The Best Corpse for the Job

Lindenshaw Mysteries, Book 1

By: Charlie Cochrane

Narrated by: David Maxwell

Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

A Lindenshaw Mysteries Novel

Tea and sympathy have never been so deadly.

Schoolteacher Adam Matthews just wants to help select a new headteacher and go home. The governors at Lindenshaw St Crispin’s have already failed miserably at finding the right candidate, so it’s make or break this second time round. But when one of the applicants is found strangled in the school, what should have been a straightforward decision turns tempestuous as a flash flood in their small English village.

Inspector Robin Bright isn’t thrilled to be back at St. Crispin’s. Memories of his days there are foul enough without tossing in a complicated murder case. And that handsome young teacher has him reminding himself not to fraternize with a witness. But it’s not long before Robin is relying on Adam for more than just his testimony.

As secrets amongst the governors emerge and a second person turns up dead, Robin needs to focus less on Adam and more on his investigation. But there are too many suspects, too many lies, and too many loose ends. Before they know it, Robin and Adam are fighting for their lives and their hearts.

©2014 Charlie Cochrane (P)2020 Riptide Publishing

Great Mystery with Delicious Blend of Danger & Rom

Original Audiobook Review June 2020:
Not much more I can add to the original review from 5-1/2 years ago that would express how much I love The Best Corpse for the Job. Since my original read, I've come to realize that the Lindenshaw Mysteries would probably fall under the sub-genre "cozy mysteries", well, personally I never quite got that because mysteries aren't really "cozy", they are riddled with mayhem even when it's evenly blended with humor, romance, and drama. So to me, a mystery is a mystery but however you want to label it, The Best Corpse for the Job is a winning gem. There's crime, a new romance(BTW I loved how the author used the characters' determination to keep it legit by slow burning the sexual tension until the crime is solved), drama, and of course everything that lovers of English mysteries have come to expect: murder and wit. Let's face it, these English villages must be some of the most dangerous places to live on the planet😉😉.

As for the crime and re-read/listen, well some mysteries don't really have the staying power of revisits but Charlie Cochrane has definitely made this one of the repeaters. I may have remembered who did it but I'll admit the why was a little hazy but even if it had been clear as well it wouldn't have taken away any enjoyment. The banter-filled journey Adam and Robin take was just as brilliantly fun the second time around and I can safely say it'll be just as fun when I reach the 100th revisit, which says more about the author's talent than anything else I could come up with.

David Maxwell is a new-to-me narrator which can be almost as scary as a new-to-me author because if the narration doesn't fit the characters or story it can really effect how a person "absorbs" the journey. Well, I needn't have worried because David Maxwell's narration is spot-on and really brings Adam and Robin to life, makes their beginnings realistic and the crime engaging and attention grabbing.

Together Charlie Cochrane and David Maxwell are a winning combination and I hope the rest of her Lindenshaw Mysteries comes to audio soon.

Original Review November 2014:
I have to start by saying that I have been a fan of English murder mysteries since I knew what the definition of mystery was, anything and everything from Agatha Christie to Caroline Graham. The body count in The Best Corpse for the Job may not be as high as most English mysteries but the camaraderie between Robin and Anderson, his sergeant reminds me of Barnaby and any of his sergeants from Midsomer Murders. As for the mystery, it is simple and completely mind boggling all at the same time. Being a fan of mysteries there aren’t many times that I can’t figure it out halfway through the story, no matter how well written it is, and I’m not gloating or bragging, it’s just experience. But this one kept me guessing right up to the big reveal.

You can’t help but love Adam, he’s exactly the kind of guy we all want in our lives: fun, caring, and has the potential to love with his whole heart. Robin is the kind of cop that we all would want to be handling the case of a murdered loved one. He’s determined to find the killer without being so single-mindedly focused on one suspect that he doesn't search everywhere. Looking at them together, is amazingly fun. Robin and Adam may not be an enemy to lover trope but certainly a strangers-at-odds to lover kind of pair ripe with banter, sexual tension, and fighting the moral dilemma of drawing the line between “chatting” and cop/witness. Definitely a win for those who love mystery and wit with budding romance possibilities.

Great cozy mystery

So... I picked this book up for the title. The Best Corpse for the Job. It was quirky and appealed to me. I’ve seen it around before and was curious about it but I never got around to it. So when it was released in audio I knew now was the time to jump in.

Selecting a new headteacher for Lindenshaw St Crispin was proving more difficult than expected. And when an applicant from their second go at it is found murdered on the school things become even more difficult and has the small village turned upside down. Inspector Robin Bright is tasked with investigating the crime, but he’s far from happy to be back at the school he once attended and held no good memories for him. Though, Adam a young teacher might be the man to change his mind. Then again starting something with a witness in the middle of a murder investigation is not a good idea.

I loved the small English village feel there was to this book. There was this cozy mystery vibe over it all, filled with a myriad of different characters that you might expect to find in a small village, the nosy and gossiping ones, thee evasive ones. The intrigues and secrets. Charlie Cochrane definitely nailed it all. Most of the story dealt with the investigation, and discovering the many, many secrets hidden in the school. I loved trying to unravel the many threads and lies, trying to figure out the who and why of it. The romance between Adam and Robin was there. It wasn’t the focal point of the story and it was a slow one. It also didn’t end with a happily ever after, but more a start of something new that I’m guessing will develop during the rest of the series.

The book was performed by David Maxwell, a new narrator for me. I absolutely loved his accent. There’s something about authentic accents that really sets the scene for you, makes it feel more real in a way that non-natives does. Maxwell definitely took me to England and Lindenshaw St Crispin. I loved how he captured different personalities with his different voices, everything from the up-nosed characters and more down to earth teachers was spot on. Another thing that I personally really appreciated was how he differentiated when someone was speaking from a different room or on the phone. They’re small things in the scheme of things, but for me it really enhances the listener’s experience of the book.

This book is definitely recommended for anyone looking for a cozy mystery set in the English country.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

Narrator has distraction lisp

Narrator has a slight but distracting lisp. I found it hard to ignore and focus on the story.