Member Reviews
This book is so funny. I pre-ordered it at 20% read. Are you a consumer of cozy, English mysteries? If so, this is the book for you.
I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press in exchange for an honest review.
This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. It is very short but I quite enjoyed being able to read it in one setting. Essentially this book is exactly what it says on the tin: a delightful comedy book told in the style of a guidebook parodying all manner of British murder mysteries. I mainly noticed references to Midsomer Murders and Agatha Christie, but it covers a lot of mystery tropes so there's bound to be something here for everyone. The illustrations are brilliant and the humour is very reminiscent of Lemony Snicket, which suits the style and genre perfectly. I would be delighted to get this as a gift as a mystery fan and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it.
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Unable to upload this book because I don't have the app. Looks like a fun book, however. I wish I could have the option of sending it to the kindle app. Love the English mystery vibe.
Enlivened with Goreyesque drawings, this delightful book takes a tongue-in-cheek look at “typical” English villages which are, so often, the setting of murder mysteries. You’ll find all the aspects of mysteries in villages cleverly described, along with warnings on what to avoid.
Quizes at the end of the two sections allow you to see if you are paying attention.
Just finished reading an ARC from NetGalley of Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and I thought it was positively charming! Dark humour, just the right amount of morbidness, and lots of laugh out loud descriptions. Read this before you visit a quaint English village and you should make it out alive. I really enjoyed the part about not sleeping while visiting a quaint English village - "If you can, remain awake and moving during the entirety of your stay...try to find a hollow log or disused shed...sleep during the day, in short bursts." Ha!
There are a few quizzes throughout the book to check up on your not getting murdered skills. I chose what I thought was a safe bet and was murdered by a grandmotherly woman from Normal-on-Toast. Curses!
I can't wait to read this in book format. Be sure to pay close attention to the hilarious illustrations by Jay Cooper on every page. Delightful!
I would recommend this book for anyone that likes to read quintessential mystery novels that are, of course, set in a quaint English village.
I received an advance copy of, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village, by Maureen Johnson, Jay Cooper. This is a great tongue in cheek story. What to watch out for in quaint English villages.
I have previously read the essay that has become this book. While the essay has the same start as this book, the book has expanded and increased the amount of ways to not get murdered in a quaint English Village. It also comes with a handy quiz to make sure you are paying attention to what you are ready. Unfortunately, I did not pay close enough attention and was untimely murdered by a distance cousin, so my ghost has finished reviewing it and has also enjoyed this title. The artwork is great and adds so much to the book. Definitely encouraged reading for anyone planning a trip England.
Unfortunately, I wan unable to open this title even though I tried all of the tricks and tips I found on the NetGalley site. It looks very charming and I did indicate that I would recommend this book to be added to our collection.
Your Guide to Not Being Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper
This tongue-in-cheek guide to not being murdered is literally a guide. I thought it was going to be an actual story, but instead it’s a guide book to all the stereotypical things you come across in cozy murder mysteries set in quaint English villages. Each page has a cute drawing with a pithy description. It’s a cute idea and if you’re into those cozy mysteries you’d probably enjoy this much more than I did. One of the few books I’d recommend getting as a hardback physical book rather than digital.
Thank you @netgalley for this advance copy of this book.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Your Guide to Not Being Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper / Pages: 128 / Genre: Humor / Release Date: September 14, 2021
This was hysterical. Any fan of British murder mysteries will appreciate it. I enjoyed the artwork and think it would be a good addition to a public library's collection.
This book is hilarious and a must read for anyone who enjoys Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and other such mysteries, especially if you want to visit the seemingly charming villages where horrific crimes are committed. The illustrations are excellent and the "advice" will likely remind the reader of several notable murder mysteries.
Thank you to Netgalley and Ten Speed Press for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
So well done I don't even know how to describe it. Funny and crazy, beautiful settings and best of all you get to be the main character as the reader. ~ Do yourself a favor if you see this review> just buy the book. I cannot do it justice in a review, Buy it, you won't regret it... and it might just save your life.....
Absolutely hilarious! A book that you shouldn't probably take too serious - but who knows, maybe you should? England has its fair share of murders, after all. The book was well written, featuring a delicious black humour and is definitely NOT for people who feel offended by everything. If you are, you're not going to have much joy with this book. It's very dark and requires a special sort of humour.
But I really liked it. It's amazing and I couldn't stop laughing while reading.
I received a free ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The perfect hilarious read (or gift) for anyone that has watched way too much Masterpiece Mystery and Midsummer Murders and knows that the vicar always has a murdering vendetta. The illustrations were funny and macabre and perfectly done. It’s even interactive with quizzes as you go, like any good magazine. Assume that someone always dies and maybe you will survive the Quaint English Village - but most likely not. This is a totally different category than Maureen Johnson’s other books and has a quite different audience of readers. But, she has really been perfecting mystery/crime writing and I highly support it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
This is the funniest book I've read this decade.
So clever! Johnson and Cooper have taken a trope so well known and beloved and turned it into a comedic read that I adored. I'll be searching for a physical copy of this to add to my bookshelf for sure.
I loved the breakdown of the characters, place, and events that are common in English villages and how to avoid them and consequently avoid your own demise.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a cute idea for a book for fans of cosy murder mysteries of TV series such as Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders. With macabre word sketches by Maureen Johnson and illustrations by Jay Cooper outlining the types of murders and situations to avoid in the typical quaint English village. Pretty much everything, whether it's the picturesque church, the village fete, the local friendly pub or the manor house there's danger everywhere. Short and quick to read with a fun quiz at the end to check how much attention you've been paying!
I enjoyed this quick and humorous illustrated ‘guide’ that pokes fun at the murder mystery trope of the Quaint English Village with the improbably high murder rate. This book would make a fun gift for fans of those type of mysteries, provided they have a somewhat dark sense of humor.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC.
This delightful, illustrated book details all the many people, places, and events that will cause your death if you foolishly choose to visit a Quaint English Village. As the author writes: "It is possible that you will find yourself in a placid and tedious little corner of England; it is just as possible that you will end up in an English Murder Village. You will not know you are in a Murder Village ... there will be no immediate signs of danger. This is exactly the problem. You are already in the trap."
Thankfully, this guide takes you through the village's buildings and spaces, its residents, and its events, as well as the spaces, residents, and events of the nearby manor, detailing all the suspicious, frightful, and downright murderous possibilities, then quizzes you on what you learned. Just be careful, because you never know who is creeping up behind you.
This book made me laugh out loud--it captures the essence of so many of my favorite British TV shows and books. In fact, when I finished it I had the strong urge to go binge the entire run of Midsomer Murders followed by Inspector Lewis and a few Agatha Christie novels. Fans of Quaint English Villages--especially the murderous ones--will find a new favorite in Maureen Johnson's latest book.
I haven't had this much fun reading a book in a very long time. I found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion. The little quizzes were a lot of fun too. Anyone who has ever read an Agatha Christie book or watched shows like Father Brown will see the truth in all of the advice and descriptions in this book. The illustrations bring the book to life.
What a fun, quirky little book. Anyone who has ever spent any time deep in the throes of an English murder mystery will recognize quite clearly the places and characters describef in this book.
Funny, tongue-in-cheek writing and cutely creepy illustrations make this a humorously pleasant way to waste away an hour of a summer afternoon.