On the morning Blossom brought the news that the Pardner Lady, also known as Constance Margorie Brown, was dead, Miss Hortense had not long finished watching Kilroy and was in the back garden... Her blood-red roses, which she had planted a lifetime ago, were put there to stop her forgetting something that was, by its own nature, quite unforgettable...
***
The Blurb
Death has come to her doorstep . . .
Retired nurse, avid gardener, renowned cake maker and fearless sleuth Miss Hortense has lived in Bigglesweigh, a quiet Birmingham suburb, since she emigrated from Jamaica in 1960. She takes great pride in her home, starching her lace curtains bright white, and she can tell if she's been short-changed on turmeric before she's even taken her first bite of a beef patty. Thirty-five years of nursing have also left her afraid of nobody - be they a local drug dealer or a priest - and an expert in deciphering other people's secrets with just a glance.
Miss Hortense uses her skills to investigate the investments of the Pardner network - a special community of Black investors, determined to help their people succeed. But when an unidentified man is found dead in one of the Pardner's homes, a Bible quote noted down beside his body, Miss Hortense's long-buried past comes rushing back to greet her, bringing memories of the worst moment of her life, one which her community has never let her forget.
It is time for Miss Hortense to solve a mystery that will see her, and the community she loves, tested to their limits.
My Review
The titular Miss Hortense may not be popular in the town where she lives, but people come knocking on her door seeking advice nonetheless. She is a retired nurse and is the first port of call in her neighbourhood for anyone seeking advice. She is a huge personality. She tells people things straight and does not suffer fools gladly. She is not averse to speaking her mind and easily upsets people along the way.
The book opens with talk of the Pardner Scheme and her part in it. Although this scheme rang a bell, I had to remind myself of what it was. In fact, it was a community savings scheme particularly popular with the Windrush generation, who were excluded from using British banks.
We quickly learn in the early part of the book that there had been a falling out between Miss Hortense and some of the others of the group, which had culminated in her removal from the scheme.
One thing I loved about this book was the use of colloquial Jamaican throughout. This immersed the reader into the culture and community alongside the characters.
There is a complex mystery running throughout the book, and through this, we can see the vast reach of Miss Hortense's memory of the past. There were many flashbacks to the time when their community first arrived, as well as the years between then and the point at which the book is set.
I cannot recall reading of another character like Miss Hortense. The author absolutely inhabits her creation, and I can't help but assume that Miss Hortense is a combination of many people that she has known.
I believe this is the first in a planned series of books. I will be interested to see where the author takes the larger-than-life Miss Hortense.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1399814379
Publisher: Baskerville
Formats: e-book, audio and hardback
No. of Pages: 352 (hardback)
Purchase Links
About the Author
An award winning writer, Mel’s debut novel, A Murder for Miss Hortense, is the first in a new crime series starring Miss Hortense, a retired Caribbean nurse from the Windrush generation.
A Murder for Miss Hortense will be published 12th June 2025.
You can also find Mel at:
(ARC courtesy of NetGalley)
(media courtesy of the author's website)
(all opinions are my own)
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