Rating: 
Summary: One Series Too Many
Review: "The Skeleton in the Closet" introduces new characters by M.C. Beaton, who is "taking a break from her two long-running series." I love Hamish, I love Agatha. But I do NOT love Fell and Maggie. They are dull and uninteresting. This series is one too many, and Ms. Beaton is stretching her creative powers too thin. I did not care about the characters, the plot was negligible, the setting never came to life. I read half of this book, then skipped stratight to the end, which was so predictable. Please, Ms. Beaton, use your wonderful creativity on Hamish and Agatha, and lay this series to rest!
Rating: 
Summary: Fell and Maggie try to find out where Fell's money came from
Review: Fell Dolphin has led a miserable life. Beaten as a child, repressed and forced to support his mother at an early age, he hasn't had much of a life and really has nothing to look forward to. Since his father's death, he has been her sole support, and has no privacy or life of his own. He doesn't even have a key to his own house. Upon the death of his mother, he finds out that he has inherited a substantial amount of money. Since his parents have cried poverty all his life, just where did all the cash come from? To avoid having his mother's sister move in with him, he tells her that he is engaged to a coworker, Maggie Partlett, and convinces Maggie to move in with him to substantiate the lie. Maggie had been living in much the same circumstances as Fell, and is happy to escape a miserable life. The two of them get together to investigate the source of Fell's wealth. Fell is afraid that his father had been part of a train robbery in the town, and decides to investigate that crime. This was a very good mystery, very different from Beaton's usual works. Two unhappy repressed characters find each other and blossom and solve a mystery as well. There is even a happy ending. A fast read and very entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a terrific new series by a great author
Review: Fellworth "Fell" Dolphin grew up in a family lacking the normal love. His parents took good care of him and he never went hungry, but they never had any of the extras. Matter of fact, when his father became ill and later died, Fell had to get a job. His mother took his checks and gave him a small allowance to spend. She was a cold-hearted woman and controlled his life. Then one day he returned from work at the hotel to find his mother dead. Instead of grieving, he feels relieved. Even before he can decide what he will do, his parents' lawyer calls. Fell finds out that his mother left him a large sum of money. Where did the money come from? They lived like misers. He could have gone to the university. They stole his youth! Fell goes home and begins going through his father's desk to find out more about his parents' financial situation. He finds a cash box full of money. Why would they hide money in the desk? Could it have been gotten illegally? Aunt Agnes, his mother's sister, comes to call. She is concerned that Fell will need someone to care for him so she has decided to make the sacrifice. Fell is stricken with horror. He immediately tells her that won't be necessary because he is engaged to Maggie, a co-worker at the hotel. Next he needs to tell Maggie and see if she will go along with his charade. She is a very plain girl and it turns out her home life hasn't been great. She is thrilled with the idea. She ends up moving into Fell's home -- separate rooms of course. Fell and Maggie begin redecorating his house. Things are going well. They even begin discussing opening a bookstore. Then Andy Briggs shows up accusing Fell's father of being a part of the old Post Office train robbery. Now Fell and Maggie begin looking into the old robbery to try to clear his father's name and discover where the money came from. Many things begin to happen. Fell meets Melissa who wants him to invest in her business. Fell is mesmerized by Melissa but Maggie is worried Melissa is only after his money. She tries to alert Fell and he only becomes more upset with Maggie. Maggie has fallen in love with Fell but is worried he is about to throw her out. Then Peter, a local newspaper reporter, comes into the picture. He writes a piece about Maggie and Fell investigating the old robbery. Peter is smitten with Maggie. They begin dating. Fell has no problem with this in the beginning. Fell's house is vandalized. Is this related to the old robbery? Fell and Maggie are great characters. Underdogs all the way. You can't help but root for them. This is the first book in a new series by a terrific author. I already like her other two mystery series. This is another terrific series and I can't wait for the next book. I had a little trouble with some of the terminology because it is set in England, but I really enjoyed the book and recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: This is a terrific new series by a great author
Review: Fellworth "Fell" Dolphin grew up in a family lacking the normal love. His parents took good care of him and he never went hungry, but they never had any of the extras. Matter of fact, when his father became ill and later died, Fell had to get a job. His mother took his checks and gave him a small allowance to spend. She was a cold-hearted woman and controlled his life. Then one day he returned from work at the hotel to find his mother dead. Instead of grieving, he feels relieved. Even before he can decide what he will do, his parents' lawyer calls. Fell finds out that his mother left him a large sum of money. Where did the money come from? They lived like misers. He could have gone to the university. They stole his youth! Fell goes home and begins going through his father's desk to find out more about his parents' financial situation. He finds a cash box full of money. Why would they hide money in the desk? Could it have been gotten illegally? Aunt Agnes, his mother's sister, comes to call. She is concerned that Fell will need someone to care for him so she has decided to make the sacrifice. Fell is stricken with horror. He immediately tells her that won't be necessary because he is engaged to Maggie, a co-worker at the hotel. Next he needs to tell Maggie and see if she will go along with his charade. She is a very plain girl and it turns out her home life hasn't been great. She is thrilled with the idea. She ends up moving into Fell's home -- separate rooms of course. Fell and Maggie begin redecorating his house. Things are going well. They even begin discussing opening a bookstore. Then Andy Briggs shows up accusing Fell's father of being a part of the old Post Office train robbery. Now Fell and Maggie begin looking into the old robbery to try to clear his father's name and discover where the money came from. Many things begin to happen. Fell meets Melissa who wants him to invest in her business. Fell is mesmerized by Melissa but Maggie is worried Melissa is only after his money. She tries to alert Fell and he only becomes more upset with Maggie. Maggie has fallen in love with Fell but is worried he is about to throw her out. Then Peter, a local newspaper reporter, comes into the picture. He writes a piece about Maggie and Fell investigating the old robbery. Peter is smitten with Maggie. They begin dating. Fell has no problem with this in the beginning. Fell's house is vandalized. Is this related to the old robbery? Fell and Maggie are great characters. Underdogs all the way. You can't help but root for them. This is the first book in a new series by a terrific author. I already like her other two mystery series. This is another terrific series and I can't wait for the next book. I had a little trouble with some of the terminology because it is set in England, but I really enjoyed the book and recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful schmalz, a charming cozy
Review: I have always felt somewhat ambivalent about the Agatha Raisin series which is too over the top for me, and too unsatisfactory from a matchmaking perspective, but had a lovely time reading this fairy tale with happy ending. It satisfies the desire for a light mystery with some romance in a situation which requires, but easily gets, floods of that willing suspension of disbelief. I hope we get more in this series, but it may be hard to keep up without the challenges in the inital plotline. (But then, I thought Robin Williams had used up all possible Mork and Mindy ideas in the first show!)
Rating:
Summary: A Perfectly Imperfect Fantasy
Review: M.C. (Marion Chesney?) Beaton takes the Regency Romance into the third millennia with a delightful cozy mystery featuring a couple of brand new friends. Once again the reader is treated to a healthy dose of English village life with the emotionally stunted semi-losers Maggie & Fellworth Dolphin. In this twenty-second century Cinderella story, Fellworth's tyrant of a mother dies, he finds his dull life absolutely full of surprises. To avoid a takeover by the Evil Aunt Agnes, the prematurely grey, virginal Fell fictionalizes an engagement to the plump Maggie with limp hair and thick glasses and ankles. As they turn the cottage from a pumpkin into a home, the two of them are virtually unaware of the magic going on in their lives. Fell begins to grow a backbone, as Maggie goes from ugly duckling to swan. But Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty really don't see themselves (or each other) as they attempt to figure out an ages old train robbery as well as the next chapter in their (up to this point) dreary lives. The author weaves her magic and once again gives us a spectacularly delectable little book with a couple of characters who we enjoy getting to know. This time of year, I would also HIGHLY recommend Ms. Beaton's HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS, as well as the entire Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin Series.
Rating:
Summary: A Perfectly Imperfect Fantasy
Review: M.C. (Marion Chesney?) Beaton takes the Regency Romance into the third millennia with a delightful cozy mystery featuring a couple of brand new friends. Once again the reader is treated to a healthy dose of English village life with the emotionally stunted semi-losers Maggie & Fellworth Dolphin. In this twenty-second century Cinderella story, Fellworth's tyrant of a mother dies, he finds his dull life absolutely full of surprises. To avoid a takeover by the Evil Aunt Agnes, the prematurely grey, virginal Fell fictionalizes an engagement to the plump Maggie with limp hair and thick glasses and ankles. As they turn the cottage from a pumpkin into a home, the two of them are virtually unaware of the magic going on in their lives. Fell begins to grow a backbone, as Maggie goes from ugly duckling to swan. But Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty really don't see themselves (or each other) as they attempt to figure out an ages old train robbery as well as the next chapter in their (up to this point) dreary lives. The author weaves her magic and once again gives us a spectacularly delectable little book with a couple of characters who we enjoy getting to know. This time of year, I would also HIGHLY recommend Ms. Beaton's HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS, as well as the entire Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Raisin Series.
Rating:
Summary: Teenage Romance Novel
Review: Marion Chesney (M C Beaton) has a gift for story invention, but the level of writing is at the teenage level. I gave this story a read because I enjoy the Hamish Macbeth stories. The story is simple but likable about two adult losers that find each other. They grope towards each other with the sophistication of two inexperienced teenagers. The mystery is simple and predictible. A real murderer would have easily killed the two of them and gotten away with it. I wish Chesney would spend some time editing and rewriting her stories--the use of language is so jumpy. I finally skimmed the book--it was not worth spending any more effort upon. Two stars for story invention. Shame on you Ms Chesney--a person of you talent should be a better writer.
Rating:
Summary: A quick diversion, but don't examine it too closely.
Review: MC Beaton has done it again. She can always be counted on for an enjoyable light read with great characters. This book, while not featuring her more well known characters, Hamish McBeth or Agatha Raisin is every bit as enjoyable as her other mysteries. Memorable characters and a great story lead me to highly recommend this for cozy village mystery fans.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous!
Review: THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET is the first book I ever read by M.C. Beaton, and it was marvelous. It's a fairy tale with all sorts of wonderful and magical things befalling the main characters. It's an allegory in which nice guys finish first. And it's an old-fashioned romance. All of these subtexts are placed in the setting of proverbial English country town. There are multiple mysteries, with a great train robbery, murder attempts and terrorist bombs. The whole combine to create a terrific romp, a true modernization of the English country mystery, starting right from one of the best opening sentences in the history of writing. I look forward to reading Beaton's other books.
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