Cosy Mysteries for Cosy Afternoons

So, the clocks have gone back and Autumn is firmly established. There were high winds and much rain today and it was dark at 5 o'clock. It seemed appropriate to settle down by the fire with a pot of coffee and some fresh scones and a new cosy mystery.

I've been buying, and saving for a day just like today, Simon Brett's Fethering Mysteries. Every time I mention Simon Brett I say "he wrote After Henry" and Chris says "he wrote the radio script for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"! This perfectly demonstrates our different reading/listening/watching habits!

Anyway, I selected the first mystery I found, The Stabbing in the Stables and I'm pleased to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying Jude and Carole's gentle sleuthing. The characters and the setting remind me of Lesley Cookman's Libby Sarjeant novels and as I love these novels I'm really hopeful that I've found a new series to get my teeth into.

I love that the novels are set in Sussex and that, after years of visiting Chris's family in Brighton, I recognise most of the villages and towns mentioned. The Brighton Evening Argus, a paper my in-laws took faithfully every day, sums up the Fethering series beautifully: " this is lovely stuff, as comforting - and as unputdownable - as a Sussex cream tea."

So, there are many novels in the series to enjoy and they should keep me entertained during the dark evenings to come....