Again Octavius Guy who is send to Highbury with his friend George to deal with the reverend Burr. The man is in the congregation due to a strange but very legal right called the advowson. People in the community want him removed, but Octavius didn't think it would be so permanent. The book is very amusing, I loved the earlier books by Michael Gallagher and this one is very nice. I even could follow all the detective stuff Octavius was going through.
Disclaimer: I got this book in the Librarything Early Reviewers. ( )

Whenever I start a new Octavius Guy story, I remember why I love this series so much, and this latest offering does not dfisappoint!

Octavius and George go undercover in the village of Highbury to investigate the Rector of the local church, a man by the name of Reverend Burr, who some of the locals are unhappy with. They are hoping the boys can dig up some dirt on him so they can use it to have him replaced, but before that can happen, someone decides to get rid of Reverend Burr another way... by murder! What starts off as a somewhat simple investigation turns into something much more complicated, and has Octavius and George using all their detecting skills to uncover the killer.

As usual, the author has some an amazing job with his research and detail. Set in Victorian times, the characters and their lifestyle comes alive, giving the reader a true feel for the way life was lived by some of the different social classes at the time. The mystery itself is intriguing and it kept me guessing right till the end. Octavius and George are such solid. and likeable characters that I found it easy to imagine them as I read, hearing their banter in my head, and enjoying the different aspects of their relationships with each other. The inclusion of George's sister. and her budding romance with Octavius, much to George's consternation, made for some humourous moments, and I look forward to seeing how that evolves in future books.

Octavius is clever and astute in his deductions, but has a hearts that cares about the people involved, and weighs justice with that in mind. He and George make a great pair and complement each other well in personality. I especially liked how the story was resolved in this case, and I really enjoyed having it set outside of London for a nice change of pace. Village mysteries with lots of interesting characters who all have a motive are always a favourite of mine, and the excellent historical research (and notes at the end) makes it perfect for anyone who, like me, is also a history buff who loves a glimpse into how people lived in the past. This series just gets better and better. I can't wait to read about their next adventure. Highly recommended! ( )

Oh, No, Octavius, - Octavius Guy and the Case of the Quibbling Cleric" by Michael Gallagher

Oh, No, Octavius is a great mystery read and I highly recommend it. Set in Victorian London, its narrator is a 15 year old reformed pickpocket and now an investigator of missing cats, persons, and treasures. Octavius aka Octopus aka Gooseberry and his assistant George Crump are sent on a clandestine mission to ferret out compromising data about the Reverend Burr, the rector of Highbury Church and the headmaster of Reverend Burr's School for Boys. Why is the Reverend Burr's career in jeopardy? Because a few of his more important parishioners want him removed, each for his/her own unknown reasons. So as cover, Octavius is enrolled in the school as a day student, while George takes the role of a kitchen skivvy under the eyes of the suspicious school cook Mrs. Binn, and he must bunk in the cowshed with Pickles, the lad who empties the school's chamberpots, and with the cow.

A more delightful and colorful set of characters is hard to find and you will enjoy Octavius's struggles with school, encountering a dreadful bully and attempting to conjugate Latin imperfect subjunctive verbs.

The mystery develops when the Rev. Burr is found dead in his chapel with his face bashed in. Octavius, already on the scene and familiar with the potential suspects (his employers), stays on to investigate and also to enlarge his "Rules of Investigation" that he is developing for George's benefit. One rule is "Never let the police have any information that you have uncovered on your own" and the lads keep the official constabulary guessing and chasing " red herrings" or as Octavius phrases it "smoked haddock."

The story unfolds in unexpected ways and Michael Gallagher will have you guessing the truth until the very last page.

" Oh, No, Octavius" is the fourth book in a series of Octavius/Gooseberry books written by the author. I look forward to reading the earlier stories in the series and learning about his other adventures in solving mysteries. ( )

This book was interesting enough that I read the entire thing, although it is longer than it needs to be. It is too long because detailed information arising out of the author’s impressive background research, as well as episodes that primarily relate to the main character’s previous adventures, are included even when they do not serve to develop the present narrative.

The plot is very convoluted. I was disappointed to find that the method of the murder, as well as the murderer’s motivations, were both impossible for me to credit and (in the case of the latter) offensive. I can’t go into more detail on those points without revealing spoilers.

The characterization detracted very much from my enjoyment of the book. The main character is unlikable (arrogant, self-absorbed, and manipulative, even when there is no good reason for it aside from his own amusement), while the rest of the characters appear to exist solely for the main character’s benefit. They lack agency (their personal motivations are all stereotypical, nonsensical, and/or revolve around the main character). The female characters in particular suffer from stereotyping and an inability to think or act without focusing on men in some manner. All of the characters are unrealistically respectful and even deferential to the main character, who is for all intents and purposes a sly, smug, know-it-all teenage boy (a type many people in real life find at least a little bit intolerable).

I spent quite some time trying to figure out exactly why I did not like this book in particular while I do like several other books with arrogant, crafty teenage male characters. I concluded that it is because in those other books the characters who are not the protagonist have enough substance and will of their own to be interesting in themselves (not in relation to the protagonist) and to seriously challenge and engage the main character in ways that he cannot always control, and the main character exhibits some evidence of personal growth in unexpected directions from time to time. ( )

You know a series is a favorite when the author notes and extras are as enjoyable to the reader as the story! This series is a wonderful addition to any mystery lovers library. For fans of historical fiction, especially Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Sherlock Holmes and their contemporaries and authors inspired by them. Not only is this a great mystery but a fabulous look at the times and conditions. Included, as is popular in present day mystery books, are several recipes at the end!

Having established themselves as actual investigators, Octavious and guy pal George find themselves going under`cover in this latest installment of this Victorian era detective series. They are hired to find a way to remove an undesirable head master and Reverand from a local boys school, quite a step up from their own station in life. Octavious is poised as a distant relative of a client to attend the school while George is employed as a manservant. The daily meals are a bonus to this job.
Tough subject matter is spotlighted as well as questionable choices and behaviors made by a female member of the household. We also get to view more of George and Octavious's personal life, as the latter pursues his interest in George's sister.

There is so much in this series to love! From the storyline, to the characters I have fallen in love with, and, as mentioned above, all the wonderful extras author Michael Gallagher provides for his readers, FASCINATING stuff! Excellent job, as usual. A box set of these books would make a most wonderful gift for your own favorite reader. Be sure to buy copies for yourself as well. I suggest the print version so you can appreciate the wonderful covers. ( )