Dinner Most Deadly

Another John Pickett Mystery

By: Sheri Cobb South

Narrated by: Joel Froomkin

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

When Julia, Lady Fieldhurst, returns from Scotland restless and out of sorts, her friend Emily Dunnington plans a select dinner party with half a dozen male guests from whom Julia may choose a lover.

But Emily's dinner ends in disaster when one of her guests, Sir Reginald Montague, is shot dead.

When Bow Street Runner John Pickett is summoned to Emily's house, he is faced with the awkward task of informing Lady Fieldhurst that their recent masquerade as a married couple (Family Plot) has resulted in their being legally wed.

Beset by distractions - including the humiliating annulment procedure and the flattering attentions of Lady Dunnington's pretty young housemaid - Pickett must find the killer of a man whom everyone has reason to want dead.

©2015 Sheri Cobb South (P)2017 Sheri Cobb South

Another Great John Pickett Mystery

One of my favorites! I can understand why Julia is so taken with John Pickett.

A Delicious Dinner Mystery

Dinner Most Deadly was a really great read. While I loved all of it, I adored the mystery part. Dinner party tension has always been one of my favourite murder mystery themes. In this story, Lady Julia Fieldhurst’s friend Lady Emily Dunington throws a dinner party to introduce Julia to a choice of potential new lovers. After the dinner, one ends up dead - time to call Bow Street! I loved following all the clues. Sheri is a giving author who provides all the info to the reader as John discovers it. The reader is able to follow all the steps with John, or even may manage to get to the truth before him. The backstories that are delved into regarding the suspects were all very interesting, and made me wish there were more chapters about each of them. Sheri introduces some great new characters that I hope she will keep around or maybe just bring back from time to time. This is definitely one of Sheri’s strength. She writes fascinating and fabulous characters that you want to be included in more of the series. Have to admit as much as he’s unpleasant, I enjoy reading the passages about Lord Rupert Laytham. He’s such good value and entertaining in his role, however I’m very glad he’s not the MC;) I was also delighted that Sheri chose to bring back another character from the last book, which was wonderful, am hoping we get to see more from that character popping up from time to time too.
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Other random mentions regarding the story... I loved the matchmaking scene, it was a highlight. I also appreciated the reference to the three Bs - birth, breeding and brass and their reality. Class differences are really highlighted/magnified in this story, and rightly so. John and Julia are headed into territory where this is going to impact them dramatically, so it was imperative that the story involve all aspects of their situation. It was carefully detailed throughout the story and historically correct.

Lastly, I have been constantly impressed throughout this series with how Sheri has created a MC/hero/detective who is truly a kind, sincere good man. It is very refreshing to have a leading male who is decent, and not brooding, domineering and forceful. As a reader that means that I can enjoy John’s character and his journey completely without being conflicted by that kind of boorish behavior. There was a scene that was very slightly rough, however I seriously LOVED that Sheri did not in any way portray the anger as romantic. Intense emotion yes, but not sexy. Very well written!!

Favourite moments/quotes:
‘He was able to clear me of any involvement in Fredrick’s death, because I was innocent!’
Pickett wondered wistfully if there was any way to prove a conspiracy of five and thus hang the lot of them.
‘No one threatened to stab him with the butter knife.’
‘Particularly if he himself were unaware of the problem until quite recently, say within the last hour or two.’
‘I can assure you Mr Pickett will be well familiar with masculine bluster, after all I have met his magistrate.’
‘Mr. Pickett is leaving now, please throw...show him out.’
There could be no other reason why, in a city of a million souls, the absence of one should be so keenly felt.
This attempt at the epistolary arts joined its predecessor in the flames.
‘I doubt there is a married couple in existence who has not considered annulmnet at some point, or divorce or murder.’
‘If youth but knew. If age but could.’ (Henri Estienne)
‘Balderdash, if she were capable of such a thing I should have been dead years ago.’
‘Ah, but you know that I am not much of a lady, and I believe you have a greater claim to the title of gentleman than many who are born to it.’
Life is too short and love is too precious to waste time on things that don’t matter, not really, not when one’s future happiness is at stake.’
‘Do you know, I don’t think I shall tell you. It seems to me that a great part of your charm springs from the fact that you are utterly unaware of your own appeal. I should hate to spoil it.’

Narration: Joel Froomkin is one of those narrators who immediately makes you forget that it is just one person voicing all the different characters. His choice of accents and tones for the many characters are distinct and fantastic. Joel completely immerses the reader in the story, so it’s like taking a mini holiday. I’m loving this series and very happy that it has such an excellent narrator!

For those who like to know... an excellent clean read with no sex, profanity or graphic violence.

I received Dinner Most Deadly: Another John Pickett Mystery free in exchange for an unbiased review.

Another Hit in the John Pickett Mystery Series

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

I am enjoying each book in the John Pickett Mysteries more than the last. This is the fourth book in the series and is a standalone book in that there is a complete story and ending. However, there are events which occur in the 3rd book, Family Plot, which heavily influence the plot in this book. Additionally, the relationship between John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst has been slowly developing since the first book in the series, In Milady's Chamber and you will miss all the fun if you dive in for the first time with this book. I strongly recommend that you start with the first book in the series [note: there is a novella which is prior to book one - Pickpocket's Apprentice - which focuses on John and how he became a Bow Street Runner].

Here, Lady Fieldhurst has returned from Scotland and to her friend Emily Dunnington she is in a depressed state for which there is only one cure - take a lover. In an effort to get this done, Emily Dunnigton organizes a dinner party and invites several gentlemen for Lady Fieldhurst's selection. The dinner party does not go well - Emily's husband shows up; one of the gentleman is a recent widower and not interested; and Lady Fieldhurst just cannot get John Pickett off her mind. No sooner has the dinner party dissolved, when one of the guests has been murdered. The Bow Street Runners are summoned and John Pickett is assigned the case. In addition, he has just learned that the trip to Scotland with Lady Fieldhurst has had consequences on their future.

This book is full of interesting historical facts, humor and an interesting mystery to boot. John and Lady Fieldhurst continue with their will they/won't they relationship, which is both endearing and heartbreaking.

The narrator, Joel Froomkin, was excellent and a perfect fit for this series.

Loved. Every. Minute.

I read books one and two, missed book three, and now with book four, I got to enjoy John Pickett again. What a great character!!

The mystery is the same level of I-did-not-see-that-coming. The relationship between John and his Lady Fieldhurst is pretty special. It got a bit more special with this listen and I Iove that there is more to come.

The narration is beyond exceptional. If you've never listened to Fromkin, do yourself a favor and experience this guy.

I don't know how many books are in this series but I'm ready for them all.

Sheri Cobb South NEVER disappoints

I must admit, I am a huge fan of both Sheri Cobb South and Joel Froomkin. Cobb South's writing is brilliant. She creates such rich characters. I thoroughly enjoy the humor, romance and mystery. My deepest wish is that she be hired to write for BBC.

The listener finds Lady Fieldhurst again in the middle of a murder mystery. This time while she, with the help of her friend Lady Dunnington, attempts to select a lover. Unbeknownst to Julia, she is already married! And who is to head the investigation? Yup, our handsome, dashing Mr. John Pickett. (swoon)

You will not be disappointed. I have listened to the entire series so far and on my second round of listening! I simply cannot get enough of this cast, from Mr. Calhoun, John Pickett and the Bow Street crew to the uppity relatives and acquaintances of Lady Fieldhurst.

Joel Froomkin brings all the characters back whom I've grown very fond of. It's like a family reunion to my ears. His performance of Ms. Cobb South's John Pickett series makes it hard for me to separate the brilliance of the author from the brilliance of the performer. Bravo! They make a fantastic team.

Another winner!

A Good series

Sheri Cobb South does not diappoint. This is a good continuation of John's and julia's story. The mystery was intriging, and I did not have a clue as to the murderer. Great narration also.

Absolutely Fabulous!

This book is part of a series and yet a standalone listen. I love how the author wrote a murder mystery which I did not figure out who the killer was until the very end. Sheri Cobb South is exceptionally talented and has a wonderful way of having multiple things happening in the story which fit perfectly together, yet can also be standalone items. The selection of having Joel Froomkin narrate these books is brilliant. He has so many distinguishable voices for various characters and adds so much emotion and authenticity to the books. I do not like to give away spoilers in my reviews, but I am eager to hear the next adventure of John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst. I requested this review copy audiobook and have voluntarily written this review.

good who done it read so effectively

didn't want to stop listening and was surprised at the end, most enjoyable for a vacation pleasure activity

Great Book

I love Sheri Cobb South's books. Love the narrator except for his pronunciation of one word and it grates on my senses when he pronounces "grimace" with a long A instead of the 'eh' sound. I have never hear it pronounced with a long a and I looked it up in several dictionaries, even the British English dictionary that I consulted.

So Many Suspects!

Another great John Pickett and Lady Fieldhurst historical mystery, with the focus on a man loathed by so many that it was a challenge to find the murderer. I especially enjoyed the glimpses in the servants' lives and John's insights on the class differences between the high-born and the "lower classes."