Never Laugh as a Hearse Goes By

January 6, 2014
In this fifth mystery in Duncan’s Penny Brannigan series, what was supposed to be a pleasant conference at a beautiful Welsh library turns into another deadly case for full-time spa-owner and part-time detective Brannigan and her significant other, police officer Gareth Davies. And when one murder leads to a second, Brannigan and Davies must enlist the help of their friends to crack the case. Narrator Flosnik turns in a stellar performance, capturing the novel’s atmosphere and its characters. The voices she creates are distinct, appropriately accented, and embody the quirks and nuance of each character, while her narration is well paced and demands listener attention. A Minotaur hardcover.

Starred review from November 1, 2013

A small conference for a group of vicars at the notable Gladstone's Library in Wales goes decidedly grim when the bishop's administrative assistant dies of a food-allergic reaction. Turns out someone planned it that way. DCI Gareth Davies happens to be on the scene, and, conveniently, Penny Brannigan is there, too. What most of the attendees don't know is that Araminta (Minty) Russell, the victim, had recently decided to try her amateurish hand at blackmail, targeting multiple individuals. Clearly, one of them has retaliated. But after a second victim dies in the library, Penny and Gareth pursue a variety of leads, including library book checkouts, menu planning, and secret doors. Apparently, all is not peaceful in the parishes of the region as tawdry secrets come to light, ensuring that a desperate killer will try again. VERDICT This fifth entry in a winning series (after A Small Hill To Die On) is a pleasing update of the "body in the library" standard. In the time-honored tradition of village cozies, Duncan provides structure, subtle clues, rampant gossip, and a satisfying conclusion.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2013
Artist and spa owner Penny Brannigan and Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Davies travel to the local library in the Wales village of Hawarden to speak to attendees of a clerical conference and their wives. The bishop's secretary, Minty Russell, decides a spot of blackmail will help fund a more comfortable retirement, and she approaches several of the attendees. When Minty suffers a severe allergic reaction at lunch, and her EpiPen is missing from her purse, the police conclude she was murdered. Later, Penny finds Reverend Shipton stabbed in the library. Are the two murders connected? Many attendees have secrets to hide, including the diocese's accountant, the library's warden, and the bishop himself, and Penny works to ferret them out. Complicating matters, Penny is ambivalent about her romantic relationship with Davies, as he seems to want a deeper commitment than she does. Multiple plotlines, a sympathetic main character, and its lovingly described Welsh setting add to the appeal of this satisfying cozy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)