A Body in the Village Hall: An utterly gripping cozy murder mystery

· Bookouture
4.5
89 reviews
Ebook
350
Pages

About this ebook

Kate Palmer is more than ready for the quiet life in Lower Tinworthy, Cornwall. But within weeks of her arrival, a woman is found dead in the village hall, stabbed to death with her own kitchen knife… The victim is Fenella Barker Jones: chairwoman of the Women’s Institute, doyenne of the amateur dramatic society, and reigning champion of the WI cake-baking contest. But whilst she may have been at the centre of village life, there were plenty who had reason to dislike her – as Kate is about to find out. As a practice nurse and one of the first on the scene, Kate can’t help but get drawn into the investigation. Her patients are only too eager to tell her about the victim’s extra-curricular activities and, the more Kate hears about Fenella, the more the list of suspects grows: it seems half the village wanted her dead. Kate’s sister Angie tells her to leave it alone, but Kate can’t resist piecing together the clues. Especially not if brings her closer to the handsome Detective Inspector ‘Woody’ Forrest, who is near to retiring himself and determined to crack his last case. But when someone breaks into Kate’s home and leaves a warning note on her pillow, it becomes clear the murderer is prepared to do anything to keep their identity hidden… Will Kate and Woody work out who’s responsible, before she becomes the next victim? If you love murder mysteries by Agatha Christie, Faith Martin or Joy Ellis, then this page-turning novel will have you reading late into the night!

Readers are loving A Body in the Village Hall:

I found myself racing through this one, eager to find out who did what – and to who! A terrific read… a full house of sparkling stars.’ Grace J Reviewer Lady, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Charming, well written, with excellent characters and an intriguing plot, I adored my visit to this charming Cornish village! What a perfect read with some tea… I gobbled it up in a day and evening!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Kept me involved till the end, turning pages as fast as I could… a great cast of characters and a lovely setting… The mystery is solid, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing… an excellent and fun read that I strongly recommend.’ Scrapping and Playing, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Full of superb village characters… LOL humour and a good storyline, this book had me ‘there and part of it’ right from page 1 and I loved every word, just the right book for unsettled times when you can relax and be drawn into pure escapism.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved the characters… Kate was a standout and makes for a perfect lead… I was so caught up and entranced in the story that I was disappointed when it came to the end. Dee definitely had me under her spell and glued to the pages.’ Once Upon a Time Book Blog ‘This delightful book is a joy to read… I loved all the descriptions of village life… I can’t wait for Dee MacDonald’s next Kate Palmer mystery.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An ideal setting, a cozy village in Cornwall, and an incredibly likable heroine in Kate and a classic whodunnit mystery… the perfect weekend or vacation read.’ eBook nerd reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Lots of sleuthing, suspects, great characters, misdirections, red herrings… LOVED it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliantly written cosy mystery sure to have readers gripped... will delight fans of Faith Martin and Ann Granger as they find themselves completely glued to the page.’ Bookish Jottings ‘Just what the doctor ordered!… it was a real treat to read this sweet, charming and cosy book… reminded me a bit of all the Agatha Christie books.’ Goodreads Reviewer ‘A really well written 'cosy' mystery with some great characters and a setting that makes you want to visit… loved this.’ THE Book Club, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ratings and reviews

4.5
89 reviews
Marnie Harrison
July 2, 2020
There is nothing better than starting the first book in a brand new series and especially when it is a cozy mystery. New stories, new characters, and as iin this case for me, a new author to get to know. As a reader of crime fiction, I can read some pretty dark books, so a cozy mystery thrown in to the mix makes for a gentler and fun read. For sisters Kate and Angie, trading their busy lives in London for a much quieter and slower pace in Lower Tinworthy, a small seaside village in Cornwell, is just the fresh start that the duo needs. But the tranquility is shattered when one of the residents is murdered and with her own kitchen knife no less! Kate, a practice nurse, but who also fancies herself as an amateur sleuth, finds herself in the thick of it as she helps Detective Inspector ‘Woody’ Forrest to solve the case. I loved the characters and each brings life to the story. Kate was a standout and makes for a perfect lead. I instantly connected with her and she is such a joy to read. Woody was also a great character and I look forward to see how his connection with Kate will evolve in future books. I really enjoyed Dee’s writing and how she brings everything to life. Peppered also with humour throughout, adds to it’s charming appeal and I was so caught up and entranced in the story that I was disappointed when it came to the end. Dee definitely had me under her spell and glued to the pages. A Body in the Village Hall is a promising start for this fresh new series. A great plot, a seaside setting in Cornwell, a cast of quirky residents and a middle aged lead, makes for such an enjoyable read. Everything about this book ticks all the boxes in what I love to get out of a cozy mystery and I can’t wait to see what Dee has in store for us in the second instalment. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Dee MacDonald for allowing me to read an advanced copy of A Body in the Village Hall l which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
2 people found this review helpful
Paulette Koehler
August 21, 2023
I love mysteries and sometimes I can figure the "who done it 1/2 to 3/4 through" but this book stumped n surprised me. Very good read.
Susan Dorfling
February 20, 2024
This book embraced the "who dunnit" theme beautifully. For once I truthfully could not guess who the guilty party was, but I'm very happy for the happy ending. A lovely and very good story to read

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