Mrs. Malory and the Delay of Execution

Mrs. Malory Mysteries #12

by Hazel Holt

After the sudden death of a teacher at a prestigious English prep school for girls, Mrs. Malory gets shanghaied into being a substitute teacher. It's not long, however, before Mrs. Malory realizes there is something strange about the teacher's untimely death--and something even stranger about the eerily obedient students.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Mystery Thriller, British Literature

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 23, 2001

About the author

Hazel Holt is a British novelist. She studied at King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham, England, and then Newnham College, Cambridge. She went on to work at the International African Institute in London, where she became acquainted with the novelist Barbara Pym, whose biography she later wrote. She also finished one of Pym's novels after Pym died.

Holt wrote her first novel in her sixties, and is a leading crime novelist. She is best known for her "Sheila Malory" series. Her son is the novelist Tom Holt.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of her best; the novel is good enough in form, and as always with Hazel Holt, the atmosphere is well done, but I found this one rather mediocre on the whole. It felt like there was a lot of "filler," and too much twittery-gossipy interaction between bland characters.
Still enjoyable, readable and entertaining; If I had written this novel, I would be dissatisfied with my work, and would have a rewrite in mind. There is simply something missing.
If you like her character Mrs. Malory, you'll enjoy this; It's just not one of her best.

[BrianC75 · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adult version of Enid Blyton’s ‘Malory Towers’ combined with one of Miss Marple’s ‘Whodunnits’. Belonging to a gentler and VERY civilised era, I found this to be an enjoyable read - the style was appealing and the reliance on ‘conversations’ and ‘tête-à-têtes’ engaging and only slightly irritating. Ending a little contrived.

[Julie]

mrs. malory goes to help out finishing teaching a term in a girls' school. didn't care for this one much at all. there is a student with a drinking problem and the girls' school problems and atmosphere - ick.

[Alison C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheila Malory is asked to join the faculty of a prestigious girls’ school in Birmingham for a term following the sudden death of one of the English teachers there; she only needs to teach one group, the English Seventh, who will be taking exams at the end of the term which will determine their future University careers. Sheila is a bit nervous, but soon finds that she enjoys the very smart students and the very beautiful school itself, until the peace of the campus is shattered by the death of the headmistress, a modernizer who had made many enemies at the school. Still, the police cannot quite ascertain if the death was an accident or murder, and Sheila is compelled by her insatiable curiosity to start asking awkward questions…. This thirteenth novel in the Sheila Malory series is a bit of an anomaly, being set completely in a city far from Sheila’s village of Taviscombe, and featuring none of her usual friends and family members (though they are referenced here and there). In the previous novel, much is made of the marriage of Sheila’s son and subsequent pregnancy of her daughter-in-law, but nothing is said here about that at all, even in passing, which makes me wonder if this had been written before “Leonora” but published after; it just struck me as a bit odd. Nevertheless, this addition to the cozy series is quietly enjoyable, and rather makes one wish that an oasis such as Blakeney’s in a big grimy city like Birmingham really existed! Mildly recommended.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle-aged widow Mrs Malory accepts an invitation to spend a term teaching English at a posh girls' school in Birmingham, following the sudden death of the English teacher. She enjoys the role until the headmistress is found dead under suspicious circumstances. Mrs Malory starts her own investigation and soon discovers that nothing is quite as it seems.

I have no idea if the setting is true to life as I have no experience of this kind of school, but it seemed believable enough to an outsider. I felt that Holt provided us with a wide enough range of suspects and motives, although so many characters were introduced at once that I did find myself having to flick back through the pages to remind myself who was who on more than one occasion! I felt that the resolution was believable, although very sad. It was one of those books where I guessed the solution quite early on but didn't want to be right!

I did feel that Mrs Malory's investigations contributed very little to the solution, and she is just a bystander when the truth is revealed, which weakened the story. That and the lack of definition in many characters meant that it doesn't quite get to 5 stars, but it's still a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to trying others in the series.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"When a schoolteacher at a prestigious English prep school dies suddenly, Mrs. Malory gets shanghaied into being a substitute teacher. She's more than a little uneasy about facing a classroom full of know-it-all teenage girls. To her surprise, they are neither typical nor trying. But it's not long before Mrs. Malory realizes that there is something strange about the teacher's untimely death ... and something even stranger about the eerily obedient students."
~~back cover

Another puzzling murder, with no obvious suspects in sight. Mrs. Malory, being the stranger, becomes privy to several confessions -- none of which assist in identifying the murderer, so she concentrates on preparing her class for their upcoming exams, and looks forward to returning to Taviscombe and her son and animals. But of course, she somehow becomes deeper and deeper embroiled in the mystery ... with it's surprising, shocking ending. Oh the clue was there ... but of course it was cleverly presented as a throw away only to become the raison d'etre.

[Chazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs. Malory has been shanghaied into teaching at a prestigious girls school as a substitute, after one of the teachers suddenly dies. Her expertise is writing and amateur sleuthing, but she did teach a semester in America at a university. It will be with the Seventh Level students and only one semester.

Even though she is not comfortable facing a classroom of teens, she takes the job and finds that the small class is not as intimidating as expected. They are serious students with manners!

While there, she starts feeling that the death of the teacher she is replacing is not such a simple event. There are so comments and feelings that start her to digging and finding a number of things that point to murder. And when another of the faculty turns up dead, the feeling is certain that murder has once again happened.

This is another in Hazel Holt's cozy series, taking place in England and featuring Mrs. Malory. An enjoyable read that can go quite fast or slower if you don't rush.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess this is alright in its genre, but it's not a genre that I particularly enjoy. A middle-aged writer accepts to teach English in a posh school in Birmingham, just for one semester, to tide the girls over towards their A-levels. Soon she is drawn into the undercurrents among the staff and students, whic culminate when the ambitious headmistress is found dead in the school's pond. Accident? Murder? Mrs. Mallory does some desultory detective work, which mainly consists of going to lunch, dinner and tea with the school staff, the members of the board, and some of the parents. Descriptions of food, clothes and cultural events are thrown in for good measure. No puzzle here : a confession and a convenient accident neatly tie up this little parcel.

[Joan Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

books in this series that have a literary aspect, as this one does, are the best in my view. Mrs. Malory substitutes for a teacher at an upscale girls school where faculty confrontations line up a number of suspects when the school’s administrator is found murdered. Holt is indeed erudite in this
7. sort of setting making this a most enjoyable read.

[Tommie Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little nod to Dorothy L. Sayers book Gaudy Night. Of course, not on the grant scale of the Sayer's book, but it finds Mrs. Malory teaching a class to a bunch of senior girls at a girl's private school. I figured out the murderer about midway through but hoped that I was wrong. All in all it was good read.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mrs. Mallory spends a term at a girls school teaching what would be Advanced English in the USA. There are deaths. Were they accidents or murder? This is book is a cozy that might be better if I was more knowledgeable of Shakespeare.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

a Sheila Mallory mystery. Sheila has a seasonal job at a prestigious girls' school after a teacher dies.
Interesting plot and kept me interested.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's entertaining.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheila Malory may have thought her career of writing about women authors would not bring her much public attention but in this story she goes beyond her daily work to that of teaching. Mrs. Malory has been asked, and accepted, a one-term teaching position, filling in for a woman who suddenly died.

When she arrives, she is welcomed by all but one of the educators and she finds her charges highly intelligent and a pleasure to work with. But all is not well at the school. There is a current of something that Sheila just can't put her finger on — and it comes to the forefront when the head mistress of the school decides to sell a beloved park area to raise money for a new, more modern computer science building.

All of a sudden, members of the board of governors, staff and students are taking sides and in the midst of it all, the head mistress is found dead. Was it an accident or was it murder?

And as usual in this series, Sheila Malory gets pulled into the mystery and with her connections and means of gentle probing, she works her magic at finding the truth.

Another delightful cozy mystery from Hazel Holt.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, light English mystery.


Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 12th book in the Sheila Malory series by Hazel Holt. Mrs. Malory is asked to fill in for a teacher at an all girls school who has died suddenly. She says yes and leaves animals and home in the capable hands of her son and new daughter-in-law and moves in with a fellow teacher in the city of Birmingham for the term.

Sheila soon finds out that all is not quite as serene and quiet as it appears on the campus and when someone dies suddenly, someone who was not all that well liked then it is up to Sheila to try to figure out who is lying and who is telling the truth.

Another lovely cozy mystery by Hazel Holt.

[Margaret]

I thought I hadn't read this but while reading the first part of the book it seemed so familiar. I think it reminded me of another book because the second part of the book wasn't familiar and I didn't remember an ending like this one.

A pretty good story - the only thing that seemed odd to me was the real lack of police involvement in the investigation. Also, I didn't quite see why people were so willing to talk so candidly to Mrs. Malory but perhaps it was because she was an "outsider". Loved

[Carol Peace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great Shiela Mallory mystery that is so easy to read but has its own great mystery.
Shiela is asked to help out at Blakeney's school for girls and she is both excited and nervous.
When the headmistress is found dead in strange circumstances Shiela gets involved in the murder case but she then uncovers some strange secrets that no one seems to want to talk about. Shiela once again gets very involved and Hazel Holt has you hooked from the beginning. The book is so easy to read that I found myself finishing it in on session.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sheila Malory is asked by a friend to fill in teaching literature to a class of senior girls at exclusive Blakeney prep school. Their former, much-loved teacher died a sudden, natural death and the girls are rather shaken, with their big examinations coming up. As middle-aged widow Malory gradually becomes comfortable in the school, she notices tension arising from the headmistress, who wants to change school traditions.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mrs Malory is asked to step in and teach a class at a prestigious prep school in Birmingham after the teacher died suddenly. As she settles in to the routine of teaching an advanced class, she finds a lot of underlying friction between staff as well as students. When another teacher dies suddenly, she looks into the death but there is no proof that it was anything but an accident. Or was it? A good series. Intelligent and well written.

[Angie Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Hazel Holt, has done it again, Shelia Malory,is asked to step in,and teach at an exclusive girl's school. She is to teach English Seven,with girls, who remind Shelia of Miss Jean Brodeys "girls"! Everything is going well, untill the head, the glamorous Felicity Roberts, is found dead,in mysterious circumstances, so begins, Shelia's sleuthing, , Sit,back, and enjoy, ,

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't the books that take Mrs Malory out of her little village and the surrounding area. But this one was pretty good. She substitutes at a posh girl's school and, of course, people are dying. In her ususal underplayed and calm demeanor she works out the killer and the motive.

[Virginia Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mrs. Malory agrees to fill in for an English teacher at an exclusive private girls' school who died unexpectedly. Of course, she finds that there are tensions and conflicts simmering before the genteel surface, and the death of the unpopular headmistress arouses her insatiable curiosity.

[Pamela Thomas]

Not one of her best. It's written in a similar manner as the others, but the resolution to mystery was rather unsatisfactory. Just a bit dull - but it won't keep me from going on to the next Mrs. Malory

[Linda Puente · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is yet another cozy set at a pricey girls' school in England. The headmistress and one of the teachers are both dead. In each case an accident is possible, but so is murder. Mrs. Mallory, an amateur sleuth

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Sheila is marming away from home at a posh girls' school near Birmingham, I still LOVED this one. Possibly because I spent 15 years too many in University Admins. and the context seemed oh so true. Just wondered that there was so little police present at this location?

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story about a private school and the personality clashes there. Easy read for a plane ride.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two teachers at a girls' school die. Murder or accident? The motive is surprising.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant page-turner.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

sub teaching