I received this ARC via Netgalley and Bookouture, in return for an honest review. This is the first in a new series, featuring Belinda Penshurst and Harry Powell. Harry is a retired English police detective who recently moved to Belinda’s quaint village where she lives in Challham Castle. Belinda is the brains of the family as her brother and father are far better at ‘get rich quick’ schemes that threaten to lose the family estate. Belinda manages the estate, including investing in village businesses. This gives her quite a say in their management, sometimes to the annoyance of those who are the actual managers. Belinda encountered Harry when she was 18 and arrested for indecent exposure, protesting animal cruelty, so she’s taken aback when she realizes who he is. Harry is at loose ends as he contemplates his recent retirement and what is next in his life, while he takes on a new job of delivery dog food and treats in the local community. When Belinda finds a body, Harry is first on the scene and helps until the police arrive. As the body count rises, Belinda is determined to solve the murders and save the village, while trying to figure out her brother’s latest crazy scheme. Throw in a series of dognapping incidents in the area and there is a lot going on.
This was a challenging read for me because I just couldn’t find the chemistry between the two protagonists. Supposedly, they are attracted to each other but if so, it’s very juvenile as each keeps secrets from the other and somehow, they’re supposed to be working together to solve the crimes? Their dialogue is more insulting than friendly or romantic and neither seems to either understand or want to understand the other. Adding the layers of the multiple crimes and suspects and it was just a very hard book to wade through. I’m sorry as I wanted to like it but just didn’t. I appreciate the ARC opportunity by the publisher.

I was excited to get the chance to read an ARC through NetGalley of the first book in a cozy mystery series. This book is full of descriptions lush British countryside and manors, small town characters, and plenty of canines for animal lovers to enjoy. In addition, there are plenty of British terms for North American readers to learn, such as the word landlord being used where we would use manager.
The cover, however, gave me pause, what with the use of the not-a-word "unputdownable" in the tag line. I should probably have taken that as a warning. It was definitely something I could easily put down - in fact, I had difficulty picking it back up again once it was down. Reading it turned out to be more of a chore than the escape I was hoping for.
Not that it was horrible. But I just found it to be okay. The story is somewhat disjointed, with references to dogs being kidnapped, but no one the investigators spoke to actually had a dog taken for more than a few hours or so.
But my biggest problem with the book lay in the characters. I found the main character Belinda to be too antagonistic to be likeable. She walks through the entire book with a chip on her entitled shoulder, looking down on everyone, from her castle no less, and constantly reminding them of how she invested in their businesses and had a say in everything they do as a result. Her professed affection for Harry, the retired detective whose expertise she sneers at repeatedly, rings hollow given the way she treats him. It's unfathomable why he would be romantically interested in her, and given her attitude towards him, that she develops an interest in return.
What I can only believe is meant to be light-hearted banter between the two is actually cringe worthy and falls flat.
Finally, the ending made me feel like I wasted my time reading up until that point as - SPOILER - it became clear that the reader could not have figured out the identity of the guilty party because that person had only been mentioned in passing early in the book and dismissed as a suspect. For me, trying to figure out the guilty party is much of the fun of reading a mystery.

This is a nice start to a new series. It's a quirky little town with the right kind of strange characters to keep it interesting. I especially enjoyed reading about all the dogs in the book, so this is definitely something for dog lovers. It usually takes me a couple of books in a cozy mystery series to really fall in love with the town while getting to know the characters. There is so much going on in this book, so many characters to get to know, and I am keen on reading the next book in the series.

With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion.
Do like a bit of a mystery and this was quite a good read didn't like Belinda 🤔 she is a woman with attitude so it kind of put me off the book but this is only my own personal opinion.

Belinda Penshurst is very proud of her home village, Little Challham, and the fact that she resides in its castle is an added bonus. She likes to know exactly what is going on and wants everyone to be as happy as she is in her heavenly part of the Kent countryside. New to the village is recently, but not so happily, retired police detective Harry Powell who now, much to his chagrin, delivers dog food.

When Belinda finds a dead body in the cellar of the village pub she has a stake in she knows absolutely she is going to investigate and she also knows who is going to help her. Harry meanwhile has problems of his own, dognappers are at large in the village and appear to be targeting his clients. He can multitask though, surely,  after all murder is his specialty, what could go wrong?

This is the first book in the Belinda Penshurst series and sets the scene quite nicely. She does take some getting used to, bossy, strong willed, and no shrinking violet Belinda will hopefully soften a little in future stories as I think it will take a while to like her if she remains the same. Harry Powell is different in every way. I liked him from the get go and look forward to reading more about him. The whodunnit had surprises and ended well, I will definitely be waiting to see what happens next.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a series with potential.  It's not quite there yet but this is only book one.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this cozy mystery.

Dogs are going missing in a village in England. Then the local pub's owner is found drowned in a barrel of beer. Belinda, a wealthy woman who lives in a castle, and Harry, a retired detective, join forces to help the police find the killer and who's kidnapping dogs.

I found the dialogue between Belinda and Harry very annoying, always trying to out-think each other and argue, but not in a kind way. Belinda tries to show Harry she's just as capable as a detective, and Harry feels he has more merit due to his former career. They were annoying and detracted from the story. I would read any more in this series, if more are written.

A new series featuring Belinda, champion on her small English village and Harry, recently retired homicide detective. This series opener takes us through a zany cast of characters, most of whom are suspected of being dognappers, murderers or both. A humerous mystery perfect for dog lovers

I really enjoyed this book. Fun, full of mystery and with characters I really enjoyed getting to know, if this is a sign of things to come then sign me up. Welcome to Little Callham, a small village where everyone knows everyone else ... at least, they think they do. Right up until one of them becomes a killer and then all bets are off. Was it the butcher? The rival landlord(s)? The dog food delivery guy? Okay - probably not him as he's a former police officer and one half of the village's unofficial detecting duo - Belinda Penshurst and Harry Powell.

This is top notch cosy crime. Plenty of scene setting, a really relaxed vibe to the story but with an undercurrent of tension, not only between the characters - small village, it's expected - but also in the strange goings on surrounding the canine community. It is exactly that which captures the attention of Harry Powell, a slight contrast to the more serious case that belinda has her sights set on. The murder of the local pub landlord. The who, what, why and when is slowly uncovered, a seemingly never ending list of suspects allowing the real culprit hide in plain sight. And with a kind of twist in the story that has Belinda suspecting someone close to her, you never know quite where the story may be leading. Or what might be in the soup ...

I. really liked the characters of Belinda and Harry. Yes, as Belinda's family are quite the presence around town, there was a time at the beginning that I wondered if she was going to be just that little bit too prim or too posh maybe for me to gel with. But she is a woman of hidden depths and the more I learned about her, the more I saw her in action, the more I liked her. The story behind how she first came to meet Harry was certainly an eye-opener! As for Harry, we don't learn all there is to know about him this time around, I've a feeling there is still more to come, but what I did learn, I liked. He's a very different personality to Belinda, but they compliment each other perfectly and the chemistry - and humour - really set of the story like a dream.

The whole thing has a kind of Midsomer Murders vibe and in spite of the murderer on the loose, kept me smiling from start to finish. There was a real sense of place, the author capturing that close community vibe perfectly, and a wonderful array of memorable characters to bring the story to life. And it's not just the two legged variety that stick in the mind - the four-legged friends are determined to get their fifteen minutes of fame too. Some of those scenes really had me laughing and I could picture them perfectly. The motives in play ... well one was all too believable and the other kind of honourable (ish) but very, very flawed. I can honestly say i did not see some of it coming, but it was all wrapped up neatly by the end. Good job there was plenty of shrink wrap on hand ...

A fabulous start to the series and I can't wait to see what this fabulous duo get up to next. Fans of cosy mysteries (and dog lovers) are just going to eat this up.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Murder in the Village by Lisa Cutts in exchange for an honest review. Belinda Penshurst lives in an English village called Little Challham. She lives in Challham Castle and knows almost everything that is going on. She meets up with Harry Powell, a retired detective inspector, who now works for Doggie Delights, a less stressful job delivering dog food. There is a dognapping and a dead man is found floating in a vat of beer.
This was a cozy mystery with comedic overtures, very fun to read. Lisa Cutts drew the reader in and kept their interest.

Quite enjoyable cozy mystery. The first in a new series that starts with a solid story with interesting characters. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Would definitely recommend this author. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

Nothing ever happens in Little Challham… until the local pub owner is drowned in his own ale. Belinda Penshurst, owner of Challham Castle, is on the case! First in a series, this was a fun and well written cozy. Loved the locale, the characters and Belinda. I hope there will another in the series soon! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of MURDER IN THE VILLAGE (Book 1 of the Belinda Penshurst Mysteries) by Lisa Cutts in exchange for an honest review. Belinda Penshurst is happy in her role as lady of the manor in Little Challham. Belinda keeps busy by rescuing her ne’er-do-well brother as well as the village businesses. One of Belinda’s projects has her investing heavily in a local tavern run by a man called Tipper. However, though Tipper took the money, he failed to spend it on the business. Also, her brother has returned home unexpectedly with another shady scheme in play. Belinda must do something about both of these things. Harry Powell, former detective, retired to Little Challham for the quiet life of a dog food delivery man. When Harry learns that there appears to be a dog-napping ring, Harry decides to put his skills to the test and figure out who’s taking the local pups. Belinda’s and Harry’s missions intersect when they find Tipper murdered in his cellar. Harry agrees to help Belinda find Tipper’s killer; in exchange, Belinda will aid Harry in solving the dog problem.

I liked this book. I recommend this novel to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, small villages, busybody sleuths, retired detectives, dogs, and trying relatives.

#MurderintheVillage #NetGalley

It's all going on in Little Challham. A retired policeman's moved in, dogs are temporarily disappearing and a lot of people are behaving oddly. And then the bodies start appearing....

Excellent Village mayhem and murder

Murder in the Village (A Belinda Penshurst Mystery Book 1) is an enjoyable tale with our two protagonists, Belinda Penshurst and Harry Powell investigating a space of dog napping in their village and soon discovering themselves in a far greater conspiracy involving multiple murders. Belinda's family own the nearby castle and she has invested heavily in several businesses in the village, while Harry has recently come to live in Little Challham, following his early retirement from the police.
Our intrepid detectives are a clear case of opposites but for this very reason, they do work well together and lead to many moments of comedy within the story. I did enjoy this story and it proved to be a fun and relaxing read.

First off, Thank you so much for letting me review this wonderful book! I absolutely adored this book! I enjoyed the characters and the story! The story flowed great and had me reading and finishing the book in no time! I highly recommend this book! Stunning, a page-turner which stays long in the memory! Looking forward to book 2 now! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Murder in the Village by Lisa Cutts is described as “completely unputdownable” on its jacket. I’m afraid I disagree. I put it down several times in exasperation. A couple of characters say “Dognapping is almost as bad as murder”. Really? Worse than rape? Worse than putting somebody’s arm in a meat grinder? Worse than torturing a child?

Belinda Penshurst lives at Challham Castle with her brother. Her father, for unexplained reasons, isn’t there very often. It transpires that they own several properties in the village, including the tea-room and a pub. We’re told at the start that Belinda’s enterprising schemes have brought in money, thus avoiding the need for the family to move out. In fact, we’re told more than once, in case we didn’t get the message the first time. (Yet, later in the book, we see a fleet of gleaming vehicles. If the family are stuck for money, why do they have so many vehicles?)

Belinda finds a body and Harry, an ex-policeman who turns out to be living in the Castle Gatehouse, arrives a minute later. Despite the (surely traumatic?) experience of finding a body and being interviewed by the police, Belinda is smirking and laughing with Harry shortly afterwards. Really? You’ve just found your first murder victim and you’re laughing?

Dogs are being snatched from the village – but then they appear again. I’m afraid I got confused about that. Dognapping I can understand, but at least some of these dogs were returned. The explanation at the end didn’t make sense to me.

There are so many inconsistencies in the book. Belinda wants to phone Harry a few hours after they found the body but realises she’d left her mobile at home. But when did Harry give her his number? Especially if she didn’t have her phone with her to record it? Harry and Belinda discover Colonel, a Great Dane, in the Land Rover. “How did he get in here?” A good question, Belinda. You were stood at the back of the Land Rover, putting on your wellies, and a dog that comes up to your waist jumped through the door next to you but you didn’t notice? Belinda’s in a pub kitchen, which is a crime scene, with police shooing bystanders out, yet they don’t see Belinda opening cupboards and doors? The dognappers use spray paint to paint “D” next to certain houses – yet they are locals and must know every house in the village.

I’m sorry – I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did, but the implausibilities were too great. The author can be good at characterization – some people like Marcus, Belinda’s brother, and Dawn came to life – but needs to be more ruthless with reviewing what she’s written.

#MurderintheVillage #NetGalley