A Terrible Village Poisoning Book Review
| Title: | A Terrible Village Poisoning |
| Author: | Hannah Hendy |
| Published: | February 23, 2023, Canelo Crime |
| No. of Pages: | February 23, 2023, Canelo Crime |
| Cover Price: | $11.74 Paperback, $2.99 Kindle |
Most mystery writers write novels in such a way that they appeal to a large audience; not only does excellent writing sell, but the readers of these novels finish and want more from that author. There are, however, mystery writers who write to push a political or moral agenda to change reader’s minds or convince them that their agenda is right. Hannah Hendy wastes her writing talents for the latter, and to promote her woke LBGTQ agenda. Protagonists of good novels are those that the readers can relate to, and since Hendy’s LBGTQ agenda only covers less than 8% of the population (according to numerous polls you can verify online), she limits her readership to only a few in her novel, A Terrible Village Poisoning, which is the third installment in The Dinner Lady Detectives series featuring wive and wife Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker. They travel to a small village called St. Martin’s on-the-water to cater a hen party for Rose, one of their co-workers at a school in Dewstow where they are kitchen workers and Rose is a drama teacher. While at a close hotel the first night, Margery and Clementine witness the poisoning of the mayor, and since they call themselves Dinner Lady Detectives, they want to solve what is ruled as a murder.
Hendy is a good writer and tells the story well. Although her characters are well-developed, most readers (92% according to the polls) will not be able to relate or put themselves in the scenarios that occur during the course of the story. The protagonists are likeable, albeit a bit pushy (which is what proper amateur detectives should be), and the supporting characters are interesting. Rose, whose hen party is upcoming, is absolutely awful; who knows why the nice ladies who are helping would want to attend her hen.
Although I have no problem with LBGTQ persons, and have several friends who identify as such, the proatagonists in this novel made me uncomfortable and I would not recommend it to anyone who identifies as straight. If Hendy wants to be a bestselling author (she could be with her excellent writing talent), she needs to think of the preferences of the general population and write with them in mind. There are ups and downs in the novel, and a surprise dénouement with a few instances of building suspense.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
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