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The Milverton Mysteries #5
Killer on the Kelvin Explorer
Addison Harper and Sergeant Jake Murphy are off to a shaky start with their new living situation. So, when Addison has the chance to get out of town and clear his head, he’s quick to climb aboard.
The day’s scenic railway journey features a powerful steam engine pulling lovingly restored heritage carriages. On the train, passengers enjoy dramatic landscapes and endless cups of tea. When it comes to driving Milverton’s tourism, Addison can see they’re already on the right track. Unfortunately, a death en route threatens to derail not only the day’s excursion but any future marketing efforts.
Passengers have been promised an unforgettable day out – and they’re going to get it.
Killer on the Kelvin Explorer traverses New Zealand’s picturesque lower North Island and is the latest in a wonderful cosy mystery series. Investigate The Milverton Mysteries for a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course… murder!
The day’s scenic railway journey features a powerful steam engine pulling lovingly restored heritage carriages. On the train, passengers enjoy dramatic landscapes and endless cups of tea. When it comes to driving Milverton’s tourism, Addison can see they’re already on the right track. Unfortunately, a death en route threatens to derail not only the day’s excursion but any future marketing efforts.
Passengers have been promised an unforgettable day out – and they’re going to get it.
Killer on the Kelvin Explorer traverses New Zealand’s picturesque lower North Island and is the latest in a wonderful cosy mystery series. Investigate The Milverton Mysteries for a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course… murder!
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2026
About the author
G.B. Ralph
8 books121 followersG. B. Ralph is a Kiwi author of cosy mysteries and romantic comedies. His writing features chaotic yet lovable characters getting into trouble, an astonishing amount of crime, and handsome men falling for each other.
He’s currently documenting the increasingly implausible series of murders sweeping an enchanting small New Zealand town in The Milverton Mysteries, once described as “Agatha Christie, but make it gay.”
For updates, free short stories and to join his mailing list, visit gbralph.com
He’s currently documenting the increasingly implausible series of murders sweeping an enchanting small New Zealand town in The Milverton Mysteries, once described as “Agatha Christie, but make it gay.”
For updates, free short stories and to join his mailing list, visit gbralph.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 26, 2026
Buckle your seatbelts, this is a fun one. It's a locked room mystery on a train. The mystery takes place over twelve hours, and there's a lot of action to pack into the short time frame. There are a lot of descriptions, too, as the train travels through the beautiful New Zealand countryside.
The Kelvin Explorer is an old steam train which has been restored by the Railway Society, and they've planned a day trip through gorges and along the coast. The trip starts and ends in Milverton, so a lot of locals are travelling. A man ends up dead, and the prevailing thought is he had a heart attack. But that doesn't stop Addison from lining up suspects and asking questions. The ending is one of the most exciting scenes I've read in a while. This would be perfect for a movie.
For train enthusiasts, you could get by with reading just this book (you only have to know that Addison is new in town, he's good friends with Mabel the septuagenarian, and he's dating Jake the police sergeant). But all the books are good, so I recommend reading them in order... you don't want to miss a single minute.
The Kelvin Explorer is an old steam train which has been restored by the Railway Society, and they've planned a day trip through gorges and along the coast. The trip starts and ends in Milverton, so a lot of locals are travelling. A man ends up dead, and the prevailing thought is he had a heart attack. But that doesn't stop Addison from lining up suspects and asking questions. The ending is one of the most exciting scenes I've read in a while. This would be perfect for a movie.
For train enthusiasts, you could get by with reading just this book (you only have to know that Addison is new in town, he's good friends with Mabel the septuagenarian, and he's dating Jake the police sergeant). But all the books are good, so I recommend reading them in order... you don't want to miss a single minute.
September 17, 2026
Book 99
4.5/5⭐️
Loved reading this 5th instalment of this series. Reading about Addison and Mabel’s adventures on a train. Wasn’t sure how it was going to work but it did !
September 25, 2026
5/5 stars: This is Ralph's fifth entry in the Milverton Mysteries series which is a 2SLGBTQIA+ Cozy Mystery set in New Zealand. Following a marketing consultant, who's working to promote his adopted lower North Island small town, finds himself turning sleuth after his scenic railway journey, which features a steam engine and lovingly restored heritage carriages, is interrupted by the train owner.'s murder. With help from his seventy-something best friend and contrary to what his policeman boyfriend would want, he jumps into the investigation to sort through the motives of the many suspects onboard. He'll have to work fast to unmask the killer before they make sure that this day trip is his last.
With plenty of twists and turns, Ralph has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Witty and tons of fun, Ralph's writing and character work are stellar; the main characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable with a secondary cast that are well crafted and uniquely voiced.
• Includes a quirky, diverse and just plain lovely cast of characters.
• Features lovely descriptions of New Zealand’s picturesque lower North Island's scenery.
This can be read as a stand-alone but if you'd like to start at the beginning pick up book one, Murder on Milverton Square. A great series; Highly recommend!
I received this eARC thanks to the author in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
With plenty of twists and turns, Ralph has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Witty and tons of fun, Ralph's writing and character work are stellar; the main characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable with a secondary cast that are well crafted and uniquely voiced.
• Includes a quirky, diverse and just plain lovely cast of characters.
• Features lovely descriptions of New Zealand’s picturesque lower North Island's scenery.
This can be read as a stand-alone but if you'd like to start at the beginning pick up book one, Murder on Milverton Square. A great series; Highly recommend!
I received this eARC thanks to the author in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.
September 16, 2026
I enjoyed this story but I admit that at first I wondered how in the world Addison could investigate an unexpected death and was pleased at how it was handled. With his sidekick Mabel they were able to meet with all of the suspects and I did think that Seph was the guilty party but such a shallow boring jerk. The real murderer was logical but I didn't see it and hijacking the train was crazy and Addison saving Seph first and then getting to the engineer's cab was funny and really awesome. I was glad that no one else was hurt much and that at the end of the day he went home with Jake and Keith and had a warm restful evening. Looking forward to the next book.
October 3, 2026
runaway train story
This took longer than normal to get through. Dragged down by too much scenery and conversation. While the train sped along the story did not, until the end when it went off the rails and tidily wrapped everything up. I’m a fan of Milverton , Addison, Mabel, and Jake. And am anticipating and impatiently waiting for the next in the series.
This took longer than normal to get through. Dragged down by too much scenery and conversation. While the train sped along the story did not, until the end when it went off the rails and tidily wrapped everything up. I’m a fan of Milverton , Addison, Mabel, and Jake. And am anticipating and impatiently waiting for the next in the series.
September 13, 2026
A charming cozy murder mystery on a train! I enjoyed the interrogations and the scenery. I still love Addison as a character and Mabel as well!
September 21, 2026
Love Addison and Mabel - they are the perfect crime solvers. Can't wait for the next story and the antics they get up to.
September 11, 2026
📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 306 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours Genre: Cozy Mystery 🏷️ Self-published by the author (ARC, releases September 9, 2026)
I enjoy train travels. The scenic views, the food and drinks on board, the process of feeling like you are on a journey. Most often, the train travel is the highlight of my journey, than the actual destination. So, when I got to know that Addison is going on a train journey with Mabel, where he happens upon a dead body, there was no question about me not grabbing the book. (Of course, G.B. Ralph came as a saviour and reduced my waiting anxiety by giving me an advance reading copy).
12 hours on Kelvin Explorer. 12 hours for Addison and Mabel to find out who is the killer. There are numerous books on mystery / crime inside a train, and that just proves it is a formula that works. Although G.B. Ralph has used a time tested formula, the execution is the highlight here. The tag team game that Addison and Mabel play to gather information to figure out the mystery, the descriptive background about the actual travel, and the ambience in the train, the who's who of Milverton being in the train with them, all of this gives a very elegant, and classy vibe to the book that is unique to the series.
Milverton is a town I would love to go some day, especially to meet Addison and Mabel. The New Zealand vibes, the unique small town set up, the people, the community... Right from book one, Milverton has got me hooked and the addiction continues even through book 5. G.B. Ralph knows how to create an atmosphere within a small town, and the talent shows in all the books in the series. This one, though, has to be the best so far in the series, because of the short timeframe of 12 hours to solve the crime. I enjoyed reading the book immensely, and can't recommend it enough!
And honestly, considering how amazing this series is, it has to be a matter of time before a big publishing company comes swooping in for this book. This book deserves to be more widespread and widely consumed, and G.B. Ralph deserves to be more widely known.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely, without a second thought. Killer on the Kelvin Explorer takes everything I already loved about Milverton and squeezes it into a single, breathless 12-hour window, and it works better than book five in a series has any right to. Addison and Mabel's tag-team sleuthing, the steam-engine setting, the whole who's who of Milverton crammed onto one train... I could not put this down. If you've never visited Milverton before, start from book one. If you already have, clear your schedule, because you are not putting this one down until you know who did it.
I enjoy train travels. The scenic views, the food and drinks on board, the process of feeling like you are on a journey. Most often, the train travel is the highlight of my journey, than the actual destination. So, when I got to know that Addison is going on a train journey with Mabel, where he happens upon a dead body, there was no question about me not grabbing the book. (Of course, G.B. Ralph came as a saviour and reduced my waiting anxiety by giving me an advance reading copy).
12 hours on Kelvin Explorer. 12 hours for Addison and Mabel to find out who is the killer. There are numerous books on mystery / crime inside a train, and that just proves it is a formula that works. Although G.B. Ralph has used a time tested formula, the execution is the highlight here. The tag team game that Addison and Mabel play to gather information to figure out the mystery, the descriptive background about the actual travel, and the ambience in the train, the who's who of Milverton being in the train with them, all of this gives a very elegant, and classy vibe to the book that is unique to the series.
Milverton is a town I would love to go some day, especially to meet Addison and Mabel. The New Zealand vibes, the unique small town set up, the people, the community... Right from book one, Milverton has got me hooked and the addiction continues even through book 5. G.B. Ralph knows how to create an atmosphere within a small town, and the talent shows in all the books in the series. This one, though, has to be the best so far in the series, because of the short timeframe of 12 hours to solve the crime. I enjoyed reading the book immensely, and can't recommend it enough!
And honestly, considering how amazing this series is, it has to be a matter of time before a big publishing company comes swooping in for this book. This book deserves to be more widespread and widely consumed, and G.B. Ralph deserves to be more widely known.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely, without a second thought. Killer on the Kelvin Explorer takes everything I already loved about Milverton and squeezes it into a single, breathless 12-hour window, and it works better than book five in a series has any right to. Addison and Mabel's tag-team sleuthing, the steam-engine setting, the whole who's who of Milverton crammed onto one train... I could not put this down. If you've never visited Milverton before, start from book one. If you already have, clear your schedule, because you are not putting this one down until you know who did it.
September 12, 2026
I can’t tell you how glad I was to have Addison, Sargent Hotty McHotty Pants and the wonderful Mabel back in action for another wonderful, cosy mystery through small-town Aotearoa New Zealand.
Addison is like a magnet for trouble, and in this instalment of the Milverton Mystery series, things come to a head for him rather quickly. With a dead body on a moving train, Addison takes it upon himself to try and get to the bottom of the tragedy, not only to find out who did it, but because having so much death linked to Milverton is bad for his new job. Since Addison moved to Milverton not that long ago, this is the FIFTH murder he has involved himself in.
I like that he’s taking his job to promote Milverton quite seriously, and is doing what he can to see what potential attractions could reinvigorate tourism and bring in more visitors to their lovely town. He has lots of good ideas, but good ideas will all amount to nothing if Milverton becomes known as the Murder Capital of New Zealand.
Through this wonderful story, you can see how Addison has refined his questioning technique, and how his real investigative superpower is just actively listening to people, letting them do all the talking with gentle nudges of conversation in the right direction.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to learn the dirty secrets of a few people aboard the Kelvin Explorer, and the way it’s written made me feel like I was sitting there with Addison and Mabel as they had their little gossip session. I found myself engaged in the investigation and trying to read between the lines of everything being said. A few of the suspects gave me the ick with the way they reacted to the events of the day, but then a few others just made me realise what couple goals could be; hats off to you, Bill and Brenda Burton!
The antagonist wasn’t who I expected it to be, and I was shocked at the lengths they went to to cover their crime. The events at the end of the book started to gather traction quite quickly and forced some seriously brave actions from Addison, showing him to be so very heroic! I really hope he gets the recognition from the Mayor for his role in stopping an unthinkable crime from happening. Though, to be honest, Addison’s real reward was a certain conversation that happens in the train’s cab.
This was such an excellent story, and I loved every minute of it. It really embodies its tropes of being a cosy murder mystery, and the slow-burn aspect of it all is really paying off.
I can’t wait to read more of G.B. Ralph’s work, and I hope for many more adventures with Addison and Mabel
Addison is like a magnet for trouble, and in this instalment of the Milverton Mystery series, things come to a head for him rather quickly. With a dead body on a moving train, Addison takes it upon himself to try and get to the bottom of the tragedy, not only to find out who did it, but because having so much death linked to Milverton is bad for his new job. Since Addison moved to Milverton not that long ago, this is the FIFTH murder he has involved himself in.
I like that he’s taking his job to promote Milverton quite seriously, and is doing what he can to see what potential attractions could reinvigorate tourism and bring in more visitors to their lovely town. He has lots of good ideas, but good ideas will all amount to nothing if Milverton becomes known as the Murder Capital of New Zealand.
Through this wonderful story, you can see how Addison has refined his questioning technique, and how his real investigative superpower is just actively listening to people, letting them do all the talking with gentle nudges of conversation in the right direction.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to learn the dirty secrets of a few people aboard the Kelvin Explorer, and the way it’s written made me feel like I was sitting there with Addison and Mabel as they had their little gossip session. I found myself engaged in the investigation and trying to read between the lines of everything being said. A few of the suspects gave me the ick with the way they reacted to the events of the day, but then a few others just made me realise what couple goals could be; hats off to you, Bill and Brenda Burton!
The antagonist wasn’t who I expected it to be, and I was shocked at the lengths they went to to cover their crime. The events at the end of the book started to gather traction quite quickly and forced some seriously brave actions from Addison, showing him to be so very heroic! I really hope he gets the recognition from the Mayor for his role in stopping an unthinkable crime from happening. Though, to be honest, Addison’s real reward was a certain conversation that happens in the train’s cab.
This was such an excellent story, and I loved every minute of it. It really embodies its tropes of being a cosy murder mystery, and the slow-burn aspect of it all is really paying off.
I can’t wait to read more of G.B. Ralph’s work, and I hope for many more adventures with Addison and Mabel
October 30, 2026
This had the best unmasking of all of the Milverton Mysteries. It started a little slow but was definitely a read for the train enthusiasts. Once it picked up speed it was a great read. Addison and his hijinks again with Mabel encouraging a terrible chain of events that was thrilling to read. There was one page where my soul left my body - you'll know the one - and I thought surely Gavin wouldn't write that. My partner thought something was seriously wrong. It was such a beautiful twist and kept me guessing right the way through. I love this series - please keep writing!
October 2, 2026
I'm giving this book the benefit of the doubt. It's nice that Addison is trying to market the town of Milverton, but the beginning is just slow. You have to go through eighty percent of the book to get to the real action. Some chapters need rewriting, especially the last two. The book held my interest, and the culprit got caught.
October 11, 2026
Another great episode in the Milverton series. This adventure takes place on a train over a twelve hour time frame. A new but enjoyable twist. The relationship between Addison and Jake is progressing quickly, but slowly. It is an enjoyable pace.
As always a Milverton read is a great entertaining escape. You get light enjoyment without having your intelligence insulted.
A definite must read.
As always a Milverton read is a great entertaining escape. You get light enjoyment without having your intelligence insulted.
A definite must read.
October 12, 2026
Full steam ahead
Addison is no slouch when he gets his teeth into an investigation and, as usual, is ably helped by Mabel. Another great yarn from Milverton, a little slow to start but building up speed just like the locomotive. How many deaths can Milverton take? Only one way to find out; read the next instalment.
Addison is no slouch when he gets his teeth into an investigation and, as usual, is ably helped by Mabel. Another great yarn from Milverton, a little slow to start but building up speed just like the locomotive. How many deaths can Milverton take? Only one way to find out; read the next instalment.
October 15, 2026
Addison
Well, Addison finds trouble again. This time while he and Mabel are on a fact finding mission to market the town. On a day long train trip, honoring the late Joseph Kelvin, Joe, his son, dies. Addison can’t help but think there’s more to the death than a heart attack. He and Mabel take up the sleuthing. Fun story.
Well, Addison finds trouble again. This time while he and Mabel are on a fact finding mission to market the town. On a day long train trip, honoring the late Joseph Kelvin, Joe, his son, dies. Addison can’t help but think there’s more to the death than a heart attack. He and Mabel take up the sleuthing. Fun story.
September 18, 2026
meh
This train runs out of steam pretty quickly. It’s not the same when the boyfriend isn’t involved. And, I don’t find the judgey Mabel Zhou particularly entertaining.
This train runs out of steam pretty quickly. It’s not the same when the boyfriend isn’t involved. And, I don’t find the judgey Mabel Zhou particularly entertaining.
October 7, 2026
This edition, while enjoyable, tipped more into cozy mystery with a very small romantic element.
October 8, 2026
Fun
I've read all the Milverton mysteries. I find them charming, fun and a bit like Agatha Christie. This one didn't have as much Jake and Addison. Shame.
I've read all the Milverton mysteries. I find them charming, fun and a bit like Agatha Christie. This one didn't have as much Jake and Addison. Shame.
September 13, 2026
Addison along with Mabel goes on a ride on the Kelvin Explorer. He is hoping that in his capacity of promoting things to do in Milverton he will be able to add excursions.
Unfortunately, there is a murder which ihe is caught up in and of course he tries to solve it.
This one was strange as Jake was absent for most of the book as he doesn't go on the train with Addison.
Another enjoyable book in this series.
I did wonder though as the victim died on the train why they were allowed to continue their journey once the train pulled into the station.
Unfortunately, there is a murder which ihe is caught up in and of course he tries to solve it.
This one was strange as Jake was absent for most of the book as he doesn't go on the train with Addison.
Another enjoyable book in this series.
I did wonder though as the victim died on the train why they were allowed to continue their journey once the train pulled into the station.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews