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Chapel in the Woods, The (A Jack Haldean Murder Mystery, 11) Hardcover – March 1, 2022

by Dolores Gordon-Smith (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 98 ratings
See all formats and editions
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Jack and Betty Haldean's weekend in the country is disrupted by sudden, violent death in this intricately-plotted 1920s mystery.
"The surprising revelations just keep coming. This is a real treat for those who enjoy Agatha Christie village murders" - Publishers Weekly Starred Review


"There's something in those woods that shouldn't be there . . ."

Enjoying a weekend in the country with his cousin Isabelle, Jack Haldean is intrigued to learn that the neighbouring estate of Birchen Bower has been bought by wealthy Canadian businessman Tom Jago. Determined to restore the place to its former glory, Jago has invited the local villagers to a fete to celebrate the grand re-opening of the 17th century family chapel.

But the afternoon's entertainment is cut short by the discovery of a body, mauled to death as if by a wild animal. Previously owned by the eccentric Cayden family, Birchen Bower has a long and colourful history, and is rumoured to be haunted. Is there any truth to the ancient family legend of the Jaguar Princess . . . and could she have claimed another victim? And what's happened to Jago's employee, Derek Martin and his wife, who have disappeared without trace . . . along with Mrs Jago's diamonds?

Refusing to believe the wild tales of man-eating beasts prowling the grounds, Jack sets out to uncover the truth. But then a second badly-ravaged body is discovered . . . Could the rumours be true after all?

Previous page
  1. Book 11 of 11
    A Jack Haldean Murder Mystery
  2. Print length
    256 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Severn House
  5. Publication date
    March 1, 2022
  6. Dimensions
    5.71 x 0.91 x 8.86 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1448306450
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1448306459
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

The surprising revelations just keep coming. This is a real treat for those who enjoy Agatha Christie village murders ― Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Sinister events and a complex mystery make this contemporary take on the classic British mystery a real page-turner ― Kirkus Reviews

Excellent writing, a suspenseful plot, vivid characters, and intriguing period ambience make this one a real page-turner ― Booklist

Atmospheric and suspenseful ... A good choice for historical-mystery readers ― Booklist on Forgotten Murder

A delightful period piece you won't put down until the truth is revealed ― Kirkus Reviews on Forgotten Murder

Gordon-Smith neatly uses period detail to further the well-constructed plot. Historical fans will be pleased. ― Publishers Weekly on Forgotten Murder

Plausible red herrings abound . Some readers will stay up all night to finish this fine traditional mystery ― Publishers Weekly Starred Review of The Chessman

Fans of Golden Age grande dames Christie, Allingham, and Sayers will delight in this quintessentially British murder mystery . featuring enough twists to keep even seasoned readers guessing ― Booklist on The Chessman

From the Back Cover

DOLORES GORDON-SMITH
THE CHAPEL IN THE WOODS

"There's something in those woods that shouldn't be there . . ."

Enjoying a weekend in the country with his cousin Isabelle, Jack Haldean is intrigued to learn that the neighbouring estate of Birchen Bower has been bought by wealthy Canadian businessman Tom Jago. Determined to restore the place to its former glory, Jago has invited the local villagers to a fete to celebrate the grand re-opening of the 17th century family chapel.

But the afternoon's entertainment is cut short by the discovery of a body, mauled to death as if by a wild animal. Previously owned by the eccentric Cayden family, Birchen Bower has a long and colourful history, and is rumoured to be haunted. Is there any truth to the ancient family legend of the Jaguar Princess . and could she have claimed another victim? And what's happened to Jago's employee, Derek Martin and his wife, who have disappeared without trace . along with Mrs Jago's diamonds?

Refusing to believe the wild tales of man-eating beasts prowling the grounds, Jack sets out to uncover the truth. But then a second badly-ravaged body is discovered . Could the rumours be true after all?

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Severn House; Main edition (March 1, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1448306450
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1448306459
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.71 x 0.91 x 8.86 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 98 ratings

About the author

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Dolores Gordon-Smith

Dolores Gordon-Smith

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Dolores Gordon-Smith lives in Manchester, England, and is married with five daughters, a growing number of grandchildren and various cats and dogs. She's always been fascinated by the First World War and the 1920's and loves the Golden Age mysteries of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, an era which she re-creates in her books, capturing the glamour, style, intricate plotting and robust characters that have proved so compelling to so many readers.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
98 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Donna
5.0 out of 5 stars A Departure for Jack Haldean
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
I am a devout Jack Haldean fan and Chapel in the Woods was no disappointment--although it is quite different from any case Jack has undertaken before. Jack was not dealt with the apparently paranormal before, but he faces it as he does all challenges--with humor and common sense, grounded in faith--which he really needs this time. I was especially delighted to see his new wife Betty taking on a more active role. I'm hoping we might be in for a new Tommy and Tuppence or Lord Peter and Harriet.
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A Wandering Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars Great, twisty mystery
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2023
Synopsis

Major Jack Haldean’s new neighbors arrive from Canada with news of a jewel heist and a missing assistant and the story only gets stranger from there. A body is soon found in a chapel in the nearby woods apparently mauled to death by a wild cat. A wild cat in Sussex? Hmm.

My Overall Thoughts

In true Midsomer Murders-esque fashion, the bodies start piling up and new layers keep getting added to a strange, twisty mystery. I love it!

What I Didn't Love

There were slow parts and it was sometimes difficult to keep track of so many characters.

Potentially Offensive Content

Violence (gruesome but not very graphic)

What I Loved

This story just kept twisting and turning. As soon as I felt I had a theory, a new element was added and I was back to square one. This novel really kept me off-balance. It was believable. Every revelation worked and fit with the rest of the story. I never felt like a plot element just came out of nowhere, but it did come from exactly where I was not looking. The author did a great job of weaving so many subplots into the story to really throw me off.
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Natalie Ettinger
5.0 out of 5 stars Entire Series is Phenomenal
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2024
Jack Haldean is a rockstar. A veteran pilot of WWI, he's made a career for himself as a writer. When, in A Fete Worse Than Death, a body is found at the local festival, he insists on being involved in the case. He and the local police find that he has an uncanny ability to sort out complex problems, and his series blossoms from there.

I have now made it to the end of the latest book in the series, and I am going to do a very rare thing and give every single one of these books five stars. They are so good. They're locked-room style mysteries with more complexities than red herrings, the characters are endearing, and I can never, ever figure out the solution. Gordon-Smith's writing style is omniscient but removed, and readers will enjoy the mystery and the characters for themselves, rather than how the narrator presents them.
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Annarella
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mysteries that brought back the Golden Age atmosphere and mixes traditional mystery with folk horror.
I read it in one setting and enjoyed the well crafted plot and the interesting characters.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing.
Even if it's not the first in this series it can be read as a stand alone.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley, all opinions are mine
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HelenH
4.0 out of 5 stars What's Happening, in Those Woods?
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2022
Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this opportunity to review "The Chapel in the Woods." All opinions and comments are my own.

A pair of rich Canadians, missing people and missing diamonds, and paranormal “events” in a barely penetrable wood keep Jack and Betty Haldean very busy in this, the eleventh in the series featuring the detective story writer and his wife. The missing people are overseers to the estate that the Canadian has just bought in England. The diamonds belong to the estate-owner’s wife. And the paranormal goings-on have been happening for a while on “Birchen Bower,” where a previous owner supposedly owned a vast menagerie of exotic animals, including a few jaguars, homage to the “Inca Princess” that was supposedly spirited away to live at the estate. To top it all off, a body soon turns up in the locked chapel. And Jack and Betty can testify to hearing some truly unnerving animal sounds. The local villagers are convinced there’s “something in those woods.” Yes, there’s a lot going on in The Chapel in the Woods. Try to keep up, folks.

This is quite the romp, as our author brings in psychic research (and a psychic researcher), the police, of course (who don’t appreciate Jack sticking his nose in -- what’s new), and the aftermath of events in World War I. Discovered is a link to illegal goings-on across the pond. Eventually, some of the worst of what humans do to each other -- greed and hurt feelings -- is revealed. Always good motives for murder. Jack’s investigative abilities get a work-out in "The Chapel in the Woods."

I believe Dolores Gordon-Smith had a lot of fun with this one, tying everything together. In the end, of course, Jack explains how it was done, by who, and most importantly, why.
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barb96
4.0 out of 5 stars Hidden Identity. Again
Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2022
I like the Jack Haldean mysteries, I’ve read every one, but I really wish Ms. Gordon -Smith would stop using the hidden identity routine. I’m so used to it that I figure it out as soon as that character shows up. As I said I really do enjoy these books and the characters are very likable and entertaining, and I do hope there will be more, but with a different ‘twist’ this time
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. A.J. PENDLEBURY
4.0 out of 5 stars As ever ,some very imaginative ideas.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
A lot to enjoy in this 11th outing for Jack Haldean. I often find his " character" rather subdued in these books ,but the author places him in strong settings and with a very good sense of both place and pace. There were some very good moments inside this unusual chapel . Many GAD fans would have worked out the methods used and the reasoning . However, there were some very good stings in the tail and some plump red herrings .

This was a strong entry and at a less punitive price at the moment. I think newcomers should ignore the blurb about Agatha Christie. Comparisons in this book are risible ;each author has their own style and readers can enjoy both without been hammered with endless and rather boring Christie comparisons.
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