Miss Seeton Goes to Bat

Book excerpt: It’s summertime in Plummergen and cricket madness has overtaken Miss Emily Seeton’s pretty village. The pavilion urgently needs repairs, but there’s a needle match coming up against arch rivals Murreystone. Miss S’s chums Sir George Colveston and his son Nigel talk of little else, especially as the opposition’s demon bowler wrought havoc at last year’s game, while their own star, the village blacksmith, has a broken arm after a dispute with a mysteriously tipsy Shire horse. Miss S’s artistic talents are required to sketch the players and raise money for the pavilion – she knows little of cricket, but her uncanny depictions point the way to a burglarious gang who’ve been robbing local villages. Serene amidst every kind of skulduggery, this eccentric English spinster steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles, armed with nothing more than her sketchpad and umbrella! What people are saying about Miss Seeton: “Miss Seeton is a hoot! I was torn between laughter and eye rolling with each page turn. The characters are loveable and thoroughly British. This is a perfect specimen of classic British mystery.“ “What a joy Miss Seeton is. Why did I wait so long to read them? Splashy characters, lovely setting, and just plain funny.” “I've become a Miss Ess addict. Great characters that get better with each book. A must for anyone who loves a good British cozy with a twist, and surprising revelations of what a good brollie can do in a pinch.” “What a great series. This is one of the best in English light reading mysteries.” “Miss Seeton is a delightful sendup of the amateur sleuth. If your doctor has prescribed laughter as the best medicine, run and buy the entire series as fast as you can.” Editorial reviews: “A most beguiling protagonist!” New York Times “Miss Seeton gets into wild drama with fine touches of farce . . . This is a lovely mixture of the funny and the exciting.” San Francisco Chronicle “This is not so much black comedy as black-currant comedy . . . You can’t stop reading. Or laughing.” The Sun “Depth of description and lively characters bring this English village to life.” Publishers Weekly “Fun to be had with a full cast of endearingly zany villagers . . . and the ever gently intuitive Miss Seeton.” Kirkus Reviews “Miss Seeton is the most delightfully satisfactory character since Miss Marple.” Ogden Nash “I think, on the whole, Miss Seeton is the most loveable and entertaining of any of today’s fiction detectives. May she live forever.” London Mystery Selection