Fall of a Philanderer

Fall of a Philanderer – Carola Dunn
3 stars

It’s probably not a good idea to begin reading a series at its 14th book. I needed a book to listen to in the car and none of my requests had come into the library so I grabbed this from the shelf and gave it a try. It was a very pleasant, cozy mystery and I had no problem at all following the story. Bernadette Dunne gave a solid performance as the reader.
As the title indicates, the story involves the murder of a cheating husband that no one will miss. Since the victim is much despised, there are many suspects. Daisy Dalrymple and her police inspector husband become involved when they discover the body on a beach while on holiday with their young daughter. There are charming characters and a show more very pleasant 1920’s English seaside setting to make this an easy, relaxing summer read.
I now plan to get a hold of the first book Death at Wentwater Court and begin at the beginning. show less

1920s, England, situational-humor, verbal-humor, village, family, relationship-issues, historical-novel, historical-research, law-enforcement, murder, murder-investigation, vacation*****

In an unusual reversal, DCI Alec is the one to find the body! Poor Alec, all he wanted was a short seaside vacation with his wife, daughter, and daughter's friend. Instead he got saddled with a murder investigation and an unpleasant local DI. Good story and Bernadette Dunne is marvelous as narrator.

I read this, I am aware I did and I remember some of the details and I could have sworn I wrote a review, but it has evaporated into the electronic ether.

Daisy, for a change doesn't find the body herself, it's the Inspector who finds the body when he joins Daisy for a holiday. There are many people who want the philanderer dead and not many people miss him.

Daisy is at the seashore, waiting for her husband, Alec to arrive for his much deserved and long awaited holiday. She is meeting the locals and watching over her stepdaughter and her young friend. It looks to be a perfect holiday, that is, until Alec finds a body on the beach on his second day there. Since he is a CID officer, he is asked to take charge, and there goes his holiday. Much as Daisy tried to remain out of it, her conscience won't allow it and she jumps in.

I really enjoyed this story, and fully intend to listen to and read others. I love Daisy, she tries so hard to be a "dutiful" and "normal" wife and mother, but she is a creature of the modern times (it is set in the late 40s). The reader of this book was good, although I show more was not overly fond of the way she read the male parts. show less

Daisy and Alec take Belinda and her friend Deva on holiday to Devon. Hoping for a quiet time they go for a walk along the coast and stumble across a body, that of a local Don Juan. Alec's holiday is interrupted when he is tasked to work with local police. Another great instalment in the series, the story is packed with atmosphere and the mystery holds together well. I really love how Daisy, Alec and Belinda are bonding and growing as a family.

Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher is off on a summer holiday by the sea with her step-daughter Belinda and Belinda's chum Deva. Her husband, Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher of Scotland Yard, who arrives days later is anticipating a relaxing, non-dramatic holiday.

The local tavern keeper has been seducing the local women & tossing them aside, the Inn-keeper where daisy & family are staying is one of his many victims and her husband promptly goes into the tavern to settle up.

Later, when the Fletcher's simple picnic is interrupted by the discovery of a broken body at the foot of the cliff--that of the philanderer, there is no lack of suspects.

This was a fast & easy read, which I found to be not as interesting as Dunn's later show more offerings. show less

I liked this one but it is not one of my favorites. I read it before recently enough that I still remembered it. That may have lessened my reactions so that nothing was surprising. But I do like to see how Daisy and Alec's family is coming along even though there is is a little less interaction between the two of them in this book than I would have liked.