A perfect cozy murder ! Perfect for a rainy day with a hot cup of tea to stay in the british theme !
Loved it !

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Awesome Christmas cozy! I can't wait to get a copy for my sister. Wonderful story.

Nancy Hunter and her grandmother Jane Hunter run the Dedley Endings Bookshop, selling crime, thriller and mystery books, in a small, quiet Cotswold village where nothing ever happens…

That is, until the wealthy and reclusive Roth family open up their mansion for the first time in thirty years, inviting the people of Dedley End to a lavish engagement party.

While everyone is thrilled to finally look around the mansion on the hill, the festivities are quickly cut short when beautiful Lucy, recently married to young Harry Roth, is found dead after being pushed over the first-floor balustrade.

But who among the guests could have been capable of her murder – and why?

Nancy and Jane decide to investigate – after all, not only do they own a crime themed bookshop, they were also both named after famous literary detectives – but soon wonder if they’ve taken on more than they can handle. Especially when it seems the killer has worked out that they’re hot on their heels…

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, it had the right amount of mystery and suspense partnered with great characters, cosy settings and homages to Christie.

Full of twists and turns and a shock ending, this was definitely an enjoyable read that wasn’t too taxing and kept me guessing right until the end.

#bookreviewsbymrsc #murderatthehouseonthehill #victoriawalters #cosymysterybooks

Really enjoyed this cozy murder mystery. It reminded me of m c Breton Agatha raisin books , so was a firm winner for me. Thanks for giving me the chance to read

A new cosy mystery series set in the small Costwold village of Dedley End where nothing much 'deadly' happens. The only unsolved death in the village happened almost 20 years ago when the protagonist Nancy Hunter's father died in a hit and run accident. The village is also home to the wealthy and reclusive Roth family of whom the villagers have seen nothing of in years. So when the Roth family decides to open up their mansion doors to the community before Christmas to celebrate the engagement of one of their own, the people are excited and curious in equal measure. But the celebration is cut short when Lucy, the wife of the eldest son Harry Roth, is found dead during the party... apparently pushed over the first floor balustrade. The village police who haven't had much practice solving murders seem inept so Nancy and her grandmother Jane, who run a bookshop called Dedley Endings, decide to take matters in their own hands.

I liked the book and it had all the settings of a cozy mystery book but I also felt that it was pretty longish in length and there was a bit of repetition in terms of details. The mystery to the father's death is also solved towards the end but I personally felt this plot could have been extended to future books. There is also the mention about Nancy's mother who abandoned the family when Nancy was just a small child; not much is revealed so it looks like this plotline will be fleshed out more in the coming installments.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Hera Books and the author Victoria Walters for the e-Arc of the book. This is the author's first foray into the cozy mystery genre. Her Glendale Hall romance series seems quite popular. I haven't read any of the books in this series but they look quite eye catching and interesting.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫

Victoria Walters’ debut cosy mystery Murder at The House on The Hill is a wonderful concoction of red herrings, bucolic charm and nail-biting tension that is utterly delightful.

Nothing much happens in the small Cotswolds village of Dedley End. If any of the villagers want danger and excitement, then they need to pay a visit to the Dedley Endings bookshop run by Nancy and her grandmother Jane. There’s plenty of chills and thrills to be found in the pages of the books the two women sell, which are a sharp contrast to the serene and tranquil pace of life at Dedley End. When the wealthy but reclusive Roth family open up their grand mansion for the first time in thirty years, it is a twist that nobody in the village saw coming. Yet, little do the villagers realise that this engagement party at the Roths is going to be memorable – but for all the wrong reasons…

The festivities are cruelly cut short when young bride Lucy, who has recently wed Harry Roth, is found dead after being pushed over the first floor balustrade! Having spent a lifetime devouring one mystery after another, Nancy and Jane vow to use all the knowledge they’ve gleaned from their favourite books to try and solve Lucy’s murder. Just who would have wanted to murder Lucy Roth? Which one of the guests had done the foul deed and pushed her to her death? The two sleuths vow to leave no stone unturned to unmask the killer, but when the murderer becomes aware that Nancy and Jane are on the case, the hunters quickly end up becoming the hunted.

Will Nancy and Jane manage to solve the murder at the house on the hill? Or will there be a twist in the tale resulting in the two of them becoming the killer’s next victims?

Cosy mystery fans are going to be completely bowled over by Victoria Walters’ fantastic Murder at The House on The Hill. Witty, cleverly plotted and full of surprises, Murder at The House on The Hill introduces two wonderful new sleuths readers will absolutely adore.

Nancy and Jane are a brilliant double act and their superb crime-solving skills and razor sharp intelligence are sure to make their namesakes proud.

A fabulous cosy mystery that heralds the beginning of a terrific new series, Victoria Walters’ Murder at The House on The Hill is a must-read that shouldn’t be missed.

Having read the last book in the Glendale Hall series from Victoria Walters and loved it, I was excited to see that Walters had a new series coming out, a Cozy Mystery series entitled The Dedley End Mysteries. I signed right up for this Blog Tour and felt so fortunate to be chosen to host a review spot.

Let me tell you that I tore in to this book! The setting is this idyllic small village in Cotswold that reminded me of the scenes from The Holiday.

The main characters, Nancy and her Grandmother Jane who own the small family bookstore in the Village become the town sleuths when a murder takes place at an opulent party they attend. They are both fabulous characters that I absolutely fell in love with! I want to be a part of their family and work at their little bookstore while they are off on their detective adventures!

The mystery was a fun one that I didn’t solve before the unveiling – always a plus! It gave me a little bit of a Clue vibe, thus the picture with all our family games.

As with the Glendale Hall book, Walters’ writing style is so open and inviting that it feels like I’ve walked right into the scene of the story and am completely entranced in the world she creates.

Loved everything about Murder at the House on the Hill and cannot wait until Book 2 is out and available. I hope this is a very successful series as I’d like to see many, many more of these lovely stories!

Actually, I think I’m such a fan of this author that I’ll be extremely excited about any of her work!

Every cozy mystery reader should definitely add this one to their list!

New cosy crime story set in a Cotswold village.

Nancy and her grandmother Jane run a crime and thriller bookshop in a small village where nothing ever really happens. Jane, Nancy and her friend Jonathan are invited to an engagement party by a rich local family, at which the fiancé is found dead after a tragic fall.

When it becomes apparent that she was murdered, Jonathan bets Nancy and Jane that they can’t solve the murder.

The style of writing made this a very easy read. There is also a romantic twist when Nancy’s ex, Richard, makes a reappearance and asks for a second chance, however there are hints that Jonathan has some unrequited feelings for his friend.

The ending of this story makes it clear there are future books to come and I would certainly like to read the next story.

This is sure to appeal to lovers of cosy crime, and stories set in book shops!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Nancy owns a bookshop in Dudley End with her grandmother Jane. When they are unexpectedly invited to attend an engagement party at the local manor house, and young woman is murdered. Along with her journalist friend Jonathan, Nancy solves the crime and finds that she likes detection thus setting the stage for future stories in this series.

I liked Nancy and Jane as characters but I think this book was a little too cozy for me. It had a YA feel to the writing and was a bit too simplistic for me. However, I think as a cozy mystery this would definitely be the start of a good series just not really for me. I found myself speed reading from the middle to the finish as I did want to see how the story ended even though the writing style was not what I enjoyed.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus, and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book feels like and Agatha Christie novel. A small english town has an enormously rich family that lives on the hill. For years that family has kept to themselves, and not let any of the townsfolk into their home. Then, one day, the town is invited in to celebrate the engagement of one of the children. That same night, during the party one of the family members dies, or, better yet, is murdered. Is inviting all the guests a coincidence or a coverup? Is one of them the killer? Perhaps not since it seems the only evidence points to the family. However, it soon becomes interesting when it seems all of the family had opportunity, but none really had much motive.

The truth will be uncovered but not before plenty of twists, turns, and mystery is had. Fans of Agatha Christie and Richard Osman will love Murder At The House On The Hill.

If a once upon a crime is what you'd like to read
This enthralling cosy mystery, is just what you need!
When booksellers Nancy and Jane Hunter excitedly go
To an engagement party for a reclusive family they barely know
They'd never expected there also to be a killer
As someone's murdered and so begins this thriller!

The village of Dedley Endings is where the story is set
And reporter Jonathon is very willing to bet
That the police will be first to solve the crime
And that Nancy and Jane can't beat them this time.
These crime bookshop owners are determined to win
But the killer's determined they'll not reveal their sin!

With a great community and sense of fun,
Nancy and Jane know just what needs to be done.
As family dramas and secrets all play their part
There's even potential romance and things close to her heart.
It is a page turner with a great cast of characters who
Help keep you guessing, all the way through!

What a great start to a series that's new
I have no hesitation in highly recommending it to you.
If you enjoy cosy murder mysteries in a village setting
I encourage you a copy of this book to be getting.
My thanks go to Hera and NetGalley, too,
For my copy of this book for which this is my honest review.

Victoria Walters triumphs again, I'm an avid fan of the Glendale romantic novels, so I was intrigued to find out about Murder at the house on the hill. It is a completely different genre to what Victoria normally writes but she's captured the essence of a murder mystery to perfection.

I I found the plot enthralling, the character's were believable, particularly Nancy who had a special bond without her Grandmother after the mysterious death of her father. I loved the way it drew you in to the storyline, this book kept you guessing till the very end and I didn't want to put it down.

I will be waiting in anticipation for the sequel and to see what else evolves in Deadly End. Well done Victoria it so deserves the 5 stars I have awarded it 😁

What a fantastic name for a village – Dedley End, the Cotswolds home of the Dedley Endings Bookshop, a wonderful sounding emporium that sells only crime books of all types and eras! Run now by Nancy Hunter after taking over the reins from Jane her grandmother who inherited the shop after the untimely death of Nancy's father George in an unsolved hit and run, it is the passion of both ladies who share a cottage with Charlie the beagle in the normally tranquil village. Nancy sometimes wishes something exciting would happen but never in her wildest dreams does she think they might have a real life murder on their hands! Three generations of the wealthy Roth family live in Roth Lodge, a mansion on the outskirts of the village. There is grandfather Marcus, son Peter and wife Jessica, plus three grandchildren, Harry and his new wife Lucy, Will who works in London and Maria. Since some sort of scandal thirty years ago they have closed their doors to the village but suddenly in the run up to Christmas invites have been sent to all local business owners inviting them to celebrate the engagement of Maria to her fiancé Charles. Everyone is excited and curious to be seeing the house again after all these years, and Nancy’s best friend, Cotswold Star journalist Jonathan Murphy is determined to accompany Nancy and Jane, especially as the normal press have been forbidden from attending. However things quickly turn sour at the party when Lucy plummets to her death and it is clear tensions are running high within the family. With all their wealth of murder mystery experience Jane and Nancy are convinced they can solve the crime themselves and sally forth into their own investigation, using local knowledge and contacts to their advantage. But is it mere coincidence that Nancy’s ex-boyfriend from university that she hasn’t seen for 5 years and who was the Roth company’s accountant has suddenly started taking a renewed interest in her after she ran into him at the party? And just how many secrets are the Roth family hiding? Nancy and Jane, aided by Jonathan, race the police to a shocking conclusion and an even more devastating twist at the end, with a great clue left open as to the next adventure.
This is an excellent murder mystery with a group of amateur sleuths proving themselves more than capable and certainly winkling more out of the suspects than the unfortunate local CID. I thoroughly enjoyed this story with its charming location, warm and caring dialogue and incredibly likeable lead characters and eagerly look forward to the next book in this great new series. 5*

Murder At The House On The Hill by Victoria Walters is the first installment in Deadly End Mystery series.

The setting is beautiful, a tiny Cotswold village where main heroine Nancy runs a thriller and crime bookshop. Talk about the perfect setting for a cozy.

When a member of a prominent local family is murdered during a party Nancy and her grandmother along with several friends decide to solve the mystery as they faith in local police is not very strong.

I really liked how this investigation was a joint effort and how they all decided to help, I always find that so exciting.

Even though the story was interesting I thought that it started dragging on unnecessarily and I lost interest somewhere around the middle of the book.
There was also a love interest, which was done really well and it didn't interfered with the story at all.
All in all, not a bad start. I will give the next book a chance.

I am happy to have discovered this brand new cozy mystery series by author Victoria Walters. Murder at the House on the Hill is a well-written, engaging mystery set in a small Cotswold village. The book provides some great characters in Jane, Nancy, Jonathan and others, a crime and mystery themed bookstore, a story with twists and turns, as well as the appearance of Nancy's ex-boyfriend, and the promise of romance. Looking forward to the next entry in the series!

I am a huge fan of Victoria’s work and have been for quite a while now. I have read and loved every single book that she has written to date. When I heard that she was due to release a cozy mystery, I was intrigued and I couldn’t wait to read it. Well I finally got my hands on a copy and dived straight in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Murder At The House On The Hill’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the characters of Nancy and Jane. Nancy was named after the young fictional detective Nancy Drew. She is a lovely young lady, who is passionate about reading and she works in the family bookshop. Nancy’s mother walked out when she was younger and her father was sadly killed in what was described as an ‘accident’. Before his death, Nancy’s father ran the bookshop and she has continued to run it after his death as a sort of tribute to him. Nancy shares a cottage with her grandmother, Jane, who sounds like a real hoot, who also works in the family bookshop but on a part time basis. Both ladies come across really well and began to feel like friends rather than characters in a book. The shop sounds as though it is at the heart of the village and villagers regularly pop in to pick up a book and share a tasty titbit of village gossip.
I was drawn into ‘Murder At The House On The Hill’ from the synopsis alone and the story between the covers of the book sealed the deal as it were. I started chuckling away to myself as soon as I discovered that the village where all the action takes place is called ‘Dedly End’. I mean who is going to forget such a distinctive place name? Reading ‘Murder At The House On The Hill’ certainly became addictive. I would pick the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would still be sat there reading over an hour and several chapters later. I soon got to the end of the story and I had to say a temporary farewell to Nancy, Jane and the rest of the crew from Dedly End. I found ‘Murder At The House On The Hill’ to be a gripping and fun sort of read, which certainly held my attention and kept me guessing.
‘Murder At The House On The Hill’ is extremely well written but then that is true of all of Victoria’s books. Victoria has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Victoria certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention from the start and draw the reader into the story. Victoria also creates lovable characters and she describes them so realistically that they seem just as real as you and I. For me, the story hits the ground running and maintained a gentle pace throughout. I felt as though I was part of the story that is all thanks to Victoria’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Murder At The House On The Hill’ and I would recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Victoria’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

The main characters were very well written and likeable, the story was good, I loved the name of the village and that it was set I’m a book shop, the reveal was very well written ……. Curl up and enjoy this “cozy crime”

The start of a new cozy series it’s always an exciting moment as you get to know new characters and travel to new places.
This mystery is set in a lovely village in the Cotswold, a lovely place. There’s a strong sense of community.
Nancy and her grandma Jane manage the local bookshop, specialized in selling mystery and thriller books.
A great party brings together the people from the village and the Roth, who own the mansion on the hill.
Something will happen at the party and someone is going to die.
This is the start of an investigation that involves Nancy, her grandma and her friend Jonathan.
As this is the start of new series it’s slow burning as we are introduce to the characters, their backstories and the setting.
We get to know Nancy, the mysterious disappearance of her mother and the tragic death of his father that could be a murder. Nancy is an interesting woman, she’s clever but full of empathy.
I like her I will be happy to read other murder featuring this character.
The mystery is full of twists and red herring, I couldn’t guess the culprit and the familiar secrets made me think of Golden Age mystery.
The character development is excellent and the plot flows and kept me turning pages.
My only issue is that some repetition and a too many details made the read less gripping.
I can’t wait to read the next instalment.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, Hera Booksand Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Murder at the House on the Hill by Victoria Walters is the debut of The Dedley End Mysteries. I liked the two main characters in this new British cozy mystery. Nancy Hunter and her grandmother, Jane own Dedley Endings Bookshop which only carries mysteries, thriller, and crime novels. There is a cast of secondary characters that includes Nancy’s friend, Jonathan who is a local reporter. Jonathan is more about himself and his career, but you can tell that he does care for Nancy and Jane. The village of Dedley End sounded quaint. It is a small town that relies on tourist trade in the summer. The author’s vivid descriptions allow readers to picture the charming village and its residents. The death of Lucy Roth at an engagement party at Roth Manor is startling. Nancy is basically goaded into investigating by Jonathan. Of course, Nancy is curious, and she does not believe the local constabulary are up to the task. Nancy with help from Jane and Jonathan set out to ask questions and search for clues. Several people seem to have a motive to kill the victim. The mystery is straightforward and avid mystery readers will have no problems identifying the guilty party. There is a secondary plot involving the death of Nancy’s father. He died when she was ten in a car crash. She has wondered what really happened that night. Another thread involves the disappearance of Nancy’s mother. She took off when she was a small child and has never been heard from again. I am sure she will appear in a future book. At the end of novel, there is a teaser chapter for the next book in The Dedley End Mysteries. I had a hard time wading through this story. The pacing is slow, there are many repetitive details, and the writing is a little too detail oriented. I ended up skimming through part of the story to make it to the end (the book seemed to go on forever). There are several unlikeable characters with my least favorite being Nancy’s ex-husband, Richard. I really wanted to like Murder at the House on the Hill. I enjoyed Nancy’s love of books and that their bookshop caters to mysteries. Murder at the House on the Hill is a British cozy mystery with a toffee-nosed family, an eager reporter, a curious crime, suspicious suspects, and a probing bookseller.

Dedley end is a really quiet sleepy village where nothing exciting ever happens. That is until the reclusive Roth family invite the villagers to an engagement party at the house on the hill. This is how our main character Nancy finds herself in the middle of a murder scene and makes a bet with her friend Johnathon that they can solve the murder before the police.

To say this book kept me on my toes would be an understatement, highly enjoyable and the perfect cosy whodunnit to read before Halloween!