It’s the year 1910, and Chief Inspector Pignon Scorbion is the newest lead investigator in the small village of Haxford, England. Known for his attention to detail and quirky style, Pignon has gained a reputation among local residents and business owners alike. One day during the Haxford Spring Fair, one of the hot air balloons begins descending rather quickly. Once it hits the ground, the man inside collapses and is obviously dead. However, his death is not due to the balloon accident, but rather from an arrow lodged in his chest. Murder in Haxford is the second installment in the Pignon Scorbion mystery series by Rick Bleiweiss, in which the intrinsic detective and his group of amateur sleuths uncover clues and navigate the twists and turns of the murder case. 

The first book in the Pignon Scorbon mystery series is Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives. While I didn’t read this one before diving into Murder in Haxford, I could easily follow along without missing much. Bleiweiss expertly weaves in details to both remind and introduce readers simultaneously to the unique individuals who make up his unconventional group of deputized assistants who set up an improvised courtroom in Calvin Brown’s barbershop. The most interesting of whom is Thelma Smith, a self-assured bookshop owner who also happens to pique Scorbion’s romantic interest. Although I might be biased, because I too wish that I owned a bookstore in a quaint English town in the 1900s. But I digress. 

The body of the aforementioned man belongs to Charlie Thornton, a scoundrel who wreaks havoc with his literal partner in crime Ronald Parker. Considering the two are known to be expert archers, the death-by-arrow incident raises a few eyebrows. Nevertheless, Scorbion tracks down witnesses and acquaintances of the infamous duo and their associates, inching closer and closer to solving the crime.

To my delight, Bleiweiss treats readers to not one, but two cases for Scorbion to solve in Murder in Haxford. The second case that Bleiweiss naturally transitions to includes the death of Archie Williams. Williams was a talented painter and loan shark known for charging ridiculous and unreasonable interest rates to desperate debtors. Considering that quite a few of those debtors had fallen behind in their payments, multiple residents had motive to rid themselves of Archie for good. Needless to say, Scorbion and his associates have their work cut out for them. 

Bleiweiss’s writing style for this period piece is cute and enjoyable. The language and characters are entertaining. This aside, what makes Murder in Haxford stand out is that it’s a whodunit that details the elusive “why” and the “how”. The means and the motive are not as clear-cut as other cozy murder mysteries, but that is what makes it fun. Even so, the pacing was slow for my preference, and some of the dialogue seemed irrelevant and long-winded. Additionally, while I enjoyed the characters, I wish I got to know them more. Bleiweiss offers a surface-level look at the barbershop detectives, so it was tricky to become invested in them. Even so, for lovers of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, Pignon Scorbion will fit right into their favorites. 

Rick Bleiweiss joins us on The Nerd Cantina Show podcast for a Cantina Conversation. He talks about his remarkable career and why he started writing historical murder mysteries. Keep an ear out for the interview in an upcoming episode and pre-order Murder in Haxford, available February 21.