The Cornish Halloween Murder by Fiona Leitch

The nearby, now deserted convent is being demolished. Back in the day, it was used as a place for unwed mothers to come and have their babies before being sent home. Jodie's mother is one of the people loudly protesting the demolition. But could someone be doing something more sinister? There are old dolls hidden around the building and it's spooking the contractors. And that's before the dead body turns up. 

Suddenly, the mystery becomes much more serious. 

Very much in line with the other books in the Nosey Parker series. I don't think you need to have read them before jumping into this story. The ending was pulled together a little quickly but overall an enjoyable read. 

Four stars

The Nosey Parker Mysteries #10

Follows The Cornish Honeymoon Murder

This book comes out September 24, 2026

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Cornish Honeymoon Murder by Fiona Leitch

Fiona and her husband Nate are newly marrired and ready for their honeymoon. Suddenly, they are taking it... along with her mother, daughter, and dog. At least it's a free trip to an almost carbon-neutral resort in one of the Isles of Scilly off Cornwall Why free? Because multi-millionaire owner, Isaac Barnes,believes someone is sabotaging the opening and he wants the help of the woman who solved a murder for him a few years ago. 

At first, it seems like a lark. There are a lot of famous people to ogle. The resort is right plush. Unfortunately, the pranks start escalating. And a death is discovered, just as a storm comes bearing down on the island. Nate and Fiona are on a timeline to find out who killed this thoroughly objectionable character before the storm clears up. 

Three and a half stars

The Nosey Parker Mysteries #9

Follows The Cornish Christmas Pantomime

Followed by The Cornish Halloween Murder

This book comes out June 26, 2026

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder by Fiona Leitch

There's yet another murder in Jodie Parker's small town. This time it occurs on stage during the Christmas pantomime. Both Jodie's daughter and her mother are involved with the pantomime so she's met some of the people involved as well, including the woman who was murdered.

At first, the assumption is that it has to be connected to the pantomime, but it turns out that the murder is connected to a crime that happened over thirty years ago. Jodie, being police-adjacent, is up to her nose in this mystery. I enjoy this series because Jodie was once a policewoman and she also is invited to help with solving the crime, not just running around on her own. 

Three and a half stars

The Nosey Parker Mysteries #9

This book comes out October 31, 2026

Follows The Cornish Castle Murder

Followed by The Cornish Honeymoon Murder

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

12 Ways to Kill Your Family at Christmas by Natasha Bache

Olivia has hated her in-laws pretty much since she met them. Uber rich and obnoxious, she's not sure why her husband, Miles, turned out to be an amazing man. Luckily, they're about to move with their two children to Australia, so this will be the last Christmas they have to spend at Weiss Manor. No more little asides, no more having to dress for dinner, no more having to play pleasant families.

Almost everyone will be there, Miles's mother and father, his aunt, uncle, and grandmother, as well as his brother's family. It's a large crew and everyone will be looking down their noses at Olivia's family. Except for the one cousin who's not coming because he is in jail. 

The whole story is told from Olivia's point of view as she navigates the holiday season, this year made all the more treacherous as the bodies start piling up. In the end, very few people will make it out alive. Luckily, the dog survives.

This was one of those books that took me awhile to get into. I had to get to about a third of the way through before I really started to hop on board for the ride. If I had understood more about Bache's humor, I might have been on board  sooner. I did enjoy the twist at the end. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out October 14, 2025

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

The Cornish Castle Murder by Fiona Leitch

Josie and Nate are getting married! Though it's not exactly their dream venue, they have put down money on a castle. And, as it's absolutely gorgeous, it will do just fine. The whole scope of the place is amazing. At least until the general manager, knowing that at least one of them is with the police, pulls them into his office. It seems that there have been a series of petty thefts and he's wondering if they can help. As it is their wedding weekend, they decline. And the hoopla starts... but it's off to a shaky start when Nate's childhood friends and his cop friends don't immediately gel. It gets even worse when there's a murder in the castle, one of the topless bartenders that was at Nate's stag do. 

This was a fun romp and in line with the rest of the series. I don't think you have to have read the rest of the series to enjoy the book but it sure does help.

Four stars

This book comes out April 29, 2025

The Nosey Parker Mysteries #8

Follows The Cornish Campsite Murder

Followed by The Cornish Christmas Pantomime Murder

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Cornish Campsite Murder by Fiona Leitch

Jodi and Nate are having a bit of a busman's holiday. They're off to a music festival  but they'll be slinging pies in a food truck for a friend who is missing the festival in order to go to his daughter's wedding. Also at the festival are most of a band that Jodi recognizes. Somewhat belatedly as she had actually catered for two of them recently. And this was a band she LOVED in her twenties. 

It turns out they are performing, but not the whole band. The lead singer won't be performing with them. But when Jodi is sneaking a pee in the VIP tent, she overhears the lead singer having an argument with some of the current band members. When he turns up dead later, she is left wondering who could have committed the crime.

If you've read this particular series, you will enjoy this book. If you haven't read this series before, I don't think it's particularly needed. 

Four stars

This book came out June 28, 2024

The Nosey Parker Mysteries #7

Follows a Cornish Seaside Murder

Followed by the Cornish Castle Murder

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Cornish Seaside Murder by Fiona Leitch

It's Jodie's first book back on the force and she's already got another murder to solve. At least it gets her out of being a mermaid... 

It's Merrymaid Week in Penstowan and the story goes that the ugly mermaid turns into a beautiful one as she runs through town with the children chasing her. While hypothetically a lot of fun, Jodie is set up to be the ugly mermaid but never completes her run; she's found a dead body, that of a local fisherman. It seems like someone may be trying to tie it into the legend because the statue of a mermaid usually stored in a church seems to be missing as well. 

As usual, Jodie eventually solves the mystery though there is a bit of a twist at the end of the story.

Four stars

This book comes out June 8, 2023

Follows A Cornish Recipe for Murder

Followed by The Cornish Campsite Murder

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Fatal Encounter in Tuscany by Vivian Conroy

I hadn't read the first two books in this series and I regret that. While Conroy is an adept writer and put some information in to catch us up on characters without info dumping, I really wish I had known more about Atalanta Ashford and her sleuthing abilities. 

But we meet her in this book as she is solving the mystery of a missing ring. Having read Sherlock Holmes, she is very easily able to find where the ring went, riling Inspector Deriot who seems to be a rival of sorts. Or maybe she is more accurately a thorn in his side. 

But she won't be a thorn for long as her friend (?) Raoul is "abducting" her for a grand adventure, a ride on the Orient Express. It is there that she and Raoul meet Catharina Lanetti who is going back to Italy to celebrate her father's birthday. Her family is... interesting, to say the least. The patriarch worships the Machiavellis and his schemes are no less convoluted. Catharina invites Atalanta and Raoul to join the celebration. While Atalanta wonders whether this is a set up, she is still drawn to the Lanettie compound where, as predicted, Catharina's father is killed. She, as the person who has come back the most recently is blamed. But is she really the killer?
There is a LOT of drama and untold secrets in this book. I think, having read the first two books, I might be more invested in the story but I do feel like Conroy is setting up Atalanta and Raoul to be more than friends but the chemistry isn't there yet. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out April 13, 2023

Follows Last Seen in Santorini

Followed by Last Dance in Salzburg

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter

Opinions are my own

A Cornish Recipe for Murder by Fiona Leitch

I seem to be on a spate of books centered around the Great British Bakeoff all of which have been fairly enjoyable. This iteration has Jodie Parker involved in the show (though she's not really quite sure why she was chosen.) It's just to bad that there are some weird things going on during the show, mostly centered around her very own bakes. But then one of the crew is murdered. He had only recently joined the team so Jodie isn't sure who would have hated him enough to kill him.

The secondary characters are well-developed including the host who is a drag queen with a secret to hide, the producer with a temper, and some of the crew. We get to see some relationship development between Jodie and Nate and some personal development for Jodie as well. 

Four stars

This book comes out August 18, 2022

Follows A Cornish Christmas Murder

Followed by A Cornish Seaside Murder

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Cornish Christmas Murder by Fiona Leitch

I've been reading a string of amateur detective stories and most of them have been rather irritating in the way they stuck their noses in. But this series is literally called the Nosey Parker Mysteries and Jodie Parker is a former policewoman so she actually has some knowledge of solving crime. I had not read any of the other books in the series but didn't think I missed anything by not having that knowledge. Nor was there a massive info dump to try and get me caught up which was nice.

Josie, her mom, daughter, and friend are catering a charity event in a castle that is newly converted to a B&B. The event ends but Josie and her crew are stuck in the castle with an eccentric billionaire and his assistant and son, a group of Japanese tourists, the hotel staff, and two wandering people who might not be exactly who they say they are. Oh, and a VERY drunk Santa who actually ends up dead. 

With a sprinkling of secret passages and the obligatory local cops who don't like Josie investigating (but her boyfriend outranks them,) this was a charming book.

Four stars

This book comes out December 9th, 2021

Follows A Sprinkle of Sabotage

Followed by A Cornish Recipe for Murder 

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins UK and NetGalley

Opinions are my own