This is another great read from Clare Chase. Her writing makes this a superior cosy crime series.

It was nice to catch up with Eve and Gus again as this time she looks into another suspicious death.

Emory Fulton was once a famous TV ghost hunter, and frequented many a television panel. Now his star has faded he gives ghost tours and he knows the history of local families and buildings and that knowledge makes him dangerous to someone.

His brother and sister in law had made him stay outside of the family home and he had been seen arguing with his goddaughter’s partner.

Eve is just getting to know him when he is found murdered. To write a true obituary Eve seeks to get to know the deceased better.

This is is a wonderful read and I can not wait to read the next one.

Other titles in the series include:

Mystery on Hidden Lane

Mystery at Apple Tree Cottage

Mystery at Seagrave Hall

Mystery at the Old Mill

Mystery at MagPie Lodge (an Eve Mallow Mystery Book 7)
by Clare Chase
Pub Date: January 6, 2022
Bookouture
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book. An unputdownable page-turner, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Betty Rowlands.
This is a new series for me. Mystery at Magpie Lodge has a well-thought-out, compelling plot, and enough twists to keep the most demanding armchair sleuth satisfied. Clare Chase writes with such flair and an easy style and this was a story that held my attention well, loving my escape into Eve's world of diabolical deeds. You don’t need to be familiar with the characters to fully enjoy these mysteries. I am eagerly anticipating what Clare Chase has in store for Eve Mallow next, in book eight, Mystery at Lovelace Manor.
5 stars

Could a ghost be exacting revenge on the family of her killer? Emory Fulton is found dead, drowned, and the village of Saxford notes the death of a servant centuries earlier. Eve Mallow is not convinced that there is a supernatural culprit and begins an investigation into his murder.
Mystery at Magpie Lodge is the seventh book by Clare Chase to feature obituary writer and amateur sleuth Eve Mallow and her lover Robin, a former police officer in witness protection.
Eve sweeps into action to write her obituary of Emory who is found murdered. Meanwhile she has a good rummage through the motives and alibis of likely suspects. There is a supernatural twist to the plot as Emory was renowned for ghost hunting and seances, whilst his family history involves suspicious deaths.
Eve is ably assisted by her dachshund Gus and secretly helped by Robin whilst clashing horns with inept and surly police officer DI Palmer. The usual village characters appear plus a host of potential murderers for Eve to sift through. Motive and alibi prove key as usual for this series of book, in the finest Agatha Christie tradition.
Mystery at Magpie Lodge is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Mystery At Magpie Lodge' by Clare Chase.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Clare Chase, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 6th January 2022

This is the fourth book I have read by this author. It is also the seventh book in the 'Eve Mallow Mystery' series but it can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Mystery At The Old Mill ' which is the fourth book in the 'Eve Mallow Mystery' series, 'Mystery At The Abbey Hotel' which is the fifth book in the 'Eve Mallow Mystery' and 'Mystery At The Church' which is the sixth book in the 'Eve Mallow Mystery' series which I would highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'A completely unputdownable page-turner, perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Agatha Christie and Betty Rowlands.'. I am a huge fan of Faith Martin and Agatha Christie so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Clare Chase and if this is half as good as 'Mystery At The Abbey Hotel', 'Mystery At The Old Mill' and 'Mystery At The Church' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 47 chapters. The chapters are short in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in a fictional town based in Suffolk, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited Suffolk on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Clare has based the book on.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Eve Mallow. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out on anything.

Yet another page turning, fantastic adventure with Eve, Gus and Robin!!! If you have never read any books in this epic series you are missing out!!!


This book is very well written making it a lovely smooth read. The atmosphere and vivid descriptions are perfect for the plot and helps give that cosy feeling while reading. The synopsis and cover suited the storyline perfectly. I'm looking forward to reading more of Clare Chase's books including any prior to this one. This book can easily be read as a standalone and anything that has happened prior is described in just the right amount of detail.

The storyline itself is a lovely cosy mystery that kept me guessing all the way through. I had no idea who the killer was so a huge congratulations to Clare!!!! It is getting harder and harder to surprise me with the amount of crime books I read but you definitely managed it. I enjoyed that it wasn't really a case of just one mystery but how several linked smoothly and everything was tied up nicely at the end, I hate loose ends!! I really enjoyed going on this adventure with Eve and investigating with her. The book was filled with crime, mystery, murder, red herrings and some suspense. I also believe that Clare portrayed village life perfectly and the community within them. I absolutely love reading Eve's obituary at the end of each book and she captivates the personality of the victim absolutely perfectly. I loved the atmosphere at Magpie Lodge with its gothic atmosphere. This book was absolutely filled with surprises and another fantastic addition to the addictive 'Eve Mallow Mystery' series. Clare has definitely done her research which shines through, especially on the ghost stories which also added to the the perfect gothic atmosphere!! I really enjoyed reading up on the Black Shuck legend.

Although this is the seventh book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

The characters were all realistic, strong and an eclectic bunch to say the least. It was really fun learning all of their different characteristics, personalities and backgrounds. I love Eve and of course Gus and I really enjoyed meeting them again along with Robin and Viv. Eve felt to me to be slightly eccentric which I enjoyed the most about her. I also enjoyed meeting all the new characters who all had such strong personalities although I could not stand the way several of the male actors were towards women.

Congratulations to Clare Chase on another successful and addictive page turning murder mystery. Welcome to my favourite author list and I cannot wait to see what Eve and Gus get up to next!!!

Overall an absolutely compelling, addictive and page turning gothic cosy mystery that is perfect to read on front of the fire.


Genres covered in this novel include Mystery, Suspense and Crime Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of cosy mysteries, Faith Martin and Agatha Christie.

329 pages.

This book is just £2.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free on Kindle Unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I read the first few of this series but it's been awhile since I picked up an Eve Mallow mystery and it felt kind of like catching up with an old friend that I haven't seen in ages.

When former ghost hunter and TV personality Emory Fulton is found murdered, obituary writer and amateur detective Eve Mallow is drawn into the investigation. The more she digs, the trickier and more dangerous it gets.

This is one of those cozy mysteries that has everything you want. A gossipy village atmosphere, likeable sleuth with an adorable animal companion in the form of Gus the dachshund and plenty of suspects to choose from. I genuinely feel that this series is crying out for a TV adaptation.

I enjoyed the hint of the supernatural. Eve is still an ardent sceptic, even though she's had a few ghostly experiences herself.

I love reading along and seeing if I can guess the culprit, but this book had me well and truly stumped.

Mystery at Magpie Lodge is a light-hearted mystery that will both entertain and keep you guessing until the very end.

Emory Fulton seems to have no place to go so he returns to the quaint village of Saxford St. Peter. His family isn’t happy about his returning home. He moves into the broken down Magpie Lodge and he begins running historical tours of the Lodge but the local town residents aren’t to happy about it and neither is Emory’s family. But then Emory is found drowned in the bath tub. Eve Mallow is on the case. She is a part-time baker, the manager of her best friend’s tea room and a freelance obituary writer for the newspaper. But, her passion is full-time amateur sleuth. So, when she gets word of Emory’s drowning, she is on the case. She interviews Roger, Emory’s older brother, Roger’s wife Selina and their daughter Coco. Their behavior seems very suspicious, and Eve won’t stop until she has the answers to all of her questions. I loved this story, and one of my favorite characters is Eve’s dachshund, Gus. He is her trusted sidekick and one that is often her sounding board. She always discusses the clues and findings of the case with Gus, which helps her figure out whodunit. This was such a wonderful cozy mystery, that kept me guessing who the culprit was, until the very end. The detailed description of village made it a place I would want to visit. This series is an wonderful escape and one that you are sure to love, from beginning to end.

Thank you Clare Chase for such an amazing addition to Eve Mallow series. This is one series that kept me guessing each and every time. I absolutely loved this story, and I highly recommend it.

Mystery at Magpie Lodge is the seventh book in the Eve Mallow series by Clare Chase. Set in a small village in Suffolk County, England, this book centers around the murder of a second son of a noble family who has created a life and career for himself focused on ghosts, telling fortunes and other occult practices. Although this is the first book that I have read in this series, I found that there was adequate information provided regarding the history of the characters that I was able to understand the various relationships contained in the book.

The author did an excellent job of developing the various characters and plotlines is a way that keeps the reader guessing until the end as to both the killer and the motive. As the story unfolded, there were numerous side plots and developments that created misdirects but also made most of the suspects vulnerable to reader sympathies.

I will most likely go back and read the earlier books in this series and definitely look forward to future installments.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I am delighted to be catching up with the latest happenings in this charming cozy mystery series. It was great to be back with Eve and her beloved dachshund Gus who live in the sweet little village of Saxford St Peter.

In this seventh instalment, at a gathering of friends Eve meets Emory Fulton, the brother of a local barrister, Roger Fulton, as well as Roger's daughter, Coco. Emory made a name for himself writing books about ghosts and other hauntings, as well as appearing on television talk shows. His newest enterprise in Saxford is leading ghost tours and such and living in crumbling Magpie Lodge. Eve also meets Laurence and Poppy Rice. When Emory turns up dead in the bath Eve is on the case, assisted by Robin.

Amateur sleuth, tea-shop employee and obituary writer, Eve just keeps getting better and better with each story. I find her ebullience, confidence and intuitiveness very refreshing, which is a credit to Clare Chase's writing skills, and I feel as though I am meeting up with an old friend when I'm reading a new Eve Mallow mystery. Her dog, Gus is also a favourite who has captured my heart. The author's superb and varied characterisation is fantastic, and in this brilliant story, there is certainly no shortage of suspects, as Eve realises.

Mystery at Magpie Lodge has a well-thought-out, compelling plot, and enough twists to keep the most demanding armchair sleuth satisfied. Clare Chase writes with such flair and an easy style and this was a story that held my attention well, loving my escape into Eve's world of diabolical deeds. Whilst I recommend reading the books in order, you don’t need to be familiar with the characters to fully enjoy these mysteries. I am eagerly anticipating what Clare Chase has in store for Eve Mallow next, in book eight, Mystery at Lovelace Manor.

Disclosure: Thank you to Bookouture for providing a digital ARC of Mystery at Magpie Lodge by Clare Chase via Netgalley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Mystery at magpie Lodge by Clare Chase.
An Eve Mallow Mystery Book 7.
When the down-on-his-luck Emory Fulton moves into crumbling Magpie Lodge, and starts running historical tours, the locals are none too pleased. He’s inventing grisly tales about their lovely little village, and disturbing everyone’s peace.
A very good read with good characters. Great story. I did like Eve. I hope there is more to come. 4*.

This is another great Eve Mallow mystery
Where the obituary writer uncovers the history
And helps to discover just who and why
Someone in the community was forced to die.

Eve, with her dachshund, Gus, and Robin, her secret lover,
Are working together again with the hope to discover
Just why someone was killed and by whom
Before anyone else meets their doom!

Emory Fulton has returned to live in Magpie Lodge
Even though its an abode most would prefer to dodge.
He was famous and rich but has spent all he earned
But just why has he returned, no one has yet learned.

There are secrets from the present and the past
Can Eve discover which are relevant to this murder at last?
She has solved murder mysteries several times before
Can she do it again before the killer strikes once more?

I love the sense of community and friendship in this tale
The intrigue of the gossiping villagers all help without fail.
With tasty treats in the cafe, and twists you do not see,
All contribute to make this is a delightful village cosy mystery.

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I throughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.

amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, family-dynamics, friendship, cosy-mystery, England, ex-cop, journalist, small-business, small-town, murder, murder-investigation, entertainer, secrets, dachshund*****

OK, so my absolutely favorite part was when Eve's beautiful long-haired dachshund, Gus, sang along with the congregation on Sunday!
Eve Mallow is a character that draws you in with her personality, honest journalism in writing obits for select famous people, her sleuthing, and (of course) her delightful dachshund. She also has a day job working part-time in her friend's tea shop and a friend who is a former police detective who is in a protection program. Gossip is the name of the game until the prodigal ghost chaser gets murdered in his off-site bathtub (talk about family divisiveness!). Let the sleuthing begin while the local preens and looks for publicity and promotion (he's a real lamebrain!). Devious plot twists and sneaky red herrings with both new and ongoing characters make this an easy stand-alone. Yup, riveting! Loved it!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC.
This is the 7th in the Eve Mallow Mystery series and I feel I could have benefited from reading the previous books in the series, because of all the fantastic reviews I read by readers who love the series.
I liked Eve and especially Gus, her beloved dog. The mystery itself was good and I enjoyed trying to figure out whodunit, but I wasn't totally immersed in the story, which is why I think it would have been better if I had started the books from no. 1.

The Mystery at Magpie Lodge by Clare Chase is another of the Eve Mallow series of murder mysteries, cozy style. Eve is a 51-year-old divorcee from London who has landed in the village of Saxford St Peter, looking for a new life. She has mostly found it between writing high-end obituaries; working at Monty's with her friend, Viv; and her relationship, secret though it may be, with Robin. She had her own cozy cottage, her own dog to walk, and many friends in the village. It is at a gathering of friends that she meets Emory Fulton, the brother of a local barrister, Roger Fulton, as well as Roger's daughter, Coco. Emory had made a name for himself years earlier by writing books about ghosts and other hauntings, as well as appearing on television talk shows. His newest enterprise was right here in Saxford, leading ghost tours and séances and such. Eve found him to be charming and quite entertaining. She also met local entrepreneur, Ada's, (Selina's partner), son and daughter-in-law, Laurence and Poppy Rice. Selina was Roger's wife. Laurence was on track at Bathurst College to do great things, in part due to
his father-in-law, who was chancellor there. When Emory turned up dead, there was a dearth of suspects.

I enjoy Eve and her life. The mysteries are always good and the setting and characters are marvelous. If I have a criticism, it is that Eve always ends up nearly dead when she solves the crime, falling victim to the murderer. It is a good plot twist, but can be over used. Robin, being a policeman in hiding, is very useful to Eve and is always available to perform a rescue, seeming to know when he will be needed. The writing is good; easy to read, and intelligent. There are always several murders, seemingly unrelated, but of course, they are. This is a good series and this was an especially good book, as it dealt with the past and people's superstitions.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Mystery at Magpie Lodge by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #bookoutre #clarechase #themysteryatmagpielodge

When the down-on-his-luck Emory Fulton moves into crumbling Magpie Lodge, and starts running historical ghost tours. When he’s found dead in his bath, and everyone is suddenly running scared. The murder mirrors one of Fulton’s stories about Saxford’s dark past…
However Eve Mallow is sure the answers lie in much more recent events when she starts to write his obituary she starts to dig a little deeper. As Eve unravels the secrets of the living and the dead, one thing is for sure: Fulton was a haunted, hunted man.
This is the seventh book in the series & whilst it’s easily read on its own the characters have developed beautifully over the series. I love Eve who is like a terrier with a bone but this time she'd met Emory & liked him. Of course there is a cast of regulars including the baking genius Viv, the gossipy Moira & the enigmatic Robin & of course the ever faithful Gus. I love how relationships have developed & grown throughout the series especially Eve & Robins'. There are plenty of suspects as well as twists & turns & red herrings, I didn't work out who the murderer was, which is always a bonus. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest edition & look forward to many more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is Eve Mallow's seventh sleuthing adventure, and I'm far from tired of them. This time, it starts with a ghost tour in the village - as intriguing as scary, especially when the organiser gets murdered in a way that reminds of one of the stories he told. But of course Eve doesn't believe the killer is a ghost and, once again, I really enjoyed following her as she interviewed everyone, gathered clues and discovered secrets.

Everything I said the first time still applies:

Set in a charming location (the kind of place that makes you wish it wasn't fictional... except for the murders, of course!), this series of cosy mysteries follows an ordinary woman (divorced, with two children in their twenties and a cute little dog) as her less ordinary job (writing obituaries) suddenly puts her in a definitely-not-ordinary situation - in the best place to investigate a murder.
The plot was suitably intriguing and I really liked the characters - Eve, her dog Gus, and also her new friend Viv (whose cakes contribute to make you wish the place wasn't fictional). One of my favourite things (that I can mention without spoilers) has to be that Eve not only keeps a spreadsheet to organise her thoughts but also talks about the case to her dog.

For those who haven't read Mystery on Hidden Lane, Mystery at Apple Tree Cottage, Mystery at Seagrave Hall, Mystery at the Old Mill, Mystery at the Abbey Hotel and Mystery at the Church yet, this one wouldn't spoil the ending of either of the others but would reveal the secret of one suspect from the first, so I still recommend to start with the first book unless you already have this one, can't buy the others immediately and really don't mind partial spoilers.

I love this series, it gets better with every book. This is a great cosy murder mystery which kept me guessing till the end. Fantastic

Obituary writer Eve Mallow is back at it when down at the heels physic and ghost hunter Emory Fulton is murdered in her little village of Saxford St. Peter. Just before he was killed he had donated some of the proceeds of a ghost walk he guided to her for a charity she supported, despite not being financially secure himself. That generosity makes her want to find out who killed the family black sheep, who just recently returned. Plenty of secrets are uncovered, needing to be unraveled as Eve sifts through them all looking for the truth. Emory’s family and neighbors are suspects while Eve’s friends Robin, Viv, Daphne and Sylvia all serve as sounding boards for her theories, and fill her in on local history. I enjoy the sense of community and how I can visualize the village because of the author’s writing. Please read the series in order to get the most enjoyment from them, the characters and their relationships develop in as they go along, you won’t regret it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy, as always, I’ll be looking forward to the next installment.

Wowsers, how did we get to book 7 already? And just as fresh as the first, no signs of flagging here. Oh and yes, I am going to recommend you start with book one and read in order. Not just cos that's the point of series books but, well, cos they are all pretty great reads.
So... my favourite Obituary Writer is at it again. Investigating I mean. This time, the unfortunate murder victim is one Emory Fulton who is a bit down on his luck and living in a crumbling Lodge, making a few coins running ghost tours, some of which is, well, let's just say a bit too imaginative. But whose back has he put up in doing so? Who would want him dead? Or is there more to his death, another motive? Enter our lovely heroine Eve Mallow to investigate. Well, the police are never going to break the case, not with Eve's nemesis in charge.
I do love the concept of an Obituary Writer being an amateur sleuth. And such a clever idea, a novel concept to me when I started this series. Who better placed to interview family and friends to get the inside scoop on the deceased? People spill more to such people than they would ever tell the authorities. And in a more casual setting they are much more likely to be a bit careless with their words.
And in this book too we see a bit more of Robin. Eve's secret love and ex-copper, now working as a gardener, low key. As well as adding a bit of a spark, he also facilitates Eve's investigation as he has a friend on the force.
Other characters that you will already be familiar with also appear in the book. The usual suspects, the villagers that I have also got quite fond of along the way. Oh and don't forget Gus!
And the main storyline, well, I think this one has to be the best yet of the series, and the bar is already set quite high. It had me flummoxed for the majority as I tried to work out what was going on. And once all was revealed, well, I had to sit back and applaud the author for a job well done.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Latest instalment in the lovely cozy mystery series featuring Eve Mallow, coffee shop owner, obituary writer and part time sleuth.

When a famous ghostbuster is found murdered Eve pitches to write his obituary and hopes to solve his murder. Having met the charming Emory Fulton she believes she can solve the crime better than the local police.

Great characters as usual and development of those we know and love including the fabulous Ava and love interest Robin.

Well written and easy to read with a good twist at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don't think Clare Chase can write a bad book or a weak mystery: all her stories were excellent and this one is the best so far.
It's a complex story that kept me turning pages and I read in one setting.
A story full of secrets, red herrings and something in the past that could or could not be relevant to the mystery.
We read about Eve slowly discovering secrets and clues. The final twists and the solution are excellent and I didn't see them coming.
Character and plot development are excellent, great storytelling as usual.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine