The Bingo Hall Detectives

By: Jonathan Whitelaw

Narrated by: Sid Sagar

Winner of The Gilpin Hotel Prize for Fiction 2023

Eyes down to find a killer who’s playing to win…

An irresistible slice of murder and mystery – there’s a killer on the loose in the Lake District, and the members of the Penrith Bingo Club have decided they’re the ones to catch the culprit…

Jason Brazel is an out of work journalist who lives in Penrith with his family and mother-in-law, Amita. She knows everyone and everything that’s going on in this corner of the Lakes.

So when it’s discovered that Madeline Frobisher, one of Amita’s fellow regulars at the bingo club has died, found by the postman outside her crumbling country home close to Ullswater Lake, she senses immediately this is no accident. The trouble is, no one else seems to take her suspicions seriously.

That is, until she enlists the help of her friends at the Penrith Bingo Club. Dismissed by many as eccentric, over the hill or out of touch, it turns out that it’s unlucky for some that these amateur sleuths are on the case…

©2022 Jonathan Whitelaw (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

‘A warm-hearted and funny story’ The Sun

PRAISE FOR JONATHAN’S PREVIOUS BOOKS

Jonathan Whitelaw is a terrific writer – Jo Spain

Delirious, diabolical and delightful – Anthony O'Neill

A brilliant, sharply funny read – Lisa Hall

A lot of devilish fun is in store for readers – Stephen Booth

Charming cozy mystery

Funny, heart-warming mystery! Excellent narration. I laughed out loud and enjoyed the vivid characters. Recommend for a cozy mystery with British humor and an unlikely but charming detective duo.

Good enough

I liked the book, the characters, but somehow the magic wasn't there. I have given silly cozy books five stars because I looked forward to listening to them and my mind did not drift. I gave this review three stars as I checked out my podcasts first before continuing to listen where I left off. I didn't finish chapters before leaving the car, etc. I will purchase to the next book. Narration is excellent.

Disappointing

Slow moving
Not much detecting happening
Constant conflict between main characters irritating. Poor charater developement

Good, for first in series

Great narration. A little slow going. Enjoyed and we probably get another book, if there is another.
Didn't figure out the mystery, always a bonus.

good mystery

Good mystery with an interesting and unique dynamic between the 2 main characters. Their changing relationship as the book progresses really adds to the story.

The title of the book is somewhat misleading - not that that matters much, but kind curious. One of the 2 main characters is a 70-something that belongs to a bingo club, but the club as a whole doesn't really do any detecting. Again, that doesn't really matter and the book is definitely worth a listen anyway.

Hope this becomes a series!