Review: THE MODEL MURDER, Amanda Hampson

• 
  this edition published by Penguin Books 2026
  
• ISBN 978-1-76135-034-4
• 324 pages  

Synopsis (publisher)

Never underestimate a tea lady.

Sydney, 1968. When a popular local man is murdered, police are quick to pin the blame on his glamorous model fiancée, who has since disappeared. But Hazel suspects a criminal cover-up and rallies the tea ladies to investigate; a quest that brings danger right to her door.

Meanwhile, Merl’s long-buried family secret threatens to unravel her carefully constructed life. When she stumbles on evidence that her detective son-in-law is corrupt, she’s forced to swallow her pride and reunite with the other tea ladies, enlisting their help to expose him.

Betty becomes immersed in a local theatre group where there is more drama offstage than on it, further complicated by her infatuation with the enigmatic leading man.
Irene aspires to a new career as a debt collector but her first case has more frustrations and obstacles than she bargained for, even with the help of a new weapon. 

My Take

Although a cozy, I found the plot had too many strands, and I seemed constantly to be getting the main characters muddled up.

My rating: 4.3 

I've also read

4.4, THE TEA LADIES

4.4, THE CRYPTIC CLUE 

Review: BIDDING FOR REVENGE, Victoria Tait

• 
  This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09VQWZJGW
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kanga Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 19 August 2022
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 220 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915413031
• Book 3 of 12 ‏ : ‎ A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery  

Synopsis  (Amazon)  

Stolen antiques. An unexplained death. Can an amateur sleuth tell a fake from the real deal before a deadly scam claims another victim?

Trainee antiques expert Dotty Sayers is thrilled but apprehensive when she’s trusted to source period furniture for a local celebrity. Buoyed by the opportunity, she agrees to join her company’s triathlon team during the quiet summer months in Britain’s picturesque Cotswolds. But the race turns deadly when a fellow competitor collapses and dies.

With only a young sergeant willing to question whether the athletic woman’s death was accidental, Dotty turns her attention to rumours of counterfeit furniture and a high-stakes antiques scam. She alerts the police to a suspicious phone call, only to be horrified when her tip places an innocent life in danger.

Can Dotty see through the sham and appraise the evidence to ensure justice is served?

Bidding for Revenge is a British cozy mystery featuring a trainee antiques expert turned reluctant sleuth, a charity triathlon that ends in tragedy, and a counterfeit furniture scam in the heart of the Cotswolds. It blends small‑village charm, gentle humour, and intriguing fraud as the novice investigator juggles workplace loyalties, police scepticism, and determined bidders while following clues others overlook. Ideal for readers who enjoy amateur sleuths, community‑centred mysteries, and puzzles tied to art, antiques and village life.

My Take

This series is developing nicely. Dotty, whom I thought was a bit weak as a sleuth in the first book in the series has become more assertive, observant, and outspoken. There are a number of sub-plots as well as characters who re-appear. It is almost as if a whole landscape is gradually being revealed. 

The antiques theme is being well developed. 

You really do need to read the series from the beginning. 

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

4.3, FAKE DEATH - #1 

4.4, VALUED FOR MURDER - #2

Review: VALUED FOR MURDER, Victoria Tait

• 
  Read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09TRXWWNG
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kanga Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 10 June 2022
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 194 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915413000
• Book 2 of 12 ‏ : ‎ A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery  

Synopsis (Amazon)

An antique TV show. A dead celebrity expert. Can a shy amateur sleuth step into the lime-light and expose a murderer?

Dotty Sayers is enjoying her job in a Cotswold auction house. When she’s offered a place on an antique TV show, she nervously agrees to a makeover and is surprised by the admiring glances she receives. But working at a historic country hotel, she realises the production is in jeopardy when, at the bottom of the circular staircase, one of the experts is found dead.

Dotty can’t help wondering if the death was accidental or if someone else was involved. She promises to stay in the background and leave the investigation to the police, but this amateur detective can’t help uncovering clues. When she returns from viewing a priceless sculpture, and finds her British blue cat missing, she knows she’ll struggle to keep the show on the road.

Can Dotty emerge from behind the scenes and identify the killer?

Valued for Murder is a British cozy mystery featuring a shy but determined amateur sleuth, a behind‑the‑scenes antique TV show, a suspicious “accidental” death in a country‑house hotel, and a missing beloved cat. It blends small‑village charm, light humour, and a slow‑burn personal journey as Dotty steps out of the shadows, navigates prickly TV personalities and nosy locals, and pieces together clues the professionals overlook. Perfect for readers who enjoy closed-circle whodunits, gentle peril rather than gore, and character‑driven mysteries set against quintessentially English, Cotswold scenery.

My Take

As you can see, I have persisted with this series and I have found this outing marginally better that the previous one FAKE DEATH. Dotty is showing potential and is a stronger character. The plot has a couple of nice elements.

So I will be reading more. 

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.3, FAKE DEATH - #1

Review: FAKE DEATH, Victoria Tait

• 
  This edition read on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09TLDS3G1
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kanga Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 8 April 2022
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 198 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838436100
• Book 1 of 12 ‏ : ‎ A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery 

Synopsis  (Amazon)

One dead body. Multiple identities. Can an amateur sleuth see through the charade before she becomes the next victim?

Young widow Dotty Sayers is delighted with her new auction house job in Britain’s picturesque Cotswolds, until she discovers she’s about to lose her home and her chance at a fresh start. Disguising her disappointment, she reluctantly takes part in an autumn parade, but the day’s pageantry is tarnished when an unknown man is found dead.

The police ask Dotty to appraise items from the victim’s home, but rather than learning his name, she uncovers a trail of false identities. When one of them leads to a client, her search for the truth takes a fatal turn.

Can Dotty unmask the killer before she becomes the next victim?

Fake Death is the first book in the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series, a British cozy set in the Cotswolds among an auction house and close-knit village community. Featuring a young military widow turned amateur sleuth who is still finding her feet and building a found family, it delivers a clue driven mystery with multiple identities and no graphic content, perfect for readers who enjoy traditional whodunnits, antiques, and small town secrets with a modern, character focused touch. 

My Take

This novel has all the hallmarks of the beginning of the series - a lot of characters, heaps of information to absorb. For me, the name of the main character took a bit of getting over (see my note elsewhere about coat-tails) and I also found her a bit "soft" as a character. Straightening out who is who and who does what in the antiques firm that Dotty has joined was a challenge. So in reality it is a series that you really need to read from the beginning, one where accumulated knowledge will be an advantage.

The setting seems rather loosely based on those television shows we all watch like Antiques Road Show and Bargain Hunt. The extra element of a crime or two happening in this setting has potential but to be honest Dotty is going to have to get stronger to be a satisfactory sleuth.

In addition a number of the other characters seem to have extensive background stories attached to them, only partially revealed, and at times I had the feeling of having come in in mid-conversation. 

My rating: 4.3

About the author - website

Victoria Tait was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, where she developed a lifelong love of tea and British traditions. Inspired by the works of Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Murder, She Wrote, she writes cozy mysteries infused with her signature British charm.

Her determined and hard-working female sleuths are joined by colourful but realistic teams of helpers, and her settings are vivid and evocative. With intrigue, surprises, and gentle humour, Victoria’s page-turning stories are the perfect blend of mystery and charm—best enjoyed with a cup of tea and a slice of cake. 

Review: A THREE DOG PROBLEM, S.J. Bennett

• 
  This title read as an e-book on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08L3P7CZP
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zaffre, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 11 November 2021
  
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 356 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838774851
• Book 2 of 5 ‏ : ‎ Her Majesty the Queen Investigates  

Synopsis (AmazonAU)

Queen Elizabeth II is having a royal nightmare.

A referendum divides the nation, a tumultuous election grips the United States - and the body of a staff member is found dead beside Buckingham Palace swimming pool.

Is it a tragic accident, as the police think? Or is something more sinister going on?

As Her Majesty looks for answers, her trusted assistant, Rozie, is on the trail of a treasured painting that once hung outside the Queen's bedroom.

But when Rozie receives a threatening anonymous letter, Elizabeth knows dark forces are at work - and far too close to home. After all, though the staff and public may not realise it, she is the keenest sleuth among them. Sometimes, it takes a Queen's eye to see connections where no one else can . . .

My Take

I enjoyed this book far more than I had expected to. So much so that I will very likely read another in the future. The author tells us at the end that the character that she has drawn for Queen Elizabeth II is largely fictitious but I think she has done well, making her very likeable, energetic, clever, and hardworking even at 90. Ditto for Prince Phillip.

Rating: 4.4 

About the Author

SJ Bennett is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Queen Elizabeth II.

The books in the series so far are: 1 The Windsor Knot, 2 A Three Dog Problem (published as All The Queen's Men in North America), 3 Murder Most Royal, 4 A Death in Diamonds, 5 The Queen Who Came in From the Cold, 6 Death on the Royal Yacht (published 2026)

She has written over a dozen novels for both adults and children, and her award-winning books have been translated into over 20 languages. She lives in London.

Sophia's podcast for aspiring writers - Prepublished - is available via her website. It features interviews with Sophie Hannah, Justine Picardie, Jenny Colgan, Sara Collins and many more.

You can find her at her website: sjbennettbooks 

Review: A DEADLY AFFAIR IN THE DALES, Maria Malone

• 
   This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DWT1MG35
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ No Exit Press, Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 14, 2025
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 303 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1835012291
• (Wren & Wilson 1) Kindle Edition
• alternative title: Death in the Countryside 

Synopsis (Amazon)

A delightful Yorkshire cosy mystery with a detective sergeant, her loyal spaniel and a town full of secrets.
Meet Sergeant Ali Wren and her trusty companion Officer Police Dog Wilson, a springer spaniel with a nose for trouble. Together they serve the small Yorkshire town of Heft, where everyone knows everyone else's business. And if they don't, that's a cause for concern…

Ali, who has just returned home to Heft, needs all her diplomatic skills, not to mention a huge sense of humour, to navigate the requirements of her job. Drama lurks around every corner, from rogue parking in the disabled bays to a feud between the long-established Hooley bakery and a fancy new 'cakery-bakery'. When Brian Bright reports his wife Melody missing, at first Ali thinks it's just another routine case. The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that Melody has simply left, tired of playing a supporting role to Brian's obsession with classic cars and his first (dead) wife.

But something niggles. When Ali and Wilson doggedly continue their investigation, they find there was more to Melody than anyone realised – and more to her disappearance too…

My Take

I have thoroughly enjoyed this new cozy, and look forward to another when it comes.

The author has created strong characters and believable scenarios. The plot features a number of spin-offs and reminded me a little in structure of local writer Garry Disher's Hirsch series which is not as cozy but also describes the role played by a local policeman.

5.0, BITTER WASH ROAD - Hirsch #1 - aka HELL TO PAY

5.0, PEACE- Hirsch #2

5.0, CONSOLATION - Hirsch #3

4.7, DAY'S END- Hirsch #4

4.7, MISCHANCE CREEK - Hirsch #5 

My rating: 4.5

About the author
Maria Malone's first crime novel, A Deadly Affair in the Dales (published as Death in the Countryside in the US) is set in the fictional Yorkshire town of Heft, and features Sergeant Ali Wren and her trusty police dog, Officer Wilson, a spaniel with a nose for trouble.

Maria worked in print journalism and television before ghostwriting for many years, working with extraordinary people on their autobiographies. A former Yorkshire Press Awards Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year, she lives in the North-East of England.   

Review: THE QUEEN OF POISONS, Robert Thorogood

• 
   read as an e-book
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HQ, Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 18, 2024
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008567323 
• Book 3 of 5: The Marlow Murder Club 

Synopsis (Amazon) 

Who killed the Mayor? It’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find out…

Geoffrey Lushington, Mayor of Marlow, dies suddenly during a Town Council meeting. When traces of aconite – also known as the queen of poisons – are found in his coffee cup, the police realise he was murdered. But who did it? And why?

The police bring Judith, Suzie and Becks in to investigate as Civilian Advisors right from the start, so they have free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence to their heart’s content, which is perfect because Judith has no time for rules and standard procedure. But this case has the Marlow Murder Club stumped. Who would want to kill the affable Mayor? How did they even get the poison into his coffee? And is anyone else in danger? The Marlow Murder Club are about to face their most difficult case yet … 

My Take

Thoroughly enjoyable, like catching up with old friends, although I've discovered I have missed reading a couple of the 5 published so far. Lots of red herrings and little puzzles to solve. Nice cozy reading.

My rating: 4.5 

I've also read

• 4.6, THE MARLOW MURDER CLUB - #1
• 4.4, MURDER ON THE MARLOW BELLE - #4  

Review: THE BOOKSHOP MYSTERIES: A Murder at the Church, S.A. Reeves

• 
   This edition on Kindle (Amazon)
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DHV7QW1S
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stephen Haunts Ltd, January 21, 2025
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 274 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1068720956
• Book 2 of 4: The Bookshop Mysteries  

Synopsis (Amazon)

When a craft fair turns deadly, Gemma and Mavis investigate a local man’s murder, unearthing many secrets.

In the peaceful town of Belper, Derbyshire, Gemma, the owner of the Bookworm bookshop and café, and her trusted assistant Mavis are exhibiting books at the town’s annual fair. But the tranquillity of the town is shattered when the body of a local man is found in the church.

A man is arrested amidst the chaos, and the evidence against him is compelling but Gemma and Mavis don’t buy it and set out to clear his name and uncover the truth. As they delve deeper, they uncover startling secrets hidden behind the town’s picturesque facade.

Gemma and Mavis must tread carefully as they race against time to uncover the actual killer. But will they go too far? Will their relentless pursuit of justice put them in harm’s way?

My Take

A true cozy. A rather unchallenging but comfortable read. Village life mixed with some character development, and an unexpected death thrown in for good measure.

My rating: 4.3

I've also read

4.4, THE BOOKSHOP MYSTERIES: THE BITTER PILL - #1 

Review: THE GHOST OF LILLY PILLY CREEK, Abbie L. Martin

• 
  This edition available on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BYJT8BNY
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abbie Allen Publishing (March 14, 2023)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 222 pages
• Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0645713902  

Synopsis (Amazon)
After the tragic death of her sister Autumn, Jones returns to her small hometown in South Australia's Adelaide Hills. When Autumn's ghost appears to her, Jones is thrust into a quest to uncover the truth behind her sister's untimely demise.

Together, they resurrect The Memory Bank, a cherished family stationery and bookshop with a twist, whilst unravelling shocking revelations that challenge the notion that Autumn's death was an accident.

As danger lurks, Jones finds herself drawn to Hugo, the owner of a neighbouring wine bar, who willingly aids their mission. With Autumn's ghostly powers guiding them, the sisters race against time to identify the killer before they strike again. Yet, the closer they come to the truth, Jones realizes her own life is on the line.

In this thrilling cozy mystery, follow Jones, Autumn and their friends as they navigate small-town secrets, unearthing clues and trying to stay one step ahead of a murderer. Will they solve the case in time, or will Jones be the next victim?

My Take:

It took me a little while to warm to the ghost element of this novel, the first in a self-published series although by the end I had accepted it. The central mystery of whether Autumn's death was accidental or a murder was well presented and there were a number of believable red herrings.

Of course for me part of the attraction was that this is a local author and some of the settings are very familiar.

I'm willing to keep reading the series.

My rating: 4.4

About the author

Abbie L. Martin is a South Australian author who lives with her family in a small town very similar to Lilly Pilly Creek. She has been dreaming of writing and publishing since she was a child, and when she reached her forties, finally decided to take the leap. Whilst also running a business with her husband, and juggling life with three children, Abbie loves nothing better than peace and quiet with a good book and a glass of wine, preferably an Adelaide Hills sparkling.  

Review: A DEATH IN THE PARISH, Richard Coles

ISBN 978-1-4746-1-269-2 published in UK by Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2023 this edition made available by my local library 414 pages #2 Canon Clement Mystery series Synopsis (publisher)  It’s been a few months since murder tore apart the community of Champton apart. As Canon Daniel Clement tries to steady his flock, the parish is joined with Upper and Lower Badsaddle, bringing a new tide of unwanted change. But church politics soon become the least of Daniel’s problems. His mother – headstrong, fearless Audrey – is obviously up to something, something she is determined to keep from him. And she is not the only one. And then all hell breaks loose when murder returns to Champton in the form of a shocking ritualistic killing…

My Take

There is more than one death in the parish in this book. An elderly parishioner is dying of cancer, and there is a couple who seem to keep turning up at death beds, and more than one case of an altered will. But Daniel and his mother Audrey become executors of her will, and when Audrey is going through the papers she has left, she finds out how the old lady made her money.

There is also a pretty horrific murder in this story. The perpetrator and his reasons comes as a shock.

There are a number of very interesting characters and I think this is one of those series where you need read the series in order so you understand relationships and character development. On the other hand I became annoyed at times with how "guff" in the form of ecclesiastical details slowed the story down.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.5, MURDER BEFORE EVENSONG - Canon Clement Mystery #1

Review: MURDER IN GALWAY, Carlene O'Connor

• 
  this edition supplied by my local library
  
• published by Kensington Books 2019
• 330 pages
• #1 in Home to Ireland Mystery

Synopsis (publisher)

In the first installment of bestselling author Carlene O'Connor's new Home to Ireland Mystery series, New York Tara Meehan's first trip to Galway, Ireland may be her last.

Jump right into the beauty and splendor--and murder--of Tara's Irish adventure! With a gorgeous setting, suspicious characters, and a deadly mystery--Murder in Galway will have you packing your bags...

Tara never imagined her introduction to Ireland like this--carrying her mam's ashes to honor her final request: "Tell Johnny I'm sorry...Take me home." She's never met her mam's estranged brother, Johnny Meehan, who owns an architectural salvage business in Galway. Although Tara is immediately charmed by the medieval city, the locals seem wary of strangers and a gypsy warns her that death is all around.

When Tara arrives at her uncle's stone cottage, the prophesy seems true. A dead man lies sprawled over the threshold in a pool of blood. The victim turns out to be Johnny's wealthiest client, and her missing uncle is the garda's number-one suspect. In trying to find Johnny and solve the crime, Tara uncovers her mam and uncle's troubled past. But with a desperate killer about, she had better mind herself, or they'll be tossing her ashes in Galway Bay... 

My Take

This was quite a complicated story, lots of plot strands, so much to keep track of...

From the moment Tara Meehan arrives in Galway, people seem to be telling her to go home, except the garda who keep telling her not to leave town. Tara has aimed to meet up with her uncle, whom she has never met, and then to scatter her mother's ashes. She accidentally does the latter first, and then, at her uncle's cottage encounters a body which she assumes is his. But, not foer the first or last time, she is wrong.

The problem is that Tara does not know who to trust, and they don't know if they can trust her.

My rating: 4.1

I've also read

Kerry Mystery series

• 4.5, NO STRANGERS HERE - #1 County Kerry Mystery series
• 4.6, SOME OF US ARE LOOKING - #2 County Kerry Mystery series

Irish Village Mystery series

• 4.4, MURDER IN AN IRISH CHURCHYARD - Irish Village Mystery #3
• 4.4, MURDER ON AN IRISH FARM - Irish Village Mystery #8

Review: THE CASE OF THE BEREAVED BUTLER, Cathy Ace

• 
  This edition an e-book from Amazon on Kindle
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CTLHWLV5
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Four Tails Publishing Ltd. (March 18, 2024)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 319 pages
• #9 in the WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries

Synopsis (Amazon) 

‘I KNOW IT WAS MURDER – PLEASE HELP ME PROVE IT!’

The Duke of Chellingworth’s beloved butler is grieving his brother’s death…but was it a really a tragic accident, or was it – as the man’s widow believes – murder? Mavis and the dowager Althea offer the services of the WISE Enquiries Agency to investigate, which puts one of their team in a dangerous situation. Meanwhile, Annie and Tudor are puzzled by a spate of petty thefts at their new pub, and Alexander must confront his largely secret past – possibly endangering his new persona and his relationship with Christine…who has a secret of her own. All this while Carol heads up a case involving an aged business tycoon who’s desperate to find the Welsh farming family who took him in when he was evacuated from London during World War Two.

It’s July in Wales…however, there’s no break in sight for our four softly poached PIs, who are not only facing challenging cases, but also juggling complicated personal lives.

My Take

You can tell from the list below that I am more than a little addicted to this cozy series. The characters have blossomed, the plots are interesting, and the scenarios keep me engaged.

If you would like to take the series on, then be sure to start with the first.  THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER and then read them in order. That way you will get all the background and get to know the characters as they unfold. I particularly enjoy the individuality of each character, the use of gentle humour, and at the same time the references to British history. They come at a price that won't break the bank. At the present books 1-4 come packaged at $2.64 AUD.

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

• THE CORPSE WITH THE SILVER TONGUE 
  
• 4.3, THE CASE OF THE DOTTY DOWAGER  - Welsh Mystery #1
• 4.5, THE CASE OF THE MISSING MORRIS DANCER  - Welsh  Mystery #2
• 4.4, THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS COOK - Welsh Murder #3
• 4.5, THE CASE OF THE UNSUITABLE SUITOR - Welsh Murder #4
• 4.5, THE CASE OF THE DISGRACED DUKE - Welsh Murder #5
• 4.5, THE CASE OF THE ABSENT HEIRS - Welsh Murder #6
• 4.3, THE CASE OF THE CURSED COTTAGE - Welsh Murder #7
• 4.5, THE CASE OF THE UNINVITED UNDERTAKER - Welsh Murder #8

Review: MURDER BEFORE EVENSONG, Richard Coles

• 
  this edition published in 2023 by Charnwood
• Made available by my local library
  
• First published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson 2022
• ISBN 978-1-4448-5187-8
• 311 pages
• (The first book in the Canon Clement Mystery series) 
• 2023 British Book Award Crime and Thriller Book of the Year (nominee)
  2023 Paul Torday Memorial Prize (shortlist)
  

Synopsis (publisher)

Canon Daniel Clement is Rector of Champton. He has been there for eight years, living at the Rectory alongside his widowed mother–opinionated, fearless, ever-so-slightly annoying Audrey–and his two dachshunds, Cosmo and Hilda.

When Daniel announces a plan to install a lavatory in church, the parish is suddenly (and unexpectedly) divided: as lines are drawn, long-buried secrets come dangerously close to destroying the apparent calm of the village.

And then Anthony Bowness–cousin to Bernard de Floures, patron of Champton–is found dead at the back of the church, stabbed in the neck with a pair of pruning shears.

As the police moves in and the bodies start piling up, Daniel is the only one who can try and keep his fractured community together... and catch a killer.

My Take

An interesting who-dunnit, a cozy really from a very different perspective.

This plot is many stranded: Daniel Clement wants to modernise his church by installing a toilet. Who could object you wonder? The suggestion raises many objections. For a start it would involve the removal of a number of medieval (maybe Victorian copies) pews.  The flower arranging group opposes the suggestion as they have their eyes on the space for their own purposes. But there are more serious objections. 

The church's patron, a member of the House of Lords, has heavy involvement in the affairs of the church, as has his family had for centuries. The lives of the family are inextricably linked to that of the village and the parishioners. And there is one who sees their lives threatened to the point of resolving the issue with murder - not just one but 3...

I liked the central characters, and the way the plot was presented, enough to read another at some time.

My rating: 4.5

About the author

The Reverend Richard Coles is the presenter of SATURDAY LIVE on BBC Radio 4. He is also the only vicar in Britain to have had a number-one hit single and appeared on STRICTLY COME DANCING. He read Theology at King's College London, and after ordination worked as a curate in Lincolnshire and subsequently at St Paul's Church in Knightsbridge, London.
He is the author of LIVES OF THE IMPROBABLE SAINTS, two memoirs, FATHOMLESS RICHES and BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES, and the Sunday Times bestseller THE MADNESS OF GRIEF. He lives in his parish of Finedon, Northamptonshire.

Review: MURDER ON THE FARM, Kate Wells

• 
   this edition read on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C727GM8K
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books (September 4, 2023)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 346 pages
• #1 Malvern Farm Mystery series
  

Synopsis (Amazon)

Lambing season always brings the unexpected… But no one expected murder

Jude Gray never thought she’d find herself widowed and running a working farm full-time, but here she is, living in the small Malvern village her husband Adam spent most of his life in.

After a particularly gruelling lambing season, she is looking forward to some time off, but there’s no rest for the wicked, especially when she finds the body of one of Adam’s oldest friends on her farm.

Unimpressed with the local constabulary's efforts, Jude starts an investigation of her own. But as the body count rises, danger creeps ever closer to Malvern Farm.

A killer is on the prowl. And all that stands in their way is one woman – and her dog.

My Take

A well constructed cozy mystery with a number of plot strands. I thoroughly enjoyed it and liked the central character Jude Gray. Life has not been easy for Jude since her husband Adam died of cancer but she is making a go of her sheep farm with the help of a shepherd Noah.

But now her best friend Sarah is in trouble with problems that Jude had not even guessed existed. And then the bodies start to pile up, and the perpetrator is someone Jude has always trusted.

My rating: 4.5 

About the author

Kate grew up in Malvern on the Herefordshire/Worcestershire border and still spends much of her time there. It is her heart's home and the muse for a lot of her writing.

She began her adult life training as a nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital and then moved to Reading where she took a teaching degree.

When she took a break to have her two daughters she began creating stories and hasn't stopped writing since!

Having spent time living and working on farms she developed a love of the rural life and often dreamt of running a sheep farm, especially when she married the son of a farmer. It wasn't to be though, so instead, she lives out her farming dreams through researching and writing her books.

These days she's often found in a field talking to the sheep, or out on the Malvern Hills walking her border collie cross.

Review: MURDER IN AN IRISH CHURCHYARD, Carlene O'Connor

• 
  this edition a large print published by W F Howes 2021
  
• first published 2018
• ISBN 978-1-00404-114-5
• 405 pages
• Irish Village Mystery #3

Synopsis (Fantastic Fiction)

Kilbane has a new garda, and her first case is a grave matter indeed...
After solving two murders in the County Cork village of Kilbane, Siobhán O’Sullivan has accepted her calling and decided to join the Garda Síochána. The O’Sullivan clan couldn’t be prouder, but there’s no time to celebrate as she’s already on another case, summoned by the local priest who just found a dead man in the St. Mary’s graveyard—aboveground.

He’s a stranger, but the priest has heard talk of an American tourist in town, searching for his Irish ancestor. As Siobhán begins to dig for a motive among the gnarled roots of the victim’s family tree, she will need to stay two steps ahead of the killer or end up with more than one foot in the grave. 

My Take

An engaging cozy, focussing on Siobhán O’Sullivan's first case as a Garda.

The local priest wakes her after he hears a gunshot in his local churchyard. He follows that by finding the body of an American tourist.  This case is really above Siobhán's pay grade and a garda from Dublin is brought in to work with her.

Set in the small village of Kilbane, the case is an interesting mix of current police procedural and historical investigation. The American is the head of a successful food chain who has come to Ireland to search his past. He has brought with him his current (3rd) wife, his brother, a nurse, and his two adult children, and a documentary maker who will film their journey.

In addition Siobhán O’Sullivan has a restaurant to run and personal problems to resolve.

I have already begun another series by this author (see below)

My rating: 4.4

I've also read

4.5, NO STRANGERS HERE - #1 Kerry Mystery series

Review: POISON AT THE VILLAGE SHOW, Catherine Coles

• 
  This edition available on Amazon for Kindle
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09NR1NJMT
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boldwood Books (March 17, 2022)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 226 pages
• Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1804150630
• Martha Miller Mysteries #1
  

Synopsis (Amazon)

Westleham Village 1947.

It’s the Westleham village show and with the war finally over, everyone is looking forward to a pleasant day.

But newcomer, Martha Miller doesn’t share the excitement. Because since her husband Stan left for work one day and never returned, Martha has been treated as somewhat of an outsider in Westleham. The village gossip is that Martha must be to blame….

Martha hopes she can win her fellow villagers over with her delicious homemade plum gin. But as glasses of the tangy tipple are quaffed, disaster strikes! Chairwoman of the village show, Alice Warren, slumps to the ground - poisoned!

As fingers of suspicion again point Martha’s way, she’s determined to prove
her innocence and find the real culprit. And she’s ably helped by the new vicar, Luke Walker.

But who would kill Alice and why? And will Luke and Martha discover who is behind the poisoning before it's too late?

My Take

A very readable cozy, with likeable central characters, a plausible plot, and a couple of elements of romance. Set in an English village after World War II, with rationing still in place. This was a quick read and the first in a series of 4. Perhaps the ending was a bit weak.

My rating: 4.2

About the author
Born in Germany to a military father, Catherine’s early years were an adventure in themselves. For the first 14 years of her life, she called various countries abroad her home. It was during this time that she developed her insatiable appetite for stories, courtesy of her school library.

With each turn of the page, Catherine became captivated by two genres: romance and mysteries. The daring escapades of Nancy Drew left a mark on her, igniting a love for mystery stories. Soon, she discovered the genius of Agatha Christie, whose books remain her favourites to this day.

Catherine’s bestselling Tommy & Evelyn Christie Mysteries transport readers to the North Yorkshire countryside of the 1920s while the Martha Miller Mysteries unfold in the charming countryside of post-World War 2 Berkshire. Catherine’s new series, the West Cliffe Bay Cosy Mysteries are contemporary mysteries set in a fictional North Yorkshire village.

Catherine shares her home with her youngest child and two delightfully spoiled dogs who have no idea they are not human.

Review: MURDER AT THE WAKE, Bruce Beckham

• 
  This edition available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01F7QMC8Y
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lucius; 1st edition (July 3, 2016)
  
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 275 pages
• Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1533117829
• Book 7 of 21: Detective Inspector Skelgill Investigates

Synopsis (Amazon) 

ONE WEEK AFTER THE DEATH of his 93-year-old twin brother, the reclusive Declan Thomas O’More is found murdered in his study at the ancestral family estate, rambling and isolated Crummock Hall. Suspicion immediately falls upon his five great nieces and nephews, who between them stand to inherit the considerable proceeds of their grandfather’s will - along with a valuable library of antiquarian books, a collection that is Declan’s lifetime work.

And yet each member of this generation - which includes a famous actor and a successful author - is apparently wealthy in their own right. Why would any of them murder their great uncle?

DI Skelgill and his team must unravel a mystery that not only harks back to the tragic drowning of the children’s parents in Crummock Water in the 1980s, but may also have its roots in the despicable Triangular Trade that enriched so many British and Irish merchant families in the eighteenth century.

My Take

Another fairly complex plot, with a bit thrown in about Skelgill's favourite past-time, fly fishing, and quite a lot of  British historical information.

There are references to a Christie-like plot with a murder taking place at a remote ancestral estate, blocked in by snow, and Skelgill arriving by helicopter.

As usual, just when you think you have this puzzle solved, you realise two things: 1) that you are only half way through the book and so what is going to occupy us for the rest of the text; and 2) the author has just thrown another line of investigation in, and are we going to have to go overr everything again?

I must admit that the final solution was not one I had seen.

A good series: but take the trouble to start from the very beginning!

My rating: 4.6

I've already read

• 4.4, MURDER IN ADLAND- Skelgill #1
• 4.5, MURDER IN SCHOOL - Skelgill #2
• 4.5, MURDER ON THE EDGE  - Skelgill #3
• 4.5, MURDER ON THE LAKE - Skelgill #4
• 4.4, MURDER BY MAGIC - Skelgill #5
• 4.5, MURDER IN THE MIND - Skelgill #6

Review: BITTER POISON, Margaret Mayhew

• 
  This edition on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• #5 in the Village Mysteries series
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08N6Z98LQ
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Joffe Books cozy mysteries and crime (10 November 2020)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 156 pages

Synopsis (Amazon)

A BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN COZY VILLAGE MYSTERY FROM A BESTSELLING AUTHOR

An absorbing Christmas mystery

The Colonel (few people call him Hugh) is busier than ever this Christmas. The Frog End Players have enlisted his woodwork skills to build a set for their annual Christmas pantomime.

This year, it's Hans Christian Andersen's dark fairytale The Snow Queen. Local busybody Marjorie Cuthbertson is on the hunt for her leading lady — and who better to play the icy queen than beautiful new resident, ex-model Joan Dryden. But as interested as they are in their new neighbours, the residents of Frog End remain wary of the Dryden family, considering them snooty Londoners.

But tragedy strikes at the village party . . .

One moment, one of the guests is enjoying a festive mince pie. The next, they are on the floor, clawing at their throat.

A tragic allergic reaction or did someone mean to kill?

The Colonel must find out if this was just a terrible accident . . . or bitter revenge.

DISCOVER A BEAUTIFULLY DRAWN PICTURE OF ENGLAND WITH A BAFFLING MYSTERY FOR THE COLONEL TO UNRAVEL 

My Take

I've now finished this series although I read the last 2 books out of order.

If you take them on, do read them in order to get the best out of them. They are quick cozies and seem to capture village life as I imagine it to be.

I have enjoyed meeting the people living in the village of Frog End, and reading through the various scenarios. I did get a little tired of the re-capping of the plots that occurred before books 5 and 6.

My rating: 4.3

I've also read

• 4.2, DRY BONES - Village Mysteries #3
  
• 4.4, OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE - - Village Mysteries #1 
• 4.4, THREE SILENT THINGS - Village Mysteries #2 
• 4.3, DRY BONES - Village Mysteries #3
• 4.3, THE SEVENTH LINK- Village Mysteries #4
• 4.3, THE LIFELINE - Village Mysteries #6

Review: MURDER IN TUSCANY, T.A. Williams

• 
  This edition published in 2022 published by Boldwood Books
• ISBN 978-1-80483-218-9
  
• 410 PAGES (large print)
• made available by my local library

Synopsis (publisher) 

A brand new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany…It’s murder in paradise!

A remote retreat…

Nestled high in the Tuscan hills lies Villa Volpone, home to renowned crime writer Jonah Moore and his creative writing course. It’s also the last place retired DCI Dan Armstrong expected to spend his retirement! Dan’s no writer, but maybe this break will help him to think about the next chapter in his own life story?

A gruesome murder…

But only days into the course, Jonah Moore is found stabbed to death with his award-winning silver dagger! And Dan finds himself pulled out of retirement with a killer to catch.

Eleven possible suspects.

The other guests all seem shocked by Jonah’s death, but Dan knows that one of them must be lying. And as he and Italian Commissario Virgilio Pisano begin to investigate it quickly becomes clear that everyone at Villa Volpone has secrets to hide…

But can Dan discover who the murderer is before they strike again?

A gripping new murder mystery series by bestselling author T.A. Williams, perfect for fans of Lee Strauss and Beth Byers.

My Take

Recently retired London DCI Dan Armstrong was given a two week creative writing course as a retirement present by his former colleagues. The focus of the course is a surprise to him, and several times he has thought of not attending. But the location in Tuscany is a drawcard.

The fact that the writer who has initiated the course is found dead after a couple days, stabbed to the heart in his dining room while Dan is visiting the police in Florence becomes an added bonus.

The case ends up changing the direction of Dan's life.

An enjoyable cozy read.

My rating: 4.3

About the author
T A Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador Oscar and the first book, entitled Murder in Tuscany, will be published in October 2022. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

Review: THE LIFELINE, Margaret Mayhew

• 
  This edition supplied as an e-book on Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08NWBZ7XY
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Joffe Books crime fiction and cozy mysteries (November 18, 2020)
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 185 pages
• #6 in the Village Mystery series 

Synopsis (Amazon)

A CHILLING DISCOVERY IS MADE IN ONE OF THE MANOR'S GREENHOUSES

When a chilling discovery is made in one of the manor’s greenhouses, the Frog End villagers rely on the Colonel to reluctantly solve another baffling mystery.
Major Cuthbertson stumbles across a body among the fragrant tomato plants. A bloody spade lies next to the face-down victim.

Ruth Harvey has taken over the manor in Frog End, where she runs a successful plant-selling business and provides gardening therapy for some of her husband Dr Tom

Harvey's troubled patients. They include embittered Lawrence Deacon, lonely Joyce Reed, widowed Tanya Carberry and wheelchair-bound Johnny Turner, the young victim of a horrific motorbike crash.

Gardening at the manor quickly becomes a much-needed lifeline for the group, and all seems to be going well – until the major stumbles across a body among the tomato plants in one of the greenhouses. Once again, the manor is the scene of a brutal murder – and, once again, the Colonel reluctantly finds himself drawn into solving the mystery.

DISCOVER A BEAUTIFULLY DRAWN PICTURE OF ENGLAND WITH A WICKED MURDERER FOR THE COLONEL TO WEED OUT

Perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Stella Cameron.

My Take:

I have inadvertently read #6 in this series instead of #5 which I will get to later.

The main characters of the series have been well established in earlier books, but, unfortunately, instead of assuming we've all read the earlier titles, the author has resorted to the "potted plots" technique and given readers a short summary of what has gone before. The result is, to be quite honest, a bit tedious. I estimate that as much as 40% of this book is taken up with re-telling what we already knew. Disappointing, although there are a couple of issues for discussion that come out of the main plot.

This is the last book in the series, in fact, the last book the author has written, and I have enjoyed the series. The Colonel (we never do find out his surname, do we?) is a well drawn character, who inadvertently becomes involved in the solving of local murders. His relationships with other members of the village of Frog End provide interest and depth to the book without becoming too personal.

In the main the books are each a quick and satisfying read.

My rating: 4.3 

I've also read

• 4.2, DRY BONES - Village Mysteries #3
  
• 4.4, OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE - - Village Mysteries #1 
• 4.4, THREE SILENT THINGS - Village Mysteries #2 
• 4.3, DRY BONES - Village Mysteries #3
• 4.3, THE SEVENTH LINK- Village Mysteries #4

VILLAGE MYSTERIES SERIES
Book 1: OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE
Book 2: THREE SILENT THINGS
Book 3: DRY BONES
Book 4: THE SEVENTH LINK
Book 5: BITTER POISON
Book 6: THE LIFELINE