This was a fun little cozy mystery. Part of a series, it was easy to pick up this book and not feel like I was missing out on any big plot points from prior books. The characters were fun and the setting was really cool and just want you want in a murder mystery - a sprawling old English home full of history, secret passages and covered in snow. The ending was a bit unexpected which always makes for an interesting read.

I am such a fan of the nosey Parker series and could not wait to sink my teeth into the latest installment. The fact that it's set at Christmas just made it better. Full of charm, humour and mystery, this book had everything I was hoping for and more. I could not put it down and cannot wait for the next one. A definite must read.

The return of Jodie Parker the Cornish Miss Marple full of humour.
Jodie is an ex police woman now catering for a charity run by a millionaire in a 13th century abbey with lots of secret passages.
A snowstorm keeps the last of the guests in the abbey then a body is found in the morning, the police are snowed in so Jodie starts to investigate with the help of her teenage daughter.

Love the sense of humour and Jodie is a great character, the story just flows easy a great fun read have read all of her books.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you've not read this series before, it's a light-hearted, fun, cozy, murder mystery novel - exactly as described. This works as a stand-alone but the best thing about a series is catching up with characters that you love. And, I love these characters from Jodie aka Nosey "the undisputed queen of poking my nose into things that routinely got me into trouble" to her mum who's "like an airport sniffer dog when it comes to PG Tips" but also thinks 'Die Hard' is a good Christmas film for an eight-year-old. It's not just the characters though it's the dynamics and banter between them that makes them so fun. For that reason this one did feel a little flatter for me - I mean don't get me wrong, I was totally rooting for Jodie and Nathan to get together in the previous books but at the same time I really missed the love/hate, will they/won't they thing they used to have.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

A Nosey Parker Cosy Mystery Book 4

It's three days before Christmas, and detective-turned-chef Jodie "Nosey" Parker is drafted in to cater a charity event run by notorious millionaire at a thirteenth century abbey on Bodmin Moor. Things get more complicated when a snowstorm descends, stranding them all, and the next morning they find one of the guests had been gruesomely murdered in their bed.

This is the first book in the series that I've read. With a snowstorm and the phones off, the guests at a charity dinner are stranded with a killer amongst them. This is a cosy, easy to read murder mystery. The characters are believable and well rounded. This book does read well as a standalone. It's filled with twists and surprises.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #FionaLeitch for my ARC of #ACornishChristmasMurder in exchange for an honest review.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. This light-hearted, amusing murder mystery is the fourth in the series. Although it could be read as a stand-alone, it's better read as part of the series as Leitch has developed the characters with each book. The 5 stars are for sheer enjoyment; my reason for reading a book. Leitch brilliantly blends the tragedy of death with quirky characters and situations. I look forward to the next instalment.
This is an honest review of an complementary ARC.

This was my first Fiona Leitch book and it was a fun and entertaining mystery.

I really enjoyed the eccentric group of people that make up Jodie's crew and the historic manor house provided a perfect spooky, snowy setting for the murder. Some of the humour fell a bit flat for me, but that could just be a personal preference. I also found several of the side characters to be a bit 'caricature-ish' but again, this could simply be me and it wouldn't stop me from picking up another book in the series.

A Cornish Christmas Murder was an engaging read with plenty of twists and turns and left me guessing right up until the end. Huge thanks to the publisher for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

EXCERPT: The room had been built out of that thick grey stone, the doorway opening out onto a wide spacious room that nonetheless felt quite dark; instead of the large casement windows overlooking the grounds that the downstairs rooms had, the exterior wall here, in the older part of the house, had a row of small windows hung with thick tapestry curtains, which blocked out the weak sunlight. An internal wall had been added to partition off what I assumed was an en-suite bathroom or dressing room. It was painted a rich dark red - blood red, I thought. The floor was more of the grey stone, but covered in a thick rug that felt soft and warm underfoot. The overall effect was surprisingly warm and cosy, a perfect romantic winter retreat - but for the shape of the body on the beautifully carved wooden four poster bed.

ABOUT 'A CORNISH CHRISTMAS MURDER': A PINCH OF PARANOIA
It’s three days before Christmas, and detective-turned-chef Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is drafted in to cater a charity event run by a notorious millionaire at a 13th-century abbey on Bodmin Moor.

A DASH OF DECEPTION
Things get more complicated when a snowstorm descends, stranding them all, and the next morning they find one of the guests has been gruesomely murdered in their bed…

A MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE
Secrets mull like wine on the stove in every corner – can Jodie solve the crime before the killer strikes again?

MY THOUGHTS: Three nights before Christmas, and all through the house, nothing is stirring - except for a murderer.

Although I had not read any of the three previous books - something I intend to remedy immediately - I soon felt like I knew these characters well. Jodie just can't keep her nose out of other people's business, and it seems that it's a family trait thirteen year old Daisy has inherited. Jodie's mother Shirley is a menace; she has absolutely no filter and eats all the biscuits. Friend Debbie an ex-nurse, along to help with the catering, finds herself assisting in a murder enquiry. These four form an irascible bunch, and a formidable one. But wait! I'm forgetting Germaine, an adorable Pomeranian who completes the troupe. Yes, there are references to Enid Blyton's Famous Five made.

The story flows freely with a good cast of supporting characters, none of whom seem to have any sort of motive for killing the obese Santa impersonator. There are plenty of red herrings to keep the reader entertained, and the story is written with well judged humor and wit.

The setting is a magnificent and atmospheric old abbey in the throes of being converted into a luxury hotel. It boasts a ghost, secret rooms and passages, a wonderful library or two, and a whole heap of history.

This is a fun entertaining read, and I can't wait to read more in this series. And the bonus: a lovely Christmas recipe is provided at the end. I've never made my own Christmas mince pies, but I am tempted to give these a try.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.7

#ACornishChristmasMurder #NetGalley

I: @leitchfiona @onemorechapterhc

T: @fkleitch @OneMoreChapter

#christmasfiction #contemporaryfiction #cookbook #cozymystery #detectivefiction #domesticdrama #mystery #romance

THE AUTHOR: Fiona Leitch is a writer with a chequered past. She’s written for football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves and is a stalwart of the low budget TV commercial, even appearing as the Australasian face of a cleaning product called 'Sod Off'. After living in London and Cornwall she's finally settled in sunny New Zealand, where she enjoys scaring her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days dreaming of retiring to a crumbling Venetian palazzo, walking on the windswept beaches of West Auckland, and writing funny, flawed but awesome female characters.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Cornish Christmas Murder by Fiona Leitch for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

A Cornish Christmas Murder is the latest in Fiona Leitch’s series of mysteries featuring ex-police officer turn chef, Jodie Parker.

Taking a job catering for a Christmas party held by local boy turned millionaire Isaac Barnes leads to Jodie being caught up in a grizzly murder. Cut off from the local police’s help by a heavy blizzard, Jodie has to do some investigating of her own.

A Cornish Christmas Murder is a light, funny confection which is perfect for a pre-Christmas treat.

A Cornish Christmas Murder is a fast-paced, mystery delight! This is my first in Fiona Leitch's Nosey Parker series and it won't be my last. I love a good laugh out loud mystery with lots of fun characters and of course, murder. We start out with an ordinary day for Josie Parker's catering crew when a snowstorm strands them at a large English manor turned hotel where they catered a Christmas party for kids. As the night goes, more guests pop up and murder comes into play. I loved the reveal of the murderer and there were lots of red herrings along the way. I would highly recommend if you're looking for a great Christmas cozy mystery with lots of laughs and holiday spirit!

Jodie, her mother, daughter and best friend are catering for a party in an old abbey on Bodmin Moor just a few days before Christmas. When they arrive at the event they are too busy working to notice that the snow has worsened and they are now stuck in the abbey until the roads are cleared.

The next morning one of the guests is discovered dead. Can ex police officer Jodie discover who the murderer is before the snow melts?

This is a great holiday cozy murder mystery.

Just when I think I'm over the entire cozy genre, I stumble across this wonderful book! Wow! I enjoyed this book so very much. It was a fun mystery set at Christmastime n a remote stately home under renovation. Snowstorms and chaos ensue. I really liked Josie and her family so very much. The book was clever and gripping. This was my first Nosey Parker book, but I intend to seek out the earlier books.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another delightful novel from Fiona. Her Nosey Parker stories with Nathan and Jodie solving murders are always well written and carry you along while you try to decide who is the culprit. I look forward to reading more of her novels.

A Cornish Christmas Murder” is the 4th instalment in The Nosey Parker Cozy Mystery series by Fiona Leitch. I love this series!

I love visiting Cornwall and Jodie, Daisy, and her mum but let’s not forget about Germaine the Pomeranian! This time we are at a country house a former 13th-century abbey on Bodmin Moors during a snow storm, with hidden rooms, and a Santa…

The mystery was really interesting, well plotted, and had just enough twists to keep you engrossed and wanting to know what happens next. I really hope there will be a book 5 coming out soon, as I can’t get enough of this series.

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Harper Collins UK. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

When Jodie Parker's old school chum, Lily, invites her to cater a charity event for children hosted by a notorious millionaire, she graciously accepts. The event is set to be held just three days before Christmas at an old abbey on Bodmin Moor. The location is remote and the property is currently being transformed by Lily and her employer into a boutique hotel.

As Jodie arrives on the night of the event, with her mother, daughter, best friend and dog in tow, the snow begins to fall in earnest. Over the course of the night, with all the festivities going on, Jodie is too busy to notice that it never really stops. By the time things are wrapped up and Jodie and friends have cleaned and packed, it's too messy to leave.

Although communication with the outside world is spotty, they do receive word that the roads through the Moors are blocked. They have no choice but to stay the night. There are plenty of rooms, heat and food to accommodate the group left over, which includes, in addition to the caterer and her staff, Lily, her employer, the millionaire, his son and assistant, a Santa impersonator, a small group of Japanese eco-tourists and a stranded couple trying to travel home from a dinner party.

Early the next morning, one of the guests is discovered dead in his room. From the looks of the scene, it wasn't a natural death. Luckily, Jodie Parker, isn't your standard caterer. She's recently resigned from the Metropolitan Police and this isn't the first murder she's investigated. Able to briefly contact her DCI boyfriend, Nathan, Jodie explains the situation and has Nathan call help for them. Now she just has to keep the scene under control until the police force is able to arrive. Easier said than done.

I had so much fun reading this. It has a classic set-up and likable, hilarious characters. Further, it featured some of my favorite Mystery tropes. This Cornish Cozy gave me exactly the vibe I was hoping for rolling into the holiday season.

I know the more books that I read in this series, the more attached I am going to get to these characters. Rest assured, I will definitely be reading the other books in this series. The investigation was a hoot. The dynamic between Jodie and her family had me giggling throughout. The narrative is wacky, wild and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Leitch has got quite a sense of humor.

Thank you so much to the publisher, One More Chapter, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I recommend picking this one up over the holiday season. Give yourself an escape for a bit. Sit back, put your feet up and have a laugh. You deserve it!

A Cornish Christmas Murder is book 4 of the Nosey Parker series and it was such a cozy treat. I recommend this one for anybody looking for a solid murder mystery with a Christmas theme.

Our main character is relatable and funny... it feels like I could be friends with her. I think the author does a stellar job with most of the characters, which helps deepen the plot. Not only are the characters so well done, I really enjoyed the imagery and overall setting. I'm a sucker for any book set somewhere "cold" and this did just the trick.

I didn't really know where the story was going and I loved that! There are so many mysteries where you've got it figured out 20% in and this definitely isn't the case. I thoroughly enjoyed getting through all of the details and whodunnits.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Cornish Christmas Murder tells the latest adventure of Jodie Nosey Parker.

Few days before Christmas Jodie is catering for a children charity event that takes place in an historical house, but after the event she, her colourful crew, and some other guests stay stuck at the villa because of a snowstorm. The morning after the snowstorm has passed but when the house awakes the dead body of the poor Santa impersonator is found in his bed chamber, the murderer is in the house and the police can't easily reach them so Jodie takes the liberty to start to investigating.

I am really enjoying this series, and even if in this particular story the murderer is not too hard to guess, it's indeed complicated to find the how and the why.

The setting and the characters are awesome, I can't stress enough how sweet is Jodie and Nathan relationship, and the historical bits appealed my curiosity.

The always engaging and practical writing of this author made this a good story, I highly recommend to read it if you like this genre.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, in return for an honest review. While the fourth book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. I’m delighted to return to Jodie Parker and her family. Called ‘Nosey’ Parker since childhood, Jodie returned to her hometown after time spent as a detective in the Metropolitan Police Force. When a difficult police situation made her realize that the impact on her young daughter, Daisy, Jodie made the move and opened a catering business.
Aided by her mum, daughter, and a good friend, Debbie, Jodie caters a children’s charity Christmas lunch in a former abbey turned event destination. By the time the party’s ended and their clearing up is done, a snowstorm descends, and the roads are impassable for the foreseeable future. Yet, somehow, random people are caught in the storm and end up at the house. When one of them is murdered, Jodie realizes that time is of the essence and her police skills kick in to solve the crime and hold the perpetrator until the police can arrive.
I enjoy this series with its wild cast of characters and I look forward to the next book!

This was a cute whodunnit with some humor thrown in. Even though this was part of a series (I believe its number four) I felt the author gave you just enough detail to catch you up on the relationships between characters so you didn't feel like you were missing out on anything.

3 ½ stars really. Very light murder in the traditional setting of a snowbound country house. So a closed set of suspects, both known and unknown. A most enjoyable light read and I will be going back to the first book in the series. This seems to be book 4. Thanks to Netgalley.