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    The Pigeon Pie Mystery: A Novel
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    The Pigeon Pie Mystery: A Novel
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    The Pigeon Pie Mystery: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Pigeon Pie Mystery: A Novel

    Written by Julia Stuart

    Narrated by Hannah Curtis

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Julia Stuart returns in her follow-up to the bestselling The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise with this clever murder mystery set in Victorian England, brimming with her signature charm and fabulous characters.

    When Indian Princess Alexandrina is left penniless by the sudden death of her father, the Maharaja of Brindor, Queen Victoria grants her a grace-and-favor home in Hampton Court Palace. Though rumored to be haunted, Alexandrina and her lady's maid, Pooki, have no choice but to take the Queen up on her offer.

    Aside from the ghost sightings, Hampton Court doesn't seem so bad. The princess is soon befriended by three eccentric widows who invite her to a picnic with all the palace's inhabitants, for which Pooki bakes a pigeon pie. But when General-Major Bagshot dies after eating said pie, and the coroner finds traces of arsenic in his body, Pooki becomes the #1 suspect in a murder investigation.

    Princess Alexandrina isn't about to let her faithful servant hang. She begins an investigation of her own, and discovers that Hampton Court isn't such a safe place to live after all.

    With her trademark wit and charm, Julia Stuart introduces us to an outstanding cast of lovable oddballs, from the palace maze-keeper to the unconventional Lady Beatrice (who likes to dress up as a toucan-don't ask), as she guides us through the many delightful twists and turns in this fun and quirky murder mystery. Everyone is hiding a secret of the heart, and even Alexandrina may not realize when she's caught in a maze of love.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateAug 7, 2012
    ISBN9780449013731
    Unavailable
    The Pigeon Pie Mystery: A Novel

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    Reviews for The Pigeon Pie Mystery

    3.5/5

    105 ratings27 reviews

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    • 4/5
      After the Maharaja dies, his daughter Princess Alexandrina (aka "Mink") and the last remaining loyal servant Pookie are forced to move to a "grace and favor" residence at Hampton Court Palace. The much loathed Major-General Bagshot dies after eating pigeon pies which were baked by Pookie for the festival. It was determined he'd died of arsenic poisoning. Princess Mink sets out to clear her loyal servant. The mystery in this one is quite mild, but the mystery is not what is front and center here as much as the subtle humor interspersed throughout the plot and the "upscale village feel" of the work. Even the names of the characters bring a smile to the readers' face as they read or listen to them. This book is probably not for everyone, but those who enjoy a little English comedic humor will enjoy this clever work. I listened to the audio version read by Hannah Curtis. Her female voices are superior to the male ones.
    • 2/5
      The Maharaja of Prindur has died of a heart attack, atop his mistress in an opium den....His daughter Princess Alexandrina (Mink) & her maid Pookie are forced to sell all to cover his debts and quietly move into a "grace and favor" manor at Hampton Court Palace.There are many quirky characters as there are unlikable... the least likable, Major-General Bagshot dies of arsenic poisoning after consuming a large quantity of pigeon pie made for him by Pookie.There was too much chatter and the characters much too quirky for my liking (which the author prides herself on)... I had a difficult time keeping all the characters straight, which why I marked this down.I did like the story line, the ending was satisfactory, but I mjust say I skimmed quite a bit.
    • 2/5
      2.5 stars. I was excited for this book. I kept reading it ,waiting for something big to happen. Nothing exciting ever happened and the whole book was just a drag. However the characters had interesting secrets and the sarcasm was very much appreciated.
    • 4/5
      Princess Alexandrina, nicknamed Mink, lives a lavish lifestyle with her widowed father, the Maharaja of Prindur, in London. However, when the Maharaja dies in compromising circumstances, Mink finds herself penniless. Queen Victoria rescues her by offering a "grace-and-favour" home within the Hampton Court Palace. Once she and her servant, the large footed and outspoken Pooki arrives, they are invited to a picnic to meet the other residents. She asks Pooki to bake a pigeon pie for the occasion, a favorite dish for the much reviled and fellow resident, Major-General Bagshot. After eating several slices, the Major-General dies from what is later revealed as arsenic poisoning and Pooki becomes the primary suspect. Mink has little time to do her own sleuthing to uncover the true murderer within the many eccentric residents, each with a motive to want to murder the Major-General.

      This cozy mystery will have you guessing while walking with Mink as she gathers clues from the often odd occupants. Juxtaposed with her quest, you will also laugh as Pooki plays matchmaker between Mink and the local physician, Dr. Henderson.
    • 2/5
      Unremarkable, whimsical.
    • 4/5
      Mink is an Indian Princess who falls on hard times when her father suddenly passes during some unsavory circumstances. Mink's faithful maid Pooki sticks by her and together they move into a grace and favor residence. The dispecable Major General Bagshot is dispatched with a poisened pigeon pie baked by Pooki so the blame for his death falls on her. Mink must uncover the true murderer in order to save her maid while in the processs uncovering some interesting secrets held by her neighbors in Hampton court.I enjoyed this book set in Victorian England. I learned a lot that I didn't know from reading this novel. Maybe a little too much because at times the novel dragged. The mystery itself doesn't take place until the middle of the book but I found the resolution of it very interesting. There was a lot of character development in the first half of the book and now that the backstory of everyone is down I hope the author will use it to expand on future adventures for the delightful characters she created.
    • 2/5
      I usually love all mysteries British and this sounded like a fun one. Mink, who is really an Indian Princess who has lived all her life in London with her father, a Maharaja exiled from India. When her father dies, Mink discovers that he was living a life of debt and because he died scandalously, the man Mink loves has ditched her. Mink is offered a grace and favor home by Queen Victoria, apartments and homes in Hampton Court Palace offered to people of Quality who have no money. Mink lives with her one servant, Pooki and gets to know some of the quirky residents of the court, many of who believe the place is haunted. Mink and Pooki join the other residents for a picnic and an obnoxious Major-General dies after eating the pigeon pie that Pooki made especially for him.At this point I was about halfway through the book and was bored. I thought once there was a murder, the story would pick up but it didn't so this was the point I gave up.I think this could have appeal for the right audience but I just wasn't the right audience. Too bad.
    • 3/5
      I saw this book mentioned online, so when it turned up on Vine, I thought I would request it. It looked like a fun summer read. I wasn't disappointed, but I was a bit underwhelmed. I thought that there were a lot more words than the story warranted. It was amusing in a British comedy sort of way, and that was appreciated. I do think that it would have benefitted if it was shorter by fifty pages or so.This is a story of a young lady who was left in very dire straights when her father passed away, leaving her a lot of debt and absolutely no means to pay it. But, having a good head on her shoulders and a seriousness beyond her years she did what she could to right things. This was a rather gargantuan undertaking, however, considering how her fathers death came about. Despite being a serious young lady, she was used to a certain way of living and did tend to slip up now and then when it came to denying herself pretty things. Thankfully, she had her long time servant, Pooki, to help her along. They sold the menagerie, and let all of the otherservants go, before a bit of hope arrived in the form of a letter.Their salvation nearly became their undoing, all because of a batch of Pigeon Pies. Finding the way out of the maze of this story was enjoyable at times and a bit tedious at other times. A mystery there certainly was. A cast of characters, some of whom were amusing and others who were downright ridiculous, one or two pathetic, much like you would find in any neighborhood, I think?To me, three stars is a good read. I'm glad I read it, but doubt it will ever call out to me to be read again. That however is me, and if British mysteries appeal. or a light read is what you are looking for, you may just find it here.
    • 5/5
      Quirky, idiosyncratic, individual, peculiar, unusual, odd, strange, eccentric, unpredictable, distinctive, unconventional, weird, comical, bizarre, outlandish, wacky. And that only describes the cast of characters. Julia Stuart is a comic genius. She gives us a list of characters so radically different and strange, and bizarre, and etc., etc., etc., that you have to plan an extra half hour just to get control of the tears of laughter rolling down your cheeks.But intertwined with the personalities, Stuart gives us a pleasant, cozy, but well-crafted mystery. It can't actually be described as a murder mystery, because the question is actually whether or not the deceased was murdered. Once that part is decided, the search must shift to who-dunnit? Did the Doctor who signed the death certificate make a mistake? Is the homeopath (whom many regard as a quack) able to shed any light on the subject? Did the good General (IS he a "good" General?) really die from ingesting a Pigeon Pie? The setting - Hampton Court Palace in London, where this looney tune roster of "Grace and Favor" residents enjoy rent free living courtesty of Her Majesty the Queen (in this case and setting, the ruler is Victoria)--is especially interesting in view of the current Olympic games being played there, with the palace serving as the staging area for the final journey of the Torch last week. The sub-plot revolving around the authenticity and existence of ghosts in the residences, adds even more to the fun.Not only do we get a good dose of wonderful characters, and a mind tickling mystery, we get some history, some culture, and a wonderful view of the vast British empire, it's class structure, and its polyglot population. A thoroughly enjoyable read.The ending is especially delightful as Stuart seems to be leaving an opening for a series. Princess Alexandrina as a private detective? I'd love to see that happen. There is certainly enough here in setting, characters and opportunities for nefarious activity to be able to support several more in a series.
    • 5/5
      The Pigeon Pie Mystery. Look at that name. Now think about it - maybe you will come to the same conclusion I did at first: the mystery must be about who, on earth, would eat pigeon pie?However, that is not the mystery contained within the pages of this insanely witty, very dry, very British book about the HH Princess Alexandrina (Mink) and her maid from India, "Pooki". I don't read a lot of mysteries these days, and when I do I stick to authors that I've found through a (very painful) process that I have honed over the last few years. I don't like sensationalism, but I do like interesting character development - the more quirks the better.Julia Stuart's writing reminds me a bit of Alexander McCall Smith's. But while his writing tends to be about developing the same characters and providing thoughtful insights into life in Botswana, Stuart's writing veers more toward bringing out the ridiculous in those we see around us. She's a fantastic mix of the more outgoing of Austen's awkward situations and McCall Smith's lovable characters. I don't know how to describe it better than that.So, having loved The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise with all its eccentricities and, having been moved to tears more than once (both from laughter and sorrow), I jumped on Stuart's new novel faster than you can say Victoria and Albert.For the last two days I have savoured this novel (look at me, spelling with extra vowels now). I've giggled and enjoyed every quirk - from ghosts to murder mysteries to monkeys to ill-fitting trousers on amorous doctors. And while I'm a bit disappointed that there wasn't the same level of bitter-sweetness in The Pigeon Pie Mystery, I hereby deem it a novel worthy to be read - but only by those who appreciate good, dry British humour (and don't mind picking up an extra vowel or two).
    • 5/5
      Beautifully written and read with well developed characters in an interesting story and setting.
    • 5/5
      I bought this book purely on a whim while on holiday, based on the cover and the title, while trapped in a small used book store. I say 'trapped' because a terrific thunderstorm was raging outside, keeping me and the owner in the shop until well after her normal closing hours. Had I not needed to linger until the threat of leaving this earth as a human lightning rod had passed, I'd have probably not bought this book (I'd passed it over on my initial perusals). Points to the thunderstorm; this was a charmingly eccentric Victorian age mystery with an Indian princess MC, who is forced to accept a Grace and Favour abode in Hampton Court Palace, after her deposed-Maharaja father passes away in less than illustrious circumstances. Soon after settling in, her lady's maid falls under suspicion of murder, after another Grace and Favor resident drops dead after eating her pigeon pie. What follows is a colourful, wryly humorous, if a little over-long, mystery. The characters are all odd, eccentric and chock full of secrets; some of them rather shocking. There's a lot of situational humor, and levity based on misunderstandings. Not a single character is dull, but the story never quite goes over the top. My only complaint is that, even though I enjoyed the whole story, it was longer than it needed to be. The fluff was clever and interesting, but it was still fluff. The ending though, was clever as hell and delightfully unexpected. I read this for Halloween Book Bingo's Country House Mystery. I was worried at the outset whether it would qualify, but the entire mystery and investigation takes place within palace grounds and involves only the residents and the servants.
    • 3/5
      It was the cover that interested me and then the inside flap said Hampton Palace and I couldn't resist; but, this was a silly cartoonish story about an impoverished Indian Princess and her maid with very "big feet." She moves to the palace and socializes with the other impoverished quirky nobility that live as guests of the Queen and for a fair Pooki (her maid) makes Pigeon Pies. Major Bagshot dies after eating one of the pies and it's up to the Princess to clear her and discover the real murderer and find romance.
    • 2/5
      As much as I want to love this author, the stories just don't captivate me. I also read Julia Stuart's other book. Won't be reading any further of her writings.
    • 4/5
      Full of Stuart's usual quirky characters and humanity anyone who liked her previous books will love this one.
    • 3/5
      After the scandalous death of her father, the Maharaja of Prindur, Princess Alexandrina (or "Mink") is offered a grace-and-favour residence at Hampton Court Palace. She and her maid, Pooki, move into their new home, meet the other palace residents, and soon need to investigate a suspicious death. The names of a few of the characters should give a pretty good indication of the tone of the book: William Sheepshanks, Mrs. Nettleship, Silas Sparrowgrass (the homeopath), Horace Pollywog, Barnabas Popejoy, and Mr. Blood (the undertaker). It is a good book for anyone who would enjoy a farcical Victorian mystery. Twenty years ago, I would have loved it, but I'm just not as drawn to that kind of silliness anymore. As it was, I enjoyed the book, but wasn't deeply engaged. I also had trouble keeping the three widows straight. But it is well done, and deserves a chance from more appreciative readers.
    • 4/5
      Julia's books are full of colorful characters! This book made me forget that I am living in contemporary America. I felt as if I was another Lady sitting amongst the group of gossips. ;)
    • 4/5
      A fun mystery with a good dose of history. The setting is a grace and favour residence at Hampton Court Palace where Princess Alexandrina has been offered a home after the death of her father, the Maharajah. When one of the neighbours is poisoned, the Princess's maid is suspected of doing the deed. It's up to the Princess to solve the mystery. What I enjoyed most were the details of Victorian life, from protocol, funeral arrangements, clothing, (thanks to the internet I now know what a monkey fur coat looks like) to manners and superstitions. I enjoyed this parody, which is fun and quirky to the point of being bizarre.
    • 4/5
      I've had this book for a year and tried to read it several times. No luck. This time when I picked it up and began to read it I could not put it down. I'm not going to provide story line information, that's easy for you to obtain - I am just going to say it is a good read. Although Princess Mink is the main character and I liked her, my favorite character is Pookie - you will have to read the book to see if you agree.
    • 4/5
      I listened to the audio book version of this. A mystery set in Victorian England at Hampton Court Plaza with many charming characters and well-written dialogue. An added twist is that the protagonist is an Indian princess, and the main accused her Indian maid. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      An enjoyable mystery that rolls out a lot of questions and leaves the reader guessing as to the solutions. With a cast of curious characters to boot.
    • 3/5
      Princess Alexandrina (Mink) finds herself destitute when her father the Maharajah dies suddenly. Before she can be evicted from her home, she is granted a "grace and favor" apartment at Hampton Court Palace.Barely before you gets settled in her new "home" one of the other residents dies of arsenic poisoning at a picnic casting suspicion on Mink's faithful servant Pooki. She is determined t o find the true cause and sets out interviewing the other residents.I didn't really care for the characters(Mink was too flighty and snobby, others too 1 dimensional) in this book and the writing seem to lack a steady flow.
    • 5/5
      What a charming book! It is a mystery that takes place in Hampton Court's grace-and-favour residences in the late 1890's and is so well-researched it makes my head spin! The character dynamics are taken directly from Victorian manners and protocol, and the descriptions of Hampton Court, its byways and history, are stunning. And let's not forget that visiting said Court was a tourist attraction from way, way back!

      The story centers around the daughter of a late Maharajah, whose family fortunes have been retained" by the crown due to the crown's cost of putting down the uprising of the people in Punjar. Our young heroine is reduced to straitened circumstances, including the loss of a fiance, due to the manner of her father's death. And said manner is not delved into at first, making the reading just that much more intriguing.

      Relationships between mistress and servant, between married couples, between guests of the grace-and-favour apartments and these apartments' staff are all well-drawn and quite involved. And seemingly quite accurate."
    • 4/5
      When her father the Maharajah dies, he leaves Princess Alexandrina (“Mink”) destitute and in debt But at least she’s not alone. Mink has her faithful servant Pooki to look after her. Just as they are about to be thrown out of her home, she gets a letter from the Lord Chamberlain telling her she has been granted a “grace and favour” apartment in Hampton Court Palace by Queen Victoria. No sooner have they moved in and met the neighbors, when one of them dies under suspicious circumstances – poisoned, it appears, by Pooki’s pigeon pie. Pooki isn’t the world’s best cook, but she’s never been suspected of poisoning someone! Mink decides that she can’t live without Pooki, who has become more mother than servant, and she must find out what really happened. The Pigeon Pie Mystery is peopled with every type of English aristocrat, military man and ex-civil-servant. And they’re all suspects in the suspicious death. Mink’s investigation ferrets out all their secrets one by one. It’s a marvelous unraveling. Julia Stuart is wonderful at bringing out the true character of people who first appear to be caricatures, and with a sly sense of humor. One of the book blurbs compares the author’s wit to P.G. Wodehouse’s. I might agree, except for the fact that Ms. Stuart’s skewering of the upper class is a bit kinder than Plum’s.
    • 4/5
      When her father dies unexpectedly, Mink, and Indian royal expat, finds herself destitute and living at the “grace and favor” estate of the Queen. To further complicate matters, Gen Bagshot seems intent on pursuing her even though he is married. So, when he dies after eating pigeon pie made by Pooki, Mink’s maid, the young woman finds herself on a mission to clear Pooki’s name. A very “cozy” mystery full of rich characters including several widows, and American, and the local doctor who falls for Mink, but little action.
    • 4/5
      A perfect Sunday afternoon read about a curious cache of characters whose wealth has diminished, but honorable reputations remain intact, to which Queen Victoria generously sanctions a “grace-and favour” residence at Hampton Court Palace. Just as Princess Alexandrina learns the appalling news that her father, His Highness, the Maharaja’s (of Prindur) death has left her penniless, an invitation to inhabit one of these dwellings arrives, while certainly not in the lavish style she is accustomed to prior to her father’s death, it, at least, solves one dilemma and provides a roof over “Mink’s” and her maid Pooki’s heads.And therein Julia Stuart creates the delightful tale with remarkable historical accuracy, and that whimsical essence which forces one to turn page after page, totally engaged in the unconventional lives of royalty, neighbors, friends, and perhaps, a villain.Examining each of these remarkably distinctive characters, dissecting their flaws and attributes, rambling through their unique residences, and marveling at Mink’s shrewd detection methods to identify the possible villain, it occurs to me, should Her Highness, Princess Alexandrina of Prindur decide that teas, luncheons, and fancy balls fail to fully engage her ingenuous mind; other more adventurous venues might prevail. Should all else fail, there is the dependable, though occasionally socially inept Dr. Henderson.
    • 4/5
      Though the grace-and-favor homes in Hampton Court Palace are said to be haunted, Indian Princess Alexandrina has no choice but to accept Queen Victoria’s offer of rent free accommodation there. After the sudden death of her father she finds herself almost penniless, so the princess and her one remaining servant Pookie pack what’s left of their belongings and go. Historic Hampton Court, dating from the time of Henry VIII, is full of eccentric characters so life is anything but boring. It becomes a little too exciting however when Pookie is accused of murder after loathsome Major-General Bagshot dies of arsenic poisoning and the pigeon pie Pookie baked for him is assumed to be the cause. Princess Alexandrina has already lost her mother, father, fiancée and home; she is not about to let loyal Pookie hang for a crime she didn’t commit. When the police prove incompetent, the princess launches her own investigation pursuing clues with determination, perspicacity and strategic charm. Pigeon Pie is delightfully comic and a little absurd, but there is some substance to the story too. As the princess conducts her inquiry into possible murder motives she uncovers secret and often poignant life histories of Hampton Court inhabitants who had previously seemed mostly silly. This is a slow paced, rich with character and detail mystery that ends with a hint of romance. While I’ve heard nothing about it being the first of a series there is some hope of meeting the engaging people of this book again. Solving the mystery hasn’t solved the princess’s money problems, so when it’s all over she places a concise but proper advertisement in the paper hoping to get work as a private investigator.