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Malvern Farm Mystery #6
A Very Merry Murder
Preorder the BRAND NEW instalment in Kate Wells' brilliantly addictive cozy mystery series! Mistletoe, mince pies… and murder
When Jude Gray inherited Malvern Farm, she never thought she’d become so used to farm life, let alone be good at it! But now a beloved national TV show is coming to film their Christmas special on her land, celebrating the charm of rural living and all Jude’s achieved so far.
At least, that’s the plan… until one of the crew is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
At first, it looks like a tragic accident, but when alibis start to crack, it seems like anything but. With a growing list of suspects and enough behind-the-scenes drama to rival anything the cameras are capturing, Jude must dig deep to uncover the truth.
Because someone on her farm is hiding a deadly secret – and this year, the season of goodwill may come with a killer twist…
A page-turning festive mystery perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Mary Grand and Frances Evesham.
When Jude Gray inherited Malvern Farm, she never thought she’d become so used to farm life, let alone be good at it! But now a beloved national TV show is coming to film their Christmas special on her land, celebrating the charm of rural living and all Jude’s achieved so far.
At least, that’s the plan… until one of the crew is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
At first, it looks like a tragic accident, but when alibis start to crack, it seems like anything but. With a growing list of suspects and enough behind-the-scenes drama to rival anything the cameras are capturing, Jude must dig deep to uncover the truth.
Because someone on her farm is hiding a deadly secret – and this year, the season of goodwill may come with a killer twist…
A page-turning festive mystery perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Mary Grand and Frances Evesham.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2025
4332 people are currently reading
836 people want to read
About the author
Kate Wells
46 books38 followersLibrary of Congress Authorities: Wells, Kate, 1959-
Senior technical instructor of dyeing and printing, Royal Coll. of Art, London
Senior technical instructor of dyeing and printing, Royal Coll. of Art, London
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
November 19, 2025
This book was a waste of my time.
It wasn't the WORST book I've ever read, but it was so repetitive it was annoying. It has great reviews too and I'm not sure why.
The whole book is practically a "whodunit" (which I usually love, so that makes this even more irritating), but essentially, Jude allows a film crew onto her farm for the 3 weeks leading up to Christmas to film a TV show. She's annoyed by their presence the entire time, but sucking it up because she's getting a hefty check out of the ordeal. Until one of the crew members turns up dead and Jude takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of it, all evidence pointing to murder.
Even WITH the police involved. Let me tell you, Jude is sneaking around, looking for clues and listening in on private conversations, and then she recounts EVERYTHING YOU'VE JUST READ to someone else in the book...for an entire 10 or more pages. Absolutely everything was repetitive and I just kept re-reading information in this book that I already knew had happened. I found myself skipping page after page because I wasn't learning anything knew and Jude is just re-hashing information she learned in the previous chapter.
If you're going to write a Whodunit, do better. I wasn't even surprised when I found out WHODUNIT.
End rant.
It wasn't the WORST book I've ever read, but it was so repetitive it was annoying. It has great reviews too and I'm not sure why.
The whole book is practically a "whodunit" (which I usually love, so that makes this even more irritating), but essentially, Jude allows a film crew onto her farm for the 3 weeks leading up to Christmas to film a TV show. She's annoyed by their presence the entire time, but sucking it up because she's getting a hefty check out of the ordeal. Until one of the crew members turns up dead and Jude takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of it, all evidence pointing to murder.
Even WITH the police involved. Let me tell you, Jude is sneaking around, looking for clues and listening in on private conversations, and then she recounts EVERYTHING YOU'VE JUST READ to someone else in the book...for an entire 10 or more pages. Absolutely everything was repetitive and I just kept re-reading information in this book that I already knew had happened. I found myself skipping page after page because I wasn't learning anything knew and Jude is just re-hashing information she learned in the previous chapter.
If you're going to write a Whodunit, do better. I wasn't even surprised when I found out WHODUNIT.
End rant.
August 19, 2025
Jude has agreed to allow a film crew to use Malvern farm to film three weeks of a popular live tv show, leading up to Christmas. On tv, the married couple who host the show looked like they’re very happy and very much in love but it quickly becomes evident that things are definitely not what they seem. And it’s not just the couple who seem less enamoured of each other. The crew seem to dislike each other intensely, the director is a lech, and Jude learns to her dismay, she has a contractual obligation to appear on the show at least once. Things quickly start falling apart. First the leading lady has an allergic reaction to peanuts on air despite them being banned from the show. And not long after, a crew member is murdered. Jude is determined to discover who the culprit is before another murder but with so many suspects and secrets, she may be in way over her head.
A Very Merry Murder is an enjoyable cozy mystery by Kate Wells with a compelling mystery and interesting characters including Jude who makes for a very strong and resilient protagonist. There are plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep even the most jaded mystery reader satisfied. And as much as I enjoyed the mystery, I found the glimpses of the scenery, the animals, and Jude’s family just as interesting.This is the sixth book in the series and the first I read but I didn’t find that interfered with my reading of the story except perhaps to make me want to add the others to my ever growing tbr pile.
I received an aARC of the novel from Netgalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review
A Very Merry Murder is an enjoyable cozy mystery by Kate Wells with a compelling mystery and interesting characters including Jude who makes for a very strong and resilient protagonist. There are plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep even the most jaded mystery reader satisfied. And as much as I enjoyed the mystery, I found the glimpses of the scenery, the animals, and Jude’s family just as interesting.This is the sixth book in the series and the first I read but I didn’t find that interfered with my reading of the story except perhaps to make me want to add the others to my ever growing tbr pile.
I received an aARC of the novel from Netgalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review
December 16, 2025
A murder mystery in the midst of taking care of a farm, filming a Christmas special, and prepping for a wedding.
Jude takes on letting a Christmas show do living filming around her farm because she'd love the injection of income, especially during the holidays. She's also planning a wedding, messy with ex's and family and other dramas.
In the midst of the farm drama is the show drama. There is no way to miss it, the way the crew is not quite as happy and easy-going as the live coverage shows them. But when a couple of emergencies put them all on edge, it's when there is a death that may be murder that Jude finally decides she needs to get the middle of all of this.
This was a good mystery! I like that, although it was supposed to be cozy, the police weren't bumbling and the main character - it made sense that she was in the middle of it all and could and would see and find things relevant to the mysterious death. The mystery kept me guessing and I liked that, although this was #6 in the series, it was easy to slide right into the farm and the characters without feeling like I'd missed a lot of backstory.
A fun, holiday read. I liked this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Jude takes on letting a Christmas show do living filming around her farm because she'd love the injection of income, especially during the holidays. She's also planning a wedding, messy with ex's and family and other dramas.
In the midst of the farm drama is the show drama. There is no way to miss it, the way the crew is not quite as happy and easy-going as the live coverage shows them. But when a couple of emergencies put them all on edge, it's when there is a death that may be murder that Jude finally decides she needs to get the middle of all of this.
This was a good mystery! I like that, although it was supposed to be cozy, the police weren't bumbling and the main character - it made sense that she was in the middle of it all and could and would see and find things relevant to the mysterious death. The mystery kept me guessing and I liked that, although this was #6 in the series, it was easy to slide right into the farm and the characters without feeling like I'd missed a lot of backstory.
A fun, holiday read. I liked this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
July 23, 2025
I haven't read many of this author's books, but I'm very glad that I read A Very Merry Murder.
The title, description, and cover attracted me, and as I settled in to read, I found myself quite interested in the life of Jude and her family.
When a popular television show is filming on her farm, Jude is not prepared for all the drama involved, or the murder that takes place.
This is an excellent holiday cozy mystery that I'm happy to recommend to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
The title, description, and cover attracted me, and as I settled in to read, I found myself quite interested in the life of Jude and her family.
When a popular television show is filming on her farm, Jude is not prepared for all the drama involved, or the murder that takes place.
This is an excellent holiday cozy mystery that I'm happy to recommend to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
February 2, 2026
I chose this book shortly before Christmas and I was several chapters in before I realized this was #6 in a cozy mystery series. Oops! I had chosen it for its Christmas theme and beautiful cover.
I do generally prefer to read series in order even those that claim to be standalone. I just feel that the reader gets more out of it if the characters and their actions are presented in the order the author wrote them. Despite no previous character development, I had no trouble getting into this story, nor did I feel as though I had missed anything important.
A Very Merry Murder takes place in a very cold and snowy location where a television show is filming during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Our main character, Jude, owns the farm where the filming is taking place. Jude is also hosting a Christmas wedding at her farm so needless to say, she has a lot going on this December. When one of the guests at the farm is found dead, Jude has a lot more to worry about and we begin to see that things are not always as they seem...
I do generally prefer to read series in order even those that claim to be standalone. I just feel that the reader gets more out of it if the characters and their actions are presented in the order the author wrote them. Despite no previous character development, I had no trouble getting into this story, nor did I feel as though I had missed anything important.
A Very Merry Murder takes place in a very cold and snowy location where a television show is filming during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Our main character, Jude, owns the farm where the filming is taking place. Jude is also hosting a Christmas wedding at her farm so needless to say, she has a lot going on this December. When one of the guests at the farm is found dead, Jude has a lot more to worry about and we begin to see that things are not always as they seem...
December 11, 2025
I was disappointed with this book.
The main characters were bland..... I think a lot of that has to do with this being book NUMBER SIX
in a series. I didn't read the others. I didn't know they existed. I just picked this one because it was
a free Amazon Prime book. It had a pretty picture and I thought a Christmas focused murder mystery
might be entertaining. I wanted something light.
This was just dull. Perhaps its dullness allowed me to figure out "who dun it" pretty early.
I think I should be most upset with Amazon for not indicating this wasn't the first book in the series.
(Well, at least not indicating in big bright letters
The main characters were bland..... I think a lot of that has to do with this being book NUMBER SIX
in a series. I didn't read the others. I didn't know they existed. I just picked this one because it was
a free Amazon Prime book. It had a pretty picture and I thought a Christmas focused murder mystery
might be entertaining. I wanted something light.
This was just dull. Perhaps its dullness allowed me to figure out "who dun it" pretty early.
I think I should be most upset with Amazon for not indicating this wasn't the first book in the series.
(Well, at least not indicating in big bright letters
September 11, 2025
Apparently this is the sixth book in the Malvern Farm Mysteries...it's the first book of the series for me. I was attracted to this book because of the festive cover AND because I love a good Christmassy read...even if that means someone has to be murdered for my entertainment.
It's an enjoyable cozy style mystery that takes place across December. There's snow on the ground, the lights are a twinkle and there's a killer at large.
It takes a whole for the action to pick up, but once it does. There were just enough twists and turns to keep me on my toes.
There are some great characters, but I have to say it was Sebbie who stole the show for me. So cute.
It's an enjoyable cozy style mystery that takes place across December. There's snow on the ground, the lights are a twinkle and there's a killer at large.
It takes a whole for the action to pick up, but once it does. There were just enough twists and turns to keep me on my toes.
There are some great characters, but I have to say it was Sebbie who stole the show for me. So cute.
December 28, 2025
A delightful cozy mystery with better than average characterization and story arc.
A Very Merry Murder is book six in the series that can be standalone; however, I plan to read book one next because the characters are compelling and I don’t want to miss any backstory.
The rural winter farm setting is idyllic and filled with Christmas nostalgia. Adorable farm animals, family togetherness, star crossed lovers, and a holiday wedding are among elements that made this book special.
As for the mystery, it was average with a twist. I did figure out who the culprit was early on, but, nevertheless, the climax was a little melodramatic and satisfying.
A solid and enjoyable cozy that I feel confident about recommending.
A Very Merry Murder is book six in the series that can be standalone; however, I plan to read book one next because the characters are compelling and I don’t want to miss any backstory.
The rural winter farm setting is idyllic and filled with Christmas nostalgia. Adorable farm animals, family togetherness, star crossed lovers, and a holiday wedding are among elements that made this book special.
As for the mystery, it was average with a twist. I did figure out who the culprit was early on, but, nevertheless, the climax was a little melodramatic and satisfying.
A solid and enjoyable cozy that I feel confident about recommending.
September 3, 2025
I enjoyed this book it’s ok it’s a festive cozy mystery
Blurb
When Jude Gray inherited Malvern Farm, she never thought she’d become so used to farm life, let alone be good at it! But now a beloved national TV show is coming to film their Christmas special on her land, celebrating the charm of rural living.
At least, that’s the plan… until one of the crew is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
At first, it looks like a tragic accident, but when alibis start to crack, it seems like anything but. With a growing list of suspects and enough behind-the-scenes drama to rival anything the cameras are capturing, Jude must dig deep to uncover the truth.
Because someone on her farm is hiding a deadly secret – and this year, the season of goodwill may come with a killer twist…
Blurb
When Jude Gray inherited Malvern Farm, she never thought she’d become so used to farm life, let alone be good at it! But now a beloved national TV show is coming to film their Christmas special on her land, celebrating the charm of rural living.
At least, that’s the plan… until one of the crew is found dead in suspicious circumstances.
At first, it looks like a tragic accident, but when alibis start to crack, it seems like anything but. With a growing list of suspects and enough behind-the-scenes drama to rival anything the cameras are capturing, Jude must dig deep to uncover the truth.
Because someone on her farm is hiding a deadly secret – and this year, the season of goodwill may come with a killer twist…
December 23, 2025
In the latest instalment of this delightful mystery series, Jude Gray is trying to meet the financial demands of her farm with yet another ‘side hustle’. She has agreed for a film company to use her farm as a location for the Christmas special of a popular program called ‘Countryside Live’.
What she thought would be a ‘doddle’, turns out to be a bit more demanding of her than she initially anticipated. The show’s director is a sleazy man who feels he is entitled to Jude’s time and attention. The two stars of the show, a much beloved married couple, have a marriage that is not as perfect as their fans believe.
Then, there is an attempt on the female lead’s life, then another member of the crew is murdered…
Once again, Jude’s good friend policewoman Binita Khatri is the lead on the murder investigation, despite her officially being on medical leave…
To further stress her out, Jude’s sister Lucy’s wedding to Noah will take place on the farm just after Christmas, so there is much to plan to make the day a special one.
Since this was the sixth book in the series, I was delighted to meet up with Jude Gray and her family and friends once again. They are strongly defined characters that are both well drawn and memorable. I’ve read all six books in the series and the quality of the plots and the writing are maintained strongly throughout.
Fans of this series will be satisfied that the whole ‘will they’ or ‘won’t they’ aspect of Jude’s relationship with Marco is resolved in this book.
With themes of the rigours of modern farming, sustainable farming, adultery, manipulative behaviours, and professional rivalries, this instalment of the series certainly was both enjoyable and entertaining.
The ending emphasized the contentment of Jude’s life, so it seemed like a warm hug. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this engaging, cozy mystery series. After six books, this series is fast becoming one of my favourites.
What she thought would be a ‘doddle’, turns out to be a bit more demanding of her than she initially anticipated. The show’s director is a sleazy man who feels he is entitled to Jude’s time and attention. The two stars of the show, a much beloved married couple, have a marriage that is not as perfect as their fans believe.
Then, there is an attempt on the female lead’s life, then another member of the crew is murdered…
Once again, Jude’s good friend policewoman Binita Khatri is the lead on the murder investigation, despite her officially being on medical leave…
To further stress her out, Jude’s sister Lucy’s wedding to Noah will take place on the farm just after Christmas, so there is much to plan to make the day a special one.
Since this was the sixth book in the series, I was delighted to meet up with Jude Gray and her family and friends once again. They are strongly defined characters that are both well drawn and memorable. I’ve read all six books in the series and the quality of the plots and the writing are maintained strongly throughout.
Fans of this series will be satisfied that the whole ‘will they’ or ‘won’t they’ aspect of Jude’s relationship with Marco is resolved in this book.
With themes of the rigours of modern farming, sustainable farming, adultery, manipulative behaviours, and professional rivalries, this instalment of the series certainly was both enjoyable and entertaining.
The ending emphasized the contentment of Jude’s life, so it seemed like a warm hug. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this engaging, cozy mystery series. After six books, this series is fast becoming one of my favourites.
Read
December 7, 2025It was okay, a little slow and unexciting for me. I liked that it was Christmasy though!
September 28, 2025
A Very Merry Murder, is the sixth book in The Malvern Farms mysteries by Kate Wells, this time we find Jude against her better judgment hosting a popular TV show at her farm and against more of her better judgment even agrees to be on the show the first night. as if Jude doesn’t have enough to do it is right before Christmas and right before Lucy and Noah get married and along with her farm duties Jude is a very busy bee. The very first day Jude is regretting agreeing to them filming the director is a sleazy nightmare the researcher is a bully and despite the host Anna and Simon seemingly loving relationship Jude sees cracks in the façade but like always she tries to mind her business. unfortunately for Jude there will be a mystery of foot from a peanut allergy poisoning to the death of the camera woman and this is all just the beginning. With great suspects and Benny back at work Jude not only has allies helping her out but grandma Margo makes an appearance on the show and shares her own suspicions after spending time with the crew. Sadly the camera woman won’t be the only victim in Jude will be up to her eyeballs with to do list and murders to solve and she hasn’t even gotten to Christmas decorations yet. I love these books so much I love the characters the mysteries are always good I do feel bad with Jude and her whole situation with Marco especially since Claire is so nice that even Jude can’t help but to like her but anything can happen in these mysteries and they do so fingers crossed. If you love a good cozy mystery and love to get into a good series that moves along from book to book this is a great one that I absolutely am obsessed with. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #KateWells, #TheMalvernFarmMysteries, #Avery MerryMurder,
November 3, 2025
This is the first book I have read in the series and I thought it was very good. I loved the farm setting and the description of its scenery and daily chores performed, the mystery was good and I really liked the assortment of characters especially the protagonist Jude Gray. This was a cozy mystery done well. I am interested in checking out the earlier titles in the series to see how the story all begins.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Boldwood Books and the author Kate Wells for the digital ARC of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Boldwood Books and the author Kate Wells for the digital ARC of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
November 22, 2025
A new author to me. I loved the characters in the this book. They seemed so real, even the bad ones. The plot was clever with an interesting twist. This was book 6 in the series, but I didn’t feel like I missed anything. Having said that, I enjoyed the book so much, I plan to read the series from the beginning.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.
December 18, 2025
I am pleasantly surprised. I had low expectations for this partly because it was recommended to me by prime and the cover looks like one of those mass markets you find at the airport, but this was a good murder mystery. Although I did kind of guess who the killer was, I enjoyed the loopiness and did manage to convince myself it was someone else at times.
January 5, 2026
Probably 3.5 stars for me. I enjoyed this Christmas-time murder mystery while I had some extra reading time during the holiday break. I didn’t realize it was the 6th in a series, and honestly it worked fine as a standalone. I liked the characters, and the mystery was pretty well-woven. I especially loved the setting in the Malvern Hills region in England. It even prompted me to read more about the area and made me want to visit someday. Based on my experience with this book I would read more of the series.
A little bit of vulgar language; no explicit content
A little bit of vulgar language; no explicit content
December 27, 2025
Am I allowed to call a murder mystery wholesome? Well, it was. I’m giving four stars because I really enjoyed myself, even if it’s not the greatest book I’ve ever read. It was also so fun to jump into the English countryside!
January 3, 2026
Enjoyed it as an easy read and cosy mystery. Found some of the description unnecessary. I think I was a bit put off as I didn't realise it was #6 in a series and I like reading in order. However, it does stand alone very well.
January 4, 2026
Fantastic
What an absolutely amazing read right from the beginning to the end. It had everything in it that kept me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. It did not disappoint. Thank you for keeping me entertained over a few days at Christmas 😊
What an absolutely amazing read right from the beginning to the end. It had everything in it that kept me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. It did not disappoint. Thank you for keeping me entertained over a few days at Christmas 😊
December 9, 2025
super cozy christmas time murder mystery. nothing fancy but made me wanna snuggle up and drink some tea 🫶🏻
December 22, 2025
This book was confusing at times for me, but very entertaining. I appreciated the twists. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I read the previous books in the series.
December 29, 2025
3.5 ⭐️, slow burning book, however the ending was good.
January 5, 2026
not great
This novel was very slow going. It took too long to get to the point. I recommend you pass on reading this one.
This novel was very slow going. It took too long to get to the point. I recommend you pass on reading this one.
December 4, 2025
WHen I picked this to read, I didn't realise it was part of a series but that doesn't matter at all, so I read this has a stand alone book.
I didn't know if I would enjoy a Christmas book that involved a murder but OMG this was amazing. I absolutely loved it and was a 5* from me.
I didn't know if I would enjoy a Christmas book that involved a murder but OMG this was amazing. I absolutely loved it and was a 5* from me.
January 3, 2026
first dnf of 2026?
December 27, 2025
Awful. WHO USES THE WORD “WHILST” 81 TIMES IN 25 CHAPTERS? Holy repetitive everything, Batman. Just terrible writing.
dnf
December 9, 2025Struggled to get through this but stopped about half way in. Not very interesting. I don't care who done it or why. Life is too short to read books that don't interest you
December 22, 2025
Inwardly groaning
"Jude inwardly groaned. Another chat with anyone from the Countryside Live team was the last thing she wanted right then."
This sentiment couldn't be any more true! This is a quote at 42% into the book. I found the entire thing a waste of time to read. It was agonizingly slow, childish, annoying, and it read like a parrot was sitting in the room with the constant repetition. I made it through chapter 14 shaking my head wondering why I was subjecting myself to this when I read the following:
"As she drove, her mind was ping-ponging between the different players in this macabre game."
THANK YOU! That is exactly what is happening. This is a game, as in the boardgame Clue. Roll the die and bounce around. Nothing more to it!
The only saving grace that bumped this to a 2-star was the ending of the book. Once the detective, drama, murder/mystery and incredibly world's worst chase scene were over... the scene for the wedding was the only thing worth reading.
Do yourself a favor, skip the frustration and go to a different book.
Not recommended. 👎
📚📚
"Jude inwardly groaned. Another chat with anyone from the Countryside Live team was the last thing she wanted right then."
This sentiment couldn't be any more true! This is a quote at 42% into the book. I found the entire thing a waste of time to read. It was agonizingly slow, childish, annoying, and it read like a parrot was sitting in the room with the constant repetition. I made it through chapter 14 shaking my head wondering why I was subjecting myself to this when I read the following:
"As she drove, her mind was ping-ponging between the different players in this macabre game."
THANK YOU! That is exactly what is happening. This is a game, as in the boardgame Clue. Roll the die and bounce around. Nothing more to it!
The only saving grace that bumped this to a 2-star was the ending of the book. Once the detective, drama, murder/mystery and incredibly world's worst chase scene were over... the scene for the wedding was the only thing worth reading.
Do yourself a favor, skip the frustration and go to a different book.
Not recommended. 👎
📚📚
Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews