Slaying Is Such Sweet Sorrow: A Far Wychwood Mystery

Catherine is a woman who has moved from New York City to a small English village near Oxford where her daughter, son-in-law and grandchild live, in order to get away from her ex husband who has left her for another woman. Her son-in- law, Peter, is slated to win an award and receive a prestigious appointment at Oxford. Everyone is shocked when the position goes to another professor, Edgar Stone, who is not as qualified as Peter, nor as well liked. When Sloan is found dead, Peter is the most likely suspect, since Sloan made a phone call to the police telling them Peter was threatening him with a knife. In her heart, Catherine knows Peter is innocent and she is determined to prove it. Catherine and her daugher have a shaky relationship, so the daughter turns to her father for help and he hires a solicitor for Peter. Her ex-husband being in the picture adds more stress for Catherine, although she tries to be civil and concentrate on Peter's problem. This mystery does have a few weaknesses. There are too many digressions, and it takes a while to get into the plot. On the other hand, the descriptions of Oxford and the surrounding area, the nice chapter headings with quotes from English literature, and the appeal of Catherine's character as an independent woman who has made a new life for herself later in life, makes it well worth reading.

Love the Patricia Harwin Far Wychwood Mysteries! Harwin has developed a lovable character with a temper, a too-quick tongue, a stubborn nature, but a soft heart. Love the quirky characters and word pictures of the Oxford area. Can't wait for the next book!

This is a delightful lite (tea cozy) mystery. Do not forget the first of the Far Wychwood series called "Arson and Old Lace." If you enjoy reading the Aunt Dimity series and the Dorothy Martin series you will love this book.

I thought that the first book, Arson and Old Lace: A Far Wychwood Mystery (Harwin, Patricia. Far Wychwood Mystery Series.), was good, but this volume is even better. I was gripped by the story, sitting up until the wee hours with it, and am becoming very fond of the characters. I would recommend that fans of Jeanne Dams' Dorothy Martin series give it a try. This series features a woman who has moved from New York City to a small English village near Oxford, where her daughter, son-in-law and grandchild live. Catherine's relationship with her daughter is prickly, but thankfully not overwrought into melodrama; I sympathize with both characters. Harwin doesn't try to substitute bickering for plot. This volume has a lot of fun with the difference between England and the US, especially in vocabulary. The chapters are headed with quotes from 15th-16th century works that are exceptionally well-chosen for their beauty. In this book, Catherine is forced to confront her ex-husband at family affairs. One thing that I like about this series is that it appears that the character is not going to be locked into an unchanging formula, facing the same problems without resolution over and over again. When her likeable son-in-law is accused of murder, and Catherine finds that the police see no reason for further investigation, she goes into action. Although I would like Harwin to find solutions for Catherine other than breaking and entering, I am very happy to say that she is NOT the sort of amateur who, hearing that an axe murder might be in the cellar, goes down to check. While I don't think that Harwin is necessarily ruling out romance, I like that Catherine is an independent woman who can do just fine by herself. Harwin doesn't follow the rather tired plot device of having the character find Mr. Pluperfect in the first book. In addition to Jeanne Dam's Dorothy Martin series, I also recommend Monica Ferris' Needlecraft Mysteries featuring Betsy Devonshire and Katherine Hall Page's Body in the ... series, featuring Faith Fairchild.

After Catherine Perry's husband Quinn dumped her for another woman, she packed her belongings and moved to Far Wychwood to reside near their daughter Emily, her son-in-law Peter, and her grandson Archie. When Quinn and his lover Janet come for a visit, Emily promises her mom to keep her dad away from her because Catherine wants nothing to do with her ex. Quinn and Catherine separately attend a dinner where Peter is to be named head of his department at Oxford. The outgoing head names Edgar Stone to replace him leaving Peter very disappointed. When Catherine returns to the banquet room, she sees Peter standing over a dead Edgar. The police arrest Peter, feeling they have an airtight case after hearing a phone call Edgar allegedly made to the prime suspect. However, the case collapses when Edgar's wife is found dead with a suicide note in her handwriting saying she killed her husband. Catherine feels good for her daughter and grandson, but has some lingering doubts how the two deaths occurred. Patricia Harwin has written a delightful British cozy that will appeal to fans of Ann Granger and Patricia Hall. Readers receive an insider's look at a small English village consisting of thirty cottages yet the heroine feels more at home here than back in the States where she used to live. The mystery is cleverly constructed so that Catherine's attempts to solve the case ring true as she stumbles from one incident to the next. Readers will seek out the previous Far Wychwood tale (see ARSON AND OLD LACE) and look forward for the next one. Harriet Klausner