Reviewed by Jeanne
Back in 2020—why does that seem like a decade ago?—I encountered a delightful essay online at www.crimereads.com about the dangers lurking in even the most bucolic English village. I immediately shared the article with several friends who also like British mysteries, knowing they would find it as amusing as I did.
Flash forward to 2021 and lo and behold, it’s a book. The article has been somewhat expanded, giving details on exactly how one is supposed to avoid death at the hands of the vicar or other villager, and adding whimsical cartoons by Jay Cooper just to drive home the point, possibly fatally. Dangerous places include the church, the pond (“Full of the skeletons of Victorian children and, if you are unwise, you”), any vats, the apiary, the folly—well, you get the idea. There are also brief quizzes to test your ability to survive an English Murder Village (you probably won’t) and helpful maps to the manor grounds, guides to human inhabitants, and events to avoid (all of them).
The book took very little time to read, but it was time well spent. I found it to be a lot of fun and just the sort of thing I should have picked up for a Christmas stocking stuffer if I were a lot more organized. I may pick some up for next year but I’ll either lose them before then or end up in an English Murder Village. In which case, my Christmas cards and gifts will be even later than usual.
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