I'd not read any of the previous books in this series. This book read as a stand-alone and was very enjoyable. I liked reading about the policing of the past and enjoyed the fond relationship between Trudy and Clement.

This book is the 7th in the series, but having not read the other ones I can confirm that it stands alone perfectly well, and I didn’t feel like I missed anything.

I very much enjoyed this book, the characters are excellent, and it had me guessing - and amused - all the way through.

This is a lot of fun!!!

My thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

New Year’s Eve 1962. With a snowstorm raging outside, spirits aren’t dampened at one of Oxford city’s most important social gatherings of the year. When the morning dawns however, the party of the year will be remembered for something altogether sinister with the death of one of the guests.

This is book seven of the Ryder and Loveday series which I have not read before. What I loved about A Fatal Night is that you don’t necessarily have to have read the books in order as the author includes a bit of background and links to the other books in the series so that you won’t have missed out. The cast of characters Martin has created are likeable and believable. I liked that the main character is a young female pc officer Trudy Loveday and that her ‘sidekick’ is the more well-known and distinguished coroner Mr. Clement Ryder. The dynamics between the main protagonists are clearly well established and refined making A Fatal Night a very enjoyable read.

There are plenty of interesting characters within the book (wait until you meet the Vander twins- what a pair!) and Martin also includes the misogynistic-minded characters that you know existed at this time, particularly within the police force after the admission of WPC’s. The victim within the story isn’t exactly a nice character either and I love how the author brought his story to life. I like how Martin has set the story within a time frame which older readers may remember, the Big Freeze of 1962-1963 in the UK. Martin writes this event beautifully into the book and makes the story even more realistic for the reader.

If you are a fan of Agatha Christie or Betty Rowlands’ mysteries, the Ryder and Loveday series, and particularly A Fatal Night, would be the perfect gift this Christmas. A light-hearted thriller perfect for the festive season. Plenty of red herrings and some heart-warming moments too.

A Fatal Night will be released on the 11th of November. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest review.

‘A Fatal Night’ by Faith Martin is the second book I’ve read in this series, and I’m growing very fond of WPC Trudy Loveday and Coroner Dr Clement Ryder. The young police officer and elderly county coroner make an interesting pair, and their methods and investigations make for fascinating reading. This story is set over Christmas and New Year of 1962, when a ‘big freeze’ stopped Britain in its tracks. Snow and ice blocked the roads and many died. And it is one of these deaths that Trudy and Clement seek to investigate. As with any investigation, lies abound, and it is up to them to get to the truth and find the killer.

I really like the dynamic between the two characters. The blend of youthful enthusiasm and a determination to learn, with the experience and wisdom of someone who has seen it all, really works. The setting of 1960s Oxford is also very appealing, as it gives an insight into the time, as well as the problems faced by a young woman in the police force back then. I enjoyed the story immensely, and it is exactly the kind of cosy mystery I want to read in these times. However unsettled it may seem for us in real life, you can always count on a cosy mystery.

I was given this ARC for review.

It’s 1963, and between an outbreak of the flu and the unprecedented snow storm that has paralyzed roads across the country, Britain has come close to a standstill. Despite the freezing cold, when WPC Trudy Loveday is called into her superior’s office and assigned the task of identifying a dead body found in a car, she is thrilled. Sure, it’s probably nothing, if the inspector suspected there was more to it he would never assign Trudy. True to the era, he believes women have no business on the police force and spends most of his time trying to dissuade Trudy from her chosen career.
For her part, Trudy sees it as an opportunity to finally do something a little more than paperwork. She also suggests Dr. Ryder accompany her in order to pronounce the dead body, hoping he will be agreeable to go out in the dreadful weather. Of course, Dr. Ryder welcomes the opportunity to work with Trudy and they both head out in the cold, despite the misgivings of Dr. Ryder’s visiting son.
So begins the seventh in the Ryder and Loveday series by Faith Martin. As the reader probably expects, the death is not a simple car crash victim or a result of the weather; but something much more serious. Dr. Ryder is almost immediately suspicious after examining the victim’s eyes. Now the problem for Ryder and Trudy is how to prevent the inspector from removing them from the case.
With that in mind when definite information of foul play is discovered they decide to place the report on the inspector’s desk. They just happen to place it under some additional piles of paperwork, hoping Trudy doesn’t run into the inspector and she can delay reporting to him for a while longer.
Dr. Ryder’s son Vincent who is home for a visit, also gets drawn in and after some initial misgivings becomes as fully engaged as Trudy and the elder Ryder. Dr. Ryder is pleased to see the change in his son’s attitude. The only problem he has now is trying to keep his growing symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease a secret. So far he has been successful, but his tremors and unsteady gait are getting more difficult to disguise.
As to the murder, the victim is a young man who has been romancing a slightly older widow who is convinced he is a man of good breeding, when in truth, he is from a much lower social status. Her twin children, a girl and a boy, have seen through him and recognize he’s interested in marrying their mother for her money. They are determined to prevent that occurrence since it would lessen the amount of their own inheritance.
Additional suspects include the young man’s business partner who has recently learned he has been stealing from their company. Then there’s his wife, who he left behind along with their child. She’s spent some time searching for him, not because she wants him back but because she wants to blackmail him for a piece of his expected pie.
While this series has had a well plotted mystery in each book, a major part of the story has also been Ryder’s struggle with his worsening Parkinson’s while keeping it from Trudy and this book is no exception. From beginning to end it’s classic Martin and starting the book is like sitting down with an old friend. The reader is swept along with the investigation and intrigued with the side relationships that offer occasional glimpses into the pair’s personal lives. As in the previous books, there are still questions regarding these personal issues that will whet the curiosity of those who are invested in the series.
While the mystery is self-contained, many readers will find this more enjoyable reading it as part of the series, beginning with the first book and reading them in order. In addition to good mysteries and engaging personal relationship developments, this series also offers an excellent picture of what life was like in the 1960’s for women in the police force in England.
I read an advance copy of the book for this review. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.

A Fatal Night, by Faith Martin

Teaser

Oxford is paralysed by the 1962-63 snowstorm just around the beginning of the New Year. Mrs Millie Vander, an upper-class widow, is excited about her New Year’s Eve party – not only because the guest list was rather exclusive, but also because Terry Parker was certainly going to propose.

But not all things go to plan. Terry will die in a car crash the night after the party.

It’s a simple car crash that Woman Police Constable Loveday is sent to make preliminary inquiries. “Preliminary inquiries” stressed her boss. He didn’t want her to get too excited what looked like a case of drunk driving. An open and shut case.

I won’t surprise anyone by saying that things are not as simple as they first look, and that WPC Loveday, with the help of her mentor and friend coroner Clement Ryder, will go beyond mere “preliminary inquiries”.

Review

This is a cosy mystery with a simple, linear timeline and one single plot thread. It is enjoyable to read and hits all the features of the genre. It is the seventh book of the Ryder and Loveday series, but it works perfectly as a standalone too. It is short and flows away quickly.

However, there are a few points I did not like about this book.

Simple plot

As I mentioned above, the storyline is simple. There is no change of timeline, no substantial parallel investigation. They only sort of subplot that went on, was barely investigated by WPC Loveday until the very end, and more by accident than by wit.

This is a two-sided blade. Some readers will enjoy the simplicity of the plot. Others, like me, will find it boring and will miss the entertainment.

The only interesting theme across the book, which is sometimes hinted, sometimes made it plain, is the sexism of the sixties. Just the title Woman Police Constable – a title officially used up to 1999, believe it or not – made my bile stir.

The plot offers plenty of red herrings, but I found them obvious most of the times.

I have never been engaged in the mystery. I ended up not really caring about solving it. Beside bringing the killer to justice, there was no other motivation. Nobody was suffering from the consequences of Terry’s death. Even Millie seemed to have shrugged his death away.

If nobody cared, why should I?

Simple characters

Related to the point above is the simplicity of characters.

Everyone is well constructed: they have their goals, their motivations, and they are all linked to one another in some way.

However, nobody really moves from their original position. There is little character development.

This is perfectly fine for characters more on the side-lines, like suspects and Loveday’s boss. But Loveday herself does not change at all throughout the book. Even Dr Ryder’s change is slow, and more dictated by his illness than anything else.

Disorienting points of view

One thing I found very annoying is the sudden changes in points of view.

The narrative would follow the actions and thoughts of one character, say Loveday. Within the same chapter, the point of view changes and go to Dr Ryder. A few sentences after, we move to Vincent, Dr Ryder’s son.

There is no aid to that change. No punctuation, no change of chapter, nothing. Right up until the end of the book, I found this technique disorienting.

Twist or no twist

The entire mystery is...you guessed it...simple. Since the very beginning, it is pretty clear what is happening. We know who did it, we know why. That still leaves how exactly they have done it and how Loveday will discover them. But that’s not worth the hassle, is it?

So, mid-way through the book I find myself wondering: should I read this book until the end? Because it can go one of two ways: it is either as simple as it looks, or there is a huge twist at the end which means that the author played with me until now.

Whichever way it goes (I am not going to spoil it here), the result is surely irritating.

Overall

I enjoyed A Fatal Night. It is a simple read that can be enjoyed in a couple of days. It makes it a good break from other, more intense, reads. But I would not recommend it to anyone who loves a thrill or the possibility to guess a high-stake mystery.

A most delightful and enjoyable story set in 60’s Oxford of a unique pair of detectives, an elderly city coroner aided and abetted by his friend a young pretty WPC. With Oxford snowed under and the police stretched to the limit the DCI has option but to assign his young WPC to deal with seemingly a routine road accident, with strict instructions to report daily. At the scene she finds a car skidded off the road, crashed with a dead driver at the wheel. Following procedure, she calls her fiend the corner to the scene in anticipation that a post-mortem followed by an inquest would be required. There after starts a murder enquiry by the pair delving into Oxford high society, with a rich widow courted by a handsome young man, who turns up to be the dead driver. Being no case for young WPC they needs must employ subterfuge to delay having a senior take over. They are on thin ice, can they get away with it long enough to solve the case, makes a most engrossing story.

''A Fatal Night' is the latest entertaining mystery in the popular series by Faith Martin - (Ryder & Loveday Mystery #7). I have not read any of the previous novels in this series, in fact until I started the story, I did not realise that 'A Fatal Night', however, the author provides sufficient detail for the reader to jump right into the series - without giving any any critical information away.
The setting is intriguing - the famous city of Oxford, home of inventive sleuths and dangerous villains! Beginning on New Year's Eve 1962, the reader is introduced to several characters over the first few pages including:
- WPC Trudy Loveday
- Dr Clement Ryder (coroner)
- Vincent Ryder
- Millicent (Millie) Vander (hostess)
- Juliet and Jasper Vander
It did take me a few minutes to settle into the story as we jumped from character to character, but once this initial introduction is completed, the story commences at a rattling pace. Wonderfully atmospheric, the setting of the 'Big Freeze in 1962 creates a difficult background for our two protagonists as Trudy and Clement, struggle against the weather is order to commence their investigations. There are plenty of suspects, red herrings, hidden backgrounds and secrets all of which create a highly entertaining and fun cozy mystery. I'll be checking out the rest of this series.

I enjoyed this crime / mystery novel. I had never read any of the series ahead of this book, but enjoyed it nevertheless.

It charts the story of young policewoman and elderly pathologist as they try to solve what they think might be a murder, after a body is found in a car after a New Years party. He race against the clock to gather clues before they get swapped off the case for more experienced (and male) police officers.

There are plenty of twists and turns, and the eventual punchline is unforeseen. Would recommend and will try the others in the series.

As a snowstorm rages outside, Oxford high society gathers to ring in the new year at the city's most exclusive party. This is a soiree no one will forget... not least because a guest is found dead in his car the next morning.
It seems the young man tragically froze to death overnight after crashing into a snowdrift - but when WPC Trudy Loveday and coroner Clement Ryder are called in to investigate, they discover a tangled web of secrets that plainly points to murder.
With everyone telling different stories about that fateful night, only one thing is clear: several people had reason to want the victim dead.
And if Trudy and Clement don't find the cracks in each lie, the killer will get away with the perfect crime...
This is a enjoyable read which has twists and keeps you wanting to read more.

Thoroughly enjoyable! Never a dull moment, where the bad weather is almost a character. Easy to read, easy to follow, great fun.

I haven't read any of this series before but the characters soon became like old friends. It was interesting to read the period details
(especially as I lived through that winter!) and be reminded how life was before computers, mobile phones etc.
I'm never quite sure what a "cosy crime" novel is as it seems to invariably involve a murder and at least one person's death which is far from cosy. However this was easy to read with a suitable number of unlikable suspects with good motives and fun to work out whodunit
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of this book.

Fans of Agatha Christie will love this one! I read it in one weekend and really enjoyed it. Great plot and characters.

A Fatal Night is the seventh book in the Ryder and Loveday Mystery series. Although I haven’t read the previous six books, I found this didn’t detract from this novel.

It’s New Years Eve 1962 in Oxford and a snow storm is raging outside. People from high society are attending an exclusive gathering to ring in the new year. It’s a party no one will forget as the next morning one of the guests is found dead in his car. When WPC Loveday and Dr Ryder are called to investigate, they quickly discover there is more to this case.

I enjoyed this book and the interaction between the two main characters as the plot unfolds. I would rate this book 3.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and the author for the advanced review copy.

This is the seventh book in the series and I had not read any previously but it didn't matter as this book is a good standalone .Set in 1962 during The Big Freeze when temperatures were below zero for 3 months this is a lovely cosy, old fashioned, Police Procedural .A man has died in a car crash but was it murder ? Loveday and Ryder are a wonderful team I really enjoyed their characters and I did not guess who dunnit ! A really enjoyable read though I found the ending a little abrupt .I would love to see these books brought to life on the TV screen .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

This book for me, just did not grip me. I kept waiting for it to kick it up a notch and it just never came.

It was slow but with no burn, and it just didn't make me care who the killer was. And the things that came to light didn't make me shocked or hungry for more.

I did like it being set in the 60's before technology in crime solving became advanced. I did like the WPC fighting for her chance to be considered equal and be able to handle a case of a higher magnitude for herself, and taking advantage of the snowfall and restricted staff to further herself.

I just didn't connect with the characters or the story.

I love the suspense and the era in which the story was set. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Set in the 1960's during extreme cold, a fatal road accident appears to be just a tragedy. Upon further investigation all is not as it seems. The victim appears to have many enemies. I absolutely loved the character WPC Trudy Loveday and Clement. Look out for the twist in the story.

Well what a jolly good yarn this was!

Apparently the 7th in a series of books about PC Loveday, but my first foray into Faith Martin's novels.

I was intrigued by the comparison to Agatha Christie in the description, and though not as sophisticated, it was well written and perfectly descriptive of the 60s Oxford era. I actually felt cold reading about the characters negotiating feet of debilitating snow in the particularly freezing winter. The scenes were beautifully set, and you could completely envisage the few days of mystery and intrigue before the whodunit is revealed. And no, I didn't guess who did at all!

Most enjoyable.

Thank You to the publishers and Net Galley for an advance copy.
This is the seventh book in a series I think but the first one I have read. It made a refreshing change from the normal crime books that I read and would I think it comfortably in the "cozy" genre. The book is set in Oxford, in the hard winter of 1963, which I remember well being a teenager at the time. It is far more an old-fashioned whodunnit than a modern police procedural but none the worse for that. The plot involves a seemingly straightforward car accident but when investigated by WPC Loveday and the local coroner seems suspicious. Their subsequent investigation has many twists and turns before reaching its conclusion.
The writing is good and is of a style that befits the era of the story.