Reviews for The Assassins' Village.
Review from Harper Collins/Authonomy
‘The Assassin’s Village’ is a traditional murder mystery, set in Cyprus. It centres on the brutal murder of Mr Leslie, an expatriate whose Lothario ways, military past and cavalier demeanour have earned him no shortage of enemies among the villagers. It is a novel written very much in the style of Agatha Christie: a classic who-done-it, in a small, gossiping, rural village. The prose is brought up-to-date with the fairly explicit themes of sexual liberation and exploitation.
As a thrilling read, ‘The Assassin’s Village’ certainly fits the bill. I flew through the first 19 chapters. The prose is easy to follow, and dramatic in duly regular intervals. I was particularly engaged by the different perceptions of Mr Leslie. We are already interested in the character, knowing from the prologue that he is to be our victim, and the author cleverly throws our judgment of him with every new perspective. Particularly endearing is the relationship between Antigone and Mr Leslie. Indeed, the sequence of chapter seven, where Antigone watches her brother hunting, is by far the strongest in the novel so far. It illustrates all of the strengths of the writing, the prose is obviously impeccably researched, and brings in a political element that raises the calibre of the story; the setting is evocative; and the characterisation is strong and feels fresh…
…I should say that, I really like the way you subverted normal linear chronology to lay out the events. It is, clear that you are capable of presenting the clues very well, and I particularly liked the way you used Diana’s sketching to map out the facts and unlock the possibilities.
From here I would consider the relevance of everything in the plot. There are many motifs centred on the play Macbeth – the suggestions of occult activities, the play being put on by the villagers, the quotes prefacing each chapter, the relationship between Antigone and Mr Leslie, and Mr Leslie’s endearing side in general, the political history, and the parallels of Diana’s writing to the unfolding of the broader plot are all strong – these are all interesting themes…
... overall, there is a lot to commend in this manuscript.
Amazon.com 5***** Reviews Link:
5 stars Murder Mystery Done Right!, July 7, 2011 By Lia Fairchild (Author of In Search of Lucy) (Murrieta) - Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Paperback) I love a good old fashion murder mystery and had a great time trying to figure out whodunit in Faith Mortimer's Assassin's Village. Set in small Cypriot village, the author paints an intensely vivid picture with incredible authenticity. The cast of characters is truly unique, each providing a piece to the puzzle. When a dastardly man turns up dead in Agios Mamas, followed by the suicide of another man, a budding writer turns super sleuth and tries to solve the mystery. Not an easy task, I might add, with so many suspects whose motives are slowly unraveled throughout the story. The Assassin's Village is the second novel by Faith Mortimer and I just saw that she recently released a short story called The Bamboo Mirror.
5 stars Gripping from start to finish!, May 22, 2011 By Mrs Bridle -
Having thoroughly enjoyed Faith Mortimer's first book 'The Crossing' I was excited when her second book was published. The Assassins Village is even better than the first, a classic whodunnit that kept me guessing until the end. Brilliant!
5 stars The Assassin's Village, May 6, 2011 By Beth A. Hallanger (Hawaii) - (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Kindle Edition)
I have read this book on line and find it a great book for who done it types. Well written and easy to follow. Many surprises jump out at you. Beth Anne Wilkins author of Denver Down and Devils Cave.
5 stars A chilling murder mystery, written in an Agatha Christie theme, May 4, 2011 By Alice Turner (London, UK) -
This story begins very dramatically and I was drawn into the drama immediately. The opening lines are chilling and Faith Mortimer's descriptions set the scene very well.
I especially appreciate the way she creates a vision of the characters' surroundings, very, very graphic, allowing the reader to virtually see the story as it unfolds, page by page. Too many writers fail to paint the entire picture like she does. Excellent descriptions, and some of the best I've read in a long while.
The melodrama and suspense of The Assassins' Village create a real page-turner. I love the theatrical aspect to this story - the initial setting within the amphitheatre and the connections to Shakespeare which make it truly unique. I also liked the Shakespeare quotations at the beginning of each chapter, a nice, clever touch.
Faith Mortimer writes extremely well, and knows how to plot a good story. Good characters; who are gradually introduced into the grand scheme of things, and an interesting setting (Cyprus) in the present and an amazing flashback to the 1970's. The skilful weaving between the suspects and the crime left me desperate to find out 'just whodunnit'!
This book is brilliant! Skillfully written and completely held my attention throughout. If you don't buy a copy of The Assassins Village, then you're missing out big time.
As in the manner of the book - 'A standing ovation, my dear!'
5 stars A very special murder mystery, June 21, 2011 By Claude Nougat (Rome, Italy) -
This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Kindle Edition)
This is more than a murder mystery: it is a solidly constructed contemporary psychological novel that draws a series of fascinating characters whose violent death is the logical outcome of their violent lives. The Shakespeare quotations at the beginning of each chapter find a subtle echo in the text, lifting the novel to well-beyond a mere who-dunnit.
The setting is the other remarkable feature of this novel: hot, sweet-smelling Cyprus. We are presented with the expat community living a dream life in a scenic, small mountain village, and the local villagers whose life is drab and full of memories of war and past sufferings. The contrast is startling and Faith Mortimer makes the most of it. One keeps turning the pages wondering where the assassins are really hiding...
The pace is good: it starts off with an unforgettable scene that causes one to want to read as fast as possible to find out why it happened the way it happened. The story is not told in a linear/chronological fashion. A middle section with flash backs to the 1970s, while relatively long, is absolutely necessary: the flash backs provide the necessary clues and contribute to building up the suspense - that suspense which ultimately has made so many commentators recall Agatha Christie. But Faith Mortimer is not Agatha Christie: she is an author in her own right, and surely her next book will prove it!
5 stars Agatha Christie and Shakespeare?, May 6, 2011 By Ben Smith (Southampton) -
`The Assassin's Village' is a traditional murder mystery, set on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
It begins with the brutal murder of Leslie, an expatriate whose nasty ways and cavalier attitude have earned him a plethora of enemies among his fellow villagers.
The novel is written very much in the style of Agatha Christie: a classic who-done-it, in a small, gossiping, rural village and the prose is brought up-to-date with the fairly explicit themes of sexual liberation and exploitation.
It is a thrilling read, and `The Assassin's Village' title certainly fits the bill.
I flew through the book with its easy to follow prose, and its regular dramatic scenes. The author makes lots of different perceptions concerning Mr Leslie - our victim. Mortimer cleverly throws our judgment of him with every new chapter, clearly illustrating all of the strengths of her writing.
The book is quite impeccably researched, and the bringing in of a political element raises the calibre of the story immensely. I found the setting evocative; and the characterisation strong, fresh and second to none.
A superb book, written by an author who must surely be a real find?
5 stars The Assassins' Village - An Enthralling Tale of Death and Life, May 11, 2011 By Dan Jewell - See all my reviews
This is the second novel by Faith Mortimer that I have read (the first being "The Crossing"). Set in a Cyprus mountain village populated by an odd selection of characters from diverse backgrounds, this murder mystery had me enthralled from the start. Multiple story lines and red herrings with undertones of "Macbeth" kept me on edge and guessing until the last page..... and beyond. A great read.
5 stars Agatha Christie Meets Shakespeare for an Excellent Read!, May 5, 2011 By Libby Fischer Hellmann (Chicago) -
Faith Mortimer's mystery, THE ASSASSIN'S VILLAGE was an excellent read. The plot centers on a small village in Cyprus, but it could have been in the UK or American countryside as well. It's a place where, in true Christie fashion, .everyone, mostly British ex-pats involved in staging a production of Macbeth, knows everyone else and thinks they know their secrets too. When one of the most unlikeable men in the village is murdered, everyone becomes a suspect. Mortimer comes up with such credible and clever motivations for each character that I had no idea who the perpetrator was until nearly the end.of the story. She also does a fabulous job with setting - I could feel the hot sun, taste the wonderful food (I think I gained five pounds from just reading), and enjoy the Cypriot scenery. I may even have to visit. Her prose shines - it seems effortless and smooth, and is a pleasure to read. My only quibble is that all the major characters (and there are many) are introduced fairly quickly, but that's a minor nit. If you want a traditional mystery in a non-traditional setting, this
This part or prologue finishes with the author, Faith Mortimer telling the reader that this is all to come in the future; this is setting the scene for a later part in the book.
Coming to chapter 1, we are surprised to discover that this is entitled Act 1, with some Shakespearean quotes from the 'Scottish' play in the header. Nice touch this because as the book progresses, quotes from this great tragedy are at the beginning of each chapter, scattered in relevant parts throughout the book and generally add to the whole essence of the story.
This murder mystery moves at a good pace, and where there are quieter, calm periods the reader settles in with the main character, Diana in dealing with the problem after discovering the body. Who is the murderer and why?
Some nice touches throughout; Act 2 goes back to the 1970's in Cyprus when there was conflict within the country - we learn some interesting facts about the people and their history.
4 stars FANTASTIC and THRILLING, June 6, 2011 By Sapphire (Oregon) -
This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Kindle Edition)
The Assassin's Village begins with a very thrilling and frightening scene. When I read it, I thought of the hunter is now caught by the hunted. The scene was captivating and left me wanting to read more. The rest of the book did not disappoint. It seems that throughout the book I kept wondering and guessing 'who did it. Is it this person, I bet it's that person.' It seemed there was always a reason why anyone of the characters would or could have been the killer but the story was never predictable. By the end of each chapter I was almost convinced the killer was the person focused on the most in that chapter but then the realization hit that I will not know who the killer is until I finish the book.
The author wrote a well developed story with wonderful imagery and well developed characters. I especially enjoyed each quote from Macbeth at the beginning of each chapter. This story was a fascinating story and I hope to be able to read more by this author.
5 stars A fab murder mystery!, June 2, 2011By Sibel Hodge - Author "Sibel Hodge - Author" -
I was really looking forward to reading this because I lurrrve murder mysteries and I live in Cyprus where the novel was set. It didn't disappoint! Faith Mortimer has been compared to Agatha Christie by other reviewers, and I have to say she is absolutely a modern day Agatha!
Everyone in the village has a reason for detesting one particular man, and when he ends up dead, everyone has a possible motive. It will keep you on your toes, guessing who the murderer is! The characters are also well-drawn, and I think are very true of both ex-pats and Cypriots .
The novel really brings Cyprus to life, as well. You can taste the kebabs and smell the wild sage and jasmine, but there's not too much description to bog you down.
‘The Assassin’s Village’ is a traditional murder mystery, set in Cyprus. It centres on the brutal murder of Mr Leslie, an expatriate whose Lothario ways, military past and cavalier demeanour have earned him no shortage of enemies among the villagers. It is a novel written very much in the style of Agatha Christie: a classic who-done-it, in a small, gossiping, rural village. The prose is brought up-to-date with the fairly explicit themes of sexual liberation and exploitation.
As a thrilling read, ‘The Assassin’s Village’ certainly fits the bill. I flew through the first 19 chapters. The prose is easy to follow, and dramatic in duly regular intervals. I was particularly engaged by the different perceptions of Mr Leslie. We are already interested in the character, knowing from the prologue that he is to be our victim, and the author cleverly throws our judgment of him with every new perspective. Particularly endearing is the relationship between Antigone and Mr Leslie. Indeed, the sequence of chapter seven, where Antigone watches her brother hunting, is by far the strongest in the novel so far. It illustrates all of the strengths of the writing, the prose is obviously impeccably researched, and brings in a political element that raises the calibre of the story; the setting is evocative; and the characterisation is strong and feels fresh…
…I should say that, I really like the way you subverted normal linear chronology to lay out the events. It is, clear that you are capable of presenting the clues very well, and I particularly liked the way you used Diana’s sketching to map out the facts and unlock the possibilities.
From here I would consider the relevance of everything in the plot. There are many motifs centred on the play Macbeth – the suggestions of occult activities, the play being put on by the villagers, the quotes prefacing each chapter, the relationship between Antigone and Mr Leslie, and Mr Leslie’s endearing side in general, the political history, and the parallels of Diana’s writing to the unfolding of the broader plot are all strong – these are all interesting themes…
... overall, there is a lot to commend in this manuscript.
Amazon.com 5***** Reviews Link:
5 stars Murder Mystery Done Right!, July 7, 2011 By Lia Fairchild (Author of In Search of Lucy) (Murrieta) - Amazon Verified Purchase This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Paperback) I love a good old fashion murder mystery and had a great time trying to figure out whodunit in Faith Mortimer's Assassin's Village. Set in small Cypriot village, the author paints an intensely vivid picture with incredible authenticity. The cast of characters is truly unique, each providing a piece to the puzzle. When a dastardly man turns up dead in Agios Mamas, followed by the suicide of another man, a budding writer turns super sleuth and tries to solve the mystery. Not an easy task, I might add, with so many suspects whose motives are slowly unraveled throughout the story. The Assassin's Village is the second novel by Faith Mortimer and I just saw that she recently released a short story called The Bamboo Mirror.
5 stars Gripping from start to finish!, May 22, 2011 By Mrs Bridle -
Having thoroughly enjoyed Faith Mortimer's first book 'The Crossing' I was excited when her second book was published. The Assassins Village is even better than the first, a classic whodunnit that kept me guessing until the end. Brilliant!
5 stars The Assassin's Village, May 6, 2011 By Beth A. Hallanger (Hawaii) - (REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Kindle Edition)
I have read this book on line and find it a great book for who done it types. Well written and easy to follow. Many surprises jump out at you. Beth Anne Wilkins author of Denver Down and Devils Cave.
5 stars A chilling murder mystery, written in an Agatha Christie theme, May 4, 2011 By Alice Turner (London, UK) -
This story begins very dramatically and I was drawn into the drama immediately. The opening lines are chilling and Faith Mortimer's descriptions set the scene very well.
I especially appreciate the way she creates a vision of the characters' surroundings, very, very graphic, allowing the reader to virtually see the story as it unfolds, page by page. Too many writers fail to paint the entire picture like she does. Excellent descriptions, and some of the best I've read in a long while.
The melodrama and suspense of The Assassins' Village create a real page-turner. I love the theatrical aspect to this story - the initial setting within the amphitheatre and the connections to Shakespeare which make it truly unique. I also liked the Shakespeare quotations at the beginning of each chapter, a nice, clever touch.
Faith Mortimer writes extremely well, and knows how to plot a good story. Good characters; who are gradually introduced into the grand scheme of things, and an interesting setting (Cyprus) in the present and an amazing flashback to the 1970's. The skilful weaving between the suspects and the crime left me desperate to find out 'just whodunnit'!
This book is brilliant! Skillfully written and completely held my attention throughout. If you don't buy a copy of The Assassins Village, then you're missing out big time.
As in the manner of the book - 'A standing ovation, my dear!'
5 stars A very special murder mystery, June 21, 2011 By Claude Nougat (Rome, Italy) -
This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Kindle Edition)
This is more than a murder mystery: it is a solidly constructed contemporary psychological novel that draws a series of fascinating characters whose violent death is the logical outcome of their violent lives. The Shakespeare quotations at the beginning of each chapter find a subtle echo in the text, lifting the novel to well-beyond a mere who-dunnit.
The setting is the other remarkable feature of this novel: hot, sweet-smelling Cyprus. We are presented with the expat community living a dream life in a scenic, small mountain village, and the local villagers whose life is drab and full of memories of war and past sufferings. The contrast is startling and Faith Mortimer makes the most of it. One keeps turning the pages wondering where the assassins are really hiding...
The pace is good: it starts off with an unforgettable scene that causes one to want to read as fast as possible to find out why it happened the way it happened. The story is not told in a linear/chronological fashion. A middle section with flash backs to the 1970s, while relatively long, is absolutely necessary: the flash backs provide the necessary clues and contribute to building up the suspense - that suspense which ultimately has made so many commentators recall Agatha Christie. But Faith Mortimer is not Agatha Christie: she is an author in her own right, and surely her next book will prove it!
5 stars Agatha Christie and Shakespeare?, May 6, 2011 By Ben Smith (Southampton) -
`The Assassin's Village' is a traditional murder mystery, set on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
It begins with the brutal murder of Leslie, an expatriate whose nasty ways and cavalier attitude have earned him a plethora of enemies among his fellow villagers.
The novel is written very much in the style of Agatha Christie: a classic who-done-it, in a small, gossiping, rural village and the prose is brought up-to-date with the fairly explicit themes of sexual liberation and exploitation.
It is a thrilling read, and `The Assassin's Village' title certainly fits the bill.
I flew through the book with its easy to follow prose, and its regular dramatic scenes. The author makes lots of different perceptions concerning Mr Leslie - our victim. Mortimer cleverly throws our judgment of him with every new chapter, clearly illustrating all of the strengths of her writing.
The book is quite impeccably researched, and the bringing in of a political element raises the calibre of the story immensely. I found the setting evocative; and the characterisation strong, fresh and second to none.
A superb book, written by an author who must surely be a real find?
5 stars The Assassins' Village - An Enthralling Tale of Death and Life, May 11, 2011 By Dan Jewell - See all my reviews
This is the second novel by Faith Mortimer that I have read (the first being "The Crossing"). Set in a Cyprus mountain village populated by an odd selection of characters from diverse backgrounds, this murder mystery had me enthralled from the start. Multiple story lines and red herrings with undertones of "Macbeth" kept me on edge and guessing until the last page..... and beyond. A great read.
5 stars Agatha Christie Meets Shakespeare for an Excellent Read!, May 5, 2011 By Libby Fischer Hellmann (Chicago) -
Faith Mortimer's mystery, THE ASSASSIN'S VILLAGE was an excellent read. The plot centers on a small village in Cyprus, but it could have been in the UK or American countryside as well. It's a place where, in true Christie fashion, .everyone, mostly British ex-pats involved in staging a production of Macbeth, knows everyone else and thinks they know their secrets too. When one of the most unlikeable men in the village is murdered, everyone becomes a suspect. Mortimer comes up with such credible and clever motivations for each character that I had no idea who the perpetrator was until nearly the end.of the story. She also does a fabulous job with setting - I could feel the hot sun, taste the wonderful food (I think I gained five pounds from just reading), and enjoy the Cypriot scenery. I may even have to visit. Her prose shines - it seems effortless and smooth, and is a pleasure to read. My only quibble is that all the major characters (and there are many) are introduced fairly quickly, but that's a minor nit. If you want a traditional mystery in a non-traditional setting, this
This part or prologue finishes with the author, Faith Mortimer telling the reader that this is all to come in the future; this is setting the scene for a later part in the book.
Coming to chapter 1, we are surprised to discover that this is entitled Act 1, with some Shakespearean quotes from the 'Scottish' play in the header. Nice touch this because as the book progresses, quotes from this great tragedy are at the beginning of each chapter, scattered in relevant parts throughout the book and generally add to the whole essence of the story.
This murder mystery moves at a good pace, and where there are quieter, calm periods the reader settles in with the main character, Diana in dealing with the problem after discovering the body. Who is the murderer and why?
Some nice touches throughout; Act 2 goes back to the 1970's in Cyprus when there was conflict within the country - we learn some interesting facts about the people and their history.
4 stars FANTASTIC and THRILLING, June 6, 2011 By Sapphire (Oregon) -
This review is from: The Assassins' Village (Kindle Edition)
The Assassin's Village begins with a very thrilling and frightening scene. When I read it, I thought of the hunter is now caught by the hunted. The scene was captivating and left me wanting to read more. The rest of the book did not disappoint. It seems that throughout the book I kept wondering and guessing 'who did it. Is it this person, I bet it's that person.' It seemed there was always a reason why anyone of the characters would or could have been the killer but the story was never predictable. By the end of each chapter I was almost convinced the killer was the person focused on the most in that chapter but then the realization hit that I will not know who the killer is until I finish the book.
The author wrote a well developed story with wonderful imagery and well developed characters. I especially enjoyed each quote from Macbeth at the beginning of each chapter. This story was a fascinating story and I hope to be able to read more by this author.
5 stars A fab murder mystery!, June 2, 2011By Sibel Hodge - Author "Sibel Hodge - Author" -
I was really looking forward to reading this because I lurrrve murder mysteries and I live in Cyprus where the novel was set. It didn't disappoint! Faith Mortimer has been compared to Agatha Christie by other reviewers, and I have to say she is absolutely a modern day Agatha!
Everyone in the village has a reason for detesting one particular man, and when he ends up dead, everyone has a possible motive. It will keep you on your toes, guessing who the murderer is! The characters are also well-drawn, and I think are very true of both ex-pats and Cypriots .
The novel really brings Cyprus to life, as well. You can taste the kebabs and smell the wild sage and jasmine, but there's not too much description to bog you down.
