The Clutter Corpse

I like other series (Charles Paris, Mrs. Pargeter, Fethering) by Simon Brett, so I thought I'd give this one a try. Unfortunately, I've never read the first entries in those series, so I don't know if they started off as slowly as this one has. Maybe I wouldn't like them as much if they had.

The Clutter Corpse is aptly named because the book is filled with verbal clutter. There is far too much exposition and not enough action. The rule of thumb for writers is, "Show, don't tell," but that rule is absent here. (I wonder if the editor was absent, as well.) Do we really need an itemized inventory of the boot of the protagonist's car? When the narrator's son calls her, do we need four pages of backstory to reveal that he's contemplating show more suicide -- again?

I wouldn't mind having other Brett books at home to re-read, but I'll declutter my life by returning this one to the library. show less

Many thanks to Severn House for a copy of The Clutter Corpse in exchange for an honest review.

This is a clever premise for a cozy mystery series.

The story takes a while to warm up. The corpse doesn't show up until the very end of chapter two. But after that, the mystery unfolds naturally. Given that Ellen is the one who finds the corpse and has a personal link to her, it makes sense that she wants to figure things out.

That's usually one of the hang-ups I have with cozy mysteries: the amateur sleuth seems to have little to do with the deceased and has no business asking questions. But Brett skirts this issue cleverly as he gives Ellen a personal/professional connection with both the murder victim but also with the suspect. After all, show more she was supposed to be decluttering the suspect's future home with his hoarder mother. And the victim? Let's just say that Ellen's professional encounter with the young woman left a nasty taste in her mouth. Through Ellen's friends, there are multiple other connections, too.

Ellen won my sympathy immediately. She doesn't simply declutter a home, send a bill, and move on to the next job. In many cases, she continues a relationship with the recovering hoarder because she knows that though they may have too many possessions, they lack one truly necessary thing: a friend.

Queenie, who collects cats, needs Ellen to listen to her endless cat stories. Ashleigh, a young single mom, needs someone to teach her how to do the practical aspects of mothering. Like, say, throwing away dirty nappies or feeding her beloved child on a regular basis. And then hold her accountable for actually doing it.

Simon Brett obviously knows about the psychology of hoarders and other mentally ill people. His compassion and understanding of those with hoarding disorder impressed me; he never treats the disease lightly, as if the people are objects of ridicule. Ellen herself has something from her past that haunts her. But she's not a dark character. Rather, she's a practical one who knows that though the past might be tragic, living in it robs today of its joys. That, coupled with her insatiable desire to understand other people, makes her press forward in life.

The tone is less light-hearted than I expected, given the cozy genre. Considering that Brett touches on issues of mental illness, drug abuse, prisons, and death, though, the relatively serious tone makes sense. However, Ellen's wry quips about her life are funny, and there's plenty of comic relief (especially whenever her melodramatic, competitive mother appears). The book is thoroughly enjoyable.

Plenty of mysterious tidbits about these intriguing characters suggest that Simon Brett will write future decluttering mysteries. I'd gladly read more about her surly-sweet friend Dodge, her melodramatic mother Fleur, her two grown children, or even some of Ellen's clients.

Recommended for those who love cozy mysteries! 4 1/2 stars, rounded up to 5. show less

Author Simon Brett takes a break from his fabulous cozy series set in coastal Feathering to introduce us to widow Ellen Curtis, an inquisitive declutter expert in Chichester, England. The first in a new series, this novel follows Ellen when she discovers a corpse, an unlikeable rich girl from Ellen’s past. Ellen uncovers more than a corpse in clutter; she reveals lots and lots of secrets. The novel also treats mental illness accurately and sympathetically. I can’t wait for the next one!

Not a frenetic page turner, at least not until late in the story, but as this is the first book in a series the characters are introduced in an unhurried way, resembling fiction, instead of a mystery. Like the plot, they are believable as is de-clutterer Ellen's connections with both murder victim and suspect.

Brett has an unerring ability to write authentic female characters just as well as he has created the louche Charles Paris. I enjoyed this a lot and looking forward to the next one in the series.

I liked the characters and the concept of a professional de-clutterer as a business. I thought the protagonist, Ellen Curtis, aka Spacewoman (her business' name because she helps hoarding clients make space) more interesting after getting to know Ellen's backstory. Nicely interwoven into the storyline there is some explanation on the psychology of hoarding and also a bit about those who suffer with depression. To say more would be a spoiler; however, I found this aspect/s added to my interest. It's a good start to a new series, and I don't think I'd mind reading more of this series since it also has strong secondary characters--particularly her college student son, Ben, and a business associate with the intriguing name of Dodge. Fast show more pacing and plot twists enhanced the overall premise. show less

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Ellen is a declutterer, although the descriptions of her interactions with clients made what she did sound more like social work. She discovers a dead body in a house she has been asked to deal with. Once the identity of the victim is established, Ellen realizes she has met the dead woman before. She starts to investigate because she feels the police will be suspicious of her involvement.

This was not exactly a page turner. Ellen describes her work and several of her clients, Ellen discovers a body, Ellen muses about the time she first met the victim, Ellen describes her marriage to Oliver, Ellen discovers another body. I enjoyed the writing enough to keep reading, but show more there was little sense of urgency. At one point Ellen turns her car around when (I felt she was) about to do something risky because her son needed her, and I thought "yes, this is how real people behave". However, pages later she went off and nearly got herself killed sadly... show less

The Clutter Corpse by Simon Brett is the 1st book in A Decluttering Mystery series. Ellen Curtis is a widow with two children. Her eldest is off living in London while her son, Ben is attending Nottingham Trent University studying graphic design. Ellen owns SpaceWoman which is a decluttering business plus she helps people change their cluttering habits. The book is set in Chichester, which is a cathedral city in West Sussex, England. The story does contain British spelling, words, and slang (just so you are aware). I could tell from the writing, that this book was written by a man. I wish someone had pointed out to the author that some lines are inappropriate and come across offensive. I cringed at how the author portrayed Ellen’s show more current stage of life and the differences between social classes. Some things are described in detail (like the make and model of cars) and overdone. The reason for the death of Ellen’s husband was quite lengthy, but finding a body was over in a page. The book lacked a good flow and ease which would have made it easier to read. The pacing and my interest picked up near the end of the book (the last twenty percent). The whodunit was the best part of The Clutter Corpse. The mystery has a couple of suspects along with a red herring or two. The clues are there to help you solve the mystery if you pay close attention. The Clutter Corpse has mild foul language as well as talk about intimate relations, depression, and suicide. A short book never felt so long. It needed more of the cozy element as well as humor. While The Clutter Corpse was not my cup of tea, I suggest you obtain a sample to see if it is the right fit for you. The Clutter Corpse is a unique British mystery with clusters of clutter, a perplexing puzzle, challenging clients, and a missing murderer. show less