Thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for this ARC...I appreciate it.

Skelton, a nerdy barrister and his assistant Edgar take on a case of murder in 1929 England in which Mary Dutton is accused of killing her abusive husband. Many twists followers in a slow moving and meandering story not only about murder but also relationships including that between Skelton and his wife, Mila as well as between Skelton and his cousins who keep a watchful eye on their end.

The amusing cousin spies were entertaining...their findings in the letters to Skelton were brilliantly funny and witty. I chuckled several times throughout as the author really has a way with words and describing incidents!

Though a mystery, this novel was unique in the slower pace and investigating methods.

I recommend this charming and fun book to those interested in the Golden Era and mysteries in general. Just don't expect an action packed suspenseful page turner. Get to know the characters.

A delightful book that kept me smiling .Skelton is a great character,He defends a woman accused of Poisoning her husband.Add in suffragettes and many other characters Ibenjoed this charming read.#netgalley #alisonbusby

Skelton
The opening was really promising but unfortunately it became a meandering mess. The book could have been half the length. The writing was no doubt witty but the unwanted plot points and details made it difficult for me to enjoy it. I was not interested in the political aspects of the book, the characters were bland and uninteresting, the mystery not so compelling. I could tell how the mystery was going to end. Overall a very disappointing read.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

Brilliant! Not a racy, page-turner but the plot was satisfactory and really felt like a period, regional detective story. Loved the characterisations and would read more in a series about Skelton, especially if it included his cousins. Loved the way that they were informers/spies for him. The ending was satisfactory too.

I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle 1920’s murder mystery, where barrister Arthur Skelton investigates farmer Ted Dutton’s death in order to exonerate his widow Mary Dutton of a charge of murder by poisoning.

Part of the investigation was carried out by Arthur’s evangelical cousins Alan and Norah who helped solving the crime while spreading the joy of Jesus in a camper van. I really enjoyed their letters sprinkled throughout the story.

All the characters were well drawn and the ending was satisfying. I’d love to read more Arthur Skelton mysteries!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

What It's About: Arthur Skelton is one of the land's most celebrated barristers and he agrees to take the case of Mary Dutton, who is also known as "The Collingford Poisoner". Mary is accused of poisoning her husband after years of abuse. As Skelton, and his assistant, Edgar, investigates the case, the more they discover secrets and lies that want to remain buried.

My thoughts: I liked the premise of the story and the first page itself was intense. I enjoyed the friendship between Skelton and Edgar, which is akin to Sherlock and Watson. This story has a great and in-depth character development which would appeal to readers who enjoy character driven story.

But I find the backstories and other stories which appear to be irrelevant to be overwhelming. It was like when you are in theater, you watched a bunch of movie trailers to a point you forgot what movie you are actually watching. That is how I felt about this book! There were way too much of that and I lost my interest after reading 50% of the book. The main plot (Mary Dutton's case) seems to fade into obscurity. I have no interest to find out what happens to her anymore. The investigations element by Skelton and Edgar, while intriguing, but was bogged down with A LOT of unnecessary details.

I've tried, but this book was not for me unfortunately.

Pub. Date: Sep 17, 2020

***Thank you Allison & Busby and NetGalley for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.***

I mostly enjoyed this, but it won't be everyone largely due to it's laid back pace. It does include fun characters and some good humor. It's a bit of an old fashion story both in style and setting. 3.5 Stars.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

This was an intriguing book! I love a good murder mystery, and this one kept me guessing while still leaving enough clues for it to be satisfying.

Assumed it was non-fiction until I started reading. Reminded me a bit of 'Malice Aforethought'. Did not connect with all the radio drama he writes with his wife, Caroline until the end. Excellent! Thanks to Netgalley for the early read.

Really enjoyed this - classic murder mystery style.

Skelton is a lawyer, and has been assigned the case of Mary Dutton, accused of poisoning her violent husband. Can he find the truth and get justice for Mary?

Packed full of schemes, interesting characters - I loved Edgar, Skelton's ever car-sick sidekick - and a twisty-turny narrative. Perfect for a quick not-too-taxing read.

**THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER FOR AN ARC COPY OF THIS TITLE IN EXCHANGE FOR A FAIR AND HONEST REVIEW**
I enjoyed this book. The lead character was quietly charming and just the right amount of flawed to make him very believable. I really liked his wife who was extremely forward-thinking for her time. It's a shame we didn't have more of her!
I'll definitely look out for any more titles in this series.

Delightful from that cheeky cover to the denouement! Boasts wit for miles, murder by poison, a famed Yorkshire barrister who takes on a hopeless case, gutsy suffragettes, and a lively 1920s England. If you love historical mysteries that keep you laughing out loud, this one’s for you. Cheers!

4 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 17 Sep 2020

Thanks to the author, Allison & Busby, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#SkeltonsGuidetoDomesticPoisons #NetGalley

I enjoyed Skelton's Guide to Domestic Poisons. The character of Skelton was well written and believable. I did skip through bits of the letters from the cousins but I enjoyed the rest of it and would definitely read a sequel.

Charming, amusing, sometimes-cynical - I very much enjoyed Skelton's Guide to Domestic Poisons. Arthur Skelton is a Leeds-born barrister, taking on a case that seems almost impossible to prove.

I adored the snippets of humour; the very first page had me laughing possibly too hard. I also very much adored how, for lack of a better word, Northern, Skelton was. As a Northerner, the mentions of Vimto, and his accent-caused struggles were oddly relatable, and endeared him to me.

I will admit, I found the pacing a little off. It took a while to get into the main plot, and it seemed stretched out more than it needed to be, but I also found that I didn't mind - I liked reading about Skelton and the cast of characters enough to continue.

I also enjoyed the angle of a barrister throughout this mystery; it was a welcome change to a genre often dominated by police detectives, with little to no variance.

I would recommend this book to fans of mysteries and comedies alike (and probably my fellow Northern-Englishmen). Thank you to Netgalley, and Allison & Busby for the opportunity to read this, in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers Allison & Busby for the e-copy to review.

This is a charming romp of homage to the golden age poisoning mysteries.
Although this is a debut novel, the author has a long history of script writing, and this shows, along with his knowledge of the period and setting (1920s England).

Arthur Skelton’s legal reputation is growing but his recent cases aren’t inspiring him. He suspects his marriage may be in trouble but he can’t bring himself to find out more.

He is persuaded to take on the defence of a woman accused of killing her husband. Public opinion has decreed the man was odious, and the woman justified in her action. She simply asserts her innocence.

On a background of increasing women’s suffrage and the run up to a general election that may shake up the status quo, Skelton is under pressure to deliver the ‘right’ result, aided by his motion sick clerk, a trainee solicitor Girl Guide, and an evangelist cousin with and eye for details.

The plot, is of course, twisting and almost inconsequential- stick your head out of the window of a vintage vehicle and enjoy the ride!

I was so excited at the premise of this book. I am partial to a strong historical fiction novel and courtroom dramas are my absolute fave.
However, this didn't deliver. It started so strongly and I was immediately drawn in to the plot. It then dropped several notches and had lost me completely by 45%.

Review-Skelton's Guide To Domestic Poisons.
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Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the digital review copy.
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The story is a "whodunnit" mystery,but, based in 1929. Arthur Skelton is a barrister,who is appointed to prove the innocence of a woman who supposedly murdered her husband.
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I was firstly drawn to this book because of that gorgeous cover. As for the story,it fell a little short of what is expected of a mystery novel. The author fails to grab your attention and keep you fixated on the book. However,that being said,the book is quite entertaining and witty.
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What I loved about this were the clever and compl characters. Thoroughly researched,combined with a sophisticated writing style,I'd recommend you to give this book a try.

Arthur Skelton a famous renowned criminal lawyer who takes on complicated cases runs into a puzzling one with political consequences.
A women named Mary Dutton, a mother of six children is accused of poisoning her husband. However the people in her town have this notion of he got what he deserved due to he was notoriously abusive.
The people were she must have poisoned in self defense with her children.
The political consequences are the Labour Party wins due to the unfair advantages of the Tory party?
It’s a damned if you do damned if you don’t situation. She gets free they may keep their seats in parliment she gets found guilty and hung its over.
However, whatever lawyer takes the case their damned no matter what. As the lawyer has already figured out his career could also be on the line too.
This book has strong writing and complex characters. This Arc was given to me by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun, tightly written little book! A bottle mystery of a delightful kind. I would certainly enjoy more of Skeleton's adventures.