Mrs. Pargeter's Pound of Flesh


Book Description

While she has never felt the need to change her figure, Mrs Pargeter is happy enough to accompany her friend Kim to a health farm. Until, in the night, she sees a body being wheeled out. What Mrs Pargeter doesn’t realise is that this suspicious death will set her on a trail of detection which will bring her into direct conflict with her late husband’s business associates.




A Nice Class of Corpse


Book Description

The Devereux is a nice residential hotel which caters for a nice class of guest. But the arrival of Mrs Pargeter, an attractive widow, seems to act as a catalyst of disaster for everyone connected with the hotel. On the morning after her arrival, the corpse of one of the frailer residents is found at the foot of the main staircase, and shortly after that another death shakes the gentility of the hotel. Deciding to investigate herself, Mrs Pargeter discovers that more than one person in the Devereux has a motive for murder.







Mrs. Pargeter's Point of Honour


Book Description

Hired by another widow, Veronica Chastaigne, to return all the art treasures that her late husband accumulated in a long career of larceny, Mrs Pargeter is forced to find out more than she would wish about the deceased Mr P’s “business activities” as she recreates one of his most famous scams.




The Hanging in the Hotel


Book Description

The Hopwicke Country House Hotel once boasted a clientele of the rich and famous. But hard times call for hard measures, so owner Suzy Longthorne throws open her doors to welcome the Pillars of Sussex—an elitist group of local businessmen whose social gatherings revolve around drinking and off-color commentary. Short staffed, Suzy recruits Jude as a waitress to help keep the spirits flowing. But the next morning, Jude discovers that one spirit has flown away for good, when she finds the body of a young man—supposedly an initiate for Pillar membership—hanging from the beam of a four-poster bed. The police are quick to rule the death a suicide. The Pillars of Sussex deny that the victim was ever considered for membership. Suzy just wants to forget the incident ever happened. But Jude knows that both parties have something to hide—so she enlists a reluctant Carole to nurture her relationship with a flirtatious Pillar in the hope that they’ll topple him over and uncover the truth...




Mrs Pargeter's Patio


Book Description

A bizarre discovery right under Mrs Pargeter's patio turns a quiet and sunny June morning into a thrilling hunt for answers in this new instalment of the light-hearted and entertaining Mrs Pargeter mystery series. When widow Mrs Pargeter decides to have her morning coffee on the patio of her mansion in Chigwell, her intention is to admire her beautiful garden in peace and quiet. Little does she expect one of the patio's paving slabs to crack in two, depositing her on the ground - and revealing a human skull with a neat hole in the middle of its forehead! Not wanting to bother the police just yet, Mrs Pargeter decides to save them some trouble and starts investigating the curious find herself. And who better to assist than her late husband's 'business associates', private investigator Truffler Mason and chauffeur Gary? The trio are soon certain that a murder has been committed and the body disposed of under some convenient building works. But who is the mysterious victim? And more importantly, who put the body under Mrs Pargeter's patio? Mrs Pargeter and her friends must find out the truth and soon, before the finger of suspicion points in an unthinkable direction: towards the late, great Mr Pargeter, whose business dealings Mrs P remains - naturally! - in blissful ignorance of . . . Mrs Pargeter's Patio is the ninth book in the series by CWA's Diamond Dagger winner Simon Brett. Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this funny and exciting ride with unexpected twist and turns.




Mrs. Pargeter's Package


Book Description

Although a trip to Corfu is not Mrs Pargeter’s usual idea of a holiday, keeping a recently widowed friend company overrules her misgivings. But when that friend starts behaving strangely and is then found having apparently committed suicide, Mrs Pargeter resolves to get to the bottom of the mystery.




Mrs. Pargeter's Plot


Book Description

Construction on Mrs Pargeter’s new country home comes to an abrupt halt when a corpse is discovered in the wine cellar. The accused is Concrete Jacket, the builder and great friend of Mrs P’s late, lamented husband. Mrs P is not about to let prison come between her and her dream home. Concrete may be a scoundrel but he’s no killer. Someone has set him up – but who? Mrs Pargeter determines to find out.




Mrs Pargeter's Principle


Book Description

A cozy featuring the return of Mrs Pargeter For Mrs Pargeter, it is a matter of principle that she should complete any of her late husband’s unfinished business. Amongst the many bequests he made to her, perhaps the most valuable is his little black book, in which he listed all the people who ever worked for him, with details of their particular skill sets. This means that whenever Mrs P has a crime to solve she can readily contact someone with the relevant expertise to help in her enquiries. Attending the funeral of the rich and respected Sir Normington Winthrop, because his is one of the names in the little black book, Mrs Pargeter sets out to discover the connection between Sir Normington and her late husband. Her investigations will draw her into a shady world of gun-runners, shifty politicians – and a kidnapped vicar.




Mrs Pargeter's Public Relations


Book Description

Mrs Pargeter discovers the skills by which Public Relations can make evil look good in the latest wickedly entertaining mystery. It is her characteristic generosity rather than her love of animals that finds Mrs Pargeter supporting her friend, Jasmine Angold, at a charity reception for PhiliPussies, whose worthy aim is to rehabilitate stray cats from the Greek island of Atmos into caring English homes. But the evening is to have unexpected consequences. At the event, Mrs P is taken aback to meet a woman who claims to be the sister of her late husband, the much-missed Mr Pargeter. This surprising encounter leads to unwelcome digging into past secrets, the discovery of a body in Epping Forest, an eventful trip to Greece - and unexpected danger for Mrs Pargeter. In the course of her investigations, she learns the true nature of charity and the dubious skills by which Public Relations can make evil look good.