The Haunted Season (Max Tudor) - Softcover

G.M. Malliet

Softcover

ISBN 10: 147210627X ISBN 13: 9781472106278

Publisher: Constable, 2015

Synopsis

Something sinister is stirring at Totleigh Hall, the imposing manor house dominating the village of Nether Monkslip.

Usually, the lord and lady of the manor are absent for most of the year, but this year they 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, building roads and repairing bridges and donating money to the upkeep of St Edwold's, while hosting splendid dinners at the Hall to which the vicar and the village doctor were invited by right and tradition.

Max Tudor's own invitation comes as a welcome novelty; it will be his first time meeting the famous family that once held sway in the area. The fact that they were famous for their eccentricities only adds to their appeal for the Anglican priest. But before he has time to starch his clerical collar and organize a babysitter, a sudden and suspicious death intervenes, and the handsome vicar's talent for sorting through clues to solve a murder is once again called into play...

Praise for G.M. Malliet:

'Rarely have I read descriptions that have left me gasping, in both their hilarity and their painful truth.' Louise Penny

'G.M. Malliet has brought the village cosy into the twenty first century... Wicked Autumn is a refreshing read for everyone who loves a really good murder.' Charles Todd

'There are certain things you want in a village mystery: a pretty setting, a tasteful murder, an appealing sleuth... Malliet delivers all that.' New York Times Book Review

About this title

About the Author:

Winner of the Agatha Award forDeath of a Cozy Writer, which initially won the Malice Domestic grant, G.M. Malliet attended Oxford University and holds a graduate degree from the University of Cambridge, the setting for her previous series, the St. Just mysteries.

Michael Page has been recording audiobooks since 1984, has recorded over two hundred titles, and has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards. As a professional actor, Michael has performed regularly since 1998 in Peterborough, New Hampshire. He is currently a professor of theater at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he lives with his wife and daughters. He has a particular interest in Shakespeare and Eastern European theater and travels frequently to Hungary and Romania.

Review:

"The Father Max Tudor books are just excellent. G.M. Malliet has crafted the English village of our dreams, with interesting small shops, a variety of inhabitants, and the local priest . . . who happens to be a former MI5 agent and also very handsome. Who wouldn’t want to live in Nether Monkshood? Here’s the fly in the ointment: people always die there, in the most unexpected and unpleasant ways. Though Max’s personal life is a source of contention (Awena, his beloved, is a pagan), Max’s ability to unravel a mystery is superb."―Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"An excellent series... The book is titled 'The Haunted Season' for a reason..." ―Mercury News

“A classic and ingenious whodunit laced with clues for the alert reader, A Fatal Winter out-Christies Christie. Pray you don't miss it.” ―Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Wittier than Louise Penny, lighter than Tana French, smarter than Deborah Crombie, G.M. Malliet has made a name for herself with her cozy-but-cutting English mysteries. A Demon Summer makes the case that she may be the best mystery author writing in English at the moment (along with French).” ―Cleveland Plain Dealer on A Demon Summer

“A superb novel! Rarely have I read descriptions that have left me gasping, in both their hilarity and their painful truth. A wonderful read.” ―Louise Penny on Wicked Autumn

“Highly entertaining... Wry humor permeates A Demon Summer. After all, haven't most of us thought that fruitcakes were, in some way, lethal? Yet Malliet also weaves in a serious subplot about families, devotion and the reasons that attract some people to a near cloistered life. Each visit to Nether Monkslip with its mix of eccentric and ordinary residents has been a delight. A Demon Summer pays tribute to the village mystery while showing its relevance to modern times.” ―Associated Press on A Demon Summer

“Wittier than Louise Penny, lighter than Tana French, smarter than Deborah Crombie, G.M. Malliet has made a name for herself with her cozy-but-cutting English mysteries. A Demon Summer makes the case that she may be the best mystery author writing in English at the moment (along with French). She's certainly the most entertaining, with her delightful but surprisingly deep series about sleuthing vicar Max Tudor... As usual, Malliet's story is filled with gorgeous descriptions of scenery and food, cutting wit and profound insight about the human condition. More than a few references to Penny's The Beautiful Mystery, set in a Canadian monastery, are a nice, winky touch, too.” ―Cleveland Plain Dealer on A Demon Summer

“With clever plotting that draws on classic elements of the British village mystery, characters conceived with care, an evocative setting and frequent doses of humor to leaven the inevitable sadness, Malliet continues her elegant and entertaining series, one that discerning fans of the genre will find stimulating, rewarding ― and a ton of fun.” ―Richmond Times-Dispatch on A Demon Summer

“I'm a fan of G.M. Malliet, and A Demon Summer is more of a return to the roots of the series. Father Max Tudor, former MI5 operative turned Anglican priest, must visit Monkbury Abbey at the order of his bishop. A peer has been poisoned, though not fatally, by a fruitcake prepared by the Handmaids of St. Lucy, a contemplative order. Just when Max is concluding the poisoning was accidental, one of the visitors to the Abbey is done to death. Once again, Max must find the killer . . . this time so he can home to his handfasting to the pregnant Awena.” ―Charlaine Harris on A Demon Summer

“Entertaining . . . the ending with a traditional gathering of the subjects will please Golden Age fans.” ―Publishers Weekly on Demon Summer

“The fourth fun entry in this charming English cozy series is delighful in tone. Think Agatha Christie meets Ian Fleming.” ―Library Journal on A Demon Summer

“Contemporary cozies don't get much better than Agatha-winner Malliet's third Max Tudor mystery.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred) on Pagan Spring

“A classic and ingenious whodunit laced with clues for the alert reader, A Fatal Winter out-Christies Christie. Pray you don't miss it.” ―Richmond Times-Dispatch on Fatal Winter

“Well crafted and entertaining, this is a superb winter read.” ―Crimespree on Fatal Winter

“A traditional English mystery involving a small village, a dysfunctional family and an attractive vicar can't help but appeal to mystery lovers everywhere.” ―Fresh Fiction on Fatal Winter

“Agatha Christie fans will relish Malliet's delicious second Max Tudor novel....Clever deduction and a logical fair-play solution are enhanced by the author's wry humor.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review on Fatal Winter

“Malliet doesn't miss a step in her stellar second case for her handsome vicar....This series shines for its wit, well-drawn characters, pitch-perfect dialog, and intricately structured puzzle.” ―Library Journal, starred review on Fatal Winter

“For Louise Penny fans.” ―Library Journal (starred) on Fatal Winter

“[A] gift-wrapped package for cozy lovers and Agatha Christie devotees... thoroughly entertaining.” ―Booklist on Fatal Winter

“There are certain things you want in a village mystery: a pretty setting, a tasteful murder, an appealing sleuth... Malliet delivers all of that.” ―Marilyn Stasio on Wicked Autumn, New York Times

“G.M. Malliet's Sly humor rivals Jane Austen's.” ―The Boston Globe on Wicked Autumn

“A winning entry in the quiet English village mystery genre.” ―Mystery Scene on Wicked Autumn

“Takes the traditional English cozy mystery and plants it firmly into the twenty-first century.” ―New York Journal of Books on Wicked Autumn

“Provid[es] the sort of comfort a quintessential cozy can offer.” ―Kirkus on Wicked Autumn

“Malliet has mastered the delights of the cozy mystery so completely that she seems to be channeling Agatha Christie.” ―Booklist, starred review on Wicked Autumn

“A superb new series... a true homage to Agatha Christie...Malliet, like Louise Penny, brings a contemporary freshness to the traditional mystery.” ―Library Journal, starred review on Wicked Autumn

“This appealing first in a new cozy series from Agatha-winner Malliet introduces Max Tudor....Readers will look forward to seeing more of the Rev. Tudor.” ―Publishers Weekly on Wicked Autumn

“A superb novel! Filled with humor and insight, G. M. Malliet creates a fabulous setting in Nether Monkslip and a great series hero in Father Max Tudor. Rarely have I read descriptions that have left me gasping, in both their hilarity and their painful truth. A wonderful read.” ―Louise Penny on Wicked Autumn

“Intelligent, charming writing make this a standout and a return to the traditional English village mystery.” ―Charlaine Harris, author of the True Blood series, on Wicked Autumn

“Exquisitely well written, a tongue-in-cheek village mystery to be savored.” ―Julia Spencer-Fleming on Wicked Autumn

“G. M. Malliet has brought the village cozy into the 21st century.” ―Charles Todd on Wicked Autumn

About this edition

• Publisher: Constable
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 147210627X
• ISBN 13: 9781472106278
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304