Murder at the House on the Hill

The Dedley End Mysteries #1

by Victoria Walters

Nancy Hunter and her grandmother Jane run the Dedley Endings Bookshop, selling mystery novels in a sleepy Cotswold village where nothing happens.

That is, until the Roth family open their mansion for the first time in thirty years for a lavish party.

However, the festivities are cut short when Lucy, recently married to young Harry Roth, is found dead.

But who among the guest could be the murderer - and why?

Nancy and Jane decide to investigate, but can they catch the murderer before the murderer catches up with them?

Join the unlikeliest detective duo in the killer opening of hte Dedley End Mysteries series, for fans of Richard Osman and Charlaine Harris' Aurora Teagarden series.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Murder Mystery

348 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Victoria Walters is a full-time author living in Surrey. Victoria writes sweet and spicy rom coms including the BookTok viral hits THE LOVE INTEREST, THE PLOT TWIST and THE PARIS CHAPTER. She used to work in publishing and a bookshop, and has been a bookworm since childhood.

Victoria is also the author of the bestselling uplifting and romantic series GLENDALE HALL and the cosy crime series THE DEDLEY END MYSTERIES. Find out more about her by following on Instagram at @vickyjwalters, on X at @Vicky_Walters or on Facebook and TikTok at Victoria Walters author.

Her new grumpy/sunshine spicy romance LONG STORY SHORT is out now.

Reviews

[Karren Hodgkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

There could have been a good mystery here, but I just couldn't get into it. I found many of the characters one-dimensional and the conversations that were exchanged on brief acquaintance, unlikely. "Let's give it a go seemed an interesting attitude for a bookseller and her gran to a murder in the village. I 'guessed' the villain early on and skipped to the end - I was spot on.

I think perhaps this author's style and plots are not for me, but sense others will enjoy them.

Thanks to #Netgalley the publisher Hera Books, and the author for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐

First off, I LOVE the cover of this book. It's just so eye-catching and interesting. So this was another mixed bag of a read for me. I loved the setting. Loved the characters and their relationships. However, I found the writing a little juvenile. The pacing extremely slow. The plot repetitive and confusing (at times), and some characters could have done with more fleshing out. A mixed bag indeed!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

[lorenzodulac · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s set in a Cotswold village around Christmas time. What more could you want? A bit more, as it turns out. Maybe my expectations were too high.
I can’t say it held my attention much. It was almost too cozy, in a way that the murder element wasn’t there enough for me to be invested. When we were actually investigating it was fun and engaging and I cared enough about the story overall. And all the twists at the end reminded me more of a soap opera than a mystery novel, but they did surprise me so that’s good.
It seems I’m only listing the negatives here but honestly it wasn’t bad, I liked it, but it didn’t blow me away.
It’s like a 3.75, but I’m rounding it up because I’m in the Christmas spirit.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice enough cosy murder mystery but I think it was too cosy rather than focusing on the mystery. There were a few twists and a great one at the end but they were just a bit flat for me sadly.

[Tahera · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new cosy mystery series set in the small Costwold village of Dedley End where nothing much 'deadly' happens. The only unsolved death in the village happened almost 20 years ago when the protagonist Nancy Hunter's father died in a hit and run accident. The village is also home to the wealthy and reclusive Roth family of whom the villagers have seen nothing of in years. So when the Roth family decides to open up their mansion doors to the community before Christmas to celebrate the engagement of one of their own, the people are excited and curious in equal measure. But the celebration is cut short when Lucy, the wife of the eldest son Harry Roth, is found dead during the party... apparently pushed over the first floor balustrade. The village police who haven't had much practice solving murders seem inept so Nancy and her grandmother Jane, who run a bookshop called Dedley Endings, decide to take matters in their own hands.

I liked the book and it had all the settings of a cozy mystery book but I also felt that it was pretty longish in length and there was a bit of repetition in terms of details. The mystery to the father's death is also solved towards the end but I personally felt this plot could have been extended to future books. There is also the mention about Nancy's mother who abandoned the family when Nancy was just a small child; not much is revealed so it looks like this plotline will be fleshed out more in the coming installments.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Hera Books and the author Victoria Walters for the e-Arc of the book. This is the author's first foray into the cozy mystery genre. Her Glendale Hall romance series seems quite popular. I haven't read any of the books in this series but they look quite eye catching and interesting.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder at the House on the Hill is a brilliantly crafted whodunnit style read. I definitely got Christie vibes as I read it as Nancy and Jane delved deeper into the goings on at the big house in Dedley End. With lots of twists, this books kept me intrigued and gripped til the very end, and I loved getting to know Nancy and her grandmother, as well as some of the other faces around the village. Definitely looking forward to the next mystery - no pressure Victoria Walters !

[Gunta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ziemassvētku priekšvakars mazā mīlīgā angļu pilsētiņā, kurā visi viens otru pazīst, dzīve rit vienmērīgi un bez īpašiem notikumiem. Bet te negaidot pilsētas bagātākā ģimene rīko saderināšanās balli, kurā ielūgti visi vietējie. Un kas par pārsteigumu - tieši tajā notiek slepkavība!
Būtu viss, kas vajadzīgs, lai varētu iegrimt omulīgā lasīšanā, bet... klišejas lien ārā pa visiem stūriem (gudra un erudīta galvenā varone Nensija, kura sāk savu izmeklēšanu, pretstatā vietējai muļķa policijai, mīlas trīsstūris utt.utt.), naivi dialogi, atkārtošanās, neinteresanti personāži.
Neiesaku. Pat tad, ja nav nekā cita, ko lasīt.

[Oriana Blyth (_head_in_a_book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much @vickyjwalters for sending me a copy of your brand new book to read and review (published September 23rd)

It is such an enjoyable book and I think it’s amazing that she’s branched out and has started writing a different genre!! I always hoped she would and I kinda hoped it would be cozy crime!!

The plot is absolutely brilliant and I loved Nancy and her grandmother, Jane. Jonathan is also a fabulous character and I loved his relationship with Nancy.

This is a brilliant “whodunnit” which gave me some serious Miss Marple feels……and THAT ENDING!!!! 😱😱

I didn’t see it coming at all!!

I just loved how the whole story panned out, the storytelling was really clever as I was always left trying to guess who the murderer was.

All I can really say is it’s absolutely brilliant and a pleasure to read 💕 I can’t wait to read more of Vicky’s Murder mystery novels……and the last line of the book gave me the impression there is more to come from Nancy in the future 😀

[Anna Catharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tolle Charaktere, gemütliche Dorfatmosphäre und ein stimmiger Fall, unterhaltsam geschrieben. Hoffentlich erscheint bald der zweite Band.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder at the House on the Hill by Victoria Walters is the debut of The Dedley End Mysteries. I liked the two main characters in this new British cozy mystery. Nancy Hunter and her grandmother, Jane own Dedley Endings Bookshop which only carries mysteries, thriller, and crime novels. There is a cast of secondary characters that includes Nancy’s friend, Jonathan who is a local reporter. Jonathan is more about himself and his career, but you can tell that he does care for Nancy and Jane. The village of Dedley End sounded quaint. It is a small town that relies on tourist trade in the summer. The author’s vivid descriptions allow readers to picture the charming village and its residents. The death of Lucy Roth at an engagement party at Roth Manor is startling. Nancy is basically goaded into investigating by Jonathan. Of course, Nancy is curious, and she does not believe the local constabulary are up to the task. Nancy with help from Jane and Jonathan set out to ask questions and search for clues. Several people seem to have a motive to kill the victim. The mystery is straightforward and avid mystery readers will have no problems identifying the guilty party. There is a secondary plot involving the death of Nancy’s father. He died when she was ten in a car crash. She has wondered what really happened that night. Another thread involves the disappearance of Nancy’s mother. She took off when she was a small child and has never been heard from again. I am sure she will appear in a future book. At the end of novel, there is a teaser chapter for the next book in The Dedley End Mysteries. I had a hard time wading through this story. The pacing is slow, there are many repetitive details, and the writing is a little too detail oriented. I ended up skimming through part of the story to make it to the end (the book seemed to go on forever). There are several unlikeable characters with my least favorite being Nancy’s ex-husband, Richard. I really wanted to like Murder at the House on the Hill. I enjoyed Nancy’s love of books and that their bookshop caters to mysteries. Murder at the House on the Hill is a British cozy mystery with a toffee-nosed family, an eager reporter, a curious crime, suspicious suspects, and a probing bookseller.

[Susan Siow · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book as I love the mystery/crime genre and was hoping to discover a new mystery author that I'd like. But I ended up skimming through it as there were too many repetitions and the pacing got tedious. I felt like my time would have been better spent re-reading my fave Agatha Christie.

[Tissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, after two almost failed attempts at a quality cozy mystery, I was starting to despair. Did I just pick the wrong books or was the genre not for me?

I’m pleased to say it was an unlucky streak and nothing more: Murder at the House on the Hill is a fabulous story, one I’m glad I’ve been able to read.

[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]

[Marijn Woudstra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book was written by a computer. Somebody programmed it to contain all popular items of the moment. Bookshop owner( young, female and pretty) nice little village where 'everybody knows your name' romance, quirky friends, dead parent, family secret, a gay person hiding it from hid family (who is of course the nicest person in that family) constant tea drinking and putting kettles on etc.
There were strange things too.
An old grandmother who can't work in the shop anymore so her 26 year old grand daughter has taken over. Gran is only in her sixties. Not that old anymore these days, people of that age usually still work.
I am also wondering about the ages grandmother and mother were when they gave birth.
Somebody pouring dough in a cooky cutter (how does that work???)
And it is only the start of this new series. I don't think I will read another one.
Two stars for trying

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic name for a village – Dedley End, the Cotswolds home of the Dedley Endings Bookshop, a wonderful sounding emporium that sells only crime books of all types and eras! Run now by Nancy Hunter after taking over the reins from Jane her grandmother who inherited the shop after the untimely death of Nancy's father George in an unsolved hit and run, it is the passion of both ladies who share a cottage with Charlie the beagle in the normally tranquil village. Nancy sometimes wishes something exciting would happen but never in her wildest dreams does she think they might have a real life murder on their hands! Three generations of the wealthy Roth family live in Roth Lodge, a mansion on the outskirts of the village. There is grandfather Marcus, son Peter and wife Jessica, plus three grandchildren, Harry and his new wife Lucy, Will who works in London and Maria. Since some sort of scandal thirty years ago they have closed their doors to the village but suddenly in the run up to Christmas invites have been sent to all local business owners inviting them to celebrate the engagement of Maria to her fiancé Charles. Everyone is excited and curious to be seeing the house again after all these years, and Nancy’s best friend, Cotswold Star journalist Jonathan Murphy is determined to accompany Nancy and Jane, especially as the normal press have been forbidden from attending. However things quickly turn sour at the party when Lucy plummets to her death and it is clear tensions are running high within the family. With all their wealth of murder mystery experience Jane and Nancy are convinced they can solve the crime themselves and sally forth into their own investigation, using local knowledge and contacts to their advantage. But is it mere coincidence that Nancy’s ex-boyfriend from university that she hasn’t seen for 5 years and who was the Roth company’s accountant has suddenly started taking a renewed interest in her after she ran into him at the party? And just how many secrets are the Roth family hiding? Nancy and Jane, aided by Jonathan, race the police to a shocking conclusion and an even more devastating twist at the end, with a great clue left open as to the next adventure.
This is an excellent murder mystery with a group of amateur sleuths proving themselves more than capable and certainly winkling more out of the suspects than the unfortunate local CID. I thoroughly enjoyed this story with its charming location, warm and caring dialogue and incredibly likeable lead characters and eagerly look forward to the next book in this great new series. 5*

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many elements of the Traditional English Mystery: small town, a manor that holds itself aloof from the town, a ball that invites the villagers to said manor and... the mystery unfolds. Why does the Roth family ignore the town, doing all shopping elsewhere? What happened 30 years ago that made them such recluses? Unsurprisingly there's a bookshop in town--one specializing in mysteries, no less--and it's the Hunters (talk about a name laden with meaning!), granddaughter Nancy (named after Drew?) and grandmother Jane (as in Marple?), who begin to unravel What Happened. No surprises, but charmingly well done.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

[M.andthebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rezension: (kann Spoiler enthalten)

Eine Krimibuchhandlung in einem kleinen Örtchen mit Buchhändlerinnen, die einen Mord aufklären. Tja, das klang natürlich super interessant und ich musste mich diesem Buch natürlich widmen, auch wenn es ein etwas untypisches Genre für mich ist.
Die Roths waren eine sehr spezielle Familie mit wirklich unterschiedlichen Charakteren und ich fand es sehr interessant, Nancy zu begleiten, wie sie auf dem Anwesen ermittelt, um den Fall aufzuklären.
Das Setting in Dedley End war total gemütlich und auch die Protagonisten waren wirklich toll, denn Nancy und ihre Großmutter waren ein wirklich sympathisches Duo.
Die Aufklärung des Falls gefiel mir gut, auch wenn ich manchmal ein wenig über den Schreibstil gestolpert bin. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass manche Sätze ein wenig unrund in ihrem Gesamtbild wirkten.
Trotzdem war es eine tolle Cosy-Crime-Story, die mir echt gut gefallen hat und ich freue mich auf den nächsten Band in dem unser Großmutter-Enkelin-Duo wieder ermittelt.

4,5 Sterne

[Hannah Clarke (Love Books Actually) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today is my stop on the blog tour for the wonderful Victoria Walters new novel ‘Murder at the House on the Hill’ firstly a huge thank you to Rachels Random Resources for allowing me to join the blog tour and for the ARC which I have reviewed honestly.

I love Victoria’s writing and fell in love with her Glendale Hall series so when I heard she was branching out to a new genre of crime I was all for it. I don’t actually read many crime books but I love the idea of ‘cosy crime’, reading is my escape so I never like to venture into a book with a heavy subject so ‘cosy crime’ involving a bookshop.. well count me in!

Dedley End a beautiful little quiet village.. or is it? Kicking off the story at a lavish party in a beautiful mansion and before we can admire the decor a murder has taken place, leaving everyone asking ‘whodunnit’.
Main character Nancy runs the local bookshop (dream job.. yes please!) deciding to live up to her literacy detective name, Nancy and her grandmother Jane set out to investigate and find out who is the murderer.

The further I read I could feel how much work Victoria had put into the story. With a great plot that will keep you hooked, honestly I had everyone up as a suspect by the end! Cleverly written keeping me in suspense. I loved all the characters in the book, well maybe not all.. you’ll find out for yourself. Nancy and Jane, a wonderful partnership, I adored their closeness and enjoyed following them on their investigation.

Congratulations Victoria for stepping into a new genre, for creating the not so sleepy village of Dedley End and for keeping me on the edge of my seat. I did not see that ending coming at all, so very clever how the story unfolds and I cannot wait to head back to Dedley End again soon!

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This was okay. It was nothing special, just a serviceable cozy mystery.

The mystery and investigation of the murder in the small English village was pretty formulaic, which isn't a criticism necessarily, as that IS the genre, but there was just nothing particularly unique or interesting in this story.

I wasn't really that connected to any of the characters, and the book could have done with some judicious editing IMO, I skipped over 100 pages to get to the end and find out who the killer was and it honestly didn't feel like I'd missed that much.

Nothing wrong with this, it just wasn't anything special. I won't read on in this series.

[mar✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

amé el hecho de que la prota tenía una librería que sólo vendían novelas de misterios THAT’S THE DREAM🤩, me sorprendió el asesino, al principio creí que era uno y todavía tenía la mala espina sobre él hasta el final pero resultó que no

Thanks Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Tracy Larner-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice cosy, easy to read murder mystery.

I'm looking forward to reading the other 2 in the series.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but simple and quite unoriginal. I would recommend if you want an easy read but it unfortunately lacked depth for me!

[Sara (thebookwebb) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn into this book immediately because I basically want to live Nancy’s life. Running a cosy bookshop, with a dog asleep in the window, in a sleepy village, sounds just about perfect to me. However we all know that behind closed doors there is scandal aplenty in sleepy villages. Dedley End (you can’t help but love the name) is no exception. This book is a lovely little mystery with great, likeable characters and lots of fun to be had. The relationship between the three main protagonists is a joy and this book sets things up nicely for a future series.

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Murder At the House On The Hill is a blast! It has everything you want in a thriller. It's fast paced, fun and it keeps you guessing till the end! Murder At The House On the Hill was like a modern day clue. I love a good murder mystery and this one delivered all the retro vibes of Clue! I loved the bookshop as a setting. I felt this was a such a fun twist and I'm a sucker for all things bookshop. The story is fill with lots of characters and unusual twists. I can't wait to read this again during spooky season!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"He named her after Nancy Drew and as an avid fan of mysteries, had instilled a love of books in her from a very early age."

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Talk about a book-lover's mystery! Murder at the House on the Hill is book 1 in the new cozy mystery series The Dedley End Mysteries.

This story follows Nancy Hunter, Dedley End's resident specialty bookstore owner, as she works to unravel a tragic murder that's just taken place at Roth Lodge (aka the House on the Hill).

Murder at the House on the Hill kept me guessing until the final pages! And in the last 10 chapters or so, when everything started to come together, I was so pleased to see no detail had been overlooked, no previous clue left dangling.

I also enjoyed the mystery within a mystery element; more than one mystery was solved within these pages! And because I sense nothing is mentioned by accident, I believe more of the unknowns of Nancy's past will continue to be sorted out as the series continues.

On that note, I'm looking forward to seeing how this slow-burn, potential friends to lovers thing plays out between Nancy and Jonathan. Thank goodness Jonathan is a solid guy because Nancy is sooo in denial.

As the epilogue sets up the mystery for the next book, it looks like Nancy's sleuthing days have only just begun! I cannot wait to visit Dedley End again!

[Emma Mcvittie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.
I think it’s great the author has had a go at writing a different genre.(I love Glendale Hall Series)
I didn’t love the book, didn’t hate it.
Book was like a modern day Famous Five book(don’t know if that’s a compliment or not.)
I guessed the killer the second they were introduced !
I’m also not sure how many times plates of biscuits and tea were mentioned,too many ?
I found the whole story a little juvenile.

[booksofallkinds · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the tour host.

A murder mystery that will have you donning your detective hat and searching for clues, MURDER AT THE HOUSE ON THE HILL by Victoria Walters is everything you could want in a cosy mystery and more!

Nancy Hunter loves her life, running her family bookstore with her grandmother, Jane, in the picture-perfect village of Dedley End, and spending time with her childhood friends Jonathan and Penelope. But exciting is not a word that would ever be used to describe Dedley End. So when the extremely wealthy Roth family unexpectedly invites most of the village to an engagement party up at the manor, it sends the village into a tailspin. Eager to see inside, Nancy is delighted to receive an invitation. But when the dead body of Lucy Roth is discovered only moments after the party begins, it quickly becomes a search for a murderer. Just who are the Roths and why are they so secretive? And who hated Lucy enough to kill her? Determined to find answers, Nancy, with the help of Jane and Jonathan, start piecing together the truth which isn't always easy or straightforward. Throw in an ex-boyfriend who decides that he is ready for love, lies and betrayals from the past, and a shocking revelation that changes everything, Nancy has a lot on her plate. But can she uncover the truth before it's too late?

I love a good murder mystery and this story ticked all of the boxes for me. I loved the community and the feeling that I got as I learned more about Dedley End, and I could easily picture it all which shows the author's talent at making settings come alive. The characters are amazing - loveable (with the exception of a few!), engaging, and brimming with personality that made them all feel like friends - and I felt like I really got to know them all which was lovely. There were plenty of twists and misdirections in the plot which I love in a mystery as there is nothing worse than figuring out who the killer is early on. I chopped and changed my mind numerous times along the way and only figured out the truth around the same time as Nancy.

A cosy murder mystery with heart and exceptional characters, MURDER AT THE HOUSE ON THE HILL by Victoria Walters is captivating from start to finish and I cannot wait for the next book in what I hope will be a deliciously long series!

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Walters is known for her contemporary feel-good romances so Murder at the House on the Hill is a complete genre swap for her and for me too. I've only dabbled in reading crime before but I had every faith in the author to deliver us something different but not too unsettling. My verdict: I really enjoyed this cosy crime, I was hooked with the storyline but also charmed by the characters and the gorgeous Cotswold country village setting.

I don't know whether it was just me but as I was reading the novel I imagined the author as our leading lady Nancy!

Nancy and her lovely gran, Jane, live and work in the small village of Dedley End in the Cotswold. The name of the village is quirky and fab! They own the bookshop, Dedley Endings, a store dedicated to crime, mystery and thrillers and it sounded such a cosy retreat for all book lovers. Nothing much happens in this cosy, quintessentially English village so when an invite to a party at Roth Lodge arrives excitement and speculation ensues as the Roth family have kept themselves to themselves for 30 years.

The party brings glitz and glamour to the village with awe and wonder as the guests enter the splendid house. Introductions are made, canapes are tasted and the champagne is flowing but the merriment is halted with a jolt as a loud scream echoes throughout. Sadly, a body has been found and foul play is on everyone's mind but 'who dunnit'?!

The village is full of gossip on the events of party as the majority of the villagers were in attendance. Nancy and her best friend, Jonathan, have interesting thoughts about the crime and with Nancy's evident interest in all things mysterious they vow to track down the accomplice of this crime.

We follow Nancy, Jane and Jonathan as they unearth secrets and lies surrounding the Roth family and the sad demise of a young woman.

This was such a fun read as it played on the cosy crime feels and there were no gruesome or graphic scenes to upset the balance. The pairing of Nancy and her gran was great and the age difference blended well together. I also enjoyed Nancy and Jonathan's partnership, childhood friends who have bickered and teased each other for years but are fiercely loyal. I am looking forward to more from Dedley End and to see if Nancy and Jonathan's friendship blossoms into something more.

[L.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roll back the years and get ready for a Christie style cosy mystery. Devotees of traditional murder mysteries will want to read this one.

Nancy loves nothing more than running the bookshop with her gran, Jane, in Dedley End, the village she grew up in, and where she knows everyone and everyone knows her. It’s comfortable, cosy but nothing really ever happens, like never, ever, ever. At least not since her own father died in a car crash years ago, which led to her living with Jane. The only mystery in their lives comes from the books they sell.

All is about to change when the wealthy Roth family issue invitations to all the villagers, requesting their presence at an engagement party up at the manor. Excitement is off the scale, and the village is abuzz with chatter especially since the Roth family haven’t opened their doors to the village in decades.

In true Agatha Christie style, the party doesn’t end well when Lucy Roth falls to her death from the stairwell. Cue tension as curiosity and rumour join forces to create havoc in the search for her killer.

Even though the police are “in charge” of the case, nothing is going to stop Nancy and Jane from starting their own investigation. Helped by the Roth family asking Nancy to sort out the family’s extensive library, she’s in the perfect place to snoop around. Everyone is a suspect, and no-one is a suspect – will Nancy find the murderer? Will life in Dedley End ever be “boring” again?

I simply loved this story, it was so characteristic of an old-style cosy but set in modern times. The old-world charm and elegance of the engagement party suited the tone magnificently. The characters – Nancy and Jane’s fellow friends and villagers – are the kind you’d want as neighbours in a community like this. The arrival of Nancy’s old boyfriend – a devilishly handsome cad – added hint of romance to the mix, but a modern twist tested his mettle.

Such an easy story to settle in with, a charming setting, vibrant characters, and a lovely personal touch that made Nancy’s efforts all the sweeter. A proper old-style cosy in style but very modern in substance. Loved it!

[jee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating : 4.25 / 5

In a small quaint town, a murder befalls on a momentous occasion. This sparks curiosity with everyone, including Nancy who owns a bookstore that specializes in mystery genres and also got to witness the event. She takes the case, getting the justice it needs in her own hands to solve the crime with the help of family and friends.

I enjoyed the vibe this book gave off, a truly cozy and comforting feeling. It was a slow start but once the crime has been committed, I was more interested, just like every person in the book. There were a bit of bumps and sidetracks that were stumbled upon, but I think it adds to the buildup for the other books in the series.

Characters could have been fleshed out more, and more action within the plot would have been nice. Nancy was definitely nosy, but that is how investigators are stereotyped.

This made me realize that I do like the cozy genre in general, and one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book. The atmosphere it created was just pleasant, a juxtaposition to the murder that happened.

It didn’t give me much stress, as a normal mystery book would make me overanalyze every action and word. Excited to read more from the series!

[Not Quite A Bookshop · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of elements of my dream life. The protagonist Nancy is a bookshop owner - check, specialising in crime books - check, working with her beloved grandmother - check, called upon to solve a murder - check. However it just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The premise was interesting and the Nancy character well developed but others felt a bit flat especially the grandmother. It also felt as though the kitchen sink had been thrown at it as though the author had a check list of characters to be included; elderly, single parent, only child, orphan, gay, very rich, - you get the gist. The source of the scarf at the secondary crime scene was also incredibly obvious. This was the first book in the series so I will try another to see if the characters and plot lines become more rounded. An okay read, 3 stars.