Murder In The Village A Completely Unputdownable English Cozy Mystery

Meet Belinda Penshurst. Castle owner, dog lover... crime solver? Belinda Penshurst loves her home village Little Challham, with its shady lanes, two pubs and weekly market, and she's determined to keep it peaceful. She may live in Challham Castle but she knows almost everything that goes on under her nose. So when irritable pub landlord Tipper is found dead in his cellar, she's perfectly placed to investigate. Retired detective Harry Powell moved to Little Challham for a quiet life. He didn't expect to be dragged into a murder investigation. But the police don't seem half as enthusiastic as Belinda about the case, and there are strange things happening in the village. Particularly the number of dogs that have disappeared lately... Is there a dognapper snaffling schnauzers and luring away Labradors? Is Belinda barking mad to be worried that her brother Marcus was arguing with Tipper on the day he died? Belinda and Harry track down the suspects: the rival landlord, the outraged barmaid, the mysterious man in the black car following dogwalkers around. But are the dogged detectives running out of time to sniff out the killer, before he starts hounding them? A charming cozy mystery full of laughs and eccentric characters. Fans of M.C. Beaton, H.Y. Hanna and Emily Organ will love the first novel in the Belinda Penshurst series! See what readers are saying about Murder in the Village 'Wonderful... I absolutely adored this book! Had me reading and finishing the book in no time! I highly recommend this book! Stunning, a page-turner which stays long in the memory!' NetGalley reviewer 'What a great start to a new series!... A lively, spark-filled investigation... Wonderfully entertaining with the perfect set of ingredients.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Charming... A super quick read perfect for the beach!' Bless Their Hearts Mom, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A zany cast of characters, most of whom are suspected of being dognappers, murderers or both. A humorous mystery perfect for dog lovers' Goodreads reviewer 'Fun, full of mystery... Top notch cosy crime... Has a kind of Midsomer Murders vibe and in spite of the murderer on the loose, kept me smiling from start to finish... Fabulous... I can't wait to see what this fabulous duo get up to next. Fans of cosy mysteries (and dog lovers) are just going to eat this up.' Jen Med's Book Reviews 'Excellent village mayhem and murder' NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Considering a trip to a quaint English village? You’ll think twice after learning about the countless murderous possibilities lurking behind the bucolic façades, thanks to this illustrated guide from #1 bestselling author Maureen Johnson and illustrator Jay Cooper—perfect for fans of cozy mysteries. A weekend roaming narrow old lanes, touring the faded glories of a country manor, and quaffing pints in the pub. How charming. That is, unless you have the misfortune of finding yourself in an English Murder Village, where danger lurks around each picturesque cobblestone corner and every sip of tea may be your last. If you insist on your travels, do yourself a favor and bring a copy of this little book. It may just keep you alive. Brought to life with dozens of Gorey-esque drawings by illustrator Jay Cooper and peppered with allusions to classic crime series and unmistakably British murder lore, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village gives you the tools you need to avoid the same fate, should you find yourself in a suspiciously cozy English village (or simply dream of going). Good luck! And whatever you do, avoid the vicar.

A gifted and knowledgeable writer . . . engaging and readable' Financial Times Melissa Craig has taken time away from writing bestselling mysteries to script a murder play for an amateur drama group. 'Murder with a giggle' is how she thinks of it. But no one is laughing when a cast member dies in the cellar of the old Cotswold Heyshill Manor Hotel where the play is to be produced. Persuaded by the manager to investigate, Melissa finds . . . nothing. No well-ordered clues, no sure suspects, just lots of tension. Then she chances upon a vital discovery in the hotel's parking lot, and everything begins to fall into place. This isn't a matter of "murderous plots and murky deeds, all in rhyming couplets" but a death-defying journey along a trail of crime on an international scale.

Bookshop owner Flora Steele escapes the sleepy English village of Abbeymead through the adventures in the stories she sells. Until one morning, everything changes when she discovers a body amongst her own bookshelves... The young man with the shock of white-blond hair lay spread-eagled on the floor, surrounded by fallen books. His hand reached out to the scattered pages, as though he was trying to tell her something. But who is he? How did he come to be killed in Flora's ordinary little bookshop? Flora finds out he was staying at the Priory Hotel, and when the gardener suddenly dies in its beautiful grounds only a few days later, she is certain that something untoward is happening in her quiet village by the sea. But are the two deaths connected? And is someone at the hotel responsible - the nervous cook, the money-obsessed receptionist, or the formidable manageress? Determined to save her beloved bookshop's reputation and solve the murder mystery, Flora enlists the help of handsome and brooding Jack Carrington: crime writer, recluse and her most reliable customer. As the unlikely duo set about investigating the baffling case, guilty faces greet them at every door. And they soon realise there's more than one person hiding secrets in Abbeymead... The start of a brand-new murder mystery series featuring bookshop owner Flora Steele and crime writer Jack Carrington. Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis will love this perfect cozy murder mystery novel. An utterly addictive story that will have you guessing until the very end. Why readers love Merryn Allingham: 'Excellent... the tension builds and builds right up to the last chapter... a page-turner.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Love... so many twists and turns that kept me guessing most of the way through. Deserving of its 5 stars... highly recommend.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A roller coaster of suspense and intrigue. Grabs you from the first page. Entertaining and interesting characters. There are many twists and turns that will keep you turning the page until the end.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THERE'S A BAFFLING MYSTERY IN THE VILLAGE OF STEEPLE MARTIN...BUT ACTRESS AND AMATEUR SLEUTH LIBBY SARJEANT IS ON THE CASE! 'The characters are so likeable. I would love to visit the mythical Steeple Martin!' ***** GoodReads review Lesley Cookman's bestselling series featuring amateur sleuth Libby Sarjeant is back for its sixteenth instalment! Max Tobin brings his all-male dance company to Steeple Martin with his new ballet Pendle, based on the infamous Pendle Witch Trials, due to be performed at the Oast Theatre. There have been unpleasant incidents during rehearsals in London, and Max asks Libby Sarjeant and her friend Fran Wolfe to look into them. To everyone's surprise, the seriousness of the incidents escalates until, rather unfortunately, someone is murdered. While the police look into the murder, Libby and Fran wonder why someone seemed so set against the ballet. Were occult forces at work, or was there a more worldly, personal motive? The sixteenth book in Lesley Cookman's bestselling series featuring amateur sleuth Libby Sarjeant. This unputdownable cozy crime novel is perfect for fans of Betty Rowlands, Faith Martin, J.R. Ellis, LJ Ross, Miss Marple and Midsummer Murders./h3 _________________________________________________________________ Praise for the bestselling series: 'Cozy village mystery with an amateur theater and links to the past. What's not to love?' ***** Goodreads reviewer 'Absolutely fabulous read. I couldn't put it down and had to finish it, reading through bath, breakfast and getting dressed' ***** Goodreads review 'I'm surprised this is not a BBC series... it's that good and I for one intend to read more of Libby's adventures' ***** Goodreads review

Join bookshop owner Flora Steele and handsome writer Jack Carrington as they set off on a French adventure and solve a chilling crime! Jack is stunned to receive a call from his estranged mother, asking him to drop everything and come to France. Together with Flora, his fellow sleuth, they pack their suitcases, dreaming of fragrant lavender fields and freshly baked pain au chocolat. It's only when they arrive that they discover the shocking truth - Sybil's friend was killed on a street in Paris, and she is desperate for their help. The case leads them to a picturesque village in the south of France where life should be rosé, but even the bright blue skies can't hide the fact that something is very wrong. And the mystery only deepens when Flora discovers that Sybil was in fact the intended target. Who would want her out of the way? Perhaps Sybil's relationship with wealthy Italian count Massimo Falconi has something to do with it. His darling daughter Allegra, ruthless business partner Pascal and his jealous estranged wife Isabella all have reasons for revenge... Then when another person in the small French town dies in suspicious circumstances, Flora is convinced the two untimely deaths must be connected. Just when the case seems impossible to crack, a chess box provides an unlikely clue. Can Flora discover the truth before Sybil meets her end? Or could trouble in paradise spell a final au revoir for the detective duo? A completely addictive cozy crime novel. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Joy Ellis! Readers love the Flora Steele Mysteries: 'Fantastic... Absolutely devoured this book in one sitting!!... Yet another explosive book in an absolutely addictive series!!!... Will keep you guessing throughout! OMG!!!! THAT ENDING!!!! LOVE, LOVE, ABSOLUTELY LOVED!!!!... I LOVED IT !!!!! Clear your schedules as you won't be able to put this book down!' Bookworm86, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Obituary writer and amateur sleuth Eve Mallow is enjoying life in sleepy Saxford St Peter - until a mysterious murder lands right at her door... It's spring in Saxford St Peter - time to get back in the garden, listen to the birds, and take gentle strolls in the woods. But for some, it's the season for murder. Eve Mallow is relishing the gentle pace of the village until a new arrival stirs everyone up. Ashton Foley is back: a teenage tearaway turned interior designer to the stars. He's mad, bad and dangerous to know, but charming too - as Eve herself can testify - and every house in Saxford opens its doors to him. So when he's found murdered in the woods near his mother's home, Apple Tree Cottage, there's no shortage of suspects. A jealous husband? A spurned lover? Or has someone from his past life caught up with him? The police soon hit on a simple solution, and arrest his mother's partner Howard. Ashton always hated him, and he bears all the marks of a recent fight. But Ashton's mother, miles away in New Zealand, is convinced he's innocent, and enlists Eve's help to prove it. There's just one problem. Eve saw Howard sniffing around Apple Tree Cottage on the morning of the murder, and she's fairly sure he's guilty, too... An unputdownable page-turner, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Betty Rowlands. See what readers are saying about the Eve Mallow series: 'Stunning... loved the story and the pacing and just everything about it... a great story that I couldn't put down... The twists and turns were great.' Crossroad Reviews 'Plenty of plot twists, red herrings, and misdirection. Kept me in suspense. I loved it!' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Drags the reader right into the plot from day one. She writes so vividly... I can almost imagine I'm on the dunes walking Gus, an inspiration of a dog that steals the show. The plot is strong... A Marplesque amateur sleuth.' Jenny O'Brien, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I really enjoyed reading this! Loved the typical English village location and the very Jessica Fletcher-type protagonist... I am anxious to read more of this character soon!' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Kept me on my toes throughout...a cracking follow up book which completely satisfied although it did leave me gagging for the next in series.' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I devoured the mystery in one sitting. Highly recommend this series.' NetGalley reviewer 'Like coming home. I loved the atmosphere... Looking forward to the next part. 5 stars' B for Bookreview, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐