The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "The Potting Shed Murder ” the first instalment in A Hill House Vintage Murder Mystery series by Paula Sutton set in Pudding Corner, a Norfolk hamlet full of quintessentially English charm.   

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From the creator of Hill House Vintage and “Queen of Cottagecore” (Vogue), a fresh, witty, fun, and delightfully quirky cozy crime novel set in a seemingly sleepy English village for fans of Richard Osman, Parini Shroff, Benjamin Stevenson, and Anthony Horowitz.

“Miss Marple for the 21st Century.” ―S.J. Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot

Welcome to the beautiful, bucolic village of Pudding Corner, where there's death amongst the dahlias . . .

Daphne Brewster has gladly swapped south London for Pudding Corner, a Norfolk hamlet full of quintessentially English charm. With a mix of stone cottages, Georgian architecture, and Victorian Gothic houses all nestled together and surrounded by fields of gold and green, Pudding Corner and its neighboring village of Pepperbridge seem as far from the bustle of city living as one can get.

For Daphne, joy at moving into beautiful Cranberry Farmhouse with her husband, James, and their three young children is tempered by some concerns about being the only Black woman for miles around. But within a few short months, Daphne has become known as the parish’s “Vintage Lady” and has set up her own shop. Business is thriving, and so is her family. As for Pudding Corner, it’s rapidly revealing itself to be filled with complicated, intertwined lives on par with anything she left behind. Then the local school’s headmaster is found dead in his allotment patch, unleashing a storm of secrets and scandal.

Even a sleepy village has its social hierarchy, and as her new friend, Minerva, becomes a target of whispers and speculation, Daphne can’t resist getting involved. Fighting for the underdog comes as naturally as sourcing the perfect vintage piece. But there is more at stake here than Daphne could have guessed, and a killer who has succeeded once is all too willing to try again . . .

I enjoyed this story.  Pudding Corner, is rapidly revealing itself to be filled with complicated, intertwined lives on par with anything she left behind. Then the local school’s headmaster is found dead in his allotment patch, unleashing a storm of secrets and scandal.

Even a sleepy village has its social hierarchy, and as her new friend, Minerva, becomes a target of whispers and speculation, Daphne can’t resist getting involved. Fighting for the underdog comes as naturally as sourcing the perfect vintage piece. But there is more at stake here than Daphne could have guessed, and a killer who has succeeded once is all too willing to try again . . .

I like the protagonist Daphne and her family, there were a few characters you love to hate as well as your quirky small village side characters.  

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end.  I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.     

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I can’t wait for book two!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I requested and received an advance readers copy from NetGalley and the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

The Bark Before the Dawn by Sarah Fox

Hello my cozy friends, 

Today I am reviewing “ The Bark Before the Dawn” by Sarah Fox  the 4th instalment in the "Magical Menagerie Mystery series”.  Sarah’s books are an automatic preorder even without reading the blurb on what the book is about, I just love her writing style.  I’m hoping there will be more of her other series in 2026.  (Sweet Confections series, Literary Pub Mystery series as well as the Wyatt Investigations Mystery series)

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Murder, magic, and a touch of romance. Return to the charming coastal town of Twilight Cove with the latest installment in USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox's enchanting Magical Menagerie Mystery series!

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched?

Arriving home to her beloved farmhouse after a successful trip with her boyfriend, Callum, Georgie Johansen feels utterly contented. Until she discovers a dark figure watching her from the bushes!

A prowler on your property is creepy enough to warrant a call to the police, right? But when Georgie’s ID matches that of a body discovered the next day at Twilight Cove’s Seabreeze Motel, things take a bizarre turn. Especially when Georgie realizes she met the murder victim at the airport in Florida.

Why did the mysterious woman follow them all the way to Oregon? Why was she at the farm? And what could she possibly have done that led to her death?

Georgie—along with magical pups Flossie and Fancy—makes it her mission to uncover the truth. And time is of the essence as a second prowler stares through her window . . . 

This delightful cozy mystery series with paranormal pooches is perfect for fans of Sofie Kelly, Amanda Flowers, Wendy Corsi Staub, and Gretchen Rue!

I loved it!  I really enjoyed visiting Twilight Cove, Oregon and the animal sanctuary again. This time someone is prowling around the farmhouse and following Georgie, (what a creepy feeling that must be ) 

Sarah is very good at descriptive writing so you feel like you’re right there walking amongst the woods, on the beach or walking main street and seeing the picturesque stores.  I know I would love to live there and be part of Georgie’s friend group.

Who wouldn’t want to hang out with two magical dogs named  Fancy and Flossie, a kitten named Stardust, a great horned owl named Euclid, and all the Sanctuary animals.  Another thing I enjoy is where Georgie and Callum’s relationship is heading. 

The story was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Georgie did. 

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 5 to come out!

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Severn House and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Please join the conversation and comment below.  Have you read… If so what did you think/like

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!

I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

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The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "The Whisking Hour" the 22nd instalment in the A Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. 

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Another delicious installment in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mysteries set in Ashland, OR!

Fall is in full flush in the charming hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, and baker Juliet Capshaw is excited to celebrate the season with a night at the theatre. Lance Rousseau, Ashland’s renowned theater director and one of Jules’ closest friends, has put his own spin on a production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder. As the final show approaches, Jules and the team at Torte are eagerly whipping up a murderous feast for the cast party, baking a bevy of treats like panna cotta eyeballs with blood orange coulis, deviled eggs, and savory cheese fingers with pumpkin dipping sauce.

On the day of the soirée, life seems to imitate art when a storm rolls over the Siskiyou Mountains, ushering in gusty winds and unrelenting rain. The audience buzzes with electric energy as the lights flicker and the actors take the stage. After the actors take their final bow, the cast trickles into Carpenter Hall, ready for a night of frivolity. But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.

This time around we are back in Ashland and a very pregnant Jules is looking forward to a night at the theatre. A production of the Broadway classic Perfect Crime, drawing the audience into a cozy New York apartment as a nefarious set of suspects pulls off the perfect murder.  But when an actor is discovered dead in his dressing room, Jules wonders if she’s just witnessed the real perfect murder.

I really enjoyed this story, seeing how the Torte family is adapting to Jules having twins, new staff and how the business is expanding its horizons.  The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and there were just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Needless to say I cant wait for the next book in the series. 

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my little blog!
I always love reading comments and getting to know my fellow cozy lovers.

Hugs,

Follow my blog with Bloglovin