Long Farden, only six miles away, promises several cleaning jobs for Dr. and Mrs. Rix; retired law professor Malcolm Barrett and his wife Rachel; Rev. Peter White, a bachelor; and community nurse Gillian Surfleet, who lives next door to Rose Cottage, occupied by bossy Gloria Hathaway, a member of the parish council whose friendliest days are clearly behind her. At a town hall meeting, Gloria is taking her turn at making tea when a scream issuing from the kitchen announces that she's been strangled to death. Having shown her interest in becoming a special Constable to Inspector Cowgill, Lois feels free to snoop in the various houses she's cleaning, although Josie, at 14, is giving her a hard time with a much too mature interest in well-mannered older teenager Melvyn Hallhouse. As Gloria's past affairs slowly but surely come to light, Lois realizes that her checkered career not only involves half of Long Farden but comes all too close to home for her self-anointed avenger. Only when angst from the past goes venomously to work in the present is the killer found. First-class work in the English-village genre (The Neighbor's Wife, not reviewed, etc.): cleverly plotted, with thoroughly believable characters, rising tension, and a smashing climax.

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