jackhaldean.co.uk

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Saga magazine for August 2007 put "Fete" together with Suzette A Hill's "A Load Of Old Bones" ("Bones" is a great read!) and said:

Two delicious murder mysteries hark back to the golden age of English crime fiction, when bodies were discovered in vicarage libraries or murder was done in marquees. Gordon-Smith's clean-cut hero plays a straight bat; Hill's characters are more whimsical - a dog, a cat, a clergyman. To be read while eating strawberries and listening to a brass band.


There's also the comment from Waterstones (have a look at the welcome topic) and there's two reviews on Amazon. They read:







Star Quality!, 10 Jul 2007
By Wiggley "Worm" (South Yorkshire) - See all my reviews

Dolores Gordon-Smith clearly has researched this book very well and has an excellent writing style. The main character Jack Haldean is fantastic -as you read the book you can see how easily this could be made into a TV Murder Mystery series.



A brilliant read, 18 Jun 2007
By Barbara edwards -summers "bookworm" (England) - See all my reviews


I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down! I loved the main character Jack he seems so perceptive and gentlemanly and treats a lady just as one would wish to be treated! The characters are drawn with such clarity and they jump off the page.I also loved the red herrings along the way to put the reader " off the scent!" The explanation at the end was so well thought out and so cleverly constructed. Can`t wait for the next one!


So that's all right then!

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This was an email from Anne Laing, who's obviously a very keen and discerning reader!


Good morning, Dolores,
Well I have finished the book! I absolutely loved the story. I loved how you allowed me to almost touch the answer but just kept it out of my immediate grasp! It was so much fun working out the roles of each character and their parts in the 'murders'. It rewarded me by letting me be 'right' on many occasion, but never let me win that victory too easily. Yes, it was great fun!
My Mum was equally impressed, she 'couldn't put the book down', and she loved the twists and 'can't wait for your next book to come out'. We will be having a telephone book review tonight, she wants to talk about the book more but because I hadn't finished it, she said she would wait. I share the eagerness for your next release. Can't wait for the next murder mystery explored by our dashing ' Jack Haldean'! What a man! Quietly confident, adventurous, intelligent and just a bit brave to boot! Thanks, Dolores. A truly 'cracking yarn'! Well done to you! Thanks, again - Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!
All the best, from Anne.

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A Fête Worse Than Death

by Dolores Gordon-Smith



Jack Haldean, former RAF pilot and now a promising crime writer, is staying with his cousins, the Rivers, at their stately home in Sussex . Attending a fête on a glorious summer day, he reflects how he dreamed of this sort during the war, but surely his idyll did not include a murdered man in the fortuneteller's tent? Nor another body in the local inn? Jack has tried his hand helping Scotland Yard before and had some success – can he solve the murders and prevent any more happening?

Old sins cast some long shadows in this highly promising debut. The early years of the Roaring Twenties are sketched lightly in, instantly bringing the era to life without overdoing too much extraneous detail. It is a rattling good plot too, with plenty of plot-appropriate period detail, the necessary red herrings and constant action of some sort or another. It is a remarkably polished work for a first novel, and I look forward to reading more in the series. Perhaps inevitably Jack is not a terribly interesting protagonist, but he is amiable and makes a decent detective who manages not to make the obvious mistakes that mar many books of this type. All in all, highly recommended and the best crime series debut of this year to date.


The Book

Constable & Robinson
28 June 2007
Hardback
13: 9781845295950
Historical Crime - 1922, Sussex , England
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Rachel A Hyde
Reviewed 2007
NOTE:

© 2007 MyShelf.com

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A Fete worse than death, 13 Aug 2007 By Prof DBG Heuser (Berlin, Germany) - See all my reviews
Excellent historical whodunnit/thriller, in the tradition of Buchan, with the Great War and the atmosphere of the early 20s breathing from every button hole! Good historical research for the background, and a very convincing rendering of the spirit of the times. Greatly enjoyable read for nostalgic readers ... greatly looking forward to the next instalment, and I hope the film version comes soon! Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) (Report this)

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A summer's day in 1922, a village fete being enjoyed by Jack Haldean, crime writer and ex-Royal Flying Corps pilot. is then spoilt by the appearance of the obnoxious Jeremy Boscombe, also ex-RFC. Boscombe is permanently removed, shot while sleeping off his excesses in the fortune-teller's tent. Later that day another murder happens in Boscombe's room at the local inn.

Jack, in these days of innocence, teams up with the local police and soon realises that the anser belongs to a time during the Battle of the Somme and an incident of great betrayal there. As he delves into the past, many secrets are revealed. People are not what they seem and motives proliferate.

Reminiscent of the style of earlier crime novels, this one has been thoroughly researched both for the details of the war and the social conventions of the late (sic) 1920s. Jack is an attractive slueth and there are plenty of possible suspects, danger in abundance and a cleverly contrived denouement. An enjoyable read.
Mariana Oliver

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http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainment_living/books.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-08-26-0055.html

By JAY STRAFFORD
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
MYSTERIES

The "Golden Age" of British mystery fiction -- dominated by Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy L. Sayers -- expired with its creators. Gone are the days of the English village, the manor house, the upper crust, the baffling murder -- and the drawing-room explanation at the end.

Or maybe not.

Dolores Gordon-Smith's A Fete Worse Than Death (288 pages, Carroll & Graf, $14.95), the first in her projected Jack Haldean series, re-creates the good old days.

At a village fete during the "long weekend" between world wars, Haldean encounters a former officer from the Royal Flying Corps. The meeting isn't pleasant -- Haldean detests Jeremy Boscombe. When Boscombe is found murdered in the fortune teller's tent, and when the body of one of his sleazy associates is found at the village inn, Haldean -- a crime novelist and amateur detective -- feels compelled to help the police with their inquiries. He concludes that the killings stem from a case of treason during World War I.

Gordon-Smith incorporates all the traditional elements into this stylish whodunit, including Haldean's drawing-room explanation. Fans not content to let bygone be bygone will have reason to cheer for this sparkling and intelligent mystery.

. . .

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Gordon Smith, Dolores. A Fête Worse Than Death (Carroll $26).
It's summer, 1922, and the Red Cross fête is in full swing in a sleepy Sussex village. Former Royal Flying Corps pilot Jack Haldean is annoyed when a man briefly under his command turns up. But soon Boscombe is found shot in the fortune-teller's booth and another Londoner is found dead down the pub. Jack, having made a stir as a crime writer, is recruited by Ins. Ashley. Both realize the murders are linked to the Battle of the Somme and the tunnels beneath Augier Ridge. Good humored, well written—a kind of cross between Dorothy L. Sayers and Charles Todd, not dark like Todd, but unflinching.

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Tangled Web UK Review August 2007
File Updated: 25/08/2007


A Fete Worse Than Death by Dolores Gordon-Smith
hbk out June 07 Published by Constable Robinson at £18.99

The title conjures images of Christie and Sayers at their most trivial, a text full of 'jolly good' and 'I say', and probably a cat thrown in as well. The use of a protagonist who is a professional crime fiction writer and amateur sleuth only confirms these expectations, preparing readers for a male equivalent of Ariadne Oliver. There is also a country fair in a fictional Home Counties village, a manor house, and a cast of upper class characters who harbour sinister secrets. "By crikey!" is, in fact, never far from the lips of Jack Haldean, a tall, dark, and handsome Royal Flying Corps major turned author. But Haldean is more Biggles than Thomas Beresford and this is a carefully crafted, pacy Golden Age detective story rather than a cosy mystery.
With a complete absence of cute animals, feline or otherwise.
Four years after the First World War Haldean is visiting his uncle – Lord Rivers – and his family in Sussex. He and his cousin, also a veteran, run into a third ex-RFC pilot by the name of Boscombe. Boscombe is an unsympathetic individual, with a reputation for cowardice, and his murder at the fête passes unlamented. Superintendent Ashley recruits Haldean because of his previous assistance to an inspector in the Metropolitan Police, and because Ashley realises the solution to the murder may lie in the struggle for the Augier Ridge, part of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. In addition to Boscombe and Haldean, several local characters are connected to the battle: Colonel Richard Whitfield won his Victoria Cross there; Mrs Anne- Marie Verrity is a French widow who owns the land on which the battle was fought; and Marguerite Vayle is the daughter of a disgraced major accused of treason during the battle.
Such are the ingredients of this murder mystery, expertly mixed in a delicious cocktail of crime full of twists, turns, and two more murders.
For a first novel Fête is impressive and Mrs Gordon-Smith is to be congratulated for a spectacular debut. Other than the title – which may well attract more readers than it puts off – there is only one obvious criticism. As the denouement approaches, Haldean's thought processes are explained in the form of a conversation between him and Isabelle Rivers (another cousin). He naturally dominates the conversation as he takes her through the steps of his reasoning. The device is a handy one, but overused when he explains his deductions in greater detail immediately after the climax. It is a small flaw, however, only noticeable because of the style and panache of the rest of the narrative.
Jack Haldean is a very welcome addition to the annals of crime fiction. He will be a series character, with the second instalment due next year. Mrs Gordon- Smith's likeable characters, taught structure, and spine-tingling foreshadowing will appeal to a broad audience, from cosy mystery lovers right the way through to hardboiled detective enthusiasts. She is no doubt at the beginning of a distinguished career as a crime writer.

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Carrol and Graf ISBN: 13: 978-0-78671-990-7

Reviewed by Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader

If you love a well-plotted mystery with characters you won't want to leave, then A Fete Worse Than Death by talented author Dolores Gordon-Smith is just the book for you. This is a tale with all those things that make for a great read.

Jack Haldean is attending a fete on the grounds of the manor house owned by relatives, enjoying himself in spite of the heat and noise. While he's relaxing he spies one man he does not wish to see, but the man has seen him and accosts him.

An unpleasant sort, the intruder is given short shrift and Jack does make his escape to resume his pleasure. Unfortunately, it is cut short by an unexpected death that Jack sets out to solve. The odds seem against his finding a killer as other bodies start turning up and they are all connected.

Set in a period of not-too-distant history, the intrigue of this tale takes place in a period the author convinces us is yesterday with description that puts us in the time so we feel as if we actually visited the fete. Lifelike characters carry the plot with their motives and personal agendas. Are they all who they seem to be? Lots of action and tension in this tale that has its roots in the past, proving that things done today will affect tomorrow.

Guaranteed a fun read worth the time and you'll be looking for more stories by this imaginative author. Enjoy. I sure did.

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The People's Friend didn't do a review, exactly, but named "Fete" as their book of the month for September. So that's all right, then!

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Penelope Wallace comments A gripping debut novel!
I thought this book was really fantastic. An enthralling plot told with characters you'll love that never loses its sense of humor, Jack Haldean has the wit and brains to be far more interesting than the average square-jawed hero whilst his cousin Isabelle is beautifully drawn - as are the rest of the cast! There are enough murders, mysteries and tangled motives to keep you guessing until the end, and it all pays of fantastically when you do. All in all, a gripping debut, I can't wait for number two!

November 5, 2007 - 6:32 am

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Crime pays with publisher deal

Cheshire subscriber Dolores Gordon-Smith is living the dream having had her first book published. A Fête Worse Than Death, the first in a detective series set in the 1920s, sees detective Jack Haldean investigating a seemingly impossible murder in the fortune-teller’s tent at a fête. Soon the protagonist unravels a conspiracy with its roots in the Battle of the Somme and faces off against a challenging opponent.

Dolores has vigorously researched the 1920s as well as the First World War to make sure that the book accurately reflect the periods. As someone who is interested in the era and history in general, she didn’t find the research much of a chore.

‘I’ve always been a great fan of detective fiction and love the 1920s world. I really enjoy all the necessary research that goes with writing historical crime.’ She hopes the series will run for a while, if only to make the most of her research!

Dolores has always liked writing and used to work on a Star Trek fanzine. But being a mother to five children meant that for a long time she was too busy to write. When she got more spare time again she found the world had moved on so she decided to turn to another interest – detective novels.

At first it was tricky to get published, but she kept on

‘As the saying goes “the difference between a professional and an amateur is that a professional never gives up”,’ she said.

Dolores found that going to writing festivals and talking to other writers and publishers was invaluable. She also recommends that hopeful authors finish their work before submitting anything.

Eventually she secured the services of agent Teresa Chris to represent her work. At that point she cracked open the champagne, feeling that with Teresa’s help ‘it was only a matter of time’.

It was, and Teresa secured a two-book deal with Constable and Robinson. A Fête Worse than Death (£18.99) is out now, with the sequel, Mad About the Boy? due next year.

She hopes to continue writing the series for the foreseeable future.

And with A Fête Worse than Death flagged as Book of the Month in The People’s Friend, she’s off to a good start.

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Champagne writing!, 10 Nov 2007
By J. Whitbourn "JAW" (Surrey, England.)


Apparently this is a debut novel but you'd never know that from the author's assured style and masterly plotting. Add to that an attractive, intriguing, main character and evident deep authorial knowledge of the period (though always lightly conveyed). This bids to be the start of a not-to-be-missed series. A highly recommended buy.

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A Constable find: a Golden-Age period piece, A Fete Worse Than Death by Dolores Gordon-Smith.

This captures beautifully the sense of nostalgia for the post war Twenties frivolity and but still haunted by the traumas of the Great War which form a central plank of the plot. This may be a debut but the author writes with an admirable control of her plot and characters and whilst the denouement may be a shade straining towards a melodramatic finale it is an effortless read with a very satisfying conclusion. The upper crust cast of characters around the former Royal Flying Corps hero, Jack Haldean will be addictive to all history mystery fans! If Mrs Gordon-Smith can keep this up she's bound for major stardom!

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Thanks, Ewan.
It was good of you to take the trouble to write and very satisfying that you got the note of tragedy behind the Twenties. I think that bittersweet quality has coloured our view of the world ever since.

Ewan is also enthusiastic about Suzette Hill's "A Load Of Old Bones." If you haven't read this yet, do get a copy. It's a terrific read and so well done. Both Suzette and I will be at the Bristol Crimefest in June. That promises to be a very special occasion, so why not come along?