This one was a really short read, but also a very humorous one. You can really see where it takes inspiration from classic crime novels and English murder lore. The artwork is almost grotesque and added so much to the story. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a short and funny read.

An enjoyable tongue-in-cheek Edward Gorey-esque illustrated guide to, well, not getting murdered in a Gosford Park/Downton Abbey/Hot Fuzz-y style English village.

This was such a silly-fun romp through tropes. Recommended for those who love a good Agatha Christie novel, but have a sense of humor, too!!

A must for the Midsomer Murder/Marple/entire Golden Age gimlet-eyed fan - lovingly illustrated with whiffs of Edward Gorey and quick laughs. Perfect for a stocking stuffer or host gift or the bedside table in your guest room. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend!

This book is such an entertaining read and it's such a short read that I finished it within an hour! This book is like a funny travel guide to an English village and manor and it warns you about the many ways you can come to an untimely and gruesome end if you dare to visit. There's also fun quizzes after each section of the book, but be prepared to fail them haha. I love the art style of this book as well and overall, I just highly recommend this for a fun, quick read. Also the character descriptions were so on point!

I received an ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful!
A cute how to travel guide with invaluable tips, great quizzes to make sure that you the reader are paying attention and helpful illustrations to guide you through an English murder village.
I would recommend for fans of English murder mysteries and English humor.

This book would make a terrific present for someone who loves murder mysteries, both written and cinematic. With a cheeky inflection and Edward Gorey-esque illustrations, the reader learns all the red flags, dirty tricks and hidden dangers of the quaint English village. Very enjoyable casual reading!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for a copy of this book in return for a candid review!

Thanks to the publishers for sharing this one. I'm a big fan of British crime novels and TV shows so this made me laugh a lot. My full review appears on Weekend Notes.

Hilarious! I was chuckling on every page. Thank you NetGalley for this delightful read! I will not look at an English village or manor the same way.

Despite the fact that Maureen Johnson is, by most accounts, a popular and well-respected writer, I can’t help but feel that she is still somehow underrated as a novelist. And this book is a shining example of what it is that Johnson doesn’t get nearly enough credit for: Humor.

I think humor is one of the most difficult things to successfully pull off in fiction, and Johnson’s YA mysteries and supernatural thrillers do an outstanding job of it. She seems to be properly appreciated as a storyteller, but I don’t see near enough mentions of the brilliant comic relief that is peppered throughout all of her work.

And that brings me to this book, a spoof of cozy mysteries (specifically those of the English countryside variety) where Johnson’s exceptional humor takes center stage.

This is the funniest thing I’ve read in ages. I laughed out loud while reading it. Over and over. I read sections of it to my mother and my husband, and they laughed uproariously at it too.

It’s especially fun if you love the style of mystery that this spoofs, but I expect it would be funny regardless. The illustrations work hilariously well with the text too, adding another element to the delights of this book.

I will probably read this many, many more times. Whenever I need a pick me up or a good laugh, this is where I’ll likely end up from now on.

And keep any eye out for the section on The Vat. The book is hilarious from start to finish, but The Vat was my favorite. And as for the concluding paragraph…well, you’ll just have to read it and see.

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper is, a humoristic book about well.. Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village, as the title clearly explains.

This book was really entertaining: the idea well carried out, the humor funny, the pictures lovely, and the design and overall aesthetic seem nice from what I could see in a pdf.

The only downside was how short this book was! I wanted to keep reading about English murder villages.

Anyway, after reading this book, looks like I won't be travelling to the English countryside anytime soon!

On a more serious note though, please, do yourself a favor and get this hilarious book, especially if you read a lot of English cozy mysteries, or plan to travel to the countryside soon. You never know...

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Super cute, would make a great gift this christmas to anyone obsessed with Midsommer Murders or crime podcasts.

Whitty writing and fantastic illustrations come together in Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village and create a wonderful read.

A very hilarious book.
This book contains all the ways a person can die in an English village. If you read lots of murder mysteries, you'll be familiar with a large chunk of this book.

What I liked about the book:
The tone of the book was quite funny.
The illustrations were great.

What I didn't like about the book:
I did't get anything out of this book. This was just a fun time but, I felt like most of the book was empty.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Few of us wander into chocolate box English villages hoping to find ourselves murdered. But we do seek out charming double-barrelled village names (my husband and I have made up some of our own and we are obviously not alone), perfect murder locations and colourful local characters. In this book you will find delectable humour and wit in spades on every page! The writing is brilliantly witty and the illustrations clever and engaging. Murder book lovers will recognize and chuckle over every single detail. We get it.

If murder is your thing, it would be a shame to miss this book. Johnson's quirky quizzes, character and village names are too funny for words and Cooper's maps, buildings, village residents, murderers and victims are perfection, especially the shadowy hands. They both must have had such fun creating such hilarity! Be sure to absorb every single detail. Then re-read and absorb again. When in said villages just don't draw attention to yourself, avoid the vicar and every building and you may escape unscathed.

My sincere thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for the privilege of enjoying this fabulously fun book! It will be a great addition to my murder-infested family library.

If you've ever wondered how the English countryside isn't a brilliant crimson given the tide of clever murders, this is the guide for you. Johnson and Cooper take a comedic view of the sheer numbers and kinds of murders committed in "quaint English villages" and provide clues as to how the reader may avoid becoming a victim, once they've made the initial blunder of visiting the aforementioned village.

Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village by Maureen Johnson and Jay Cooper is a guidebook filled with humour, murder, and mysteries.

I absolutely loved the illustrations in this book. Jay Cooper did a wonderful job with his depictions. It was a perfect touch and complimented Maureen Johnson’s writing wonderfully. I highly recommend this book to those who are fans of cozy murder mysteries and anyone looking for a lighthearted and humorous read. Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A playful and charming book! Love this guide and its beautiful illustrations of different ways and locations to be murdered while visiting an English village and manor. There are also quizzes, which I failed, sooo I guess I won't make it back should I visit. 🪦😳

I'll have to see a hard copy of this book at a bookstore. This would make a lovely gift for any cozy or British mystery lovers.

4.3 Stars
Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village is a short illustrated travelogue or a humor novella written with the good intention of saving lives. I appreciate the author’s efforts to come with this book and save unfortunate tourists from increasing the already high death count in English villages.
The illustrations are perfect in their 50 shades of grey (minus erotica) and the fresh scarlet red to remind us of blood. Death follows us everywhere in a sleepy, cute, and tiny English village, and there’s no escaping it.
The tongue-in-the-cheek humor and the author’s dry wit are a potent combination. They bring alive the deadly secrets (pun intended) of unassuming English villages. As a fan of Agatha Christie and historical cozy mysteries, I loved just about everything in the book.
Nothing gets too much, nor does anything get boring (how can death even be boring!). From village churches to vicars, spinsters, gossip lovers, manor stairs, the hounds, the freely available knives, poison vials, and scheming members, we’ve got to be wary of everything.
The book works as a breather between heavy reads or as a little stress buster after a long day of work. Pick it up when you need to laugh (only if you have a twisted sense of humor) and feel the day’s weight slip of the shoulders.
Thank you, NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/ Ten Speed Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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Link to the full review added.

This is a funny and charming book about murder or more accurately how not to get murdered! I absolutely loved the illustrations and the descriptions were witty.