Warning at One (Lois Meade Mystery)

I have greatly enjoyed all of Ann Purser's books...this one was no exception. Look forward to her next one.

This is Lois Meade's eighth outing as a sleuth, working (often reluctantly and usually awkwardly) with the police inspector who has an unrequited crush on Lois, the owner of a thriving cleaning business. Lois's cleaners have access to all kinds of unusual goings-on in the towns and villages where they work, so this is a good plot device. In this case, Lois is caught up in the mystery of Gordon Street, where she owns a house (purchased in the wake of a lottery windfall in a prior book.) At first, the only problem appears to be the presence of Clem Fitch's rooster, the aptly-named Satan, who has driven out Lois's tenants by doing what roosters do at dawn every day of the week. But there are other, more ominous, doings afoot on Gordon Street. Lois's team begins working for a mysterious elderly and blind (possibly?) woman who moves into "Braeside" across the street from Clem (why does the heavyset man who is her son yell at her, the cleaners worry?); while a reclusive skinny man living on the other side of Clem behaves very suspiciously. A murder ignites a two-track investigation; the police on one side and Lois on the other. The plot in this book is solid, full of twists and turns. The characters are predictable; the outspoken, energetic and intelligent Lois, her stolid and loving husband; their three children; the hapless police detective; the members of the cleaning staff, etc. (For the reference of those who enjoy this book, Ann Purser was once referred to as the new Miss Read for a series of non-mystery novels revolving around rural characters; these actually are better-written, in my opinion and well worth seeking out; titles include Orphan Lamb and Thy Neighbor's Wife.) A character from that non-mystery series, Ivy Beasley, makes a guest appearance in this and some other Lois Meade books. The case is eventually resolved with the help of Douglas, Lois's eldest son, who moves into the empty house next to Clem and the rooster and finds love with Clem's grandaughter along the way. This is a book to read more for the characters than the plot, however. One note: the titles (which began with days of the week and now appear to be moving on to numbers) have less and less to do with the plots. I believe in the first book there was a murder on monday, but I can't figure out what "warning at one" has to do with the plot at all. *Shrug*

Lois Meade owns New Brooms cleaners, a store that cleans people's homes in the villages of Tresham and Long Farnden, England. Her husband is a local electrician and they have raised three adult children. They also own rental property in Tresham, but are having problems with elderly tenant Clement Fitch; in actuality with his noisy cockatiel Satan who wakes everyone up before daylight. In fact the bird has forced tenants to move out so the Meades have vacancies. Their oldest son Douglas rents one of the rooms from his parents. Soon after he moves in, someone kills Clem and Satan. The police led by Detective Chief Inspector Cowsill consider Douglas a prime suspect so Lois decides to investigate to prove her son did not kill her dead tenant. This is an engaging amateur sleuth starring a somewhat eccentric heroine (she is an unpaid police informant) and an interesting support cast to include Satan, the Meade family, and a new neighbor who is allegedly almost blind. Although the plot is thin, fans of English village cozies will enjoy Ann Purser's well written tale as Lois works her second case (see SORROW ON SUNDAY). Harriet Klausner