From Sussex to the Cotswolds and Back Again

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by Julie, still de-Christmasing in Somerville

Last fall I rediscovered Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell series. I’d read the earlier books years ago, but hadn’t kept up with the series. I did an interview with her on the Sisters in Crime Writers’ Podcast and was inspired by our conversation. Then post-Covid I wanted to take a journey with a new series, and started with The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. I fell in love with the prose, and her incredible storytelling. As a writer I was inspired. As a reader (listener in this case) I was transported starting in Sussex, and then traveling around the globe in the 1920s with Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.

When I finished the series, I was a bit bereft. The next book comes out in February, but until then what? This was early December, and I desired cozy. Or, as they say in England, cosy. That’s when I took a trip to the Cotswolds. Specifically, to Cherringham.

The Cherringham series are short books. Less that four hours listening time, 130 pages or so. Novellas. Here’s the premise:

Set in the sleepy English village of Cherringham, the detective series brings together an unlikely sleuthing duo: English web designer Sarah and American ex-cop Jack. Thrilling and deadly – but with a spot of tea – it’s like Rosamunde Pilcher meets Inspector Barnaby. Each of the self-contained episodes is a quick read for the morning commute, while waiting for the doctor, or when curling up with a hot cuppa.

The series is written by Neil Richards and Matthew Costello. The narrator is Neil Dudgeon, who is wonderful. His American accent is good, he acts out each character with gusto, and is wonderful to listen to. Thanks to Cherringham, I didn’t watch television at all in December, but I was entertained. And I got a couple of knitting projects done, the house clean, and hundreds of steps logged.

When that series was done, I followed the authors Richards and Costello back to Sussex in 1929, this time to Mydworth in the Mydworth Mysteries:

Sussex, England, 1929. Mydworth is a sleepy English market town just 50 miles from London. But things are about to liven up there, when young and handsome Sir Harry Mortimer returns home from his diplomatic posting in Cairo, with his beautiful and unconventional American wife, Kat.

This series is narrated by Nathaniel Parker. Another wonderful English actor who narrates with gusto. His American accent isn’t as wonderful as Neil Dudgeon’s, though to be fair he’s acting as a 30 year old woman from Brooklyn, so the challenge is real. His Bunberry Americans are better. I’ve been listening to the bundles of audiobooks, so I only listened to six of these. They’re also shorter books/audio books. An evening of entertainment.

Next I decided to follow the narrator back to the Cotswolds, to Bunberry. Nathaniel Parker narrates the Bunberry Cosy Mystery series by Helena Marchmont, the pseudonym of Olga Wojtas. Another novella series with an evening’s worth of entertainment. Delightful.

Miss Marple meets Oscar Wilde in this new series of cosy mysteries set in the picturesque Cotswolds village of Bunburry. In “Murder at the Mousetrap,” the first Bunburry book, fudge-making and quaffing real ale in the local pub are matched by an undercurrent of passion, jealousy, hatred and murder – laced with a welcome dose of humour.

When I’m writing, my attention span is limited. Novella length listens are perfect. I can listen to them in one or two sittings, so I don’t have to keep the story in my brain. But the visits to English villages put me in the right frame of mind to write about my own village in Trevorton, MA.

I feel like I should have known about this publishing option, but I didn’t. (How do I sign on for one of these gigs?) By the time the next Mary Russell is released next month, I’ll be ready to immerse myself back in her world. But for now, my jaunts to the the Cotswolds and Sussex are a delight.

Do you listen to or read any of the series I mentioned? Or other novella length series (with delightful narrators) to suggest?

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Published by J.A. Hennrikus

One woman, three names, many books. As Julia Henry I wrote the Garden Squad series for Kensington. As J.A. Hennrikus I wrote the Theater Cop series, and as Julianne Holmes I wrote the Clock Shop series. I've been an arts administrator for my entire career, mostly in the performing arts. Currently I'm the ED of Sisters in Crime, a wonderful organization that promotes and supports crime writers. www.sistersincrime.org Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram! @JHAuthors

27 Thoughts

  1. What a wonderful discovery you made, Julie. I find audiobooks go too slowly for me, unless I’m trapped in a car alone for hundreds of miles. The only novellas I read are Barb’s and those of my fellow authors when I’m in a three-book collection, but I’m glad these are working for you.

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  2. JULIE: When I had prolonged COVID symptoms in 2020 & 2022, I could not concentrate to read so I listened to a lot more audiobooks, including fellow Wicked Jessica Ellicott’s Beryl & Edwina mysteries. I listened to the first 3 books. I liked the narrator & the combination of an American and English amateur sleuth meant I had a range of different accents. Now that my reading mojo has returned, I have gone back to reading the recent Beryl & Edwina books.

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    1. JULIE: I know you want to watch SLOW HORSES. I read/listened to the full length Slough House books but there are also several novellas in the series that may be of interest to you. Same wonderful narrator (Gerard Doyle). I listened to The List, The Marylebone Drop, and The Catch. But these 3 novellas have recently been combined into a new 2022 anthology, along with a new novella. https://sohopress.com/books/standing-by-the-wall/

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      2. You can easily catch up in time to watch the show. Each season of SLOW HORSES TV show is adapted from Mick Herron’s books. They are going in order: Season 1, Slow Horses; Season 2, Dead Lions; Season 3, Real Tigers, upcoming Season 4, Spook Street. The 3 novellas are after book 5, though, and I consider them more “Slow Horses adjacent” (i.e. secondary character mentioned in earlier books is the lead).

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    2. The narrator for that series is Barbara Rosenblatt. I listened to the Amelia Peabody series (which I paper read a couple of times) with great joy because of her narration. These audio books have similiar narration–wonderful, individual characters who are easy to follow. Such fun.

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  3. My attention wanders too much for audio. Sadly, I haven’t read too many novellas. I think I’m neglecting an important section of fiction. Glad you are enjoying!

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  4. Wonderful post Julie! Thanks for the recommendations. I like reading being combined with an activity in this way and will give it a try. I’m usually a bedtime reader but I fall asleep if I listen to audiobooks and then don’t know where I left off. This will help get some steps in. I’ll have to put my cuppa in a travel mug.
    Much appreciated!
    Sharon Elizabeth

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  7. I haven’t read many novellas but I think I’ll start this year. Sometimes, I just want a short quick great read. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com

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  8. These are all new to me series, but you can bet they’ll be old friends by this time next year! I wish I could acclimate to listening to books – so far, I haven’t been able to, but I’m working on it.

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  9. I tend to shy away from novella length reads. It takes just as much time to write the review as a full novel, and it takes away space from other things on my blog. Yes, I do let things like that dictate a bit too much at times, and I’m sure I’m missing some delightful stories because of it.

    I haven’t read any of the books you’ve mentioned. I’ve heard of the Mary Russell series for years, and I’m sure I’d love it. But I haven’t had a chance to read it. Even my audio list is long with books I’m dying to read that way at this point.

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  10. These are new to me series and I’ve just started slowly getting into audiobooks as I’ve started scrapbooking.
    Thanks for the recommendations, I’ll look them up!

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  11. I love the Mary Russell books. I haven’t heard of the others… until now. I have something new to look forward to. Thanks, Julie.

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  12. I’ve read and enjoyed the Mary Russell series for ages but have fallen off with the last few. Thanks for reminding me of this series. And also I’ve just added several of the Cherringham series to listen to on my next trip. I’m a fan of Neil Dudgeon, too!

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