"Clutter Corpse" by Simon Brett is a murder mystery, and Ellen Curtis, is a relatable and likable protagonist with a unique job as a declutterer. I enjoyed following her as she stumbled upon a body and tried to piece together the mystery of who could have committed the crime. Nate Ogden, was also a well-developed character, but is he the killer. The twist at the end regarding the killer's motives was a shock that I did not see coming. Overall, "Clutter Corpse" was a delightful read with engaging characters and a clever plot. I highly recommend it to fans of mystery novels.

I liked this quick and easy to read mystery - a lot lighter than my usual kind of mysteries. I really liked the character of Ellen, and I look forward to looking into the rest of this series.

I liked the idea of this book but in principle it just wasn’t for me. Not enough happened and found there to be to much about the main characters past and not enough present day action! It was also painfully obvious that it was written by a man as some of the perspectives were a bit skewed.

Ellen, is the SpaceWoman, an expert on decluttering and helping people with hoarding tendencies. As a favour to a friend she visits a new client only to find a body amongst the clutter and chairs of an old woman's life. Ellen gets drawn further into the mystery as personal connections are revealed and further bodies found.

"Cosy" mysteries, i.e. those with less violence than other crime novels, usually with plenty of humour and rural settings, are one of my comfort readers because in general it's all about the puzzle rather than the murder. Unfortunately, the puzzle is rather lacklustre in this one. Although Ellen find the body in the first few pages it's not until more than 60% through the book that the next plot point emerges and it's all rather simple and predictable. The majority of the book is taken up by episodes in Ellen's personal and private life but instead of helping to create an engaging protagonist, it seems like the author himself becomes more and more intrusive. Do not look at The Man Behind the Curtain. Except it's difficult not to. Encountering the line "The process of a woman's aging is different from a man's. Perhaps we have more signposts on the road. Perhaps, too, that's why men are so crap at asking for directions" (Ha, ha, ha.) I was unsurprised to remove myself that this is a female protagonist written by a man. And one with a tendency to write his female characters in a tone that mixes scorn with condescension. Most of Ellen's clients are women unable to care for themselves and even when the men are the hoarders it's the women in their lives that are condescended to and dominated. Brett may be attempting a sympathetic commentary on patriarchy but that's not how it comes across, his women look weak and/or selfish (see Ashleigh, Dorothy, Jeanette, Kerry, Hooks, Fleur...) with little internal life and no complex characteristics. Lots of the men are written like this too but they also have pretty and the male side characters of Oliver, Dodge and Ben show that he CAN do empathy and complexity. Even Ellen is more a set of thoughts and tropes than a person, her inner voice repetitive such as the constant reminders that she is no longer attracted to former flame Philip, every time they meet, speak or he enters her thoughts. The issue is rather highlighted in the absurd idea that a man would get a 14 year service for killing his girlfriend during a heated argument. Mr Brett, you have no idea. It wouldn't be murder. It wouldn't be 14 years.

The narrative is dilatory, skipping between past and present with the mystery barely holding it together. Much more time is devoted to long flashbacks and episodes with Ellen's clients, no-one of which helps to move the story along and feels like a lot of paying in a rather short book. I made it to the end with a lot of eye-timing and no surprise. Not for me.

NB. Why on earth is it necessary to specify that a young single mother who lives in social housing in a deprived area and is written without an ounce of pity ("As is common with *girls like her*, Ashleigh didn't want to breastfeed". Girls like her?!) has a child who whose "appearance showed him to be mixed race. WTF?!

I very much enjoyed this book. It has a good story and excellent main characters. I would definately recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.

This a new character for Simon Brett and I didn't warm as immediately as I have done to the others. That said she does have a solid character backdrop which provides a good basis for future character and plot development.

This is not as cosy as some of his other mystery series with more dark humour than we are used to.

I would recommend as a good read although, at the moment, I do prefer some of Simon Bretts other series - especially Charles Paris & Mrs Pargeter.

Simon Brett is a very safe pair of hands when it comes to a murder mystery and what a treat to think that there is a new series of books to enjoy. The whole area of decluttering has a lot of potential for an enterprising sleuth so this is a very clever premise for a series.

The Clutter Corpse is the first book in a new murder mystery series by superhumanly prolific author Simon Brett. Released 2nd June 2020 by Severn House, it's 192 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

Simon Brett is a really gifted writer. He writes entertainingly and well. All the parts (and they are varied and numerous) fit together and do precisely what they're meant to do. The characters are believable and well rendered. The dialogue works and is never clunky or awkward. This is a delightful intro to a new series which isn't fluffy enough (in my estimation) to fit firmly into the cozy mold, but it's not at all gritty, either. In short, it's a modern British murder mystery with a well plotted story arc, some not-too-graphic murders, some humour, and a satisfying denouement. It's also blessedly free of anthropomorphic animals, ghosts, and other bells and whistles.

There is no romance subplot, though a fair bit of the book does revolve around substance abuse and mental illness. The author manages to treat the subjects sensitively, but some readers could conceivably find some of the subject matter triggering (hoarding, trauma, heroin abuse, sexual harassment, compulsive behaviour, it's a fair laundry list).

I found it a delightful read and despite the potentially serious subplot elements, Mr. Brett manages to imbue the whole with enough humour to make it an entertaining and quick read. North American readers should be aware that it's written in British vernacular (torch, lift, flat, etc).

Four stars. Really well done. I'm looking forward to future installments of the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I think this book is a mix of women's fiction and mystery and often the mystery takes the backseat nevertheless I found it entertaining and engrossing.
It's the first in a new series and there's all the elements of a first book: introduction of the characters, the MC is a suspect and so on.
The characters are well thought and interesting, I loved Ellen and her story, so poignant and moving.
The tone is darker than the one of classic cozy mystery and I loved it because it makes this book an interesting read.
The mystery is solid even if the end seemed a bit rush.
I liked what I read and I recommend it.
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I had picked up another book by this author and enjoyed it. It was kind of fun and quirky and an interesting mystery. I think I was expecting a similar feel in this book just with a different setup and characters and that definitely didn't happen. I had issues with this book so for clarity I'm going to go to list form.

1. The writing style was more telling then showing. The reader isn't going along with Ellen as she finds a body and investigates instead we are being told what she did and what she thought which for me minimized my connection to the story.

2. This was grim. Ellen isn't decluttering overcrowded guest rooms and disorganized offices. She's involved with some serious hoarding situations and seems to work with a lot of public housing offices so these are frequently people in pretty dire situations. She also does follow up appointments (without pay it seems) and the situations just seem to get sadder and sadder. As well, Ellen has a pretty intense backstory that deals with severe clinical depression, suicide, and suicide attempts of loved ones. While it was handled sympathetically it felt like it took up a large chunk of the book and that paired with the mystery plot and the hoarding situations made this a pretty depressing read.

3. The mystery itself. I loved the basic premise of this mystery - dead body found in a jammed full room in a hoarder's house. Who was she, why was she there, and who killed her. I'm on board for all these questions. However, the pacing on the mystery was a bit weird. The discovery of the body took maybe two sentences where whole chapters were devoted to non-mystery related material. As well Ellen seemed to fluctuate between being disconnected and overly involved. There are a few times where she falls into TSTL behavior and there is a pretty sizable coincidence needed to help solve the case.

Overall, this wasn't a great read for me. I did like Ellen and her son Ben. I found the concept interesting and while I didn't love the writing style it did read pretty fast. Maybe in another mood I wouldn't have minded the very grim tone of the book but for now it was a book that left me feeling low with an unsatisfying mystery.

My thanks to Severn House - Crème de la Crime for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Clutter Corpse’ by Simon Brett in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first in Brett’s new series of semi-cozy ‘Decluttering Mysteries’ featuring professional declutterer and amateur sleuth, Ellen Curtis.

Ellen Curtis owns a business that helps people to declutter. Some are hoarders while others just need some help to organise their space. Ellen is used to encountering all kinds of weird objects in the course of her job. Yet this is the first time that she’s encountered a dead body.

While suspicion quickly falls on the deceased homeowner’s son who recently absconded from an open prison; Ellen realises that there is a link between the victim and her own past. Revelations follow.

I always enjoy reading novels by Simon Brett as his writing is always polished with interesting characters and quirky situations. Decluttering is certainly a topical issue and so perfect to introduce his readers to ‘SpaceWoman’ Ellen Curtis, doing a bit of sleuthing alongside the tidying.

Ellen Curtis owns a decluttering agency called SpaceWoman in Chichester, England. Many of her clients are hoarders and Ellen is able to help them with delicacy and tact, often checking in to see how they’re doing at no charge. She receives a referral from one of her close friends, but while she’s there ends up discovering a dead body! To make sure she stays off the suspect list, Ellen does a little investigating of her own to find the murderer.

I have enjoyed many other books by Simon Brett and was pleased to see he had started a new series. This one has an interesting premise and I liked getting to know the main character, Ellen. The reader gets to see Ellen on the job helping several different clients with a variety of hoarding issues, and I really liked that aspect of the book. It’s clear that Ellen has undergone some sort of trauma in her life and more details unfold about her personal life as the book continues. Ellen is smart and sympathetic and I like her as a main character. Her friend “Dodge” and son Ben are also likable characters. I don’t care for her mother or daughter but fortunately they don’t play a large role in the book.

There are many witty moments in the book, but it has more depth than a typical cozy. Ellen has a complicated backstory and the book deals with serious issues such as depression and suicide. The book is light on the actual sleuthing even though Ellen does investigate the murder. However, I really like the way the story is told, giving us the details of Ellen’s personal and professional life and the insights into human behavior that are shared. I was surprised when all the facts about the case eventually came out even though I did notice the suspicious behavior of a few of the characters. I enjoyed the book and would definitely be interested in reading further books featuring Ellen Curtis.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Severn House. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

The Clutter Corpse by Simon Brett is the 1st book in A Decluttering Mystery series. Ellen Curtis is a widow with two children. Her eldest is off living in London while her son, Ben is attending Nottingham Trent University studying graphic design. Ellen owns SpaceWoman which is a decluttering business plus she helps people change their cluttering habits. The book is set in Chichester, which is a cathedral city in West Sussex, England. The story does contain British spelling, words, and slang (just so you are aware). I could tell from the writing, that this book was written by a man. I wish someone had pointed out to the author that some lines are inappropriate and come across offensive. I cringed at how the author portrayed Ellen’s current stage of life and the differences between social classes. Some things are described in detail (like the make and model of cars) and overdone. The reason for the death of Ellen’s husband was quite lengthy, but finding a body was over in a page. The book lacked a good flow and ease which would have made it easier to read. The pacing and my interest picked up near the end of the book (the last twenty percent). The whodunit was the best part of The Clutter Corpse. The mystery has a couple of suspects along with a red herring or two. The clues are there to help you solve the mystery if you pay close attention. The Clutter Corpse has mild foul language as well as talk about intimate relations, depression, and suicide. A short book never felt so long. It needed more of the cozy element as well as humor. While The Clutter Corpse was not my cup of tea, I suggest you obtain a sample to see if it is the right fit for you. The Clutter Corpse is a unique British mystery with clusters of clutter, a perplexing puzzle, challenging clients, and a missing murderer.

While I really enjoyed the whodunit aspect of this story, as Brett is a solidly good craftsman in producing interesting murders and a raft of likely suspects, that wasn’t the highlight of this book. For me, what stands with this one is the gripping backstory that unfurls as the book progresses regarding Ellen’s past life. It is a staple of this genre that private investigators often have a lurid past, but they also often bear the war wounds. It generally doesn’t take the reader long to appreciate that our feisty protagonist is lugging around more baggage than your upper-class Victorian explorer – not so this time around.

Ellen’s job of decluttering houses is clearly a second career, as she has two grown-up children and no husband in evidence. There’s nothing unusual in that. She has an edgy relationship with her mother and daughter – nothing unusual in that, either. Brett does a very nice line in difficult female relationships. I enjoy reading of the unexpressed anger simmering between a daughter who feels her mother made a poor job of bringing her up – it’s a dynamic that isn’t often depicted so honestly. I get a tad tired of seeing fictional family members, both in books and on TV, saying all sorts of scaldingly honest and hurtful truths that would in real life mean permanent estrangement, yet next time around, everything seems to be normal.

Not so, here. Ellen keeps her thoughts about her mother’s behaviour to herself. But then, she doesn’t wear her heart on her sleeve at all. She comes across as kind and caring, but also briskly efficient and resourceful. And certainly not a victim – and then as the story wears on, we learn what happened in her marriage and the ongoing consequences of that. And my eyes filled with tears at her sheer gutsy courage and quiet fortitude.
Yes… I know she’s a fictional character, but I’ve fallen for her, hook, line and sinker. Ellen is such a refreshing change in these days where everyone’s emotions are on their sleeves and they share all their gladnesses and sadnesses online.

I also appreciated the supporting cast of characters – particularly Ellen’s mother – and that complicated, beautiful best friend. I’m delighted to have encountered this series, because I know Simon Brett is a prolific author and I’m very much looking forward to reading more intriguing murders in this setting – but above all, I’m desperate to meet up with Ellen, again. Highly recommended for fans of intelligent cosy murder mysteries with an awesome protagonist. While I obtained an arc of The Clutter Corpse from Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

Decluttering Gets Deadly....
When Ellen, declutterer extraordinaire, stumbles across a dead body in the course of her work she sets out to discover the truth and find a killer. Some darker themes here than we are, perhaps, used to in this authors‘ books but dealt with much empathy although I did miss a good dose of the authors‘ dry wit and sharp humour. Engaging mystery with a surprising twist and an overall enjoyable read.

Chichester, England. Widow Ellen Curtis has a business named Spacewoman. She organises peoples clutter. Often they are hoarders not able to help themselves.
She has two grown up children. A daughter nicknamed Jools who is closer to her Grandmother, she lives and works in London - successful and self contained. A son Ben who is at Nottingham Trent University, and he is a manic depressive, as was his father. Ellen's mother Fleur, an actress recently remarried, she is a selfish drama queen!
Ellen is too busy for much of a social life, but finds time for her best friend Hilary. Hilary is a Psychotherapist, specialising in working with Prison offenders. She is married to a surgeon Phillip who is an ex boyfriend of Ellen's from long ago.
Hilary is dealing with a murderer about to be released from prison. His mother however has been admitted to hospital and her house is a cluttered mess. Ellen agrees to investigate and report back how long to declutter. However when at the house she finds a woman's dead body.
This is a new series for the author and is very promising. Ellen comes across as capable but vulnerable. The author has three series in publication, including the successful Charles Paris one which has also been recorded for radio.
I look forward to more from Ellen and thoroughly recommend this book. I will review on Amazon.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Clutter Corpse by Simon Brett is published by Severn House, Creme de la Crime and will be available to purchase on June 2, 2020. Ellen Curtis runs a company that helps people to organise and clear clutter called Space Woman. A good friend of hers arranges for her to go to someone’s house to evaluate it while the owner is in hospital and while checking out the house she discovers a dead body, who turns out to be someone that she’s had difficulty with in the past. I found this to be an engaging mystery with lots of twists and turns and do recommend reading it. #TheClutterCorpse #SimonBrett #CozyMystery #NetGalley #SevernHouse #CremedelaCrime #bookstagram

Simon Brett has created an unusual character in Ellen Curtis. She is a decluttering expert, and amateur psychiatrist/sleuth. After the death of her husband, Ellen takes what had been a casual favor for friends, and turns it into a business. She gets help and referrals from her friends, and one of those referrals takes her into the seamier side of manor house life in the burbs.

Ellen’s struggles with her family’s clinical depressions make the back story of this novel almost as interesting as the main thread. I look forward to more in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ellen doe more than unclutter. She works with clients who are hoarders, which is a much bigger issue. Here, in what appears to be the first installment of a new series, she finds a corpse under piles in her clients home and then it turns out that she had a connection to the woman- and not a good one either. Ellen's going to sleuth, of course, and while that part of this is fine, it's how her back story comes out and those of the people she works with that made this a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. it's a slim volume - or short ebook - and a good read.

The clutter Corpse is a darker novel than usual from Simon Brett but a very promising introduction to the first in a new series of murder mysteries.
Ellen Curtis runs a decluttering service ‘Space Woman’. As many of her clients have deep rooted issues which are behind the reason for hoarding the items in the first place, her business is often part decluttering part social worker. She enlists the help of a man with a van a bit of a recluse who is becoming a very good friend, Dodge. They make a good team.
When Ellen finds a body, she is horrified; more so when she later discovers that they knew each other...
Can Ellen find out what happened to the victim? Can she prove she had nothing to do with the death? Will she be able to show that the police’s suspect is also innocent? If so, who did kill the victim?
As with all of Simon’s books The Clutter Corpse is incredibly well written, very amusing in parts and I cannot wait to read the next book the series.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.