A Little Bird Told Me

The Elderwick Mysteries #1

by Rachael Gray

A murder in a quiet village is causing anxiety for a psychologist—who must face her fears to find the killer . . .

2nd Place Winner of the 2025 Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award

Psychologist Laurel Nightingale has fled from her problems in search of peace and respite. However, after discovering a dead body shortly after arriving in the tight-knit community of Elderwick, she wonders if village life is as wholesome as she first thought.

Local police are convinced the death was accidental, but Laurel suspects murder and enlists her new friend Maggie to join her quest to uncover the truth. When a second body is found, Laurel ruffles feathers by pointing the finger at one of the locals. But when her accusation backfires, she's left alienated and afraid.

With her fear at an all-time high, her sleuthing partner gone missing, and village gossip spreading like wildfire, Laurel wonders who she can truly trust. Is it time to move on yet again? And will her newly formed friendships be enough to save her from this mysterious murderer?

A Little Bird Told Me is the debut whodunit from an exciting new voice in cozy mystery fiction that will put your sleuthing skills to the test.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy, British Literature

294 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2024

About the author

** The Proof of the Pudding - book 4 in the Elderwick Mysteries series - is out NOW!

Download for free from Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, or kobo (ebook only)

With over twenty years of experience working as a doctor of clinical psychology for the NHS and healthcare charities, Rachael Gray is the author of the Elderwick Mysteries series: A Little Bird Told Me; A Turn-up for the Books; A Storm in a Teacup; The Proof of the Pudding.

As a reader, Rachael will devour almost anything, but her favourite genres are crime and psychological thriller. As a writer, she enjoys crafting entertaining murder mysteries set in the glorious countryside of East Yorkshire. Her ultimate dream is to have her books made into a TV series directed by Mackenzie Crook – if you’ve ever watched Detectorists, you’ll understand.

When she’s not dreaming of unlikely television stardom, she can be found writing in the home she shares with her husband in Normandy, France – though she’ll always be a Yorkshire girl at heart.

Reviews

[Philip Cumberland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little Bird Told Me by Rachael Gray
Laurel’s first day in her new home, wasn’t exactly ideal. The sudden death of a yet to be acquainted with neighbour can be unsettling, even for someone with Laurel’s experience. Her career had been in end of life care. As the story moves on Laurel begins to question her choice of Elderwick for her new home. However, despite the machinations of a property developer and his pocketed councillor, intent on contentiously bringing new homes and a leisure facility to the village, there are the redeeming features of an excellent village bakery, The Plump Tart, The Pleasant Pheasant Cafe and the Snooty Fox, the village pub.
It isn’t long before murders blight the ideal appearance of the village, whose history has also been darkened by that of the area’s leading family, the Hartfields, owners of Elderwick Hall, the site of the new development. Marcus Hartfield the present occupant of Elderwick Hall is the development’s prime mover.
The story is inhabited by a variety of interesting, colourful, characters both human and animal. A Little Bird Told Me, realistically details the conflicts and friendships within a small village community. However, at its core, this is a crime story albeit a cosy one. The revelation at the book’s end is surprising, which is as it should be.
For me it was a quick but absorbing read, well done, Ms Gray.

[Lynda Renham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first introduction to cosy mystery novels and I have to say I enjoyed it. It was a cosy, gentle read. Plenty of action happening in this village. It made my home village seem very tame.
There are some lovely characters in this book, from Albert the neighbour and his chickens to the cake shop owners (my those cakes were so well described that I could taste them) Hetty and Jo.
The mystery starts immediately with the surprising death of a well known villager, Lily. Her death seems unremarkable for her age but the newcomer to the village, Laurel has a sixth sense all is not right And so begins her adventure of investigation. It turns out that Laura has definitely stumbled upon something. Whether it’s to do with a new development in the village or something else. Laurel begins to find herself getting deeper and deeper involved in the mystery and when another person is killed with a bow and arrow. Laurel suddenly realises that her own life could be in danger to. This is definitely an Agatha Christie type novel lots of lovely red herrings along the way with great descriptions of the countryside I loved the whole village feel of it. A lovely cosy read for those dark winter nights. The author also has a Facebook account dedicated to the village. Recommend you check that out..
In all, a nicely written cozy novel, with a lovely village feel about it. I highly recommend.

[Yvette Salmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. A cozy murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns . During reading this book I had everyone as the suspect. Love how it is written with great characters and great storyline. Well worth a read.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I really liked the small countryside village vibe. And I didn't guess who the killer was which was a plus.

But I felt there was something off about the characters. Somehow, they felt older and younger at the same time. It's hard to describe. The author described her characters in a way that made them feel older, but their attitudes, especially Laurel's felt kind of immature.

Yeah... I wasn't Laurel's biggest fan. It could be just a matter of this being the first book, so I'm considering giving the second one a try.

Something else that felt weird to me was the confrontation with the killer. Sure, I know Nathan drugged Laurel, but that dialogue was so strange. And I'm not entirely sure I understood how Laurel realised he was Lily and Derek's murderer. Also, the motive felt really meh after everything that happened throughout the story.

Like I said, I'm not giving up on Rachael Gray and her Elderwick Mysteries. Hopefully it will a better story.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine moving to a new town and stumbling across a death right off the bat. It would make me reconsider my choice of towns. But Laurel seems to take it in stride and sets out to uncover the truth about what happened to Lily and why so many people in this town have secrets. 

While most small towns have their share of "by the rules" citizens, this one has Derek, and he takes the cake. I don't know why he is so adamant about rules other than maybe he doesn't want his town to become a hotbed of criminal activity. That doesn't deter Laurel in the least. In the past, Laurel has had difficulty making friends, but here, she discovers a new friend in Maggie. I enjoyed watching their friendship blossom, but also weather some bumpy issues. She also befriends a few other characters, and her profession as a psychologist helps her in those relationships. 

There are two murders to solve, and I have to admit that when the truth is revealed regarding the killer and their motive, it is very surprising. I never suspected this person for a moment. I wasn't sure who to suspect, considering the number of secrets that were hidden from the past and the present. 

I liked the characters, even the crotchety ones. This small English town is quaint and the sort of place I wouldn't mind living, minus the murders that is!

I think this will be an enjoyable, cozy series, and I am reading the next one now, so stay tuned for that review. 

We give this book 4 paws up.

[Jenna Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lovely cozy whodunit with enough of a psychological spin to make it not dry and not too cutesy-feel good. I look forward to future reads from this author (fact that she is a clinical psychologist wins me over a bit. Professionals investing in their other interests is always a big win for me).

[Doreen Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this cozy mystery. Kept me guessing till the end. A very fun read.❤️
Can’t wait for another enjoyable book by Rachael Gray!

[Alison Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a cosy crime and the suspicion falls on everyone in the village. I hope there will be more books set in the village with these characters. I was surprised by the murderer too - always good when I don’t guess who did it straight away!

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Laurel has relocated to a small village and immediately finds a dead body. Soon after, a local man is murdered and it seems the village isn't as sweet as it seems. There's lots of people who didn't like the man and Laurel herself soon finds herself being questioned.

This was such a page-turner for me. I loved how Laurel pieced together some clues and then gets it wrong! It felt more real that way. I really enjoyed the twist at the end. I definitely didn't see it coming and I found myself quite concerned for Laurel's psychological wellbeing during the latter part of the book. There is also a nice sense of justice at the end. I guess this is a standalone but I would love if it became part of a series. Either way, I will definitely read more by this author. She's gotten things off to a great start.

[Tess Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Nice clear style and some lovely characters. Twists and turns along the way misled both Laurel and me, making it a pleasure when the reveal finally came. I think this is the first of a series and I look forward to reading the next books.

[O'Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yorkshire's very own Jessica Fletcher novel.
I enjoyed this story, good old fashioned mystery that is centred around Laurel. The twists and tales in the story made me suspect almost everyone as being sinister with hidden secrets, some of these proved to be true other times I was misguided. I at least quessed what Laurel was doing wrong to get her hens to lay eggs.
Well written novel and it kept me entertained over the hot days when I couldn't sleep.

[Mary Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachael Gray really brings it to the table with this delightful cozy mystery debut. While I am not typically a cozy reader, I was drawn to this one by the title and cover and became happily immersed in the village of Elderwick and engaged in Laurel's world.

It just so happened I read the story while on vacation in small villages in England so I was living what I was reading---this accentuated both experiences. This novel ticks all the boxes with a clever plot, great characters and fantastic setting. We need more from Rachael Gray!

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
A cosy mystery novel that was just that!
I felt like I was right there in England, along with the MC, helping to solve an unexpected murder.
It kept me interested, entertained and just as involved in trying to solve who the murderer was.

[Sarah Bourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written, cosy whodunnit with interesting characters and a satisfying ending (although I had guessed who the murderer was half way through!) Looking forward to more from this author

[Kez · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut! Just when you think you've read every type of cosy mystery going, Rachael Gray comes along and pulls the rug from under you.
A Little Bird Told Me reads like a traditional English Village cosy mystery, set in modern day but with an old-school feel, as psychologist Laurel Nightingale moves to the village of Elderwick in North Yorkshire. Along with the quirky characters and hidden secrets, there's an eerie feel to the village, and while the main mystery is solved by the end of the book, you feel that there is a lot more to uncover.
A wonderful debut novel that surprises, leaves you satisfied but makes you want more.
I read this for the first time last year, but with the audiobook newly out, narrated by Imogen Church, I had to give it another listen, and it stands up well to re-reads.

[Keith Rudd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many books by well known authors and I would not know this was a début work from the pen of Rachael Gray if I had not been told before reading it. I read this book because although it is not the genre I normally read I have read some by well established writers such as Val Wood and Lesley Pearse and I thought it rated very well along side them and I will certainly look out for Rachael next offering.

[Dave Bate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not usually my cup of tea but this novel is extremely readable, so maybe I should shift my type of genre? What’s more is that I would never have deducted the final outcome, so well done to Rachael. Kept me on my toes right to the end.

[Tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Great cozy mystery.

[Helen Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

When clinical psychologist, Laurel Nightingale plots her ‘escape to the country’, she’s running away from a tragedy in her professional life for which she feels responsible. Where better to move to than the tight-knit community of the Yorkshire village of Elderwick, an idyllic countryside setting where all will be calm and she can heal. Except that Laurel is clearly not a cosy crime reader or she would know that, far from finding solace, her new village will be teeming with unexplained deaths, historic mysteries, baddies masquerading as good people, busybodies and folk lining their pockets with dodgy development schemes.

On the day Laurel moves in, her neighbour, Lily is found dead and, despite the police ruling out suspicious circumstances, Laurel is convinced it was murder. Along with her new friend, Maggie, she begins investigating Lily’s death. The author uses this and Laurel’s other new relationships brilliantly as an opportunity for world building and creates the sweet exterior of Elderwick where the bakery is called the Plump Tart and the pub is the Pleasant Pheasant. Could this tongue twister be foreshadowing the plot twists to come? Much cake is consumed but, beneath the comfortable surface of the community, bones are unearthed, long-buried secrets emerge and another villager meets a shocking death.

Author, Rachael Gray has constructed a perfectly imperfect village setting peopled with diverse characters for a cosy crime series. Readers will enjoy deepening their acquaintance with many of them. Laurel is a likeable central character and sleuth, with an analytical brain and an impulsive nature, so she gets things wrong at least as often as she nails them. Readers who’ve been perplexed by the plot twists will enjoy this and laugh along with her. And as for the birds – there are many species: magpies and crows; Aroon, the cockerel, who plays an actual role; Lauren’s own surname – Nightingale, and the locally-brewed Red Hen cider.

I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written novel. It’s a strong start to a series that is sure to be popular with cosy crime fans.

[Jackie Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Little Bird Told Me by Rachael Gray is a cosy mystery where Laurel Nightingale moves to a pretty Yorkshire village and on her first day discovers a body.

What is A Little Bird Told Me about?
Criminal psychologist Dr Nightingale has moved ‘Up North’ to start again. But things don’t start out too well when she finds retired neighbour Lily Armitage dead in an armchair.

At first it’s ruled as natural causes and then a tragic accident. But Laurel isn’t so sure. She senses foul play and with her new friend, Maggie, they start some amateur sleuthing.

What was my verdict?
Gray has created a wonderful cast of characters and I wonder how much of the protagonist, Dr. Nightingale, is based on the author who was a former clinical psychologist?

As you’d expect there’s a list of suspects including prickly neighbours who don’t mind rubbing people up the wrong way; an ambitious busybody councillor and a community split over a new property development at a grand house dogged by tragedy. And for all the foodies out there, the delicious baked delicacies at The Plump Tart will leave you drooling.

A Little Bird Told Me is set in the fictitious village of Elderwick and is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Midsomer Murders. In fact, both are referenced in this glorious tale of shenanigans in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first outing in the Elderwick Mysteries and I'll be checking out the other cosy mysteries in this four-part series. Thank you Rachael Gray for a highly entertaining read that I devoured in one day on my holiday in Yorkshire. I look forward to finding out where you take your characters next.

Oh yes, did I guess who did it? Well, only at the point in the story when I couldn’t take much credit for it!

[Bucks, Books & Beyond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laurel has just moved to the quiet, cozy little village of Elderwick in Yorkshire, in the hopes of having a peaceful life. That quickly proves not to be the case though when she discovers the dead body of her neighbour Lilly and her other neighbour Albert walking his rabbit on a leash asking if her chickens need a cockerel to produce chicks. What a welcoming to the village!

What I found curious in the first chapter is that Laurel seems reluctant to tell people why she has moved up North to this small village and I could tell there were hidden depths to this character that were to be revealed. Laurel is a really likeable character though and I thoroughly enjoyed reading along as she went on her adventures round Elderwick.

Laurel decides to open up to Maggie, another woman in the village, and they form what at first appears to be an unlikely friendship as they start to try and piece together the scant clues they have as to what happened to Lily. They were missing all the key ingredients though, the who, when, and most importantly the why.

As well as Laurel and Maggie, this book is full of charming quaint characters, just like what you might expect to find in a small village where everybody knows everybody and everyones business. This is a really nice cozy read that you could easily find yourself devouring in one sitting. I feel there could be more from these characters and I hope the author considers expanding this setting and perhaps makes this book part of a series - 'The Stories of Elderwick' perhaps!

[Liz T · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Laurel moves to the quiet Yorkshire village of Elderwick to remove herself from her stressful job as a clinical psychologist it is not too long before she realises that the village is not as peaceful as it appears. When her elderly neighbour, Lily, is found dead in her armchair Laurel is one of the first at the scene and something makes her feel that all is not as it seems. When her neighbour’s daughter, Rose, who lives in New Zealand, telephones Laurel, thinking that her Mother’s old neighbour still lives there, Laurel becomes embroiled in the mystery. Rose later informs her that the police believe that Lily died of poisoning by accident and Laurel and her new friend, Maggie who has lived in the village for many years decide that further investigation is necessary.
As the reader is introduced to an interesting array of village characters the plot moves forward and when another murder occurs that could not possibly be construed as accidental, Lauren becomes deeply disturbed and also concerned for the safety of Maggie who has disappeared without a trace.
A Little Bird Told Me is a highly entertaining cozy murder mystery which I found really enjoyable. Many thanks to the author and Bloodhound Books for an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Lisa Heidke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A guessing game until the end, a perfect whodunit!
A Little Bird Told Me is a suspenseful, fast paced and entertaining debut whodunit by Rachael Gray.

Psychologist Laurel Nightingale has fled from her problems in search of peace and respite. However, after discovering a dead body shortly after arriving in the tight-knit community of Elderwick, she wonders if village life is as wholesome as she first thought…

I was immediately captivated by Gray’s engaging writing style and found myself cheering on relatable and relentless protagonist, Laurel, as she searches for answers to a mysterious death that, until her questioning, has been brushed off as suicide.

Laurel is aided, and distracted by a local band of quirky characters, all living in the tight-knit Yorkshire inspired village of Elderwick.

And Elderwick Hall? Not just a setting, a character. I was fascinated by the home’s horrible, creepy history. And more.

Loved the twists, the characters and setting, as well as the nods to Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie.

Am hoping this is the start of a fabulous new series by Rachael Gray, starring Dr Laurel Nightingale.

[Jacqueline Moxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurel is a psychologist whose job had become too much for her. The stress of the workload, and her guilt at her perceived failure with one patient, have driven her to seek solace and peace in the quiet countryside. Unfortunately, her arrival coincides with the strange death of a neighbour, which, to her, seems unlikely to be an accident or a suicide. When another death occurs, this one quite clearly a murder, her analytical brain tries to find a link between the two deaths as well as a possible solution to the motive. She quickly becomes embroiled in village life, but then suspicion, accompanied by some animosity, falls upon her. Ancient secrets seem to be linked to the present day crimes, and Laurel, aided by Maggie, strives to get to the bottom of the mystery. I don’t normally like cosy crime, but this one had me hooked. The characters are engaging and credible, and the atmosphere, and, occasionally, small mindedness, of village life is captured convincingly. A good read, and a wonderful ending, which truly lifted my spirits.

[Brenda Vicars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurel Nightingale is my new favorite sleuth!

The mystery in A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME is layered and nuanced, and all the twists are made palpable by the relatable main character who finds herself compelled to push into an investigation that the police have written off as a possible suicide.

I especially love the way that the reader gets to probe the thinking of Laurel in lines such as, “Then she snagged the corner of a thought.” Laurel makes insightful comments about her own function as a psychologist in lines such as, “…but one of the things which so inspires me is the acceptance that nothing is definite, nor can always be proven, but a mind open to learning and discovery is the only way we advance our understanding.” Laurel holds the reader’s attention even without the mystery.

But enough about Laurel (whom I sincerely hope to see again in a future novel), the mystery in the village of Elderwick is engrossing, and I never saw the truth until Laurel discovered it herself. That makes a great read!

[Paula Hillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an engaging and entertaining read! The village of Elderwick and its residents are presented through a lovely blend of immersive description and clever dialogue. The characters are intelligent and humorous, sometimes daft and always willing to prioritise cake…I’m with them on that one! On a serious note, though, I enjoyed the contrast between the well-established residents of the village, and the nervous offcomer. Laurel, the main character was empathetic yet exacting, with a rather intriguing past. The story was nicely wrapped up with a double-twist that explained everything. I tend to do my personal reading in the evening, and often found myself thinking about the village of Elderwick long after I’d switched off my Kindle for the night. This was my first foray into ‘Cozy Crime’ and I’m very glad I chose Rachael’s novel to lead me in… it is perfect. Look forward to reading the next instalment.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laurel is taking a mental health break from her position as a palliative care psychologist and has moved to the small town of Elderwick. A few things about this part confused me. She is super new to town yet her house seems rather established. Did she buy it fully furnished and I missed that part? Anyway, other than that little kink in the storyline for me, I loved how the reader met the characters as Laurel did. No sneaky background relationship that we didn't know about. I will admit that the murderer surprised me quite a bit and felt a little out of left field. But otherwise, this was a great introduction to what is hopefully a nice new cozy series in a town I wouldn't mind spending some time in.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clinical Psychologist Dr Laurel Nightingale has moved from Somerset to a sleepy little village called Elderwick in Yorkshire to start a new life. Laurel has a memorable first day in the village after discovering a body in a cottage. I loved the friendship dynamics between Laurel and Maggie along with Jo, Constance, Hetty and, her next door neighbour, Albert and his pet rooster and rabbit!! Laurel asks Maggie to join her in helping to investigate as amateur sleuths. Soon, there is a second death and Laurel wants to know how the two victims are connected?! It is a fast paced story with a few red herrings that come to together with plenty of twists and turns that lead to a dramatic conclusion!

[ReadandRated · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a new queen of cozy crime in town, Rachel Gray has absolutely nailed it with this cute as a button little murder mystery.

This, the first in the Elderwick Mysteries series, follows the adventures of would be sleuth Laurel Nightingale as she strives to solve a mysterious death in small village. As a newcomer to the community she is up against it in terms of gaining validity for her theories - frankly not helped by how often she is utterly wrong in her assertions!

As a fan of gritty thrillers normally I was surprised by quite how much I loved this and I can easily see it being a TV series with some quirky and eccentric actors filling the superbly crafted cast of characters.

An absolutely delightful read that I am sure will be a hit among many genres.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clever and captivating debut novel. Rachael Gray takes all the tropes of a classic Agatha Christie whodunit and adds some very cunning plot devices of her own.
Elderwick Hall and its gardens are a perfect setting, and the combination of its dark and unlucky history, a fake priest hole, a missing servant girl, and the discovery of bones in the grounds, all enable the author to introduce some deliciously creepy moments.
Character and plot are perfectly balanced and it really is a guessing game throughout until an exceptionally masterful twist or two at the end.
I do hope this is the beginning of a series. It would be nice to revisit Elderwick and its inhabitants.