- Series
- | Authors
- | Book Release Calendar
- | Search |
- Genres
- | Newsletter
- Welcome to FictionDB, Guest
- | My Account
- | Help
A Fethering Mystery — by Simon Brett
Fethering Series in Order: 22 books
-
The Body on the Beach
Book - 1
In the seaside hamlet of Fethering (located next to the town of Tarring), Carole Seddon maintains a quiet and sensible life. She doesn't have the time or the tolerance to deal with her new bohemian neighbor, Jude, whose outgoing personality contrasts...
-
Death on the Downs
Book - 2
Exploring the South Downs of the well-to-do town of Weldisham, Carole Seddon is caught in a sudden rainstorm. She finds refuge in an old barn--but relief turns to revulsion when she discovers the bones of a human skeleton packed inside two bags. S...
-
The Torso in the Town
Book - 3
In the historical village of Fedborough, Jude attends a dinner party for the new homeowners of Pelling House. But an uninvited guest--in the form of a mummified, armless and legless torso has crashed the party. There's no telling how long the dead bo...
-
Murder in the Museum
Book - 5
The life of noted man of letters Esmond Chadleigh is celebrated in the halls of Bracketts House. However, most of Chadleigh's work remains of print--leaving the once-famous literary figure out of sight and out o mind...and Bracketts out of funds. ...
-
The Hanging in the Hotel
Book - 6
For a gathering of the Pillars of Sussex -- an elitist, hard-drinking group of local businessmen Jude is recruited by the owner of a hotel to help keep the spirits flowing. But the next morning, she discovers that one spirit has flown away for good, ...
-
The Witness at the Wedding
Book - 7
Carole Seddon's estranged relationship with her son Stephen has improved since he started seeing Gaby Martin, and she cannot be more pleased that they've decided to marry in Fethering. She does find it a bit odd, though, that Gaby's parents have no i...
-
The Stabbing In The Stables
Book - 8
Carole Seddon accompanies Jude to Long Bamber Stables so her friend can apply her healing touch to a lame horse, only to stumble upon the body of a man beyond medical help -- alternative or otherwise. The victim, former equestrian champion Walter Fle...
-
Death Under the Dryer
Book - 9
Carole had never had such a bad hair day! The last thing she expected when she went for a trim at 'Connie's Clip Joint' was to find the body of Kyra, Connie's assistant, in the back room, strangled. Immediately involving her friend and neighbour Ju...
-
Blood at the Bookies
Book - 10
The bets are on whodunnit when body is found at the bookies... Jude has never been averse to a bit of a flutter. Her friend Carole, on the other hand, thinks that the local betting shop is a den of iniquit But when Jude stumbles upon the body of P...
-
-
The Poisoning in the Pub
Book - 11
Welcome to Fethering! Carole and Jude spring into amateur detective action when their favourite pub is targeted by a killer in this quirky, cozy, British village mystery. Jude and Carole get more than they bargained for when a lunchtime meal in thei...
-
The Shooting in the Shop
Book - 12
When Carole Seddon's best friend, Jude, drags her along to go shopping at a local store called Gallimaufry, she agrees only reluctantly. The sales are on and even Carole can't resist a bargain. Then, a few days later, Gallimaufry is burnt down and a...
-
Bones Under the Beach Hut
Book - 13
The affluent seaside resort of Smalting is unaccustomed to crime. So when human remains are found beneath the floorboards of one of its beach huts, the community is awash with suspicion and fear. Amateur sleuths Carole Seddon and best friend Jude ...
-
Guns in the Gallery
Book - 14
Invited to a Private View of the work of controversial artist Denzil Willoughby, the good citizens of Fethering are not quite sure what to expect. And it turns out to be a lively affair, culminating in several embarrassing confrontations. But what no...
-
The Corpse on the Court
Book - 15
The genteel game of Real Tennis takes a murderous twist in Simon Brett's witty and entertaining new Fethering mystery. Jude's life has been turned upside-down thanks her new mant, Piers Targett, who's keen to get her involved in his hobby or "obs...
-
The Strangling on the Stage
Book - 16
When Jude agrees to lend her vintage chaise longue for the local Amateur Dramatics Society's production of George Bernard Shaw's The Devil's Disciple, little does she realize she'll end up in a starring role. It's an ambitious play, culminating in a ...
-
The Tomb in Turkey
Book - 17
Carole and Jude's Turkish holiday takes a murderous turn in the new Fethering mystery Carole Seddon has never enjoyed holidays much. Nevertheless, she has allowed herself to be persuaded by her friend Jude to accept a fortnight's free accommodat...
-
The Killing in the Cafe
Book - 18
Polly's Cake Shop has been a feature of the shopping parade for many years, but when its owner announces her retirement, the Fethering residents start to worry about the loss of this popular amenity. Alarmed by rumours that the café might become a S...
-
The Liar in the Library
Book - 19
When an author event at the local library ends in murder, Jude finds herself a suspect in the waspishly witty new Fethering mystery. Having been booked to give a talk at Fethering Library, successful author Burton St Clair invites his old friend J...
-
The Killer in the Choir
Book - 20
When Jude joins the Fethering community choir, she discovers that at least one of her fellow choristers is hiding a deadly secret. Although she hadn't known Leonard Mallett very well, nor liked him particularly, Carole Seddon feels duty bound to a...
-
-
Guilt at the Garage
Book - 21
When Carole Seddon's car is vandalised, it heralds the start of a disturbing series of events in the witty and entertaining new Fethering mystery. Carole Seddon's trusty Renault is one of her most treasured possessions. So when it is vandalised, ther...
-
Death and the Decorator
Book - 22
Neighbours Carole and Jude uncover more than they bargained for when Jude decides to redecorate her cottage in this lighthearted cosy mystery."An edgy cozy, filled with dry wit and deft plot twists"- Booklist Starred ReviewHaving decided to...
-
Death in the Dressing Room
Book - 23
Neighbours Carole and Jude investigate murder most horrid in the theatre in the latest Fethering village mystery from the original king of British cozy crime, internationally best-selling, award-winning author Simon Brett, OBE. For fans of Richard Os...
Series Premise
The foundational premise centers on Carole Seddon and Jude (full name Jude Nichols), next-door neighbors in the quiet West Sussex coastal village of Fethering, who repeatedly find themselves embroiled in local murders. Carole, a recently retired civil servant from the Home Office, is methodical, reserved, and rule-bound; she values order, propriety, and a tidy life after a divorce and career burnout. Jude, her bohemian counterpart, is a healer (with a mysterious, vaguely alternative background that includes New Age therapies, aromatherapy, and a colorful past she keeps private), warm, intuitive, and far more socially outgoing. Their unlikely friendship forms early in the series when Carole discovers a body on the beach, sparking their first joint investigation.
Each book typically begins with an everyday event—a walk on the beach, a visit to a neighbor, attendance at a village event, or a casual errand—that leads to the discovery of a corpse or clear evidence of foul play. The crimes often involve the genteel or semi-genteel residents of Fethering and surrounding areas: poisoned drinks at dinner parties, bodies in historic buildings, suspicious deaths at stables or museums, or murders tied to local institutions like amateur dramatics groups, libraries, or yacht clubs. Carole and Jude investigate unofficially, driven by curiosity, a sense of justice, and the fact that police often dismiss or overlook key details. They piece together clues through observation, discreet questioning, eavesdropping on village gossip, and occasional risky sleuthing, all while navigating their own lives—Carole's prickly independence and attachment to her Labrador Gulliver, Jude's fluid relationships and healing work.
The mysteries emphasize classic golden-age elements: multiple suspects with motives, red herrings, alibis that don't quite hold up, and clever reveals. Unlike hard-boiled procedurals, the focus stays on character interactions, social satire (snobbery, petty rivalries, hidden scandals in respectable society), and the quiet drama of village life. Over the series arc, Carole and Jude's friendship deepens, their contrasting approaches complement each other perfectly—Carole's logical analysis pairs with Jude's empathetic insight—and they become Fethering's unofficial guardians against evil in their midst.
Fethering Series Characters
Carole Seddon is the series' steadfast anchor: a prim, intelligent woman in her fifties (later sixties), divorced, childless, and fiercely independent after a long Home Office career. She is neat, punctual, judgmental, and prone to overthinking, with a beloved golden Labrador named Gulliver as her constant companion. Carole represents order and propriety, yet her involvement in mysteries reveals hidden depths of courage and loyalty.
Jude (Jude Nichols) is Carole's foil and best friend: warm, empathetic, and enigmatic. A healer by profession, she practices alternative therapies from her home and keeps her past deliberately vague (hints of multiple marriages, travels, and a freer life). Jude's intuition and people skills complement Carole's logic, making their partnership dynamic and endearing.
Setting of the Fethering Series
The series is firmly anchored in Fethering, a fictional, sleepy seaside village on England's south coast in West Sussex, near the real towns of Worthing and Littlehampton. Described as genteel, conservative, and slightly faded, Fethering embodies classic English coastal charm: pebbly beaches, a promenade battered by wind and waves, modest bungalows and Victorian villas, a yacht club, a few pubs (notably the Crown and Anchor), a library, and small shops. The nearby South Downs provide dramatic rural backdrops—rolling chalk hills, isolated barns, walking paths—while surrounding towns and estates offer variety for crimes in grand houses, museums, hotels, or stables.
The setting feels lived-in and atmospheric: winter gales whip the seafront, summer brings day-trippers, autumn fogs shroud the Downs, and village events (fêtes, amateur productions, charity functions) serve as perfect murder venues. Brett uses the locale to highlight contrasts—seaside tranquility hiding dark secrets, genteel facades concealing scandals—and to ground the stories in authentic British middle-class life. The environment actively influences plots: bodies wash up on beaches, storms isolate suspects, or rural isolation provides cover for crimes.
Tone & Themes of the Fethering Series
The tone is quintessentially cozy with a sophisticated British twist: witty, understated, and gently satirical without ever becoming mean-spirited. Brett's prose is elegant and economical, laced with dry humor that pokes fun at English village pretensions, class anxieties, and the absurdities of human behavior. Murder is treated seriously but never graphically—bodies appear off-page or in discreet discovery scenes, violence stays restrained, and the emphasis remains on the intellectual puzzle and character interplay.
Light-hearted banter between Carole and Jude provides warmth and comic relief, as do the eccentric locals who populate the village. Carole's prim disapproval and Jude's laid-back tolerance create amusing friction, while village busybodies, pompous officials, and hapless suspects add layers of gentle mockery. Suspense builds through clever misdirection and escalating revelations rather than gore or terror, and resolutions deliver satisfying justice with a touch of irony. The overall mood is reassuring and entertaining—murder disrupts the surface calm of Fethering, but order is restored through intelligence and friendship, leaving readers with a smile and a sense of cozy satisfaction.
In the end, the Fethering Mysteries stand as a masterclass in modern cozy crime, blending razor-sharp plotting, affectionate social satire, and the quiet joy of an enduring female friendship. Simon Brett crafts village whodunits that feel timeless yet fresh, using Carole and Jude's complementary strengths to unravel secrets in a world where murder politely interrupts afternoon tea. The series offers reliable pleasures—clever twists, gentle humor, evocative settings, and the comfort of justice served—making it a perfect choice for readers seeking intelligent escapism with heart. Through more than two decades of cases, Fethering remains a place where evil lurks but never triumphs, and two remarkable women ensure that truth, like the tide, eventually comes in.
Books in this series fall into the following genres
Genres
Sub-Genres
Themes
People / Creatures
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Top Series in Amateur Sleuth