Sound Mind Dead Body is something of a departure for Dave Warner, the author of novels such as After the Flood. This is a cosy, historical crime novel rather than the modern police procedurals Warner has produced recently. However, like them, this is fast-moving and absorbing.
In 1929, in England, Julia Pedhurst gathered together the beneficiaries of her husband’s will. Before they can claim their inheritances, Julia must confirm that each is worthy of it. Not surprisingly, this creates a lot of tension; Julia is judgmental and unkind, and many of the beneficiaries need their promised inheritances quite badly.
Before the will can be read and ratified, a sudden death disrupts the gathering. Fred Willets, an Australian pilot turned police officer and guest and potential beneficiary, takes on the responsibility of determining whether or not that death was natural. His task is made more urgent as more nasty surprises erupt.
In some ways, this is a subtle novel; there are nods to events that many readers will know are in the offing (like the stock market crash and the Great Depression). These are woven in as a wink to the reader, implying things about the future of some characters.
On the surface, though, this is a straightforward whodunnit. It’s not a long novel, and so the pace is fast and unrelenting. Willet is limited by the technology of the time, and his intelligence and personal experience are his main weapons. He’s an engaging character, and most readers will quickly empathise with his frustration at being unable to explain the crimes he’s sure are there.
This is very much a crime story in the classic style, and I enjoyed it a great deal. It’s well written and cleverly plotted. Warner respects the tropes of the genre without falling into the trap of writing something too predictable.
I found this entertaining and absorbing. It’s a neat puzzle with strong characters and a good sense of time and place. Readers who prefer cosy crime should enjoy this, and other crime readers may well find themselves seduced as well.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Sound Mind Dead Body by Dave Warner. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember, and I love sharing that joy.
I’ve been an avid reader for as long as I can remember, across all genres. There’s not much I won’t at least try. I’ve been an enthusiastic book reviewer for years. I particularly enjoy discovering writers new to me, and sharing good writing with others.
My career has included time spent writing and editing technical documents, but it’s fiction that really moves me. I’ve reviewed for a number of different outlets over the years, and have been a judge in literary competitions.
I’m now raising little bookworms of my own, which brings a whole new kind of joy to sharing books.
More of my reviews can be found on my review blog www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog .
‘Sound Mind Dead Body’ is a surprising left-turn from Dave Warner’s usual genre, and a welcome switch, which I’ve enjoyed immensely.
I loved the detailed family tree, making the family dynamics visually clear from the outset. What an untrustworthy bunch, with no shortage of hidden closets brimming with skeletons amongst them. One particular determined couple, making altering the trajectory of cupid’s bow and arrow their main focus.
I especially loved the inclusion of the multiple storied floor plan of Lady Julia Pedhurst’s palatial family home, it made it so much easier to track the players upstairs / downstairs escapades.
It was also very enlightening to read of Dave’s reference and the significance of Caves House in Yallingup, where he had holidayed as a child.
This is a very, cleverly crafted multi-layered “Agatha Christie-esque” style story, where I convinced myself repeatedly I had it all figured out, only to realise in the final pages, I wasn’t even close.
I’m really looking forward to future stories from Dave in this same ilk where he returns to his initial inspiration as a crime fiction writer began.
If you enjoy Agatha Christie style murder mysteries then you will love Sound Mind Dead Body by Dave Warner (Freemantle Press). It is very cleverly crafted, with plenty of clues scattered throughout, which challenge the reader to piece through the red herrings and figure out ‘who done it’ before the story ends.
Set in the idyllic English countryside at Harcroft Manor in Devon, during the 1920’s, and between the two World Wars, the book focuses on the rivalry and rumblings of the pampered, upper class Pedhurst and de Reve families.
Formidable matriarch Lady Julia Pedhurst has called everyone together for a reading of her late husband’s will, and the tension is high. Then like all good Agatha Christie novels, it soon becomes apparent that each of the assembled characters is hiding something, and they are desperate not to alienate their hostess. One of the beneficiaries is an Australian ex fighter pilot Fred Willets who is now a police inspector.
When a burglary occurs and then Lady Julia is mysteriously found dead before the will reading has taken place, Fred Willets quickly takes on the role of detective. Then another death occurs and Detective Willets enlists the help of local pharmacist Prudence Meadows to help him unmask the killer.
A fast paced and enjoyable read with very clever use of misdirection to lead you down false paths and keep you guessing until the very end.
Sound mind dead body by David Warner is set in England in 1929.
A murder mystery that Australian Detective Fred Willets solves when he’s summoned to England for the reading of a will, but before the will is finalised, the matriarch is found dead.
With the Pedhurst and de Reve families already at odds with each other and the matriarch, was it fowl play or simply natural causes?
I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and quite witty, Fred was a likeable character, unlike most of the others aside from Prudence the local pharmacist who helps him and he’s keen on.
The personalities were all intriguing and it was quite fun to try and work out the motives and who did what. There were clues dropped here and there, some I picked up, others not until later. I didn’t pick who the murderer was though!
There was a lot of different characters to remember and this was made a little trickier with them sometimes being referred to by there surnames and other times by there first name or nickname.
But a great read if your after a mystery that’s not too heavy.
Thank you Beauty and Lace and Freemantle Press for the book to read and review.
Many thanks to Beauty and Lace and Fremantle Press for my copy of Sound Mind Dead Body by Dave Warner.
This was a murder mystery that kept me invested all the way through. Fred Willets, Australian detective, finds himself at Harcroft Manor for the reading of a will that he is a beneficiary of.
Upon his arrival and meeting of the family things take an interesting turn when the hostess is found dead.
He puts his detective cap on and tries to uncover what secrets this family is hiding.
The characters keep it interesting and you don’t have a clue who done it until the very end.
I really enjoyed this book. Very cleverly written. I look forward to reading another Fred Willets adventure.
This book by Dave Warner ” Sound Mind, Dead Body” reminds me of one of those murder mystery weekends you can book. It’s set on a very English house and with lots of different people known and unknown to each other. Fred the Australian policeman takes over trying to find the killer. It’s an interesting plot and I enjoyed it.
Sound Mind Dead Body by Dave Warner is an excellent and really enjoyable crime mystery thriller.
Set in devon England in 1929 a group of beneficiaries are gathered to find out if they are worthy of their inheritance. Matriarch Julia Pedhurst is to ratify her late husbands will.
When a series of unfortunate events, including deaths occur, the police are unable to attend for some days due to the weather. Australian war hero, Fred Willets, who is now a policeman and an unexpected beneficiary, takes charge of the investigation.
Cleverly, with the help of local pharmacist, Prudence Meadows, Fred solves the mystery.
There are lots of twists and turn, lots of clues, lots of suspects and lots of red herrings. There is an excellent helpful family tree and map of the house to help you try and solve the “Cluedo / Agatha Christie ” like mysteries within this story.
A captivating read.