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Kate Palmer #1
A Body in the Village Hall
Kate Palmer is more than ready for the quiet life in Lower Tinworthy, Cornwall. But within weeks of her arrival, a woman is found dead in the village hall, stabbed to death with her own kitchen knife…
The victim is Fenella Barker Jones: chairwoman of the Women’s Institute, doyenne of the amateur dramatic society, and reigning champion of the WI cake-baking contest. But whilst she may have been at the centre of village life, there were plenty who had reason to dislike her – as Kate is about to find out.
As a practice nurse and one of the first on the scene, Kate can’t help but get drawn into the investigation. Her patients are only too eager to tell her about the victim’s extra-curricular activities and, the more Kate hears about Fenella, the more the list of suspects grows: it seems half the village wanted her dead.
Kate’s sister Angie tells her to leave it alone, but Kate can’t resist piecing together the clues. Especially not if brings her closer to the handsome Detective Inspector ‘Woody’ Forrest, who is near to retiring himself and determined to crack his last case.
But when someone breaks into Kate’s home and leaves a warning note on her pillow, it becomes clear the murderer is prepared to do anything to keep their identity hidden... Will Kate and Woody work out who’s responsible, before she becomes the next victim?
The victim is Fenella Barker Jones: chairwoman of the Women’s Institute, doyenne of the amateur dramatic society, and reigning champion of the WI cake-baking contest. But whilst she may have been at the centre of village life, there were plenty who had reason to dislike her – as Kate is about to find out.
As a practice nurse and one of the first on the scene, Kate can’t help but get drawn into the investigation. Her patients are only too eager to tell her about the victim’s extra-curricular activities and, the more Kate hears about Fenella, the more the list of suspects grows: it seems half the village wanted her dead.
Kate’s sister Angie tells her to leave it alone, but Kate can’t resist piecing together the clues. Especially not if brings her closer to the handsome Detective Inspector ‘Woody’ Forrest, who is near to retiring himself and determined to crack his last case.
But when someone breaks into Kate’s home and leaves a warning note on her pillow, it becomes clear the murderer is prepared to do anything to keep their identity hidden... Will Kate and Woody work out who’s responsible, before she becomes the next victim?
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2020
2715 people are currently reading
1703 people want to read
About the author
Dee MacDonald
16 books279 followersThe Runaway Wife is Dee’s first (published) novel but in fact she wrote her very first book – at around seven years of age! This was a love story which she duly illustrated before sewing all the pages together up one side. Writing was what she ‘was good at’ in school and she won several essay competitions, but then life got in the way and she didn’t pick up a pen again until after retirement.
Dee left Scotland and headed for London at the beginning of the swinging sixties. After typing her way round the West End she became an air stewardess on long haul routes with BA (then BOAC) for eight years. After that she did market research at Heathrow for both the government statistics and for BA, she became a sales rep and was the receptionist at the Thames Television Studios in Teddington when they had the franchise.
She then ran a small B&B for ten years in Cornwall, where she lives with her husband. Dee has one son and two grandsons who live locally.
Her second book, The Getaway Girls, will be published in July.
Dee left Scotland and headed for London at the beginning of the swinging sixties. After typing her way round the West End she became an air stewardess on long haul routes with BA (then BOAC) for eight years. After that she did market research at Heathrow for both the government statistics and for BA, she became a sales rep and was the receptionist at the Thames Television Studios in Teddington when they had the franchise.
She then ran a small B&B for ten years in Cornwall, where she lives with her husband. Dee has one son and two grandsons who live locally.
Her second book, The Getaway Girls, will be published in July.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
May 24, 2020
A BODY IN THE VILLAGE HALL by Dee MacDonald is the first book in a new cozy mystery series featuring Kate Palmer as the main character and set in Cornwall, England. Kate Palmer and her older sister Angie have relocated to Cornwall for a quieter life. Kate is working part-time as a practice nurse at the local medical center and is trying to draw herself and Angie into the local village events. While attending a talk at the Women’s Institute, a woman is found dead in village hall. Kate decides to try to identify the killer. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector “Woody” Forrest wants to solve this case and retire.
Both Kate and Woody are likeable characters with clear goals and believable motivations. The author does a great job of working the description of the village and the surrounding area into the story without detracting from the flow. The stakes were high and there was some tension as well as some romance. There are plenty of suspects for Kate to use her amateur sleuthing skills on but not many twists and turns. Besides murder, themes include alcoholism, infidelity, family dramas and much more.
Overall, this was a charming, easy-to-read, and fun story with older main characters. It had a satisfying resolution and was exactly what I was in the mood to read. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series. If you enjoy pleasant cozy mysteries with likeable main characters, a bit of romance, and a large number of suspects, then you may enjoy this book as much as I did.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Dee MacDonald for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Both Kate and Woody are likeable characters with clear goals and believable motivations. The author does a great job of working the description of the village and the surrounding area into the story without detracting from the flow. The stakes were high and there was some tension as well as some romance. There are plenty of suspects for Kate to use her amateur sleuthing skills on but not many twists and turns. Besides murder, themes include alcoholism, infidelity, family dramas and much more.
Overall, this was a charming, easy-to-read, and fun story with older main characters. It had a satisfying resolution and was exactly what I was in the mood to read. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series. If you enjoy pleasant cozy mysteries with likeable main characters, a bit of romance, and a large number of suspects, then you may enjoy this book as much as I did.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Dee MacDonald for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
May 28, 2020
I read a lot of mysteries and dead bodies tend to pop up in the most unusual places, but I think this is the first one to be stabbed to death with a cake knife in the kitchen of an English village hall. This is the opening chapter of A Body in the Village Hall and the rest of the book is spent discovering who dunnit and why.
The characters were all older people and they were well written and generally likeable especially the main character, Kate, and her love interest, Inspector Forest. There's an alcoholic sister and a very demanding dog as well as the usual range of villagers with varying intellectual abilities. The dialogue was good and the book moved at a fast pace.
Altogether I enjoyed it very much and will be looking out for the possibility of a sequel.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The characters were all older people and they were well written and generally likeable especially the main character, Kate, and her love interest, Inspector Forest. There's an alcoholic sister and a very demanding dog as well as the usual range of villagers with varying intellectual abilities. The dialogue was good and the book moved at a fast pace.
Altogether I enjoyed it very much and will be looking out for the possibility of a sequel.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 14, 2020
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher in return for an honest review. The release date for this book is 29 June 20
I’m such a sucker for a cozy fun British mystery and I found it in this novel. The main heroine is very relatable and the supporting cast and list of suspects are well rounded. The author provided glimpses of who the murderer was but didn’t provide any major clues so the “Who done it “ wasn’t a dead giveaway. I look forward to reading more in this new series.
I’m such a sucker for a cozy fun British mystery and I found it in this novel. The main heroine is very relatable and the supporting cast and list of suspects are well rounded. The author provided glimpses of who the murderer was but didn’t provide any major clues so the “Who done it “ wasn’t a dead giveaway. I look forward to reading more in this new series.
June 26, 2020
A Body in the Village Hall is the first instalment in the Kate Palmer Mystery series and features nurse and amateur sleuth Kate who has relocated from London to stunning Cornwall for a quieter, more rural life with her sister, Angie. She moves into the picture-perfect Lavender Cottage in the beautiful village of Lower Tinworthy which she shares with Angie. But merely six weeks after their arrival a village inhabitant is brutally murdered in the village hall with her own cake knife having attended a Women's Institute meeting. Fenella Barker-Jones appeared to be a busybody who had garnered a lot of enemies over the years and Kate realises the police are going to need all the help they can get. So she strikes up a friendship with almost-retired Detective Inspector Woody Forest (every time I read his name I was laughing) and they join forces to try to piece together the puzzle of Fenella's killing. Fenella is married to a wealthy landowner but she mustn't take her vows too seriously as she is known to have had affairs with plenty of men, some of whom were also taken. Then the body of Kevin Barry, a local handyman just released from prison, is discovered washed up on the beach...
This is a superb cosy mystery with more bite and grit but still maintaining the cosy feeling; we still are presented with the chocolate-box cottage and countryside location. In my mind, it was exactly like the villages in Midsomer Murders: quaint and typical of the area. It's simply the perfect book to escape from the troubles of the world and inhabit someone else's even for a few hours. Kate is a great character who is a divorcee and works at the local medical centre. She also develops a liking for Woody that seems beyond platonic so romance may or may not happen in future books. They make an effective sleuthing team, too. This is a fun, fast-paced, easy read with an enjoyable and entertaining plot, a good cast of characters and a whole tonne of suspects with motives, plenty of red herrings, twists and reveals. A delightful cosy that has a satisfying conclusion and if you like the solid, usual format of cosies in general then this will be something you may want to pick up. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
This is a superb cosy mystery with more bite and grit but still maintaining the cosy feeling; we still are presented with the chocolate-box cottage and countryside location. In my mind, it was exactly like the villages in Midsomer Murders: quaint and typical of the area. It's simply the perfect book to escape from the troubles of the world and inhabit someone else's even for a few hours. Kate is a great character who is a divorcee and works at the local medical centre. She also develops a liking for Woody that seems beyond platonic so romance may or may not happen in future books. They make an effective sleuthing team, too. This is a fun, fast-paced, easy read with an enjoyable and entertaining plot, a good cast of characters and a whole tonne of suspects with motives, plenty of red herrings, twists and reveals. A delightful cosy that has a satisfying conclusion and if you like the solid, usual format of cosies in general then this will be something you may want to pick up. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
June 18, 2020
Dee Macdonald is back, one of my fav authors whose previous 4 novels have centered around ‘older folk’ having a great time via travel, romance, 2nd chances and ‘starting again’ so I was really interested ( and a bit nervous ) to see how this new genre and new series would be.....and it was fabulous! Everything that the author did so well in the previous books is in this book plus the new element of village sleuth, a modern day Miss Marple ish kind of thing with much humour
Kate and her ‘just one more gin’ Sister Angie have left London and moved to the picturesque Cornish village of Lower Tinworthy ( and yes theres a middle and a higher one ) and are attending the W.I. when there is a scream and a woman ( the local shall we say ‘popular with the gentlemen’ character) is found dead in the kitchen, murdered while
slicing her home made cake....and so starts a real whodunit romp as many villagers, for one reason or another, come under suspicion and as another body is discovered Kate becomes more and more determined to solve the case and maybe get herself a bit of romance into the bargain
Full of superb village characters who gossip and have their theories, wonderfully described scenery, LOL humour and a good storyline this book had me ‘there and part of it’ right from page 1 and I loved every word, just the right book for unsettled times when you can relax and be drawn into pure escapism, roll on Book 2 and more adventures to come from Kate
10/10
5 Stars
Kate and her ‘just one more gin’ Sister Angie have left London and moved to the picturesque Cornish village of Lower Tinworthy ( and yes theres a middle and a higher one ) and are attending the W.I. when there is a scream and a woman ( the local shall we say ‘popular with the gentlemen’ character) is found dead in the kitchen, murdered while
slicing her home made cake....and so starts a real whodunit romp as many villagers, for one reason or another, come under suspicion and as another body is discovered Kate becomes more and more determined to solve the case and maybe get herself a bit of romance into the bargain
Full of superb village characters who gossip and have their theories, wonderfully described scenery, LOL humour and a good storyline this book had me ‘there and part of it’ right from page 1 and I loved every word, just the right book for unsettled times when you can relax and be drawn into pure escapism, roll on Book 2 and more adventures to come from Kate
10/10
5 Stars
June 29, 2020
A cozy and charming who done it. Kate is a nurse who just moved to a small village in Cornwall for a quieter life. *Kate must not read enough, seems as though every time you move to a small village for a quieter life things happen* not Long after Kate and her sister arrive in the village a body is discovered and the victim was killed by her own cake knife. Kate soon learns through the village grapevine and her patients that the victim Fenella had a lot of enemies. A lot of enemies equals a lot of suspects, and Kate is determined to suss out the culprit. Local police chief Woody Forest *Best name ever* ends up teaming up with Cate to puzzle together the mystery. OK a little far-fetched that the police would welcome a civilian into the investigation. BUT Kate is an expert. She has watched lots and lots of murder mysteries on television, make sense. *so now I’m thinking I too am an expert* In spite of Kates questionable expertise she was a great character and this was a fun book. I loved puzzling the mystery together and was suspicious of everyone in the village at one time or another. The setting was so charming I absolutely loved how the village and the surrounding area was described. An entertaining start to what looks like a compelling new cozy mystery series.
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
June 27, 2020
Quite a charming book set in a quiet Cornish village with a not so charming murder. Author Dee MacDonald, with the first book of the series, had laid down the precedent where cozy met with grit and determination to solve a murder.
A knife to the heart near the cakes, and Kate, a nurse, was the first on the scene. Together with the lead cop, Woody Forrest (and yes, that really was his name) the duo went about questioning the suspects to unmask the killer.
Being the first book set in a close knit community of the village of Tinworthy, I fell quite in love with the seaside village and its residents. But it was Kate who was etched most lovingly in the book. With an observant eye and intelligent mind, she was quite a force in the book. I loved the way investigation was interspersed with barely a tinge of romance.
The writing set the right tone for the story; the twists were gentle and inserted at the right times. Characters were varied and lively. I was happy that the book read fast, at least faster than the normal cozies.
Overall, it a sweet whodunit where an amateur sleuth and a professional cop joined hands in mutual respect to shake down the savory character from the community. Fun times, indeed.
A knife to the heart near the cakes, and Kate, a nurse, was the first on the scene. Together with the lead cop, Woody Forrest (and yes, that really was his name) the duo went about questioning the suspects to unmask the killer.
Being the first book set in a close knit community of the village of Tinworthy, I fell quite in love with the seaside village and its residents. But it was Kate who was etched most lovingly in the book. With an observant eye and intelligent mind, she was quite a force in the book. I loved the way investigation was interspersed with barely a tinge of romance.
The writing set the right tone for the story; the twists were gentle and inserted at the right times. Characters were varied and lively. I was happy that the book read fast, at least faster than the normal cozies.
Overall, it a sweet whodunit where an amateur sleuth and a professional cop joined hands in mutual respect to shake down the savory character from the community. Fun times, indeed.
September 5, 2023
Kate and her alcoholic sister have just purchased a charming cottage in Cornwall. Kate thought she could keep sister Angie away from the bottle and retire from nursing, but finds that she needs to work three days a week in a local clinic. They thought rural life would be peaceful, but after they are there a few weeks, a village woman is murdered. Kate's patients all have opinions on who committed the crime, and she meets the handsome detective assigned to the case. Then there's another murder, and Kate gets involved again. Someone is watching, and her curiosity could be putting her in danger. I liked the descriptions of the British village, but as anyone who has watched Midsomer Murders knows, they are not as tranquil as one might think.
June 30, 2020
This is the first instalment in the new Kate Palmer Mystery series by Dee MacDonald and features experienced nurse Kate who has relocated from West London to Cornwall along with her sister, Angie. The sisters have both moved into gorgeous Lavender Cottage in the picturesque village of Lower Tinworthy, hoping for a more peaceful life. Whilst attending a Women's Institute meeting just six weeks after their arrival, a local villager is murdered in the village hall with a cake knife. The victim, Fenella Barker-Jones, had managed to acquire rather a lot of enemies over the years and Kate soon realises the police are going to need as much help as possible. DI Woody Forrest is the detective inspector on the case so Kate forms a friendship with him and they team up to figure out the puzzle of Fenella's killing. Married to a well-off landowner and businessman, Seymour Barker-Jones, Fenella was known to have had dalliances and entanglements with plenty of men, some of whom were also spoken for. But when someone breaks into Kate’s Lavender Cottage and leaves her a warning note it becomes clear the murderer is prepared to do anything to keep their identity hidden…
A Body in the Village Hall is a superb cosy mystery with plenty of substance but still maintaining that cosy edge, with the chocolate-box cottage and alluring countryside locale. Divorcee Kate who is working as a practice nurse at the local medical centre, is an intrepid and caring character. Her fondness for sexagenarian Woody is charming to read about and they make an effective sleuthing duo. This is a comfortably paced, easy read with an hugely enjoyable plot, and a great cast of characters. It boasts a bucket-load of suspects with plausible motives, and many red herrings, twists and disclosures. A compelling cosy with fulfilling a conclusion that I highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
A Body in the Village Hall is a superb cosy mystery with plenty of substance but still maintaining that cosy edge, with the chocolate-box cottage and alluring countryside locale. Divorcee Kate who is working as a practice nurse at the local medical centre, is an intrepid and caring character. Her fondness for sexagenarian Woody is charming to read about and they make an effective sleuthing duo. This is a comfortably paced, easy read with an hugely enjoyable plot, and a great cast of characters. It boasts a bucket-load of suspects with plausible motives, and many red herrings, twists and disclosures. A compelling cosy with fulfilling a conclusion that I highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
June 8, 2025
I found this and decided to try. It’s a mellow read and typical of an English cozy mystery. The plusses are that it’s an older protagonist AND there’s no love triangle!! The book is pretty heavy on family relationships and other issues ( divorce, death, alcoholism. Infidelity, etc). I did like that the author didn’t shy away for Angie’s (the sister’s alcoholism and Jane’s long suffering reality of trying to help her sister. She also didn’t try to “cure” Angie in the first book. Overall, it’s a pretty good read
June 25, 2020
This is the first in the Kate Palmer mystery series and the first book I’ve read by Dee MacDonald and I can safely say that it won’t be the last!
Nurse Kate Palmer moved from London to Cornwall with her sister hoping for a quiet life but a murder of Fenella Barker-Jones soon puts an end to that. Fenella has no shortage of enemies and amateur sleuth Kate gets pulled into the investigation.
A body in the village hall is a light hearted mystery with plenty of red herrings, intriguing character and a little romance thrown in there to boot.
This is such a fun fast paced book, I devoured it in two sittings, I didn’t want to put it down!
I love the character of Kate. Sometimes with an amateur detective, they come across as a little pushy or annoying but she comes across as caring and kind yet firm when she needs to be. Also how she puts up with her overdramatic alcoholic sister Angie is beyond me.
I wasn’t entirely surprised by the ending but I do love to play detective myself and figure out the mystery before the amateur sleuth does.
A body in the village hall is a great start to this series and I can’t wait to read more!
Nurse Kate Palmer moved from London to Cornwall with her sister hoping for a quiet life but a murder of Fenella Barker-Jones soon puts an end to that. Fenella has no shortage of enemies and amateur sleuth Kate gets pulled into the investigation.
A body in the village hall is a light hearted mystery with plenty of red herrings, intriguing character and a little romance thrown in there to boot.
This is such a fun fast paced book, I devoured it in two sittings, I didn’t want to put it down!
I love the character of Kate. Sometimes with an amateur detective, they come across as a little pushy or annoying but she comes across as caring and kind yet firm when she needs to be. Also how she puts up with her overdramatic alcoholic sister Angie is beyond me.
I wasn’t entirely surprised by the ending but I do love to play detective myself and figure out the mystery before the amateur sleuth does.
A body in the village hall is a great start to this series and I can’t wait to read more!
November 27, 2021
3.5 Stars
I’m so happy to see that Ms. Dee Macdonald is back with another interesting read.
I thoroughly enjoyed her previous 4 novels that revolve around older, mature ladies who are enjoying their new found freedoms, are having a great time travelling and are having second chances at love and starting over. This book is a new genre and series and it is also really enjoyable!
This is the first book of the “cozy mystery” series, where characters are also older, in their 60’s. Kate Palmer who has been divorced for many years along with her older, widowed, alcoholic sister Angie, pool their finances together and relocate to a quiet village in Cornwall. Kate works part-time as a practical nurse, at the local medical centre. I like Kate, the wanna-be sleuth, however, I found that for a practical nurse, she talks too much and divulges clients personal information. I also found the older sister, “the gin lover”, to be irresponsible and immature.
Having said that, I enjoyed the book, it’s an easy read, allows me to escape. What I love the most... is that all the main characters are in my age group (or older) and I can totally relate!
I’m so happy to see that Ms. Dee Macdonald is back with another interesting read.
I thoroughly enjoyed her previous 4 novels that revolve around older, mature ladies who are enjoying their new found freedoms, are having a great time travelling and are having second chances at love and starting over. This book is a new genre and series and it is also really enjoyable!
This is the first book of the “cozy mystery” series, where characters are also older, in their 60’s. Kate Palmer who has been divorced for many years along with her older, widowed, alcoholic sister Angie, pool their finances together and relocate to a quiet village in Cornwall. Kate works part-time as a practical nurse, at the local medical centre. I like Kate, the wanna-be sleuth, however, I found that for a practical nurse, she talks too much and divulges clients personal information. I also found the older sister, “the gin lover”, to be irresponsible and immature.
Having said that, I enjoyed the book, it’s an easy read, allows me to escape. What I love the most... is that all the main characters are in my age group (or older) and I can totally relate!
April 25, 2020
When an author feels the need to add a subtitle - An utterly gripping cozy murder mystery to the cover of a book entitled A Body in the Village Hall, I am automatically suspicious.
Nurse Kate Palmer is one of the first people on the scene when a local woman is found stabbed to death in the Village Hall. Fenelle Barker-Jones was the doyenne of Tinworthy and known for her serial affairs with local men. But who hated her enough to kill her. Kate believes because she is a nurse, she can ask in depth questions and probe suspects without them suspecting she is quizzing them.
She makes a list of suspects and then proceeds to tell everyone in town about her list. I really wanted to like this book, but Kate is the stereo typical dumb character who walks into the dark basement or in the woods against her better judgment. And yes she seeks out the murderer on a deserted cliff path along the ocean on a foggy night. Not an utterly gripped cozy murder mystery, sorry.
Nurse Kate Palmer is one of the first people on the scene when a local woman is found stabbed to death in the Village Hall. Fenelle Barker-Jones was the doyenne of Tinworthy and known for her serial affairs with local men. But who hated her enough to kill her. Kate believes because she is a nurse, she can ask in depth questions and probe suspects without them suspecting she is quizzing them.
She makes a list of suspects and then proceeds to tell everyone in town about her list. I really wanted to like this book, but Kate is the stereo typical dumb character who walks into the dark basement or in the woods against her better judgment. And yes she seeks out the murderer on a deserted cliff path along the ocean on a foggy night. Not an utterly gripped cozy murder mystery, sorry.
May 27, 2020
A woman is murdered, and everyone in the village seems to have reason to have wanted her dead. Then the prime suspect is also murdered. Kate, a nurse, is on the scene of both incidents and is curious enough to start looking into it herself. This was good, not great. I liked Kate. There wasn't a lot of her getting into trouble with things she shouldn't have been involved with, more just asking a lot of questions and using her position as a nurse to get more information. BUt at the same time, there wasn't a lot of action. I'd probably give this series another shot. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
September 3, 2020
I was skeptical at first
Having read the author's humorous woman's fiction books, I did not know how transitioning to a British Cozy Mystery genre would go.....But it was fabulous! A great mystery with red herrings, lots of suspects,a possible romance and lots of tea with milk and sugar...so English.
Kate and her older sister Angie have moved to Cornwall and when getting to know their neighbors at a WI meeting there is a murder. Kate who is a nurse, uses her nursing skills of analysis and finding clues to diagnosis her patients as an aid to solving the murder.
So I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this book and am happy to see there is a second.
Having read the author's humorous woman's fiction books, I did not know how transitioning to a British Cozy Mystery genre would go.....But it was fabulous! A great mystery with red herrings, lots of suspects,a possible romance and lots of tea with milk and sugar...so English.
Kate and her older sister Angie have moved to Cornwall and when getting to know their neighbors at a WI meeting there is a murder. Kate who is a nurse, uses her nursing skills of analysis and finding clues to diagnosis her patients as an aid to solving the murder.
So I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this book and am happy to see there is a second.
July 14, 2020
Fans of traditional British cosy mysteries are going to lap up Dee Macdonald’s A Body in the Village Hall, the first title in a fantastic new series featuring nurse and sleuth Kate Palmer.
When Kate and her sister Angie had moved to the countryside, they certainly never imagined that they would end up embroiled in a murder investigation. The sisters had come to live in a small Cornish village in order to enjoy a quieter and more sedate pace of life, but when they attend a WI meeting about growing their own vegetables, Kate and Angie come away with more than seedlings and gardening tips when the body of chairwoman Fenella Barker-Jones is found stabbed in the village hall kitchen! In her line of work, nurse Kate has seen many a distressing sight, but what she found unsettling was the look of sheer terror on Fenella’s face. Who would want to murder Fenella Barker-Jones? As newcomer Kate begins to do some digging, she quickly realises that there are a lot of people in the village who had a good motive for murdering Fenella!
According to the village grapevine, Fenella had her fair share of lovers – indeed Kate cannot help but wonder how she managed to find the time to have all these extra-marital affairs when she was so deeply involved in village life! Then, there was Fenella’s husband Seymour, who lived in London where he was a very important civil servant and who hardly ever saw his wife. Had Seymour had enough of his wife cuckolding him and in a blind fit of jealousy and rage had proceeded to stab her? Or was it her former lover just released from prison after being jailed for a decade after running someone over when he had been high on drugs after a bender with Fenella? Or could it be someone in the village wanting to make Fenella pay for past slights and transgressions?
There is certainly no shortage of suspects and Kate cannot resist digging deep and trying to piece the whole thing together – especially as it means spending time with dishy local detective DI Forrest. However, not everyone is as keen as the detective inspector to have Kate involved in this investigation. Somebody is determined to keep Kate from getting too close to the truth and when a warning note is left on her pillow, she realizes that time is running out and she must find who killed Fenella – before she ends up paying the ultimate price for her curiosity.
A brilliantly written cosy mystery sure to have readers gripped, A Body in the Village Hall will delight fans of Faith Martin and Ann Granger as they find themselves completely glued to the pages of this addictive bucolic thriller. Kate Palmer is a terrific heroine – she’s intelligent, humane, resourceful and her fledgling romance with Woody Forrest adds an extra level of enjoyment to the story.
Dee Macdonald is sure to delight readers and aficionados of the cosy genre with A Body in the Village Hall and I cannot wait to see what else Kate Palmer gets up to.
When Kate and her sister Angie had moved to the countryside, they certainly never imagined that they would end up embroiled in a murder investigation. The sisters had come to live in a small Cornish village in order to enjoy a quieter and more sedate pace of life, but when they attend a WI meeting about growing their own vegetables, Kate and Angie come away with more than seedlings and gardening tips when the body of chairwoman Fenella Barker-Jones is found stabbed in the village hall kitchen! In her line of work, nurse Kate has seen many a distressing sight, but what she found unsettling was the look of sheer terror on Fenella’s face. Who would want to murder Fenella Barker-Jones? As newcomer Kate begins to do some digging, she quickly realises that there are a lot of people in the village who had a good motive for murdering Fenella!
According to the village grapevine, Fenella had her fair share of lovers – indeed Kate cannot help but wonder how she managed to find the time to have all these extra-marital affairs when she was so deeply involved in village life! Then, there was Fenella’s husband Seymour, who lived in London where he was a very important civil servant and who hardly ever saw his wife. Had Seymour had enough of his wife cuckolding him and in a blind fit of jealousy and rage had proceeded to stab her? Or was it her former lover just released from prison after being jailed for a decade after running someone over when he had been high on drugs after a bender with Fenella? Or could it be someone in the village wanting to make Fenella pay for past slights and transgressions?
There is certainly no shortage of suspects and Kate cannot resist digging deep and trying to piece the whole thing together – especially as it means spending time with dishy local detective DI Forrest. However, not everyone is as keen as the detective inspector to have Kate involved in this investigation. Somebody is determined to keep Kate from getting too close to the truth and when a warning note is left on her pillow, she realizes that time is running out and she must find who killed Fenella – before she ends up paying the ultimate price for her curiosity.
A brilliantly written cosy mystery sure to have readers gripped, A Body in the Village Hall will delight fans of Faith Martin and Ann Granger as they find themselves completely glued to the pages of this addictive bucolic thriller. Kate Palmer is a terrific heroine – she’s intelligent, humane, resourceful and her fledgling romance with Woody Forrest adds an extra level of enjoyment to the story.
Dee Macdonald is sure to delight readers and aficionados of the cosy genre with A Body in the Village Hall and I cannot wait to see what else Kate Palmer gets up to.
June 11, 2025
This is a DNF for me. I was hopeful given the setting (small village in Cornwall). I made it about ¼ of the way through the book and decided to give up. In the opening pages a woman is murdered, and we learn she seemed to be having an affair with every man in town, providing a host of suspects. The murder is all anyone in town seems to want to talk about. I thought the murder seemed interesting, but I disliked the two main characters Kate and Angie and just couldn’t get into the story.
July 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this traditional mystery – from the likeable amateur sleuth, Kate, to the Cornish setting and the cast of colourful village characters.
The hunt for the killer was perfectly paced, and Kate’s up-and-down relationship with her alcoholic sister provided extra tension. I also enjoyed the developing relationship between Kate and the local detective inspector – I’m looking forward to seeing them work together again!
The hunt for the killer was perfectly paced, and Kate’s up-and-down relationship with her alcoholic sister provided extra tension. I also enjoyed the developing relationship between Kate and the local detective inspector – I’m looking forward to seeing them work together again!
May 20, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC.
This book was just what the doctor ordered! What with Covid and staying at home, my appetite for gruesome mysteries has definitely lessened and it was a treat to read this sweet, charming and cosy book.
Kate, a nurse, and Angie, a has-been actress, have moved from London to a cottage in Cornwall and adopted a dog.
There's been a murder at the Women's Institute and Kate finds herself drawn into sleuthing. She also meets a very attractive police officer and
after a second murder, gets involved with both the case and the policeman.
It reminded me a bit of all the Agatha Christie books I read as a kid (which is how I learned English) and how I enjoyed them. Definitely recommended!
This book was just what the doctor ordered! What with Covid and staying at home, my appetite for gruesome mysteries has definitely lessened and it was a treat to read this sweet, charming and cosy book.
Kate, a nurse, and Angie, a has-been actress, have moved from London to a cottage in Cornwall and adopted a dog.
There's been a murder at the Women's Institute and Kate finds herself drawn into sleuthing. She also meets a very attractive police officer and
after a second murder, gets involved with both the case and the policeman.
It reminded me a bit of all the Agatha Christie books I read as a kid (which is how I learned English) and how I enjoyed them. Definitely recommended!
May 25, 2020
Kate recently moved to Cornwall with her sister. She gets caught up investigating a murder and is being stalked by the killer. Will she figure out who it is before she ends up on the killer's list?
A British cozy mystery.
A British cozy mystery.
April 30, 2020
Loved this book, the characters, the setting. A really special read!
**Thankyou Netgalley and publisher for approving my request**
**Thankyou Netgalley and publisher for approving my request**
July 6, 2020
This is the first book in a proposed new series featuring amateur sleuth Kate Palmer, a recently retired nurse who finds herself having to return to work part time. She has moved to a small village in Cornwall with her sister, a former “B” level actress who has turned to alcohol to ease her disappointments regarding her career.
Early on in the book, Kate meets the DCI in charge of the case “Woody” Forrest and they almost immediately recognize an attraction between themselves and start flirting with one another. At the same time, Kate becomes more curious about the murdered woman and sets about trying to solve the case. Woody, contrary to what might be expected of a policeman, does not warn her off of her endeavors and only casually seems to encourage her to be careful as she is not a professional.
There are a few clues regarding the identity of the murderer and some red herrings, however they are somewhat shallow in their detail. The characters are also somewhat shallow, seeming to be more two-dimensional; lacking in depth. The plot and progress of the book comes across as being more writing to formula, i.e. body by a certain page, attraction between amateur sleuth and professional detective, worrisome relative creating some distraction, etc. than original work. All this leaves the reader with something of a “been there, read that” feeling at the end of the book.
There is some potential in the book. Cornwall is a beautiful area and could contribute to the overall enjoyment of the series. Also, Kate, being an older woman, might appeal to an older reader who is searching for contemporaries who are still having adventures. Unfortunately, some of her behavior is more consistent with what I would expect from a twenty-something with little experience in work, love, or life.
Perhaps this series will improve as the author does more character development and continues to develop a picture of the Cornwall Village where Kate now lives. There is potential here, this one just didn’t resonate with me.
Early on in the book, Kate meets the DCI in charge of the case “Woody” Forrest and they almost immediately recognize an attraction between themselves and start flirting with one another. At the same time, Kate becomes more curious about the murdered woman and sets about trying to solve the case. Woody, contrary to what might be expected of a policeman, does not warn her off of her endeavors and only casually seems to encourage her to be careful as she is not a professional.
There are a few clues regarding the identity of the murderer and some red herrings, however they are somewhat shallow in their detail. The characters are also somewhat shallow, seeming to be more two-dimensional; lacking in depth. The plot and progress of the book comes across as being more writing to formula, i.e. body by a certain page, attraction between amateur sleuth and professional detective, worrisome relative creating some distraction, etc. than original work. All this leaves the reader with something of a “been there, read that” feeling at the end of the book.
There is some potential in the book. Cornwall is a beautiful area and could contribute to the overall enjoyment of the series. Also, Kate, being an older woman, might appeal to an older reader who is searching for contemporaries who are still having adventures. Unfortunately, some of her behavior is more consistent with what I would expect from a twenty-something with little experience in work, love, or life.
Perhaps this series will improve as the author does more character development and continues to develop a picture of the Cornwall Village where Kate now lives. There is potential here, this one just didn’t resonate with me.
November 24, 2024
2.5 stars
I am a fan of British village mysteries and expected this to be a typical undemanding read. Nurse Kate Palmer and her widowed sister Angie have moved to a quiet Cornwall village. Kate still works parttime at the local clinic and her sister dabbles as an artist and consumes gin.
They are at a Women's Institute lecture when a local woman is found dead in the kitchen, stabbed. Since the victim was quite promiscuous and had apparently slept with quite a few local husbands, there are plenty of suspects.
Kate, as a nurse, hears a lot of talk and has a lot of opportunity to chat with suspects. Potential love interest Detective Woody Forrest warns her to be careful, but she plows ahead anyway.
There is not a ton of character development, and the book is slow-paced, but pretty typical of your usual book of this type. The low review is for the TSTL final scene and here come the spoilers.
Kate, who has whittled down her suspect list to just a couple of people, knows that the whole town is aware of her investigation. So, she goes out to walk her dog in a foggy rainstorm with no visibility on the edge of a seaside cliff. And she forgets her cell phone. Who could guess that the killer would pop out of the dark and nearly throttle her? But she is saved in the nick of time by her copper boyfriend and a woman constable who made it up the path totally silently and took the suspect down all without making a sound.
The other annoyance for me was how Kate, a seemingly sensible person and a medical professional, deals with her sister's alcohol issues.
I am a fan of British village mysteries and expected this to be a typical undemanding read. Nurse Kate Palmer and her widowed sister Angie have moved to a quiet Cornwall village. Kate still works parttime at the local clinic and her sister dabbles as an artist and consumes gin.
They are at a Women's Institute lecture when a local woman is found dead in the kitchen, stabbed. Since the victim was quite promiscuous and had apparently slept with quite a few local husbands, there are plenty of suspects.
Kate, as a nurse, hears a lot of talk and has a lot of opportunity to chat with suspects. Potential love interest Detective Woody Forrest warns her to be careful, but she plows ahead anyway.
There is not a ton of character development, and the book is slow-paced, but pretty typical of your usual book of this type. The low review is for the TSTL final scene and here come the spoilers.
Kate, who has whittled down her suspect list to just a couple of people, knows that the whole town is aware of her investigation. So, she goes out to walk her dog in a foggy rainstorm with no visibility on the edge of a seaside cliff. And she forgets her cell phone. Who could guess that the killer would pop out of the dark and nearly throttle her? But she is saved in the nick of time by her copper boyfriend and a woman constable who made it up the path totally silently and took the suspect down all without making a sound.
The other annoyance for me was how Kate, a seemingly sensible person and a medical professional, deals with her sister's alcohol issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2020
I can't wait for the next instalment in this series because I loved Katie and want to to know what will be next in this quant village.
It's a great start for a new series, well written and well plotted. that kept me involved till the end turning pages as fast as I could.
The author delivers a fun to read and engrossing story with a great cast of characters and a lovely setting.
Katie is my favourite characters: she's a strong willed woman, likable and well rounded and I have great hopes for her future adventure. The other characters are quirky and fleshed out and I liked the empathy of the author toward those who were hurt.
The setting is lovely and I loved how the author describes the small village dynamics with the gossip, the prejudices and I laughed reading the descriptions of the tourist looking for murder places.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing. I hope that Katie will be a bit more reckless in the future and not join the "cozy mystery club of wish death heroine".
I also like the slow burning romance and look forward to read about its development.
It was an excellent and fun read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's a great start for a new series, well written and well plotted. that kept me involved till the end turning pages as fast as I could.
The author delivers a fun to read and engrossing story with a great cast of characters and a lovely setting.
Katie is my favourite characters: she's a strong willed woman, likable and well rounded and I have great hopes for her future adventure. The other characters are quirky and fleshed out and I liked the empathy of the author toward those who were hurt.
The setting is lovely and I loved how the author describes the small village dynamics with the gossip, the prejudices and I laughed reading the descriptions of the tourist looking for murder places.
The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing. I hope that Katie will be a bit more reckless in the future and not join the "cozy mystery club of wish death heroine".
I also like the slow burning romance and look forward to read about its development.
It was an excellent and fun read that I strongly recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
July 16, 2023
‘OK, Doctor, but we hoped you could give us more detail than that. What would you say was the time of death?’ asked the detective. He leaned carefully over the body. ‘Not more than an hour ago.’
‘We could have told you that! She only introduced the guest speaker an hour or so ago,’ another woman shouted.
‘What about the cake then?’ A thin, elderly woman was gazing at the artistically arranged slices. ‘Shame to let it go to waste.’
It was refreshing reading a book with an older woman as a main character and mostly older characters instead of the usual bright-eyed, naive, 20-something. I also enjoyed the setting; a small British town where everybody knows everybody and their business. If you’re from a small town, you know how it is. The main character is incredibly nosey but caring which is what puts her smack in the middle of it all. For a nurse, I’m surprised she still has a job with all the patient confidentiality she breaks. Kate is … frustrating at some points. She really shouldn’t have gotten away with looking up the sensitive information of people and the addresses of patients to turn up at their houses to ask them questions. I was surprised when nobody even asked her “well, how do you know this very private information?”. Very quick and easy read, not super thrilling or mysterious, but still interesting especially when it came to the town gossip. The ending was a bit of a cliché and felt empty, for that I was disappointed.
‘We could have told you that! She only introduced the guest speaker an hour or so ago,’ another woman shouted.
‘What about the cake then?’ A thin, elderly woman was gazing at the artistically arranged slices. ‘Shame to let it go to waste.’
It was refreshing reading a book with an older woman as a main character and mostly older characters instead of the usual bright-eyed, naive, 20-something. I also enjoyed the setting; a small British town where everybody knows everybody and their business. If you’re from a small town, you know how it is. The main character is incredibly nosey but caring which is what puts her smack in the middle of it all. For a nurse, I’m surprised she still has a job with all the patient confidentiality she breaks. Kate is … frustrating at some points. She really shouldn’t have gotten away with looking up the sensitive information of people and the addresses of patients to turn up at their houses to ask them questions. I was surprised when nobody even asked her “well, how do you know this very private information?”. Very quick and easy read, not super thrilling or mysterious, but still interesting especially when it came to the town gossip. The ending was a bit of a cliché and felt empty, for that I was disappointed.
June 21, 2020
I love depiction of British village life whether it was in the past or in the present. This book typifies it most. The characters are iffy some of them, most of them are quite the average Joe but the few eccentric ones make up for it all
When Fenella was found stabbed at a Women's Institute meeting with a dozen women in the next room waiting for refreshments, the detectives know that something is quite wrong. The killer has to be extremely bold to carry this out with so many people around. Fenella herself seems to be a character - there are a dozen wives who could be called suspects because Fenella seemed to have had no problems in spreading her charms far and wide (quite indiscriminately it seems).
There is the husband of course apart from the various wives who are suspect and several others and when Kate who discovers not just this body, but the next that turns up - Kate feels that it is upto her to uncover the reason and who the murderer is.
Balancing her personal life with a sister who seems intent on getting drunk all the time, her job as a nurse in the medical centre and sleuthing keeps Kate busy. The fact that the handsome detective in charge of the case has also got eyes for Kate helps in making this a lighter read than just murder.
When Fenella was found stabbed at a Women's Institute meeting with a dozen women in the next room waiting for refreshments, the detectives know that something is quite wrong. The killer has to be extremely bold to carry this out with so many people around. Fenella herself seems to be a character - there are a dozen wives who could be called suspects because Fenella seemed to have had no problems in spreading her charms far and wide (quite indiscriminately it seems).
There is the husband of course apart from the various wives who are suspect and several others and when Kate who discovers not just this body, but the next that turns up - Kate feels that it is upto her to uncover the reason and who the murderer is.
Balancing her personal life with a sister who seems intent on getting drunk all the time, her job as a nurse in the medical centre and sleuthing keeps Kate busy. The fact that the handsome detective in charge of the case has also got eyes for Kate helps in making this a lighter read than just murder.
September 2, 2023
Book: A Body in the Village Hall
Read By: Ebook
Author: Dee Macdonald
Genre: Mystery, Crime
Recommend: Yes
Spice:🌶️️
< b>Age recommendation: 16-30+ Years
My feelings:
A body in the village hall is the first book in the series by Dee MacDonald for Kate Palmer.
It's set in Cornwall England.
Dickie Payne – that’s Dr Payne who retired a while back. Nice old boy he was, but he’d been having an affair with Fenella for years and everyone knew that.’
I really enjoyed this. I love a good murder mystery. Especially one where the FMC has some sills that are not so well know.
You know what they say: when you marry your mistress you create a vacancy.
Highly Recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2020
Sometimes I'm just in the mood for a nice comfortable murder and this book certainly delivered on that. Kate Palmer, our amateur detective finds herself first on the scene at not just one, but two murders. Of course, she can't help but investigate who is behind the murders and starts to poke her nose into the business of everyone in the community that's connected with the two victims. She also strikes up a friendship/early relationship with the police detective inspector who is on the case.
This book fits neatly into the murder in a British village genre. We have a middle-aged woman who has recently moved to the area. As a relative outsider, just arrived in this little corner of Cornwall, she's ideal to go poking around as she doesn't have any long-standing ideas about who the various members of the community are and as she does her investigating, we can find out about them all alongside her.
I have to admit that I hadn't solved this one. By the time the murder was revealed, there really was only one suspect left that could have done it, but I certainly can't lay claim to any skill in getting there myself. Kate did make a few leaps as she figured things out, but there was nothing too far fetched or unbelievable. Unless, that is you count how willing Woody, her detective friend is to let her go poking around. Then again, he clearly fancies her, so maybe he would just let her crack on.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read that kept me guessing until the end. It's not edge of the seat stuff, but sometimes you just want a murder that's a little bit more gentle. I'll definitely be checking out more in this series if and when they come out.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book fits neatly into the murder in a British village genre. We have a middle-aged woman who has recently moved to the area. As a relative outsider, just arrived in this little corner of Cornwall, she's ideal to go poking around as she doesn't have any long-standing ideas about who the various members of the community are and as she does her investigating, we can find out about them all alongside her.
I have to admit that I hadn't solved this one. By the time the murder was revealed, there really was only one suspect left that could have done it, but I certainly can't lay claim to any skill in getting there myself. Kate did make a few leaps as she figured things out, but there was nothing too far fetched or unbelievable. Unless, that is you count how willing Woody, her detective friend is to let her go poking around. Then again, he clearly fancies her, so maybe he would just let her crack on.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read that kept me guessing until the end. It's not edge of the seat stuff, but sometimes you just want a murder that's a little bit more gentle. I'll definitely be checking out more in this series if and when they come out.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 1, 2020
An enjoyable read.
Cornwall and a murder mystery, what an excellent combination.
Kate Palmer and her sister Angie have moved to Cornwall for a quiet life, and early retirement. The last thing they expect is to become involved in a murder or two.
An enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns, and a touch of romance.
Cornwall and a murder mystery, what an excellent combination.
Kate Palmer and her sister Angie have moved to Cornwall for a quiet life, and early retirement. The last thing they expect is to become involved in a murder or two.
An enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns, and a touch of romance.
July 17, 2023
Great read
A great new mystery sleuth, Kate, has moved into a quiet village, along with her older sister, Angie. A woman was murdered in the village hall, and Kate began wondering who could have done it. The story continued with Kate's snooping. The characters were skilfully constructed and intriguingly believable. It really was gripping to the last page.
A great new mystery sleuth, Kate, has moved into a quiet village, along with her older sister, Angie. A woman was murdered in the village hall, and Kate began wondering who could have done it. The story continued with Kate's snooping. The characters were skilfully constructed and intriguingly believable. It really was gripping to the last page.
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