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A Murder for Miss Hortense
(2025)(The first book in the Miss Hortense Mysteries series)
A novel by Mel Pennant
‘A beautiful novel, suffused with fondness and wit. . . . A real triumph!’
—Alexander McCall Smith
Retired nurse, avid gardener, and renowned cake maker Miss Hortense has lived in Bigglesweigh, a quiet suburb of Birmingham, England, since she emigrated from Jamaica in 1960. She takes great pride in her home, starching her lace curtains bright white, and she can tell if she’s being shortchanged on turmeric before she’s taken her first bite of a beef patty. A career in nursing has also left her afraid of nobody, whether an interfering priest or a local drug dealer, and she’s an expert in deciphering other people’s secrets with just a glance.
Miss Hortense once used her skills to benefit the Pardner network—a local group of Black investors that she helped found. Until, that is, she was unceremoniously ousted from its ranks, severing her ties to the majority of her friends and community. That was thirty years ago. Now, as a new millennium dawns, an unidentified man has been found dead in the home of one of the Pardner members, a Bible quote written on a note beside his body. Suddenly, Miss Hortense finds her long-buried past rushing back, bringing memories of the worst moment of her life—and secrets behind an unsolved crime that has haunted her for decades.
It is finally time for Miss Hortense to solve a mystery that will see her and the com-munity she loves pushed to their limits. The first novel from a bold, brilliant new voice, A Murder for Miss Hortense introduces a fear-less sleuth whom readers will never forget.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
—Alexander McCall Smith
Retired nurse, avid gardener, and renowned cake maker Miss Hortense has lived in Bigglesweigh, a quiet suburb of Birmingham, England, since she emigrated from Jamaica in 1960. She takes great pride in her home, starching her lace curtains bright white, and she can tell if she’s being shortchanged on turmeric before she’s taken her first bite of a beef patty. A career in nursing has also left her afraid of nobody, whether an interfering priest or a local drug dealer, and she’s an expert in deciphering other people’s secrets with just a glance.
Miss Hortense once used her skills to benefit the Pardner network—a local group of Black investors that she helped found. Until, that is, she was unceremoniously ousted from its ranks, severing her ties to the majority of her friends and community. That was thirty years ago. Now, as a new millennium dawns, an unidentified man has been found dead in the home of one of the Pardner members, a Bible quote written on a note beside his body. Suddenly, Miss Hortense finds her long-buried past rushing back, bringing memories of the worst moment of her life—and secrets behind an unsolved crime that has haunted her for decades.
It is finally time for Miss Hortense to solve a mystery that will see her and the com-munity she loves pushed to their limits. The first novel from a bold, brilliant new voice, A Murder for Miss Hortense introduces a fear-less sleuth whom readers will never forget.
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Praise for this book
"Mel Pennant's debut, A Murder for Miss Hortense, is not only an expertly plotted, page-turning mystery, it's also a vibrant tribute to the Windrush generation and a particular kind of woman who will not let injustice rest." - Jessica Bull
"I really enjoyed this! Funny, clever and so entertaining. I'm looking forward to the sequel." - Jessica George
"What a read! This is more than a cosy crime mystery, from the brilliant Miss Hortense and Blossom, and the rich history of their lives, it's the story of a community, one I hope I get to visit again soon." - Jennie Godfrey
"If this delightful murder mystery is anything to go by, then the formidable Miss Hortense will be your new favourite literary sleuth! Fresh, original and intriguing from start to finish!" - Janice Hallett
"I wouldn't mess with Miss Hortense, but I would trust her with my life. Who else is as good at making a black cake as solving a murder? What a wonderful, original crime novel." - Louise Hare
"Miss Hortense is sharper than Poirot, tougher than Vera and a better cook than Columbo! It's Murder She Wrote as you've never seen it before." - Lenny Henry
"A murder mystery that explores community and relationships all while keeping you turning the pages. Miss Hortense is a striking, singular character who will stay with me as someone to both fear and revere; I'm delighted that this is just the beginning!" - Kate Kemp
"This is a beautiful novel, suffused with fondness and wit. It provides a highly entertaining and intriguing insight into a very special world. A real triumph!" - Alexander McCall Smith
"A clever, funny, and suspenseful debut with unforgettable characters that anyone from a Caribbean family will recognise - unique, compulsive, and laugh-out-loud brilliant! Miss Hortense is a brilliant addition to crime fiction." - Nadine Matheson
"Packed with cleverness and warmth, with an expertly plotted mystery spanning decades, you do not want to miss the unique wit and resourcefulness of Miss Hortense. This book delivers that magical combination of unforgettable characters, community, and heart, and I could not put it down." - Kristen Perrin
"A novel with as many twists and turns as a rollercoaster, but the reader will always be safe with Miss Hortense at the centre, holding the moral compass." - Rosalind Stopps
"I really enjoyed this! Funny, clever and so entertaining. I'm looking forward to the sequel." - Jessica George
"What a read! This is more than a cosy crime mystery, from the brilliant Miss Hortense and Blossom, and the rich history of their lives, it's the story of a community, one I hope I get to visit again soon." - Jennie Godfrey
"If this delightful murder mystery is anything to go by, then the formidable Miss Hortense will be your new favourite literary sleuth! Fresh, original and intriguing from start to finish!" - Janice Hallett
"I wouldn't mess with Miss Hortense, but I would trust her with my life. Who else is as good at making a black cake as solving a murder? What a wonderful, original crime novel." - Louise Hare
"Miss Hortense is sharper than Poirot, tougher than Vera and a better cook than Columbo! It's Murder She Wrote as you've never seen it before." - Lenny Henry
"A murder mystery that explores community and relationships all while keeping you turning the pages. Miss Hortense is a striking, singular character who will stay with me as someone to both fear and revere; I'm delighted that this is just the beginning!" - Kate Kemp
"This is a beautiful novel, suffused with fondness and wit. It provides a highly entertaining and intriguing insight into a very special world. A real triumph!" - Alexander McCall Smith
"A clever, funny, and suspenseful debut with unforgettable characters that anyone from a Caribbean family will recognise - unique, compulsive, and laugh-out-loud brilliant! Miss Hortense is a brilliant addition to crime fiction." - Nadine Matheson
"Packed with cleverness and warmth, with an expertly plotted mystery spanning decades, you do not want to miss the unique wit and resourcefulness of Miss Hortense. This book delivers that magical combination of unforgettable characters, community, and heart, and I could not put it down." - Kristen Perrin
"A novel with as many twists and turns as a rollercoaster, but the reader will always be safe with Miss Hortense at the centre, holding the moral compass." - Rosalind Stopps
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