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Penny Brannigan #9
The Marmalade Murders
The latest book in an award-winning mystery series, celebrated for its small-town charm and picturesque Welsh setting and starring amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan.
The competition is friendly and just a little fierce at the annual Llanelen agricultural show as town and country folk gather for the outdoor judging of farm animals and indoor judging of cakes, pies, pastries, chutneys, jams and jellies, along with vegetables, fruit and flowers. But this year, there’s a new show category: murder.
Local artist, Spa owner, and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan agrees to help with the intake of the domestic arts entries and to judge the children’s pet competition on show day. When the president of the Welsh Women's Guild isn’t on hand to see her granddaughter and pet pug win a prize, the family becomes concerned. When a carrot cake entered in the competition goes missing, something is clearly amiss.
A black Labrador Retriever belonging to the agricultural show’s president discovers the body of the missing woman under the baked goods table. A newcomer to town, a transgender woman, is suspected, but amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan believes her to be innocent. She sets out to find the real killer, but when a second body is discovered days later, the case is thrown into confusion, and Penny knows it’s up to her to figure out what happened—and why.
The competition is friendly and just a little fierce at the annual Llanelen agricultural show as town and country folk gather for the outdoor judging of farm animals and indoor judging of cakes, pies, pastries, chutneys, jams and jellies, along with vegetables, fruit and flowers. But this year, there’s a new show category: murder.
Local artist, Spa owner, and amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan agrees to help with the intake of the domestic arts entries and to judge the children’s pet competition on show day. When the president of the Welsh Women's Guild isn’t on hand to see her granddaughter and pet pug win a prize, the family becomes concerned. When a carrot cake entered in the competition goes missing, something is clearly amiss.
A black Labrador Retriever belonging to the agricultural show’s president discovers the body of the missing woman under the baked goods table. A newcomer to town, a transgender woman, is suspected, but amateur sleuth Penny Brannigan believes her to be innocent. She sets out to find the real killer, but when a second body is discovered days later, the case is thrown into confusion, and Penny knows it’s up to her to figure out what happened—and why.
276 pages, Hardcover
Published April 24, 2018
34 people are currently reading
1333 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth J. Duncan
23 books399 followersAfter graduating from Carleton University, Ottawa, with a BA in English, Elizabeth J. Duncan worked as a writer and editor for some of Canada’s largest newspapers, and as a public relations practitioner.
A two-time winner of the Bloody Words Award for Canada's best light mystery, she is the author of two traditional mystery series, Penny Brannigan set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer Charlotte Fairfax,
Elizabeth divides her time between Toronto, Canada and Llandudno, North Wales.
A two-time winner of the Bloody Words Award for Canada's best light mystery, she is the author of two traditional mystery series, Penny Brannigan set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer Charlotte Fairfax,
Elizabeth divides her time between Toronto, Canada and Llandudno, North Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
February 25, 2018
Penny Brannigan finds herself volunteering at the local agricultural fair, checking in entrants to the culinary competition and judging the childrens' pet competition. But shenanigans are afoot when Penny's friend Florence learns her entries have gone missing, and even more troubling, a Women's Guild member is also missing and later found dead. All Penny has to do now is sort out who sabotaged Florence's entries and how her cake ended up under a table with a dead woman.
This one was a fun, light read and frankly, I was more concerned about poor Florence than I was about the unlikable dead woman. I love Florence, I just want to give her a hug, and Mrs. Lloyd is a hoot. How dare they diss Florence's baking? HOW DARE THEY? *outrage* but it did provide some great red herrings to complicate things a bit. I liked the plot, there were several good suspects and lots of surprises along the way. This is a favorite series for me, I've always enjoyed the folksy feel of the characters and the small town Wales setting, the vibrant descriptions leave me with no problem putting myself right in the small town of Llanelen, walking its streets and visiting the small shops and even spending an afternoon at the local agricultural fair (minus the murder, of course.) The author does a great job of capturing the beauty of the Welsh landscape, with all the wildflowers and Penny's cute cottage (I've read this series since the start and I've always envied that cottage.)
This one was a fun, light read and frankly, I was more concerned about poor Florence than I was about the unlikable dead woman. I love Florence, I just want to give her a hug, and Mrs. Lloyd is a hoot. How dare they diss Florence's baking? HOW DARE THEY? *outrage* but it did provide some great red herrings to complicate things a bit. I liked the plot, there were several good suspects and lots of surprises along the way. This is a favorite series for me, I've always enjoyed the folksy feel of the characters and the small town Wales setting, the vibrant descriptions leave me with no problem putting myself right in the small town of Llanelen, walking its streets and visiting the small shops and even spending an afternoon at the local agricultural fair (minus the murder, of course.) The author does a great job of capturing the beauty of the Welsh landscape, with all the wildflowers and Penny's cute cottage (I've read this series since the start and I've always envied that cottage.)
August 12, 2018
This is the 9th entry in the Penny Brannigan series. Penny is doing volunteer work at the annual agricultural fair at the town in Wales where she lives. She is checking in the cooking submissions and is a judge at the children's pet contest. She is surprised by how cut throat the competition can be to win. Some one has called a well known baker and told her that the submission date has been changed to the next day. When the judging happens, 2 of 3 of that baker/cook entries are missing from the judging table even though they were checked in on time.
The entries might be missing but there is a body under the judging table with one of the entries. Penny has worked on other crimes in the past so she starts doing some sleuthing on her own.
The characters are back- Mrs. Lloyd who wants to know all that is going on in town, her boarder Florence and Victoria who is Penny's business partner at the Spa they own and operate. I feel the author has an affection for Mrs. Lloyd as a character. I , also have come to like her. She adds humor to the story. I enjoyed this read very much. I have read all previous 8 books so it shows that it is one series that I want to keep up with. However, if you are new to the series, I feel you could start with this book as the author catches the reader up about past history so the reader wouldn't feel lost with the story.
The entries might be missing but there is a body under the judging table with one of the entries. Penny has worked on other crimes in the past so she starts doing some sleuthing on her own.
The characters are back- Mrs. Lloyd who wants to know all that is going on in town, her boarder Florence and Victoria who is Penny's business partner at the Spa they own and operate. I feel the author has an affection for Mrs. Lloyd as a character. I , also have come to like her. She adds humor to the story. I enjoyed this read very much. I have read all previous 8 books so it shows that it is one series that I want to keep up with. However, if you are new to the series, I feel you could start with this book as the author catches the reader up about past history so the reader wouldn't feel lost with the story.
Want to read
March 9, 2018A cozy mystery series where the main character has a brilliant first name? A must read! :-)
May 3, 2018
It’s time for the fair, and Penny has been encouraged to volunteer her services. Fairs should be fun with friendly competition, but this one turns deadly. Seemingly unrelated but unusual occurrences have Penny’s thought processes working overtime. Questioning people, she tries to determine what is pertinent to the crime and what is not. And that is not an easy task! Besides interesting characters, this cozy is intriguing for the clues that Penny digs up and for her theories that are formed and discarded as more facts are uncovered. My only complaint is that the end seems abrupt. Still, it is an entertaining tale, and the English country setting is pure delight.
March 13, 2018
The Marmalade Murders by Elizabeth J. Duncan is an intriguing story that will keep you guessing.
Penny Brannigan and businesses partner Victoria are helping out at the agricultural fair.
Penny is dismayed by the competitiveness of the participants.
It seems everyone has a secret and when a particular participant is found dead, Penny just has to find the answers.
This story played out well, the mystery kept me guessing and it wasn't until the very end that I figured it out.
I really enjoyed spending time with the characters in this book. They all have colorful and unique personalities and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
Penny Brannigan and businesses partner Victoria are helping out at the agricultural fair.
Penny is dismayed by the competitiveness of the participants.
It seems everyone has a secret and when a particular participant is found dead, Penny just has to find the answers.
This story played out well, the mystery kept me guessing and it wasn't until the very end that I figured it out.
I really enjoyed spending time with the characters in this book. They all have colorful and unique personalities and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
April 25, 2018
The Marmalade Murders by Elizabeth J. Duncan is the ninth book in A Penny Brannigan Mystery series. Mrs. Lloyd has wrangled Penny Brannigan into assisting with the annual Llanelen agriculture show. Penny and Victoria Hopkirk co-own Llanelen Spa in Llanelen, North Wales. They are accepting the domestic arts entries and get their instructions from Joyce Devlin, president of the show committee. A half an hour before the deadline, they notice that Florence Semble has yet to drop off her entries and give her a call. It seems that someone had telephoned and told her she could drop off her entries the next morning (odd). Penny is judging the children’s pet competition the next day when a little girl gets upset because her grandmother, Gaynor Lewis failed to show up. Gaynor is not the only thing missing at the agriculture show. Florence’s carrot cake and her marmalade entries have disappeared as well. Joyce’s dog soon finds Florence’s cake under a table in the judging tent along with Gaynor Lewis. Was someone trying to eliminate the competition? Penny looks into the victim’s life to see who could have wished her harm and soon discovers that these competitions are taken seriously by the competitors. One women has something to important to tell Penny, but she ends up dead before she can speak with her. Penny needs to work quickly to expose the killer or she could be next.
The Marmalade Murders can be read alone. The information a reader needs is included in the book. I thought The Marmalade Murders was well-written and had a nice pace which made the story easy to read and enjoy. The characters are established and relatable (especially to those who live in small towns). Mrs. Lloyd and Florence are delightful. They provide levity to the story. I especially appreciate that the main character is in her 50s. It is a refreshing change from other cozy mysteries where the characters are in their late 20s and early 30s. Penny is smart, friendly, caring and level-headed. The village of Llanelen is charming and the author’s descriptions of the Welsh countryside brought it alive for me. Llanelen is a small village where the people grew up together, everyone knows each other’s business, and the rumor mill is alive and well. I think it is funny that after living in Llanelen for thirty years, Penny is still considered an outsider. The mystery has several suspects who each have a good motive for doing in the victim. I liked the misdirection that could easily lead readers down the wrong path. The investigation consists of Penny asking questions of the various townspeople. I felt that the story could have used some action. Inspector Bethan Morgan is a friendly detective who values Penny’s input into the case. She realizes that Penny has access to information that she does not. I did enjoy the historical information on Speke Hall (there really is a Speke Hall outside Liverpool). The Speke Hall in the book has a priest hole and an eavesdropper (just like the real Speke Hall). The Marmalade Murders has a sweet, heartwarming moment at the end. I am giving The Marmalade Murders 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). It was lovely to visit Llanelen again and spend time with Penny, Mrs. Lloyd and the other villagers. I look forward to returning to Wales in the next A Penny Brannigan Mystery.
The Marmalade Murders can be read alone. The information a reader needs is included in the book. I thought The Marmalade Murders was well-written and had a nice pace which made the story easy to read and enjoy. The characters are established and relatable (especially to those who live in small towns). Mrs. Lloyd and Florence are delightful. They provide levity to the story. I especially appreciate that the main character is in her 50s. It is a refreshing change from other cozy mysteries where the characters are in their late 20s and early 30s. Penny is smart, friendly, caring and level-headed. The village of Llanelen is charming and the author’s descriptions of the Welsh countryside brought it alive for me. Llanelen is a small village where the people grew up together, everyone knows each other’s business, and the rumor mill is alive and well. I think it is funny that after living in Llanelen for thirty years, Penny is still considered an outsider. The mystery has several suspects who each have a good motive for doing in the victim. I liked the misdirection that could easily lead readers down the wrong path. The investigation consists of Penny asking questions of the various townspeople. I felt that the story could have used some action. Inspector Bethan Morgan is a friendly detective who values Penny’s input into the case. She realizes that Penny has access to information that she does not. I did enjoy the historical information on Speke Hall (there really is a Speke Hall outside Liverpool). The Speke Hall in the book has a priest hole and an eavesdropper (just like the real Speke Hall). The Marmalade Murders has a sweet, heartwarming moment at the end. I am giving The Marmalade Murders 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). It was lovely to visit Llanelen again and spend time with Penny, Mrs. Lloyd and the other villagers. I look forward to returning to Wales in the next A Penny Brannigan Mystery.
April 21, 2018
Reviewed at The Power of Words: https://bit.ly/2F5ZdpL
The Marmalade Murders by Elizabeth J. Duncan is a well-written, utterly satisfying cozy mystery, book #9 in one of my favorite series. The author has a gift for conveying the beautiful Welsh scenery and making you feel the setting with your senses. The main characters could be someone you’d meet in your neighborhood, and the mystery is well crafted as backstories are slowly revealed. Although part of a series, this story stands alone.
As a lead character, Penny Brannigan is someone I’m very comfortable with. Penny, co-owner of a Spa in Llanelen, Wales, is an expatriate Canadian who feels she still needs to prove she belongs to the community after 30 years of residence. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Penny and Florence, who has a similar need. The framework of Llanelen’s agricultural show provides some great scenes, such as Penny’s judging of the children’s animal contest. Some fascinating historical detail is revealed on a coach trip to Speke Hall in England.
The Marmalade Murders has all the elements I enjoy in a cozy mystery. The mystery itself is easy to follow as layers of information are peeled back. Penny’s friendship with a police detective provides a vehicle for the sharing of information, which seems logical for this small rural community. I had no idea as to the killer’s identity and enjoyed the way everything unfolded.
British mysteries are a favorite of mine, both to read and watch on TV. There’s a wonderful website called Stop You’re Killing Me, which is how I discovered this series several years ago. It’s a mystery database where you can search in many ways – such as location, job, award nominees/winners – and I’ve found some real gems in the British section.
The Marmalade Murders is a great addition to the award-winning Penny Brannigan series and I hope there will be many more stories. Highly recommended to cozy mystery fans.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The Marmalade Murders by Elizabeth J. Duncan is a well-written, utterly satisfying cozy mystery, book #9 in one of my favorite series. The author has a gift for conveying the beautiful Welsh scenery and making you feel the setting with your senses. The main characters could be someone you’d meet in your neighborhood, and the mystery is well crafted as backstories are slowly revealed. Although part of a series, this story stands alone.
As a lead character, Penny Brannigan is someone I’m very comfortable with. Penny, co-owner of a Spa in Llanelen, Wales, is an expatriate Canadian who feels she still needs to prove she belongs to the community after 30 years of residence. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Penny and Florence, who has a similar need. The framework of Llanelen’s agricultural show provides some great scenes, such as Penny’s judging of the children’s animal contest. Some fascinating historical detail is revealed on a coach trip to Speke Hall in England.
The Marmalade Murders has all the elements I enjoy in a cozy mystery. The mystery itself is easy to follow as layers of information are peeled back. Penny’s friendship with a police detective provides a vehicle for the sharing of information, which seems logical for this small rural community. I had no idea as to the killer’s identity and enjoyed the way everything unfolded.
British mysteries are a favorite of mine, both to read and watch on TV. There’s a wonderful website called Stop You’re Killing Me, which is how I discovered this series several years ago. It’s a mystery database where you can search in many ways – such as location, job, award nominees/winners – and I’ve found some real gems in the British section.
The Marmalade Murders is a great addition to the award-winning Penny Brannigan series and I hope there will be many more stories. Highly recommended to cozy mystery fans.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
May 27, 2018
#9 in the Penny Brannigan series. This 2018 series entry by author Duncan in another pleasant visit to rural north Wales with the Canadian expat, now half owner of a spa and a talented watercolor artist. The regional color is entertaining, the plot is convoluted and confusing, and there is not sufficient character development to keep the numerous cast members distinct. Two of them even confuse Peggy. Red herrings abound and normally level headed Peggy gets enmeshed in suppositions about embezzlement being the source of funds for constructing a kennel. I enjoy reading about Wales as long as I don't have to try to pronounce the place names.
Set in Llanelen, Wales, Penny and Victoria Hopkirk, co-owners of Llanelen Spa, are volunteering to help at the home crafts section of the town's agricultural show. The pair are greeted by Joyce Devlin, president of the show committee, and everything goes smoothly until they realize they're missing entries from Gaynor Lewis, president of the Welsh Women's Guild, and their friend Florence Semple. A call to Florence gets her entries to the show just under the wire. Gaymor's entries don't arrive before the deadline, but the next day has Gaynor's cake taking first place. Florence's jam wins a first, but her marmalade and carrot cake have disappeared. During cleanup, Joyce's lab discovers Gaynor's body under a table. Insp. Bethan Morgan may be in charge of the subsequent murder investigation, but Penny's knowledge and insight, plus her insatiable curiosity, prove to be invaluable to the case.
Set in Llanelen, Wales, Penny and Victoria Hopkirk, co-owners of Llanelen Spa, are volunteering to help at the home crafts section of the town's agricultural show. The pair are greeted by Joyce Devlin, president of the show committee, and everything goes smoothly until they realize they're missing entries from Gaynor Lewis, president of the Welsh Women's Guild, and their friend Florence Semple. A call to Florence gets her entries to the show just under the wire. Gaymor's entries don't arrive before the deadline, but the next day has Gaynor's cake taking first place. Florence's jam wins a first, but her marmalade and carrot cake have disappeared. During cleanup, Joyce's lab discovers Gaynor's body under a table. Insp. Bethan Morgan may be in charge of the subsequent murder investigation, but Penny's knowledge and insight, plus her insatiable curiosity, prove to be invaluable to the case.
June 10, 2018
Another first for me with this book. Reading these types of books makes me remember why I do enjoy reading cozy mysteries. When executed correctly, these types of books can provide enjoyment. I am happy to report that I got this outcome while reading this book.
I have participated in my local country fair several times and luckily, the competition has never been so fierce that someone was killed.
Penny, Florence, and Mrs. Lloyd were great. Although, they were not the only characters in this book but they were more prominent. Penny is the main lead. She is so kind. She is not the type to go looking for cases but kind of stumbles upon them. Yet, she does a good job of piecing together all the clues to solve the case. The marmalade Murders is a delicious and fun cozy mystery that will have readers clamoring for more.
I have participated in my local country fair several times and luckily, the competition has never been so fierce that someone was killed.
Penny, Florence, and Mrs. Lloyd were great. Although, they were not the only characters in this book but they were more prominent. Penny is the main lead. She is so kind. She is not the type to go looking for cases but kind of stumbles upon them. Yet, she does a good job of piecing together all the clues to solve the case. The marmalade Murders is a delicious and fun cozy mystery that will have readers clamoring for more.
June 1, 2018
3.5
As cozy mysteries go, I found this to be pretty entertaining. The main character, Penny, is quite the sleuth when trying to discover who murdered a competitor at the local agriculture show. Slowly but surely she connects the dots by asking simple questions of the townspeople involved in the show.
Penny is smart and the characters in this book are very likeable. This was a light, easy read. I've jumped in at book #9 of the series and thought it worked well as a stand alone. It was such a quick read, I do think I will go back and read some of the earlier books. I'm also looking forward to future books to see what Penny gets involved with next.
I received this from St. Martin's Press, via Netgalley.
As cozy mysteries go, I found this to be pretty entertaining. The main character, Penny, is quite the sleuth when trying to discover who murdered a competitor at the local agriculture show. Slowly but surely she connects the dots by asking simple questions of the townspeople involved in the show.
Penny is smart and the characters in this book are very likeable. This was a light, easy read. I've jumped in at book #9 of the series and thought it worked well as a stand alone. It was such a quick read, I do think I will go back and read some of the earlier books. I'm also looking forward to future books to see what Penny gets involved with next.
I received this from St. Martin's Press, via Netgalley.
May 16, 2018
As a cosy mystery it ticks the boxes. But for me Penny is the most smug lead character l have come across in a book. I think it might be the way Elizabeth Duncan writes her. I like all the other characters and the village of Llanelen but Penny. It was nice to get more of Mrs.Lloyd and Florence in this book.
June 15, 2018
Another good Penny Brannigan mystery by Elizabeth J Duncan set in Wales. I found it rather confusing with the marmalade bit, but maybe I was reading too quickly and missed the point. I always learn some history from her books and this time it was about Speke Hall in Liverpool. Google it to see this lovely building.
April 23, 2018
*****Copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review*****
I wanted to like this more than I did. I liked the British setting for this and I like small town cozies. That said, in reality, I thought the dialogue in this was quite stilted and I spent a fair bit of the last part of the novel worried about who the culprit was going to turn out to be be, for reasons that I'll explain in spoiler tags below. I didn't think the resolution was quite as good as it could have been - it seemed to come from left-field somewhat and I'm not sure there were enough clues there for the reader to have worked it out for themselves. Not bad, but I'm not sure if I'll read any more in this series.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I liked the British setting for this and I like small town cozies. That said, in reality, I thought the dialogue in this was quite stilted and I spent a fair bit of the last part of the novel worried about who the culprit was going to turn out to be be, for reasons that I'll explain in spoiler tags below. I didn't think the resolution was quite as good as it could have been - it seemed to come from left-field somewhat and I'm not sure there were enough clues there for the reader to have worked it out for themselves. Not bad, but I'm not sure if I'll read any more in this series.
March 29, 2018
Penny and Victoria run a “spa” in Northern Wales. For those of us in the US, that is full service beauty salon.
Both women are helping with the annual agricultural show. The show is like a county fair with competition in everything from horses to jams. Penny and Victoria together will register the entries in the food and flower tent. And on the day of the show, Penny is judging the small animal/pet competition. Everyone gets an award so that every child can go home happily.
When Penny finds a body, it turns out the dead woman has won for her marmalade. Can the contestants be that intense about winning?
This is part of a series, but I could follow along although I have not read any of the other books. Penny is a woman who has helped solve other murders. Living in a small village, she is familiar with many of her neighbors.
The characters are identified as they come into the story and it is easy to follow the action as things move along. Most of the people are not exactly who they appear to be and everyone leads lives which are quite interesting. The village is a hotbed of gossip.
This is a light mystery. It is quick moving with no truly slow spots in the plot.
I enjoyed the book with just a small niggling thing for me. Penny as a private citizen did things that were truly intrusive. Looking at pieces of mail, and reporting her “conclusions” to the police was a bit over the top to me. If one expected to remain in a small village, doing that sort of thing would not be a way to become endeared to your fellow villagers.
The character development is well done. The mystery is created in such a way that everyone who might be a suspect is presented to the reader. In other words, it is a good cozy mystery.
I enjoyed this book by a new to me author.
I received the book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.
Both women are helping with the annual agricultural show. The show is like a county fair with competition in everything from horses to jams. Penny and Victoria together will register the entries in the food and flower tent. And on the day of the show, Penny is judging the small animal/pet competition. Everyone gets an award so that every child can go home happily.
When Penny finds a body, it turns out the dead woman has won for her marmalade. Can the contestants be that intense about winning?
This is part of a series, but I could follow along although I have not read any of the other books. Penny is a woman who has helped solve other murders. Living in a small village, she is familiar with many of her neighbors.
The characters are identified as they come into the story and it is easy to follow the action as things move along. Most of the people are not exactly who they appear to be and everyone leads lives which are quite interesting. The village is a hotbed of gossip.
This is a light mystery. It is quick moving with no truly slow spots in the plot.
I enjoyed the book with just a small niggling thing for me. Penny as a private citizen did things that were truly intrusive. Looking at pieces of mail, and reporting her “conclusions” to the police was a bit over the top to me. If one expected to remain in a small village, doing that sort of thing would not be a way to become endeared to your fellow villagers.
The character development is well done. The mystery is created in such a way that everyone who might be a suspect is presented to the reader. In other words, it is a good cozy mystery.
I enjoyed this book by a new to me author.
I received the book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.
April 23, 2018
The Marmalade Murders is an enjoyable cozy mystery set in a small North Wales village.
Penny and Victoria are partners in the village spa. When they get roped into checking in contestants for the local food competition, they discover some irregularities. Why did someone call Florence telling her to check in too late? How did a person’s marmalade win when she missed the deadline? There is a definite small town vibe as everyone is in everyone else’s business.
While this is the ninth in the Penny Brannigan series, I had no trouble keeping up with the characters despite this being the first book in the series I’ve read. The location in North Wales seemed like almost a character within the Marmalade Murders. It was pleasant to visit somewhere I haven’t book (or physically) traveled to before. I also enjoyed the setting of a small town agriculture show that included food, floral, and animal competitions. The ages of the main characters were older than most cozies, which was refreshing. While the book’s plot could have taken place any time from the 1940’s forward, it was updated with a transgender character. Overall, a great cozy mystery. 4 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
Penny and Victoria are partners in the village spa. When they get roped into checking in contestants for the local food competition, they discover some irregularities. Why did someone call Florence telling her to check in too late? How did a person’s marmalade win when she missed the deadline? There is a definite small town vibe as everyone is in everyone else’s business.
While this is the ninth in the Penny Brannigan series, I had no trouble keeping up with the characters despite this being the first book in the series I’ve read. The location in North Wales seemed like almost a character within the Marmalade Murders. It was pleasant to visit somewhere I haven’t book (or physically) traveled to before. I also enjoyed the setting of a small town agriculture show that included food, floral, and animal competitions. The ages of the main characters were older than most cozies, which was refreshing. While the book’s plot could have taken place any time from the 1940’s forward, it was updated with a transgender character. Overall, a great cozy mystery. 4 stars!
Thanks to the publisher, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
April 29, 2018
Princess Fuzzypants here: Ex-pat Penny Brannigan is back in her bucolic village in Wales where she and her partner run the local spa. The two of them are enlisted to help out during the local fair where animals and edibles are the stars. Little does Penny realize how competitive and cutthroat it is until one of the local entrants is murdered and Penny’s friend’s cake and marmalade disappear entirely.
Florence, the friend, had been told by a mysterious caller to bring her wares to the grounds after the submissions could be entered. Thankfully, Penny realized that her contributions were absent and called Florence.
Things just get curiouser and curiouser. As the mystery is unravelled jealousies and rivalries are found at the core and it is not until another murder takes place that Penny and her friends get to the motive and the killer. It turns out to be, as much as possible, an understandable reason behind the killings.
I like the series and find that I am becoming quite fond of Penny and the other villagers, especially Mrs. Lloyd, the local gossip, and Florence. There is a handsome grey cat named Harrison who is under-used, several dogs and a newly introduced kitten who has all the makings of a great new character.
I give the book four purrs and two paws up.
Florence, the friend, had been told by a mysterious caller to bring her wares to the grounds after the submissions could be entered. Thankfully, Penny realized that her contributions were absent and called Florence.
Things just get curiouser and curiouser. As the mystery is unravelled jealousies and rivalries are found at the core and it is not until another murder takes place that Penny and her friends get to the motive and the killer. It turns out to be, as much as possible, an understandable reason behind the killings.
I like the series and find that I am becoming quite fond of Penny and the other villagers, especially Mrs. Lloyd, the local gossip, and Florence. There is a handsome grey cat named Harrison who is under-used, several dogs and a newly introduced kitten who has all the makings of a great new character.
I give the book four purrs and two paws up.
March 30, 2021
The five stars are really for the wonderful description of the fair or exhibition, as we used to call it. The exhibition arrived every year the third week in September. This gave the teachers time to arrive at a theme for each class and the mothers of the children time to sew the costumes related to the theme. How this book revived memories of the quilts and rugs, knitted scarves, mittens, or sweaters, baked and canned goods or preserves, pies, cakes, and cookies, flower arrangements all lovingly produced by the humble but talented hands of the ladies of the town and surrounding countryside. Not to be outdone by the women, the men proudly brought oxen, sows and litters, horses, roosters, hens and chicks, and a few ewes and rams were among the barnyard entrants. Children displayed elegant handwriting, colourful drawings, and cherished pets. The Welsh fair, similar to fairs held in every country and culture, brought back so many lovely memories. But, as usual in the Penny Brannigan series, there are spiteful characters who bear grudges to the point of murder; and Penny ultimately puts one plus one together to total up the culprits. Although Florence did not win for her marmalade preserve, she did win her heart’s desire and a marmalade was involved.
March 21, 2018
It's fair time and Penny Brannigan has been roped in to helping out. She's going to judge the children's pet contest (where everyone wins) and also help log the entries in the cooking competition. Like any small town, the competition is fierce. Penny's friend Florence, an incredible cook, gets a call telling her that the deadline is the day after the actual deadline but she gets her jam, her cake, and her marmalade in on time. Gaynor Lewis, another top contender, wasn't as lucky and her entries are not turned in by the deadline. Yet, her marmalade wins the competition while Florence's is nowhere to be found. Then, Penny finds the marmalade... along with Gaynor Lewis. Is the competition stiff enough for someone to kill in order to win?
There were some lovely twists and turns but I didn't love the ending; the murderer wasn't exactly fairly clued (at least in my mind) but it didn't turn me off the series. I really like the way Duncan deals with Penny's "romance" with Gavin. It's a bit easy to shuffle him off scene but at least he doesn't remain creating yet another cozy series with a love triangle.
There were some lovely twists and turns but I didn't love the ending; the murderer wasn't exactly fairly clued (at least in my mind) but it didn't turn me off the series. I really like the way Duncan deals with Penny's "romance" with Gavin. It's a bit easy to shuffle him off scene but at least he doesn't remain creating yet another cozy series with a love triangle.
April 23, 2018
Welcome the the 9th entry in an excellent cozy mystery set in Wales. If you are new to this series, no worries, this one can be read as a stand alone. It's time for the local fair and everyone ramps up their competitive efforts - to be the best is the goal and somebody is playing deadly.
Penny is a Canadian transplant to the lovely Northern Welsh town of Llanelen but she is still considered an outsider. When she is asked to volunteer she says yes. Her friend, Florence (one of my favorite characters) enters a cake and a marmalade, despite having been the focus of some sabotage. When the cake goes missing nobody expects it to be found at the scene of a murder. The body of a Women's Guild member is front and center and, of course, the police focus on the wrong suspect. Penny, no stranger to investigating a murder or two( or more) sets out to unravel the mystery.
The characters are well defined and the mystery and clues are well developed. The setting makes me want to visit Wales, especially if I could stay in Penny's town.
My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Penny is a Canadian transplant to the lovely Northern Welsh town of Llanelen but she is still considered an outsider. When she is asked to volunteer she says yes. Her friend, Florence (one of my favorite characters) enters a cake and a marmalade, despite having been the focus of some sabotage. When the cake goes missing nobody expects it to be found at the scene of a murder. The body of a Women's Guild member is front and center and, of course, the police focus on the wrong suspect. Penny, no stranger to investigating a murder or two( or more) sets out to unravel the mystery.
The characters are well defined and the mystery and clues are well developed. The setting makes me want to visit Wales, especially if I could stay in Penny's town.
My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 9, 2018
Why I chose this book:
I enjoy cozy mysteries, so when I saw this book on a Goodreads giveaway, I had to enter. I am excited to have won, as I really enjoyed this book!
Review
A spa owner and amateur detective solves a murder case at a Welsh agricultural show.
Competition is fierce between the women entering cakes and marmalades in a local agricultural show, and some of the entries of Penny Brannigan's friend disappear. When she starts to investigate their disappearance, she doesn't expect to find a body, but that is exactly what she finds. Set in a small town with landscape I could almost see and characters I'd love to get coffee with, this book drew me in quickly. The murder mystery had just enough twists to keep me reading late into the night (and that's saying something when one has an early-rising 3 year old!), but not so many that I couldn't theorize the murderer as I went. I don't wish to spoil anything, but I will say that I was in for a big surprise with my suspect, the Women's Guild secretary. This was not gruesome, despite involving a murder, but was exciting and cozy simultaneously. This is the first Penny Brannigan mystery that I have read (it is ninth in the series but can be read as a standalone), and I intend to start reading the others! If you enjoy cozy mysteries, then I would highly recommend this one!
I enjoy cozy mysteries, so when I saw this book on a Goodreads giveaway, I had to enter. I am excited to have won, as I really enjoyed this book!
Review
A spa owner and amateur detective solves a murder case at a Welsh agricultural show.
Competition is fierce between the women entering cakes and marmalades in a local agricultural show, and some of the entries of Penny Brannigan's friend disappear. When she starts to investigate their disappearance, she doesn't expect to find a body, but that is exactly what she finds. Set in a small town with landscape I could almost see and characters I'd love to get coffee with, this book drew me in quickly. The murder mystery had just enough twists to keep me reading late into the night (and that's saying something when one has an early-rising 3 year old!), but not so many that I couldn't theorize the murderer as I went. I don't wish to spoil anything, but I will say that I was in for a big surprise with my suspect, the Women's Guild secretary. This was not gruesome, despite involving a murder, but was exciting and cozy simultaneously. This is the first Penny Brannigan mystery that I have read (it is ninth in the series but can be read as a standalone), and I intend to start reading the others! If you enjoy cozy mysteries, then I would highly recommend this one!
May 10, 2018
Penny and Victoria are checking in home made baked goods, jellies and flower arrangements for Llanelen's annual agricultural show when they realize their friend Florence has only ten minutes left to meet the deadline. A quick phone call allows her to bring her cake and jams in the nick of time. A female voice had called Florence earlier in the day to tell her not to bother bringing her entries in until Saturday morning - which would have been too late for them to compete.
While Penny is judging the children's pet competition on show day one of the little girls is upset because her grandmother has not shown up to watch. Later on Penny finds the body of the missing woman under the baked goods table stabbed with a large knife.
Penny and Victoria have been surprised to discover how competitive the Llanelen residents are when it comes to vying for first prize in their local fair. But would someone really resort to murder?
While Penny is judging the children's pet competition on show day one of the little girls is upset because her grandmother has not shown up to watch. Later on Penny finds the body of the missing woman under the baked goods table stabbed with a large knife.
Penny and Victoria have been surprised to discover how competitive the Llanelen residents are when it comes to vying for first prize in their local fair. But would someone really resort to murder?
May 15, 2018
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.
Penny is a spa owner who has solved quite a few mysteries, and has now been asked to help out at her town's agricultural show. But when something fishy happens with the entries, and a dead body is found, Penny finds herself drawn into the mystery.
The setting really is an integral part of the story. It's a place where they hold agricultural shows that the whole town attends, where marmalade competes with jam, and every child who enters the pet contest gets their own special ribbon. Duncan really makes the town come alive, which makes it even more of a shock when a corpse is found.
There were so many characters with so many connections that I did have a hard time keeping track of who was who.
While this isn't my favorite entry in the cozy mystery genre, it was still a fun read.
Penny is a spa owner who has solved quite a few mysteries, and has now been asked to help out at her town's agricultural show. But when something fishy happens with the entries, and a dead body is found, Penny finds herself drawn into the mystery.
The setting really is an integral part of the story. It's a place where they hold agricultural shows that the whole town attends, where marmalade competes with jam, and every child who enters the pet contest gets their own special ribbon. Duncan really makes the town come alive, which makes it even more of a shock when a corpse is found.
There were so many characters with so many connections that I did have a hard time keeping track of who was who.
While this isn't my favorite entry in the cozy mystery genre, it was still a fun read.
April 19, 2018
Penny and Victoria run a “spa” in a smaller community in Northern Wales, so they think they know most of the residents and much of the gossip. Although not being born there, Penny is still considered an outsider after thirty years. The annual agricultural show is like our county fairs, in the U.S. and is dependent on many, many volunteers.
Not being the "handiest" homemaker, Penny is recruited to be a children's pet judge and for the simple task of receiving food items for judging. These seemingly innocent activities throw Penny and friends into the center of the action - including a murder and a money mystery and the most dysfunctional family we've seen (or read about) in a while.
The writing is descriptive and beautiful and makes me long for summer days and fall harvest events.
The characters are fascinating and their relationships tangled together.
This was a lot of fun to read.
Not being the "handiest" homemaker, Penny is recruited to be a children's pet judge and for the simple task of receiving food items for judging. These seemingly innocent activities throw Penny and friends into the center of the action - including a murder and a money mystery and the most dysfunctional family we've seen (or read about) in a while.
The writing is descriptive and beautiful and makes me long for summer days and fall harvest events.
The characters are fascinating and their relationships tangled together.
This was a lot of fun to read.
July 6, 2021
I have previously read books in the Penny Brannigan series, and I loved all of them, I am a big fan of Elizabeth Duncan. Her books are comfort books for the soul. That was the good part. The version I read was audio, and GoodReads does not have a listing for that version. I listened to this audio book thru Audible books so they might created their own version. In this #9 book, the narrator was switched and that made a big difference immediately. Anne Flosnik had narrated previous books in this series, and I loved her readings. The next little issue I had was the story and ending. If found it simple and not that interesting at all. Not up to the usual story, character development and ending that I have enjoyed in the past. But this will not stop me from continuing to read the Penny Brannigan books.
July 1, 2023
I won this book in a Goodreads contest. The is my introduction to Elizabeth J. Duncan and her Penny Brannigan mysteries. This was a fast, fun cozy mystery.
Penny Brannigan a transplant from Canada, she arrived in Llanelen, Wales, as a twenty-something tourist hiker and stayed. Now thirty some years later she owns a cottage she inherited and a business she owns with her partner.
She and her partner have been roped into helping in the annual agricultural show, where she soon finds something funny is going on. And then the next morning when there are entries missing and entries entered that were there or not there respectively when they left the night before.
And then at the end of day, when a dog is rooting under a table, Penny goes to rescue the tablecloth and realizes the dog has discovered a body and one of the missing entries.
And so now Penny has a new case to investigate.
Penny Brannigan a transplant from Canada, she arrived in Llanelen, Wales, as a twenty-something tourist hiker and stayed. Now thirty some years later she owns a cottage she inherited and a business she owns with her partner.
She and her partner have been roped into helping in the annual agricultural show, where she soon finds something funny is going on. And then the next morning when there are entries missing and entries entered that were there or not there respectively when they left the night before.
And then at the end of day, when a dog is rooting under a table, Penny goes to rescue the tablecloth and realizes the dog has discovered a body and one of the missing entries.
And so now Penny has a new case to investigate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2018
When the annual agricultural fair rolls around the locals put on their competitive hats and go for the win! From the kitchen to farm, the locals vie to win their chosen areas. When Penny Brannigan, local spa owner and transplant from Canada, is asked to help out, she willingly agrees to pitch in and be part of the community.
When one of the competitor’s marmalade and cake goes missing and another is found murdered, Penny is in the thick of it. Are the two events connected or just a coincidence?
This was my first exposure to this author and the series and there were o gaps, making this a great stand alone! The story is so well written I could close my eyes and see the locals and farm animals, and hear the local Welsh accent. An enjoyable read with a surprise ending!
When one of the competitor’s marmalade and cake goes missing and another is found murdered, Penny is in the thick of it. Are the two events connected or just a coincidence?
This was my first exposure to this author and the series and there were o gaps, making this a great stand alone! The story is so well written I could close my eyes and see the locals and farm animals, and hear the local Welsh accent. An enjoyable read with a surprise ending!
April 2, 2018
This was a delightful cozy mystery. I love the characters in this book, and despite this being the 9th book in the series, I had no problem picking up and feeling like I really knew the characters. This story is set in North Wales, where the annual agricultural show is getting ready to begin. Penny, our protagonist, owns a local salon. Although she has lived in town for 30 years, some still consider Penny an outsider. Penny volunteers to help at the agricultural show. She also discovers a dead body. The story was enjoyable and the mystery really kept me guessing to the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion from #NetGalley.
December 12, 2018
In the ninth book in the series, Penny gets involved in solving a murder that takes place during an agricultural show Penny and business partner, Victoria, help organize. This time, not only Penny doesn’t have her ex-boyfriend, Gareth who recently retired from the police force, to help her with the insider information, but she finds her relationship with Bethan Morgan, who just got promoted, significantly changed. The murder mystery is not a complex one, but the author’s vivid descriptions of the landscape in Wales and the quirky characters make the book enjoyable. However, in this book, Penny has hardly have any intimate relationships of any kind, she had in the past, such as with the vicar’s wife, her business partner, or Gareth and the book is missing coziness and warmth.
May 8, 2018
This was another satisfying mystery solved by ex-pat Canadian Penny Brannigan in the little town of Llanelen, Wales. When a body is found at the annual agricultural show, Penny and her co-worker Victoria are on hand to identify it as that of the president of the Welsh Women's Guild. Amateur sleuth Penny quietly investigates the murder by questioning friends and guild members about their comings and goings on the night before the show. When a second body is found a few days later, the town is in crisis mode and Penny feels it is up to her to solve the mystery.
This is a good series and I enjoy the very Welsh feeling to its stories.
This is a good series and I enjoy the very Welsh feeling to its stories.
May 9, 2018
I've liked other entries in this series better, but the fact is, I think I'm getting tired of Duncan's voice--this book seemed rather verbose and overly descriptive. Penny Brannigan is helping at the annual agricultural show, when a body is found in the tent with the display of food, vegetables and flowers. There were a number of people who didn't like the dead person, and Penny, her business partner Victoria, and their friends Mrs. Lloyd and Flo come up with different theories. But when there's a second killing (lucky Penny discovers both bodies!) the police are stumped--except for their suspicions of a transgender woman who has just returned home after many years abroad.
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