Third in this well written series.Full of mystery great characters quirky at times.I’ve enjoyed each book in the series enjoyable books I look forward to reading #allison&busby

Can you believe we are at instalment number nine in this cosy series? Full of mystery, twists, historical accuracy and characters that really make the story what it is - delightfully witty, charismatic with lots of heart and soul, it just gets better and better. The characters’ warmth juxtaposed against the frigid snowy conditions outside make for a beguiling read and the mystery keeps you riveted throughout. You cannot go wrong if you enjoy good old fashioned cosy escapism. Highly recommended.

A cozy mystery with writers, staff and two early participants, all gathered at a retreat for crime writers. Then they become snowed in, without access to the wider world, and trouble arrives. Or, at least, murder is found, as one would expect in a set-up like this one. FAREWELL MY HERRING is another in a series involving the unlikeliest duo ever, a modest crime writer and his more ambitious agent. The insider conversations about publishing are cute, as is the constant repartee between the writer and his agent. This is a quick and entertaining mystery, with (red) herrings galore. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Ethelred Tressider and his agent Elsie Thirkettle have been invited to lecture on a creative writing course at Fell Hall, an out-of-the-way manor in the Yorkshire countryside. Ethelred is a mystery writer with limited success, whilst his agent, chocolate lover Elsie sees this as an opportunity to scout for new talent. But with heavy snowfalls overnight, the authors, agents and publishing professionals who arrived early are trapped inside, and tensions are quick to emerge. When one of their assembled group goes missing, Ethelred leads a search party and finds a dead body.

In my first read in the series, I was enticed by the fascinating title, and I think this worked fine as a standalone. It's narrated in alternating points of view between Ethelred and Elsie. L C Tyler did a really good job creating an atmosphere that evoked both isolated mystery tension and satire. Farewell My Herring is a book that delivers a great whodunit without taking itself too seriously. Tressider and Thirkettle's wit and banter read delightfully and although I enjoyed the overall tone, it took me a while to get into the book because of the introduction of many characters simultaneously. The author triumphed at merging vintage tropes and atmosphere with very modern references, characters, and dialogues. Farewell My Herring is the ninth book in the Herring Mysteries series, and I will be checking out the other instalments.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

'If I were to kill you somewhere like this,' said the taxi driver cheerfully, 'it would be months before they found the bits the buzzards didn't want. Every time I drop a passenger off round here, I think: now, there's a good place for a quiet murder.'

Sometimes you just need an escape, a harmless diversion from all the doom and gloom, and this 9th outing for mid-list author Ethelred Tressider and his shamelessly cynical literary agent Elsie Thirkettle delivers the perfect piece of escapist cozy crime fiction. The pair travel to the remote Fell Hall to take part in a creative writing weekend, and together with their fellow teachers they have arrived the day before the course starts to prepare and discuss the course. Unfortunately, and much to the chagrin of the course director Wendy Idsworth, a couple of the students have turned up early. Even more unfortunately, a blizzard is setting in, cutting off the house from the outside world.... Needless to say, before too long one of the characters ends up dead as a dodo, and as our hapless pair of amateur sleuths investigate it seems that everyone has a motive for killing the victim. When a second person disappears, the race is on to find the culprit before the snow melts and they can escape.

I had read three of the previous novels in the series, so I knew what to expect, but this works perfectly well as a stand-alone novel for anyone new to the books. The narrative perspective alternates between Ethelred and Elsie, which at times gets a bit of getting used to, but the book delivers everything you would want without ever taking itself seriously. It's fun, with enough clues and/or red herrings to keep you guessing as the plot rattles along apace. An added bonus for book-lovers is that the theme of this novel means that there is a lot of joy to be had poking fun at writers, publishers and the general world of books. So, switch off your phone, make a cup of tea and put your feet up - just enjoy the mystery and escape the real world for a few hours.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

I have read a few of the early entries in this series about the hapless author Ethelred and his feisty agent Elsie, and was interested to see how I would react to Number 9.

The novel is set in a remote house which hosts courses for aspiring writers. Murder takes place, and the house is cut off by heavy snow, a classic Golden Age mystery situation. There are lots of tensions amongst the characters and Ethelred and Elsie attempt to unravel the plot-strands.

This is very easy-reading and mildly amusing but I did not greatly enjoy it. I now find the relationship between Ethelred and Elsie rather tediously predictable and the banter and humour rather thin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the digital review copy.

A classic cosy murder mystery with semi-successful writer Ethelred Tressider and his ambitious agent Elsie Thirkettle trapped by the snow with other writers at a retreat in the wilds of Yorkshire. One of their number is murdered, and the pair set out to investigate.
This was an enjoyable, easy read with a nice side of banter between the two main characters. There were plenty of clues to help them (and the reader) solve the murder, and they got there in the end.
Where I felt this novel lacked was in characterisation and atmosphere. Even the two protagonists were fairly two-dimensional - Elsie a selfish chocolate addict Ethelred a bumbling author who was actually a lot more competent than he appeared - and the other characters even more so. While everyone had a possible motive for the murder, none of them felt very believable to me, nor did the characters seem very bothered that there was a murderer among them who could possibly strike again.
Still, this was a fun read, especially for those who love the cosy country house murder mystery genre.
With thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance review copy of this book.

Elsie and Ethelred do it again!

Farewell My Herring is a snowed-in mansion murder mystery with lots of amusingly contrived details so that it is (nearly) possible to believe that somewhere in England could be cut off from the outside world in this day and age. Once the murder is discovered, Elsie and Ethelred put on their deerstalkers and set out to find out whodunnit before the killer can strike again.

There is no mystery at all about who eats most of the chocolate mousse in the fridge.

Very funny, very warm and cosy, very recommended.

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

FAREWELL MY HERRING is a cozy mystery about a group of authors, publishing professionals, and aspiring authors gathered together at a remote writing retreat. Aside from the odd woman who runs the old home where the retreat is held, everyone seems to be acquainted with one another, and tensions mount. Soon, a body is discovered, and mystery author, Ethelred, and his literary agent, Elsie, are put in charge of solving the crime.

Everything here is pretty standard for a cozy mystery: a remote location isolated by a snow storm and a collection of eccentric characters with intertwined relationships that will be revealed throughout the story. It was middle of the road for me. The writing is entertaining, clear, and descriptive. The story is easy enough to follow, and the clues are laid out well enough that the reader has a shot at solving the mystery alongside the pair of amateur sleuths.

What didn't work for me was that I didn't have a solid understanding of the sleuths and their relationship. I understand this is a series, but a bit more introduction could have been helpful, as I presume this series is meant to be episodic. Ethelred felt totally nondescript, not especially competent though not as inept as Elsie would have us believe. Elsie should be the comic relief, but she comes off as mean for no reason and not nearly as clever as she thinks she is. Her arrogance would be more charming if she were kinder, and her sass would make more sense if Ethelred were more bumbling.

The story overall is well executed but not interesting enough for the length of the book. Still, voracious readers of cozy mysteries will likely enjoy the familiar comfort of the setting and a solvable, readable story.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a 4½ stars read. It has exceeded my expectations. It has clichés, but that is part of the premise: we have a group of people reunited in an isolated place for a course about writing mystery books, so we obviously expect it to follow the path of the classics.

What I wasn't expecting was the whole metalinguistic part. It was great to see the insights about the literary universe, and the analysis about the writing itself, it seems that the characters are dissecting the story from the inside. It was a lot of fun.

Speaking of fun, the main characters are really funny, both in their own way. I just felt sometimes a bit confused about whose part I was reading, Elsie's or Ethelred's, but nothing so serious.

The mystery is good, the suspects, the plot twists, all is quite well put, with the plus that I have often found myself giggling. That is exactly what I needed at the moment.

Nothing in the story gives much away about the former books in the series, what is great! Now I'm looking forward to read them all.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an amusing book with a good set of quirky characters and that doesn't take itself too seriously. The setting is great - a collection of murder writers gather to deliver a writing course, except one of the attendees quickly ends up dead and they have a real life mystery to unravel.

I really loved much of the dialogue in the book - there is a lot of humour in it. For instance the course leader, Wendy, is a mysterious character who doesn't seem to have a past. This has led to rumours that the course is actually a front for the CIA and that Wendy is an agent, leading to many hilarious discussions among the writers.

Elsie, the agent of writer Ethelred, is brilliant as a would-be cop who has clearly seen too many hackneyed crime dramas and easily gets carried away in her self-appointed role as chief investigator. I think she was actually my favourite character.

The plot itself is well set up. Claire, the murder victim, seems to have damaging information on lots of the characters, and so it's hard to know exactly who has killed her. The truth of it is actually quite simple, but the telling of the story is done well.

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys humorous writing and an easy going read.

A very solid mystery. Loved the humor and the entertaining plot and characters, along with the eccentric nature of the book overall. I'm going to have to circle back to some of the earlier books in this series!

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

Quirkier and twistier than an old stone spiral staircase in a crumbling castle, this charming story is set in rural Yorkshire where the pretty roads are unnervingly narrow and the scenery idyllic. There ought to be an award for The Funniest First Paragraph in a Book! Even the Acknowledgements at the back is written with wit. Details like this are what elevate a good book to an outstanding book. It is loaded with personality.

Wendy owns and operates Fell Hall where a writer's course is held. Amongst the guests are Ethelred Tressider, an author, and his agent, Elsie Thirkettle. Mix in a snowstorm, good food and no internet and voila...an opportune time for murder. Ethelred and Elsie hilariously tell the story through their points of view which I love. The wit and sarcasm are excellent. L. C. Tyler has such a refreshing way with words. Have I mentioned wit?

All the attendee have skeletons in their closets which up to now hadn't been aired. But inevitably, that's precisely what happens. People get jumpy and suspicious. And the snow prevents them from leaving, so...

Those mystery readers who are just discovering this author, you are in for a treat!

My sincere thank you to Allison & Busby and NetGalley for the privilege of reading the e-ARC of this delightful book!

What isn’t to love about this book? It is the first that I have read by this author and it certainly won’t be my last! Cosy mystery is my absolute favourite and everything about this worked for me. I loved the characters, especially Ethelred and Elsie, the setting and the well-crafted plot. As soon as I read the premise, I knew that this would catapult straight to the top of my TBR pile! I can’t wait to read more of Len’s work!

Rating- 3.5
This was a lovely, cosy murder mystery with intriguing characters and an atmospheric setting. It was very hard to put down and the writing was clever and the humour refreshing.
I have not read any of the other books in the series but will definitely keep an eye out for more in the future.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the eARC.

I had never read a book in this series before but I a) didn't feel like I was missing anything and b) am now very intrigued about the rest of the series. The ending was a little mushy and sort of left open like there might be more to the story in later books and there some plot points were sort of glossed over but generally I liked the well-built characters and the descriptive creation of setting.

Though it is hard to believe, there are still places in the world where people cannot get wi-fi or cell service. I live near one of them so there was no suspension of disbelief for me when this mystery was set in a remote old house, Fell Hall. Ethelred and his agent Elsie have been invited to a conference where they will discuss writing mysteries and how to get your book noticed, respectively. There are only supposed to be the three authors (Elsie and Ethelred have had interactions with both of the other writers but I'm not sure if it was in other books or not.) They are there to confer with the woman, Wendy, who runs the writing seminars with one other person, Jenny who helps with the cleaning and cooking, in the building. However, two of the participants have shown up early. It is that evening that the snow begins to fall. This very much annoys Wendy who is the type of regimented person who wants things to not only run smoothly but to run her way. Even worse, one of the two participants seems to be causing consternation among the authors.
Added to the mix another participant shows up the next day, even with the deep snow, and he seems to have some sort of information about Wendy. Then one of their number dies. And one disappears. Elsie and Ethelred take it upon themselves to investigate the murder.
It was really interesting being in the head of both of these characters, especially since I didn't actually like either one all that much. But they are both fully formed, this being the 9th book in the series, and Tyler certainly has them so down pat that one book really gives the reader a full idea of who they each are.

Four stars
Follows The Maltese Herring
This book comes out on April 22nd, 2021
ARC kindly provided by Allison & Busby and Netgalley
Opinions are my own

Ever So Slightly Bonkers...
Another glorious outing in the Herring Mysteries and, the ever so slightly bonkers but delightful, Ethelred and Elsie who have been invited to lecture on a creative writing course at the remote Fell Hall. Ethelred, a writer often plagued with block, and Elsie, his overbearing and domineering agent, make an unlikely but joyous duo - a pair of entertaining and likeable protagonists. Laced with wry humour and cleverly written, the author also has some good natured fun with his contemporaries here. A thoroughly delicious read.

4.33 stars

In Farewell My Herring, our protagonists are Ethelred Tressider, an author, and Elsie Thirkettle, his agent. They are invited to Fell Hall, a manor in the middle of nowhere that offers an exclusive and immersive creative writing course. All the lecturers arrive the day before the course begins, as do a couple of attendees who decided to ignore the rules and show up a day early. During dinner, tension starts to build as it seems that one of the guests has a hidden agenda of her own.

A heavy snowfall traps the characters in the manor, and then one of them goes missing. Without any ways to communicate with the outside world until the snow stops, Tressider and Thirkettle take it upon themselves to lead the investigation.

Tyler did a really good job creating an atmosphere that evoked both the classic isolated mystery tension and a satirical take on popular mystery tropes. Farewell My Herring is a book that delivers a great whodunnit without taking itself too seriously. Tressider and Thirkettle banter is reminiscent of Carr’s detectives and reminded me a lot of Sir Henry Merrivale tongue in cheek demeanor. It reads delightfully satirical and witty.

Although I enjoyed the overall tone of Farewell My Herring, it took me a while to get into the book because too many characters were introduced at the same time. I felt like I only knew the protagonists and Claire until about 1/3 of the way in. I think it is just a matter of preference, as I do like backstories. I also feel that the book lost me a little bit with the espionage subplot. These are just minute reader preferences that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book!

Tyler stayed true to the Golden Age Mystery traditions and played fair with his plot. He also excelled at meshing vintage tropes and atmosphere with very modern references, characters, and dialogues. Farewell My Herring is the 9th book in the Herring Mysteries series, and I will be checking his other books!

Thank you, Allison & Busby, L. C. Tyler and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Farewell My Herring in exchange for an honest review.
#FarewellMyHerring #NetGalley

Fun and fluffy. I was enticed by the weird title, which I guess is a reference to something but I don't know what (it's never explained in the novel). I didn't know this was a series and haven't read any of the others, but this seemed to work fine as a standalone.

It's narrated in alternating points of view between a boring, failing historical crime novelist, Ethelred, and his agent Elsie. I can only hope that their characters are a bit more fleshed out in the previous books, because in this one about 90% of Elsie's character was just "likes chocolate". In one chapter she mentions chocolate on literally every page. I don't know if it's meant to be cute or funny or what but I did not get it. Still, the film critic Mark Kermode suggests the 'six-laugh test' as the standard for a comedy, and I will say I found more than six of the jokes funny, so it was a success there. I did hope there would be more insight into or lampooning of the literary world (I know it's a busman's holiday but I can't resist books about writers and the writing world), but it didn't get any deeper than a puddle. For what it was, though, I enjoyed it – I've had terrible insomnia the past few nights and this was just the sort of light, half-asleep sort of thing I needed at 3am.

What happens when you trap a bunch of mystery writers together in a hotel in the middle of nowhere during a snowstorm...