A Bedlam of Bones by Suzette A Hill

Published by Constable,
19 July 2011.
ISBN: 978-1-5694-7959-9

Hoping that he has seen the last of Rupert Turnbull following his gory encounter with him in France, see Bones in High Places, Reverend Francis Oughterard (FO) is keen to bury himself in his village of Molehill going about his pastoral duties.  But his sister Primrose has other ideas and soon poor old FO is back in the company of Rupert Turnbull, Rupert's cousin Lavinia Birtle-Figgins, Nicholas Ingaza, not to mention Bishop Horace Clinker, the covert tiddlywinks player.

Despite having during a moment of aberration offed his bothersome parishioner Elizabeth Fotherington in the woods,  see 'A Load of Old Bones', FO is a kindly chap given to chewing humbugs, smoking and playing the piano in times of stress, all accompanied by a few large gins.  So being dragged into shady dealings, FO is totally out of his depth, luckily he has two trusty companions to steer him right, Maurice his disdainful cat, and Bouncer, the dog whom Maurice just about tolerates.

With a blackmailer threatening to `out' Bishop Clinker, FO becomes an unwilling confident. A panic phone call and FO finds himself presented with a dead body.  Attempting to keep the writer Mrs Tubbly Pole from investigating, and pacifying Mavis Briggs how will FO get out of this sticky mess?

Marvellous characters, and with a wonderful turn of phrase. Set in the 1950's, this fifth book in the Molehill series is highly entertaining, and recommended.

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Reviewer: Lizzie Hayes

Suzette A Hill is the author of five books in the series set in the 1950’s in the fictional village of Molehill, featuring Reverend Francis Oughterard, Bouncer the dog and Maurice the cat, they are:

A load of Old Bones.

Bones in the Belfry

Bone Idle

Bones in High Places,  

and this final book in the series, A Bedlam of Bones.

What's next Suzette?