A little too firmly on the cosy side of crime with not much happening. Belinda is a wholly unlikable, rude snob which was annoying to listen to but not as irritating as purebred dogs being referred to often as "thoroughbred" a Thoroughbred is a breed of horse, it doesn't mean purebred anything else!

An entertaining introduction to Harry and Belinda who set out to solve the village's unexpected crime spree involving a dognapping ring and murder.
The fact that Belinda lives in a castle is a delight and Harry is a useful sidekick as a former police detective. I loved the fact that the two main characters are slightly older than in a typical cozy mystery but they are represented realistically and both are very fun characters. I loved how flirty Belinda was and Harry's reactions to her were a hoot. They also had a unique connection to each other from their earlier days and I thought it hilarious.
The dognapping storyline was a little bit slow for me but the mystery overall was good.
The narrator's performance was great and she expressed the humour and the emotions of the characters really well.

I really couldn't get on with this audio book. The narration was flat at times and just didn't engage me, I couldn't actually finish it as I just wasn't enjoying it. I may try the book again in future but really didn't like this audio version.

Genius! Loved it and will be watching out for more from this author! The pace was just right and the ambiance was lovely.

This was a fun cozy mystery and I can’t wait to read more of them! I really enjoyed the audiobook and the narrator, and would love to listen to the rest of the series in audio.

Murder in the Village is the start of another brand new cosy mystery series set in the quiet, cosy village of Little Chalham and which brings together two unlikely persons together to form a crime solving duo--Belinda Penhurst an independent woman in her early forties who lives in the local castle and has financially invested in a lot of the local businesses around the village and Harry Powell, a retired police officer/detective who has recently moved to the area and now runs his own dog food business. Belinda and Harry are worlds apart but join forces after the murder of a tavern keeper is linked to a series of dognappings occurring around the village.

I received both the e-Arc and audio ARC of this book. The overall audiobook narration by Lucy Paterson was done well but (and this is just my thoughts) I kind of felt she made Belinda sound much older whenever she narrated her character...I kind of had two images of Belinda going in my mind while reading the book and listening to it separately and they didn't match. Overall I liked the book and loved the setting of Little Chalham. Harry Powell is the lead character in a previous detective/police procedural series by Lisa Cutts and it will be interesting to see how he manages now in a more cosy setting.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture/Bookouture Audio and the author Lisa Cutts for both the e-Arc and audio ARC of the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
(⭐⭐⭐✨💫-audiobook)

A cute little cozy mystery. Nothing that really challenges the reader, but I enjoyed the style of the writing. And who doesn’t love a cozy with a dog?? The narration was spot on and definitely added to the story. I look forward to the next outing for Belinda and Harry.

Taking place in the cute little town of Challham, UK, this cozy mystery is just the read you need to accompany your cuppa! Belinda Penshurst is the owner of Challham Castle, and when a local pub owner is murdered in his own pub, Belinda decides she is going to solve they mystery herself. She and retired detective Harry Powell begin their investigation and no one is above suspicion!

Soon Belinda and Harry discover that the murder may have something to do with the large amount of dogs that have gone missing recently in the village. Will they solve the mystery in time before any more dogs go missing, or people die?!

This book is a charming cozy mystery that will certainly pass the time on any rainy fall afternoon. I listened to this book on audio and the narrator did a great job as well!

Special Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Belinda and Harry were charming. Belinda’s quick enthusiasm combined with Harrry’s laid back cynicism gave me a laugh. I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed the telling of it. Bonus points that this cozy mystery could be enjoyed with kiddos in the car.

This is a perfectly good cozy mystery story, the perfect one for a rainy day or a beach day. It is simple and straightforward, though for awhile a few too many characters came in -- for an audio book, anyway. The story was easy to follow and repetitive enough to follow easily. The mystery was pleasing because it was understandable.

This is the first of two books in a series.

My real love is the narrator. I didn't understand at first, but she puts me to sleep. Totally, happily to sleep. I don't know if the voice is like my mom's or what, but it is soothing and pleasing. I played the book several times before I realized I was going to have to stay sitting up while I listened to it. Otherwise, snorefest. Not the story, certainly, but a quality of the voice.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audio book.

Not for me, but certainly a book of potential that might fit someone else! The writing and narrators were both good, but I didn't particularly enjoy the main character, Belinda. I warmed up to her by the end, but otherwise not much fault elsewhere. The fun part is that, as always, I was 100% wrong on the bad guy's identity. Minor twists and entertaining supporting characters made for a nice time.

I enjoy a good cozy mystery and this one was ok. I love the setting but felt not much was happening in the plot. The characters were interesting and I will try to read the next book in the series when it comes out.

This is a fun cozy mystery that is sure to keep you hooked. I needed to know who the murderer was and kept listening every chance I got. Hope to get to know these villagers more!

Murder in the Village: A completely gripping English cozy mystery by Lisa Cutts
Narrated by Lucy Paterson
Pub Date 25 Aug 2021
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Mystery & Thrillers

Murder in the Village is the first book in the new Belinda Penshurst Mystery series by Lisa Cutts. This was a fun cozy mystery set in a small English village.

I really enjoyed this book! It was fast paced and had a fun story! The mystery was great and kept me guessing! I loved the characters and their interactions. I thought this story was so funny and I had a few laugh out loud moments! I also loved how this book revolved around all the dogs!

I look forward to reading the future books in the series! This one was so good, that I'm confident there is more greatness to come!

The narration by Lucy Paterson was incredible! She gave the story life and was fun to listen to!

I'm so grateful to Lisa Cutts, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this audio. Murder in the Village is a great cozy mystery that keeps you interested until the very end. The narrator was perfect for this book.

The story is about Belinda Penshurst who owns a castle in a quaint little English village where she lives. Needless to say, there is a murder and she investigates. Retired detective Harry Powell moved to Little Challham for a quiet life. He didn’t expect to be dragged into a murder investigation. But the police don’t seem half as enthusiastic as Belinda about the case, and there are strange things happening in the village. Particularly the number of dogs that have disappeared lately…

A must read and one I highly recommend!

This book was fine. Not super memorable. I had to go back and reread the summary to remember if I had read it. There was nothing wrong with the story, it just wasn't great either. I finished it and gave it 3 stars but nothing to write about.

This is the very enjoyable start to what promises to be a very good series.

Belinda is fabulously bossy, and Harry is so gruff, yet so vulnerable.

The plot was twisty and full of turns that kept me guessing right up to the end.

The narration by Lucy Patterson was pleasing to the ears. She has a lovely voice which lends itself to this type of story - it is rich and full of expression.

Definitely worth a listen!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Lisa Cutts for an audio ARC in return for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, I listened to it in two goes. It is easy to follow and keeps your attention. I liked the narrator too.

An enjoyable and easy listen. The narrator brought the characters to life, and I finished the audiobook in a few sittings.

Belinda Penshurst shares Chalham Castle near Little Chalham with her brother who seems to always get involved in money making schemes which worries her. She meets a face from her past Harry Powell a retired detective who had previously arrested her but is now residing in Little Chalham and working for a firm part time delivering dog food. They both seem to notice that dogs are disappearing and then a body is found.
This is a cosy mystery with many suspects and an interesting storyline. Easy to listen to and well narrated.