I am a long term fan of Simon Brett, thpugh mainly on his radio work not so much for his novel writing, After Henry is one of the great family comedy sradio and TV series to this day! "Mrs. Pargeter's Patio," is one of his forays into the cozy mystery genre, featuring the charming and resourceful widow, Mrs. Pargeter.

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!

This is the 9th in the Mrs Pargeter books, but I didn't feel I had missed much by starting on number 9. I very much enjoyed the colourful cast of characters, each with their own quirks and motivations - a standard in the cozy crime genre.

In a world of many cozy crime books - does it stand out? I didn't take to it as much as I do MC Beaton but those relationships have been built up by years and I feel this could be the beginning of a nice new journey. I enjoyed the humour, as I knew I would from Simon Brett, and I'll definitely investigate the previous books!

Not my favourite series by Simon Brett. Maybe one needs to start from the first book with Mrs Pargeter.

Mrs. Pargeter's Patio by Simon Brett is a delightful cozy mystery that charms readers with its wit, warmth, and engaging plot. The story follows clever and resourceful widow Mrs. Pargeter as she navigates through the world of crime-solving with her unique blend of charm and intuition.

Set against the backdrop of a tranquil suburban neighbourhood, the novel takes an unexpected turn when Mrs. Pargeter discovers a dead body buried beneath her newly constructed patio. Determined to uncover the truth, she embarks on a quest to unravel the mystery, enlisting the help of her eclectic group of friends and acquaintances along the way.

Brett's writing is polished and full of subtle humour, capturing the essence of English village life with vivid descriptions and well-drawn characters. Mrs. Pargeter herself is a delightful protagonist, with her sharp intellect and unwavering resolve making her a force to be reckoned with in the world of amateur sleuthing.

As the story unfolds, readers are treated to a series of twists and turns that keep them guessing until the very end. The pacing is brisk, and the plot is intricately woven, ensuring that the reader remains engaged from start to finish.

Overall, Mrs. Pargeter's Patio is a charming and entertaining mystery novel that is sure to delight fans of the genre. With its engaging plot, memorable characters, and clever dialogue, it's a must-read for anyone looking for a cozy and satisfying whodunit.

The thing I like about the Mrs Pargeter series is the cast of entertaining characters and the way in which they interact. It is a world of "gentlemanly crime" where morals are important (even if the doings are not always particularly legal) and at the centre of which lies the fragrant Mrs Pargeter, widow of a well-thought of "businessman". Mr Pargeter's previous employees have all been helped by him in some way, and are keen to now help his widow, without ever mentioning the fact that not all their dealings are necessarily above board. It all leads to a delightful set up, full of polite kindness and camaraderie, sprinkled with a soupcon of danger, and I really enjoy immersing myself in that world for a few hours. These books are ideal for lovers of cosy crime mysteries.

I was surprised to discover this was book 9 in the Mrs. Pargeter series, It stands alone and I've missed the first 8 books which i will rectify very soon. When she discovers a dead body under her patio, Mrs. Pargeter gets out her dead husband's little black book and starts an investigation before she calls the police. I had no trouble following the story and I can't wait to find Simon Brett's previous Mrs. Parrgeters.

A cosy crime novel with quirky, humorous characters.
Mrs Pargeter uses her late husbands contacts to help her solve the mystery of the body under the patio. With nicknames such as Melting Maurice and Nick the Nicker you know you’re in for an amusing light read. Delightful fun!

This was a fun read the characters were entertaining and interesting. The mystery kept me interested until the very end.

I received a copy of this book via netgalley. It has taken me some time to get around to reading it. The book had some likeable characters but felt overstuffed with them. There were more ex cons per square inch of narrative that I found myself getting confused with their various names and criminal identities. I feel like the story line got lost in and among all this.

When i got this book I had not realised that it was 9th in a series that i had not dipped into before and perhaps this accounted for some of my confusion. However the overall plot and characterisation is not drawing me in to reading more of the series

4.5 stars rounding up

Synopsis

In "Mrs. Pargeter's Patio" by Simon Brett, the tranquil morning ritual of widow Mrs. Pargeter takes an unexpected turn when a cracked patio slab reveals a human skull. Unfazed, Mrs. Pargeter rounds up a crew of her late husband's associates and embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind this grizzly discovery.

My Overall Thoughts

Simon Brett crafts a delightfully fun mystery in "Mrs. Pargeter's Patio," where the titular character trips over a cracked paving stone and falls into a murder mystery. The cast of characters, each with a lengthy rap sheet and a debt to Mrs. Pargeter’s dear, departed husband, keeps readers perpetually off-balance and guessing their motives. The uncertainty surrounding Mrs. Pargeter's knowledge of her late husband's shady dealings adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, leaving readers questioning how much she truly knows.

This book takes the “unreliable narrator” trope to a new level where every character is unreliable. It really kept me guessing.

What I Didn't Love

This is the first book I have read in this series, so my very small criticism may not be fair when taking the whole series into consideration. However, I really wanted some deeper character development. I really enjoyed each of the characters, who were quirky in their own ways, but I didn’t get to spend enough time getting to know them. The novel was mostly plot driven even though it had some really delightful characters.

Potentially Offensive Content

Adult Situations

Violence (non-graphic)

What I Loved

The biggest strength of the novel really lies in its quirky, unique cast of characters. They are all varying degrees of evil. No one is wearing a white hat to show you who to root for. The supporting characters' comedic attempts to keep Mrs. Pargeter blissfully ignorant of her late husband's secrets along with the subtle hints about her awareness provide add an element of slapstick humor. Mrs. Pargeter is a character I want to get to know a lot better. I need to read more of this series.

I Would Recommend This Book To:

cozy mystery lovers who don’t mind rooting for a protagonist who doesn’t exactly wear a white hat. Good triumphing over evil is rather relative in this tome.

“I loved Mrs. Pargeter’s Patio by Simon Brett! The story follows Mrs. Pargeter, a clever widow, as she solves a murder mystery on her patio. I enjoyed the cast of characters and the twists and turns of the plot. Mrs. Pargeter’s determination and wit inspired me. The writing style was easy to follow, and the setting was vivid. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with a charming protagonist.”

Keepw you page turning. You suspend and great story. Easy to read and understand the storyline.
Good character and well written.

A body under a patio....a gentle murder mystery...fun to read, brilliant characters absolutely loved it.

This is a cozy mystery about a very well connected widow who calls upon the people she knows to help her in certain situations. It was a light hearted book with a comedy feel. I laughed a lot when reading this book, I loved the characters. I didn’t realise this is one of a series, I’d love to read more from this series. There were so many characters in this story, Brett is a very clever writer because despite there being many characters, it was easy to remember who they all were. When the big reveal started coming together I was completely shocked, I didn’t see it coming. This was such an enjoyable book.

Simon Brett intrigues with Mrs Pargeter's Patio when a body is discovered buried under her patio. Her late husband never discussed his activities with her, but she was a great favorite with his stable of dubious associates. They embark on complex trail of the corpse and dig up dirt on past and present crooked types. At the same time Mrs. Pargeter looks for the vanished father of her female gardener whom she respects. Cozy with unexpected humor and delight in characters and plot.

A sweet and funny ride.
A tongue in cheek view of a criminal underworld from more innocent times, very cleverly done, though a very easy read.

A jolly romp of a cosy crime book. I will be searching out previous Mrs Pargeter books. Highly recommended.

I was sent a copy of Mrs Pargeter's Patio by Simon Brett to read and review by NetGalley. This is a readable cosy crime mystery with plenty of disparate characters. This is the first of the author’s Mrs Pargeter novels that I have read and the jury is out as to whether I read any more or not. While I quite enjoyed the book I did feel that it lacked any sort of tension and I felt that Mrs Pargeter herself was painted as a very superficial and unaware protagonist, which was perhaps the point, and I felt that she and most of the other characters lacked depth. I also felt that the plot became quite predictable as it unfolded which is why I have only awarded the book 3 stars.

This is the 9th book in the series. Mrs Pargeter is having her morning coffee on the patio of her mansion. The patio's paving slabs crack into two slabs revealing a human skull with a hole in the middle of its forehead. She soon certain that a murder has been committed. But who is the mysterious victim? Who put the body under Mrs. Pargeter's patio?
I really enjoyed reading this book and all the other humorous characters that were involved. The plot was one that led me to read all the way to the engaging ending that I didn't see coming. If you enjoy books with humorous characters then you will love this book. I look forward to reading another Mrs. Pargeter's books as I really did enjoy this one.

Mrs Pageter is back with another fun mystery!
One fine morning, Mrs Pageter discovers a skull under a cracked paver of her patio. Not wanting to bother the police with such a trivial matter, she turns to the (criminally inclined) former associates of her dearly departed husband.
I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of this fast paced, tongue-in-cheek cozy mystery. The reality gardening show theme was so much fun!
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the advanced copy. Available now!

I enjoyed this quirky cozy mystery. It made me laugh at the antics the characters went through to solve the mystery. I enjoyed this book very much as it made a change for my usual genre. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.