Date of Publication: November 15, 2022
My Rating: 4 Stars
Beth Haldane has some much needed construction going on at her home. With her boyfriend Harry, a local detective, having moved in recently, things are getting a little tight for space at home. She also has a preteen son named Jake and is now in the process of turning her shed into a space that just might meet her needs. However, when the workers building her shed discover a bone, a bone that turns out to be human, all construction comes to a halt and now the police have to find out who that bone belonged to and whether there are any more in her garden.
As far as Beth is concerned the police are taking far too long to find answers. Having proved more than adept when it comes to being an effective amateur sleuth, Beth launches her own investigation. Until now, Beth has felt really good about her relationship with Harry. But now, suddenly he is seemingly way too busy to even converse with her, never mind helping her figure out what is going on in their garden.
Meanwhile, Beth has a dilemma with her son and she must pay attention to what is going on with him at school and with his friends. She must do this while navigating her curiosity involving the body as well as being concerned about her relationship with Harry.
I admit to having to go to my friend Google to find out what the meaning of “shoffice” was, as it was a new term for me. But once I found out what it meant and what Beth‘s original plan was, everything fell into place. Even more, with Beth talking to as many people as possible, including other developers who may have worked on her property before she moved in, the story just kept getting better and better.
I happily binge read books one through seven of the series just a few months ago and loved each and every book. This made falling into this latest cozy mystery by Alice Castle quite enjoyable. However, readers do not have to worry if they have not read any of the previous books, as this latest installment would do perfectly well as a standalone novel.
Beth is a marvelous character, and the story was interesting throughout. I loved how Beth never lost her determination to find her own answers, all while navigating what was going on in her personal life. I loved how her even her dog Colin played his own role in helping Beth to solve the crime that was right in front of her. The Murder Garden was definitely a winner for me and I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Before turning to crime, Alice Castle was a UK newspaper journalist for The Daily Express, The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Alice is an avid reader of crime fiction, her favourite stories are cozy crimes with a strong sense of place. When she couldn’t find a series about her beloved south London, she decided to write her own – and single mum amateur sleuth Beth Haldane was born. Alice also writes twisty psychological thrillers for HQ Digital under the name A.M. Castle. The Perfect Widow was a top selling audiobook in 2019 and The Invitation hit the top 50 on Amazon UK in 2021. Alice lives with her two children and two cats and, if she isn’t writing or reading a whodunit, she’ll be watching one on telly.
Great review! I've only read the first in the series, but I also think Beth is quite a likable character. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
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