Catering at the Southwold School, a very affluent school but no matter how affluent the school may be nothing stops murder occuring

Former student Natalie was not the most popular but did she really deserve her demise... one of the suspects is named as Robin and not only is Eve annoyed she is now even more determined to solve the who dunnit

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Eve Mallow is happy when she’s asked to cater Founders’ Day at Southwood School. Natalie Somerson, ex-pupil and professional gossip, is the guest of honor, but nobody seems to want her there. So why was she invited? Natalie is soon found dead in a locked attic room. Eve’s boyfriend, Robin, becomes the police’s prime suspect. Eve starts to investigate everyone with a stake in the school. Is it the prudish principal, worried about Natalie’s influence? Her former teacher, whose life Natalie made miserable? Or the head girl, who seemed to hate Natalie one day and adore her the next?
This is the 9th book in the Eve Mallow series. I haven't read another book in the series but that's not a problem as you can read them as a standalone too. I soon found that I was not able to put the book down as it was a cozy mystery that kept me on my toes. There were plenty of plot twists and I kept changing my mind about who the murderer was. I found Clare Chase to be an excellent writer. I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy for an honest review. If you like cozy mysteries then I know you would love this one!

This is the 9th book in a series but you can easily read it as a stand alone, I had t read the others and didn’t find it a problem.

Eve is an obituary writer and attends a local private boarding school to help out a friend who is catering an event there. A former pupil Natalie now a TV star returns and ends up dead and Eve interviews people to get material for obituary and to investigate the murder!

The school is run by a group called the coven, could one of them have killed Natalie as she was not only a former pupil with a grudge but also part owner and related to other members of the coven and school.

Will another death make things easier to work out or just complicate things further. Add to the mix the temporary gardener, secret boyfriend of Eve with troubles of his own.

I do love a good English cozy! Clare Chase delivers with Mystery at Southwood School. Here we find Eve and her friend Viv hired to assist with catering for Founders Day at the prestigious Southwood School. Eve can’t wait to see the school for herself, as it has quite the reputation. But she finds that all isn’t pomp and circumstance in the halls of academia. Former student Natalie Somerson is also there for Founders Day, and while she may be well-known, she is definitely not well-liked. In fact, she seems to delight in stirring up trouble.

When Natalie is found dead, suspicion falls on Robin, Eve’s clandestine love and a former police detective in deep cover to avoid men who would do him harm. He was seen with Natalie, and as a fill-in gardener at the school, he’s a convenient scapegoat for the (rather inept) detective in charge. Eve knows that she has to figure out the truth before Robin’s cover is blown.

I really enjoy this series! Eve is a wonderful character. As an obituary writer, she has the opportunity to interview potential suspects legitimately, and she can often unearth details that people might not mention to the police. This usually leads to her coming up with some idea to find out more by putting herself into precarious situations, which leads to some tense moments and a whole lot of mystery fun.

We learn a bit more about Robin here, and the potential threat to his identity and possibly his life (and Eve’s!) is an interesting story arc. I really like Eve and Robin, and I was holding my breath to see how this thread would play out.

Chase kept me guessing as to who the guilty party really was. There were several people cast as the potential killer – the headmaster’s wife, possibly jealous of Natalie’s interest in her husband; the head girl, whose feelings for Natalie seemed to run hot and cold; Natalie’s current husband, who may or may not have accused her of an affair. But each time I thought I’d figured it out, the story shifted, and the murderer was not who I expected it would be!

Murder at Southwood School is a lot of fun to read. It does what a good cozy should – it entertains, it lets you step outside your normal life for a bit, and it keeps you guessing until the end. I look forward to reading more in this series, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a British cozy.

Eve Mallow is back on the case. She is invited to cater the Founders Day event at the very prestigious Southwood School. She can’t wait to see the inside of the beautiful and historic building. When she arrives, she discovers that the building is much more beautiful than she expected. Alumni, Natalie Somerson and queen gossip girl is the guest of honor. Her speech brings up an old scandalous secret love affair, angering many attendees. The next day Natalie is found dead in a room in the attic that was locked. The police’s number one suspect happens to be Eve’s boyfriend Robin. Eve’s immediate mission is to find the killer and clear Robin’s name. She begins her own investigation, interviewing everyone she possibly can, from the school principal to former teachers. Natalie affected so many lives, and not in a positive way. Eve needs to quicken her sleuthing and find the killer before she becomes the next victim.

I loved this installment to the fabulous Eve Mallow Mystery Series. This story immediately pulled me in from the very beginning. It was a quick read because I couldn’t wait to find out whodunnit. I was flying through the pages at a rapid speed, as my heartbeat quickened, and my mind raced, wondering who was the culprit. Eve Mallow is such a likable character, and I found myself cheering her on to solve the case. This book is perfect for all cozy mystery fans, with the perfect combination of intrigue plus plot twists and turns. This wonderful addition to the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, but I recommend reading the whole series. I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you Clare Chase for such a gripping continuation to the amazing Eve Mallow Mystery Series, I loved it.

Obituary writer and part-time cafe employee Eve is back for her ninth mystery, which I had to double check as it feels like just yesterday this series started!

Eve's friend Viv has been invited back to her old school to cater Southwood's Founder's day event. She brings Eve along to help and for moral support to deal with her mother-in-law, who is a member of the school's board, otherwise known as the 'coven'.

Former pupil, part owner and now notorious talk show host Natalie Somerson, is determined to cause chaos, so it's not much of a surprise when she's found dead at the school. Much to Eve's horror, the investigation focuses on her beau Robin. Not able to let things lie, she begins writing Natalie's obituary as a cover to dig into her life and find the real culprit before it's too late.

Clare Chase has done it again with this well written and entertaining cozy mystery!

I really enjoyed the boarding school setting of this novel. With its rambling grounds, strange quirks, and traditions, it almost felt like a character in itself.

It was also nice to see Eve and Robin's relationship blossoming and we get to find out more about his background (it's always been an extra bit of mystery). The fact that Robin is a suspect added a further bit of tension, and we see the true extent of Eve's feelings for him.

If you love a modern cozy with a classic feel to it, then you really can't go wrong with the Eve Mallow series!

I love Eve, the talented amateur sleuth in this cosy mystery book. She is a courageous, intelligent and wily detective with personal reasons for solving the death at the school where she is catering. The characters are believable and complex, and many are credible suspects in this mystery. I like the immersive setting, the dynamic between the recurring characters and the mystery that needs solving. Readable as a standalone, but it's a cosy mystery series worth reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Eve Mallow is about to perform double duties yet again. Catering at the Southwood School for the Founder’s Day event is not the only thing that will keep Eve busy. In fact, when a former student is murdered, Eve puts on her amateur sleuth hat and is determined to find the murderer. Her secret boyfriend Robin is working as a temporary gardener at the school, and after it is learned that he had briefly talked to the murder victim, Robin becomes the chief suspect. This really increases Eve‘s determination to figure out what happened because she is certain that Robin had nothing to do with the murder.

Eve begins talking to as many people as she possibly can, discovering that the victim was not well liked at all, almost from the first day that she originally started at the school. Could it be the school principal, a former teacher, or perhaps another former student? Time is definitely of the essence to find the killer.

This is an excellent installment to a delightful series. Each time Eve proves more than adept at finding the killer as each story changes. Eve’s having a personal stake in this particular murder makes this book even more intriguing.

Robin‘s story has always been a mystery of its own in this series. This particular book lays into that a bit more which will no doubt leave lovers of this series with a sense of satisfaction regarding Robin. As always, Eve always manages to find herself in the most precarious situations. This book an easy read because I felt like I had to know who is behind everything in this book just as Eve did. Clare Chase writes this series with flair, making this book and every previous book in this series truly worthy reads. I am really excited for book ten in this fabulous series, which is Mystery at Fairfield Castle.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/Wx2S4klD4lc

I think Clare Chase can’t write a mediocre mystery or one which isn’t gripping.
This one is an intriguing and well plotted novel, a solid mystery that kept me guessing and surprised with each twists.
I loved the atmosphere of the school, the secrets and the forced relationship amongst the person bound by the will of someone who died long ago.
There’s a lot of secrets, hidden stories and there’s Clare who’s fighting to save Robin.
There’s plenty going on in the life of the characters, read the book and you will be surprised if you read the rest of the series. I can’t wait to read the next story and I have high expectations.
I think you can fully appreciate the story if you read the rest of the serie even if it can be read as a stand-alone.
A well plotted, entertaining and gripping story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the Bookouture for this arc, all opinions are mine

Lots of twists and turns (and suspects) in this latest entry in the Eve Mallow series. Set in the grounds of an all girls school, Eve is soon involved in trying to solve the murder of a former student in order to clear the name of her secret lover, Robin.

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.

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, though in this novel he is staying with a neighbour of Eve's. The author's superb and varied characterisation is fantastic, and in this brilliant story, there is certainly no shortage of suspects including Eve's own boyfriend, as Eve realises, when an ex-pupil of Southwood School is found dead in a locked attic.

Mystery at Southwood School has a well-thought-out, compelling plot, and enough twists to keep the most demanding armchair sleuth satisfied. Clare Chase always 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 ten, Mystery at Farfield Castle.

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

Eve Mallow is delighted when her friend Viv is asked to cater for Founders’ Day at Southwood School. It’s the best school for miles around, and Eve can’t wait to see what it’s really like. But when she arrives, the atmosphere is far from scholarly. Natalie Somerson, ex-pupil and professional gossip, is the guest of honour, but nobody seems to want her there… especially when her speech stirs up an old scandal about a secret love affair. The next day, Natalie is found dead in a locked attic room. To make matters worse, Eve’s boyfriend Robin, who's a temporary gardener becomes the police’s prime suspect. Determined to prove his innocence, Eve starts to investigate everyone with a stake in the school.
This is the ninth outing for Eve & whilst it could be read on its own the characters have developed throughout the series & I love how the relationships have changed & grown. Whilst much of the story is set at the school it concentrates on ‘the coven’ the name of the management committee. There are plenty of twists & turns as well as red herrings. This book has the added interest of Robin being a suspect & there’s the worry of his secret being revealed. Whilst I love Eve, Robin, Viv & even Moira the characters at the school are a pretty unlikeable bunch. I was drawn in from the start & read the book in a couple of sittings & loved the ending!
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Eve Mallow is going to Southwood School
Where someone is out to break their rule!
Catering for the celebrations for Foundation Day
Should be a simple, uneventful stay.

The guest of honour, Natalie Somerson, is a former student who
Always enjoyed getting into mischief, too.
Why was Natalie selected when most seem her to fear?
Especially as the role supposedly lasts for a year!

When Natalie is discovered, decidedly dead,
No one about her has a single good word to be said.
Eve can't resist investigating what's happening here
Especially as her love's name she needs to clear!

With teachers, students and other staff as suspects, as you'll see
Surprise discoveries have Eve wondering just who the killer could be.
With danger, secrets and surprises, too,
This is an enthralling read I highly recommend to you!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
This is a brilliant cosy mystery and this is my honest review.

Book 9 and still as fresh as a daisy - and also a series that is well worth starting from the beginning and reading in order. I know that I say that for every series, for continuity and backstory reasons, as well as character development, but in this case also cos all the books have been brilliant!
This time, we see Obituary Writer Eve Mallow going back to school. As an aside to her main profession, she also works in a tea shop alongside Viv, and they do outside catering and it is in this guise that she finds herself catering Founders' Day at, you guessed it, Southwood School!
Shenanigans ensue - don't they always, and one of the guests is found dead. Same old I hear you say. Well, yes, but there's a twist here too. This time, Eve's secret beau Robin is caught up on the wrong side of the investigation so Eve has to do without his connections... But she's a bit of a dab hand at all this stuff - it is book 9 after all! - so she is well placed to do her thing, ably assisted by others...
I love this series. I think the quirk of having an obituary writer as the amateur sleuth is a cracking idea and I love the way that Eve manages to get access to all and sundry on the pretext of said obituary but also being able to ask extra questions to progress her own investigations... brilliant!
And this book, like its predecessors also has everything I need to make a good book a great read. A cracking story that hits the ground running, holds me and my attention captive throughout, spitting me out at the end wholly satisfied. It also stars some great characters, both episode and series, big parts and extras, all well drawn and acting their parts well. And then the execution of all that - pacing is perfect, there is no superfluous waffle or padding, the book is exactly the length it needs to be to get the story across. It is the real deal...
Only bad thing was having to say goodbye to the cast at the end of the book. Can't wait to see what the author puts them all through next time... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A great read lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing to the end. I haven't read all the other's only number 8 and didn't feel like I was missing out so can be read as a stand alone. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A delightful, page turning cosy mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader entertained

I love cosy mysteries, and the idea of a cosy mystery set in a school appealed to me. I thought it seemed like a nostalgic setting, because as adults we often enjoy reminiscing about our schooldays from time to time. When I chose this book, I was thinking of Agatha Christie's Cat Among The Pigeons, and possibly hoping for a modern take on that.

I found the story entertaining and felt that it had all the typical elements of a good modern cosy mystery. It was nicely written - in fact, it reminded me a little of some other books I've read, by authors like Helen Cox and Elly Griffiths.

Despite enjoying the story itself, I've only rated it 3 stars. This is because I didn't really connect with or relate to any of the characters. I was indifferent to them and didn't find any of them particularly interesting or likeable. Having said that, I enjoyed the story itself and thought it was nicely written, so I would still be interested in reading more books from the series to see how I get along with them.

This was an ok well written book which had an interesting storyline but was a little twee for me. A bit slow burner for me in parts and it wasn't as thrilling as I imagined but the characters were interesting and well developed.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I'm totally hooked on this series and always look forward the next book - this one certainly doesn't disappoint! I'm enjoying the way Eve's character has developed and without giving any spoilers let's just say I particularly liked how the book ended. The way the author weaves the two threads of Eve's life as an obituary writer and unwitting crime solver is masterful.

I love this series and it once again was a great read! Whilst 9th in the series you don't need to have read the previous books to be able to get to grips with the plot and characters as each book is a standalone.

Thank you for the arc of this cosy mystery.