alexgmzone's review
4.0
Its quite the adventure and its really fun although it has short endings i would like to read for a little longer but all and all really nice and smart
catherine_t's review
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
There's been a murder in Little Norton, and you are the new detective in town assigned to the case. You've just joined Midsomer CID, and what you know about England's deadliest county could fill a thimble. Who killed Peter Maddock by pushing two heavy shelving units laden with damson jam onto him, crushing him beneath the weight? Was it a rival gardener, hoping to knock out the competition for the Midsomer Villages in Bloom contest? Could it have been the chair of the village committee? Or her best friend? It's up to you to solve the case--and not get murdered yourself!
Could You Survive Midsomer? is a choose-your-own-adventure book for adults. Remember those? I loved those books as a kid. This one is every bit as much fun. Obviously, its readership is made up of fans of the long-running television series, "Midsomer Murders" (in turn based on the Inspector Barnaby mysteries by Caroline Graham). There are in-jokes that fans will get, like the reference to "lethally good" cheese.
It took me seven or eight read-throughs to finally solve the case, and I have to say, I didn't "die" once. I'm pretty proud of that. It's really more a game than a novel, but it's fun. If you're a Midsomer fan, you'll probably enjoy playing around with this book.
Could You Survive Midsomer? is a choose-your-own-adventure book for adults. Remember those? I loved those books as a kid. This one is every bit as much fun. Obviously, its readership is made up of fans of the long-running television series, "Midsomer Murders" (in turn based on the Inspector Barnaby mysteries by Caroline Graham). There are in-jokes that fans will get, like the reference to "lethally good" cheese.
It took me seven or eight read-throughs to finally solve the case, and I have to say, I didn't "die" once. I'm pretty proud of that. It's really more a game than a novel, but it's fun. If you're a Midsomer fan, you'll probably enjoy playing around with this book.
rita_reads_cda's review
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This was frustrating & fun. A “choose your own adventure” type of book to solve a murder. I finished my quest three times in one sitting.
litspinster's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
the_lawyer_librarian's review against another edition
5.0
This was so much fun to read! I love anything interactive and anything to do with murder mysteries, so this was perfect for me. The illustrations are gorgeous and add another immersive element to the story. I absolutely love that you can read this book multiple times, uncovering more clues and having a different reading experience each time! There is a performance review section at the end of the book, which details how you have done on your first case. I managed to survive my first read, but missed out on the CID promotion, so I am already re-reading - perfectionist that I am! It is a fun and cosy mystery, filled with small town gossip and secrets. A must-read for anyone who loves murder mysteries. Thank you to @octopus_books_ @annecater14 and @randomthingstours for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
ljwrites85's review
4.0
I used to absolutely love Midsomer Murders, so when I saw this book everywhere at the end of last year so I knew I had to pick myself up a copy.
If you don't know Midsomer Murders, it's a show set in what seems to be the most deadly village of all time where residents are killed in a variety of ways, some more unusual than the rest. It's also verges on cozy mystery territory where the murder is really described in detail and it ends up being more of a puzzle for the detectives.
Could you survive midsomer is a grown-up version of a pick your own adventure book (I sort of remember them from when I was a kid) where you have to figure out who the murderer is before you get murdered yourself or face demotion.
This book was so much fun! It was quite a quick read, so you don't need to worry about spending too long cracking the case, although I probably spent a little too long myself pondering over which was the right path to pick.
I didn't figure out the whodunnit the first time around, nor did I end up dead (yay!). The second read I managed to figure it out, but what was enjoyable was how picking one different path completely changed the story.
Once you've figured out the whodunnit aspect, while it would still be fun to see the different outcomes, I felt it lost a tiny bit of the fun.
I would recommend this to any fans of Midsomer Murders, but also to anyone who considers themselves an armchair detective like myself.
If you don't know Midsomer Murders, it's a show set in what seems to be the most deadly village of all time where residents are killed in a variety of ways, some more unusual than the rest. It's also verges on cozy mystery territory where the murder is really described in detail and it ends up being more of a puzzle for the detectives.
Could you survive midsomer is a grown-up version of a pick your own adventure book (I sort of remember them from when I was a kid) where you have to figure out who the murderer is before you get murdered yourself or face demotion.
This book was so much fun! It was quite a quick read, so you don't need to worry about spending too long cracking the case, although I probably spent a little too long myself pondering over which was the right path to pick.
I didn't figure out the whodunnit the first time around, nor did I end up dead (yay!). The second read I managed to figure it out, but what was enjoyable was how picking one different path completely changed the story.
Once you've figured out the whodunnit aspect, while it would still be fun to see the different outcomes, I felt it lost a tiny bit of the fun.
I would recommend this to any fans of Midsomer Murders, but also to anyone who considers themselves an armchair detective like myself.
travelsalongmybookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I am a big fan of the Midsomer Murders TV series. It is a fantastic dose of Sunday evening detective viewing, there are always a lot of bizarre deaths in what is probably the fiction murder capital of the UK! So when I saw this book, I had to treat myself.
This is Midsomer Murders, choose your own adventure style. I had a Famous Five version as a child which I was obsessed with and I spent a lot of hours choosing different paths.
In this interactive novel, a body has been found on the eve of the Midsomer Villages in Bloom competition. Peter James Maddock is found lying underneath a pile of damson jam jars ( there are always good ways to murder in Midsomer!), we learn he has a dark past but what is the reason for his death?
As the newest Midsomer detective, I could choose my own path, choosing which way the story went and it’s such a fun way to spend an evening. I had great fun trying to second guess what was happening, my chosen path unravelled a killer and a big secret - I will say no more. At the end you are sent to a performance review at the end of the book to get a sense of how much you have discovered and if there is room for improvement. And my results?
Case appears closed. Other lines of enquiry need following up. Further training required, but a good candidate for future promotion.
Not bad for a beginner! I’m looking forward to a few more adventures in Midsomer!
✩✩✩.5
This is Midsomer Murders, choose your own adventure style. I had a Famous Five version as a child which I was obsessed with and I spent a lot of hours choosing different paths.
In this interactive novel, a body has been found on the eve of the Midsomer Villages in Bloom competition. Peter James Maddock is found lying underneath a pile of damson jam jars ( there are always good ways to murder in Midsomer!), we learn he has a dark past but what is the reason for his death?
As the newest Midsomer detective, I could choose my own path, choosing which way the story went and it’s such a fun way to spend an evening. I had great fun trying to second guess what was happening, my chosen path unravelled a killer and a big secret - I will say no more. At the end you are sent to a performance review at the end of the book to get a sense of how much you have discovered and if there is room for improvement. And my results?
Case appears closed. Other lines of enquiry need following up. Further training required, but a good candidate for future promotion.
Not bad for a beginner! I’m looking forward to a few more adventures in Midsomer!
✩✩✩.5
mirandamcilheran's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
julesjae's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lorireads2much's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0