The Only Way is Poison: A Humorous British Village Cozy Mystery

by Lou Collins

311 pages, Paperback

Published July 24, 2026

About the author

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Welcome to the part where I talk about myself as if I didn’t write this. Let’s pretend it’s not awkward and carry on.

Lou Emerson writes as Lou Collins because she likes to be mysterious, a little extra, and frankly, using a pen name creates an excellent alibi.

She writes the Chloe Essex Cozy Mysteries; twisty, funny, and ever so slightly bonkers whodunnits set in Essex, England.

When not chained to her laptop, she also enjoys ballet, theatre, and true crime (watching, not committing, though don’t quote me), and is leading a quiet rebellion against ironing in favour of just one more chapter. She lives in the UK with her family, far too many mugs, and an enormous TBR pile.

Learn more at https://loulovesbooks.com and follow Lou on BookBub for the latest on new releases and sales: https://loulovesbooks.com/BookBub

Reviews

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 4 out of 5]

✅The Only Way Is Poison
(The Chloe Essex Cozy Mysteries #4)
By
Lou Collins
@loulovesbOOks

My thoughts:
Chloe just can’t pass up a mystery….not when the mystery is a 30 year old skeleton. Then…to make it ever more intriguing? A new corpse….how can Chloe pass up this mystery. If you have read the previous books in the series, you should know how Chloe’s mind works 😀

💚Nosy Amateur Sleuth
🖤Village Funeral
💚Secrets
🖤Humorous/Banter
💚Engaging Community

Now Chloe just needs to figure out who is the murderer. Could it be someone in her small community of Speckled Hill????? Will the past stay buried????

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adventure for Chloe and friends. This addition gives us a skeleton from a 30 year old murder AND a fresh corpse. Chloe is beginning to learn the value of a close knit community as she needs assistance to solve the murder. Of course there is also the realization that a murder within the community means you also know the murderer.