The title of E.C.R. Lorac’s 23rd book in a series featuring Chief Inspector Robert MacDonald refers both to fells (hills in the dialect of Northern England) and fell, meaning “deadly, or destructive.” The novel proves as clever as the title.

After 25 years away, Richard Garth comes back to the fells of the Lake Country, but certainly not to be greeted as the returning prodigal son. The Garth son and heir left England behind when he quarreled with his father Robert, now 82, over the younger Garth’s choice of a wife. Richard Garth just wants to see his native region again — but certainly not his father nor any other member of his family. But when the stubborn, curmudgeonly old hothead Robert Garth is killed, MacDonald comes down from Scotland Yard to check out whether the murder is all in the family.

First released in 1944, Fell Murder begins a bit slowly; it isn’t until the old man’s dead, that the novel really takes off. Yet, after that, the novel makes up for it with suspense keeps a reader glued to the pages. The novel’s set in the Lune Valley of England’s Lancashire, where Lorac went to live with her sister, and readers can see her devotion to the land and to gracefully blending the old and the new.

In the interest of complete disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, British Library and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for rereleasing this delightful series; I’ve devoured each one!

A found this book rather sad, certainly a murder mystery but it also invoked a feeling of " this could have turned out better if pride was put aside" such a waste of life.
It was a good mystery with lot of suspects and motives. The seemed characters very real and one felt a type of sorrow for what happened.
Not many books can do that, a very written book very much in the E C R Loac style.

It's tough to go wrong with such an experienced writer. Great/likeable characters, an interesting plot, and a feeling of "being there" made this a good read.

I really appreciate the NetGalley copy for review!!

British-detective, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, rural, small-town, family-dynamics

I really enjoyed it! From the reticent locals to the supercilious police superintendent to the nongrieving family to the marvelous CID Chief Inspector MacDonald to the familiar sort of countryside, all is clear and well written. It was easy to determine who would be bumped off, but interesting to dig through the twists and red herrings to prove the killer. That's always the hardest part, legal proof. Now I must find more in this series!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!