Murder on Milverton Square

The Milverton Mysteries #1

by G.B. Ralph

Addison Harper is abruptly summoned to Milverton at the behest of an abrasive lawyer. He plans to be in and out, back to the city lickety-split. Instead, he finds himself charmed by the small town with its delightful and eccentric residents, not to mention the rather easy-on-the-eye Sergeant Jake Murphy.

Despite the rocky start, Addison admits he’s had a pleasant day out. That is, until returning to find the prickly old lawyer on the floor, and very much dead. Worse, it looks like murder, and Addison’s fingerprints are all over the crime scene.

Murder on Milverton Square is the first in a wonderful new cosy mystery series set in an enchanting small town nestled amongst stunning New Zealand scenery. The Milverton Mysteries features a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course, murder…

Genres: Mystery, M M Romance, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary, Audiobook, Fiction, LGBT

282 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2022

About the author

G. B. Ralph is a Kiwi author of cosy mysteries and romantic comedies. His writing features chaotic yet lovable characters getting into trouble, an astonishing amount of crime, and handsome men falling for each other.

He’s currently documenting the increasingly implausible series of murders sweeping an enchanting small New Zealand town in The Milverton Mysteries, once described as “Agatha Christie, but make it gay.”

For updates, free short stories and to join his mailing list, visit gbralph.com

Reviews

[Shelba · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 52%.

This was not great. Our amateur sleuth is taking the “amateur” part to a whole new level. Even before the murder, he notes a phone call coming from a landline with an out-of-town area code… and then is surprised when the caller is located out of town. As for the murder, he assumes the victim was shot because he didn’t “notice any obvious injuries […] and bullets are so small”. He then decides the best way to clear his name by approaching random strangers, in a town in which he is a stranger, and ask them about the murder.

I’d say that if you choose to read this, don’t read this for the mystery, read it for the romance… except there isn’t really any at thing point besides our MC blushing at the sherif a few times. Maybe read if for Keith, the cat, as he is likely the most interesting character in the book.

[Ami]

DNF at 54%

I don't usually write notes for books I DNF... because I take policy that it's for me to know (and for every one else to make their own discovery 😅) but since a couple of friends made comment on this, I feel like I need to explain. I decided to bail because at the point where I stopped, it all just seemed silly

+ The reason why the police decides that Addison is the "suspect" is flimsy. So this stranger comes all the way from the city, meet the lawyer once, and decides to kill him? Why? What are the benefits for Addison?

+ Then everyone that Addison decides to talk to just blurt out a LOT... including a lawyer? Who the hell is Addison for them? He's a bloody stranger, people. He's only been in the town for a DAY!

+ On that note, why don't everyone trying to tell Addison about his grand-uncle? Only a passing comment "he's a sweetie, he's eccentric". Usually in cozy mystery books I read over the years, this kind of setting, will involve people telling the stranger about the uncle at least.

+ And why Addison doesn't seem at all curious? His grand-uncle seems to be rich, with the account of his estate. No speck of wanting to know who he was?

This book is quite wordy too... but on boring stuffs at times. I also note a change of POV early on, like at one point, the author wanted this to be a 1st POV and missed a paragraph.

Anyway, that's why it doesn't work for me. Like always, your mileage may vary.

[Meep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my.

This started as a NaNoWriMo challenge (50,000 words through the month of November). Now I've read impressive fiction spurred by the event, but there's also an aspect of silly challenges and elaborate efforts to fill the daily word quota.
It's apparently been heavily edited but the wording still struck me as a victim of the event. Often far too wordy.

The setting. Could be anywhere. I've visited NZ and it's a beautiful place, but Addison doesn't like nature he'd be happier in a cubicle. He inherited a big house I'd think most readers would like to explore but we see three rooms, have no idea how many there are. The decor is critised before being seen, the author must really hate groovy 60s style.

Addison doesn't once ask the obvious 'how much have I inheritated?' Sounds like he's potentially now wealthy, but he doesn't ask. A consumate drone he's more focused on logging in those work hours.

The mystery. Was there one? On finishing I'm not sure what power the victim would have had to make him in the way, but there's no other source of contention.

Our plucky detective. TSTL Addison has absolutely no motive for murder but decides he's chief suspect and therefore must investigate while putting in his work hours -because contacting his employer to take time or explain irregular logins would be too logical?- which means interrogating strangers in completely unnatural conversations, luckily they're all remarkably talkative even the super-professional hard-arse lawyer breaking confidentiality. Very linear, each conveniently names someone else and he trots along to question that person.

The ending. I seriously thought Addison deserved to be clobbered over the head amongst the tactical warfare Roses. taken to a potentially dangerous scene by the police? Escapes from the back of a police car WTF? in order to ...? Why would he think he could help?

Romance. Well we get a sort of description, Murphy's good looking and frequently controlling his facial expressions which must hint at depths? Otherwise no personality, history, nothing. Just jumps into action when summoned.

Nosy over-friendly old lady. Only personality in the book. She's clearly there to insert dialogue and keep readers informed. Could have lost the main character without a whimper and turned her into a cheeky Asian Miss Marple.

Didn't work for me at all. Disappointing because the initial set-up had promise.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy these cozy mysteries. No sex to get in the way and take you out of the story.
Addison gets a phone call to say he has inherited a distant relatives estate and needs to travel there to meet with the lawyer. What he thinks will be a days job turns into more as he gets involved in a murder.
Loved this. Its a bit like The Brokenwood Mysteries where everybody knows everything about everybody.
Great cast of secondary characters. Just a pity we have to wait almost a year before book 2

[GeishaX · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amongst all the many books that really disappointed me lately, this one was like a ray of sunshine. I liked the crime - very classical, very cozy, I liked the characters - especially the main character Addison. There was just the barest beginnings of a love story - this will likely evolve in later books of the series, but I liked that things were going slow.

And hey, I even liked the narrator. So while it wasn't a big spectacular book it was well written and charming and I am definitely going to continue the series.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun cozy murder mystery with a slow-burn gay romance. I don’t usually like mystery books, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Addison is called to picturesque Milverton to settle an unexpected inheritance. However, the prickly lawyer who called him is murdered on the first day and Addison must (clumsily) clear his name to intimidating police sergeant Jake Murphy. I just really enjoyed the vibes of this book - the cute town, the nosy locals, the bumbling Addison catching the eye of sergeant Jake. To be clear, the romance is a real slow burn, but the second book is out sometime this year, which I can’t wait to read. One critique is that I’m not sure if Addison did a very good job of solving the mystery, he was just kind of annoying enough to get involved with the right people, but it fit with his character. I look forward to the second book adding depth to the characters and relationships introduced in book one.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants a cozy mystery. Again, I tend to struggle with mystery books, but this one broke through.

[Aricka Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Just don’t go looking for trouble, will you?’ ‘Yes, yes. I solemnly swear that I will not get up to no good.’



I'll be honest — I was a little worried about reading Murder on Milverton Square because of the mixed reviews from people I follow or am friends with here on Goodreads. But honestly? I need to listen to my own brain and heart more often. I usually pick books based on what sounds interesting to me and try not to fall for the hype train... but hey, I’m only human. Social media and FOMO get me sometimes.

That said, I’m really surprised more people didn’t enjoy this — because I liked it a lot. No, it’s not a mind-blowing mystery or a heart-pounding thriller that has you clutching the pages waiting for the next twist. God, no. This is a cozy mystery with a very amateur sleuth — and I mean emphasis on the amateur. This is his first time ever getting involved in something like a murder investigation.

And honestly? I liked that about the story. Not everyone is going to be a sharp, cold-case-cracking prodigy right out the gate. The guy’s just trying to live his structured little life and gets pulled into a mess he never asked for. It really gave me strong Pirate’s Cove vibes — the town, the characters, the cozy chaos — though thankfully, he’s not a bookstore owner. But you know the deal: amateur sleuth, nosy townspeople, and hot cop? That’s a trope for a reason. It works. It’s fun.

Now, confession time. I while reading this, I was slow in the head, because I swear to Christ himself I thought this was set in a made-up English village. They started talking about landslides and weird place names, and I was like, “No way this is real.” So I looked it up and—surprise, surprise—I’m an uncultured swine. The capital of New Zealand is Wellington. Girl. Bye. I thought we were in Fake Cozyville, UK. FML.

Anyway, this book is cute, cozy, far from serious, and honestly? Boring in the best way possible. I loved it.

[Debbie McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this in the end, but it took a while to get into it. The first 20% was slow-going, but after that it picks up.

The author mentions at the end that they wrote this for National Novel Writing Month; having done NaNoWriMo a few times myself, I appreciate how hard is to unpick the extra wordage that's added in to make up word count, especially at the start of the month. However, if I could change one thing about the writing, it would be to lose some of the instances of 'quite the...'. They drove me a bit nuts.

The author intentionally followed the cosy mystery/romance structure, the result being almost an exemplar of the genre, and a very entertaining one at that. I've already pre-ordered book two.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The whole set up was authentically small town New Zealand, from the terrible carpet in the old house (I swear my grandmother had the EXACT carpet) to the nosy ladies popping up everywhere. This also has my favourite cozy mystery tropes - large inheritance from random unknown relative, small town with big personalities, a VERY slow burn romance (my favourite), and a MC who is wrestling with staying in said small town versus moving back to the big smoke (we all know he’s staying but it’s the EMOTIONAL FLIP FLOP that I’m here for).

I enjoyed the pacing, and thought it moved along well. I wasn’t bored, but it also wasn’t so fast that it lost its cozy feel. In fact, I enjoyed the whole book so much I’m already part way through book 2!

[Dumbledore11214 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a wonderful surprise for me. One of the best if not the best books I have ever read on Kindle Unlimited. If you like cozy mysteries with potential m/m romance thrown in, I highly recommend it. I could see the small New Zealand town in my head so clearly and it does not happen often for me, so when I can see pictures drawn with words, I am very happy.

Even though I mentioned a potential m/m romance happening, please note that while the attraction between the men is clear, the story is mystery first and foremost, we witness the very beginning of the possible romance nothing more explicit than that.

I really liked Addison even though in the beginning of the story he seemed a little boring to me. Very early in the story though annoying lawyer calls him and interrupts Addison's usual routines.  Annoying lawyer brings unexpected news of dead uncle ( whom Addison did not really communicate with) leaving him a significant inheritance. Addison has no choice but to go to picturesque  town of Milverton, where events that he cannot control start unfolding .

I want to be clear the story is undoubtedly a cozy mystery - small town, cute cat, pretty settings, cute food, several adorable/ annoying residents whom our main character becomes friend with. It follows the laws of the genre, what I am trying to say, but I still liked it a lot I thought it was very well written.

I also thought for example that the story found a very good reason for our character to become an amateur detective at least temporarily. After all, one tends to become invested in the investigation when one gets accused of murder. Also who would know that Addison could do sarcasm so well?



“‘Motive and means.’ Murphy raised an eyebrow. ‘Someone’s been watching their cop dramas.’ Addison shrugged. ‘Go on, humour me,’ he said, cocking his head to the side. Addison exhaled like he’d had the wind whipped out of his sails. Still, after an early start, travelling, a full workday, witnessing a dead body, and hours of questioning and waiting, he was tired and a bit peeved.

‘Are you suggesting, Sergeant Murphy, that I left the front desk at the visitor centre, slipped past Mr Norman’s terrifying receptionist and into the lawyer’s office, shot him, sneaked out again, wandered across the square to grab a fish and chip dinner, casually ate it in public view, then revisited the scene of the crime to stage a “shocking discovery”?’ Murphy went to comment, but it was Addison’s turn to interrupt. ‘Or–or!–I worked myself into a rage while chewing on my hot chips and was so overcome with bloodlust, I stormed into the lawyer’s office and popped him off?’”

Understandable sarcasm in this scene notwithstanding, I thought Addison and Jake already had a nice chemistry and if author decides to let them spend more time on page as a couple, they could be great together .

I also really liked a cat whose name was Keith.

"Keith sat, staring up at Addison, his paw unambiguously pressed against the back door. Addison laughed quietly to himself. ‘Opening a door, I’m sure I can manage that much,’ he said as Keith weaved around his leg and out the gap. Addison found himself following onto the back porch and watching as the cat stalked down the steps, curious about this animal that had shared a roof with his great-uncle, and who seemed to be so well known to locals. ‘Where do you go? What do you do all day?’

Keith had stepped a few paces onto the lawn and seemed to stop at the sound of Addison’s voice. He turned to look back over his shoulder, flicked his tail, flashed his backside, and strutted on. Was that an invitation to follow–Keith on his usual rounds of his kingdom, deigning to allow his newest subject to tag along? Or was it an instruction to follow–a tour of the grounds for the newly appointed custodian, to be given just this once? Addison suspected the latter and thought perhaps he ought to do as he was told. He didn’t fancy getting clawed in his sleep for insubordination, or whatever other punishment the little beast came up with. Addison shrugged and followed the waddling ball of orange fur. Why not? What else was he going to do?"



I feel like the two quotes are the major part of my review, but I cannot help myself, I really enjoyed the writing here.

I should probably add though that I never been in New Zealand, so I cannot say how true author had been to the descriptions of the actual town and once again, it is a cozy so at times it was slow. It did not bother me, but it may bother you. Trying desperately not to oversell the book so to speak :)

Grade: B+/A-

[BeckieLouLou · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. Audiobook. Wonderfully cozy mystery, amateur sleuthing, charming townsfolk, supportive but frustrated police romantic interest. All the best stuff from this genre, great writing, wonderful narration. The romance is a slow-burn, so well done, subtle smiles and chaste kisses is all you get for 2 books, by book three the couple is newly established and the hanky-panky is door closed, lights out, no detail. The cozy mystery is typically low heat, so that’s on-brand and expected. Also on brand is the chit-chat and gossip sleuthing, really great. Series of 5 books, but only the first three on audio, so I am not-so-patiently waiting for the rest of the audio, I enjoyed these characters so much, I’m very tempted to read the rest of the series with my eyes. That’s saying something!

Cozy mystery, amateur sleuthing, marketing, police sheriff, no heat, m/m, small town.

[Vanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story: 3 stars
Audio: 4 stars

[Ink & Echo]

The narration leveled up the book for me, so I quite liked it... I'll be listening to the next book of this series.

[PaperMoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

MC Addison grew on me incrementally as he settled reluctantly into a New Zealand small town and spent all his time talking to local business owners, suspects, law enforcement, nosy retirees and one cat! The murder (singular) is appropriately of the cozy variety and the victim totally unlikable. Pacing a little inconsistent here and there but I'm willing to continue with this series to see if the writing quality continues to improve. Romance aficionados should be warned it's going to be a very slow burn LOL.

[Erin S · Rating 5 out of 5]

New setting/ new life?

I really enjoyed the New Zealand setting & the new (to me) words. It's been a long time since I've had to look up a word. It great that the main character is not perfect. I could relate to his stumbles. He and the other characters were very relatable. They seemed to be people that I would enjoy spending time with.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light-hearted romp with good character development. Planning to read the next one.

[Terri · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

I very much enjoy the atmosphere of this novel. But the way the MC swans about, making assumption after assumption and then surprised when his will isn't enough to sway reality? Mm. Addison is not smart. At 33% in, he's made yet another assumption. Honestly, I'm done. The MC did not measure up to the setting, and I question anyone who is attracted to him.

[Bizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very strong “this is my first book and I’ve never tried plotting a mystery before” vibes. While it wasn’t a bad effort, it wasn’t memorable either. The pacing was frequently off, the MC’s attempts to investigate the mystery often felt forced, there was a bit too much cutesy “it’s a small town, tee hee!” humor, and the alleged romantic connection didn’t land for me.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little cosy

Sweet, fun, with delightful characters and the best cat.

I'm in love with the ridiculous decor of Harper House, I hope it never changes.

[Suze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, picked up from a rec on books with lower numbers of ratings.
I do enjoy a murder mystery so one tick. I also like books with a good sense of place, another tick (lots of google & maps work).
Addison is a mix of bumbling academic (though he isn't an academic, that's just how he felt to me) and a strong certain of himself and his place guy. His unexpected inheritance sends him way into the country - and right into the middle of gossipy locals, bullying lawyers, a hunky sergeant and a murder.
Addison is flummoxed around the police - as we all would be - but add in an attraction to local sergeant, Jake, and that anxiety is ramped up. We are teased about Jake's feelings for Addison, Addison is trying hard not to be obvious in his attraction - been burned in the past - and it is only at the end that we get a hint of whether Addison will be in luck or not.
The murder story gives us plenty of red herrings, with Addison running his own side investigation and riling up someone.

[Marsha L Respess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story did start out slowly but did pick up after the murder. I liked Addison because of his workaholic habits( reminded me so much of me when I was working)and not liking being out of his comfort zone and then the stunning phone call from the very abrasive lawyer telling him of his inheriting the estate from his great-uncle since he was the last survivor of the family. The small town of Milverton was interesting and loved Lynne in her coffee shop and Mabel in the visitors' center who had no hesitation in interrogating him and gossiping about him. Naturally Addison makes a fool of himself in front of the handsome sheriff, Jake Murphy, and then becomes the prime suspect in the lawyer's death. I loved how Addison couldn't help himself in nosing around when he shouldn't and not surprised when he is attacked and Jake was upset to find him passed out on the kitchen floor. The murderer is not a shock so this was a kind of cosy mystery and I look forward to the next one.

[M.K. Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addison Harper is a slightly uptight, schedule-driven gay man with a job that doesn't challenge him. He is so deeply immersed in his comfort zone, he can't even see it. An unexpected inheritance forces this city boy to the small town of Milverton, where the town and its quirky characters work their charm on him to hold him fast.

But it takes becoming a suspect in a murder to prevent him from bolting back to the city at the first opportunity. That, and a handsome police sergeant, that is!

I thoroughly enjoyed this series opener. Milverton is nearly as important a character as anyone else we meet, and clearly, the town wants Addison to stay. So do I, so I can have the pleasure of visiting them both again.

[Chad Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been feeling a bit under the weather this weekend. So I've been taking it easy. I bought this book after finding the author on TikTok. Today I've been curled up in a comfy chair reading with a mug or two of tea.

Murder on Milverton Square is a fun cozy mystery set in New Zealand. The protagonist, Addison Harper, goes to the small town of Milverton when summoned by an officious lawyer handling Addison's great-uncle's estate. Stuff happens, someone ends up dead, and the mystery is afoot.

This was a great series starter. The small town is quaint and has fun locals. Addison is a pretty chill protagonist. There's a hunky police sergeant. Some quirky residents reveal some red herrings. Some gay romance may be brewing. There's a cat. It's all great fun.

I enjoyed this book a bunch. I think I might go and pre-order the next one!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm-hearted, funny and a great slow burn romance to go with a cosy mystery

Rating: 4.5🌈

I love a good cosy mystery! Especially when it brings me a new author and a new series to explore.

Murder on Milverton Square is the first book in The Milverton Mysteries, written by G. B. Ralph. This is Ralph’s first published novel and it’s absolutely marvelous.

Set in New Zealand, it’s primarily focused on a Wellington marketing consultant named Addison Harper. His life is in the doldrums. He’s been dumped. He needs a shake up and he gets it when an unknown uncle dies and leaves him everything.

In a small town called Milverton two hours away from Wellington.

Ralph has written a charming, well plotted mystery with an independent surprisingly optimistic Addison Harper journeying to Milverton to hear about his late uncle’s will and his shocking inheritance.

It wouldn’t be a cosy without the quirky towns’ personalities and remarkable relationships. Ralph has imbued this town with plenty of dramatic moments, gossipy ladies who embrace Addison immediately and enough chaotic town dynamics to fill a tv drama.

Plus a good looking Sergeant Jake Murphy, who seems to like Addison even when he’s the primary suspect.

Yes there’s a murder, several other elements of high suspense. A town and its people to explore and get to know.

And plenty of decisions to make. Or at least ponder. Like if Addison is staying.

The dialogue is quite well done, the characters are beautifully executed, and the place so visually rich in its descriptions that it’s easily seen in the mind.

I loved the cast of characters. They’re what make a cosy so warm-hearted as well as funny. I can’t wait to get to know them all further.

This is a slow burn romance. Honestly, they are taking their time. I expect everyone around will have to get involved at some point.

I’m definitely recommending Murder on Milverton Square (The Milverton Mysteries #1) by G. B. Ralph . Be on the lookout in October for the next in the series.


The Milverton Mysteries:
- [x] Murder on Milverton Square #1
- [ ] Poison at Penshaw Hall #2 - TBR Oct 25,2023

[Janie Staires · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shorter interesting cozy murder mystery

So I throughly enjoyed this! It was a shorter cozy mystery but I loved Addison and his sass going from murder suspect to throughly investigating this murder! There's also the beginning of a slow burn romance! It was a good quick read and I'm definitely reading the rest of this series.

[Laura Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, properly cozy and delightful, but kept me turning the pages.

The old house, the delicious local food and the funny and genuine characters, were exactly what I needed to curl up with in front of the fire. Then, the mystery stuck it’s claws into me and I couldn’t put it down.

Murder on Milverton was one of those books I was sad to finish because I knew I would miss the main character when I had to return to real life. Really looking forward to the rest of this series.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

New author for me

This is a new author for me and I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. Sometimes my reading can become too much anguish. Need to refresh with something a bit lighter even if it still involves murder. Can't wait for the next one!

[Katie Cassady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect light, cozy mystery for a rainy weekend. I stumbled across it on KU and truly enjoyed myself from start to finish.

Read if you like:
- Kiwis 🇳🇿
- Nosy small town neighbors
- A chaos magnet of an MC 🏳️‍🌈
- Septuagenarian bestie
- A sweet, slow burn
- A chuckle while you read
- Cats with human names

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who killed Mr. Norman and why??? I have hay fever and can sympathize with Addison!!! It’s just a road, isn’t it??? I enjoyed this story and recommend the book.

[Roberta M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of his stories, I couldn't put this down! Love the plot, characters and writing style. Would definitely recommend. I can't wait for book 2 to be published!