Evans Above

by Rhys Bowen

Book Overview

THE FIRST CONSTABLE EVANS MYSTERY Constable Evan Evans expected the idyllic Welsh village of Llanfair to be a calm oasis far away from the violent crime of the big city--until a string of murders puts every charming eccentric under suspicion... Little Llanfair has its share of characters--two ministers vying for the souls of their flock, one lascivious barmaid, and three other Evanses: Evans-the-Meat, Evans-the-Milk, and Evans-the-Post. But before...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425166422
• ISBN13: 9780425166420
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Won't win the Pulitzer Prize but it's a great cozy mystery

This is the first in the series and my first by this author, but I was not disappointed. It took 25 pages or so to get into the book, but after that, I kept wanting to get back to it.The Welsh setting (in a village by Mount Snowden) figures large in this book. Constable Evan Evans (how much more Welsh a name can you get?) is a Welshman (Welsh is his first language, English his second) who (even though he was on track to be an inspector) has taken a humble position as the village constable after his father's tragic death. It's a good thing, because two bodies appear, apparently the victims of climbing accidents -- but Evans doesn't think so. The powers that be have a very low opinion of village constables and dismiss him and his theories, but he keeps plugging away. In the meantime, there's this child-killer on the loose that everyone is looking for. The mystery is full of the village types (including a Major who runs the Swiss chalet style inn and the two ministers' wives whose husbands pastor the two adjacent chapels in this village). Evans spends much of his time dodging single woman (or the grandmothers of single women) who regard him as a catch. Evans is likeable and the plot of the mystery was flawless -- kept me guessing until the very end. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Entertaining and Enjoyable Series Debut

Constable Evan Evans is enjoying his quiet job in the small Welsh village of Llanfair. The only things that occupy his time are avoiding attempts to set him up with eligible women like Betsy the barmaid and answering the occasional call from Mrs. Powell-Jones about trespassers in her garden.But one day, two bodies are found on nearby Mount Snowden. Both look like hiking accidents, but Evan is convinced that something strange is going on. Poking around, he finds a connection between the two men. But why were they lured to their death? Is there really a mad man on the loose on his beloved mountains?I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The setting and characters were charming, and the subtle humor kept me smiling throughout. Part way through, I was convinced I knew what was going on, but wound up being completely surprised by the ending. The plot never looses its pace either. There was always some new bit of information to keep me glued to the book.I'm glad I gave this series a try and am already planning a return visit. If you enjoy cozies, pick up the first in this fun series.

Thank Heavens for Evans

Constable Evans is one of the best reads to come along in recent times. The stories are well plotted and Evan Evans is all male without being raunchy. Good clean books.

The warmest mystery around!

Bowen does it again with her flavorful look at a small hamlet village in Wales. Her characters are warm and comfortable and Evans the Constable is wonderful and lovable. This is the Cabot Cove of Wales, with a little romantic pressure added in. A must read for those cold winter nights or rainy summer days, or anytime for that matter!

Heroic, humorous, decent, and kind.

Very good. Heroic, humorous, decent, kind. Like Tony Hillerman and the sadly unrecognized British writer Bill Knox.