Jodie is a former police officer who now owns a catering business. She is hired to cater an event at historic home and a snowstorm hits. When everyone wakes up, a murder has happened and everyone is still snowed in. Jodie relies on her policing experience to start an investigation.

I enjoyed this book. There was a large cast of characters which made keeping track of everyone a bit hard. I feel like that is fairly common in cozy mysteries though. It's a fun Christmasy read.

I'm not sure I've read a "Christmas" book before and I'm not sure I'd be in a rush to read one again. "A Cornish Christmas Murder" by Fiona Leitch is quite light-weight but perhaps that is what you want if you have had a busy time at work and looking for some escapism. Reminded me a little bit about "The Mousetrap".

She did it again! And this time with tinsels, Santa and mince pies. I have so enjoyed reading The Cornish Christmas Murder, and despite the murder, it's a wonderful and christmassy story.
The brilliant Jodie Parker has a gig at a lovely manor, and brings along her daughter, best friend, her mum and even the dog. All is well, everyone having fun, until there's a nasty snowstorm, and someone gets murdered. And that's all I'm going to say, since I don't want to share any spoilers. But rest assured, Jodie is as sassy and smart as ever, and this time, she has a boyfriend!
I'm really enjoying this series. Nothing better than a well-written cosy crime – with loads of great food. I have learned to not read Jodie Parker books on an empty stomach ...

Jodie Parker, an ex police officer, is taken on to cater a children's charity party at an old abby, now a hotel. After the children leave there is a snowstorm, standing them plus some unexpected guests overnight. In the morning one of them is found murdered.
Although I haven't read a book in this series before I did find the first one sitting in my TBR list. It is a classic Cozy mystery with murder behind locked doors, unexpected guests and a sleuth who tries to solve the puzzle. It isn't, and doesn't try to be, a story where you carefully comb through the clues or are shocked by gruesome events. Instead of is one to be read and enjoyed in the style of Agatha and others. I really must get around to reading the first in the series, although that didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read this. A lighthearted who done it style, but also that air of chick lit. Perfect for me. Definitely five stars

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I enjoyed this old fashioned "Who Don It", great storyline, great theme and great characters. I really liked it.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter.

I enjoyed this book! It’s a lighthearted murder mystery with a hint of chick-lit.

I didn’t realise this was the 4th book in a series. However, it was written as though it was a standalone so I didn’t feel like I was going in completely blind. However, the characters didn’t feel well fleshed out which could be because it’s part of a series.

I really liked the description of the hotel, i’d love to visit it and explore all the secret rooms!

I did think the reveal was a bit anticlimactic, i’d’ve liked something more shocking/exciting.

This was such a fun book and I really enjoyed the characters and writing style.

The plot was a little obvious but fit all the tropes of a cosy murder mystery and I loved the Christmas element.

One of the things I struggle with in these types of books is the main character having so much info on murders but it made sense because she was an ex cop!

I hadn't read the previous books in the series but it didn't matter too much.

Thank you for the arc. I'd recommend this to people to read!

Actual rating 3.5⭐️

Will it be murder by mince pies or a battering with a barrel load of brussel sprouts that plunges ex copper turned crime busting caterer Jodie Nosey Parker into her fourth investigation? Highly unlikely but with the festive season in full swing anything can happen when Jodie arrives at Kingseat Abbey, invited by former school friend Lily Swann to cater for a children’s Christmas party. The venue which is currently undergoing a major transformation into a luxury hotel has been hired by multimillionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist Isaac Barnes. With mum Shirley, daughter Daisy, Mancunian friend Debbie and Germaine the Pomeranian in tow Jodie is lucky to get this last minute gig but is anxious that the snowy weather conditions don’t worsen over the course of the day. Her less than reliable Gimpmobile is unlikely to make the return journey across the moors in one piece! After clearing up an afternoon’s worth of carnage caused by rampaging excitable children high on too much sugar it comes as no surprise to learn Jodie and her kitchen helpers are snowbound, the roads impassable. Forced to stay overnight along with some other unexpected guests, including four Japanese tourists and a rather strange couple, all claiming to be lost you can probably guess what happens next! With the guests incommunicado since the phone signal is either intermittent or non existent the scene is set for drama and bloodshed. But who is on the naughty list and why? Is it possible that one of these guests has an axe to grind? However as you’ll soon find out it’s not an axe that’s the weapon of choice but one that fits in perfectly with the history of the Abbey. Fiona Leitch welcomes her readers back to Cornwall, home to this culinary themed cozy mystery series that for once feels rather chilly instead!

Well I thought I’d landed in the middle of a Famous Five/Scooby Doo adventure with this storyline. Thanks to the macabre history associated with Kingseat Abbey, it’s hidden library, tower, secret passageways and priest holes plus a Grey Lady ghost rumoured to haunt these corridors you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in for a really spooky tale. Fiona Leitch makes a concerted effort to build a tense, eerie atmosphere which works well up to a point but is one that I didn’t find completely convincing. As Jodie, Daisy, Shirley and Debbie together with Pomeranian Germaine creep about poking their noses into places ordinarily off limits they make a formidable quintet, especially in lieu of the police who arrive rather late to the party. I’d even go as far to say there’s a faint whiff of the board game Cluedo about this locked room murder mystery with all the guests aka potential suspects freely moving from room to room, sometimes turning up in unexpected places and making Jodie’s job all the more complicated. The plot is partially perplexing in the sense there are a number of twists, one of which is particularly good but I think it’s fairly easy to guess who’s committed murder most foul (or should that be fowl?!) More ambiguous is the how and the why meaning you’re kept guessing until the very end. The plotting does tend to veer towards the preposterous side but as it’s the season of goodwill I’m willing to overlook that.

Laced with a smattering of humour, a ladleful each of intrigue and suspicion, a nice dollop of romance and of course a dead body, this is a cozy mystery series that makes dark winter nights more appealing. The characters are just as important, if not more so, than the actual plot lines and I love ‘em all! This time around Daisy is showing definite signs of following in her mother’s footsteps (detective wise that is); she’s a Nosey Parker #2 in the making. Although strictly against Nathan’s orders (he really should know better by now!) Jodie can’t stop herself from meddling. Let’s face it she’s hardly likely to sit by idly stuffing her face with mince pies when there’s a murderer to unmask is she? Anyway munching the mince pies is Shirley’s job! Jodie has the keenest nose in the business for sniffing out the guilty party and you can always rely on her being one step ahead of the boys in blue. As for Shirley well, she loves a good old natter and a gossip as well as flirting unashamedly and dare I say is a tad embarrassing?? Although perhaps we should gloss over her snoring it’s fair to say we wouldn’t want her any other way!

For reasons I can’t quite pinpoint I don’t think A Cornish Christmas Murder has quite the same vibe as the other three books in the series. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but the artwork for this novel doesn’t fit in with previous covers which are so enticing. Neither does the title. In fact at first glance I wouldn’t have thought this was part of the same series. Having been so excited to catch up with Jodie and the rest of the Penstowan crowd I will admit to being slightly disappointed with this locked room mystery. On this occasion I don’t think there were enough credible suspects, the atmosphere wasn’t spooky enough for my liking and the comedy element isn’t as strong. If it wasn’t for Shirley whom you can always rely on to make an inappropriate comment or two then I would have barely cracked a smile. However I like how the focus shifts between the familiar characters so they all have a turn under the spotlight, giving the author the opportunity to further develop their personalities. It helps create the feeling you’re catching up with old friends which is part and parcel of the genre. I like too the romantic element which is going from strength and strength even though Nathan’s role is mainly confined to that of a voice on the other end of the phone! Much like Shirley (who’s already bought the hat) I’m eagerly anticipating the day Nathan and Jodie tie the knot. Imagine a murder at the wedding reception?!? Now that would make a good storyline! Over to you Fiona! The tantalising recipes dictated in Jodie’s unique voice are a nice touch to round things off.

The fact I’ve loved all previous three books in the series suggests I maybe had unrealistically high expectations of this one. A Cornish Christmas Murder is still enjoyable, puzzling and jolly good fun and is a great alternative to many of the Christmas themed novels adorning the shelves at present. Overall I really rate this cozy mystery series as tip top entertainment and would recommend to fans of the genre who have yet to be acquainted with this quirky, incredibly nosy sleuth. The teaser at the end giving a brief synopsis of book number 5 ( A Body at the Bake Off) is a sure fire way to tempt readers back, although despite my criticisms I need no convincing! I now consider myself a loyal follower of Jodie and her motley crew and look forward to joining them for another mystery which at least promises to involve a lot of cake!!

My thanks as always to the publisher OMC and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

What I Enjoyed

What I enjoyed most about A Cornish Christmas Murder and about the series as a whole is the wit and sense of humor of the main character Jodie Parker. Her outlook on things has me laughing out loud often as I read the story. I love how she can find the humor, even in the macabre, subtly and charmingly. As an ex-officer, I expect more of a professional, almost cold air. Still, Jodie is anything but the traditional police officer I anticipate.

I really enjoyed the setting in this particular story – a locked room in a locked house in the middle of a bad snowstorm. Somehow, there are so many questions even in this contained setting – including who the intended victim actually was. I loved the creativity of having a mystery in a location where it is hard to fathom that a mystery would be possible. Surely someone would hear something or see something in such a confined space.

The mystery is excellent. I did guess the who early on, but I had no idea why or even who the murderer meant to kill. I loved all the questions that were going through my head as the story unfolded. The house even had several secret passageways and hidden spaces to add to the fun and suspect potential.

Lastly, the characters are endearing and relatable. I loved the cast of serious and comedic guests who all find themselves suspect in the murder that takes place while they are sleeping. From the group of Asian tourists to Santa himself, it was a lot of fun to get to know and observe the suspects as I tried to figure out which of them was guilty.

Characters

Jodie "Nosey" Parker is the main character. She is a single mom and an ex-cop who left the force when her daughter had panic attacks about Jodie leaving the house to work. So, instead, she moved to her hometown and became a caterer. With her Gimpmobile catering van and her staff of her mother and her just turned teenage daughter, Jodie finds herself in the middle of murder mystery after murder mystery.

Jodie does have a significant other. Nathan, or DCI Nathan Withers, is a wonderful character. In the first story, he started as the typical dismissive officer, fussing at Jodie to let the professionals do their job. But Jodie's natural warmth and wit quickly won his heart, and now they make a lovely crime-solving duo. I love the way he has become so respectful of Jodie's intelligence and natural cop instincts. Instead of pushing her aside, he makes her a valuable member of his team.

Reminds Me Of

This series is naturally fun cozy and hits all the necessary elements of the genre. I don't know that the mysteries remind me of Agatha Christie's novels, but I think Christie would be a big fan.

What I Wish

The only thing I wish, and this is a tiny wish, is that there had been more Christmas cheer. The atmosphere did not really feel holiday, aside from having a man dressed as Santa, and I think there were a lot of opportunities there to have a holiday atmosphere.


To Read or Not to Read
If you enjoy fun cozies and locked room mysteries, this is a great story to pick up during the holiday season.

Another great addition to the series. I loved the idea of being stuck at a house and Jodie having to try and work out what happened, mostly without any help from her usual motley crew - she had her mum, daughter and Debbie with her but no Nathan (until later) or Tony (at all!).

I do wish a few characters had been developed a little more as I would have liked to see more of them but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for an advance copy of A Cornish Christmas Murder, the fourth novel to feature former Met detective turned caterer Jodie “Nosey” Parker.

Jodie and her motley staff are contracted to provide the food for a local millionaire’s charity party for deprived children in a remote hotel. The party goes well, but then the weather takes a turn and they are snowed in. When they get up in the morning one of the guests has been murdered.

I have not read this series before, so, ever eager to try new authors, I chose to give A Cornish Christmas Murder a go. Firstly I would say that it works well as a stand-alone and I didn’t feel I’d missed much by not reading its predecessors. Secondly I would say that it seems like a good example of the genre, offering a conundrum of who and why and a dash of humour to leaven the nastiness of murder in a well constructed way.

Unfortunately the novel left me cold. I guessed the killer’s identity, if not motive, immediately and spent the rest of the novel trying to work out why. The answer is, to me, extremely unconvincing. Then there’s the humour. It didn’t make me laugh as the one liners seem a bit contrived and, while it didn’t bother me, full of sexual innuendo which might offend some readers. It is a superficial novel so the characters are more like tropes, the crude mother, the remorseful businessman and the smart teenager. There are characters whose presence is unnecessary as they have nothing to contribute, hello “Japanese girls” and that says it all - unable to speak English so no need to be named.

A Cornish Christmas Murder will appeal to the cosy market, but it’s not for me.

I love a good cosy read every so often and I was determined to read a couple of Christmas books this year so this ticked two boxes. It’s a lovely well written tale with an unexpected murder and a whole lot of potential killers.

Briefly, chef and former detective Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is catering a charity event for disadvantaged children at a new hotel managed by her friend Lily. With the children gone Jodie and her team have cleared up only to find a snowstorm has blocked the roads and they are stranded. Everyone has to stay overnight and in the morning Steve who had been Santa Claus at the party was found murdered in his bed. Jodie knows she shouldn’t, she tries (not very hard) not to but her instincts are to investigate. So she does…

A great lighthearted fun read. A bit of murder, a bit of romance, secret passages, tales of ghosts and Christmas; what more could you ask for? I enjoyed it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I originally gave this 3.5 stars and rounded up to 4, but on thinking it over, I'm rounding down instead. It's a fairly standard cozy mystery, and I don't expect deep characterisation or brilliant writing or fiendish puzzles from those, but this one was honestly below average for me in all three areas. The middle third in particular lost my interest for a long while, and I had trouble even caring who any of these people were. The final third picked up quite a lot, but not enough to redeem the whole book. The solution was both obvious and very implausible, which didn't help. Just not for me, I guess.

“A Cornish Christmas Murder” (Nosy Parker Mystery #4) by Fiona Leitch. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Cozy Mystery. Location: Cornwall, England. Time: Present.-
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SERIES: Jodie (Nosey) Parker quit her job as a London Police Officer and moved home to Penstowan. She now owns a small, safe catering business. But murder keeps finding her, and true to her nickname, Jodie gets involved.-
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THIS BOOK: 12 guests, 1 snowstorm, and 1 Nosey Parker. Jodie caters a holiday children’s party at 13th century Kingseat Abbey. Her crew consists of 15-year-old daughter Daisy, Jodie’s outspoken mum, ex-nurse Debbie, and Germaine the Pomeranian. Stuck at the abbey by a snowstorm, they are joined by other stranded travelers. The next morning, a murder is discovered in a locked room. It must be someone in the abbey. But who, how, and why? Police can’t get through the storm, so Jodie and crew investigate.-
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The book is full of secret passes and hidden doors, snarky comments and family love, red herrings and twisted plots, reveals and redemptions, local language and customs. There’s no map, so you might want to take notes-the abbey is large and rambling.-
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Trigger note: Jodie’s van is The Gimpmobile. Traditionally, “Gimp” is offensive slang for a person with a physical disability. This book taught me it is also slang for a sexual fetish that has nothing to do with disabilities. The story is Jodie’s van was previously owned by a sexual fetish shop owner, thus the name. It’s not offensive when one understands the context, so I’m not lowering my rating based on an unfortunate coincidence.-
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It’s the perfect book for your holiday season, no matter what or who you celebrate or don’t celebrate. The writing is funny, the action moves along, and the characters are enjoyable. Publication date: December 9, 2021. With many thanks to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for the copy, it’s 5 stars from me.🌵📚👩🏼‍🦳.”

Jodie Parker and her catering team – consisting of her 13-year-old daughter Daisy, her mother and her right hand Debbie – have taken over a job at short notice at Bodmin Moor, an old abbey about to be turned into a guest house. Millionaire Isaac is hosting a Christmas party for kids with a Santa and all it needs to have a great event. The food is great and they all have a wonderful day. Yet, when they want to leave in the evening, it turns out that due to heavy snow fall, all roads are blocked. Thus, Jodie and her team, Isaac with his assistant and his son as well as Santa Steve have to stay overnight. Two knocks on the door bring more stranded people: a group of four Japanese women and a mysterious couple. They make the best of the situation, but when a dead body is discovered the next morning, they realise that a murderer must be among them.

I hadn’t noticed that “A Cornish Christmas Murder” is the fourth in Fiona Leitch series about the nosey ex member of the Met Police Jodie Parker. Yet, the cosy crime novel offers enough about her backstory to simply enjoy the case at hand. It is a classic setting with a group of strangers gathering in an isolated place where no mysterious intruder could have entered secretly to commit the deed. Thus, you know soon that one of the lovely bunch must be the culprit, only the questions of how and why remain of which the search for an answer is entertaining to follow.

It was especially that Agatha Christie-esque setting that drew me to the novel and I wasn’t disappointed. Christmas time is a jolly period which makes people especially unaware of the dark sides of the world. Despite the unwanted stay at the mansion, the night guests explore the premises and make the best of it. And the house has to offer some secret passages which open room for speculation about past times – and present times, too. Some late-comers about whom we do not learn too much add suspense to the circle of suspects.

The protagonist is a very likable down-to-earth woman – with quite a clever daughter – whom I liked immediately. The case offers some mysteries which are not too obvious to untangle but find a convincing end. A charming and diverting read perfect for the Christmas season.

Another brilliant romp, despite a murder, in Cornwall. I am really enjoying this series, but the books do work as stand alone pieces too, as the network of people is well, described in each book.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Ex Met officer, Jodie Parker turned caterer arrives at 13th-century abbey on Bodmin Moor to cater a children's Christmas event. After the event, Jodie and her merry crew (mom, daughter, friend, and dog) get snowed in and have to stay overnight at the abbey. They and other guests make the best of it, including jolly old Saint Nick and a few new straddlers who needed refuge.

When they wake up the next day, they find Santa impaled by a sword, in what appears to be a locked-room mystery. Who killed Santa and how did they get into a locked room?

Jodie and her friend/family start investigating, joined later that morning by DCI (and love interest) Nathan.

Hidden passages/priest holes and a mystery make this a delightful story and an easy holiday read. It was very enjoyable and it can be read as a stand-alone book.

I loved the characters and story development and I can't wait to read more stories by this author. If you (like me) have never read anything by Fiona Leitch, . this is a good book to start with - especially as it's holiday themed.

A fun British cozy mystery, what's not to love? Great for curling up on a wintery night, with a cup of tea or coffee or glass of wine. Especially if you prefer your festivities with a touch of murder rather than a hallmark-style rom-com (looking at you, Mom!). These characters were exceedingly charming. I like that the protagonist, Jodie, was older, with experience, more along the lines of an Agatha Raisin rather than a Ms. Marple or Jessica Fletcher of the mystery world. I also found her mom and daughter delightful additions to the story. Looking forward to what they get up to next.

'A Cornish Christmas Murder' is the latest novel in the amusing 'Nosey Parker cosy mystery' series by Fiona Leitch. Now, first of all, I love Christmas and books about Christmas are my guilty secret - especially books that include fab recipes!
Josie Parker is a former police detective, turned chef and now runs her own catering business. In 'A Cornish Christmas Murder' Josie and her team (mother Shirley, daughter Daisy and friend Debbie) are catering a charity event at 13th-century abbey on Bodmin Moor.
The commences with our intrepid team prepping for the event with thankfully goes without a hitch. Until the snowstorm arrives and everyone is forced to spend the night at the Abbey. Throw is some very unexpected guests, strange sounds, hidden passageways and you have the recipe for murder!
This is a lighthearted tale with some genuine laugh out loud moments - often courtesy of Shirley and her 'speak as I find' approach. A fun read that will help you get into the Christmas spirit this December.