Second in the Dorothy Martin series by Jeanne Dams, Trouble in the Town Hall continues the exploits of the American widow who now lives in a historic house in Sherebury, England. This story begins with a heavy rain that seeps through Dorothy's roof. Trying to get her landlord to fix it, she finally finds Herbert Bensen who is slow to start the project. Next, after talking with Clarice bemoaning the tardiness of the contractor, Clarice suggests she talk to her husband about the job. Although, Dorothy and Archie Pettifer have disagreed on renovating the old town hall, she agrees to let Archie replace her roof. Dorothy goes to meet Alan for lunch and passes by the town hall where she sees someone inside. With an unusually inquisitive mind, she stops to investigate who is in the empathy building and discovers a cleaning lady. While the two are talking, Mrs. Finch opens a closet and discovers a dead body. Now, once again, Dorothy feels a moral obligation to find the truth and starts her sleuthing and list making. There is a division among the townspeople as what should be done with the Old Town Hall that has been left vacant after office was moved to new headquarters. Archie wants to update the old building and have a mall with classy shops, while his adversary Barbara Dean wants to preserve the national treasure. Meetings are held with the Mayor presiding over the different sides of the issue and bitter feelings escalate. When Dorothy discovers a fire that claimed three lives in a neighboring town, she manages to tie it to the recent murder in Sherebury and the conclusion is in sight.\
This series is an anglophile's daydream. Well-off American widow moves to England and finds wonderful cottage in relatively unspoiled cathedral/university town. She has charming neighbors, wizardly gardener, inherits cat and cottage garden, strikes up romance with non-aristocratic upper class Detective Superindent, is liked by everyone, is more British than the British, and has a penchant for hats. She is a whiz at detecting, charmingly incompetent behind the wheel of a car, and in economically depressed Britain, finds a job.Ah, to day dream so well!The murder is appropriately tragic, the villains appropriately villinous, and the ending appropriately neat.Oh dear, this was my review for the previous book in the series! Well, it is a pleasant day's reading, with no thought required. Perfect with a cup of tea and a plate of cookies.First read August 2011Re-read June 2015 (Just as lovely, light, and entertaining the second time around.)
What do You think about Trouble In The Town Hall (1998)?
Has Miss Marple been reincarnated as Dorothy Martin, an inquisitive American widow? Fans of Dorothy’s first adventure, “The Body in the Transcept,” will be glad she’s remained in Sherebury and has discovered a body in the old, boarded-up town hall in Jeanne Dams’ mystery, the aptly titled “Trouble in the Town Hall.” Of course, Miss Marple never had a love interest, like Chief Constable Alan Nesbitt, who is kept busy with security for a visit from the Prince of Wales. Readers who long for a good English village mystery will be glad to make Dorothy Martin’s acquaintance.
—Chi Dubinski
The second installment of Dams' cozy series set in England featuring amateur widow, Dorothy Martin was just as enjoyable as the first. We get to know the town's characters more in depth and follow Dorothy's nosy snooping sessions as she bumbles her way solving mysteries she somehow seems to stumble upon. As mentioned before, its the cast of zany characters that make this series and the little something between our favorite sleuthing widow and the town's Chief Constable that will have readers keep returning for more.
—Shiela
This was a pleasant cozy mystery, second in the Dorothy Martin series. Dorothy is a middle-aged widow transplanted to England where she is trying to fix up a historical cottage house. She volunteers at a bookshop inside the town's cathedral. She loves to wear hats and has a nose for murder. When she and a cleaning woman discover a body inside the abandoned town hall, Dorothy is motivated to solve the crime. With the help of her love interest, Alan Nesbit of the local police, she bumbles along gathering answers to questions related to the case. Dorothy is likeable and the small town setting is enjoyable. This book is a little too cozy for my tastes, but I would read another one in the series.
—Beth
