I really had high hopes for this. I was expecting a cozy mystery but, in my opinion, that is not what I got.
I think I might have enjoyed this more if it wasn’t British, and I hate to say that. I really do love British books generally, but this one was too British for my understanding. There were lots of slang that I didn’t understand, coming from a French-Canadian person. This left me quite confused most of the time. Plus, there were lots of characters, which didn’t help with my comprehension of the story. Also, one thing that bugged me was the POV would change out of nowhere. It wouldn’t necessarily change every chapter; it would change in a random paragraph, so it was extra hard to keep track of everything.

You might love this story if you are British, or know a lot of British terminology, especially if you like a slow-moving storyline. This one would be for you, unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.

These books have an Agatha Raisin and Thursday Murder Club feel about them.
I cannot get enough of them. Between publications of the other two i reread them all as i miss the characters when i have finished them.
I love the relationship between the characters and it gets better. The humour just has me laughing out loud but they sure can crack a mystery.
i am looking forward to the next instalment of Pat, Liz and Thelma helping them crack the next case.

A classical murder mystery element is given a contemporary twist in this complex cosy mystery. The mystery is full of twists and has numerous suspects. The amateur sleuths are quirky yet relatable. The story will have particular appeal to those who know the education system. The characters are complex, as is the plot.

I like the vibrant characters and the vivid sensory imagery in this story that makes the action and characters easy to imagine,

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A fun cozy read about three retired teachers- Pat, Thelma, and Li- who set out to identify and stop the villain sending poison pen letters to teachers and the head master at the school where they once taught. Hall does a nice job of capturing the atmospherics of the School, the teachers, the students, and their parents. While it's not too terribly twisty, it's light and entertaining, with good characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Made me smile,

Liz, Pat and Thelma, the Yorkshire Trio of retired teachers and now amateur detectives, with their HQ at Thirsk Garden Centre cafe, return in the J.M. Hall’s second instalment A Pen Dipped in Poison.

This time they find themselves investigating a spate of poison pen letters which are causing a great deal of upset and hurt to people at their former school and in their local community.

I did get a bit bogged down in the politics of the Lodestone Academy and primary education. I put the book to one side until I saw that it was available as an e-audiobook book and applied for that. Julie Hesmondhalgh is an excellent narrator and brings the book to life. I completed the book listening to the audiobook.

JM Hall really has an ear for dialogue. Listening to this book Liz, Pat and Thelma all sounded very authentic warm, funny, strong, resourceful, no-nonsense straight talking Yorkshire women. I love the way their lives carry on despite investigating a crime. I loved the way in which Pat plans her dinners using Angela Hartnett recipes whilst planning their next move in the investigation. These are women who run houses, work/volunteer and find time for sleuthing - they take everything in their stride.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Avon Books UK, for making this book available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. I can’t wait for JM Hall’s third instalment and to see what Liz, Pat and Thelma will investigate next.

This is the second book in a series but you could read it as a stand alone. I didn’t read the first one but had the audio version.

Three retired teachers and friends get involved in poison pen letters being received by the head and teachers at their old school, who is responsible and how far will the writer go? Mixed in with the main story are the lives of the three friends. Who is the culprit?

While the author of this book shows a clear understanding of the intricacies of school life, I found the content to be geared more towards educators rather than parents. As someone who has already experienced primary school as a parent, I found it difficult to maintain my interest beyond the 20% mark. Unfortunately, I cannot provide a full review as I was unable to finish the book

Unfortunately not for me. I hadn't read the first book in the series so maybe that was a factor but I found it very slow and slightly boring.
I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy it.

Liz , Pat and Thelma are back .
The retired teachers are back sleuthing , nasty poison pen letters are being sent to the village school leaving people shocked and highlighting their secrets.
Who is the letter writer ?
Things are not as they first appear at the local school and Thelma is determined to look below the surface and find out what is going on.
The characters are amiable and their lives and problems are authentic.
The story although cosy and lighthearted highlights some of the issues in todays education system .
An easy to read cosy mystery.
Sit back in your favourite chair and enjoy!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

Having worked in a secondary school that became part of an academy trust, I was very interested in this side of the story. It does often seem that it’s more about money than education. I hadn’t read the first book so it took me much too long to sort out who the protagonists were, who they were married to etc. The home lives al struck me as realistic, but the three ladies were otherwise indistinguishable and I feel that let the book down. It’s very well written,
but I didn’t get that pull to find out whodunnit. I think a list of characters at the start of the book would help.

The second instalment in this lovely cosy mystery series, centred around a group of retired primary school teachers, and imbued with admiration for their motivation, resourcefulness and capability.

This time our unlikely heroines meet with the vagaries of school academisation and encounter a spate of poison pen letters, which have unintended consequences for those who become involved.

A lighthearted, compassionate and humorous read, drawing brilliantly on the author's experiences as a Deputy Headteacher.

Signed. Sealed. Dead?

Retired school teachers Liz, Pat and Thelma never expected they would be caught up in a crime even once in their lives, let alone twice. But when poison pen letters start landing on the doorsteps of friends and neighbours in their Yorkshire village, old secrets come to light. With the potential for deadly consequences. It won’t be long until the three friends are out on a case yet again…

Liz, Pat and Thelma are back!

Could there be a murderer in their midst once again?

“The horror of getting involved”

Following on from the events of the murder of one of their good friends, Topsy, in A Spoon Full of Murder; Liz, Pat and Thelma are settling back into their routines as retired school teachers and leisurely family life – including their infamous Thursday catch up’s at their local garden centre, where they often tune into their inner sherlock while sipping coffee and nibbling on slices of cake.

While attending the school summer fayre at the school they all used to teach at, Thelma becomes aware of some conflict with the new headteacher. Then a nasty poison pen letter, addressed to the new head is discovered – soon after other staff members begin receiving similar, very personal and hurtful letters of their own and the beloved school they all once loved, becomes a place that they barely recognise.

All three of the former school teachers feel themselves becoming involved in the mystery of what is really going on at Lodestone Academy Trust in different ways, realising the more they learn that something darker is lurking behind the shiny new paint job, pineapple maths and the pristine designer-clad new headteacher…

“You know, Thelma, I thought you and I were friends,’ she said. Thelma ignored this. In her experience comments of this nature were very little to do with friendship and everything to do with manipulation.”

I love a good, old-fashioned multi-layered cosy mystery, and this is exactly what you get with J. M. Hall’s books! I really enjoyed the poison pen storyline and felt the book was well-written and interesting, just like the previous book in the series. I did enjoy A Spoon Full of Murder a bit more than this one though, although, I did really enjoy the school setting. I have a child at primary school, so it was interesting learning a bit more about the inner workings of school life from the teacher’s perspective. I’ll be interested in continuing with the series if / when new books are available.

My thanks to the author and Avon Books UK for my advance copy to read and review via Netgalley. Due out 30th March 2023!

This was a ‘nice’ book to read; it wasn’t exciting, I wasn’t sat up all night reading it like would with a thriller, but it was entertaining. Being a retired teacher I was drawn to this book, as I don’t think I’ve ever read an adult fiction book set in a school. The characters were well described; I could see these were reflected in staff I’ve come across in my career. I didn’t work out the ending, which I love. And thankfully no mention of Ofsted!
Thank you for allowing me to read this book.

As I mentioned in my review of J.M. Hall's previous book "A Spoonful of Murder", cosy mysteries aren't really my copy of tea. But there was something about these three ladies that drew me in, and I very much looked forward to spending more time with them. Luckily, my wish was granted and here we are.

In these days of social media and trolling, could a cosy mystery possibly be any cosier when it deals with that old fashioned thing called poison pen letters? Anonymous notes are being sent to teachers at the local academy. Incidentally, the school where the lovely ladies of Pat, Thelma and Liz used to teach before they retired. An attack on the school and its staff, some of them their friends, is an attack on them. So obviously they won't rest until they figure out who is sending these letters.

Just like with their last outing, there is much more going on than merely solving this mystery. Each one of these friends is dealing with issues at home, and while they may be friends, it seems they are reluctant to share any of it with each other. There is lots of talk about retirement (of the husbands), there are children who can't seem to settle in life, there are health issues, and as they grow older there is that feeling that time is running out. Not exactly something you just throw out over cake and coffee on a Thursday.

There's somewhat of a nostalgic vibe running throughout this story, I felt. A longing for the good old days, when one still had hopes and dreams. For Liz, Pat and Thelma the changing of the times is most obvious when they step inside their old stomping ground and see how much "their" school has changed. How much education has evolved. Or rather, how schools have turned into profit making businesses and children seem to be nothing but numbers. Those who can't keep up are left behind. It's not just the children who suffer. The teachers do as well. Putting all their time and energy into work, leaving no time for family or hobbies. All that matters is achieving the (impossible?) targets that are set for them by people higher up the chain, who gladly fill their pockets along the way.

Once again, J.M. Hall manages to create the perfect balance between solving a mystery and thought-provoking issues that add an extra layer to this cosy tale. That said, I did find that I was way less interested in finding out who the author of the notes was than knowing what the three friends were dealing with on a personal level. It just goes to show I've become completely invested in their lives. For me, 'A Pen Dipped in Poison' felt slightly darker than its predecessor. There are witty moments, but there seemed to be less of them. But like I said, they have a lot going on. Will it stop them from catching the poison pen letters author?

I feel like I should have figured out whodunnit but I didn't. Not that I was bothered by that, as I thoroughly enjoyed my second outing with Pat, Thelma and Liz. There are plenty of surprises, there's an intriguing cast of characters, and while I didn't think this one was as strong as "A Spoonful of Murder", I still found it immensely entertaining. I do so hope there will be more from these friends in the future, because I will quite happily set aside all my regular gore and gruesomeness for another opportunity to hang out with them.

Retired schoolteachers Liz, Pat and Thelma never expected they would be caught up in a crime even once in their lives, let alone twice. But when poison pen letters start landing on the doorstep of friends and neighbours in their Yorkshire village, old secrets come to light with the potential for deadly consequences.

Liz, Pat and Thelma are all retired schoolteachers. As I haven't read the first book in the series, I was happy to see some backstory to the characters. Who was it that was sending poison pen letters to staff members at their old school? This is a well written cosy mystery that's entertaining and a fun read. I liked the three main characters, but there is quite a lot of characters to keep track of. With a few twists to keep us guessing, I did guess correctly who was writing the letters, but that takes nothing away from a good story.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUk and the author #JMHall for my ARC of #APenDippedInPoison in exchange for an honest review.

A poison pen letter directed at the new headmistress at St Barnabus's is found amongst the raffle prizes at the Summer Fayre.
The following term several members of staff receive letters and Mrs Brittain, the head, decides not to go to the police, but offers support to the recipients.
Thelma, and Liz are involved with the school in different way, despite being retired and find themselves drawn into the mystery. Their friend Pat is also drawn in but from a completely different direction.
As they nosey around, waters become muddy and nobody can be trusted.
An interesting look at academy schools and the opportunities for corruption.

This is the second book in a new cozy crime mystery series and once again Liz, Pat and Thelma are tasked with solving a nasty crime.

In a local school members of staff have started to receive poison pen letters. The headteacher calls on Thelma to assist by becoming a school governor and while on the inside help track down the perpetrator.

A good story with a few twists although I did guess the who dunnit it did not spoil the ending.

Well written and for those who have ever worked in a school you will recognise some of the characters from this novel as stalwarts of the classroom and office.

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

A cosy mystery in the style of afternoon television. I had not read the first book about these characters, indeed I did not realise there was an earlier book involving them and that might have been why it took me a while to get going with them and sort Pat, Thelma and Liz out in my mind. As the story progressed however they come into their own more and each has their own family situation running at the same time as the school problems.
All three of the characters used to work at St Barnabus Primary School, which is now part of Lodestone Academy Trust and is run by the dynamic, efficient and enigmatic Kayleigh Brittain. At the summer fayre, however, Mrs Brittain receives an anonymous letter that appears to send her into a spin. The following term more letters are received by various members of staff and the three ladies, Pat, Thelma and Liz set out to find out what is going on.
Careful plotting gives the characters a great deal of unravelling to do, but much like Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher, they are determined and fuelled by cake and coffee at the garden centre they set out to solve the mystery.
With thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

This is a cozy mystery book, which is the second book in a series. I liked this book more than the first book.

We are back with older ladies Pat, Liz and Thelma, uncovering a mystery at a primary school. The staff there have been receiving poison pen letters and the ladies have to work hard to solve the mystery.

I really enjoyed the school setting of the book, and finding out what it is like behind the scenes there. I also liked the relationship between the three women.

If you are looking for an easy to read cozy mystery with some lovely characters, to brighten up your afternoon while you have a cup of tea and a biscuit, then this is the book for you.

Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Friends and retired schoolteachers Liz, Pat and Thelma are back! A Pen Dipped in Poison is the second in the artful, quirky, original and smashing series by J.M. Hall which tickled and delighted me all the way through. Teachers at St. Barnabas School are poison pen victims, especially the new headmaster. The friends meet at the Thirsk Garden Centre Café to discuss the nefarious goings on which are close to home as their former workplace. They inveigle and brainstorm as well as give glimpses into their daily personal lives as retirees, not always roses and sunshine.

Getting to know characters from the first in the series a little bit better feels comfy and familiar, yet also exciting to learn more about their personalities and outlooks. I like that the sleuths are older and wiser with carefree attitudes. Each is likeable in her own way. The education and school aspects are also fascinating. Envisioning the teachers and students is easy with the wonderful descriptions. Though I really liked the first book, this one is even better. It has a bit more...oomph. The mystery itself is enjoyable but what really makes the story shine is the superb characterization. The gossip doesn't hurt, either!

If you enjoy mysteries bursting at the seams with originality and humour, do pick up this series. Well worth getting lost in.

My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this enjoyable book. Pure fun!