This is for London Murder Mystery #1 -3:
These books include nice descriptions of London and create a nice feeling for readers while in the story. There are fun characters, gossip, adventure, and written in a charming style. The stories are engaging, and have satisfying endings. The author knows how to write in her sweet spot. I look forward to pickup the others in the series.

I really appreciate the free review copies for review!!

This is the third in the Beth Haldane murder mystery,
Though is there a murder? That's the question you'll see.
Her best friend, Jen, has married and their relationship changed
But something seems strange, as she forgets appointments arranged.

When then Jen stops answering her phone
And never seems to be at home
Beth senses that something is seriously wrong
But should she report it or her wait prolong?

Is this an extended honeymoon?
Is Beth in a panic all too soon?
Get ready for a mystery and hits on the head
That end with Beth in a hospital bed!

Another engaging cosy mystery with a community setting
Where everyone knows the gossip and isn't forgetting.
With burglary and danger, Beth's dicing again,
And this time it will definitely end with her in pain!

The children, the Mums and the schools,
Matchmaking colleagues and not following the rules,
All play a significant part
Along with a Detective who could be stealing Beth's heart!

A great addition to this cosy mystery series, too,
I have no hesitation in highly recommending to you.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Book 3 and this series is just getting better and better. Anyone who loves murder mysteries read immediately

Book 3 of the Beth Haldane series continued in the vein the other two books - unique twists, fun characters and bit of a darker mystery than some might anticipate. Similar to the first two books, I really enjoyed the plot line of the story - this is one where I didn't see the plot line unfolding quite like it did! Beth continues to grow as a character (she's enrolled her son for dreaded tutoring and really can't decide if she's done the right thing or night), is debating whether it is time to start dating (with the help of Tinder and her friends, there are a few awkward and et very real moments) and she's determined to find out what is happening with her friend Jen (putting herself at risk, much to Harry York's frustration!). Again, a fun read that I'd recommend to those who like cozies.

Amateur sleuth Beth is back again, this time looking for her good friend Jen who has disappeared.
Another engaging read in this series which I recommend.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the first one so didn't feel I could read the second or third, sorry.

This is my review for the first book

I was really looking forward to this book, especially as there is more in the series. This was an introduction to Beth Haldane who is a widow with a 10 year old son. Beth starts a new job and immediately there is a murder and Beth feels the need to clear her name. Although to me she was never in the frame. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot as no spoilers. I was surprised that the murder happened so early on so was quite looking forward to finding out about the person and why they were murdered. I didn’t take to the characters at all really as I felt they lacked depth and we didn’t really get to know them properly. I found that the narration from Beth was quite infuriating at times as there was a lot of description of things that were not really relevant to the story (i.e. comparing the different coffee shops in her mind each time she met somebody for a coffee). The storyline was also a disappointment to me as I felt there was not a lot of substance to it. Overall I was disappointed.

My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Murder Question’ by Alice Castle.

This is Book 3 the Beth Haldane series of cosy mysteries set in South London. It was originally independently published in 2018 as ‘Calamity in Camberwell’. While all of these mysteries can be read as stand-alones, reading them in order allows for a better sense of its characters’ development.

Beth is concerned about her friend, Jen, who has recently married a man that she has only known a short time. Jen and her young daughter moved from Dulwich Village to Camberwell. It’s definitely not as posh a London postcode as Dulwich. At one point Beth has to remind a friend that “Camberwell isn’t a war zone, you know.”

Beth is currently ferrying her son, Jake, to weekly tutoring sessions in Camberwell and taking the opportunity to pop in and visit Jen. However, she becomes increasingly worried as Jen doesn’t seem her usual self and later proves increasingly difficult to get hold of. At Dulwich Village Primary Beth observes that Jen’s daughter seems to be spending all of her time with her father and new stepmother, which is strange. As time passes with no contact, Beth reports Jen as missing. The police, including DI Harry York, don’t appear overly concerned; so Beth decides to do a spot of sleuthing …..

There’s also a subplot in which Beth’s friends are encouraging her to start dating. She’s very uncertain though signs up for Tinder… with predictable awkward results.

This case was a bit of a change of pace for the series, though ‘The Murder Question’ and its answers proved a compelling and enjoyable mystery. I have become very fond of Beth and look forward to continuing with this series.

The Murder Question by Alice Castle is the third book in the Beth Haldane Mystery series. The storyline in this book is intriguing. I really like the characters. Beth Haldane is a bit of a worry wart but she is caring, intelligent and figures out clues quite well. I enjoyed the whodunit part of the book but I found the pacing to be a bit slow.

This series improves with each new instalment and this was gripping, compelling, and it kept me on the edge.
Beth is growing as character and the complex plot kept me turning pages and guessing.
There's humour, there's suspence, and twists.
It can be read as a stand alone and if you like cozy mystery this is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Beth Haldane the amateur sleuth is worried about her newly married friend Jen.
She seems to have disappeared, many messages are left to both her and her new husband but to no avail.
Beth starts to look in to where Jen can be and this leaves Beth facing danger on more than one occasion.
Luckily for Beth DI Harry York is never far away.
Another easy cosy mystery read!
The characters are both amiable and well rounded .
Altogether an enjoyable easy read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Of course Beth Haldane is happy that her friend Jen got married. But when she disappears and leaves her daughter pretty much in the care of Beth, quite naturally Beth becomes concerned. Putting on her hat as a more than efficient amateur sleuth by now, Beth begins to ask questions. Where is Jen and why would she leave her young daughter right after getting married?

Perhaps it’s just a honeymoon? At least that’s what the police think. But since not much was known about Jen‘s new husband, Beth suspects otherwise. Not only does Beth not know anything about Jen‘s new husband, especially considering they are best friends, no one else seems to know anything about him. Not even where he came from.

DI Harry York does not want Beth to interfere. However, Beth does not listen. Not only does best continue to ask a lot of questions, she keeps running into Jen‘s ex. And he is not the most likable person. More than that, she faces dead ends at every turn. Yet she hopes against hope that Jen will be found safe and sound.

As this Beth Haldane Mystery series continues to unfold, readers are granted a deeper look at who Beth is. This book discusses more about Beth’s marriage to James, and how he passed away, and why she is reluctant to act on her attraction to Harry. We also learn a bit more about Harry actually, and why he is so drawn to Beth, and what he does to win her over.

Concern for her son Jake it’s only one thing on her mind. Discovering that her office has been ransacked is yet another concern. During previous situations, Beth has stuck her nose in to some precarious issues, but this time she may have gone too far and actually ends up in the hospital. It is quite obvious that someone does not want Beth finding out what happened to Jen.

What an excellent installment in a series that has become quite endearing to me in a very short period of time. I love how Beth never shies away from her responsibilities as mother to Jake. She never forgets how important his education is and always puts him first despite her more than curious nature to solve crimes that sometimes involve murder. I also enjoy the fact that her new relationship with Harry isn’t it always easy, but something that is slow burning.

This thorough enjoyable read kept my attention from beginning to end and had me more than eager to jump right into book four, The Murder Plot.

Beth Haldane is convinced by friends to try finding a man using a dating app, . When she sees her friend’s new husband on the app, she begins to suspect all is not well in that marriage. This time Beth manages to land herself in hospital in her quest to solve the mystery of Jen’s disappearance.

Previously published as Calamity in Camberwell, The Murder Question sees the return of single-mum to ten-year-old Jake, Beth Haldane, a determined and amusing protagonist whose priority is her son. In this tale, Beth's friend, Jen, an IT guru has recently gotten married and Beth is trying her hand at online dating but happens across Jen's new husband on the dating app she's using. When Jen goes missing, Beth, drawn to a mystery, can't resist snooping but her efforts could be dangerous or leave her in hospital. DI Harry York is on the case again and it was a treat to return to Dulwich, South-east London to follow the case alongside Beth and Harry. Well written, funny and intriguing will plenty of evil shenanigans, The Murder Question also includes some thought-provoking themes.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Murder question by Alice Castle.
Beth Haldane mystery book 3.
Beth Haldane is worried. First her dear friend and fellow single mother Jen suddenly gets married to a new man who seems too perfect to be true, then she moves out of leafy Dulwich Village – and now seems to have disappeared without a trace.
I absolutely love this series. Great story. I can’t wait for book 4. 5*.

Another engaging read in the Beth Haldane mysteries. This time the mystery is a lot slower to develop as Beth spends a lot of time worrying about her friend but not actually doing anything about it. I wanted her to report her friend missing a lot sooner as I knew what a nasty piece of work she was living with. Despite this, the story is still a quick and addictive read with a few twists and turns.
Beth has decided with a lot of nudging that she should be open to dating and she sets up a profile on a dating app. At the same time, Harry has decided that he needs to up his game a little bit so he doesn't end up dying alone like some of the people he's found after a call-out. There were a few really sweet scenes between the pair which gave me a lot of hope and left me smiling.

A Beth Haldane Mystery Book 3

Beth Haldane is worried. First her dear friend and single mother Jen suddenly gets married to a new man who seems to perfect to be true, then she moves out of leafy Dulwich Village - and now seems to have disappeared without trace. Beth knows she would never leave her daughter to handle playground predicaments or her sneaky stepmother alone. Heading to Jen's new home for answers, Beth's knocks on the periwinkle blue front door go unanswered. Police are convinced the lovebirds are on an extended honeymoon: but Beth suspects Jen's new husband is up to no good.... why does no-one in Dulwich know where he came from?

Beth can't imagine what has happened to her friend Jen, and it.s another mystery Beth needs to try and solve. We learn more about Beth's personal life in the first half of the book, the second half is more about the mystery. Beth is the only one who suspects that there's something wrong when Jen disappears. Once again Jen tries to find out what has happened. This is another well written cosy mystery that's quick to read. This book can be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #AliceCastle for my ARC of #TheMurderQuestion in exchange for an honest review.

Beth Haldane is worried. First her dear friend and fellow single mother Jen suddenly gets married to Ted who seems too perfect to be true, then she moves out of leafy Dulwich Village – and now seems to have disappeared without a trace. But searching Jen’s overgrown garden for clues, Beth hears a twig snap… and next thing she knows, she’s woken up in a hospital bed.
This is the third book in the series & is easily read on its own but I love a series & need to start from the beginning. I love how the characters are developing over the series. Beth is worried about Jen but with work, Jake being in Year 6, considering starting to date & all the other thinks a busy single working mum has to cope with she puts Jen on the back burner. I loved this book as whilst there are still the same characters the format is different from the other books in the series. Beth & Harry’s relationship seems to have stalled in this book & she's being pushed to start dating by friends & colleagues. A well written entertaining read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Murder Question is the third book in the very enjoyable Beth Haldane series. This time Beth is looking into why her newly married friend Jen appears to have gone missing. I am enjoying reading each book as we learn more about the characters and their development. Again I finished this book in one sitting and am looking forward to the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Another great read in this series. This time it took awhile for a murder to happen but, I loved the brooding build-up to it. This one was a lot more interesting than the last one maybe it’s because I’m getting to know the characters better but,I enjoyed this one immensely. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

The Murder Question, the third book in the Beth Haldane mystery series, continues the story of Beth Haldane, widow, single mother and amateur sleuth. This is a true cozy mystery with all the things that make you love a cozy mystery but there is more character development and introspection from Beth and less sleuthing in this story. The real mystery doesn’t become apparent until halfway through the book and almost took a back seat to Beth's personal life. The writing is gentle and funny and her books cover some thought provoking themes. The series does not need to be read in order but i would recommend reading at least one of the previous books to become familiar with the many characters in Beth's life and village. This is a series to sit back and enjoy.