You don't need to "subpoena an assortment of higher spiritual beings" to appreciate the fact Christopher Fowler's Bryant & May series is the best of the best. Fowler's masterful marriage of mystery and wit is fully displayed in Oranges and Lemons. And, yes, the history lessons we've all come to know and love are here too! There are twists and turns and genuine surprises in this latest installment. Fowler's charming characters never grow old even as they age. Thankfully, as this book demonstrates, the Peculiar Crimes Unit remains as fresh and charming as it has ever been. Arthur Bryant's "London" remains the most entertaining place in all of literature. #BryantMayOrangesandLemons #NetGalley

This is the 19th Bryant and May, Peculiar Crimes Unit mystery. This series is an absolute treasure. If you love a great mystery and have a fondness for London you will love this continuation of the series.
It is a complex case and I did not solve it correctly as there is quite a twist.I loved learning the history of London that goes with the title Oranges and Lemons. I was very happy to learn the series will continue.
Thanks to the Publisher Random House Penguin and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

To begin with, I love the cover of this novel. I find it to be both nostalgic and engaging in its appeal. It puts the reader in just the right mood to enjoy the latest Bryant and May novel. These two are not your average detectives but, rather, are full of idiosyncrasies. This is hardly surprising as they work for the Peculiar Crimes Unit.

This entry involves a politician on St. Clement’s Day. What follows is a complicated adventure with nursery rhyme connections. The virtual armchair traveler will also enjoy the London setting.

This is a long running series. Those new to Bryant and May can still enjoy this title although they may want to go back to read all of the others upon finishing this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

This is the seventeenth volume of Fowler's magnificent Bryant and May series and its a great one. The Peculiar Crimes Unit has been disbanded but are brought back together, sort of, to attend to a series of murders tied to nursery rhymes. Once again the eccentric team pulls out all the stops to solve the case in a way that manages to be intricate, engaging and fun. Fowler's knowledge of London shines through the story. In these pandemic times, when travel is limited or unavailable it like taking a trip to London, albeit with murders. A great read and highly recommended both for fans and newcomers--it can stand alone.

First in this series for me loved it.The characters come alive a quirky storyline a mystery a wonderful read.Looking forward to reading more from the series will be recommending,#netgalley#randomhouse

"When a prominent politician is crushed by a fruit van making a delivery, the singular team of Arthur Bryant and John May overcome insurmountable odds to reunite the PCU and solve the case in this brainy new mystery from acclaimed author Christopher Fowler.

On a spring morning in London’s Strand, the Speaker of the House of Commons is nearly killed by a van unloading oranges and lemons for the annual St. Clement Danes celebration. It’s an absurd near-death experience, but the government is more interested in investigating the Speaker’s state of mind just prior to his accident.

The task is given to the Peculiar Crimes Unit - the only problem being that the unit no longer exists. Its chief, Raymond Land, is tending his daffodils on the Isle of Wight and senior detectives Arthur Bryant and John May are out of commission - May has just undergone surgery for a bullet wound and Bryant has been missing for a month. What's more, their old office in King’s Cross is being turned into a vegetarian tapas bar.

Against impossible odds, the team is reassembled and once again what should be a simple case becomes a lunatic farrago involving arson, suicide, magicians, academics and a race to catch a killer with a master plan involving London churches. Joining their team this time is Sidney, a young woman with no previous experience, plenty of attitude - and a surprising secret."

A new Bryant and May deserves a hip hip hooray!

Nicely done! The PCU was disbanded. Long live the PCU! Well, an attack on the Speaker of the House of Commons brought the PCU back for at least one more case. And a dozy of a case it is. This is a twisted revenge tale that begins not with the first attack, but with arson and suicide. There is misdirection, song rhymes, and plenty of interesting character growth with a smashing ending! If you have been following this series, you do not wan to miss this book!

Will Bryant and May live forever? In the last few books, the aged detectives have survived poisoning, gunshot wounds, and the usual array of building collapses and knife attacks that are all in a day’s work for the Peculiar Crimes Unit. The killer in Oranges and Lemons seems to be organizing his attacks around the churches in an old children’s nursery rhyme. But as always, things aren’t exactly as they seem. Things are not even remotely as they seem, in fact. Bryant and May and their colleagues had me laughing aloud, as always, and enjoying the sensory details of a mad dash around the modern London that overlays its long history.

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

Arthur Bryant and John May return for another investigation by the Peculiar Crimes Unit that will keep you guessing and entertained to the very end. Along the way, you will encounter historians, magicians and all manner of odd characters that Bryant turns to for advice as they find themselves outwitted time after time by a murderer. The PCU has once again been shut down and disbanded when the Speaker of the House of Commons is almost killed by crates of falling oranges and lemons. The unit is called back, not to investigate the accident but to determine the Speaker’s state of mind at the time. Bryant dispels the idea of an accident and when another prominent figure dies in an “accident” it becomes a murder investigation.

Additional murders follow that are reported to the public as accidents and a suicide. Each one is tied to a rhyming verse that is set around the churches in London. There are six verses so Bryant and May know that there is more to come. The murderer is a master of misdirection and manages to escape unnoticed after each attack but Bryant and May have been involved with peculiar crimes for many years and are guaranteed to discover a solution.

Christopher Fowler has been one of my favorite authors since reading the first Bryant and May mystery. His story is filled with humor and it is impossible not to fall in love with the two elderly detectives. He alternates between the investigation and selections from Making of a Murderer, a tale written by the current murderer that was never meant to be published. It reveals his background and the reasons for the murders but still keeps his identity hidden to the end. There is an ending twist that will leave you speechless and looking for more from Christopher Fowler in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishers for providing this book for my review.

Christopher Fowler left readers of this series hanging over the cliff by our fingernails when the previous book ended. Whew, that was a close call. Luckily he had this one ready to write and all we had to do was be patient. The PCU (Peculiar Crimes Unit) was closed down and John May had been shot. Where was Arthur Bryant? I'm not giving anything away when I say the PCU has been put back on oxygen long enough for the politicians working in the background to have a scapegoat if all heck breaks loose regarding this hot potato investigation.

Arthur Bryant with a soft side? Don't think that is going to last very long and, if I'm honest, I don't think I want him to be different from the character I've been following all these years. This murder investigation is a real doozy that will have even hard core fans wondering how Fowler can get his PCU team through to the solution side. I always enjoy the little extra bits Fowler uses to keep the flow of the book swirling along and this time it was done by manuscript excerpts from the murderer (even though we had to wait to find out who that is) and parts of Bryant's script for one of his walking tours of London. You just can't help but learn about certain aspects of London's history, this time focusing on churches mentioned in the verses of the Oranges and Lemons poem. I was totally off base with my solution of the murders because that is one wicked twist. This book has a notice that Bryant & May will return.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for an e-galley of this novel.

Don't worry if you haven't read this series or, if like me, you've only read one or two- this is fine as a standalone and it's a marvelous read! Fans know that there's a reason for the PCU and this case epitomizes the title. What sort of villain commits crime in tune with a nursery rhyme? Well, a fiendishly clever one. It might take a bit for the old team, which has been scattered to the winds, to come together (dealing not only with their personal issues but also with the loss of their office space) but once they do- wow. Bryant, May, and Land manage to deal with murder, arson, and a complex set of bad things with a tremendous sense of humor. I liked the addition of Sidney, a young woman with attitude. Hard to review because it's complex but this has great London atmospherics, terrific characters, and a plot that will keep you guessing. No spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun read.

It's pure joy to have a new Bryant & May in my hands, to settle down in my comfy spot and to tell the crazy world we now inhabit to leave me alone while I get lost in the quirky, strange, funny and twisted lives of Bryant & May and the PCU. When we last spent time with the gang, things were, it seemed, coming to an end. But, like the energizer bunny, nothing will stop the PCU from continuing their very special kind of investigating lots of very strange events. They are back in their old office which is in a worse state than when they were forced out and up to their own special version of criminal investigating. I couldn't wait to begin this new chapter of the PCU.
I have been a fan since the first case and I have learned to just go with the flow, let Bryant & May and the rest of the unit - now with a new intern who's a hoot and the new guy sent to keep an eye on them-wander around London, follow threads at will and basically, most certainly not go in a straight line. It sort of reminds me of trying to untangle my earphones when I take them out of my pocket. It's what one expects from this delightful series. I won't give away anything so nothing gets spoiled, especially the very funny bits. Lots of funny bits. When I came to the end I felt like I had enjoyed a much needed time out.
My thanks to the publisher Random House Ballantine and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought I was reading this book for the mystery, but I was wrong. This was a love song to London. Bryant’s encyclopedic mind gives us a lot of history about the churches in the Oranges and Lemons nursery rhyme. The mystery was convoluted. The PCU was as chaotic and dysfunctional as ever and I reached the end of the book with a couple of unanswered questions that I felt were a major part of the story. Am I sorry I read the book? No, I love London and I enjoyed Bryant’s view of the city. Do I want to read another Bryant and May mystery? I am not sure. I got some laughs out of the book, but mostly I just felt frustrated in the storyline.

Bryant & May: Oranges and Lemons is the 17th outing for the Peculiar Crimes Unit's own odd couple Arthur Bryant and John May written by Christopher Fowler. Due out 12th Jan 2021 from Penguin Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 464 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This series as a whole has been and continues to be my favorite humorous police procedural. The humor is pervasive and the plots are always intelligent and wonky at the same time - so outlandish the solutions of the mysteries seemingly must have a paranormal bent, but they resolve with cleverly mundane skullduggery and "mystery fair play". They're delightful.

I'm a healthcare worker and my days the last year have been filled with stress and sadness. Reading is my escape and a lifeline for myself and many of my colleagues. This was a welcome break in an otherwise hectic time. It's an ensemble cast, so it was great to get a look-in on the returning characters. The author is undeniably talented with character driven plots and really witty repartee and the book flowed along at such a good pace and was so intricately put together that it was a joy to read.

Each of the books works well as a self contained unit, so while I do recommend reading the entire series as a whole, it's not necessary to have done so to enjoy this volume. This would make a superlative choice for readers of crime fiction, police procedurals, and British crime. Wonderful book. Five enthusiastic stars.

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

Bryant and May are (mostly) back in “Oranges and Lemons,” the nineteenth book in the Peculiar Crimes Unit series, which includes two short story collections. As the book opens, May is recovering from a near-fatal gunshot wound, and Bryant is missing. The PCU has been disbanded once again, and the members are struggling to find their places without their lodestar.

Salvation comes in the form of falling fruit. The Speaker of the House of Commons has an unfortunate encounter with a lorry of citrus, and Faraday, the PCU’s bête noire, is forced to reassemble the team to investigate. Joining the band of misfits is a Home Office observer, an intern with superpowers, and a new staff animal that may, or may not, be a cat.

Bryant is also investigating a suspicious fire, as the “Oranges and Lemons” killer escalates their attacks. Each follows the nursery rhyme and takes place at or near its respective cathedral. Is this just random violence, or is there a connection to these seemingly disparate victims?

Fowler, mostly via Bryant, delivers the best zingers since Shakespeare, and Bryant’s love of London shines through in the “tour excerpts” at the beginnings of some of the chapters.

While we do get glimpses into the private lives (such as they are) of the other team members, Bryant is the sun around which all revolve. Initially, he is trying to develop empathy. He soon discovers that empathy is uncomfortable and a hindrance to his normal process.

No one can do what Bryant does, but he may have a protégé in the new intern, Sidney.
There are twists and puzzles aplenty in this adventure, and some delightful surprises which allow for fulfillment of the book’s main theme, continuity. As usual, I gave a great sigh of contentment at the closing, and not just because the last line states, “Bryant and May will return.”

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and Random House – Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

Another stellar entry in the brilliant but nearly indescribable Peculiar Crimes Unit mystery series set in London. Featuring odd couple John May, recovering from a near fatal injury, and his quirky, unkempt but genius partner Arthur Bryant. As is usual for these books, the powers that be at Scotland Yard are trying to shut down their unit due to its scorn of conventional procedures and regulations. But a touchy case involving a member of Parliament forces the PCU to be reassembled and put on the job.

The fascinating personalities of the unit are back with their maverick work ethic and often bizarre investigative techniques. A new intern has been added to the mix, along with a minder from British government. The bodies begin to pile up, and the only clue seems to be the loose plot following a child's nursery rhyme.

This is a unique series, with humor, a bit of pathos, some intriguing and oddball British history tidbits and great characterizations. I recommend you start at the beginning and enjoy the ride. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of Fowler's quirky series featuring a couple of crime-solving codgers and their teammates will not be disappointed with this latest. Equal parts suspenseful, hilarious, and introspective.

The newest in the long standing mystery series featuring the Peculiar Crimes Unit takes place shortly after the conclusion of the last book, with the unit on the verge of being dismantled. With the disappearance of Bryant and May's recovery at the hospital from a gunshot wound, members of the unit are a bit lost without the guidance, however eccentric, of their leaders. A freak accident involving the Speaker of the House of Commons and a crate of oranges and lemons raises many red flags leading to the call for an investigation from the home office. As crimes pop up that seem to be centered around the traditional nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons" it quickly becomes clear that there is only one unit with the unique talents to solve this set of seemingly disparate crimes. The Peculiar Crimes Unit is hastily reformed, with the sole purpose of solving this singular case however this time they have two new members; a home office spy by the name of Tim Floris and a bright up and comer intern named Sidney Hargreaves. In true Peculiar Crimes Unit fashion, Bryant and the team consult a varied list of eccentric experts from magicians to conspiracy theorists in an effort to close in on the killer, who may prove most difficult to pin down.
Oranges and Lemons is a brilliant addition to a series that keeps getting better with each new release. Fowler's unique humor and imaginative storytelling shines through once again, with a clever method to resolve events from the last story in such a way to bring the unit back into action. The mystery is well plotted with a slow build that culminates in an exciting finale with a clever twist. Bryant contains a seemingly unlimited supply of obscure knowledge centered around the city of London and it's citizens that readers have grown to eagerly anticipate. The addition of the precocious Sidney Hargreaves to the unit provided quite a bit of comical banter centered around Generation Z and their unique ways to relating to life. I highly recommend Oranges and Lemons to readers looking for a humorous mystery with plenty of clever twists and turns.

How I've never been exposed to the A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery series before is beyond me. This brilliant, charming, hysterically funny group of people led by Arthur Bryant and John May makes me feel like I have found an hidden treasure. Christopher Fowler's prose is beautifully evocative, I could just get lost in his words and descriptions of London. The unit is being closed down when a string of accidents and murders start taking place. Reluctantly called back to duty the PCU cobbles together resources to make sense of the issues surrounding London's classic churches and a centuries old nursery rhyme. There is so much pathos relating to the cause of the crimes and an absolutely shocking ending. I absolutely loved it, and would love to see it on film with all these enchanting characters coming to life. I don't think film could be better than the book, but I'd love to share in the London of Bryant & May.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A really strong next adventure for Bryant and May. I had no idea what was going to happen after their unit was officially disbanded, but leave to it Christopher Fowler to find the perfect way to get the gang back together. And the intro of new blood in the form of a quirky young intern is an intriguing one to say the least! I'm always in awe of Fowler's knowledge of the nooks and crannies of London - part of the reason I keep coming back to these books. I always learn something while being entertained by the eccentric cast of characters.