Wicked Autumn : a Max Tudor Novel

Library Journal Agatha Award-winning author Malliet (Death of a Cozy Writer) debuts a superb new series. Imagine for a moment that Max Tudor, a disillusioned former MI5 agent, has become an Anglican priest. So now he's the vicar in this small idyllic village with all its foibles and strong personalities. Wanda Batton-Smythe, a much reviled, bossy, and brusque village leader, is found dead after being poisoned during the Harvest Fayre she was coordinating. Max is stunned, as if a "snake in his Garden of Eden" has struck, but the local investigators are thrilled to have an inside guy (MI5!) to help them out. As expected, a variety of motives surface, and Max learns much about his parishioners and neighbors. VERDICT Malliet's hero shows his dogged determination to bring justice to his people. You'll marvel at the author's low-key humor and crystal-clear depictions of small-town life. Yes, this is a true homage to Agatha Christie, but Malliet, like Louise Penny, brings a contemporary freshness to the traditional mystery.