While Simon Brett’s fourth Mrs. Pargeter’s book, Mrs. Pargeter’s Pound of Flesh, was my favorite in the series so far, I had a hard time getting through Mrs. Pargeter’s Plot. The entire situation was a little too bizarre for me.

Mrs. P is having a house built on property her husband left her, and it’s one of the men from his address book, Concrete Jacket, who is building it. But, the discovery of a body in a wine cellar sends him to prison, and Mrs. P to Greene’s Hotel, managed by another old acquaintance, Hedgeclipper Clinton. Everything is fine at the hotel, except for Erasmus, the monkey who invades Mrs. P’s room. She’s not fond of monkeys, but Hedgeclipper dotes on the little fellow.

If she wants her house built, Mrs. Pargeter has to find out why Concrete was set up, and who did it. She recruits a number of her husband’s old cohorts, and they investigate who might be behind a plot to intimidate the builder who won’t defend himself from his prison cell. While there are some funny scenes, and, of course, Erasmus is a hero, this story just wasn’t as enjoyable as earlier ones in the series. I think I’ll take a short break.

Simon Brett’s website is https://www.simonbrett.com/

Mrs. Pargeter’s Plot by Simon Brett. Scribner, 1996. ISBN 9780684837145 (hardcover), 249p.

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