Suzette Hill - Bone Idle

review written and read live on the bookshow by Brian Lowen 19th Nov 2015

This is the third book in the series featuring the Rev Francis Oughterard, the vicar of St Botolphs church in Molehill

He has still eluded arrest for the genteel murder of his troublesome parishioner, Mrs Elizabeth Fotherington thanks mainly to the efforts of his faithful dog, Bouncer and his cat, Maurice.

He is still in the grip of his ex colleague and blackmailing pal, the shady Nicholas Ingaza who in this book has instructed him to steal a valuable figurine of a prancing pig. During all this skulduggery another murder occurs, not committed by Francis though this time.

I love the way the book is written with each chapter being by either the Vicar, the dog or the cat. So we have each chapter headed either the Vicars Version, The Dog’s Diary or the Cat’s Memoir. It is very clever how the author tells the tale in the language and manner of what one would expect each to be like. The cat and dog can speak to each other and can understand what the humans are saying, mostly, which helps with the story.

You really need to start with the first book in the series, A Load of old Bones, to know what has happened before as there are several references to what has happened previously. 

The author is clever in leaving you guessing at the end of each book so that you need to buy the next one to know what happens. I am trapped in the cycle and have two more books to go, but I do find them thoroughly enjoyable.

I did try another book by Suzette Hill called A Little Murder but did not like this at all. I found it boring and difficult to follow and did not finish it.