I'm rapidly becoming a big fan of the Mel Craig mysteries. The more of them I read, the more that I enjoy.
This instalment, number seven in the series, is in some ways slightly different from the previous books. Where Mel has found herself in the thick of investigations, usually against the wishes of her policeman boyfriend Ken, she takes a less active role in investigating this time. It still works well though and I liked the bigger role that Ken played.
I wasn't sure about the relationship with Mel and Ken and wasn't sure if it was going to work or not. Things had changed a little by this book. Ken is no longer with the police service but has set up his own investigation service. He is away a bit seeing to other cases that he his working on, but much of the mystery this time is shown through him. Although Mel is still a little standoffish with him, I think that they will work things out in the end.
Again with this one, I had more or less solved it all by the time that they had. It worked and was enjoyable to read about, which ticks the big boxes for me with murder mysteries.
As I said, this book had a different feel to the others in some ways, but it was still a really good Mel Craig mystery. It goes without sayI received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.ing that I'm looking forward to the next one.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher, another great book in the Melissa Craig cosy mystery books. Heres to No.8

Another successful entry to the Mel Craig series. A serial killer is targeting elderly residents, unfortunately poor Mel learns of the killings by discovering one of the victims. Mel isn’t as dangerously involved in this case, discovering the disfigured corpse has really been difficult to cope with. Former DI Ken has now started his own PI firm, and he is the one who actually solves the case.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of the book, all opinions are my own.
Highly recommend.

Another great story from this author. An easy read with twists and turns to keep you interested to the end. Can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

This is the seventh book in the series. I have read most of the books, however not all but it doesn't make a huge difference if you were to pick this book up as a stand alone.

I really the characters in the book series, particularly mels neighbour iris - what a character!

The descriptions of the Cotswold are gorgeous.

At times the language is slightly outdated and some may take offense ' I looked into this as the viewpoints at times seemed odd and I think this is due to the books originally being published in the 90s.

Having said that i find these books enjoyable and whilst they fall under the cosy mystery category they are a bit deeper and make me think rather than the usual who dunnits.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Bookouture for a copy of this cozy mystery in exchange for an honest review.

Murder at Larkfield Barn is Book 7 in the Melissa Craig Mystery series. This was my first book by Betty Rowlands and it was written so seamlessly that it was easy to dive right in and not be confused having not read the first 6 books. The characters are engaging, you care about them and you want to know more about Melissa and her friend Ken Harris - former copper, turned private investigator.

The Cotswalds brings to mind peace and tranquility. Not so in the village of Upper Benbury where a serial killer is targeting the old and the defenseless. The killer dubbed "the Smiler" kills and then paints hideous smiles on the faces of his/her victims. When a dear neighbour of Melissa's is the latest victim, she starts looking into the killing and is shocked to find that there have been other similar murders. What do a charismatic preacher, his loyal female college student followers, a reclusive artist and his family all have to do with what has been going on in the village?

I'm definitely looking forward to exploring more of the books in the Melissa Craig series and happily give this book 5 stars.

Life is moving on for Melissa; she is now totally at home in the Cotswolds, Ken Harris seems to be a permanent fixture and she is more than content with her lot. Iris and Gloria are still an important part of both her life and the latest mystery to befall them.

Once again Betty Rowland paints a brilliant picture of an idyllic life with grisly undertones. The cocktail party that turns deadly, the new neighbours with distressing backgrounds, the officious police officers all are written with a mixture of wit and detail that gives them identities which enable you to picture scenes and characters easily. The description of the new lady of the manor is both humorous and poignant.

These books are getting better and better, the mysteries are more complex, have more layers to them and the back stories link things in a seemingly effortless manner. This time they are also ghoulish and with more than a hint of copycat killings to confuse the issue. The series was originally released in the nineties and finally ex-detective Ken Harris has a mobile phone. The Cotswolds life of Mel Craig will never be the same again!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley in return for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who has read the previous stories in the series or enjoys cosyish crime. Each novel stands alone but does work better in its rightful place in the series.

With a feeling of anticipation, I opened this book. This series by Betty Rowlands never fails to disappoint. The ongoing relationship between Melissa and Ken and friendship between Melissa and Iris underpin all the stories in the series. Add to that, a gentle murder mystery and you have the perfect combination for a light and most enjoyable read. The author always leaves you looking forward to see what happens next with the relationships and of course, the inevitable murder to be solved.

There is a serial killer in the peaceful and idyllic village where Melissa lives. He kills the elderly and bedridden and paints a hideous smile on their faces with lipstick.
After not showing up for a tea gathering, Melissa goes to her neighbor’s cottage to check on her. But what she finds will haunt her for a long time. Her neighbor has become the fourth victim of this heartless criminal. But something is not right.
The fourth victim wasn’t bedridden. She was indeed active and lively. So why would someone want to kill her?

Are all the murders perpetrated by the same individual? Is the killer killing for fun or there is another unthinkable and sinister motive behind the murders?

Murder at Larkfield Barn is an enjoyable, engaging and fast paced cozy mystery, with some really good twists and turns.

Thanks to the author, Bookouture and the NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

When Melissa Craig discovers the body of an elderly resident of Upper Benbury, the similarities with the recent deaths of other locals are apparent.

As usual, Melissa becomes embroiled in the mystery....

A great addition to the series

Cannot get enough of this authors novels, absolutely loving the gripping storylines and that no matter where Melissa Craig goes or what she sets out to do there is always a murder to get in her way. This time the discovery of an elderly neighbours body upsets and puts Melissa on edge more than usual , can she stay out of the investigation long enough for the police to find the murderer …..

When I write these longer reviews, I generally take some notes immediately after reading then mull things over for a day or two to see how I feel about the book and what sticks with me. Unfortunately in this case, what stuck with me was very little.

While reading it, the book served as reasonable distraction and entertainment, so I would give it 3 stars. The POV felt a bit headhoppy initially, but it later settled into more of an omniscient feel. The average reader probably won't be bothered by this.

The way in which the killer was revealed was not fully satisfying to me, although I struggle to explain that without unwanted spoilers. Again, this is probably more a personal taste factor.

The one thing that did stick with me about this book is that the title never really seemed to fit the story. That made me expect something else to happen that didn't, although I was still correct in my early conclusion of who was responsible.

If you are a cozy fan and looking for a quick read to pass the time, this book will likely be suitable. I am sure also those already bonded to the characters will enjoy it more than I did. It didn't leave me out of things so much as it merely failed to engage me sufficiently.

Betty Rowlands steps up again to give us another Melissa Craig novel, the crime writer no one wants to live next door to as she always seems to find a murder happening, this time elderly people are being found in their beds, dead and with a painted smile on their faces, Who is the murderer ? Well amateur sleuth and her kept at arms length boyfriend, retired chief inspector Ken Harris ( whom she always calls him) are trying to find all whilst trying to write her next novel. As always though it's a cosy murder mystery read.

Melissa Craig books keep getting better. There are murders of old people in a neighbouring village to Melissa Craig when she is asked to check on a local elderly lady on her way home from church to find the lady dead in bed with a large smile on her face in lipstick..

This book has enough suspects to keep you guessing right until the very end.

This one really kept me guessing. This book was previously published as Smiling at Death. I've continued to enjoy this series and look forward to the few remaining ones I haven't read. The characters are strong and like-able with a few that aren't so like-able. I like the small town setting. Neither Mel or Iris stay in the same place in their lives.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC I received for my honest review. - These are books to try if you like cozy mysteries.

A first time reader of this novelist and I am now hooked. It is part of a series of Melissa Craig mysteries but easily stands alone. Refreshing to read a story without gore, cursing and sex. I don't often give 5 stars but this is a winner. Easy to jump right in and keep turning pages. No need to 'report the book', the jacket cover and others have done this nicely. Enjoy!

This book was provided as an ARC by the publisher via Net Galley for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

4 stars

Melissa Craig mystery writer and part-time amateur sleuth is in a relationship with Ken Harris who owns a private investigation firm.

Asked to look in on an elderly neighbor, Mel heads for Martha Willis’ cottage. She discovers a horrible scene. Martha is dead – murdered with her face painted. This reminds Ken of some recent cases he has heard about in a nearby town. The locals have dubbed the serial killer as “The Smiler.”

Menawhile Ken received a visit from a Mrs. Aggs. She was extremely upset at her husband’s apparent indiscretions. Surprised at the cost of having him followed, she leaves the office. But later she corners Mel and tells her about her fears. It wasn’t about infidelity at all. It was something far worse – at least in Mrs. Aggs’ eyes.

Of course Mel gets involved in the search for Martha Willis’ killer. At the same time she makes friends with new villagers Genty and Sirry and their famous artist father. They become close as does Mel’s very good friend Iris.

Ken makes a startling discovery and in a dramatic conclusion to the story the killer(s) are revealed. I was so totally surprised at the identity that I had to read the passages twice. I’m still shaking my head at it.

This is a very well written and plotted novel as are all of Betty Rowlands’ books. It is a relatively gentle read and the story flows along nicely. I truly enjoyed it as much as I did the other in the series. I will certainly be in line to read more of Mel and Ken’s adventures.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

I am devouring this series as fast as their published.Each book drew me into the story the mystery the characters.Highly Highly recommend these books this author.I am always recommending this series. #netgalley #bookoture.

I’ve had a bit of a binge session reading these books, so I’ll do my reviews all on my post! They are fabulous books to pick up and put down when you have five minutes here and there. The books are all part of the Melissa Craig series, but they can be read as standalone books with no problems at all. They also have all been released under different titles in the past, but the book fairy has come along and brought them right up to date with new covers and titles! They are delightful in the way that they are “cosy crime” books, meaning that there is no blood and gore, no overly violent scenes and a little bit of humour thrown in for good measure. If you like books written by the great Agatha Christie or MC Beaton, then you will love these!

Murder on a Winter Afternoon
This has previously been released as Deadly Legacy. Crime author and amateur sleuth, Melissa Craig is back in this Christmas themed mystery. Following the death of local author, Leonora Jewell, Melissa is asked to finish off Leonora’s last book. But when she visits Leonora’s cottage, she finds an iron blood which is covered in blood and suspects that Leonora was murdered. With the Police not believing her, Melissa decides to investigate Leonora’s death herself.

Murder in the Orchard
This has previously been released as Malice Poetic. Melissa Craig is asked to investigate some threatening notes which have been received by the owner of a nearby country house, but before she can do any kind of investigating, the owner is found dead in his own orchard. Universally hated, Melissa discovers that he wouldn’t have won any prizes in a popularity contest, but who hated him enough to kill him. Can she find the killer before they strike again?

Murder at Larkfield Barn
This has been previously been released as Smiling at Death. We are back in Upper Benbury where Melissa is shocked to discover one of her old neighbours has been murdered and the killer has painted a horrific smile on her face. Looking at her other neighbours and people who live in the Village, is the killer closer to home than Melissa could have imagined?

These were all great books to read. I love the character of Melissa Craig! Being a crime writer, she obviously finds it useful when she is investigating all these terrible murders that she appears to always be caught up in! I would like to imagine her to be your typical quintessential English lady, all dressed in tweed with thick ribbed tights and very sensible shoes, but reality probably has Melissa as a bit more ‘normal’ than that! She comes across as a bit of a “nosey neighbour”, but one that definitely has a heart of hold! One thing you could definitely say of Melissa though is how unlucky she must be to always be around when a murder has been committed!!

The characters, not just in these three books but in all of them I’ve read so far, are fun, interesting and likeable. As the books move on and some of the earlier characters begin to come back into the later stories, you begin to build a relationship with not just Melissa, but some of her friends as well. The locations of the books, and particularly the village of Upper Benbury, are beautifully set and you can just picture Melissa rushing round the countryside looking for clues as you read!

I would whole heartedly recommend these books if you’re after a good old fashioned whodunit! You won’t have to cover your eyes from fear or rest your uneasy stomach after too much blood and gore! What you will get though is a series of very easy to read books that are fun and light-hearted, but with enough crime and mystery to keep you trying to work out the clues before Melissa does!! If you’ve never tried a cosy mystery book before, then what are you waiting for!

Excellent book! Loved the characters and it was a great storyline. I would highly recommend this book.