The Sculthorpe Murder: 3 (The Detective Lavender Mysteries) Paperback – Import, 30 August 2016

Loved the book, could not keep it down until I finished readingThe book has well etched characters, suspense humor mystery beautiful background...The book is a complete package

This is the second detective lavender book I read and I can't wait to read the rest. After a long time I'm reading a detective series that is so well fleshed out and smart. Detective Lavender and constable Woods really get under your skin and you think of them long after the book is over. Great writing and wonderful reading

Another fabulous story from author Karen Charlton as she takes Regency Detective Stephen Lavender and his trusty Constable Ned Woods far from their usual London haunts on the trail of ruthless murderers in the sleepy hamlet of Middleton. As usual the plot is well conceived with an array of suspects and red herrings. The characters are larger than life with marvellous names such as ‘Caleb Liquorice’ and the dialogue is peppered with entertaining vernacular and ribald humour. Charlton excels at scene setting, bringing rural Northamptonshire to life with ease, and manages to impart her undoubted knowledge of the historical events of the period in a way that adds to the story rather than distracting from it. In this case, the newly created canal network features heavily, along with the papist intolerance of the period, and on a more personal level, the harsh life faced by those less able, intellectually or physically, than others.This is the third in this series and it’s good to see how the main characters have developed as we learn more about their background. Likeable, down to earth, Woods continues to be a ‘man of the people’ a perfect foil for the learned and more distant Lavender, a great team indeed. Ideal for those who enjoy the likes of the BBC’s Ripper Street.I’d wholly recommend this series and look forward to discovering where Lavender and Woods will end up in the next book.

This very impressive sequel is the 3rd volume of "The Detective Lavender Mystery" series from the wonderful author, Karen Charlton.At the end of the book you'll find a very well documented Author's Note, where the historical details concerning this story are superbly explained, and these details are again beautifully implemented within this great mystery.Story-telling from this author is once more of a superb quality, the mystery itself is fabulously structured and executed, all the characters, great historical or wonderful fictional, come vividly to life within this exciting mystery, while also the atmosphere within these historical times comes beautifully off the pages.This mystery sets off 20th February, AD 1810, in Middleton in Northamptonshire, when Billy Sculthorpe is witness of a burglary in his father's house, not knowing that his elderly father has already been murdered.As from the beginning of March, AD 1810, Detective Stephen Lavender and his friend, Constable Ned Woods, arrive in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, which is close to Middleton, where they are instructed by Magistrate, Captain Rushperry, to investigate the murder of the elderly, William Sculthorpe.While investigating this murder they will encounter hostility and deception from various people, and not to forget this murder will contain not just an interesting plot but also some well worked-out sub-plots, and all these plots together will produce a great mystery.What will follow is an intriguing and gripping historical mystery, where Lavender needs to go in search of William Sculthorpe's secret life as a Catholic priest, while Woods has demons of his own from the past that need solving, until finally together they will be able to unravel the threads of this web of murder and deceit, and catch and reveal the culprit(s) of this same dreadful murder.Very much recommended, for this is another excellent episode in this great series, and that's why I want to call this book: "A Sublime Sculthorpe Murder Mystery"!

This is the third book in the detective Lavender series. Set in the early 1800's Lavender and his constable Woods are employed by a wealthy land owner to find and arrest the murderers of an old man called SculthorpeIt turns out that Sculthorpe is not such a nice man as thought and was in fact bribing many residents of the small village in Northamptonshire. Which means of course there are many suspects with secrets.I did not realise until reading the authors notes that the story is based on a real murder which makes the historical descriptions of life in those times even more interesting.Enjoyed the characters, the plot and the authors easy reading style. An escape from lockdown, recommended

This is the third book in the series about Detective Stephen Lavender and his Constable Ned Woods. I have read the first two, and this is well up to the standard set. It is a complex case that awaits the pair when they are called up to the Midlands to look into the brutal murder of a reputedly rich elderly man. Lavender soon comes to the view that there is more to this crime than robbery. He has a feeling that the causes are complex and with hate the driving force.I like both the protagonists. They are very different to each other, but their skills and personalities complement each other. Their characters and those of the lesser participants are well drawn and it becomes difficult to put the book down. I would certainly recommend this book, not less for the reason that it is written by a literate lady, so that no poor grammar or inappropriately modern expressions creep in.

A seemingly simple plot that gradually becomes complex. The presentation of clues and evidence are carefully choreographed and support a satisfying story line and allow the reader to really engage with the plot.. Social and ethical issues feature as well but are cleverly integrated into the detective story.The book is populated with believable characters who the author brings to life with simple effective portrayals against a backdrop of similarly described landscapes, buildings and weather etc. I know little of day to day life in Britain in the early 19th century but image presented here works for me.The plot moves quickly yet still has plenty of peripheral interest regarding the characters and the history of the time, without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail, An easy, satisfying read that keeps you turning the pages. Since discovering Karen Charlton I've read the four Detective Lavender novels on the bounce and thoroughly enjoyed them and the way characters and stories have developed over the series - I hope there are more to come.