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Audrey and Lewis #2
Murder Like Clockwork
An empty house that isn't empty. A victim who vanishes. An impossible crime?
Every Thursday at midday Audrey Brooks cleans the Petrov house. Mr Petrov is never home - in fact he seems to use the house purely as storage for his impressive collection of antiques - but that doesn't affect the care with which Audrey mops, polishes, and carefully winds each of the dozens of beautiful clocks that decorate the tall, elegant, empty London mansion.
Until the morning she finds a corpse in the back bedroom, the pristine walls and floor covered in blood, and flees the house in panic.
Fifteen minutes later, the police arrive... and find nothing. No body. No blood. The only thing slightly out of the ordinary is the clock in that back bedroom, which is now running four minutes slow.
With no victim, the police are convinced there was no murder, but Audrey knows better. A man has been killed, and if they won't do anything about it, she - and her annoying friend Lewis - will. Whodunnit is one thing, but this detective duo must also wrestle with when - and where on earth is the body? It's not long since they solved the murder of their neighbour, so they're not rookie sleuths, and at least this time the case has no connection to their home.
Does it?
A charming and witty locked room mystery full of twists.
Every Thursday at midday Audrey Brooks cleans the Petrov house. Mr Petrov is never home - in fact he seems to use the house purely as storage for his impressive collection of antiques - but that doesn't affect the care with which Audrey mops, polishes, and carefully winds each of the dozens of beautiful clocks that decorate the tall, elegant, empty London mansion.
Until the morning she finds a corpse in the back bedroom, the pristine walls and floor covered in blood, and flees the house in panic.
Fifteen minutes later, the police arrive... and find nothing. No body. No blood. The only thing slightly out of the ordinary is the clock in that back bedroom, which is now running four minutes slow.
With no victim, the police are convinced there was no murder, but Audrey knows better. A man has been killed, and if they won't do anything about it, she - and her annoying friend Lewis - will. Whodunnit is one thing, but this detective duo must also wrestle with when - and where on earth is the body? It's not long since they solved the murder of their neighbour, so they're not rookie sleuths, and at least this time the case has no connection to their home.
Does it?
A charming and witty locked room mystery full of twists.
368 pages, Paperback
Published May 12, 2026
About the author
Nicola Whyte
4 books132 followersNicola Whyte has loved books for as long as she can remember. She writes novels and short stories for both adults and children. Her work has been listed for the Comedy Women in Print Prize, the Cheshire Novel Prize, the Daily Mail First Novel Competition, the BPA First Novel Award, and the Times Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition. She lives near Stonehenge in Wiltshire with her family, a ridiculous spaniel, and two demanding tabby cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
June 22, 2026
*Proving a Crime*
This is book two of the Audrey and Lewis series. I’m hoping for more as I’m warming to them.
In book one, Celeste Van Duren, the owner of 10 Marchfield Square, instigated the duo’s meeting. Celeste, an octogenarian with a sharp mind, is a fascinating character. She has a Man Servant, ex-military Dixon, who even dips his biscuits for precisely three seconds with military precision. Everything he does is purposeful.
Audrey, a cleaner who finds solace in her work, is people-friendly and adept at connecting with others. She’s also a dab hand at research. Lewis, a recruitment worker with a penchant for writing in his spare time, is offish and blunt, lacking the social skills to connect with others.
In this instalment, Audrey’s cleaning routine takes her to a house belonging to Mr Petrov. Her instructions specify a midday arrival, no earlier or later. Mr Petrov owns many antique clocks that she must carefully clean and wind. One morning, as she follows her routine, Audrey arrives earlier than midday and hears a noise, dismissing it. However, upon entering the back room, she encounters a horrifying scene: blood everywhere and a dead man.
Panicked, Audrey rushes out of the house and waits for the police. When they arrive, there’s no body and no murder scene. The body has vanished into thin air.
Puzzled, Audrey and Lewis begin their investigation, trying to avoid interfering with the police. One of them gets into serious danger as one rushes to save the other.
This is book two of the Audrey and Lewis series. I’m hoping for more as I’m warming to them.
In book one, Celeste Van Duren, the owner of 10 Marchfield Square, instigated the duo’s meeting. Celeste, an octogenarian with a sharp mind, is a fascinating character. She has a Man Servant, ex-military Dixon, who even dips his biscuits for precisely three seconds with military precision. Everything he does is purposeful.
Audrey, a cleaner who finds solace in her work, is people-friendly and adept at connecting with others. She’s also a dab hand at research. Lewis, a recruitment worker with a penchant for writing in his spare time, is offish and blunt, lacking the social skills to connect with others.
In this instalment, Audrey’s cleaning routine takes her to a house belonging to Mr Petrov. Her instructions specify a midday arrival, no earlier or later. Mr Petrov owns many antique clocks that she must carefully clean and wind. One morning, as she follows her routine, Audrey arrives earlier than midday and hears a noise, dismissing it. However, upon entering the back room, she encounters a horrifying scene: blood everywhere and a dead man.
Panicked, Audrey rushes out of the house and waits for the police. When they arrive, there’s no body and no murder scene. The body has vanished into thin air.
Puzzled, Audrey and Lewis begin their investigation, trying to avoid interfering with the police. One of them gets into serious danger as one rushes to save the other.
April 11, 2026
Audrey and Lewis are amateur detectives who collaborated on a previous case along with help from their neighbours. And nlw they're at it again.
Audrey's day job as a cleaner is often somewhat baffling to her. For instance, why can she not begin cleaning a completely empty house before midday. Not even when it's freezing cold outside? But when Audrey decides to break the rules and start her job at Cadogan Place early, she finds herself embroiled in yet another murder. If this wasnt bad enough, when the Police arrive they find an entirely empty house. So where has the body gone?
Thankfully Audrey and Lewis are not taking this lying down and set out to find the missing corpse and the killer. With lots of "help" from their neighbours and making some new contacts along the way, will Audrey and Lewis crack the case or will their enthusiasm just get them into even more trouble?
When requesting this title from Netgalley I didn't realise this was the second in a series. There were a few minor niggles which the first book might have cleared up but it didn't stop me enjoying the story. Lewis and Audrey are good characters and the neighbours add a nice touch to the problem solving.
I enjoyed the book so much I immediately bought 10 Marchfield Place, the first book in the series to see what I'd missed. I'm not usually a fan of the "cosy" mystery but I thought the plot was interesting with just enough twists and all the characters were engaging.
I would definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys Richard Osman or SJ Bennett. Or, in fact, anyone who just enjoys a lighter detective story.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the digital review copy.
Audrey's day job as a cleaner is often somewhat baffling to her. For instance, why can she not begin cleaning a completely empty house before midday. Not even when it's freezing cold outside? But when Audrey decides to break the rules and start her job at Cadogan Place early, she finds herself embroiled in yet another murder. If this wasnt bad enough, when the Police arrive they find an entirely empty house. So where has the body gone?
Thankfully Audrey and Lewis are not taking this lying down and set out to find the missing corpse and the killer. With lots of "help" from their neighbours and making some new contacts along the way, will Audrey and Lewis crack the case or will their enthusiasm just get them into even more trouble?
When requesting this title from Netgalley I didn't realise this was the second in a series. There were a few minor niggles which the first book might have cleared up but it didn't stop me enjoying the story. Lewis and Audrey are good characters and the neighbours add a nice touch to the problem solving.
I enjoyed the book so much I immediately bought 10 Marchfield Place, the first book in the series to see what I'd missed. I'm not usually a fan of the "cosy" mystery but I thought the plot was interesting with just enough twists and all the characters were engaging.
I would definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys Richard Osman or SJ Bennett. Or, in fact, anyone who just enjoys a lighter detective story.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the digital review copy.
May 27, 2026
3.5 stars
Writing a cozy mystery is tough because the characters should be likable but not too sweet, the plot should be interesting without being grusome. This series has striked the perfect balance.
Writing a cozy mystery is tough because the characters should be likable but not too sweet, the plot should be interesting without being grusome. This series has striked the perfect balance.
June 3, 2026
I have a bit of a story with this one! I was incredibly grateful to receive an e-ARC of Murder Like Clockwork by Nicola Whyte, but when I first started reading, I had a bit of a hard time settling into the story. It was beautifully written, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had missed something. A quick Google search revealed exactly why: this is actually book two in the Marchfield Square series! In a stroke of bookish fate, the first book, 10 Marchfield Square, was already on my reading list. Naturally, I ran straight to my favorite bookshop, bought the first installment, and devoured it. Armed with the proper backstory, I dove right back into Murder Like Clockwork, and it instantly clicked.
The story reunites us with Audrey and Lewis as they find themselves entangled in yet another clever murder investigation. One of my absolute favorite aspects of this book—and the series as a whole—is their dynamic. So many mystery series feel the need to force a romance between the two leads, but that isn't the case here. I really appreciate their unique chemistry (or rather, their distinct lack of romantic chemistry). It allows the book to place a rewarding emphasis on who they are as individual characters, and it works beautifully.
While I can't go into specific plot details to avoid spoilers, I can easily say the mystery was cleverly written and meticulously plotted. The residents of Marchfield Square are incredibly enjoyable to spend time with, and the character-driven nature of the story meant I absolutely devoured it once I got going.
Murder Like Clockwork is a stellar mystery, and my accidental detour into book one only made the journey better. I am officially hooked on this series and truly hope there are many more books to come. If you love a smart, atmospheric mystery that prioritizes genuine character development over forced romance, you need to add this series to your shelf immediately!
The story reunites us with Audrey and Lewis as they find themselves entangled in yet another clever murder investigation. One of my absolute favorite aspects of this book—and the series as a whole—is their dynamic. So many mystery series feel the need to force a romance between the two leads, but that isn't the case here. I really appreciate their unique chemistry (or rather, their distinct lack of romantic chemistry). It allows the book to place a rewarding emphasis on who they are as individual characters, and it works beautifully.
While I can't go into specific plot details to avoid spoilers, I can easily say the mystery was cleverly written and meticulously plotted. The residents of Marchfield Square are incredibly enjoyable to spend time with, and the character-driven nature of the story meant I absolutely devoured it once I got going.
Murder Like Clockwork is a stellar mystery, and my accidental detour into book one only made the journey better. I am officially hooked on this series and truly hope there are many more books to come. If you love a smart, atmospheric mystery that prioritizes genuine character development over forced romance, you need to add this series to your shelf immediately!
May 25, 2026
Audio book, lovely Brit narrator. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
March 12, 2026
I was happy to return to Marchfield Square and its residents, after enjoying Nicola Whyte’s debut, 10 Marchfield Square, but I didn’t expect to love Murder Like Clockwork even more than the first book and to find myself so absorbed in the story that I spent the weekend reading it.
The protagonists of this second book are still Audrey, Lewis, and Celeste who find themselves, once again, entangled in a murder investigation. Audrey, one of the residents of 10 Marchfield Square in West London, is a cleaner. She cleans the houses of wealthy people in Mayfair and she is very passionate about her job, determined to excel, no matter how strange the job or the situation is. And her strangest job must be the one in 35 Beaton Gardens, owned by a Russian oligarch as a second home. As far as she can tell no one has ever been in the home, but not only she must clean it every week, but, most importantly, she must wind each of the clocks in the house. When she finds a body in the house that then quickly and mysteriously disappears without leaving a trace, she enlists the help of her neighbour and friend Lewis to find out the truth. After their last murder investigation, crime writer Lewis is working on his next novel, although he still needs to go to the daily job he so much despises, so he is thrilled when he and Audrey are involved in yet another mystery which includes late-night stake-outs, following cars all around London, and convincing the police that a body has been dropped in the river. And watching over them, together with her loyal friend/butler/assistant Dixon, is Celeste, owner of the community at 10 Marchfield Square, who, following the events of the first book, is looking to find someone to rent one of the vacant flats, but no longer trusts her own judgement.
Murder Like Clockwork is captivating, beautifully-written, and entertaining, and features a cast of relatable and well-developed characters that you can’t help but like. I can’t wait for the next murder!
The protagonists of this second book are still Audrey, Lewis, and Celeste who find themselves, once again, entangled in a murder investigation. Audrey, one of the residents of 10 Marchfield Square in West London, is a cleaner. She cleans the houses of wealthy people in Mayfair and she is very passionate about her job, determined to excel, no matter how strange the job or the situation is. And her strangest job must be the one in 35 Beaton Gardens, owned by a Russian oligarch as a second home. As far as she can tell no one has ever been in the home, but not only she must clean it every week, but, most importantly, she must wind each of the clocks in the house. When she finds a body in the house that then quickly and mysteriously disappears without leaving a trace, she enlists the help of her neighbour and friend Lewis to find out the truth. After their last murder investigation, crime writer Lewis is working on his next novel, although he still needs to go to the daily job he so much despises, so he is thrilled when he and Audrey are involved in yet another mystery which includes late-night stake-outs, following cars all around London, and convincing the police that a body has been dropped in the river. And watching over them, together with her loyal friend/butler/assistant Dixon, is Celeste, owner of the community at 10 Marchfield Square, who, following the events of the first book, is looking to find someone to rent one of the vacant flats, but no longer trusts her own judgement.
Murder Like Clockwork is captivating, beautifully-written, and entertaining, and features a cast of relatable and well-developed characters that you can’t help but like. I can’t wait for the next murder!
September 2, 2026
The careful and friendly Audrey, and the very socially inept Lewis are back solving a new mystery:
Though she finds it odd to clean the not-lived-in apartment of Anton Petrov and wind all his antique clocks each time she's there, it's a job that Audrey needs, so she does the best job she can.
When she arrives a little earlier than she normally does (11:30 versus noon), she begins her usual cleaning routine, and midway through it, finds a dead man with his throat cut within. She's understandably shaken and runs outside to call for help. When police arrive, they all enter to find no body, and not a bit of blood. The police are annoyed, but, she knows someone who will likely believe her: Lewis, HR guy and mostly failed crime writer. He goes through the place with her, and they find one small spot of blood, which they get DS Sophia Larssen to have analyzed. Audrey and Lewis also decide to take the contents of the vacuum with them (it will likely contain some evidence of the dead man) and to stake out the place that night, as they believe someone will be coming to get the body out of there, from wherever they hid it in the apartment. And two people do, dropping the body into the water near Tower Bridge.
Lewis is thrilled, Audrey feels vindicated, and the pair begin investigating in earnest, as they did before. Mei, Audrey's roommate and friend, is worried, but is more supportive of Audrey and Lewis' decision. She has her own troubles, as one of her legal clients has disappeared.
Audrey and Lewis' last investigation helped them both understand and become somewhat fond of each other, and they begin accumulating clues the police don't find, reporting to a delighted Celeste and Dixon of their progress. The Marchfield neighbours also get involved, providing ideas and useful actions along the way, which leads to the pair figuring out the relationship between Mr. Petrov, a contract killer, and Mei's current case.
I found this book moved along faster than book one, likely because 10 Marchfield Square's quirky inhabitants and Audrey and Lewis' dynamic had been already described in book one by author Nicola Whyte. Though the two amateur sleuths bicker their way through their new investigation, and are harangued by Sofia's partner for their involvement with the case, their relationship has progressed to a point where they know very well what each others' strengths and weaknesses are, and work together so much better this time around.
Lewis continues to miss numerous social cues and Audrey keeps getting people to open up nicely to her, but I could see, with pleasure, how they've both affected each other positively. Lewis is a little more aware of the people around him, and Audrey is a little more methodical in her sleuthing.
The story is nicely twisty, with some good surprises, and interesting characters. And I just enjoyed this book a lot.
I listened and read my way through this novel and Nneka Okoye's narration is such a pleasure to listen to. She perfectly captured how I imagined Audrey and Lewis to sound, and I liked her Celeste, with the older woman's deeper, more measured tones.
Thank you to Netgalley, Union Square & Co and to Dreamscape Media for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Though she finds it odd to clean the not-lived-in apartment of Anton Petrov and wind all his antique clocks each time she's there, it's a job that Audrey needs, so she does the best job she can.
When she arrives a little earlier than she normally does (11:30 versus noon), she begins her usual cleaning routine, and midway through it, finds a dead man with his throat cut within. She's understandably shaken and runs outside to call for help. When police arrive, they all enter to find no body, and not a bit of blood. The police are annoyed, but, she knows someone who will likely believe her: Lewis, HR guy and mostly failed crime writer. He goes through the place with her, and they find one small spot of blood, which they get DS Sophia Larssen to have analyzed. Audrey and Lewis also decide to take the contents of the vacuum with them (it will likely contain some evidence of the dead man) and to stake out the place that night, as they believe someone will be coming to get the body out of there, from wherever they hid it in the apartment. And two people do, dropping the body into the water near Tower Bridge.
Lewis is thrilled, Audrey feels vindicated, and the pair begin investigating in earnest, as they did before. Mei, Audrey's roommate and friend, is worried, but is more supportive of Audrey and Lewis' decision. She has her own troubles, as one of her legal clients has disappeared.
Audrey and Lewis' last investigation helped them both understand and become somewhat fond of each other, and they begin accumulating clues the police don't find, reporting to a delighted Celeste and Dixon of their progress. The Marchfield neighbours also get involved, providing ideas and useful actions along the way, which leads to the pair figuring out the relationship between Mr. Petrov, a contract killer, and Mei's current case.
I found this book moved along faster than book one, likely because 10 Marchfield Square's quirky inhabitants and Audrey and Lewis' dynamic had been already described in book one by author Nicola Whyte. Though the two amateur sleuths bicker their way through their new investigation, and are harangued by Sofia's partner for their involvement with the case, their relationship has progressed to a point where they know very well what each others' strengths and weaknesses are, and work together so much better this time around.
Lewis continues to miss numerous social cues and Audrey keeps getting people to open up nicely to her, but I could see, with pleasure, how they've both affected each other positively. Lewis is a little more aware of the people around him, and Audrey is a little more methodical in her sleuthing.
The story is nicely twisty, with some good surprises, and interesting characters. And I just enjoyed this book a lot.
I listened and read my way through this novel and Nneka Okoye's narration is such a pleasure to listen to. She perfectly captured how I imagined Audrey and Lewis to sound, and I liked her Celeste, with the older woman's deeper, more measured tones.
Thank you to Netgalley, Union Square & Co and to Dreamscape Media for this ARC in exchange for my review.
August 2, 2026
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Murder Like Clockwork is the second (standalone) book in a cozy British crime series by Nicola Whyte. Released 12th May 2026 by Hachette on their Union Square & Co imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook & audio formats have a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
This is a light, very well engineered, engaging standalone mystery set in London and with an ensemble cast of characters, most of whom live facing in and around a courtyard with homes surrounding it. They're varied, and the titular series main characters are a professional high-end cleaner and a probably slightly neurodivergent, neurotic crime writer.
It's got such a charmingly Christie-esque setup (stately home, disappearing corpse/crime scene, background machinations, stratospherically wealthy people doing wealthy-people-stuff, some absurdist comedy, a crashing denouement and satisfying resolution, and a foreshadowing for the next book(s)), that it was a lovely light interlude.
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours 31 minutes and is beautifully read by series narrator Nneka Okoye. She has a well modulated professionally trained alto voice and in this read, does an impressively wide range of accents, and characters across a range of ages and both male and female. The international accents, especially Russian, are more "sketched in/implied" than accurate and present no difficulty in comprehension at all. Much of the dialogue is rapid and she manages the character shifts without problems or hitches. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.
Although it's the second book in the series, necessary backstory is written in, so it works perfectly well as a standalone.
Four stars, high quality, classic cozy crime (even a bit of an espionage element). It would be an excellent binge/buddy read, or for public or home library acquisition. Clean language and no sexual content.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Murder Like Clockwork is the second (standalone) book in a cozy British crime series by Nicola Whyte. Released 12th May 2026 by Hachette on their Union Square & Co imprint, it's 368 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook & audio formats have a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
This is a light, very well engineered, engaging standalone mystery set in London and with an ensemble cast of characters, most of whom live facing in and around a courtyard with homes surrounding it. They're varied, and the titular series main characters are a professional high-end cleaner and a probably slightly neurodivergent, neurotic crime writer.
It's got such a charmingly Christie-esque setup (stately home, disappearing corpse/crime scene, background machinations, stratospherically wealthy people doing wealthy-people-stuff, some absurdist comedy, a crashing denouement and satisfying resolution, and a foreshadowing for the next book(s)), that it was a lovely light interlude.
The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours 31 minutes and is beautifully read by series narrator Nneka Okoye. She has a well modulated professionally trained alto voice and in this read, does an impressively wide range of accents, and characters across a range of ages and both male and female. The international accents, especially Russian, are more "sketched in/implied" than accurate and present no difficulty in comprehension at all. Much of the dialogue is rapid and she manages the character shifts without problems or hitches. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.
Although it's the second book in the series, necessary backstory is written in, so it works perfectly well as a standalone.
Four stars, high quality, classic cozy crime (even a bit of an espionage element). It would be an excellent binge/buddy read, or for public or home library acquisition. Clean language and no sexual content.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
July 24, 2026
Advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Having previously read and enjoyed the first Audrey Fitzgerald mystery through NetGalley, I was really pleased to return to Marchfield Square for another outing with Audrey and Lewis.
Murder Like Clockwork opens with a brilliantly intriguing premise. A body is discovered, only to disappear moments later, leaving behind almost no evidence apart from a clock that’s running four minutes slow. It’s exactly the sort of mystery that immediately hooks you, and I enjoyed trying to work out how everything fitted together.
One of the things I’m enjoying most about this series is the growing sense of community within Marchfield Square. Cosy crime has really embraced these close-knit settings in recent years, and whilst this has that same familiar, welcoming feel, it’s also carving out its own identity. With each book the residents become more established, the relationships deepen, and it feels like a place I’m looking forward to revisiting rather than just the setting for the next mystery.
Audrey and Lewis continue to make an engaging investigative duo, and I enjoyed following them as they untangled another cleverly plotted case. The mystery kept me guessing throughout, and whilst I still have a slight soft spot for the first book, this was another thoroughly enjoyable addition to the series that delivered exactly what I was hoping for.
I’m already looking forward to seeing where both the characters and the wider Marchfield Square community go next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Having previously read and enjoyed the first Audrey Fitzgerald mystery through NetGalley, I was really pleased to return to Marchfield Square for another outing with Audrey and Lewis.
Murder Like Clockwork opens with a brilliantly intriguing premise. A body is discovered, only to disappear moments later, leaving behind almost no evidence apart from a clock that’s running four minutes slow. It’s exactly the sort of mystery that immediately hooks you, and I enjoyed trying to work out how everything fitted together.
One of the things I’m enjoying most about this series is the growing sense of community within Marchfield Square. Cosy crime has really embraced these close-knit settings in recent years, and whilst this has that same familiar, welcoming feel, it’s also carving out its own identity. With each book the residents become more established, the relationships deepen, and it feels like a place I’m looking forward to revisiting rather than just the setting for the next mystery.
Audrey and Lewis continue to make an engaging investigative duo, and I enjoyed following them as they untangled another cleverly plotted case. The mystery kept me guessing throughout, and whilst I still have a slight soft spot for the first book, this was another thoroughly enjoyable addition to the series that delivered exactly what I was hoping for.
I’m already looking forward to seeing where both the characters and the wider Marchfield Square community go next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 30, 2026
3.25
so this is my bad when i got this off of netgalley i did not realize this was the second book in the series. despite not reading the first, it was still easy to follow and i enjoyed the contrasting natures of lewis/audrey/celeste.
i personally was not a fan of how often they recapped the suspects and the plot - felt too obvious to me about telling the reader vs showing.
the whimsy of the beaton gardens residents was so fun and i loved audrey’s friendships and how celeste is so ahead of the game.
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
so this is my bad when i got this off of netgalley i did not realize this was the second book in the series. despite not reading the first, it was still easy to follow and i enjoyed the contrasting natures of lewis/audrey/celeste.
i personally was not a fan of how often they recapped the suspects and the plot - felt too obvious to me about telling the reader vs showing.
the whimsy of the beaton gardens residents was so fun and i loved audrey’s friendships and how celeste is so ahead of the game.
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
June 1, 2026
Accidentally read this before reading the first one, but I followed the story easily.
So fun! So well-plotted, with such interesting characters and humor and suspense. A pretty damned near perfect modern cozy, I started the first one immediately after finishing this one and so far, I'd say the same applies to the previous book.
Audio Notes: Exceptional narration by Nneka Okoye. I hope she narrates many more books in the future.
So fun! So well-plotted, with such interesting characters and humor and suspense. A pretty damned near perfect modern cozy, I started the first one immediately after finishing this one and so far, I'd say the same applies to the previous book.
Audio Notes: Exceptional narration by Nneka Okoye. I hope she narrates many more books in the future.
February 7, 2026
I received an arc from net galley in exchange for an honest review. Another great story set around the residents of Marchfield square. Somehow Audrey and Lewis get themselves tangled up in yet another murder mystery! The characters are very likeable and I am enjoying seeing how the different personalities of Audrey and Lewis are rubbing off on each other and helping them evolve. A nice cozy mystery nothing too gruesome discussed and the puzzle of it all is very good, keeping you guessing right up until the end. If you like The Thursday Murder Club then this book should be on your TBR list. Looking forward to the next instalment as it seems this series has legs.
April 24, 2026
Second book in a series I only discovered because of this ARC, and I’m really glad I did. I loved the characters in the building and how their friendships all intertwine. Everyone somehow ends up connected to the story, which made it feel really immersive and fun to follow.
The mystery itself was strong. I was fully invested in figuring out what happened right alongside the characters instead of trying to get ahead of it, which made the whole reading experience more enjoyable.
Now I definitely want to go back and read the first book, and I’m excited to see how this series continues to grow.
The mystery itself was strong. I was fully invested in figuring out what happened right alongside the characters instead of trying to get ahead of it, which made the whole reading experience more enjoyable.
Now I definitely want to go back and read the first book, and I’m excited to see how this series continues to grow.
July 5, 2026
This is the second in the series and I liked it even better than the first. I’m really enjoying the characters.
August 14, 2026
Finally, a modern murder mystery that I felt like got the formula correct. I liked the characters, the pacing, and the inclusion of everyone's personal lives. I was really confused at first because I didn't realize this was the second in a series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone. Overall, I really enjoyed reading, because, well, I actually enjoyed it, and it was very refreshing to find a new mystery author that I like.
August 12, 2026
3.5 stars I preferred the previous story to this one. Still enjoyable characters and fun mystery. Just a little too far fetched on this one. But I'll def read any future books from her.
August 16, 2026
A second installment, and just as enjoyable as the first. I have enjoyed this series.
April 19, 2026
So sad about this as I absolutely loved the first book in the series but this one just felt like such a slog to get through. It was nice to return to familiar characters but the mystery itself just wasn’t grabbing my attention and I felt like the pacing was very slow throughout. I may still pick up other books in the series but felt very disappointed by this sequel.
May 14, 2026
An Impossible Murder, Eccentric Neighbors & the Coziest Mystery Vibes
⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.75/5
Plot / Story ⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere/Vibes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🫑
If you’re looking for a clever, cozy mystery with eccentric London neighbors, an impossible murder, layered twists, and a detective duo you’ll immediately become attached to, then Murder Like Clockwork absolutely deserves a spot on your reading list.
I’m officially obsessed with this series.
This is the second Audrey & Lewis mystery I’ve read, and honestly? I think I’m even more invested now than I was after book one. There’s something about the combination of witty dialogue, believable characters, cozy London atmosphere, and genuinely intriguing mysteries that just works so well. This series gives me the same comfort-meets-cleverness vibes as The Thursday Murder Club mixed with Only Murders in the Building. And if that sounds like your thing, you are probably going to devour this.
The premise immediately hooked me. Audrey Brooks, a meticulous housekeeper with an incredible eye for detail, discovers a brutal murder in the elegant Petrov mansion she cleans every week. Blood everywhere. A dead body in the bedroom. She panics, calls the police… and when they arrive fifteen minutes later, everything is gone. No blood. No body. Nothing. Except for one clock running four minutes slow.
Tell me that isn’t the kind of setup that instantly makes you need answers?!
What I love most about Murder Like Clockwork is that it fully embraces the classic “impossible crime” mystery while still feeling modern, charming, and character-driven. The mystery itself is genuinely clever, and I never fully figured it out before the reveals started happening. There are twists throughout the story that keep you questioning everyone, but the pacing still feels cozy and approachable rather than stressful or overly intense.
And the characters? Easily my favorite part of this series.
Audrey and Lewis have such a fun dynamic together. Audrey is observant, practical, and quietly sharp, while Lewis is awkward, sarcastic, and constantly frustrated with his mundane office job and stalled writing career. Their “slightly-annoyed-but-secretly-work-well-together” chemistry gives the book so much personality. They feel real in a way that a lot of cozy mystery characters sometimes don’t.
I also really love the way Nicola Whyte builds the wider world around Marchfield Square. The neighborhood itself almost feels like a character, filled with quirky residents, hidden connections, secrets, gossip, and overlapping lives. One of my favorite things about this series is that each mystery stands on its own, but there’s also this larger thread slowly unraveling underneath everything. With each book, you learn a little more about the characters, their histories, and the ways they’re all interconnected. It makes the series feel rewarding to follow long term.
The atmosphere was another huge win for me. There’s just something deeply satisfying about grand London townhouses filled with antique clocks, mysterious wealthy owners, cafés, pubs, and amateur sleuths piecing together clues over conversations and theories. It’s cozy without feeling too fluffy, and suspenseful without becoming dark or graphic. If you love mysteries that rely more on wit, deduction, and layered clues than violence or shock value, this is absolutely your lane.
I also appreciated the themes woven underneath the mystery itself, especially the way the story explores visibility and class. Audrey’s role as a cleaner means people often overlook or dismiss her, but that same “invisibility” allows her to notice details others miss. It’s subtle, but it adds depth to the story beyond the central puzzle.
If I had one small critique, it’s that the middle section slows slightly while the investigation unfolds, especially compared to the incredibly strong opening hook. But honestly, I didn’t mind spending extra time with these characters because their interactions are so enjoyable. And once the story starts accelerating toward the ending, the twists and reveals absolutely deliver.
Overall, Murder Like Clockwork is exactly the kind of cozy mystery I love finding: smart, atmospheric, funny, character-focused, and genuinely entertaining. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, amateur sleuths, British mystery settings, or ensemble casts with layered relationships, I highly recommend picking this one up.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the alc. #NetGalley #MurderLikeClockwork
⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.75/5
Plot / Story ⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere/Vibes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice 🫑
If you’re looking for a clever, cozy mystery with eccentric London neighbors, an impossible murder, layered twists, and a detective duo you’ll immediately become attached to, then Murder Like Clockwork absolutely deserves a spot on your reading list.
I’m officially obsessed with this series.
This is the second Audrey & Lewis mystery I’ve read, and honestly? I think I’m even more invested now than I was after book one. There’s something about the combination of witty dialogue, believable characters, cozy London atmosphere, and genuinely intriguing mysteries that just works so well. This series gives me the same comfort-meets-cleverness vibes as The Thursday Murder Club mixed with Only Murders in the Building. And if that sounds like your thing, you are probably going to devour this.
The premise immediately hooked me. Audrey Brooks, a meticulous housekeeper with an incredible eye for detail, discovers a brutal murder in the elegant Petrov mansion she cleans every week. Blood everywhere. A dead body in the bedroom. She panics, calls the police… and when they arrive fifteen minutes later, everything is gone. No blood. No body. Nothing. Except for one clock running four minutes slow.
Tell me that isn’t the kind of setup that instantly makes you need answers?!
What I love most about Murder Like Clockwork is that it fully embraces the classic “impossible crime” mystery while still feeling modern, charming, and character-driven. The mystery itself is genuinely clever, and I never fully figured it out before the reveals started happening. There are twists throughout the story that keep you questioning everyone, but the pacing still feels cozy and approachable rather than stressful or overly intense.
And the characters? Easily my favorite part of this series.
Audrey and Lewis have such a fun dynamic together. Audrey is observant, practical, and quietly sharp, while Lewis is awkward, sarcastic, and constantly frustrated with his mundane office job and stalled writing career. Their “slightly-annoyed-but-secretly-work-well-together” chemistry gives the book so much personality. They feel real in a way that a lot of cozy mystery characters sometimes don’t.
I also really love the way Nicola Whyte builds the wider world around Marchfield Square. The neighborhood itself almost feels like a character, filled with quirky residents, hidden connections, secrets, gossip, and overlapping lives. One of my favorite things about this series is that each mystery stands on its own, but there’s also this larger thread slowly unraveling underneath everything. With each book, you learn a little more about the characters, their histories, and the ways they’re all interconnected. It makes the series feel rewarding to follow long term.
The atmosphere was another huge win for me. There’s just something deeply satisfying about grand London townhouses filled with antique clocks, mysterious wealthy owners, cafés, pubs, and amateur sleuths piecing together clues over conversations and theories. It’s cozy without feeling too fluffy, and suspenseful without becoming dark or graphic. If you love mysteries that rely more on wit, deduction, and layered clues than violence or shock value, this is absolutely your lane.
I also appreciated the themes woven underneath the mystery itself, especially the way the story explores visibility and class. Audrey’s role as a cleaner means people often overlook or dismiss her, but that same “invisibility” allows her to notice details others miss. It’s subtle, but it adds depth to the story beyond the central puzzle.
If I had one small critique, it’s that the middle section slows slightly while the investigation unfolds, especially compared to the incredibly strong opening hook. But honestly, I didn’t mind spending extra time with these characters because their interactions are so enjoyable. And once the story starts accelerating toward the ending, the twists and reveals absolutely deliver.
Overall, Murder Like Clockwork is exactly the kind of cozy mystery I love finding: smart, atmospheric, funny, character-focused, and genuinely entertaining. If you enjoy locked-room mysteries, amateur sleuths, British mystery settings, or ensemble casts with layered relationships, I highly recommend picking this one up.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the alc. #NetGalley #MurderLikeClockwork
June 4, 2026
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖: Cozy through and through, this mystery features a wonderfully mismatched amateur sleuth duo: Audrey, a warm and practical housecleaner, and Lewis, an overenthusiastic and slightly exasperating aspiring crime novelist. When Audrey discovers a corpse that mysteriously vanishes before the police arrive, the pair once again find themselves pulled into another puzzling murder investigation.
𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
I enjoyed the first book, but this sequel made me feel even more confident that this series is finding its footing and getting stronger with each installment.
One of my favorite aspects of the series remains the partnership between Audrey and Lewis. They are such an unlikely pair, and yet their contrasting personalities create a dynamic that is both entertaining and effective. Audrey’s grounded, practical nature balances Lewis’s enthusiasm and tendency to get carried away, making their interactions one of the highlights of the story.
I also loved the involvement of the neighbors and wider community. The way everyone becomes invested in the mystery gave me slight Only Murders in the Building vibes, with its blend of amateur sleuthing, quirky personalities, and community-driven investigation. It adds an extra layer of charm that makes the series feel especially cozy.
Without giving away spoilers, I was particularly intrigued by the hints we get regarding Celeste and her mysterious past. Those small glimpses left me with more questions than answers, and honestly, they may be what I'm most excited to explore in future books. I love when a cozy mystery series weaves in an ongoing subplot that slowly unfolds over multiple installments.
The mystery itself was also quite unique. I especially enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at crime scene cleaning, which added an interesting angle that I don't often encounter in mysteries. It helped the story stand out while still delivering the cozy atmosphere I was looking for.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. The narration added personality to the dialogue and enhanced the humor, suspense, and charm of the story.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable installment, and I'm already looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.
𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝔽𝕠𝕣: The mystery, the Audrey and Lewis partnership, quirky community involvement, Celeste's developing storyline, and the unique crime scene cleaning angle.
ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥:
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲: None
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: Mild
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: Murder investigation, discussions of death, crime scene descriptions, mild peril, and suspenseful situations.
ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕/𝕃𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕗 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖:
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with quirky amateur sleuths, community-centered investigations, clever murder puzzles, and series with an ongoing mystery thread that develops across multiple books, this is a great choice.
𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
I enjoyed the first book, but this sequel made me feel even more confident that this series is finding its footing and getting stronger with each installment.
One of my favorite aspects of the series remains the partnership between Audrey and Lewis. They are such an unlikely pair, and yet their contrasting personalities create a dynamic that is both entertaining and effective. Audrey’s grounded, practical nature balances Lewis’s enthusiasm and tendency to get carried away, making their interactions one of the highlights of the story.
I also loved the involvement of the neighbors and wider community. The way everyone becomes invested in the mystery gave me slight Only Murders in the Building vibes, with its blend of amateur sleuthing, quirky personalities, and community-driven investigation. It adds an extra layer of charm that makes the series feel especially cozy.
Without giving away spoilers, I was particularly intrigued by the hints we get regarding Celeste and her mysterious past. Those small glimpses left me with more questions than answers, and honestly, they may be what I'm most excited to explore in future books. I love when a cozy mystery series weaves in an ongoing subplot that slowly unfolds over multiple installments.
The mystery itself was also quite unique. I especially enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at crime scene cleaning, which added an interesting angle that I don't often encounter in mysteries. It helped the story stand out while still delivering the cozy atmosphere I was looking for.
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. The narration added personality to the dialogue and enhanced the humor, suspense, and charm of the story.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable installment, and I'm already looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.
𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕕 𝔽𝕠𝕣: The mystery, the Audrey and Lewis partnership, quirky community involvement, Celeste's developing storyline, and the unique crime scene cleaning angle.
ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥:
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲: None
𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: Mild
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: Murder investigation, discussions of death, crime scene descriptions, mild peril, and suspenseful situations.
ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕/𝕃𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕗 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖:
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with quirky amateur sleuths, community-centered investigations, clever murder puzzles, and series with an ongoing mystery thread that develops across multiple books, this is a great choice.
September 1, 2026
Celeste van Duren’s reference surely has played a part, but Audrey truly has won her clients over with her diligence and attention to detail. Thus it doesn’t matter that the London house of Anton Petrov is uninhabited since quite a while, Audrey is still attentively cleaning each room and winding the numerous clocks of her client with care. Each Thursday at point 12 she enters the property and proceeds with her work, but this time it was simply too cold to wait outside in the freezing temperatures and it’s not like anyone would be disturbed by her arriving a little bit earlier. At least that’s what Audrey thought until she stumbled upon a bloody body in one of the bedrooms on the second floor. In panic of the murderer still hiding somewhere in the house, Audrey flees the scene and immediately calls the police. However after their arrival the police are unable to find anything and don’t appreciate being joked with, but Audrey knows what she saw. How could a whole crime scene disappear in less than twenty minutes? Once his phone lit up with the message, Audrey’s neighbor Lewis immediately rushes to help, any distraction from his boring recruitment job being welcome and also, crime book don’t write themselves, do they? On the hunt for inspiration Lewis begins looking for traces and indeed finds a small blood splatter the police had missed. The unlikely duo has past experience with solving murder, but proving that one happened without the body present is a whole other thing.
Ah, this sequel to Marchfield Square felt like a warm hug. Okay, I’m not really a fan of those, but I’m just using the expression here. From the first page to the last, I loved Audrey and Lewis’s second investigation set in freezing cold London. I actually tend to think this second book is even stronger than the first and that’s saying something! How I’ve missed the dynamic between the two of them: Lewis, in particular, has grown noticeably, even if he often remains socially awkward and gets Audrey into uncomfortable situations as a result. Their deepened friendship also has a positive impact on the investigation, as the two complement each other perfectly. And by the way: Lewis bought her a hat that Audrey loves to wear, even though the yellow color doesn’t flatter her at all? I love it! But as for the story itself: "Murder Like Clockwork" was full of humor, cleverness, and a dash of charm, and it completely captivated me. It was incredibly fun to figure things out alongside the protagonists and piece the mystery together step by step. I even managed to figure out a few things before Audrey and Lewis did, which gave my amateur-detective ego a bit of a boost. Still, the story wasn’t predictable at all. There were several plot twists, and a few times I couldn’t control my facial expressions, the surprise was written all over my face. The idea of making the body disappear? Brilliant. The big reveal at the end made sense and tied up the events nicely, which is especially important to me in a good mystery. I really hope there will be a sequel, since the last page left another open ending. Even if it’s not realistic, I wish this series would never end!
Ah, this sequel to Marchfield Square felt like a warm hug. Okay, I’m not really a fan of those, but I’m just using the expression here. From the first page to the last, I loved Audrey and Lewis’s second investigation set in freezing cold London. I actually tend to think this second book is even stronger than the first and that’s saying something! How I’ve missed the dynamic between the two of them: Lewis, in particular, has grown noticeably, even if he often remains socially awkward and gets Audrey into uncomfortable situations as a result. Their deepened friendship also has a positive impact on the investigation, as the two complement each other perfectly. And by the way: Lewis bought her a hat that Audrey loves to wear, even though the yellow color doesn’t flatter her at all? I love it! But as for the story itself: "Murder Like Clockwork" was full of humor, cleverness, and a dash of charm, and it completely captivated me. It was incredibly fun to figure things out alongside the protagonists and piece the mystery together step by step. I even managed to figure out a few things before Audrey and Lewis did, which gave my amateur-detective ego a bit of a boost. Still, the story wasn’t predictable at all. There were several plot twists, and a few times I couldn’t control my facial expressions, the surprise was written all over my face. The idea of making the body disappear? Brilliant. The big reveal at the end made sense and tied up the events nicely, which is especially important to me in a good mystery. I really hope there will be a sequel, since the last page left another open ending. Even if it’s not realistic, I wish this series would never end!
April 27, 2026
This is a fabulous modern day cosy locked room mystery set in London. While it is modern it has a classic mystery feel. It follows Audrey Brooks a house cleaner and her neighbour Lewis McLennon who is a crime writer/ recruitment agent. Its set in the beautiful setting of 10 Marchfield Square. The book is written primarily from Audrey and Lewis’s POV’S.
Audrey finds a body in a room of one of the homes she is cleaning. This home belongs to a Russian Oligarch. She calls the police but when they arrive the body has disappeared and the crime scene spotless. Audrey and Lewis begin their investigation but the only clue is an antique clock that is 4 minutes behind….
Even though the story is set in the modern day, it has a whimsical old time feel. The antique clocks and the Marchfield Square residents add to this atmosphere.
This is an extremely well written novel. There were clues along the way but it wasn’t predictable which I loved. The author has a clear writing style that was easy to read. While it delves into series topics its written in a funny, light hearted way. I like how the characters and writing style were consistent with the first novel in the series.
I really liked all of the characters in this novel. The novel has diverse representation such as LGBT+, disability, older people that was protrade well and complimented the story without being overpowering. In my opinion all characters were represented well.
Audrey and Lewis’s dynamic worked really well in this novel. They complimented each other nicely. Their scenes were written very well and was charming to read. I liked them both as characters. I really hope if there are more novels that they don’t become romantically involved as they work well as friends. It also would allow for further characters to be introduced and plot lines to develop .
Celeste and Dixon were definitely my favourite duo. Although we get the occasional POV from Celeste I feel I wanted more form her and Dixon. They were so mysteries and loved their dynamic. I really would have liked more time with them in this novel.
Mei was a really interesting character for me. I again would like to see more from her in future books. Having more focus on the actual criminal prosecution or law enforcement would be interesting.
The narration for this book was good and easy to listen too. A bit slow for my liking but was ok once I sped up. It would benefit from a PDF download of 10 Marchfield Square to help visualise the residence.
This book was really well written. All the characters were very believable and well thought out. I liked how the author touched on issues such as the cost of living crisis.
Audrey finds a body in a room of one of the homes she is cleaning. This home belongs to a Russian Oligarch. She calls the police but when they arrive the body has disappeared and the crime scene spotless. Audrey and Lewis begin their investigation but the only clue is an antique clock that is 4 minutes behind….
Even though the story is set in the modern day, it has a whimsical old time feel. The antique clocks and the Marchfield Square residents add to this atmosphere.
This is an extremely well written novel. There were clues along the way but it wasn’t predictable which I loved. The author has a clear writing style that was easy to read. While it delves into series topics its written in a funny, light hearted way. I like how the characters and writing style were consistent with the first novel in the series.
I really liked all of the characters in this novel. The novel has diverse representation such as LGBT+, disability, older people that was protrade well and complimented the story without being overpowering. In my opinion all characters were represented well.
Audrey and Lewis’s dynamic worked really well in this novel. They complimented each other nicely. Their scenes were written very well and was charming to read. I liked them both as characters. I really hope if there are more novels that they don’t become romantically involved as they work well as friends. It also would allow for further characters to be introduced and plot lines to develop .
Celeste and Dixon were definitely my favourite duo. Although we get the occasional POV from Celeste I feel I wanted more form her and Dixon. They were so mysteries and loved their dynamic. I really would have liked more time with them in this novel.
Mei was a really interesting character for me. I again would like to see more from her in future books. Having more focus on the actual criminal prosecution or law enforcement would be interesting.
The narration for this book was good and easy to listen too. A bit slow for my liking but was ok once I sped up. It would benefit from a PDF download of 10 Marchfield Square to help visualise the residence.
This book was really well written. All the characters were very believable and well thought out. I liked how the author touched on issues such as the cost of living crisis.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the second in a series featuring the amateur detective duo Audrey Brooks and Lewis McLennon. I haven’t read the first, 10 Marchfield Square, but I enjoyed this one so much I’m planning to go back and read it, as well as looking out for any future books in the series.
Murder Like Clockwork is set in London and begins with cleaner Audrey Brooks arriving at the house she cleans every Thursday afternoon. She got the job through an agency and has never met the owner of the house, a Russian financier who is rarely in the country but wants someone to wind his collection of clocks and dust his antiques and expensive furniture. On this particular Thursday, Audrey arrives earlier than her usual time but it’s so cold she enters the house anyway and prepares to start work – only to find that she’s not alone. There’s a dead body in one of the bedrooms…with splashes of blood all over the walls and floor, showing that it wasn’t a natural death.
Audrey runs outside to call the police, who arrive twenty minutes later. To her shock, however, she finds herself accused of wasting police time, because there’s no dead body or blood to be seen. Audrey can’t believe it; how can an entire crime scene completely vanish in only twenty minutes? Convinced that she wasn’t imagining things, she contacts her friend, Lewis McLennon, who recently helped her solve another mystery. Lewis is excited to have a second crime to investigate, but how can they even prove that a crime has been committed when the victim and the evidence have disappeared?
When I picked up this book I was anticipating a quick, entertaining read – and that's what I got! The characters are well drawn and quirky, the mystery is cleverly plotted without being too difficult to follow and the overall tone is light and humorous. It didn’t really matter that I hadn’t read the previous book as this one works well as a standalone, but I did feel that I didn’t fully understand the role of one of the characters, Celeste, the owner of Marchfield Square, the residential complex where Lewis and Audrey both live. I’m sure I’ll get to know her better when I read the first book.
The novel is written from the points of view of Audrey, Lewis and occasionally Celeste, giving different perspectives on different aspects of the mystery. I found Lewis a particularly interesting character. As a struggling crime writer, he’s enthusiastic about having a real life crime to solve in the hope that it will give him inspiration for his books, but this often leads him to speak without thinking and many people find him annoying. He has a job at a recruitment agency, which he resents because he would rather spend his time writing, and is genuinely surprised when he discovers that other people also have lives outside work and are finding ways to balance their day jobs with pursuing their own dreams. Audrey is a very different personality – she’s warm, friendly and sociable and is happy with her cleaning jobs (although she wishes they were better paid). She and Lewis complement each other perfectly and form a good team.
Although Audrey and Lewis do most of the investigating, I loved the way the other residents of Marchfield Square also get involved. Somehow they all seem to know exactly what’s going on and everyone has an opinion to give or a piece of advice to offer. If you’ve ever watched Only Murders in the Building, that’s what this book reminded me of! I found it very entertaining overall and am looking forward to meeting Lewis and Audrey again.
Murder Like Clockwork is set in London and begins with cleaner Audrey Brooks arriving at the house she cleans every Thursday afternoon. She got the job through an agency and has never met the owner of the house, a Russian financier who is rarely in the country but wants someone to wind his collection of clocks and dust his antiques and expensive furniture. On this particular Thursday, Audrey arrives earlier than her usual time but it’s so cold she enters the house anyway and prepares to start work – only to find that she’s not alone. There’s a dead body in one of the bedrooms…with splashes of blood all over the walls and floor, showing that it wasn’t a natural death.
Audrey runs outside to call the police, who arrive twenty minutes later. To her shock, however, she finds herself accused of wasting police time, because there’s no dead body or blood to be seen. Audrey can’t believe it; how can an entire crime scene completely vanish in only twenty minutes? Convinced that she wasn’t imagining things, she contacts her friend, Lewis McLennon, who recently helped her solve another mystery. Lewis is excited to have a second crime to investigate, but how can they even prove that a crime has been committed when the victim and the evidence have disappeared?
When I picked up this book I was anticipating a quick, entertaining read – and that's what I got! The characters are well drawn and quirky, the mystery is cleverly plotted without being too difficult to follow and the overall tone is light and humorous. It didn’t really matter that I hadn’t read the previous book as this one works well as a standalone, but I did feel that I didn’t fully understand the role of one of the characters, Celeste, the owner of Marchfield Square, the residential complex where Lewis and Audrey both live. I’m sure I’ll get to know her better when I read the first book.
The novel is written from the points of view of Audrey, Lewis and occasionally Celeste, giving different perspectives on different aspects of the mystery. I found Lewis a particularly interesting character. As a struggling crime writer, he’s enthusiastic about having a real life crime to solve in the hope that it will give him inspiration for his books, but this often leads him to speak without thinking and many people find him annoying. He has a job at a recruitment agency, which he resents because he would rather spend his time writing, and is genuinely surprised when he discovers that other people also have lives outside work and are finding ways to balance their day jobs with pursuing their own dreams. Audrey is a very different personality – she’s warm, friendly and sociable and is happy with her cleaning jobs (although she wishes they were better paid). She and Lewis complement each other perfectly and form a good team.
Although Audrey and Lewis do most of the investigating, I loved the way the other residents of Marchfield Square also get involved. Somehow they all seem to know exactly what’s going on and everyone has an opinion to give or a piece of advice to offer. If you’ve ever watched Only Murders in the Building, that’s what this book reminded me of! I found it very entertaining overall and am looking forward to meeting Lewis and Audrey again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was an unusual story but I enjoyed it and will definitely be adding it to my must read series list.
It was a fun quirky story set in London and it was nice to have familiar names that I recognized in a cozy mystery. I liked the characters, especially the way they all got involved in the mystery. I might not have joined them for there first case and I must admit I did struggle to keep all the characters straight to begin with but as I got into the story it became easier to follow and very entertaining. I loved that the characters were so varied with Audrey as a cleaner and Lewis as a struggling writer, they are not your usual cozy mystery sleuths but it gave them plenty opportunities to investigate.
As for the mystery wow, just wow. I love puzzling out locked room mysteries and this one was something special, having the body disappear was genius and had me puzzling over it right from the start, I never did come up with answer. There was a lot going on in the story and it was never as it seemed but it came together nicely and everything got explained in a few a-ah moments. Will be keeping a eye out for the next book.
With the cold weather of London biting at her fingers Audrey let's herself in early to clean her clients empty house. The problem is the house is not empty and she discovers a dead body. When she returns with the police, the body is not only gone but so is all the evidence that anything had happened too. Audrey turns to her friend Lewis for help in proving that she is not crazy or wasting the police's time. There first question, one of many, is how was the body moved and the house cleaned in just the few minutes it took the police to arrive? Audrey and Lewis discover a single missed blood droplet that has the pair looking for a killer with skills. But how much was planned and and how much was luck? If Audrey hadn't been early would a killer have gotten away with murder and more importantly by being early has Audrey made herself a target? When they discover there landlady has a connection to the home owner things get complicated, how will she take the news that her friend was either the target or the killer? They just have to find a body first.
I liked the narrator. She made the story come to life in a very entertaining way and one that is sure to delight.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
It was a fun quirky story set in London and it was nice to have familiar names that I recognized in a cozy mystery. I liked the characters, especially the way they all got involved in the mystery. I might not have joined them for there first case and I must admit I did struggle to keep all the characters straight to begin with but as I got into the story it became easier to follow and very entertaining. I loved that the characters were so varied with Audrey as a cleaner and Lewis as a struggling writer, they are not your usual cozy mystery sleuths but it gave them plenty opportunities to investigate.
As for the mystery wow, just wow. I love puzzling out locked room mysteries and this one was something special, having the body disappear was genius and had me puzzling over it right from the start, I never did come up with answer. There was a lot going on in the story and it was never as it seemed but it came together nicely and everything got explained in a few a-ah moments. Will be keeping a eye out for the next book.
With the cold weather of London biting at her fingers Audrey let's herself in early to clean her clients empty house. The problem is the house is not empty and she discovers a dead body. When she returns with the police, the body is not only gone but so is all the evidence that anything had happened too. Audrey turns to her friend Lewis for help in proving that she is not crazy or wasting the police's time. There first question, one of many, is how was the body moved and the house cleaned in just the few minutes it took the police to arrive? Audrey and Lewis discover a single missed blood droplet that has the pair looking for a killer with skills. But how much was planned and and how much was luck? If Audrey hadn't been early would a killer have gotten away with murder and more importantly by being early has Audrey made herself a target? When they discover there landlady has a connection to the home owner things get complicated, how will she take the news that her friend was either the target or the killer? They just have to find a body first.
I liked the narrator. She made the story come to life in a very entertaining way and one that is sure to delight.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read a free advance digital review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Last year, I read 10 Marchfield Square, a delightful debut mystery about a huge London mansion with an interior courtyard that has been converted by its owner, the widow Celeste Van Duren, into a series of flats and maisonettes. Celeste saved a large maisonette for herself, of course, and lives there with her longtime manservant, Dixon. Celeste is so rich she can afford to offer well below-market rents, and she does that, hand-picking her renters. It’s never clear what her criteria are, but it’s a mixed bag of interesting people, each of whom visit Celeste once a week so that she can keep up with what’s happening around the square.
In that first book, a murder occurred within the square, and an unlikely pair of tenants teamed up to solve the murder. Lewis works at a recruitment agency, a job he’s not fond of, and his avocation is writing crime novels. Audrey is a cleaner who shares a maisonette with her lawyer friend, Mei. It was entertaining to get to know these characters, but I wondered how this could turn into a series, given the setting. You could hardly bump off various tenants every year. But author Nicola Whyte comes up with a neat solution in Murder Like Clockwork.
As a cleaner, Audrey is in and out of houses and apartments around London every day. Thursday is her day to clean the opulent Beaton Gardens townhouse of absentee owner Anton Petrov. What a shock to discover a brutally murdered man in one of the bedrooms, particularly considering the townhouse supposedly hasn’t had anybody in it for months.
Audrey flees the townhouse, calls the police, and waits outside for an agonizing 20 minutes. What a shock when they find no evidence inside. The police blow Audrey off as a nutcase, but she’s not putting up with that. She and Lewis investigate, and the case becomes intriguingly complex and multi-threaded.
Although it’s not absolutely necessary to read 10 Marchfield Square before this book, I strongly recommend it. There is a lot of character development in this book, and it helps to have the baseline established from the first book. This is a strong second book in a series that has potential to become a long-running series, maybe even turned into a miniseries or movie.
4.5 stars, rounded up
Last year, I read 10 Marchfield Square, a delightful debut mystery about a huge London mansion with an interior courtyard that has been converted by its owner, the widow Celeste Van Duren, into a series of flats and maisonettes. Celeste saved a large maisonette for herself, of course, and lives there with her longtime manservant, Dixon. Celeste is so rich she can afford to offer well below-market rents, and she does that, hand-picking her renters. It’s never clear what her criteria are, but it’s a mixed bag of interesting people, each of whom visit Celeste once a week so that she can keep up with what’s happening around the square.
In that first book, a murder occurred within the square, and an unlikely pair of tenants teamed up to solve the murder. Lewis works at a recruitment agency, a job he’s not fond of, and his avocation is writing crime novels. Audrey is a cleaner who shares a maisonette with her lawyer friend, Mei. It was entertaining to get to know these characters, but I wondered how this could turn into a series, given the setting. You could hardly bump off various tenants every year. But author Nicola Whyte comes up with a neat solution in Murder Like Clockwork.
As a cleaner, Audrey is in and out of houses and apartments around London every day. Thursday is her day to clean the opulent Beaton Gardens townhouse of absentee owner Anton Petrov. What a shock to discover a brutally murdered man in one of the bedrooms, particularly considering the townhouse supposedly hasn’t had anybody in it for months.
Audrey flees the townhouse, calls the police, and waits outside for an agonizing 20 minutes. What a shock when they find no evidence inside. The police blow Audrey off as a nutcase, but she’s not putting up with that. She and Lewis investigate, and the case becomes intriguingly complex and multi-threaded.
Although it’s not absolutely necessary to read 10 Marchfield Square before this book, I strongly recommend it. There is a lot of character development in this book, and it helps to have the baseline established from the first book. This is a strong second book in a series that has potential to become a long-running series, maybe even turned into a miniseries or movie.
4.5 stars, rounded up
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Audrey Brooks lives in a community of people who were down on their luck bit who caught a break when they came to live there, being able to rent flats at well below market value. Each of the residents has a skill set and the 'matriarch' of the community and owner of the square is Celeste. Audrey is a professional cleaner who takes her job very seriously indeed. One of her clients lives abroad but has a house full of antiques. He's particularly into his clocks. Audrey's job is to enter the house at precisely noon on a particular day each week to clean, but more importantly to wind the clocks. One cold winter day, she arrives at the property early. She's freezing and decides that it'll be fine if she goes in half an hour ahead of schedule instead of waiting outside on the pavement, so she goes in, disarms the alarm, gets some feeling back in her fingers and toes, and gets to work. Suddenly all the clocks but one start to chime. She goes to investigate the outlier and discovers a blood spattered room with a dead body in a chair. She runs back outside and calls the police, who take a while to arrive. When they do, they find nothing amiss. The room is clean. Nothing to see here. But Audrey knows what she saw and with the help of her friends--in particular Lewis--she's going to find out what's going on.
This was a good read. I liked the characters and their individual quirks. I would have liked to know more about a few of them who made short appearances in this book, but did provide helpful information. This is the second book in a series, I think, and I didn't even know about the first one, so while I suspect I would know more about Celeste in particular and probably some of the others as well had I read the first book, it was in no way necessary to enjoy this one. The setting was interesting and the plot was unique in my experience. I quite like Audrey and her zeal for cleaning. Lewis grows a bit in the book and learns some things about himself, which I also found interesting. All in all, I really enjoyed my time with this book and I would read more by this author in future. Recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.
This was a good read. I liked the characters and their individual quirks. I would have liked to know more about a few of them who made short appearances in this book, but did provide helpful information. This is the second book in a series, I think, and I didn't even know about the first one, so while I suspect I would know more about Celeste in particular and probably some of the others as well had I read the first book, it was in no way necessary to enjoy this one. The setting was interesting and the plot was unique in my experience. I quite like Audrey and her zeal for cleaning. Lewis grows a bit in the book and learns some things about himself, which I also found interesting. All in all, I really enjoyed my time with this book and I would read more by this author in future. Recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Nicola Whyte’s Murder Like Clockwork is the second in her series featuring Audrey Brooks, a cleaner in London. I haven’t read the first book in the series. Although I may have enjoyed this second book more if I had done so, my lack of acquaintance with the characters didn’t much matter. Audrey and her neighbour, Lewis, apparently solved a murder in that book and the author is obviously positioning them to solve another murder in this one.
I liked the way that the author makes her characters’ jobs essential to the plot: if Audrey hadn’t gone to 35 Beaton Gardens to give the house its weekly clean, the body would never have been spotted. If Lewis’s job wasn’t matching job-seeking staff and staff-seeking employers, he wouldn’t have made the contacts; if Mei hadn’t been dating a police sergeant… etc.
The dialogue is snappy; the tying together of the plot strands is very well done; the characters’ behaviour is 100% consistent with the way they are depicted – and yet… The book just didn’t really grab me. Normally, I pride myself on being able to articulate what I enjoy or dislike about a book, but I’m struggling with Murder Like Clockwork. I think it’s that I feel no empathy with the characters. Lewis is unfeeling and some of his actions made me cringe. There’s a big fuss made about getting a car registration (and it appears to have been done) but there is nothing in the narrative about doing so. Audrey finds a body in a blood-drenched room and calls the police, but when they arrive fifteen minutes later, the body has disappeared and the room is spotless. It appears to be impossible, but how it was done was, I felt, obvious. I enjoyed the way Audrey’s professional curiosity motivated her to keep wondering how the scene was cleaned so well and so quickly. However, although I guessed how the author handled the corpse, I’m sceptical of how she explains the death itself. While it’s not quite “And with one bound, I was free!”, I felt it was unsatisfying and undermined the more carefully written passages.
As I say, the book is mostly well-written and I do recommend it, as I suspect many people will thoroughly enjoy it. It just didn’t grip me.
#MurderLikeClockwork #NetGalley
I liked the way that the author makes her characters’ jobs essential to the plot: if Audrey hadn’t gone to 35 Beaton Gardens to give the house its weekly clean, the body would never have been spotted. If Lewis’s job wasn’t matching job-seeking staff and staff-seeking employers, he wouldn’t have made the contacts; if Mei hadn’t been dating a police sergeant… etc.
The dialogue is snappy; the tying together of the plot strands is very well done; the characters’ behaviour is 100% consistent with the way they are depicted – and yet… The book just didn’t really grab me. Normally, I pride myself on being able to articulate what I enjoy or dislike about a book, but I’m struggling with Murder Like Clockwork. I think it’s that I feel no empathy with the characters. Lewis is unfeeling and some of his actions made me cringe. There’s a big fuss made about getting a car registration (and it appears to have been done) but there is nothing in the narrative about doing so. Audrey finds a body in a blood-drenched room and calls the police, but when they arrive fifteen minutes later, the body has disappeared and the room is spotless. It appears to be impossible, but how it was done was, I felt, obvious. I enjoyed the way Audrey’s professional curiosity motivated her to keep wondering how the scene was cleaned so well and so quickly. However, although I guessed how the author handled the corpse, I’m sceptical of how she explains the death itself. While it’s not quite “And with one bound, I was free!”, I felt it was unsatisfying and undermined the more carefully written passages.
As I say, the book is mostly well-written and I do recommend it, as I suspect many people will thoroughly enjoy it. It just didn’t grip me.
#MurderLikeClockwork #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Audrey Brooks is a cleaner who notices everything. This becomes a problem when she finds a corpse in a London mansion, only for it to disappear before the police arrive. The only clue left behind is an antique clock running four minutes slow. It is a traditional locked room setup, yet the tension feels modern. Audrey knows what she saw, even if the reality of a clean room suggests she might be losing her mind.
Audrey is a meticulous protagonist whose professional eye for detail makes her a natural detective. She is grounded by her friend Lewis; he is annoying, yet their shared history as a duo prevents the narrative from feeling like a standard origin story. Their partnership provides a necessary layer of human connection. Audrey’s growth from a panicked witness to a determined investigator feels earned and honest.
The writing is lean and intelligent, avoiding the heavy-handed drama often found in modern mysteries. The prose stays light, favoring a dry wit that keeps the reader slightly off balance. By focusing on the timing of the crime rather than the culprit alone, the story avoids genre clichés. The atmosphere is British cozy with a sharp edge; it fits well alongside the works of Richard Osman or Janice Hallett.
The narrative reflects a modern anxiety about time and how easily our perception of truth can be manipulated. In an era of constant surveillance, something is unsettling about a physical space that refuses to yield its secrets. It suggests that, despite our technology, a well-timed disappearance still carries weight. This forced me to consider how many details I overlook in my own daily routine while the seconds tick away.
The book manages to be inventive without being flashy. While the amateur sleuth trope is familiar, the mechanical precision of the plot makes it unique. It does not rely on shock value to keep attention. Instead, it provides a puzzle that requires genuine thought. It is a reminder that the most significant secrets are often hidden in the places we think we have already cleaned.
Audrey is a meticulous protagonist whose professional eye for detail makes her a natural detective. She is grounded by her friend Lewis; he is annoying, yet their shared history as a duo prevents the narrative from feeling like a standard origin story. Their partnership provides a necessary layer of human connection. Audrey’s growth from a panicked witness to a determined investigator feels earned and honest.
The writing is lean and intelligent, avoiding the heavy-handed drama often found in modern mysteries. The prose stays light, favoring a dry wit that keeps the reader slightly off balance. By focusing on the timing of the crime rather than the culprit alone, the story avoids genre clichés. The atmosphere is British cozy with a sharp edge; it fits well alongside the works of Richard Osman or Janice Hallett.
The narrative reflects a modern anxiety about time and how easily our perception of truth can be manipulated. In an era of constant surveillance, something is unsettling about a physical space that refuses to yield its secrets. It suggests that, despite our technology, a well-timed disappearance still carries weight. This forced me to consider how many details I overlook in my own daily routine while the seconds tick away.
The book manages to be inventive without being flashy. While the amateur sleuth trope is familiar, the mechanical precision of the plot makes it unique. It does not rely on shock value to keep attention. Instead, it provides a puzzle that requires genuine thought. It is a reminder that the most significant secrets are often hidden in the places we think we have already cleaned.
May 20, 2026
MURDER LIKE CLOCKWORK is a positively delightful British cozy mystery. Whyte crafts a tale with engaging and unique characters as they set down the path to discover what truly happened the night Audrey said she found a body.
What I liked the most about this book is way the investigation unfolded. There is a methodical way Audrey and Lewis deal with the chaos around them that grounds the narrative. They each have their own way of seeing things and when they work together the pieces seem to come together. Throw in the various neighbors offering their help and it becomes one fabulous read.
Having not read the first book in this series, I wasn’t sure if I would be lost. However, I was able to jump in and join the crew as they solve this crime. MURDER LIKE CLOCKWORK was entertaining and had just the right amount of twists and turns. I will be picking up another book by Whyte soon.
Audiobook Note: Nneka Okoye narrated this book wonderfully. Having listed to a number of books read by her, I knew I would entertained. The flow of the story and the distincion between the characters just fit perfectly for this mystery.
Pace: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
Elocution: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
Characters: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
Reviewer Disclaimer: I have been experimenting with a hybrid reading method in which I read and listen to the same book. The publisher gave me the physical book and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
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✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
What I liked the most about this book is way the investigation unfolded. There is a methodical way Audrey and Lewis deal with the chaos around them that grounds the narrative. They each have their own way of seeing things and when they work together the pieces seem to come together. Throw in the various neighbors offering their help and it becomes one fabulous read.
Having not read the first book in this series, I wasn’t sure if I would be lost. However, I was able to jump in and join the crew as they solve this crime. MURDER LIKE CLOCKWORK was entertaining and had just the right amount of twists and turns. I will be picking up another book by Whyte soon.
Audiobook Note: Nneka Okoye narrated this book wonderfully. Having listed to a number of books read by her, I knew I would entertained. The flow of the story and the distincion between the characters just fit perfectly for this mystery.
Pace: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
Elocution: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
Characters: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
Reviewer Disclaimer: I have been experimenting with a hybrid reading method in which I read and listen to the same book. The publisher gave me the physical book and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Art, Books, & Coffee:
Website | Instagram | Facebook Group
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
March 25, 2026
I have given up worrying about the tag ‘cosy crime’. Yes, as a descriptor like ‘dystopian’ or ‘romantasy’ it does possibly provide you with an idea of what to expect. But like most labels, it is very non-descriptive – there is a lot of trash in the cosy genre but then, there is a lot of trash in any genre. ‘Literary fiction’ has its share too. Finding the treasure in the trash can be hard.
So yes, Murder Like Clockwork is cosy crime, but in the good old days, it would just have been described as crime, it is just that the puzzle and solution are what matters, rather than the gritty reality. And who wants gritty reality in their novels? Sadists and weirdos? Probably. There is enough reality in reality, thank you very much. Novels should be about escapism and a good story. And that is what we find in Murder Like Clockwork – a traditional ‘locked room mystery’, some fun in investigation and a satisfying solution. But it is not all tradition, Murder Like Clockwork feels very contemporary and has some nice modern and unusual flourishes.
The only drawback for me coming to this series in the second book is that it relies too much on assumed knowledge of what happened in the first novel, and backstories and relationships between characters, even going so far as to state, more than once, things like, “after everything you’ve been through” without any explanation to what ‘everything’ may refer. These hints don’t inspire me to read the first in the series, so much as to simply irritate me when I’m reading the second. But that is a (relatively) minor quibble - Murder Like Clockwork is definitely one of the treasures to be found in the cosy crime section.
So yes, Murder Like Clockwork is cosy crime, but in the good old days, it would just have been described as crime, it is just that the puzzle and solution are what matters, rather than the gritty reality. And who wants gritty reality in their novels? Sadists and weirdos? Probably. There is enough reality in reality, thank you very much. Novels should be about escapism and a good story. And that is what we find in Murder Like Clockwork – a traditional ‘locked room mystery’, some fun in investigation and a satisfying solution. But it is not all tradition, Murder Like Clockwork feels very contemporary and has some nice modern and unusual flourishes.
The only drawback for me coming to this series in the second book is that it relies too much on assumed knowledge of what happened in the first novel, and backstories and relationships between characters, even going so far as to state, more than once, things like, “after everything you’ve been through” without any explanation to what ‘everything’ may refer. These hints don’t inspire me to read the first in the series, so much as to simply irritate me when I’m reading the second. But that is a (relatively) minor quibble - Murder Like Clockwork is definitely one of the treasures to be found in the cosy crime section.
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