Series: Malvern Farm Mystery #4
Publication Date: 07th Jan 2025
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/DeathHills
Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214283909-death-in-the-hills
Genre: Small Town Dark Cozy Mystery
4 Stars
One Liner: Another good mystery
Book Blurb:
This is no peaceful walk in the
countryside…
When Jude Gray and DI Binnie Khatri join a local
walking group, their expectations for a peaceful outing to the Malvern Hills
take a grim turn. Arguments abound, and the hike ends in tragedy when one of
the walkers is found dead in her car.
Initially ruled as an accident, Jude's instincts
tell her there’s more to the story.
As Jude and Binnie dig deeper, they uncover tensions
and secrets within the group. From hidden affairs to longstanding rivalries, it
becomes clear this death was no accident.
With each revelation, the danger grows. Can Jude and
Binnie unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again?
A gripping addition to the Malvern Farm
Mystery series, perfect for fans of Frances Evesham, Merryn Allingham, and
Faith Martin.
***
My Thoughts:
The story comes in Jude’s third-person POV.
This is the fourth book in the series but the mystery works as a standalone. It is a dark cozy, so there might be a couple of triggers.
It doesn’t take long to notice that things aren’t
great with the walking group. The characters stand out making it easy to track
who is who despite being introduced to a bunch of them at once.
I like that Granny Margot has more presence in the
book. Moreover, she shares vital insights that guide Jude in a new direction.
Hoping to read more of her in the coming books.
The reveal comes in stages with a few red herrings
and keeps the reader hooked. While the details and the rest make sense, I wish
they weren’t revealed so easily (yeah, there’s some risk involved but still).
Jude seems to be in two minds about her love life or
the lack of it. I can’t understand her thought process here. It’s too
mercurial. Since I didn’t particularly like Marco, I don’t care one way or the
other.
The family element really shines. Jude’s
relationship with her sister, nephew, and Noah is heartwarming. I like the
progress here. An important step for sure.
In the author’s note, the author mentions there will
be eight more books (the series should conclude by the end of 2027). Count me
in!
To summarize, Death in the Hills is steady-paced
dark cozy mystery with enough secrets and suspects to keep you reading.
Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and
Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest
opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
***
About the Author – Kate Wells
Kate Wells is the author of a number of
well-reviewed books for children and is now writing a new cozy crime series set
in the Malvern Hills, inspired by the farm where she grew up. Boldwood has
published the first title, Murder at Malvern Farm, in August 2023.
Follow the Author:
Facebook: @KateWellsPoels
Twitter: @KatePoels
Instagram: @KatePoelsWrites
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/KateWellsNews
Bookbub Profile: @katewellscrime
***
This has been a stop on the #DeathInTheHills blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources (@rararesources). Thanks for stopping by!
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