Murder (and Other Unpleasantries) by Julie Titterington is one of the most interesting and humorous murder mysteries that I have ever read. Most murder mysteries tend to get long-winded and have too much skullduggery in them. The author takes the reader to Cornwall, specifically a town called Port Morvoren, which is linked to St Peter the Rock with its castle and a causeway which is only open a couple of times a day so that visitors can cross to visit the historic sights. Still, when the wind comes up and it rains, then they have to rely on the ferry, but even then, it can be iffy. The castle and village are overseen by the Thisllewyck Trust and Lady Atherton

The main characters are a delightful bunch. Each of these characters has something to hide and could have killed Lady Atherton, who is not liked at all. Clarence Crumpet takes charge when Maggie shouts for help and seconds Tamsin to be his assistant. As the investigation unfolds, the reader is taken down a winding path with Clarence seemingly being absent-minded, chatting about everything and nothing, but by this very deception he leads the reader to the conclusion as to who killed Lady Atherton and why. It has the reader laughing as well as trying to see if they can guess who committed the murder. The ending is not what the reader is expecting, as the family seems to be the ones with the biggest motives to commit murder. This is an interesting, relaxing, and thought-provoking read. It really made me think and try to solve the puzzle of the murder before the end. I recommend Murder (and Other Unpleasantries) by Julie Titterington to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries. Well worth more than one read.

Murder (and Other Unpleasantries) by Julie Titterington is written in the style of a classic British whodunit, as Agatha Christie wrote. Tamsin Castle and Clarence Crumpet have just met at the Sausage Roll bakery. Needing help, she accepts Clarence’s offer to take her order to the tea shop on St. Peter the Rock. What follows is a mysterious death at the High Tea table, hosting a very dysfunctional family. When a storm comes in, and Clarence realizes they are stranded on the island with a corpse and a murderer, he takes control and performs an unofficial investigation. The family members all have reasons to want the victim dead; some of them make no secret of their hatred and distaste for the family. Clarence has to deal with belligerent and uncooperative witnesses, while Tamsin struggles to keep Clarence on topic, as he can easily go off at a tangent. When the morning and good weather come, the mystery is solved, and a new friendship is cemented between Clarence and Tamsin.

Julie Titterington has a talent for writing interesting and entertaining mysteries. I really loved Murder (and Other Unpleasantries), with the true British crispness of the language and the differences between American and English expressions that confuse Clarence Crumpet. The characters are exquisite, especially when they quote Shakespeare to make a point, and Clarence, who reacts with delight at having a sparring partner. Some topics and themes take center stage. Though this book has many, what made it an enjoyable read was its classic style, which reminds us of Agatha Christie, as well as Poirot and the Inspector Morse novels. The British wit and indignation of the characters make the book feel familiar, and the reader feels like a witness during the investigation. The constant movement of the suspects from one room to another gives a tongue-in-cheek allusion to Clue, or, as it is called in Britain, Cluedo. Like the author's other novels, the animals are characters in their own right, and, to be honest, as a Doxie mom, the Doxie on the cover sold me on this book, and I was not disappointed.