Fête fatale Book

Hexton-upon-Weir is run by the women of the town. They make all the decisions and bully and brow beat the men into submission. Helen Kiterage, wife of the local vet, tries to stand apart from it all and regards the goings on with amusement. She narrates the story in an acerbic and witty style. The town is sent into uproar by the appointment of a High Church vicar who is celibate by choice. High Church is just not acceptable to the women of the town and they vow to get rid of the new incumbent by fair means or foul.

The plotting and planning and whispering in corners come to a head at the local fete which starts off well but ends in tragedy. Can Helen make sense of the events of that day and run the murderer to earth.? I really enjoyed this highly amusing story and loved the narrator and her sharp eye for her neighbours' foibles as well as her own human failings.

I read the book in less than twenty four hours and found I had to keep reading to find out who did it and why. Some of the descriptions of people and events had me laughing out loud. In spite of the amusing and acidic narration the book still contains a serious core and shows how groups of people can get together to impose their views on others and how much strength of will it takes to go against the status quo.