Really enjoyed this book. Great plot and engaging, believe characters. I was drawn right into the story. Would definitely recommend.

Watch the Wall, Miss Seeton is the 24th book in the 'Miss Seeton' series. As such, our protagonist has left 1960s England behind and moved into the 1970s. The eccentric, genteel, elderly, old maid, retired schoolteacher 'detective' helps the police yet again solve several crimes, including a murder.

Although the original author of this series, which combines humor and mystery and lots of quirky characters, penned the most stellar books in this series, some of the authors that have penned books under the name Hamilton Crane to carry it on have written fun additions. This is one. And there is even an American character thrown into the mix! There are some fun literary references including a couple of minor characters with names from classic novels for us to spot, and some literary and a Kipling song/poem about smuggling which is tied into the American who suddenly appears in Kent. Besides murder and smuggling, there are a number of thefts baffling the local law enforcement, and Miss Seeton manages to somehow accidentally tied it all together as usual without even being aware of the crime solving clues she has come up with through her inspired artwork.

The denizens of the small town of Plummergen with all their eccentricities also feature in the book. Here is a quote about them:

“In the post office, the regular gossips were gathered to discuss the latest doings, and to dissect the characters of the absent in a spirit of genial malevolence.”

And a quote from the publisher at the end of the book that explains the series raison d'ê·tre :

‘Note from the Publisher:

While he was alive, series creator Heron Carvic had tremendous fun imagining Emily Seeton and the supporting cast of characters. In an enjoyable 1977 essay Carvic recalled how, after having first used her in a short story, “Miss Seeton upped and demanded a book”—and that if “she wanted to satirize detective novels in general and elderly lady detectives in particular, he would let her have her head . . .” ‘

Thank you Farrago and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this novel which came out long ago in 2019 and for allowing me, however tardily, to review it long after it was released. Life has intervened and put this professional librarian/reviewer far behind on her list of galleys she needs to read and review.

I really shouldn't have picked up this book, based on my experience of the previous book I picked up.  Whilst the fourth by this specific author, this is approx the 25th in the overall series.   I stupidly forgot to keep a track of the cast, their names, and try to work out the relationship of which sergeant to which member of Scotland Yard/the constabulary. I was part way through this second book of the series when I realised that one character is called "The Oracle" because his surname is "Delphick".  Well duh to me.

Overall, despite my failings as a reader (add in the fact that this took far too long for me to read, therefore forgetting who was investigating what), this is a decently paced and plotted story, set in the 1970s on the south east coast of the UK, which has a corresponding history of both poaching and smuggling.

Throw in a couple of twitchers looking for a rare African bird, some murders, ghosts, people who have spent too much time watching The Italian Job, robberies, escape artists plus Miss Seeton helping the local fundraising attempts with designing scenery for the local school and you have the makings of an intricate story.

I believe Miss Seeton was set up as an anti-Miss Marple, so she sits in her own world, barely understanding those around her - certainly not interfering - and always surprised when her drawings prove more than the doodles she intended them to be.  This is certainly well drawn (no pun, honestly) and it's good to see that by this point, the police let her do what she is best at and manage to interpret what she tells then without too much interference.  For example the whole issue of her house (and therefore garden, plus garden wall) being on the corner of the two roads in the village was discussed at length, but with very little actually done about it.
I really need to go back to (near to) the beginning of this overall series to see how it develops and understand the charactisation of those involved. I recognise that any failings are on my part for simply not paying enough attention to a series that deserves more from me as a reader. I can only encourage others - especially those who love Poirot and Marple, or more specifically, those who need a break from them, to attempt this series and come back to tell me their findings

First of all I would like to say thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy in return for an honest review.
I have read none of the previous books in this series, indeed I had never heard of miss Seeton. Whilst I agree this novel can be read as a standalone I think I would have benefited from having more knowledge of Miss Seeton, her relationship with the police and indeed the nature of her drawings.

In this book the police are dealing with a spate of thefts that have bigger consequences and customs and excise are trying to apprehend a a smuggling gang. I didn't find this an easy read but that is not to say it was uninteresting. It has more depth than many a cosy mystery but a confusing narrative style at times. I would seem to be coasting along enjoying the read and mid chapter the focus would move from village affairs to those of the police. The connections not always clear to follow.

I think Hamilton Crane has got the characterisation down to an art form I loved Brinton, fox on and Miss Seeton. Even the minor characters are fully imaginable. I would like to try a couple of the earlier books in the series to see how the characters were born and bred.

I think this book is much more than the cozy mystery it is described as, In actual fact Miss Seeton doesn't try to solve the crime - as most other amateurs in cozy mysteries do - rather she is an assistant to the police

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Seeton is a retired teacher who has a talent for drawing pictures which help the police to solve puzzling crimes. The book worked as a stand-alone and not having read the previous books didn't pose a problem. Characters are well written and vivid to the reader and the dialogue helps to both move the action along and give the characters more depth. The story, which could be considered a cosy mystery, moves along well and I found it to be engaging overall. All loose ends are tied up, no questions are left unanswered and it feels like a satisfying read. I'll pick up more from this series in future.

It was alright. But not what i was hoping for. There was not much mystery in several scenes. So it didn't make me that overwhelmed. It was good enough to finish so i might give the other books a chance.

3.5 stars

In this 24th book in the 'Miss Seeton' series - set in 1970s England - the genteel, grey-haired 'detective' helps the police solve several crimes, including murder. The original author of this humorous mystery series was Heron Carvic, and after his death other writers carried on. This story was penned by Hamilton Crane.

The books can be read as standalones with no problem.

*****

Some gossipy women in the town of Plummergen look askance upon Miss Emily Seeton, an elderly art teacher who retired to their community.

For one thing, Miss Seeton (aka MissEss) is very cozy with Scotland Yard, which has her on retainer as a sketch artist. For another thing, Miss Seeton is likely to hobnob with 'suspicious characters' - like the handsome American tourist she politely invites for tea and cake.

If the Plummergen rumormongers knew the whole truth they would REALLY be goggle-eyed. The fact is that MissEss - unknown to herself - is a psychic whose 'foolish scribbles' (as she calls them) help the authorities identify wrongdoers and their crimes. And right now, Kent County - the coastal area that contains Plummergen - is being plagued by a crime wave that involves several police forces.

- Scotland Yard (with the help of Customs and Excise) is looking into the beheading of a poacher who may have stumbled onto a smuggling ring.

- Superintendent Brinton and Detective Constable Foxon of the Ashford Police Department are dealing with metal thefts. All manner of metallic objects have gone missing from Ashford, including fences, gates, drains, benches, rails, manhole covers, pipes, signposts, etc. A missing signpost has already resulted in a serious car crash, and the cops are anxious to catch the miscreants.

- Chief Inspector Harry Furneaux has to deal with metal theft AND a bank heist in Ecclesham. A gang of thieves hatched a scheme - involving the strategic blocking of streets - to rob an Ecclesham bank, make a quick getaway, and elude the authorities.

- Constable Ned Potter of Plummergen is concerned with the theft of ornamental scarecrows, being put up to attract tourists.

When concern about the spate of crimes reaches the breaking point, Scotland Yard's Detective Chief Superintendent Delphick and his assistant Detective Sergeant Bob Ranger visit MissEss to request some sketches, which the artist thinks are 'Identikit' drawings. The pictures turn out to be very telling.....though it takes some time to interpret them.

Miss Seeton does more than draw pretty pictures, however. She runs into a criminal herself - and being a sweet innocent lady - completely misinterprets his intentions. MissEss mistakes the thug for a birdwatcher, and their conversation - which is completely at cross purposes - is hilarious.

The story has a gaggle of entertaining characters, including:

- Mrs. Flax who doesn't believe that Plummergen's vermillion skies are caused by fierce Saharan winds. Mrs. Flax asserts: "Tent natural, such happenings....and from an evil cause all too clear to them with deep knowledge such as mine.....atom bombs!"

- Bram Smith - an American descendant of the historic English smuggler Abraham Voller, who escaped from a local prison and headed overseas.

- Superintendent Brinton, whose wife has prescribed a 'no sugar' diet that he desperately tries to circumvent.

- DC Foxon, who favors flamboyant clothes....like a rich brown jumbo-cord jacket or a blackberry-colored velvet jacket with lapels that reach almost to his shoulders.

- Catherine Earnshaw - a famous retired actress, recently arrived in Plummergen, whose good-looking 'chauffeur' raises eyebrows around the village.

- Martin Jessyp, the school principal, who organizes a children's concert to raise funds.....and ropes Miss Seeton in to do the scenery.

- Dulcie Rose - a toddler who's entranced with the 'Roller bird' that blew to Plummergen from Africa. Dulcie Rose likes Miss Seeton to draw 'pickshers' of the 'big blue birdie' for her.

Much of the fun of the book lies in the conversations among the characters, who reference all manner of British history, stories, myths, folktales, literature, people, poems, songs, and so on. I found some of this bewildering.....and sometimes even the characters don't seem to comprehend each other.....so it's all good.

I enjoyed this comical book and recommend it to readers who like zany mysteries, especially fans of Miss Seeton.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Hamilton Crane), and the publisher (Farrago) for a copy of the book.

I love this series of cozy mysteries starring miss seton.
It is just and w easy read .
It featured good historical plot and characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Usually, I love the Miss Seton mysteries. They are fun that feature a sassy heroine. However, this novel left me a bit underwhelmed after reading it. There was not much of a mystery and it was drawn out. Still, I look forward to reading more for it is an excellent series!

An entertaining cozy mystery that will keep the reader following the misadventures with Miss Seton and her cast of characters. This series of books is avidly followed because the writers always give the reader a good though often screwy mystery to solve as well as another chapter in the always entertaining life of Miss Seton. Smuggling is the oft repeated theme of this chapter but it's the interaction between the characters that will make you glad you picked up this book. The Miss Seton mysteries should be on everyone's TBR list.

Watch the Wall, Miss Seeton is the 25th Miss Seeton mystery (the first mystery prequel was numbered 0, so this one is listed as #24). Originally written by Heron Carvic, the series was taken over and written in an homage style by Hamilton Crane after Carvic's death.

Released 21st Feb 2019 by Farrago, it's 243 pages and available in ebook and paperback formats.

There are only a handful of series, however well written, which keep me coming back for more year after year. The Miss Seeton books are amongst of the coziest of cozies, silly and very fluffy but they have an undercurrent of wickedly campy humor. They're very tongue in cheek and full of sly lampooning of everything from police procedurals to rural English village life in the mid 1970's.

I did feel this entry in the series was maybe a trifle more scattered and difficult to follow than most of the others. There were several disparate plot threads and they crossed and intertwined and were sometimes difficult for me to keep track of. The characters, both the returning ensemble cast and the new, are well fleshed out and clearly written.

The language is relatively clean with the occasional 'hell, damn, or bloody' but nothing worse. No sexual content and no graphic or triggering violence.

I love these books so much, they're always a treat to be savored.

Five stars, Miss Seeton, may she live forever!

I originally started to read Watch the Wall, Miss Seeton because I thought it was a re-release of a mystery I read when I was in sixth or seventh grade that I loved. Of course, the moment there was a scene with Miss Seeton, I knew I was mistaken. Seeton is a kindly former art teacher who has retired to a “quiet” village thanks to inheriting a home there. She is also slightly obtuse on the surface while subconsciously acute, revealing clues in her drawings.

There are a few mysteries going on in her environs. Someone is stealing metal, gates, manhole covers, and signposts. Then there was the murder of a poacher just where the police were hoping to capture some smugglers. And yes, there are smugglers. So are these crimes connected or not? Well, the police aren’t sure but Miss Seeton’s drawings help them connect some dots. Of course, sometimes the sketches contain clues too obscure to understand on than after the fact.


I enjoyed the last half of Watch the Wall, Miss Seeton once the story actually started moving. Sure people died earlier, but the action was constantly stalled with town gossip and workplace raillery. I would not call this a fair mystery as Miss Seeton seemed to be channeling something to produce her drawings. There’s no indication she actually saw something her subconscious would introduce into her work. On the surface, she and one of the policemen she worked with are utterly embarrassing when they encounter one of the bad guys. When Miss Seeton assumes the man who hits her on the head and locks her up in a crypt is an over-zealous birdwatcher, I shook my head in disgust.

I might give Miss Seeton another chance as I liked the detective Brinton, but Miss Seeton has to be brighter than a 40-watt bulb next time.

I received an e-galley of Watch the Wall, Miss Seeton from the publisher through NetGalley.

Watch the Wall, Miss Seeton at Farrago Books
Hamilton Crane at Books in Order
★★

This is the first of the Miss Seeton books not written by Heron Carvic that I've read. I started it with trepidation, expecting it to be a poor copy of the original writings, but it isn't. It's just as good, as interesting, quirky and witty as Carvic.

As usual Miss Seeton aids the police to clear up several crimes that have them baffled. I recommend it to anyone who wants an old style detective story.

It was alright. I think it's a mood thing that this wasn't quite the sort of "fluff* or so I was looking for or needing, but I still felt it was good enough to finish.

Smugglers Revisited

The wait is over and another tale from the life and times of Emily Dorothea Seeton, spinster and adopted maiden aunt, brings fresh breath to the 1970s. Lovingly interwoven with not hundreds, but thousands of years of local history (the grudge with Murreystone goes back to the Vikings!), as missing fences and traffic signs, and a ghastly murder, set the story aflight. Yes, you ornithologists, there is a rare bird sighting, as well. You will want to whip out your Rudyard Kipling to read (or reread) the poem inspiring much of the action when titivated by the Mixed Infants' rendition for a school fundraiser. Hamilton Crane continues to wave the banner of humor (sorry, "humour") and mystery with panache.

Miss Seaton a retired Art Teacher had a talent for intuitive sketching to help the Police with there cases.
She resides in the sleepy village of Plummergen where doors can be left unlocked and all your neighbours look out for you. In this story of smuggling and murder you are led into it gently as Miss Seaton sees most occurrences through rose coloured glasses even mistaken one of the smugglers for a twitcher. This is a cozy mystery that you will enjoy to wile away a sunny afternoon with.
I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I had never heard of Miss Seeton before seeing this book advertised. I decided, somewhat diffidently, I admit, that it sounded quirky and interesting. Well, wasn’t it just?!

Miss Seeton is a retired teacher who has a knack of drawing pictures that contain messages from her subconscious which help the police to solve baffling crimes. The novel worked well on a stand-alone basis and I really didn’t feel that starting with the 25th book in the series was problematic at all. Most (all?) of the characters (apart, obviously from the villains) appear to have appeared in previous books and have well-established back stories. That doesn’t matter because the dialogue brings them to life delightfully.

Even though the novel has a gruesome murder in Chapter three, I would still classify it as the epitome of a cosy mystery. The actual murder isn’t described, just the state of the body and somehow, using the name of the victim, Isaiah Gawdy, makes it seem matter of fact. After all, you can’t have a murder mystery without a murder.

There are various policemen and their different characters are well delineated. We identify with them as separate individuals and are pleased when they are successful, e.g. when Superintendent Brinton’s sugar-free diet is assuaged by a peppermint. DC Foxon has a wayward taste in clothing – not many detectives would proudly wear a blackberry-coloured jacket of crushed velvet to the station.

The rustic dialogue is handled well, with the spelling urging the reader to almost say the words out loud for pleasure.

Yes, as Sid Nuncious has written “… who reads Miss Seeton for the plot? They’re always slightly bonkers…”

#WatchTheWallMissSeeton #NetGalley #FarragoBooks

I have read a number of books in the Miss Seeton series and have enjoyed them all. Miss Seeton is an art teacher, whose talent for inserting her subconscious and psychological insights into her drawings, help the police to solve crimes. At the same time, she is a delightful, slightly muddled old lady, who has little idea of her own talent for solving crimes.

There are some similarities between Miss Seeton and Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. Both are elderly ladies, who live in small English villages, and both have special insight into the workings of the criminal mind. However, Miss Seeton is much less aware of her “gift” and her insight sometimes seems nearly accidental. Miss Seeton also seems more innocent, always expecting to see the best in people.

As always, Hamilton Crane’s plot is excellent and he manages to tie together a bunch of seemingly unrelated threads into a cohesive and satisfying whole. For anyone who enjoys a gentle British village mystery, this book has a lot to offer. I enjoyed it very much.

Many critics claim that authors such as Virginia Woolf, James Joyce or Sylvia Plath are the masters, or mistresses, of the ‘stream of consciousness’ narrative technique. Stream of consciousness is a way of depicting the many and various thoughts and feelings that flit through someone’s mind. And whilst those authors I mentioned might be rather good at at, by far best of all is Hamilton Crane.
I’ve read quite a few Miss Seeton stories by now and I love how we hop in and out of our characters. We see the world from their points of view – and trust me, those are always totally unique. How all these original takes on events meld together is one of the many fascinating facets of these novels.
Watch The Wall, Miss Seeton joyously combines such disparate elements as twitchers, smugglers’ descendants, metal thieves, a school concert and good old customs and excise. Of course, not forgetting the local police force of and Miss Seeton, complete with umbrella and sketch pad.
The plot is clever and entertaining, and the whole book is alive with nonsense, quirkiness and wit. The writing is fresh and lively, whisking us along at a spanking pace. The characters we meet, well, they really are characters in every sense of the word! There isn’t one you’d call boring!
Fabulous story, absorbing and never a dull moment!

Watch The Wall, Miss Seeton is the twenty-fifth book in the A Miss Seeton Mystery series.

After a twenty year hiatus, Hamilton Crane has returned to bring this enjoyable series back to life. I started this series when Hamilton Crane took over the series from Hampton Charles and was sorry when it ended. But, rejoice, Miss Seeton is back once again ready to prepare sketches to help the police solve the mysteries that they are having a problem.

In this book, the reader gets to spend more time with Superintendent Brinton and his assistant Detective Constable Foxon with the Ashford Police Department and Chief Inspector Harry Furneux in a nearby community just over the county line from Brinton’s county. And of course, Chief Superintendent Delphick and his assistant, Bob Ranger, are around to work with Miss Seeton.

The police departments are looking to solve two different mysteries. One is that thieves are stealing anything metal, street signs, park benches, gates, and fences. They begin calling on scrap metal dealers in hopes that someone will be able to get them some clue as to who the thieves might be. The second is that a dead body is found in a field and police feel that it is the body of a poacher. But they soon believe that the poacher while setting his snares might have interrupted a smuggling operation. Finally, they call on Miss Seeton to see if she can sketch something that will lead them to the guilty party.

This is another wonderful story featuring Miss Seeton and rural England. This series always has a cast of wonderful characters that will have the reader chuckling and shaking their heads. Miss Seeton is still in awe as to how her “scribbles” can lead the police in the right direction. And the police are just as surprised that with so little information given to her she can get them in the right direction. I wish Miss Seeton would have been more involved in the book. On the other hand, it was quite enjoyable to watch the interaction of Brinton and Foxon.

I am looking forward to reading more of these wonderful stories with Miss Seeton.