Murder at Hawthorn Cottage

‘Hooked from the first pages… wonderful… fascinating, full of twists and turns… kept me guessing till the end.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Meet Melissa: cat lover, caring mother… daring detective?

Melissa Craig is absolutely delighted with her new life in an old crumbling cottage, spending her days pruning the primroses and getting to know Binkie, the ginger cat next door. She only wishes she had made the move to the countryside sooner.

But when a knock at the door brings news of a shocking discovery, she suddenly finds herself thrown in to the middle of a baffling mystery: the bones of a young woman have been found in the woods just behind her new home.

Perhaps the little village of Upper Benbury is not as idyllic as it first seemed?

Strange phone calls in the night convince Melissa that the police are barking up completely the wrong tree, so she can’t resist doing a little digging of her own. From the bingo hall to the beauty salon and beyond, her search ruffles a few feathers and uncovers many of the village’s most scandalous secrets, but gets her no closer to finding the culprit…

The discovery of a tatty old photograph in a drawer is the final piece of the puzzle she needs, but as a newcomer in this close-knit community, does Melissa have what it takes to get to the bottom of this extraordinary murder mystery alone?

A joy to read! An absolutely unputdownable whodunnit for fans of Agatha Christie, P.D. James and Faith Martin.

This book was previously published as A Little Gentle Sleuthing.

What readers are saying about Murder at Hawthorn Cottage:

‘An absolutely addictive, wonderful story. Loved it from start to finish. Great pace and a delightful setting, colourful characters and thrilling mystery. This was a brilliant story and I cannot wait for more!’ Renita D’Silva, author of The Forgotten Daughter, 5 stars

‘Perfect for lovers of COZY CRIME!… I loved this book… This is an easily read book but it will keep you on your toes’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘The quintessential cozy mystery… the storyline is fast-paced and engaging… builds to an adrenaline fuelled ending, full of action and powerful imagery. An enjoyable, escapist read that I suspect may become my secret addiction.’ Jane Hunt’s Blog, 5 stars

‘An entertaining book… fluently written… In the same league as Agatha Christie.’ B for Book Review

‘An enjoyable read, with lots of twists and turns… the mystery is one that keeps you reading well into the night. I will certainly look out for more books in this series.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘A lovely, peaceful and funny cozy mystery novel… plenty of very good laugh-out-loud moments… reminded me of Agatha Raisin… I’ll be definitely in the search of other books from this author in future. A perfect cozy mystery! Licence to Read, 5 stars

‘Absolutely charming!… A good old-fashioned who-dunnit with just the right amount of mystery, intrigue and humour. Would definitely recommend!’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars

‘Captivated… very well-written… a terrific beginning to the series… a very quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed the danger and surprising twists in this story, as well as the unexpected humour.’ Robin Loves Reading

‘A gripping cozy mystery… encapsulated village life to a T!’ A Knight’s Reads

Don’t miss Betty Rowlands’s addictive new series, starring the fabulous photographer and amateur detective SUKEY REYNOLDS.

SUKEY REYNOLDS BOOK 1: DEATH AT HAZEL HOUSE is the perfect cozy mystery