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Thea Osborne #10
Malice in the Cotswolds
Thea Osborne and her canine companion Hepzie travel to the isolated village of Snowshill for their next assignment, house-sitting Hyacinth House for the mysterious Yvonne Parker. Something doesn't feel right to Thea, who is ill at ease in the village, and soon her intuition is proved to be right. A local boy, Stevie Horsfall, is found brutally strangled, with his mother as prime suspect. Thea, believing in her innocence, embarks on a mystery, taking her through the maliciously entangled lives of the village residents, to London and beyond.
Tope is consistently one of A&B's top, bestselling authors.
Tope is consistently one of A&B's top, bestselling authors.
382 pages, Hardcover
First published March 26, 2012
About the author
Rebecca Tope
73 books198 followersRebecca Tope is best known as the author of over twenty crime novels. She has also recently produced the e-book entitled 'The Indifference of Tumbleweed'. She has every intention of continuing with the murder stories, as well as a variety of other kinds of fiction.
She has experienced many different kinds of work in her time - running antenatal classes, counselling troubled couples and being an office girl for an undertaker, for example. There were also several years monitoring the output of dairy cows, as well as every sort of task associated with book publishing. In 1992, she founded Praxis Books, a small British press.
She lives surrounded by trees she has planted herself, tending her own sheep.
She has experienced many different kinds of work in her time - running antenatal classes, counselling troubled couples and being an office girl for an undertaker, for example. There were also several years monitoring the output of dairy cows, as well as every sort of task associated with book publishing. In 1992, she founded Praxis Books, a small British press.
She lives surrounded by trees she has planted herself, tending her own sheep.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
December 14, 2015
Again this book did not grab me with a dull-witted, nosy and uninteresting heroine who appears to have no character arc.
The death emphasis in the previous book is continued to a lesser degree, with a previously happily married man visiting his wife who has sunk into a long coma from brain trauma, planning where he will bury her in his alternative graveyard when she dies. I missed the book where he entered the series and don't know why the author keeps writing him in, except as a potential love interest for Thea, which seems particularly tacky.
In this book a child is killed; he is somewhat of a stereotype wild child from an unwed mother. Another mother brags to total strangers about how her baby was from an unknown sperm donor. Do English women do that? Brag, I mean, and what is it going to do to the child when he/she goes to school?
Much hinges on where people were during Thea's episode of house-sitting, which she comes to see as a suitable break in the routine for people to put murderous plots into action. Well, there had to be some reason why deaths kept following her around Cotswold villages. There is a character called Gudrun and another called Gladwin, too close for easy distinction. And many, many padded out conversations.
Some readers will of course enjoy the tale more than I did, and if you have been following and enjoying the series to date, you'll probably want to read this one too.
The death emphasis in the previous book is continued to a lesser degree, with a previously happily married man visiting his wife who has sunk into a long coma from brain trauma, planning where he will bury her in his alternative graveyard when she dies. I missed the book where he entered the series and don't know why the author keeps writing him in, except as a potential love interest for Thea, which seems particularly tacky.
In this book a child is killed; he is somewhat of a stereotype wild child from an unwed mother. Another mother brags to total strangers about how her baby was from an unknown sperm donor. Do English women do that? Brag, I mean, and what is it going to do to the child when he/she goes to school?
Much hinges on where people were during Thea's episode of house-sitting, which she comes to see as a suitable break in the routine for people to put murderous plots into action. Well, there had to be some reason why deaths kept following her around Cotswold villages. There is a character called Gudrun and another called Gladwin, too close for easy distinction. And many, many padded out conversations.
Some readers will of course enjoy the tale more than I did, and if you have been following and enjoying the series to date, you'll probably want to read this one too.
August 25, 2020
This book has not aged well (written 2012) with several racist tones scattered throughout the storyline that didn’t actually add to the story. I picked it for the Cotsworld title but don’t think I’ll be reading any more from this author.
October 29, 2024
Another in the series about house sitter Thea Osborne. This time she is house sitting for a rather vague woman who is going to confront her ex husband in London. A young boy is murdered and Thea discovers the body thus becoming a central character in the mystery. Much the same fodder as last few - with characters from previous reappearing. Only really gained pace in the last few chapters and didn’t engage my interest. Maybe need to read something different for a bit - all too ‘samey’ for my liking.
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November 1, 2012The reader follows the thoughts and actions of the main caharcters, Thea Osborne, as she unravels the mystery. Unfortunately, Thea is irritating, depressing, and repetitive. The redeeming feature are the English village setting and the clearly delineated characterisation.
February 27, 2023
"Thea Osborne, accompanied by her beloved spaniel Hepzie, has had her fair share of unfortunate occurrences while house-sitting, and her new assignment for the mysterious Yvonne Parker is no exception. The isolated and somewhat unsettling village of Snowshill has Thea on edge as soon as she arrives, and Hyacinth House -- her new, rather cluttered home --does nothing to dispel such feelings. Soon enough, her intuition in this case proves to be right, and once again Thea becomes entangled in another mystery.
"Stevie Horsfall, a mischievous child from the village, is found strangled outside Hyacinth House, with his eccentric mother Gudrun as the prime suspect. Believing in Gudrun's innocence, Thea, alongside her friend Drew Slocombe and Sonia Gladwin, works to uncover a sinister plot, where seemingly separate lives are intertwined with secretive and strange relationships. This malicious web of suspects leads Thea through the lives of the villagers and their secrets, to London and beyond."
~~front flap
I didn't see that ending coming, although -- in retrospect -- there were clues enough that I perhaps should have. A very unsettling look into the mind of the smiling, charming killer.
"Stevie Horsfall, a mischievous child from the village, is found strangled outside Hyacinth House, with his eccentric mother Gudrun as the prime suspect. Believing in Gudrun's innocence, Thea, alongside her friend Drew Slocombe and Sonia Gladwin, works to uncover a sinister plot, where seemingly separate lives are intertwined with secretive and strange relationships. This malicious web of suspects leads Thea through the lives of the villagers and their secrets, to London and beyond."
~~front flap
I didn't see that ending coming, although -- in retrospect -- there were clues enough that I perhaps should have. A very unsettling look into the mind of the smiling, charming killer.
January 5, 2017
This was book 10 I believe in the Cotswolds series. It was just an ok read for me. Thea, the main character, did a lot of thinking and thought processing in the book and it became a bit boring re-hashing everything we knew so far about the mysteries and deaths in the book.
I would like to have seen way more action and way less thinking on Thea's part. I figured out the killer not even half way through the book. It was not rocket science and was very easy to figure out. The ending had a big character development on Drew Slocombe's part. Drew is a funeral director (basically) and has his mind on Thea and it goes both ways. I am pretty sure they will end up together.
So all in all it was just ok, just too much re-hash.
I would like to have seen way more action and way less thinking on Thea's part. I figured out the killer not even half way through the book. It was not rocket science and was very easy to figure out. The ending had a big character development on Drew Slocombe's part. Drew is a funeral director (basically) and has his mind on Thea and it goes both ways. I am pretty sure they will end up together.
So all in all it was just ok, just too much re-hash.
July 13, 2016
I think if a book has a superficial tone, then I want a good plot, and the plot wasn't the best here. It wasn't well-written enough, or the author didn't have enough interesting ideas, to make me enjoy spending time in her company.
What she did do well was to portray the baddie in a way that made me have a jangling feeling all the way through that something wasn't right about the character. So, at the end, when we find out whodunnit, it's not a complete surprise.
In ends on a bit of cliffhanger, which I hate...I feel as if I'm been manipulated into buying the next book in the series. No, I'm not going to.
What she did do well was to portray the baddie in a way that made me have a jangling feeling all the way through that something wasn't right about the character. So, at the end, when we find out whodunnit, it's not a complete surprise.
In ends on a bit of cliffhanger, which I hate...I feel as if I'm been manipulated into buying the next book in the series. No, I'm not going to.
September 17, 2020
I was disappointed in this book. It could have been an enjoyable murder mystery series but the casual racism liberally scattered throughout the book was too uncomfortable and has put me off trying any of the others.
February 2, 2020
There were many problems with this book. It's hard to know where to start! But I'll try to capture everything.
1) 75% of the story was focused on Thea and Drew and their personal problems. There was a lot of navel-gazing on their part. Little time was spent on the actual murders except toward the end of the book.
2) DS Gladwin had a casual and unprofessional attitude towards the case. It was something like: "Well, so you've got yourself involved in another murder. Let's have a cup of tea and chat." When she arrived at the crime scene, she said "And somebody killed him?" DUH! That is why Gladwin was called to the scene in the first place! (page 96)
3) Regarding the Filipina girlfriend of one of the victims, the author doesn't even give her a name, just refers to her as the "girl" and the "Filipina". Then all of a sudden, she has a name "Mariella"! (page 380). There were also hints of racial prejudice from the author when she was writing about the Filipina. It was unbelievable that she was in the apartment when a murder took place and didn't even realize what was going on!
4) It was hard to believe the murderer was actually that clever and resourceful enough to pull off the killings.
5) Finally, I'm not sure that I like the character of Thea. It's not believable that wherever she goes in her housesitting business that there will be a murder or two. She is also very odd. How can someone carry a dead mouse in their pocket and forget about it?
I understand that in plots there have to be dysfunctional characters. They are needed to make the plot interesting. But in this book, they are just annoying. This was the first book I read by the author and I doubt I will read another one.
1) 75% of the story was focused on Thea and Drew and their personal problems. There was a lot of navel-gazing on their part. Little time was spent on the actual murders except toward the end of the book.
2) DS Gladwin had a casual and unprofessional attitude towards the case. It was something like: "Well, so you've got yourself involved in another murder. Let's have a cup of tea and chat." When she arrived at the crime scene, she said "And somebody killed him?" DUH! That is why Gladwin was called to the scene in the first place! (page 96)
3) Regarding the Filipina girlfriend of one of the victims, the author doesn't even give her a name, just refers to her as the "girl" and the "Filipina". Then all of a sudden, she has a name "Mariella"! (page 380). There were also hints of racial prejudice from the author when she was writing about the Filipina. It was unbelievable that she was in the apartment when a murder took place and didn't even realize what was going on!
4) It was hard to believe the murderer was actually that clever and resourceful enough to pull off the killings.
5) Finally, I'm not sure that I like the character of Thea. It's not believable that wherever she goes in her housesitting business that there will be a murder or two. She is also very odd. How can someone carry a dead mouse in their pocket and forget about it?
I understand that in plots there have to be dysfunctional characters. They are needed to make the plot interesting. But in this book, they are just annoying. This was the first book I read by the author and I doubt I will read another one.
May 10, 2023
I’m not a huge fan of murder mysteries or that sort of genre, so I probably won’t read any more of this series. Living in the Cotswolds, I was keen to see how the setting was described and how it affected the story, if at all. The description of the area was fair, but without conveying the real feel of the place. This story was set in Snowshill, which I have visited, but apart from the creepy weirdness of the manor, I’m not sure the setting made much impact.
The story was quite interesting and I wanted, of course, to know the solution to the mystery, but there were times when I just wanted to say, “Do get a move on!” as it became a bit slow and repetitive. I wasn’t too keen on all the references to previous books/events, which felt a bit forced and irrelevant.
At least I finished the book, so it wasn’t too bad, but I prefer the writing of people such as JoJo Moyes and Karen Swan. However, it was quite refreshing NOT to have too much of a romantic aspect to the story 😆
The story was quite interesting and I wanted, of course, to know the solution to the mystery, but there were times when I just wanted to say, “Do get a move on!” as it became a bit slow and repetitive. I wasn’t too keen on all the references to previous books/events, which felt a bit forced and irrelevant.
At least I finished the book, so it wasn’t too bad, but I prefer the writing of people such as JoJo Moyes and Karen Swan. However, it was quite refreshing NOT to have too much of a romantic aspect to the story 😆
January 9, 2018
Thea seems to be drawn to house sitting jobs that also involve a murder or two. But then that is the intriguing part of the story. This time she is on the job for a couple of weeks near the small village of Snowshill and goes out one morning to find a dead 10 year old boy lying face down behind her parked car. The police can only assume (from a little circumstantial evidence) that his mother did it, but Thea knows better. Things kind of drag on until the last couple of chapters because Thea really has no authority to do anything about it on her own. Then, everything falls into place. Always an entertaining read.
April 28, 2019
I am a big fan of the Cotswolds series written by Rebecca Tope. This story so far is the best of the series that i have read. This lady in England goes to other peoples home and house sits and pet sits while the owners go away for awhile. she always finds her self caught into a murder mystery. this story was spell binding and i couldn't put it down. so of coarse i just had to read all night.
This story had action right from the start. a lot of twists and turns so it was hard to figure out who was the killer and why. it all comes together towards the end and i was floored who the killer was and why the killer killed. i am anxious to find the next book to this series.
This story had action right from the start. a lot of twists and turns so it was hard to figure out who was the killer and why. it all comes together towards the end and i was floored who the killer was and why the killer killed. i am anxious to find the next book to this series.
November 13, 2018
Appreciated the descriptions of the beautiful Cotswolds but got irritated by the supposed sleuth getting affronted by almost every other character, usually for no logical reason. Meanders.Plot unconvincing but the existence of so many in the book series (this is the second I've read and will be my last ) indicate the lure of literary tourism where a real and scenic place is attractive for tourists to read about.
Very clever use of Cotswalds title in all the books and a real sense of place but not of character or plot.
Very clever use of Cotswalds title in all the books and a real sense of place but not of character or plot.
August 30, 2020
I have read most of this series, largely because I enjoy reading the descriptions of the Cotswold villages even though the outcome of the murder mystery is not too difficult to solve. They are a light weight easy read, ideal for bedtime.
However, like many other reviewers, I find the character of Thea very annoying, being self-opionated, judgemental and demanding. But maybe the author had created an anti-hero and that is what she wants the readers to think!
However, like many other reviewers, I find the character of Thea very annoying, being self-opionated, judgemental and demanding. But maybe the author had created an anti-hero and that is what she wants the readers to think!
April 28, 2020
Another enjoyable read from this series. This mystery finds Thea building her relationship with Drew a bit stronger. The weather isn't a factor and no one's pets are in any danger except from the bad behaviour of the murder victim.
August 1, 2020
I thought the book was well written but it took a while to get going. It wasn't a page turner for me. I was hoping for a more twisty ending. Worth a read. This is the first book I have read in this particular series.
June 16, 2022
Thea books are just good for my soul. The characters are lovely and the storyline always a bit complicated and this one a bit sadder because of the other storyline. They remind me of my mum and that makes me happy and sad
January 19, 2023
I was prepared to dismiss this book as silly, but like the similar Midsummer Murders, it was quite fun and interesting!
My only criticism is that I dont understand why such a clever charming woman as Thea makes a living sitting in people's empty houses!
My only criticism is that I dont understand why such a clever charming woman as Thea makes a living sitting in people's empty houses!
November 4, 2024
Amazing murder plots
2 clever murder plots and difficult family situation involving a dying wife leaving behind 2 children and a widower, unusual stories but all about life, love and jealousy. Simply can't put the book down. Well done.
2 clever murder plots and difficult family situation involving a dying wife leaving behind 2 children and a widower, unusual stories but all about life, love and jealousy. Simply can't put the book down. Well done.
August 9, 2017
A little bit predictable, although amateur detective, Thea didn't seem to be able to put two and two together to make four. Nevertheless, not a bad read.
August 14, 2017
The murder of a child casts a darker shadow than usual in this crime series set in the Cotswolds.
January 30, 2018
This is #10 in Rebecca Tope's series in the Cotswolds. She is a house sitter who always ends up in a murder investigation. This time it's a ten year old boy who is found strangled in Snowshill.
June 30, 2018
Good example of this series, although plot was complex. Maybe development of the relationships between characters in this series (although slow), is more important than the books.
January 5, 2019
A good holiday read that kept me involved until the end.
July 16, 2019
Rebecca Tope has produced another interesting mystery set in a Cotswold village which has been thoroughly researched and accurately portrayed.
April 3, 2022
This book is racist.
October 3, 2016
Another enjoyable Rebecca Tope about dastardly doings in the Cotswolds. This one is set in Snowshill, home to Snowshill Manor (google it and have a look at some of the weird collections it houses). Once again, Thea Osborne is house sitting, this time for a rather eccentric lady who also has collections of knick-knacks which fill her little cottage. If I have a criticism, it is that people, including the actuall perpetrator, get arrested and charged with. it seems, very little evidence to support a prosecution. The door is left open to more stories - who is the mysterious Blake-next-door, will Thea ever get it together with Drew....Incidentally, in the two books I have read in the series, Thea does meet some very rude and outspoken people. Is that a trait of people who live in the Cotswolds?
August 28, 2019
I spent quite a lot of this book feeling mildly annoyed at the main character Thea, who seemed to attract murderers and victims with the same frequency as the Midsomer murders people.
The book ended abruptly and unsatisfactorily, given the endless buildup. I won't be visiting any more of these unimaginatively named stories.
The book ended abruptly and unsatisfactorily, given the endless buildup. I won't be visiting any more of these unimaginatively named stories.
June 11, 2016
The fifth of this series that I have read, and I managed to read them in order of publication so wasn't thrown by elements that continue from other books, such as Thea's friendship with Drew Slocombe, the protagonist of another of the author's series, who would be more than a friend if it wasn't for his increasingly ill wife. In the previous of these that I read, Thea cleared Drew of murder and his wife was worsening, with a brain scan booked. It seems that in the intervening book she lapsed into a coma and is now in hospital with Drew trying to come to terms with the idea that she will not recover.
Thea is housesitting in the picturesque village of Snowshill, home of an iconic National Trust house, which unfortunately she (and thus the reader) does not get a chance to explore. All too soon, she is embroiled in another murder, a distressing one involving a child. I did wonder, when he first appeared tormenting animals and damaging plants, whether he would be the victim and so it proves. Thea is convinced that the single mother, Gudrun, is not responsible and sets out on a crusade to exonerate her. Meanwhile, there is a cast of rather mysterious characters including the ditsy owner, owner's ex-husband and their two adopted children, plus another single mother and her daughter who live opposite and a slightly sinister next door neighbour. And a horsey woman whom Thea meets just before she discovers the boy's body.
Another thread is the ongoing developments with Drew and his wife, and the antipathy of his business partner Maggs to Thea, whom she views as a cross between a gold digger and a siren.
The detective in this book is a woman, surname Gladwin, who apparently appeared in one or two earlier volumes, though not the ones I've read (which were books 1, 2, 4 and 8). Luckily she and Thea get on well, to the point where Gladwin takes Thea into her confidence a bit too much.
There is a good build up of red herrings and mysteries about the various minor characters which kept me guessing, not usually correctly. I do think the ending misses a trick though. Without giving too much away, a lot more tension could have been developed . Personally, rather than have one of the family members go beserk and wreck the place, an ending where would have worked much better for me.
Thea is housesitting in the picturesque village of Snowshill, home of an iconic National Trust house, which unfortunately she (and thus the reader) does not get a chance to explore. All too soon, she is embroiled in another murder, a distressing one involving a child. I did wonder, when he first appeared tormenting animals and damaging plants, whether he would be the victim and so it proves. Thea is convinced that the single mother, Gudrun, is not responsible and sets out on a crusade to exonerate her. Meanwhile, there is a cast of rather mysterious characters including the ditsy owner, owner's ex-husband and their two adopted children, plus another single mother and her daughter who live opposite and a slightly sinister next door neighbour. And a horsey woman whom Thea meets just before she discovers the boy's body.
Another thread is the ongoing developments with Drew and his wife, and the antipathy of his business partner Maggs to Thea, whom she views as a cross between a gold digger and a siren.
The detective in this book is a woman, surname Gladwin, who apparently appeared in one or two earlier volumes, though not the ones I've read (which were books 1, 2, 4 and 8). Luckily she and Thea get on well, to the point where Gladwin takes Thea into her confidence a bit too much.
There is a good build up of red herrings and mysteries about the various minor characters which kept me guessing, not usually correctly. I do think the ending misses a trick though. Without giving too much away, a lot more tension could have been developed . Personally, rather than have one of the family members go beserk and wreck the place, an ending where would have worked much better for me.
August 31, 2012
‘Malice in the Cotswolds’ by Rebecca Tope
Published by Allison and Busby, 26 March 2012. ISBN: 978-0-7490-1064-5
It is late summer when Thea Osborne house-sitter, accepts a two-week assignment at Hyacinth House in the village of Snowshill. The owner of Hyacinth House is Yvonne Parker, a somewhat nervy lady, with an extremely cluttered house, who it appears is to visit her ex-husband in London in the hope of getting some money out of him for their daughter Belinda’s impending nuptials. That Yvonne has had no contact at all with him since he quit the marital home some five years ago strikes an odd cord with Thea.
Once Thea has met the two cats she is to take care of, and Yvonne has taken her leave, Thea inspects her surroundings. Lovely garden - she hopes that the weather holds so that she and her spaniel Hepzie can spend most of their time outdoors away from the cluttered house. Her tranquillity is shattered when she catches a small boy throwing stones at the cows at the back of the house, and learns from a neighbour that the child, Stevie Horsfall who lives with his mother Gudrun is the bane of the village. The following day Thea discovers the body of little Stevie Horsfall behind her car which she had left parked outside the cottage.
Although, it appears that Stevie has upset most of the villagers, suspicion falls on his mother Gudrum. Investigating is Superintendent Sonia Gladwin, with whom Thea has a good relationship having met her on several previous adventures.
Thea’s life is far from dull, as telephone calls abound, first from her daughter Jessica who is distraught at having being dumped by her boyfriend, and secondly from Victor, Yvonne husband. Then visits from both of Yvonne’s children which seem to have no purpose, but get Thea's in investigating mode.
As in the last two books in this series, the undertaker Drew Slocombe makes an appearance. Drew Slocombe arranges alternative funerals for those wanting a green experience. Drew's wife Karen is now seriously ill having never properly recovered from an injury she received three years previously, and Drew is feeling pressure from all sides, the business, his partner and his daily hospital visits to Karen.
An intriguing mystery, that so accurately portrays village life where the inhabitants have long-held secrets, which may hold the key to the killing of Stevie Horsfall. With a surprise ending Malice in the Cotswolds is an excellent entry in this acclaimed series.
----
Lizzie Hayes
Published by Allison and Busby, 26 March 2012. ISBN: 978-0-7490-1064-5
It is late summer when Thea Osborne house-sitter, accepts a two-week assignment at Hyacinth House in the village of Snowshill. The owner of Hyacinth House is Yvonne Parker, a somewhat nervy lady, with an extremely cluttered house, who it appears is to visit her ex-husband in London in the hope of getting some money out of him for their daughter Belinda’s impending nuptials. That Yvonne has had no contact at all with him since he quit the marital home some five years ago strikes an odd cord with Thea.
Once Thea has met the two cats she is to take care of, and Yvonne has taken her leave, Thea inspects her surroundings. Lovely garden - she hopes that the weather holds so that she and her spaniel Hepzie can spend most of their time outdoors away from the cluttered house. Her tranquillity is shattered when she catches a small boy throwing stones at the cows at the back of the house, and learns from a neighbour that the child, Stevie Horsfall who lives with his mother Gudrun is the bane of the village. The following day Thea discovers the body of little Stevie Horsfall behind her car which she had left parked outside the cottage.
Although, it appears that Stevie has upset most of the villagers, suspicion falls on his mother Gudrum. Investigating is Superintendent Sonia Gladwin, with whom Thea has a good relationship having met her on several previous adventures.
Thea’s life is far from dull, as telephone calls abound, first from her daughter Jessica who is distraught at having being dumped by her boyfriend, and secondly from Victor, Yvonne husband. Then visits from both of Yvonne’s children which seem to have no purpose, but get Thea's in investigating mode.
As in the last two books in this series, the undertaker Drew Slocombe makes an appearance. Drew Slocombe arranges alternative funerals for those wanting a green experience. Drew's wife Karen is now seriously ill having never properly recovered from an injury she received three years previously, and Drew is feeling pressure from all sides, the business, his partner and his daily hospital visits to Karen.
An intriguing mystery, that so accurately portrays village life where the inhabitants have long-held secrets, which may hold the key to the killing of Stevie Horsfall. With a surprise ending Malice in the Cotswolds is an excellent entry in this acclaimed series.
----
Lizzie Hayes
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