I like cozy mysteries and I love how the characters become a sort of literary friends and care for them and follow the changes in their life hoping they will be for the best.
Belinda and Harry became two of these literary friends and I was very happy when I started this new novel as I knew I was going to read about them.
I was also a bit worried when I met Belinda’s former lover as it could have been the start of a love triangle and they are one of my pet peeves in the cozy mystery world.
Nothing happens on that side, but a lot happens on the mystery side.
A zoo, plenty of animals, weird characters, murders, and plenty of suspects.
It was the best instalment in this series, and it was the one I preferred as it’s full of twists, fast paced, and there’s a lot of developments and actions.
The mystery is solid, and I wasn’t able to guess the culprit even if I tried.
The characters are fleshed out and I like the developments in Belinda and Harry.
We must wait for the next story and I’m very curious to see what will happen.
This one is strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Charming and delightful cozy mystery set in the Kent countryside that holds your attention all the way through. Very likeable characters with mystery, murder and perhaps love? Oh my! Highly recommend this series!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

4.5 Stars
Belinda Penshurst has always loved Brabourne Gardens. A keen animal lover, she enjoys walking its winding paths and listening to the excited squeals of schoolchildren encountering the kind of wildlife you don’t normally find in England. So when one of the visitors is found strangled, she’s determined to learn whodunnit. The victim, Simon Carter, had a reputation for making trouble… But surely that’s not a good enough reason to want him dead. Together with retired detective Harry Powell who is now a security guard at the zoo, Belinda investigates the goings-on behind the scenes, and learns that some of the staff are more savage than the animals. Belinda’s ex Ivan has reappeared & is helping to rewild some elephants.
This is the third outing for Belinda & Harry, whilst it’s easily read on its own I'm enjoying the relationship between the pair & how it is developing. Poor Harry he gets a new job as a security guard at the zoo & almost immediately there’s a child pushed into the lion pen & then a murder & finally to cap it all Belinda’s ex turns up. A well written cosy mystery that was entertaining, a dash of humour & maybe a budding romance, throw in red herrings & twists & turns & I was one engrossed reader& devoured this delightful read in an afternoon
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Strange things are happening at the Zoo. Belinda’s good friend Harry, a retired detective, gets hired as head of Security at the Zoo. From the onset of the interview chaos starts. Can Harry, with Belinda’s help solve the crime? English cosy with a dollop of romance. Sure to please many.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy.

The murder mysteries that are solved by a retired detective, Harry and a want to be detective Belinda, they make it all sound so easy as they plot it out on their board or paper napkin. Can you solve the murder before them? These cosy mysteries are just what your granny ordered and will keep her and many more people entertained during the summer. The settings are typically English with good descriptions so you can almost picture it and imagine you are there with them solving the crime. Another great series from Lisa and her detective Harry.

The third book in the Belinda Penshurst series and this time it is set in the local private zoo. A great place for a variety of shenanigans!

Harry begins a new job as security at the zoo and almost immediately things start to go wrong. There are protesters at the gate, a child is dropped into the lion enclosure and then the murders begin. What more could go wrong? Oh yes - Belinda's ex turns up out of the blue. Does he want to start their romance again or is he there for someone else?

It is all very entertaining and add to this the humour between Harry and Belinda and you have a great read. I especially love the moment when Belinda agrees with Harry that Ivan has a very big forehead. It was all great fun.

Who knew that a trip to the zoo could be so dramatic......

When Belinda's former love Ivan returns to visit the Zoo for a meeting , Belinda offers to take him also there is Harry who ha accepted a job that day with the zoo's security, what follows next is a page turning heart stopping read that keeps you guessing

Definitely a must read

Another great book in this series. Harry Palmer is appointed head of security at Brabourne Zoology Gardens and immediately has to deal with a murder. Belinda is keen to help but is somewhat distracted by the reappearance of her ex Ivan. Could he be the perpetrator? Things become tense at Little Challam but not for long with the team of Harry and Belinda on the case.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Bookouture and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

My mind went numb in a positive way. I couldn’t stop guessing it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of MURDER AT THE GARDENS (Book 3 of the Belinda Penshurst Mysteries), by Lisa Cutts, in exchange for an honest review. Retired detective Harry Powell has decided to look into employment a little more exciting than selling dog food, so he applied to work security for a nearby zoo. Belinda Penshurst, a longtime animal activist and donor to the zoo, put in a good word for Harry, so she goes to the zoological garden to find out how Harry’s interview went. So, both Belinda and Harry are on hand to witness a child thrown to the lions and, shortly thereafter, the murdered corpse of a problematic animal activist. It looks like team Harry and Belinda are, once again, on the hunt for a murderer.

I enjoyed this book as well as the first two. I recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries featuring small British villages and ladies of the manor.

#MurderattheGardensABelindaPenshurstMysteryBook3 #NetGalley

Belinda Penshurst, Harry Powell and a whole zoo full of animals. What is not to love about this book? Well, aside from the odd murder to two any way ... I really do enjoy this series by Lisa Cutts. Yes - it's a giant step away from my normal go to of dark and dangerous crime fiction, but sometimes you just want a book you can lose yourself in, enjoying the characters and the story with a hint of a smile on your face and, for me, this is one of those series. There are some more serious, heart pumping moments of jeopardy - it's still crime fiction after all - but those are tempered by the fun, lovable characters and the humour and friendship that flows from the start to finish of this book.

I've loved seeing the development of the characters of Belinda and Harry over the course of the series. There is a real spark between them, a friendship which I've enjoyed seeing blossom, and whilst they are probably chalk and cheese in terms of social standing - the castle dwelling Belinda verses ex-cop Harry - they make a perfect pairing when it comes to investigating the crimes that seem to plague Little Challham and its surrounds. Once again the duo are faced with a murder, not right on the doorstep this time, but in the grounds of the zoo at Brabourne Gardens, where Harry has just accepted a job on security. Not quite how he expected his first day to go.

There are no end of suspects in this particular case. The victim was a bit of a trouble maker, well known for taking companies to court over the smallest of matters and who seemingly had a bit of a gripe with the zoo too. But then the zoo is also victim to a wave of vandalism, and a collection of protestors, both for and against the zoo's conservation plans. And to complicate matters, both Harry and Belinda are a trifle distracted by the arrival of her former partner, Ivan, on the scene. There is something a little ... off ... about his behaviour that keeps us all on high alert, especially Harry who has his own reasons to obsess about Ivan and his 'very high forehead'. I love the mystery and the misdirection that flowed through this, and seeing the emotional tug of war that Belinda is going through, torn between her attraction to Ivan and her feelings for Harry. It makes for a great backdrop to an intriguing story.

With more murders than a Rattler could shake its tail at, and a few too many close encounters of the animal kind, Lisa Cutts really gives us a brilliant story that is perfectly paced and full of fun. I loved the way in which she has woven all the different animals into the story, it's definitely a very unique backdrop and gives the opportunity for some very hairy moments. And I'm not just referring to Ivan's near clash with one of the zoo's big cats. There are the emotional pulls surrounding the animals themselves, and the whole debate over conservation which has a real ring of truth about it. The author doesn't try to take a side, but presents both opinions quite well, whilst keeping it entertaining at the same time.

And the ending of the book - loved it. Hope this means there will be more to come from our intrepid duo as they are shaping up to be one of my favourite go to amateur detective reads. Fun, witty, packed full of brilliant characters and plenty of mystery, it's a big thumbs up from me.

Another great addition to the Belinda Penshurst mystery collection. It is fast paced and has lots of elements for you to keep putting together along the way. I liked the characters and the storyline. I liked the fact that it was set in a zoo as well.

Love this series, and this latest book may be my favorite yet. Belinda and Harry are awesome characters, and the sprinkle in of her brother, Marcus is always fun.
The setting this time is the zoo, where Harry has just been employed as head security. On his first day on the job, a body is discovered. Soon thee body count is piling up, and as always Belinda can't help but investigate. But, this time her ex, Ivan, is involved, and Belinda can't seem to believe he could have anything to do with the deaths.
Fast paced, lots of suspects, and even a few twists and turns. Wonderful series, but the book could be read as a stand alone.
Looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a page turner. It kept me guessing and thinking about long after I'd laid down to sleep last night. You could cut the tension in my mind as I read the big finale. In other words, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, even if it did keep me from dropping off to sleep for awhile.

I won't detail the plot, that's easy to find elsewhere, but will just say it starts with a trip to the zoo. What could be more fun, right? Animals, kids and parents enjoying the animals, perhaps an ice-cream cone or two while meandering between exhibits, and....murder? Simon said things that upset others, now he's dead. Not to mention the bodies seem to keep piling up. What is the connection between them? Why isn't the zoo's video security camera feed working? Rob seems at wits ends about it. Who is tampering with it or, well, is it really that pathetic? Is Harry regretting accepting his job yet?

So many questions. Will Belinda's head be turned by the return of her former love, Ivan? Why is Ivan there? Could he have something to do with the rash of murders? Who pushed the child into the lion's pen? Why was the lion even there at a time it should have been securely enclosed elsewhere? Should we give Ivan a medal for his role in the rescue? What about the injured giraffe? Who'd do such a thing? Why did Estelle hurl a zoo bandana into the mud and water? Will Harry ever manage to emerge from one of his snooping escapades with Belinda without stepping in mud or, uh, animal excreta? Who cut Drew's shoelaces? Why does Belinda, knowing there is a murderer lurking about, always manage to meander off alone? Wolves? Harry definitely doesn't want to dance with them but maybe offer them....what? What will Belinda have to say to him after all the mayhem at her beloved zoo facility?

See what I mean about questions and more questions? I could go on but one of the biggest in the book was will Belinda and Harry ever admit their mutual attraction? And, maybe, with all these murders happening almost immediately after Harry takes the security position at the zoo, what kind of job recommendation could he ever get? "Murder at the Gardens" will keep you riveted to your seat and turning pages. It's a winner.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the VIP pass to the zoo and the chance to spend some time with Belinda and Harry.

A Plethora Of Suspects…
The third in the Belinda Penshurst series of mysteries finds Belinda wading through quagmire once again when a visitor to one of her favourite places, Brabourne Gardens, is murdered. With a plethora of suspects and motives Belinda has trouble separating the woods from the trees and needs to ensure that she doesn’t put herself in the firing line. Another enjoyable, light hearted and entertaining outing with a likeable protagonist, a colourful and well drawn cast and an engrossing storyline.

I seem to be picking some cracking books at the moment and this one did not disappoint at all. Another fabulous novel that keeps you guessing until the last few pages with twists and turns all the way through. I did not guess the end……A lovely day out takes a dark turn when a complaining customer is found dead… Luckily amateur sleuth Belinda Penshurst is on the scene – and ready to investigate! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I found this book to be slow. It kind of with in circles with the investigation. The characters are okay, but didn’t seem to have much depth. I was surprised by who the killer is. #MurderattheGardens #NetGalley