Series: Malvern Farm Mystery #5
Publication Date: 13th May 2025
Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/KillerCountyShow
Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223338724-killer-at-the-county-show
Genre: Contemporary Cozy Mystery
3.8 Stars
One Liner: A good mystery
Book Blurb:
Foul play at the sheep show…
Tensions are high at the Three Counties Show when
accusations of cheating add fuel to a longstanding feud. For Jude Gray, whose
only hope was to not make a fool of herself showing her Kerry Hill sheep,
farming life has never been so dramatic.
When a body is found, belonging to one of the
competitors, there is no shortage of suspects. Every sheep farmer in this
close-knit community has a motive and beneath their show-ready smiles, they all
have something to hide.
Experience has taught Jude that when there’s a
murderer at large, nobody is truly safe. And with secrets simmering beneath the
surface, this may be her most challenging investigation yet. Can she unearth
the truth before it’s too late?
A gripping new installment in 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 fifth book in the series and can be read as a standalone, except for the sad love track (more on this later).
I read this series to learn something new about
current farming practices and difficulties in other countries, namely the UK.
It doesn’t shy away from showing the hard work required to run a farm and keep
it at least borderline profitable in today’s times. As always, the book scores
high marks in this aspect.
The mystery starts well. The dead man is not someone
you’d want to be associated with, so it’s no surprise that the list of suspects
is long and includes almost everyone who was around him at that time. Binnie
makes a grand entry and is as efficient as ever. I liked her from the first
book (in fact, I like her more than Jude, the MC).
The topic of discussion here is rewilding – the
concept of letting nature take over fields in an attempt to bring back lost
animal/ insect species and strengthen the ecosystem again. While it sounds
idealistic in theory, the practicalities are different. Not every land is
suitable for rewilding. A wrong choice could cause more harm than good and
destroy farmlands that are still useful for cultivation.
There are some developments in the personal tracks,
and that is where I have a huge issue. I’ve grumbled about Jude’s ‘should I or
should I not’ debate with Marco. Here, it gets even worse with deliberate
miscommunication and immaturity. Please, act your age and have a proper discussion
like adults. I don’t want something like this to put me off a good series. But
if this stretches for more books, I will have to rethink my options.
Of course, as always, Jude rushes into danger to
solve the case, and this time, she might have gone a bit too far! Still, you
can trust her to solve the case. If only she used the same brain to deal with
her personal life!
To summarize, Killer at the County Show is a good
mystery set in the countryside and deals with quite a few themes. The pacing is
on the slower side, as it often is in this series.
Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood
Books, for the 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 cozy crime set in the
Malvern hills, inspired by the farm where she grew up.
Follow the Author:
Facebook: @KateWellsPoels
Instagram: @KatePoelsWrites
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/KateWellsNews
Bookbub Profile: @katewellscrime
***
This has been a stop on the #KillerAtTheCountyShow
blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources (@rararesources).
Thanks for stopping by!
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