Crime Fiction Alphabet: Letter T

Kerrie over at Mysteries in Paradise sponsors The Aphabet in Crime Fiction community meme. your post MUST be related to the first letter of the book's title, the first letter of the author's first name or the first letter of the author's surname. You can write a book review or a bio of an author so long as it fits the rules somehow.

This week we are featuring the Letter T. T is for Tyler, as in L. C. Tyler. Tyler is a current British writer of humorous crime fiction. His series stars Ethelred Tressider (who just happens to be a crime writer as well) and his chocolate-loving literary agent, Elsie Thirkettle (all sorts of Ts there).

Thus far his mystery series sits at three:

• The Herring Seller's Apprentice (2007)
• Ten Little Herrings (2009)
• The Herring in the Library (2010)

And so far I have read the first two and thoroughly enjoyed them both. The first one was read before I started blogging, so I have no review for that one. But here's a synopsis from Publisher's Weekly:

Fans of comic mysteries will welcome British author Tyler's debut, the first in a series to feature novelist Ethelred Tressider and his chocoholic literary agent, Elsie Thirkettle. When the body of Tressider's ex-wife, Geraldine, turns up near his West Sussex home, the police mark Tressider as a person of interest. Aided by Thirkettle, Tressider investigates other suspects, as the official theory switches from possible suicide to a serial killer. One-third of the way in, Tressider's Wodehousian narrative voice (You'll have found the same thing yourself, of course. Just when you think you have committed the perfect crime, things most unfairly take a turn for the worse) switches to that of Thirkettle, who doesn't miss a beat sustaining the light tone (If there's one thing that gets up my sodding nose, it's starting a new chapter and finding that the poxy narrator has changed). The resolution may not satisfy everyone, but the lively characters and amusing banter will bring most readers back for more.

Earlier this year I read the second installment, Ten Little Herrings, and you may find my review by clicking the title.