Remembering the Dead
A Penny Brannigan Mystery
by Elizabeth J. Duncan
About Remembering the Dead
Cozy Mystery
10th in Series
Crooked Lane Books (September 10, 2019)
Hardcover: 296 Pages
ISBN-10: 1643851136
ISBN-13: 978-1643851136
Digital ASIN: B07NKQ22XN
In award-winning author Elizabeth J. Duncan's tenth Penny Brannigan mystery set in North Wales, Canadian amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan attends a dinner party at a posh country house--where a historic chair disappears and a waiter is murdered.
Artist and spa owner Penny Brannigan has been asked to organize a formal dinner to mark the centenary of the armistice that ended World War One. After dinner, the guests adjourn to the library for a private exhibition of the Black Chair, a precious piece of Welsh literary history awarded in 1917 to poet Hedd Wyn. But to the guests' shock, the newly restored bardic chair is missing. And then Penny discovers the rain-soaked body of a waiter.
When Penny learns that the victim was the nephew of one of her employees, she is determined to find the killer. Meanwhile, the local police search for the Black Chair. The Prince of Wales is due to open an exhibit featuring the chair in three weeks, so time is not on their side. A visit to a nursing home to consult an ex-thief convinces Penny that the theft of the Black Chair and the waiter's murder are connected. She rushes to Dublin to consult a disagreeable antiquarian, who might know more than he lets on, and during the course of her investigation confronts a gaggle of suspicious travelers and an eccentric herbalist who seems to have something to hide. Can Penny find the chair and the culprit before she is laid to rest in the green grass of Wales?
About Elizabeth J. Duncan
A two-time winner of the Bloody Words (Bony Blithe) Award for Canada’s best light mystery, Elizabeth J. Duncan is the author of two series of traditional mysteries: The Penny Brannigan Mystery series set in North Wales and A Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer and amateur sleuth Charlotte Fairfax. A former journalist, public relations practitioner, and college professor, Elizabeth is a faculty member of the Humber School for Writers. She divides her time between Toronto, Canada, and Llandudno, North Wales.
Author Links
Website: www.elizabethjduncan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/elizabethjduncan
Twitter: @elizabethduncan
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| The Black Chair |
Remembering the Dead by Elizabeth
J. Duncan is the tenth A Penny Brannigan Mystery. Emyr Gruffydd is going to host a dinner in
honor of the hundredth anniversary of Armistice Day and he has asked Penny
Brannigan to help organize the event. There
will be a display of World War I artifacts plus the newly restored Black Chair that
was awarded posthumously to Welsh poet Hedd Wyn in 1917. When they remove the black drape from the bardic
chair, they find it is gone. Penny is
looking for Lane Hardwick who disappeared during the dinner service and
discovers one of the waiter’s dead outside.
The waiter is Rhodri Phillips, the nephew of her spa receptionist, Rhian
who asks Penny to investigate. Remembering
the Dead can be read as a standalone for those who are new to the series, but I
would recommend reading The Cold Light of Mourning first which will introduce
you to the series. I thought the book was well-written with
developed characters. Mrs. Lloyd, Jimmy
and Dilys are back. Mrs. Lloyd is the
town busy body. She likes to attend the
big events and know the latest gossip.
Jimmy provides insight on the theft of the chair (being a former thief
himself). Dilys is an unconventional
woman who roams the area and drinks an herbal tea that is unappealing. We meet
Riley who is staying in the traveller’s encampment near Penny’s house and a talented
artist. It was interesting to learn
about the Black Chair and the poet, Hedd Wyn.
It would have been helpful if there had been a pronunciation guide for
the Welsh names. Elizabeth J. Duncan is
a descriptive writer which allows the reader to imagine the characters and the
scenes, but it does slow down the pacing.
The mystery is multifaceted with a twist or two. I like how it all tied together in the end,
but I did feel it could have used a little tweaking. There were some tense moments that will have
you quickly flipping the pages. Solving the mystery, though, is not a
challenge. There are lovely cozy moments
and the tea was hot and abundant. Reading
Remembering the Dead is a pleasing way to spend a quiet afternoon. Remembering the Dead is a diverting cozy
mystery with a delicious dinner, a misplaced bardic chair, encamped traveller’s,
a wandering waiter, a lost coffee aficionado, and one kindhearted sleuth.
Remembering the Dead will be out on September 10 and can be purchased at Amazon (Amazon UK), B&N, and Kobo. You can find a complete list of The Penny Brannigan Mystery novels here. As part of the tour, the author is giving away a special prize package containing a Welsh-themed tea towel, key chain and a packet of note cards. To enter, click here or enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck! To learn more about Chairing of the Bard, visit Wikipedia (the contest Hedd Wyn won). Please take the time to visit the other stops on the tour (schedule below) for guest posts, a recipe and author interviews. Thank you for joining me today and reading my review. I will be featuring A Curio Killing by Mary Ellen Hughes tomorrow as part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book tour. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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| Hedd Wyn Poem |
Tour Participants
September 3 – I'm All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
September 4 – Brooke Blogs - GUEST POST
September 4 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
September 5 – Here's How It Happened – CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 5 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
September 6 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
September 6 – Babs Book Bistro – RECIPE POST
September 7 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
September 7 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 7 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
September 8 – Diary of a Book Fiend – REVIEW
September 9 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
September 9 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
September 10 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
September 10 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
Thank you for your review on "Remembering the Dead" by Elizabeth J. Duncan and for being part of the book tour.
ReplyDeleteGreat sounding book and a cover that would definitely draw my attention. I can't wait for the opportunity to read this book on my TBR list.
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