A review by leandrathetbrzero
Death on the Cherwell by Mavis Doriel Hay

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 Murder at an All Women’s College 📚

↓ Similar Reads ↓
1. Murder Underground by Mavis Doriel Hay (on my TBR!)
2. Murder on ‘B’ Deck by Vincent Starret
3. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers (on my TBR!)

This title was the pick for the Shedunnit Book Club back in March, and I had such a delightful time visiting Oxford in my mind. Set at the fictional all women’s college, Persephone College, a group of students discover their bursar’s body in a boat floating along the Cherwell. The young women commence their own investigation into the death.

Fitting in the impossible crime category of GADF, Hay’s plotting seems a bit on the simplistic side. I imagined my own solution, and I was a bit disappointed to find the author’s to be less creative and more straightforward than I expected. With that said, the novel’s strengths include likeable characters (I loved following Sally Watson especially!), an atmospheric college setting, and entertaining dialogue. Those elements are why I am so sad Hay only ever wrote 3 detective fiction novels!

Highly recommend picking up the edition published by @britishlibrary and @poisonedpress bc the introduction enhanced my reading experience tenfold! 😍

I look forward to eventually reading her other 2 books, as well as returning to this one every now and again. 😊✨


Check out @theshedunnitshow on Instagram or your favourite podcast app for more info about the book club and what we are currently reading. This month’s pick: Death and the Joyful Woman by Ellis Peters.