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The Bingo Hall Detectives #4
The Garden Club Murders
Growing, growing, gone…
Penrith, in the heart of the Lake District, is not the kind of place you can easily vanish.
Certainly not when the members of the Penrith Bingo Club are trying to track you down. But even stalwart sleuth, Amita Khatri, and her son in law, Jason, are foxed this time when a local woman tells them her husband, a mild-mannered academic has gone missing.
And he’s not the only person to disappear. Soon Amita, Jason, and irascible retired copper, Frank, are searching for more people – and some missing money to boot.
From the veg patches of Penrith to the shores of Ullswater, as Jason and Amita comb the Cumbrian countryside for clues, they soon realise they’ve stumbled a case where planting the evidence takes on a whole new meaning. And unless they can unearth some answers soon, they might be the next people to disappear…
Penrith, in the heart of the Lake District, is not the kind of place you can easily vanish.
Certainly not when the members of the Penrith Bingo Club are trying to track you down. But even stalwart sleuth, Amita Khatri, and her son in law, Jason, are foxed this time when a local woman tells them her husband, a mild-mannered academic has gone missing.
And he’s not the only person to disappear. Soon Amita, Jason, and irascible retired copper, Frank, are searching for more people – and some missing money to boot.
From the veg patches of Penrith to the shores of Ullswater, as Jason and Amita comb the Cumbrian countryside for clues, they soon realise they’ve stumbled a case where planting the evidence takes on a whole new meaning. And unless they can unearth some answers soon, they might be the next people to disappear…
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2025
19 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 11, 2025
A lighthearted murder mystery, featuring amateur sleuths and pensioners.
This was an entertaining story, that kept me guessing.
I enjoyed the dynamic between Amita and her son-in-law Jason.
I will definitely be looking for more light-hearted and entertaining stories from Jonathan Whitelaw.
Format: Audiobook, thanks to Borrowbox
Audio time: 10 hours, 14 minutes
This was an entertaining story, that kept me guessing.
I enjoyed the dynamic between Amita and her son-in-law Jason.
I will definitely be looking for more light-hearted and entertaining stories from Jonathan Whitelaw.
Format: Audiobook, thanks to Borrowbox
Audio time: 10 hours, 14 minutes
September 20, 2025
This is the 4th book in the series and although I read this as a standalone, I think reading them in order would make for an even more enjoyable experience.
Amita loses her phone on a night out and goes to the local wheeler and dealer to get a new one. She soon finds herself involved in a mystery when she gets an ominous message on her new phone. Amita and her son-in-law Jason are soon on the trail of two missing men and they could be next on the list
This was a fun cosy mystery with lots of comical moments. Amita is a great leading character and is formidable in her approach to sleuthing. I loved the relationship and banter between her and her sleuthing partner, Jason. They just work so well together. I also really enjoyed the bingo and garden club characters!
The pacing is slow but I didn't mind this as I enjoyed Amita and her response to situations and because I haven't read the rest of the series it gave me time to understand the characters more as it is character driven.
I also loved books set in Cumbria and the author did a great job of setting the scene.
The story was well written and enjoyable. I will add the rest of the series to my ever-growing tbr pile... What happens in Manchester stays in Manchester!
Amita loses her phone on a night out and goes to the local wheeler and dealer to get a new one. She soon finds herself involved in a mystery when she gets an ominous message on her new phone. Amita and her son-in-law Jason are soon on the trail of two missing men and they could be next on the list
This was a fun cosy mystery with lots of comical moments. Amita is a great leading character and is formidable in her approach to sleuthing. I loved the relationship and banter between her and her sleuthing partner, Jason. They just work so well together. I also really enjoyed the bingo and garden club characters!
The pacing is slow but I didn't mind this as I enjoyed Amita and her response to situations and because I haven't read the rest of the series it gave me time to understand the characters more as it is character driven.
I also loved books set in Cumbria and the author did a great job of setting the scene.
The story was well written and enjoyable. I will add the rest of the series to my ever-growing tbr pile... What happens in Manchester stays in Manchester!
February 9, 2025
The Bingo Hall Detectives are back for a fourth adventure! After an evening out in Manchester with her fellow bingo players, Amita Khatri returns home, hungover as heck and without her mobile.
Unable to deal with being cut off, she picks up a used phone from a contact dealing goods from his allotment shed, and starts getting worrying messages, sent to the phone’s previous owner.
Amita Khatri is a pensioner, fond of sparkly shell suits, and known as the Sheriff of Penrith. Living with her daughter, Radha, and her family – freelance journalist Jason and their two children – she has been involved in solving a number of crimes in the local area, dragging her hapless son-in-law into the escapades.
The messages on the new phone worry Amita, and once again convinces Jason to help investigate. Soon they are on the case of two missing men – one an academic IT lecturer and researcher, the other his shady-sounding business partner. Unwilling to go to the police initially, they recruit the irrascible former DI Frank Alby, a bundle of rage and anger, now retired to a life of meditation. Meeting back up with Jason and Amita, no amount of meditation is going to temper his irritable nature – they’ve crossed paths before in previous adventures, and Amita has to use all her persuasive powers to get him involved with them again.
What follows is a fun chaotic investigation with wonderfully drawn characters, and there are many laugh out loud moments. Amita is such a brilliant character, a real force of nature – a detecting whirlwind who drags everyone along in her wake, regardless if she’s even going in the right direction. As always, the characters are brilliantly and sharply written. I just love the relationship between Amita and Jason – they’re a fabulous team.
Just don’t ask what happened in Manchester.
Thank you to the author, Harper North and Netgalley for the advanced eARC for review.
Unable to deal with being cut off, she picks up a used phone from a contact dealing goods from his allotment shed, and starts getting worrying messages, sent to the phone’s previous owner.
Amita Khatri is a pensioner, fond of sparkly shell suits, and known as the Sheriff of Penrith. Living with her daughter, Radha, and her family – freelance journalist Jason and their two children – she has been involved in solving a number of crimes in the local area, dragging her hapless son-in-law into the escapades.
The messages on the new phone worry Amita, and once again convinces Jason to help investigate. Soon they are on the case of two missing men – one an academic IT lecturer and researcher, the other his shady-sounding business partner. Unwilling to go to the police initially, they recruit the irrascible former DI Frank Alby, a bundle of rage and anger, now retired to a life of meditation. Meeting back up with Jason and Amita, no amount of meditation is going to temper his irritable nature – they’ve crossed paths before in previous adventures, and Amita has to use all her persuasive powers to get him involved with them again.
What follows is a fun chaotic investigation with wonderfully drawn characters, and there are many laugh out loud moments. Amita is such a brilliant character, a real force of nature – a detecting whirlwind who drags everyone along in her wake, regardless if she’s even going in the right direction. As always, the characters are brilliantly and sharply written. I just love the relationship between Amita and Jason – they’re a fabulous team.
Just don’t ask what happened in Manchester.
Thank you to the author, Harper North and Netgalley for the advanced eARC for review.
March 3, 2025
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
I will say that some of my issues with this one may be down to this being book 4 in a series where I haven't read any of the previous titles, however, I will also say that there is no indication that this is even part of a series even on Goodreads, it's not tagged as part of the series and the description doesn't tell you either. The only reason I realised was getting partway through the book and seeing references to something similar apparently happening before and not feeling the characters were being introduced properly, so I checked reviews and it was only there that I found out.
But still I persevered because I'd read another cozy mystery which was a sequel and I found I was able to read it standalone, this however, is harder to do that with.
I think the main reason is because it takes a good quarter of the book for the actual crime to be revealed and the lead-up is very slow-paced and focused on characters I have zero connection with and found...Odd. Amita's strange attitude to not wanting to buy a phone from an actual shop just felt bizarre to me, could she not just say she dropped her phone and broke it? It felt like a forced way of getting her to have a phone with suspicious messages, an undoubtedly cool idea, but it just felt very forced.
I did enjoy the Bingo Hall/Garden Club aspect and honestly wish we'd spent more time with those groups but the time we did spend there was enjoyable, I would honestly be down with the Bingo ladies solving crimes as a group tbh.
Because I wasn't invested in the characters and it was a fairly slow-paced book I had a hard time staying with it, I did almost DNF but then came back to it a few weeks later. Part of this is presumably the fact that this is the 4th book but again there wasn't any indication of that either in the Netgalley or Goodreads pages.
I will say that some of my issues with this one may be down to this being book 4 in a series where I haven't read any of the previous titles, however, I will also say that there is no indication that this is even part of a series even on Goodreads, it's not tagged as part of the series and the description doesn't tell you either. The only reason I realised was getting partway through the book and seeing references to something similar apparently happening before and not feeling the characters were being introduced properly, so I checked reviews and it was only there that I found out.
But still I persevered because I'd read another cozy mystery which was a sequel and I found I was able to read it standalone, this however, is harder to do that with.
I think the main reason is because it takes a good quarter of the book for the actual crime to be revealed and the lead-up is very slow-paced and focused on characters I have zero connection with and found...Odd. Amita's strange attitude to not wanting to buy a phone from an actual shop just felt bizarre to me, could she not just say she dropped her phone and broke it? It felt like a forced way of getting her to have a phone with suspicious messages, an undoubtedly cool idea, but it just felt very forced.
I did enjoy the Bingo Hall/Garden Club aspect and honestly wish we'd spent more time with those groups but the time we did spend there was enjoyable, I would honestly be down with the Bingo ladies solving crimes as a group tbh.
Because I wasn't invested in the characters and it was a fairly slow-paced book I had a hard time staying with it, I did almost DNF but then came back to it a few weeks later. Part of this is presumably the fact that this is the 4th book but again there wasn't any indication of that either in the Netgalley or Goodreads pages.
August 30, 2025
As book 4 in the Bingo Detectives series, this heart-warming, funny and exhilarating murder mystery can be read as a standalone (as I did) or as a continuation of a series. Somehow managing to make the local bingo hall and their quiet village into a hive of activity, Amita (pensioner, amateur sleuth and occasional battle-axe) and her ex-journalist, son-in-law Jason find themselves investigating not one but two disappearances. Not quite what you expect in the Lake District.
This is an exciting ride that really picks up speed as it gets going, especially towards the end where there are surprises in every chapter. Jason and Amita are an entertaining and unlikely pair to turn detective, which makes the banter between them worth the read on its own. This book also doesn’t suffer from that irritating habit of some murder mysteries where you don’t meet the murderer until right at the end (making it impossible, and pointless, to try and guess the villain). Overall, it is a lovely blend of cosy family scenes and heart-pumping action, this is a fun and easy read for all ages.
If I had any criticism for this story, it is that there is quite a bit of time spent at the beginning laying down the red herrings and yet somehow some of Amita’s deductions at the end seem to come out of thin air (they don’t actually there are plenty of hints), but I think there’s a tiny pacing issue that gives that impression. That said, once all the main characters and their backstories have been established things speed up considerably and it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment.
For transparency, I was delighted to receive an e-ARC copy of this book for review and look forward to supporting more of the author’s work.
This is an exciting ride that really picks up speed as it gets going, especially towards the end where there are surprises in every chapter. Jason and Amita are an entertaining and unlikely pair to turn detective, which makes the banter between them worth the read on its own. This book also doesn’t suffer from that irritating habit of some murder mysteries where you don’t meet the murderer until right at the end (making it impossible, and pointless, to try and guess the villain). Overall, it is a lovely blend of cosy family scenes and heart-pumping action, this is a fun and easy read for all ages.
If I had any criticism for this story, it is that there is quite a bit of time spent at the beginning laying down the red herrings and yet somehow some of Amita’s deductions at the end seem to come out of thin air (they don’t actually there are plenty of hints), but I think there’s a tiny pacing issue that gives that impression. That said, once all the main characters and their backstories have been established things speed up considerably and it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment.
For transparency, I was delighted to receive an e-ARC copy of this book for review and look forward to supporting more of the author’s work.
September 23, 2025
Jonathan Whitelaw’s The Garden Club Murders is the latest installment in his popular cozy mystery series featuring the unlikely but beloved sleuthing duo, Amita and her son-in-law Jason. Their warm, quirky dynamic has always been a highlight of these Scottish mysteries, offering both humor and heart alongside the whodunits.
In this book, however, their chemistry felt slightly dimmed. Instead of the natural ease that made them such a fan-favorite team, the relationship read a bit heavier, as if the spark had been turned down.
The mystery itself was engaging, filled with classic cozy touches and enough red herrings to keep me guessing. That said, it lacked some of the snappy energy of earlier books. Frank Alby’s return felt more like an unnecessary cameo, while Radha’s scenes leaned into déjà vu territory, repeating familiar beats from previous installments.
Still, Whitelaw’s gift for creating eccentric characters and capturing Scottish charm shines through. Even when the pacing falters, The Garden Club Murders remains a delightful cozy mystery read for fans of quirky amateur sleuths and small-town secrets.
While this wasn’t my favorite of the series, I’m still firmly Team Jason and Amita and I’ll happily return for the next book in Jonathan Whitelaw’s cozy mystery collection.
If this review tickled your detective senses 🕵️♀️🔍, come snoop around my blog for more feel-good mysteries, page-turning escapades, and the occasional plot twist that even I didn’t see coming. 📚✨ Swing by Views She Writes — where books aren’t just read, they’re interrogated (nicely) until the truth spills out.
In this book, however, their chemistry felt slightly dimmed. Instead of the natural ease that made them such a fan-favorite team, the relationship read a bit heavier, as if the spark had been turned down.
The mystery itself was engaging, filled with classic cozy touches and enough red herrings to keep me guessing. That said, it lacked some of the snappy energy of earlier books. Frank Alby’s return felt more like an unnecessary cameo, while Radha’s scenes leaned into déjà vu territory, repeating familiar beats from previous installments.
Still, Whitelaw’s gift for creating eccentric characters and capturing Scottish charm shines through. Even when the pacing falters, The Garden Club Murders remains a delightful cozy mystery read for fans of quirky amateur sleuths and small-town secrets.
While this wasn’t my favorite of the series, I’m still firmly Team Jason and Amita and I’ll happily return for the next book in Jonathan Whitelaw’s cozy mystery collection.
If this review tickled your detective senses 🕵️♀️🔍, come snoop around my blog for more feel-good mysteries, page-turning escapades, and the occasional plot twist that even I didn’t see coming. 📚✨ Swing by Views She Writes — where books aren’t just read, they’re interrogated (nicely) until the truth spills out.
February 12, 2025
This is actually the 4th in the Bingo Hall Detectives series of books, which I didn't realise at the time. Maybe I would have had a better time with this book and its characters had I managed to play catch-up, but sadly, there just wasn't the time to do that.
It wasn't long after I started that I realised this mistake as I felt that the characters weren't being introduced completely, and I think that made it hard for me to connect fully to them initially, which is a shame. That said, I did get there, but it did take a wee while, probably not helped by the fact that the pacing was so slow with nothing really much happening initially, apart from a side story which, for me, was blatantly obvious what had happened, but which kept cropping up as the rest of the story progressed.
Another thing that didn't really help was that I am not sure my sense of humour and that displayed in this book are really in alignment. I did find a couple things on the funny side but I also cringed at others.
Anyway... nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I think what I have to gain about this experience is that this series is just not for me. I say series and not author as I have read other books by him and enjoyed them.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
It wasn't long after I started that I realised this mistake as I felt that the characters weren't being introduced completely, and I think that made it hard for me to connect fully to them initially, which is a shame. That said, I did get there, but it did take a wee while, probably not helped by the fact that the pacing was so slow with nothing really much happening initially, apart from a side story which, for me, was blatantly obvious what had happened, but which kept cropping up as the rest of the story progressed.
Another thing that didn't really help was that I am not sure my sense of humour and that displayed in this book are really in alignment. I did find a couple things on the funny side but I also cringed at others.
Anyway... nothing ventured, nothing gained, and I think what I have to gain about this experience is that this series is just not for me. I say series and not author as I have read other books by him and enjoyed them.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
September 5, 2025
‘The Garden Club Murders’ is a fun, cosy crime with laugh-out-loud comedic turns and a great detective duo. This is the fourth book in the series, and despite owning the first book, I never got around to reading it! However, it can easily be read as a stand-alone book. Maybe a touch more of a character introduction was needed, but I got the gist of things!
Amita and her son-in-law Jason are Penrith’s answer to Cagney and Lacey! The dynamic between the two was lovely to see, as it is quite a unique relationship for a murder mystery. I was slightly more intrigued by Jason and his backstory, but both of them were a hoot to read. Elder characters may be trending at the moment, and long may it continue. Fiction has to be reflective of society, and we don’t suddenly become less curious when we retire!
The mystery of the missing men was an interesting plot and kept my attention. The pacing of the book could have been a tad quicker in the beginning but it soon picked up speed. It was a fun and lighthearted read and I definitely will be going back and picking up with the rest of the series!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
January 13, 2025
***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
Another cozy murder mystery - heavy emphasis on the cozy. This is quite a slow paced plot, it took nearly a quarter of the book to find out what the actual crime was and who it had happened to.
I will say I thought there were some innovate plot elements regards the mystery itself, but for me it wasn’t pacy enough to keep my attention well. Some parts were a bit overdone - the retired inspector who hates the son in law, that narrative has been set, I’m not sure we need two paragraphs of jibes each time they meet.
I think this is a series which I didn’t realise when I started, I’m not sure I was invested enough in the characters to read any more myself but suspect there will be an interested demographic of readers nonetheless.
Another cozy murder mystery - heavy emphasis on the cozy. This is quite a slow paced plot, it took nearly a quarter of the book to find out what the actual crime was and who it had happened to.
I will say I thought there were some innovate plot elements regards the mystery itself, but for me it wasn’t pacy enough to keep my attention well. Some parts were a bit overdone - the retired inspector who hates the son in law, that narrative has been set, I’m not sure we need two paragraphs of jibes each time they meet.
I think this is a series which I didn’t realise when I started, I’m not sure I was invested enough in the characters to read any more myself but suspect there will be an interested demographic of readers nonetheless.
August 27, 2025
First of all, this is a new author for me and although it’s book 4 in the bingo hall detectives series you can read it as a standalone like what I done. It’s very easy to catch up with what’s happened previously. I’ll definitely be reading more in this series.
It actually made me think that me and my aunt Janet could end up being like Amita and her son-in-law 😂
It’s so quirky and the title is intriguing. I loved the cover and as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to be involved in the tour with @lovebookstours
The chapters are quite short but the book still moves along at quite a fast pace. It keeps you engaged while also telling you want you need to hear.
The story starts when Amita loses her phone and she gets a new one from a dodgy guy at the allotment 😂😂 honestly you know it’s cause she’s embarrassed she’s lost her phone but it’s not a great decision and this sets them on a missing persons case when Amita receives a message saying “I know you killed him”
I’ll be honest and say I had no idea who the culprit was, I was happy just to be along for the ride. It was such an enjoyable book.
It actually made me think that me and my aunt Janet could end up being like Amita and her son-in-law 😂
It’s so quirky and the title is intriguing. I loved the cover and as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to be involved in the tour with @lovebookstours
The chapters are quite short but the book still moves along at quite a fast pace. It keeps you engaged while also telling you want you need to hear.
The story starts when Amita loses her phone and she gets a new one from a dodgy guy at the allotment 😂😂 honestly you know it’s cause she’s embarrassed she’s lost her phone but it’s not a great decision and this sets them on a missing persons case when Amita receives a message saying “I know you killed him”
I’ll be honest and say I had no idea who the culprit was, I was happy just to be along for the ride. It was such an enjoyable book.
August 26, 2025
This review is part of the Bloody Scotland tour and it was written while I was sobbing as I checked the program and there were plenty of interesting panels. I'm not far from Stirling but as I'm visiting friend I can only sigh and wait for the next festival.
That said The Garden Club Murders is the last in the Bingo Hall Detectives, a very funny and gripping cozy mystery series featuring a gang of Bingo Player, Aminta the main busybody and her son in law Jason.
You cannot help loving this series, cannot help laughing and turning pages. I discovered this series on Netgalley and, after the first instalment, went to the list of series I preorder (sort of 5* cum laude).
Excellent storytelling, witty banters, fleshed out characters, a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Have a treat, read it.
Many thanks to Harper North for this digital copy, all opinions are mine
That said The Garden Club Murders is the last in the Bingo Hall Detectives, a very funny and gripping cozy mystery series featuring a gang of Bingo Player, Aminta the main busybody and her son in law Jason.
You cannot help loving this series, cannot help laughing and turning pages. I discovered this series on Netgalley and, after the first instalment, went to the list of series I preorder (sort of 5* cum laude).
Excellent storytelling, witty banters, fleshed out characters, a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Have a treat, read it.
Many thanks to Harper North for this digital copy, all opinions are mine
February 23, 2025
Amita has an eventful bingo trip to Manchester which results in her losing her phone .
She visits the shady Martin Brunger down at the allotments in search of a replacement phone and this is how Amita and Jason end up in the middle of another case .
Amita starts to receive strange messages on her new phone , and her interest is piqued .
This book is different to the previous stories as it starts off as a missing person case .
Another great case for the duo , I really like the characters and how their relationship has developed.
Reading an Amita and Jason mystery is like meeting up with old friends.
Great writing and the pages fly by .
A series which continues to get better and better.
A satisfying read can’t wait for their next case .
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperNorth.
She visits the shady Martin Brunger down at the allotments in search of a replacement phone and this is how Amita and Jason end up in the middle of another case .
Amita starts to receive strange messages on her new phone , and her interest is piqued .
This book is different to the previous stories as it starts off as a missing person case .
Another great case for the duo , I really like the characters and how their relationship has developed.
Reading an Amita and Jason mystery is like meeting up with old friends.
Great writing and the pages fly by .
A series which continues to get better and better.
A satisfying read can’t wait for their next case .
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperNorth.
July 3, 2025
The Garden Club Murders by Jonathan Whitelaw is an absolute delight — the perfect cozy mystery for fans of smart sleuthing with a side of sass. This installment in the series follows a wonderfully unconventional detective duo: Jason and his sharp, no-nonsense mother-in-law, Amita, who once again find themselves wrapped up in a mystery that’s anything but ordinary.
What starts as a seemingly quiet missing persons case quickly turns twisty, with secrets buried deeper than flowerbeds and plenty of suspects to go around. Whitelaw’s writing is witty and full of heart, and the banter between the Jason and Amita is pure gold. Their dynamic is one of the highlights of the book — equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.
With just the right balance of intrigue, humour, and character-driven charm, The Garden Club Murders is the kind of cozy caper that leaves you smiling, guessing, and immediately reaching for the next book in the series. Highly recommend for fans of lighthearted mysteries with a clever twist!
What starts as a seemingly quiet missing persons case quickly turns twisty, with secrets buried deeper than flowerbeds and plenty of suspects to go around. Whitelaw’s writing is witty and full of heart, and the banter between the Jason and Amita is pure gold. Their dynamic is one of the highlights of the book — equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.
With just the right balance of intrigue, humour, and character-driven charm, The Garden Club Murders is the kind of cozy caper that leaves you smiling, guessing, and immediately reaching for the next book in the series. Highly recommend for fans of lighthearted mysteries with a clever twist!
February 16, 2025
I had the pleasure of interviewing Jonathan last year for my masters dissertation, so I was buzzing that his latest book was published! When we spoke last year, we talked a lot about the humdrum lives of Jason and Amita and how cosy crimes really focus on the people involved rather than the brutal crime. This book is a fantastic example of that and I really enjoyed the additions to the detecting team in this book, as well as the unique twists of the investigation. Jason and Amita are people who care about justice and I think that’s what makes these books, as well as their scenic locations, so great. Can’t wait for the next one!
August 29, 2025
This cosy mystery was such a delight! It's gentle, lighthearted, and full of charm. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Aminta and her son-in-law Jason — their relationship was so heartwarming and funny.
Aminta actually reminded me of my own mum... but shhh, let's keep that between us!
The characters are brilliantly written — likeable, quirky, lots of banter and one liners and they work so well together within the storyline. There's plenty of humour sprinkled throughout, which kept me smiling, but also enough mystery to keep me turning the pages, eager to find out what happened.
This is the last book in a series of four, and now the other three are firmly on my TBR list!
Aminta actually reminded me of my own mum... but shhh, let's keep that between us!
The characters are brilliantly written — likeable, quirky, lots of banter and one liners and they work so well together within the storyline. There's plenty of humour sprinkled throughout, which kept me smiling, but also enough mystery to keep me turning the pages, eager to find out what happened.
This is the last book in a series of four, and now the other three are firmly on my TBR list!
September 26, 2025
This book sounded so intriguing, I couldn’t resist when offered the opportunity to read it. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. What an amazing array of thoroughly rounded characters, a well formed plot and a warm, gentle humour laced all the way through. Anita and Jason are an unlikely crime busting duo and yet somehow, the premise really works. The story is perfectly paced for me, with the appropriate amount of mystery, mayhem and intrigue. Although this is book four in the series, it worked perfectly as a standalone but you can bet I will absolutely be reading books one to three as soon as I can fit them in. A delightful read. Highly recommended.
August 28, 2025
I was so happy to meet Amita and Jason again. They are such a fab due of sleuths. Amita’s bingo trip to Manchester proved to be a wild night for the Penrith Bingo Club resulting in foggy memories and Amita losing her phone. Getting a new one from dodgy dealer Martin lands Amita and Jason right I the middle of another case. I love the relationships between these two. Their banter is fantastic. They had humour and heart to a story that is full of intrigue, charm and capers. I found this book to be the perfect cosy mystery read. I can’t wait for the next one!
August 28, 2025
Thank you to Love Books Tours, HarperNorth and Jonathan Whitelaw for an ARC copy of this book. *All thoughts and opinions are my own*
I loved this book, it was a perfect light-hearted summer read. It gave Thursday Murder Club vibes, with amateur sleuthing and a great sense of humour added to each page.
This is the fourth in the series (I haven’t read the others) and despite missing an element of character development due to that, it did not stop me from falling in love with the characters and wanting to read more about them.
I loved this book, it was a perfect light-hearted summer read. It gave Thursday Murder Club vibes, with amateur sleuthing and a great sense of humour added to each page.
This is the fourth in the series (I haven’t read the others) and despite missing an element of character development due to that, it did not stop me from falling in love with the characters and wanting to read more about them.
September 30, 2025
A mother-in-law, son-in-law duo set out to solve a murder.
I found this book a bit slow to start out with, and the first few chapters were a bit tough to get into for me. I'm not sure if this was the writing style, or if maybe I just wasn't in the correct mind space for reading this book when I did. But with that said the book really picked up by the end, and the story was interesting.
I also continue to love stories like this that show close extended family relationships, and knit together communities.
I found this book a bit slow to start out with, and the first few chapters were a bit tough to get into for me. I'm not sure if this was the writing style, or if maybe I just wasn't in the correct mind space for reading this book when I did. But with that said the book really picked up by the end, and the story was interesting.
I also continue to love stories like this that show close extended family relationships, and knit together communities.
February 28, 2025
Amita and Jason are back for a third hilarious cozy mystery adventure. In
The Garden Club Murders,
the pair are tasked with solving the disappearance of multiple people, but will their sleuthing land them in hot water, and have they finally have met their match? Jonathan Whitelaw delivers another brilliant caper that will have you laughing out loud and cheering on the amateur detectives right until the finish line.
August 26, 2025
I had loads of fun reading this gem of a book, a light hearted murder mystery, this is book 4 in the bingo hall detectives, which are a bunch of bingo loving amateur sleuths.
Apart from the funny banter between the characters there is actually a good storyline and is written really well.
I’m sure you can read this as a standalone but if you love the characters you’ll want to go back and read the other 3 too.
A great cosy read for all murder mystery fans
Apart from the funny banter between the characters there is actually a good storyline and is written really well.
I’m sure you can read this as a standalone but if you love the characters you’ll want to go back and read the other 3 too.
A great cosy read for all murder mystery fans
March 9, 2025
Another brilliant book in this brilliant series. Jason and Amita continue to bicker their way through a hilarious series of adventures. Jonathan has written another book that's an antidote to the horrors of real life. Wonderful characters, beautifully written, funny and gentle. I can't recommend this, and in fact all of Jonathan Whitelaw's books, highly enough.
July 13, 2025
Rating: 3.5*
A cozy crime read - a change of pace in reading but this was needed. Anita and Jason are such an unlikely crime fighting duo but it works. The banter between them is what makes it work. The plot wasn't the best nor was it the worst. It plodded along at a nice pace but the result wasn't surprising. It was a nice read.
A cozy crime read - a change of pace in reading but this was needed. Anita and Jason are such an unlikely crime fighting duo but it works. The banter between them is what makes it work. The plot wasn't the best nor was it the worst. It plodded along at a nice pace but the result wasn't surprising. It was a nice read.
August 29, 2025
This is Book 4 in The Bingo Hall Detective Series by Jonathan Whitelaw and is the first book that I've read of his so I read "The Garden Club Murders" as a standalone which I personally didn't find detrimental to my enjoyment of the book.
This is a humorous, lightweight, cosy crime mystery that was easy to read and enjoyable. The slow-moving plot had its twists and turns before the culprit and motive were revealed. The culprit was particularly unlikeable with their malicious, calculating, and devious character.
There's a lovely relationship and banter between Jason and his mother-in-law Amita
you feel that you could easily sit down and have a cup of tea with them!
This is a humorous, lightweight, cosy crime mystery that was easy to read and enjoyable. The slow-moving plot had its twists and turns before the culprit and motive were revealed. The culprit was particularly unlikeable with their malicious, calculating, and devious character.
There's a lovely relationship and banter between Jason and his mother-in-law Amita
you feel that you could easily sit down and have a cup of tea with them!
March 11, 2025
Another brilliant murder mystery story by Jonathan. Amita and Jason work their wonders again. I just love this dynamic-duo.
March 16, 2025
Not really gripped by this one. Did think some sections quite silly, however had to read to the very end never the less.
March 29, 2025
Another great story, possibly my favourite in the series.
April 6, 2025
Just when I was going to comment it was a boring book, it got better. 3.5 stars.
July 4, 2025
I love this series, can hardly wait for the next one!
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