Articles by Jonathan Dennis

It’s time for the return of superstar guest reviewer Jonathan Dennis who once again has enabled me to avoid insanity by taking on some of my workload. This time, following his triumphant success at reviewing the first Brenda and Effie Mystery, The Woman In A Black Beehive, he’s turned his attention to the second part, Bat Out of Hull.

I’ll hand over to Jonathan after the jump, but first, a synopsis!

Plot
Welcome back to Whitby! Come and join Brenda and Effie for a night out at the Christmas Hotel, where a once-famous ventriloquist delights in causing chaos and putting the willies up old women.

Why does long-eared bat puppet Tolstoy seem eerily alive of his own accord? Why is Brenda walking about the harbour at night in only her night-things? And what is the secret of the olde-worlde toyshop tucked up an alley in Robin Hood’s Bay?

There is strangeness occurring at the seaside, and our heroines will be forced, once more, to beat off the forces of darkness before this night is through.

Anne Reid (Last Tango in Halifax, Dinnerladies) stars in episode 2 of The Brenda and Effie Mysteries. You can buy each release individually, or subscribe to the whole series. Subscribers will also receive a digital copy of Vince Cosmos: Glam Rock Detective by Paul Magrs, plus an exclusive Brenda and Effie art print by artist Paul Hanley.

Continue reading “Review: The Brenda and Effie Mysteries – Bat Out of Hull”

Hello all. Well I may have been a lazy boy over the Christmas period, but that doesn’t mean everyone else has been one, too.

In fact, kind soul, philanthropist and all round nice guy Jonathan Dennis has been doing my work for me, reviewing the latest Bafflegab production: The Brenda and Effie Mysteries – The Woman In A Black Beehive. Bless him.

Bafflegab, of course, are responsible for the likes of the Hammer Chillers and the Vince Cosmos series, and The Woman In a Black Beehive represents the first of a series of Brenda and Effie mysteries, all written by the brilliant Paul Magrs as extensions of his original novel series.

For those who want to know more, here’s the synopsis, and you can read Jonathan’s review after the jump.

Plot
Welcome to the mysterious town of Whitby, where all the monsters and demons of old come to retire and live out the remainder of their spooky days and nights and eat fish and chips on the Seafront.

There’s a strange new landlady in town, opening a B&B by the harbour; a lady with a tall black beehive, nasty scars about her person and a very chequered past. Soon she’s teamed up with part-time witch Effie and together they investigate the mystery of the ghostly singing cat on the rooftops of the old town, and the savage maulings of old ladies in lonely alleyways. Also – there’s something very peculiar about the quite frankly awful oil painting Effie drags home from an auction. Can it really be coming to ghastly life?

Here we are at the very start: about to hear the truth of what happened when Brenda met Effie and hell was unleashed in Whitby for the very first time..!

Paul Magrs’ macabre creations are brought to life by Anne Reid (Last Tango in Halifax) in episode 1 of The Brenda and Effie Mysteries. You can buy each release individually, or subscribe to the whole series. Subscribers will also receive a copy of Vince Cosmos: Glam Rock Detective by Paul Magrs, plus other subscriber bonuses.

Continue reading “Review: The Brenda and Effie Mysteries – The Woman in a Black Beehive”