Dorothy Martin, with her recent knee replacements, doesn't move as fast as she used to in Dams's stately 10th mystery to feature the retired American.
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- A dark and stormy night :a Dorothy Martin mystery /Jeanne M. Dams. – National Library
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- A Dark and Stormy Night: A Dorothy Martin Mystery
Truly this book demands an enormous amount of suspension of disbelief. In Dams' favor, though, she plays fair with the reader in the tradition of the cozy: Nevertheless, Dams' protagonist Dorothy Martin is offensively self-assured, negative, nosy and unattractive. Dams mentions during the course of this book some of the great Golden Age of Detection authors; too bad she didn't pick up a few more tricks from them. One person found this helpful. The newest edition of the Dorothy Martin series is certainly enjoyable. The author takes the classic English cozy and reworks it from the perspective of an aging American ex-pat dodgy knees and all and her English second husband, a retired Chief Constable.
All the traditional stock elements are present here: Dams delivers charm, atmosphere, a few frissons, and some mildly intriguing characters. There's nothing too surprising here. As such, one is left feeling that this book has been read before and possibly several times before. Given the parameters of the cozy genre, it is a perfectly good but not brilliant rendering. I'm reminded of taking a good quality but out-moded skirt and re-cutting it to bring it more into line with today's fashion.
There's nothing wrong with that, even though you know it's still an old skirt. If classic and gentle mysteries are your thing, then this book is for you. If you want more inventive or outre plots, probing psychological characterizations, or edge-of-your-seat thrills, then pass on this particular cup of tea.
A dark and stormy night :a Dorothy Martin mystery /Jeanne M. Dams. – National Library
Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Shortly after arrival, a storm of the century hits the house and countryside, revealing mysteries from the past, along with a present day death. Dorothy and all the guests find themselves cut off from the world with no electricity and no outside communication and involved in an Agatha Christie mystery of sorts. If you enjoy cozy traditional English manor type mysteries, this will not disappoint. As an aside, something I find helpful is a list of characters at the beginning of the book and the author, Jeanne M Dams, has included this as well.
- Dorothy Martin Series by Jeanne M. Dams!
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- A Dark And Stormy Night (Dorothy Martin, #10) by Jeanne M. Dams.
In this she reveals, with fondness, that one of the characters included is based upon her husband, who unexpectedly died prior to the publication of this title. Jeanne has done it again - great traditional British cozy! Dorothy Martin is a modern day Miss Marple, can't leave things be is always investigating. Major Difference is Dorothy is an American who moved to England - widowed, she makes friends, has the nice cottage she and her husband has planned on retiring to Dorothy is re-married in the last few books to Alan Nesbitt, retired Chief Constable Jeanne writes a very good cozy, keeps your attention, but her books are not "suspense" It is very nice to know when you pick up one of her books it will be a cozy.
Yes there are murders, but it is the investigations and day to day life that make up her books and you want to go back for more Hope Jeanne has more books to come!! Having read Jeanne Dams' work several years ago, I was delighted to come across her work again. Her main character, Dorothy Martin, although probably in her late sixties and only three months out of a knee replacement, gets around extremely well up and down stairs and all around the traditional country house. However, this is far from a traditional country house murder. True to the genre, there is a small set of characters, and therefore suspects, and the group gets cut off by a terrific storm that floods the surrounding river.
All the mayhem that ensues is highly entertaining. This series, and this book, is outstanding for its originality, liveliness and its endearing sleuth. Dams could either write faster OR that I could read more slowly I LOVE this series. Albeit a somewhat stereotypical book it is an engaging read and interesting plotting with interesting characters.
More details about some of the protagonists would have added to enjoyment of the book, and so would a small map of the grounds. At the end there are some loose ends and some of the catering during the height of the storm strains my credulity but I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to women of a certain age who like a good story with more than a hint of suspence and mystery. See all 46 reviews. Most recent customer reviews. Published 11 months ago.
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Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. View or edit your browsing history. Get to Know Us. I plan on going ba This was my first Dorothy Martin mystery and it won't be the last! I plan on going back with the first Dorothy book Body in the Transept to get a better background on her, but this was an excellent stand-alone! Dorothy Martin and her husband Alan Nesbitt are invited to a country house weekend at atmospheric Branston Abbey. They're looking forward to a relaxing break but the weekend coincides with a violent storm and the Abbey is damaged as well as being cut off from the surrounding countryside by floods and by a power cut which lasts for days.
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When Dorothy discovers a skeleton in the grounds revealed by the uprooting of a large oak tree it seems they have stepped into an Agatha Christie type mystery. This is quite a dark cosy mystery with danger threatening from all sides and further murders and accidents reducing the suspects. I failed completely to work out who was responsible though the clues were there. I thought the plot was very well done and the claustrophobic atmosphere was well created.
The author really did convey how much we rely on modern conveniences such as electricity, phones and the internet. My only complaint about the book was something which many American authors get wrong with crime novels set in the UK Barristers are not solicitors and a barrister would not carry out property conveyancing work. That said, the confusion was a minor part of the book and it didn't spoil m enjoyment of the story.
This book is number ten in the Dorothy Martin series though the books can be read in any order. Jan 01, Bev rated it liked it Shelves: I started off my reading with a fun, little cozy mystery by Jeanne M. Jeanne is from Indiana, just like me. And, like me, she has read British mysteries all her life and has an affinity for all things British. As she says in her bio on her web page: I knew it was unlikely I could ever afford to live in a lovely little seventeenth-century cottage somewhere in Kent or Sussex—but if I created a character who did just that, I could live her life vicariously, and instead of costing me a fo I started off my reading with a fun, little cozy mystery by Jeanne M.
I knew it was unlikely I could ever afford to live in a lovely little seventeenth-century cottage somewhere in Kent or Sussex—but if I created a character who did just that, I could live her life vicariously, and instead of costing me a fortune, that life would actually make me some money. She appeared first in a short story I wrote many, many years ago. It has never been published, but Dorothy waited patiently in the wings, and when the idea for her first book came into my head, there she was, ready to take center stage. Dorothy, an American living in England, and her husband, retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, are invited to the typical country house weekend at an isolated spot in rural Kent.
There will be a mixture of guests and a Guy Fawkes celebration with fireworks. It sounds like a lovely weekend get-away. But Dorothy's long acquaintance with every Agatha Christie novel ever written should have prepared her A violent storm cuts off their only road to outside world--as well as destroying power and telephone lines. As the house party tries to clear trees that have come down and blocked their exit, Dorothy discovers a skeleton lodged in the roots of one of the trees.
Another old body will be found, one of their number will be murdered, and two others will disappear before Dorothy and Alan can discover what ancient secrets are affecting the guests of Branston Abbey. This is a fun and light read. No heavy lifting in the mystery department and lots of references to Agatha Christie can be found. The clues are all there and a sharp-eyed reader should be able to get to the bottom of the mystery about the same time that Dorothy and Alan do. I really enjoy the character of Dorothy. She may be part of the older generation, but she's definitely an independent woman and doesn't let Alan wrap her in cotton wool.
Perhaps she gets into more adventures than your average senior citizen might--but it's all in good fun and her body count is still less than Jessica Fletcher's. Three stars for a nice cozy mystery. I'd left this series alone for quite a while and I'm glad that the Book Bingo Challenge has encouraged me read this series again. This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Apr 15, Ellen rated it it was amazing Shelves: Dorothy Martin and her husband Alan Nesbitt ret.
Chief Constable are invited to the friends country estate Branston Abbey. An array of friends, relatives, an au pair that know the mansion inside out and back again, an American photographer, A woman solicitor, the original owner of the estate as well as the lo 5. An array of friends, relatives, an au pair that know the mansion inside out and back again, an American photographer, A woman solicitor, the original owner of the estate as well as the local Vicar.
The scene is set for a lovely week-end in an old British Mansion when a horrific storm threatens the very foundation of the Branston Abbey. This is not just another mystery This author, Jeanne Dams, knew exactly the setting and the circumstances that would have us at the edge of our seats. Interesting, exciting and intense with relationships woven in the midst.
Excellently written and highly recommended. Jan 31, Linda rated it really liked it. I loved Jeanne M.
A Dark and Stormy Night: A Dorothy Martin Mystery
Dams' Dorothy Martin series, set in England, and was delighted to find this one that I missed reading at the time it was published. Dorothy is an older woman, an American, who moved to England and is now married to Alan Nesbitt, a retired British police Chief officer. The books are cozy mysteries and delightful to read. Dorothy and Alan are invited to a restored historic ancient abbey in the country for a week-end to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day.
So the scene is set for a classic En I loved Jeanne M. So the scene is set for a classic English manor house mystery with some eccentric characters. As Dorothy herself says, the week-end and abbey is straight out of an Agatha Christie. Dorothy and Alan only know one set of guests- their friends Tom and Lynn.
A storm of epic proportions destroys a bridge that is the only access to the property and the week-end turns into a case of survival, especially when two dead bodies from the past turn up, someone is murdered, and others go missing. Dorothy and her husband are invited to a historic English Abbey to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night, however a bad storm blows through stranding the guests at the party. Trapped on the premises, Dorothy and her husband are soon investigating old skeletons, missing persons, and dead bodies.
Who among the party guests is the culprit? A Dark and Stormy Night is a character-driven contained mystery. Jeanne Dams writes in a conversational way that creates characters that are likeable and chatty. Nov 15, Antoinette rated it really liked it. Dorothy and the other guests are stranded by a slightly unbelievable storm, setting them up for a classic British country house mystery. A body is found among the roots of a fallen oak tree, a guest is murdered and another disappears.
Isolated and unable to communicate with the outside world Dorothy and Alan must investigate. Feb 24, Hapzydeco rated it liked it. Setting her tale in old abbey which is isolated by a storm, Jeanne Dams weaves a satisfying mystery. Dorothy Martin and her husband retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt play well off each other as they lead the reader to the culprits. Jun 27, Patyl rated it it was amazing. The couple dynamics of Dorothy and Alan is lovely, both being witty and alert. They complement one another. The mystery itself is interesting as it takes us back in history set in England's country side chateau scenery with servant and butler scenery.
I have recently read another book by this author. I find her to be intricate in details dropping slight hints about the perpetrator and then taking you on a totall new idea and thought to explore. Really puts your dectective skills to use. Plan on reading more of these. Loved this book, what should have been a long weekend in the country in a lovely old mansion with friends turned out to be a nightmare.
A major storm with high winds and nonstop downpours. The worst storm they had in years destroyed the gardens and almost all the trees. No heat no electric flooding and a destroyed bridge. No one can get in or out.
Apr 04, Jacqueline Corcoran rated it really liked it. Jeanne Dams authors a long-standing cozy mystery series about Dorothy Martin, an elderly American elderly sleuth who lives in England with her British ex-detective husband. In her fifteenth installment, A Dark and Stormy Night, Jeanne Dams employs the classic English manor setting in which a snowstorm keeps the guests all housebound while old — and then new — murders are discovered.
Though I enjoyed reading the story, I found it confusing at times, especially the connection between the two bodie Jeanne Dams authors a long-standing cozy mystery series about Dorothy Martin, an elderly American elderly sleuth who lives in England with her British ex-detective husband. Though I enjoyed reading the story, I found it confusing at times, especially the connection between the two bodies in the past and the murders and mishaps in the present. I was so pleased to see that Jeanne Dams came out with this latest mystery after a long gap in her Dorothy Martin series.
I am also glad to see that she has been adopted by Severn House, which specializes in mysteries that are no longer being picked up by the big six New York houses. I am looking forward to reading the next Dorothy Martin installment, which I have noticed just came out this year. Jul 12, Katherine rated it it was amazing Shelves: This was a perfect little gem of an English country house mystery. Oct 06, Bonnie rated it liked it. Dorothy Martin and her husband retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt are invited to a country house weekend at a beautifully restored old mansion.
It is Guy Fawkes Day and a huge fireworks display is promised. Their room is authentic Tudor with paneled oak walls, sto Dorothy Martin and her husband retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt are invited to a country house weekend at a beautifully restored old mansion. Their room is authentic Tudor with paneled oak walls, stone fireplace, and wide oak flooring.
Everything is perfect until Dorothy awakens during the night to a roaring wind. The next morning they discover total chaos: They were completely cut off from everything. The novel details the absolute destruction of the mansion and just when things are at the worst, a skeleton is discovered under a tree that had been uprooted. The action to save themselves is mesmerizing and the conclusion a surprise. Sep 13, James rated it really liked it Shelves: If you like the mysteries of Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, then here is one for you, complete with eccentric guests and murders.
American expat Dorothy Martin who is married to retired Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt is invited to spend the weekend at a restored country mansion. The expected purpose is to enjoy the Guy Fawkes Day festivities and the company of friends. When a terrible and unexpected storm destroys the estate's gardens, it also traps everyone at the house, without power or comm If you like the mysteries of Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, then here is one for you, complete with eccentric guests and murders.
When a terrible and unexpected storm destroys the estate's gardens, it also traps everyone at the house, without power or communications. While trying to clean up the debris left by the storm and reestablish communications with the rest of the world, Dorothy and Alan find a skeleton in the roots of an overturned tree and then a mummified body in a secret closet of the mansion. One of the guests drowns, and others are injured before the mystery is solved. Lots of twists and turns and unexpected relationships. Several references to Agatha Christie's mysteries throughout the book.
A very traditional British cozy. Sep 01, Lori McD rated it liked it Shelves: But they encounter a lot of tension between the guests in the country manor, including the rich American owners, the previous English titled owner, a famous dancer, a priest, a barrister, and the owner's in-laws. Add in a frightful, hurricane wind speed storm that cuts them off from electricity, telephones, and the nearby village This story was downright creepy - parts of it verging on a horror film, as Dorothy even remarks to herself.
While parts of the book seem to drag on a bit, the overall plot is so simple, and yet the story weaves and twists and does it's best to keep you guessing. Quite unusual for the Dorothy Martin series!