Third in the Constable Evans mystery series set in Wales, Llanfair is privileged to have a former son return, a world-famous opera singer, Ifor Llewelyn, who rents the Powell-Jones house for the summer. Mrs Powell-Jones is over the moon as she can kill two birds with one stone: take care of mummy who can finally have her hip operation and buy a new three-piece suite! Mr. Powell-Jones can board with Mrs. Williams, the only house in town, which has an extra room. No one can withstand Mrs. Powell-Jones and poor Evans not only has to give up his nice room but the menu becomes dictated by the Mrs. who insists upon prunes and muesli instead of eggs and bacon...and no fry-ups for the reverend! This quickly sends Evans to the pub for his nightly fare!The greatest impact is on Austin Mostyn, Llanfair’s choir director. He is determined to win at the eisteddfod this year and if Ifor were to join the choir…well. The only problem is that Ifor has a rather nasty sense of humor and there is history between Austin and Ifor. Additional subplots revolving around Ifor Llewelyn’s presence in Llanfair include his singing at full volume---a nice treat for those villagers who love opera; he and his wife fighting at the same volume—and after 9 pm too!; a strange girl who has been coming round---once when Evans was out hiking and whom he has to rescue from her vehicle after it rolls into the lake; the strange young man seen in her company twice; and, then there’s the Mafia-like visitor.All of this must be taken into consideration when Ifor is found dead.Terrific characters in a cozy village where everyone knows everyone else’s business. And it sure doesn’t stop anyone, including Evans, from screwing up. Evans-the-law is such a sweet innocent in so many ways…hopefully Bronwen will see this.Lovely cover with its view from inside the pub through a huge picture window overlooking an autumnal setting with two two-story stone houses and a sheep wandering the road against a backdrop of the Welsh mountains.
A good friend gave me 2 of Constable Evans mysteries and now I hope to get them all. This is the third book in the series but the first one I read. The series is based in a mountainous village of Llanfair, North Wales. The book gives a wonderful description of a homey, small town and all the quirky characters with their colorful names (Evans-the-Meat, Evans-the-Post, Roberts-the-Pump, Harry-the-Pub). This story includes the eisteddfod, the annually held Welsh cultural gathering, and Constable Evans has been tapped to lend his voice in the competing local choir. The choir also adds a well known tenor Ifor Llewellyn, a local boy made very good, but he is murdered before he can perform. Evan Evans must help determine who is the killer. A very nice start to a series given to me. The books seem to be a very easy read.
What do You think about Evanly Choirs (2000)?
Evanly Choirs is the third in Rhys Bowen's Constable Evan Evans series. It is the first one I read, but it stood alone just fine.In this story a former Llanfair boy who has become a famous opera singer returns to the small town in Wales for a rest. Ifor Llewelyn's mother worked in the big house that he rents for the summer. He went to college with the local choir master so it is natural that they want him to sing in the National musical competition. Evan has also been recruited to join the choir. He is courting the local school teacher, Bronwen, but is being actively pursued by the local barmaid. Ifor is well known for his dalliances and has made it known that he is planning on writing his memoirs and does not care who he may hurt in the process. He and his wife are constantly arguing and the neighbours are calling Evan regarding the domestic disputes going on at the Powell-Jones house. When Ifor does not show up for a choir practice, Evan and Austin Mostyn head over to see what has happened to him. Of course he is dead. A lot of suspicious happenings convince Evan and eventually the rest of the police that he was murdered. I love the names of the characters, Evans-the-Meat, Evans-the-Post, Roberts-the-Pump, Harry-the-Pub etc. in the story. A fun read.
—Carla Johnson-Hicks
What do I think of this book? Well, I not only learned the tradition of the Eisteddfod, but am now learning the 'Welsh.' This series of books are wonderful. Constable Evans is nominated to join the Men's Choir for the annual Eisteddfod when a famous Opera singer arrives back to his hometown and announces he would love to join the group. This larger than life man, also ends up with a larger than life death that our beloved Constable must solve. He will but not without twists and turns to delight you.
—Jeannie and Louis Rigod
Deputy Evan Evans of Wales (pardon me if I don't spell the town's name) has done it again. Well, actually, he did it a few years ago when this book was written, but I've just read ir, so it was new to me. Evans-the-law, as he's called to differenciate himself from Evans-the-meat and Evans-the-post, is just too nice to everyone, which gets him into trouble with the teacher who he really decides he likes the best. And, his 'nice to everybody' ways could get him killed, couldn't it? It's a close call, but he solves the mystery of who killed the tenor, and maybe he's on his way to winning the girl as well.
—Norma Huss
