The Maypole Murders

Lord Kit Aston #11

by Jack Murray

Morris dancing, maypoles and…murder

As the picturesque village of Upper Outwell buzzes with anticipation for its May Day festivities—complete with Morris dancers, flower garlands, and enough Victoria sponge cakes to require emergency reinforcement of the trestle tables—a shadow falls over the celebrations. A man is discovered dead in the vicarage library, his identity as enigmatic as the circumstances of his murder. Who was he? Why was he killed?

Kit and Mary Aston, a sharp-witted husband-and-wife duo with an uncanny talent for uncovering trouble, investigate. Alongside them is Kit’s indomitable Aunt Agatha, a woman who can dismantle alibis as effortlessly as she downs a glass of Napoleon Brandy, her astute friend Betty Simpson, flamboyant police artist Rufus Watts and Kit's old sparring partner, Chief Inspector Hook. Together, they delve into the labyrinthine secrets of Upper Outwell, where every villager harbours a hidden past but no obvious reason for murder.

As the investigation unfolds, the case takes unexpected twists and turns—through a possible miscarriage of justice, long-buried scandals, a Maypole dance that could conceal deadly intentions and an encounter with a rather carnivorous Pike called Mungo. With each clue, the Aston team inches closer to the truth, but the path is fraught with deception and danger.

Brimming with humour, intrigue, and a finale that will leave readers breathless, The Maypole Murders is a masterful blend of cozy mystery, wry wit, and cunning deduction. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and anyone who relishes a murder mystery served with a generous helping of tea and scandal. The perfect summer read!

Funny and heartbreaking in equal measure, the first Kit Aston mystery in nearly two years might be the best yet...

Five star reviews from previous Kit Aston
"If you haven't yet discovered Jack Murray, his novels are definitely worth a read. He is a clear cut above the rest of the 20's murder mysteries and fills page after page with humour, tension, brilliant writing and wonderfully sculpted characters..."

"I think the Kit Aston series of stories by Jack Murray are the best of the genre."

"...love the various components of characters..prose..and twists and turns…delightful…nicely done..hope this story line continues…I will buy every one!"

297 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2025

About the author

Born in Northern Ireland, Jack is an artist and writer.

His paintings are now in collections as far apart as the US, Australia and Europe (including Britain and Ireland).

There are now seven Kit Aston novels and also two shorter novellas: The French Diplomat Affair and Haymakers Last Fight. A new Kit Aston is in the pipeline, set in a theatre and will e out before summer 2023.

Jack has signed with Lume Books. They have published a new series to coincide with 80th anniversary of battle of El Alamein. The story looks at the battle for North Africa from the perspectives of an English boy and a German boy who are destined to confront and try to kill one another at El Alamein.

A popular character from the Kit Aston mysteries now has her own series. Set in the Victorian era, the new series features Aunt Agatha when she was a young woman.

A third detective series features the grandson of CI Jellicoe. This series is set in the 1950's. There are three titles with a fourth due in January.

Jack lives near London with his beautiful Italian wife and two children.

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🌃💃

This kindle ebook novel is from my Kindle Unlimited account book four of four new release

I started this series in 2023. I have enjoyed three series by this author.

Kit, Mary, Agatha, and Betty are involved in the murder of a man in the church. They also get involved in the case of a woman 😏 convicted of murdering her husband. They find the killer, clear the woman to a happy ending😁.

I would highly recommend this series and author to readers of romantic family and friends relationships adventures mystery novels 🏰😙 2025 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨✨

[Kim Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The actual mystery is good, but oh dear me the writing is terribly slipshod. People go one way then appear in a completely different place. In another instance a group go into dinner but they can't start because the host is missing. The butler is sent to find him but never seems to return and the host apparently hasn't appeared either. During all this one person, on being asked a question, indicates that they would like to finish their dinner before answering but as the dinner hasn't been served I guess it will be a long time before they actually answer! Other than that there are some genuinely laugh out loud moments and one very sad one. But honestly, if this has been professionally edited the author may need to find a new editor.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4-star cozy, The Maypole Murders delivers a satisfying mystery with a charming village setting and a cast of likable characters. The plot moves along at a nice pace, with just enough twists to keep things engaging. I genuinely enjoyed it—but it also left me a little sad, because Betty’s health is failing. That emotional thread added unexpected depth to the story, reminding me that even in the most comforting mysteries, real life sometimes finds its way in.

[Ciara Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great murder mystery set post WW1 - as someone who hasn’t read any other book in the series, I found it easy to understand the characters and relationships. After reading this I will look to complete the rest of the series 😊

[Paula Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than red wine and chocolate!

[ShanDizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisty murder