A Demon Summer

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Description

Lord Lislelivet has a talent for making enemies so not even his wife is surprised when it emerges someone has tried to poison him. What is surprising is that the poison is discovered in a fruitcake made by the Handmaids of St Lucy of Monksbury Abbey.

The powerful lord complains to his local bishop who asks Father Max Tudor, vicar of Nether Monkslip and former M!5 agent, to investigate. But the bishop has an additional concern: allegations have been made that the nuns have mishandled funds raised by wealthy Americans to expand their guesthouse. And now those irate patrons have descended on the abbey, along with Lord Lislelivet, to do some sleuthing of their own.

And just as Max comes to believe the poisoning was accidental, a body is discovered in the cloister well

Praise for G M Malliet

A superb novel, a wonderful read. Louise Penny

G M Malliet has brought the village cosy into the twenty first century Wicked Autumn is a refreshing read for everyone who loves a really good murder. Charles Todd

There are certain things you want in a village mystery: a pretty setting, a tasteful murder, an appealing sleuth Malliet delivers all that. New York Times Book Review

Reviews

"Highly entertaining... Wry humor permeates A Demon Summer. After all, haven't most of us thought that fruitcakes were, in some way, lethal Yet Malliet also weaves in a serious subplot about families, devotion and the reasons that attract some people to a near cloistered life. Each visit to Nether Monkslip with its mix of eccentric and ordinary residents has been a delight. A Demon Summer pays tribute to the village mystery while showing its relevance to modern times." --Associated Press

"Wittier than Louise Penny, lighter than Tana French, smarter than Deborah Crombie, G.M. Malliet has made a name for herself with her cozy-but-cutting English mysteries. A Demon Summer makes the case that she may be the best mystery author writing in English at the moment (along with French). She's certainly the most entertaining, with her delightful but surprisingly deep series about sleuthing vicar Max Tudor... As usual, Malliet's story is filled with gorgeous descriptions of scenery and food, cutting wit and profound insight about the human condition. More than a few references to Penny's The Beautiful Mystery, set in a Canadian monastery, are a nice, winky touch, too." --Cleveland Plain Dealer

"With clever plotting that draws on classic elements of the British village mystery, characters conceived with care, an evocative setting and frequent doses of humor to leaven the inevitable sadness, Malliet continues her elegant and entertaining series, one that discerning fans of the genre will find stimulating, rewarding -- and a ton of fun." --Richmond Times-Dispatch

"I'm a fan of G.M. Malliet, and A Demon Summer is more of a return to the roots of the series. Father Max Tudor, former MI5 operative turned Anglican priest, must visit Monkbury Abbey at the order of his bishop. A peer has been poisoned, though not fatally, by a fruitcake prepared by the Handmaids of St. Lucy, a contemplative order. Just when Max is concluding the poisoning was accidental, one of the visitors to the Abbey is done to death. Once again, Max must find the killer . . . this time so he can home to his handfasting to the pregnant Awena." --Charlaine Harris

"Entertaining . . . the ending with a traditional gathering of the subjects will please Golden Age fans." --Publisher's Weekly

"The fourth fun entry in this charming English cozy series is delighful in tone. Think Agatha Christie meets Ian Fleming." --Library Journal

"There are certain things you want in a village mystery: a pretty setting, a tasteful murder, an appealing sleuth... Malliet delivers all of that." --Marilyn Stasio, New York Times

"G.M. Malliet's Sly humor rivals Jane Austen's." --The Boston Globe

"A classic and ingenious whodunit laced with clues for the alert reader, A Fatal Winter out-Christies Christie. Pray you don't miss it." --Richmond Times-Dispatch

"A superb novel! Rarely have I read descriptions that have left me gasping, in both their hilarity and their painful truth. A wonderful read." --Louise Penny on Wicked Autumn

Author Bio

G M Malliet attended Oxford University and holds a graduate degree from the University of Cambridge. She now lives in the US.