I'm fairly new to the cozy mystery game but I know what I like and this was it! The funny British dialogue, the protagonist who is an amateur sleuth and just enough murder to make a good story. this book had it all. I will absolutely be looking at this author's backlist, I'm officially hooked!

This is another fab Beth Haldane cosy mystery tale
Full of twists, danger and engaging without fail!
I thoroughly enjoyed this page turner read
And hope you agree it is just what you next need!

In her garden her dog finds a human bone
So for the police she has to phone.
When it turns out it isn't just one
She wishes the forensic team will quickly be gone!

However, with more finds, who could it be?
Beth is determined to resolve the mystery.
Just who could the killer be
And how did the bones end up under her tree?

With family drama and her partner often away
Whilst her young son also has much to say
Can Beth keep doing her job and still discover
Who the killer is before they kill another?

With warnings being sent to put Beth off the case
She needs to make sure she has caution in place.
She doesn't want to be the next victim, that's clear
But just who or what should she really fear?

Another murder mystery peppered through with fun
Family drama and friends getting things done.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
It is an intriguing read and this is my honest review.

This is book 8 in the Beth Haldene murder series..although I haven't read any of the others so it also works as a standalone. When workmen find bones that turns out to be human in her garden,and the local dog sitter is murdered,Beth has to investigate. This one has plenty of twists,red herrings,and drama to curl up with and enjoy. Good characters and a nice descriptive setting. Cosy mystery at its finest.
Thanks to Bookouture,Netgalley and Alice Castle for an arc in exchange for a review

Beth Haldane has some much needed construction going on at her home. With her boyfriend Harry, a local detective, having moved in recently, things are getting a little tight for space at home. She also has a preteen son named Jake and is now in the process of turning her shed into a space that just might meet her needs. However, when the workers building her shed discover a bone, a bone that turns out to be human, all construction comes to a halt and now the police have to find out who that bone belonged to and whether there are any more in her garden.

As far as Beth is concerned the police are taking far too long to find answers. Having proved more than adept when it comes to being an effective amateur sleuth, Beth launches her own investigation. Until now, Beth has felt really good about her relationship with Harry. But now, suddenly he is seemingly way too busy to even converse with her, never mind helping her figure out what is going on in their garden.

Meanwhile, Beth has a dilemma with her son and she must pay attention to what is going on with him at school and with his friends. She must do this while navigating her curiosity involving the body as well as being concerned about her relationship with Harry.

I admit to having to go to my friend Google to find out what the meaning of “shoffice” was, as it was a new term for me. But once I found out what it meant and what Beth‘s original plan was, everything fell into place. Even more, with Beth talking to as many people as possible, including other developers who may have worked on her property before she moved in, the story just kept getting better and better.

I happily binge read books one through seven of the series just a few months ago and loved each and every book. This made falling into this latest cozy mystery by Alice Castle quite enjoyable. However, readers do not have to worry if they have not read any of the previous books, as this latest installment would do perfectly well as a standalone novel.

Beth is a marvelous character, and the story was interesting throughout. I loved how Beth never lost her determination to find her own answers, all while navigating what was going on in her personal life. I loved how her even her dog Colin played his own role in helping Beth to solve the crime that was right in front of her. The Murder Garden was definitely a winner for me and I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

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

Please enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/lv4qPZ7nB9U

Beth Haldane cradles a warm cup of tea and admires the view of crisp, red autumn leaves scattering the lawn of her little garden. She’s finally going to get her shoffice but then the workmen stop, they've found a bone & it looks human. Then Adua the local cat / dog sitter is murdered. As more bones are unearthed Beth feels the need to investigate. But the arrival of a threatening anonymous message sends chills down her spine.
The eighth book in the series & it could easily be read on its own. Another engrossing read which as well as focusing on the discovery at the bottom of the garden there’s also the day to day life of Beth, her partner Harry working LONG hours, her son Jake reaching puberty, her relationship with best friend Kate, all these relationships are weighing on Beth's mind too as well as all the mud that the SOCOs are dragging into her house. The characters are well portrayed & had depth, the mystery as to who the bones were kept me guessing as there are plenty of red herrings plus the obligatory twists & turns. I really like Beth with her small stature & wayward fringe who just has to get involved
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Wow, what a page-turner. And all because Beth wanted a shed, er, office built in the backyard. I mean, no one expected to find bones, human bones.

To be honest, although Beth does seem to go off on tangents, trying to make her primary suspect fit, so to speak, she also operates on hunches. Hunches that frequently prove right. True, her thinking is a bit convoluted at times, revolving around vague things and gossip. She's also prone to go off on thinking tangents not related to the crime, blurting out questions that put off even one of her best friends, not to mention putting herself into danger....repeatedly.... despite all of her detective boyfriend's cautions. She even takes senior dog Colin along on an info gathering visit, endangering not just herself but her beloved old dog in the process when a ferocious watchdog greets them. Whoa, Beth, leave the dog out of it.

Yet, despite all this, I find myself liking Beth, all the while wondering once again how the heck she keeps her job. She's both careless and caring, loving and likely to forget things like paying the bills, but loves her son and wants the best for him. He's on the age 12/13 cusp now, an age where he'll soon be fighting for some independence from motherly supervision, so that will be interesting to watch as the series continues. Harry seems to genuinely dote on Beth, too, despite her frequent feelings of being shunted into the background and having to fight for his attention. You know, she's a great deal like most of us. She questions herself regularly, unsure of herself, yet doing what she can and hoping, grasping for the best. I think that aspect of her character is what draws me to her so strongly. She's real, even if I'd never, ever, ever admit to being quite so spacey.

Bottom line, this installment of the Beth Haldane mystery series is a winner. I'm still trying to go to grips with the crime and criminal, however. It packs quite a punch. Nope, not telling, you're going to have to read the book to watch Beth balance her need to know with delicate friendships, family needs, Jake's growing up, and her relationship with Harry (and his massive book collection). And, oh, maybe find time to go into work at least occasionally?

Thanks #NetGalley and #Bookouture for letting me drop into Dulwich again. I look forward to not just Beth's next adventure but poor Katie's progress with wild-child Teddy the dog.

This is book 8 in the Beth Haldane series but because of some introductions and descriptions it could be read as a stand alone, but trust me you'll want to read the others too.
The setting is Dulwich, which is anything but dull!
This cosy mystery has everything you could possibly want: suspense, nosy neighbours, drama, a few grim discoveries, a furry companion or two and tea! The kind of book to snuggle up with a blanket, buckets of tea and biscuits.
I loved the beautiful descriptive language, the Nina-isms and the epic twist.
There were a few cliffhangers with regards to some relationships leaving it open to more books in the series.
While this is the first I have read it certainly won't be the last.

Thank you to bookouture and netgalley for the arc copy in exchange for my honest opinions. And bookouture for having me on the blog tour.

I was drawn to the cover illustration, and thought that this looked and sounded like a book that I would enjoy, so I was happy to be approved to read it, in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of cosy mysteries, and I was expecting a modern cosy mystery. This ticked all of the right boxes. A modern cosy mystery in a village setting. I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series, but felt that enough background information was provided for it to be read on its own. I liked the protagonist, and found myself relating to her, and some of her behaviours.

This book did remind me a little bit of the Dr Ruth Galloway mysteries by Elly Griffiths, which I'm familiar with. I felt that it was humorous in a very subtle way - at times, the characters said or did things that made me chuckle while reading. I also felt that the chapters often ended in ambiguous way, hinting at something, without telling the reader exactly what was going on. For example, the text message Beth receives, that meant she "wouldn't get a wink of sleep all night". When this happens, as a reader, you feel compelled to keep turning pages.

I would probably be interested in reading some more books in this series, and I may recommend this to my Crime Café book club. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my opportunity to read and review this.

Book eight in the series has Beth finding a body in her yard. The police insist that she must know something about the body, but she doesn’t. How to prevent herself from being railroaded for a murder she didn’t commit? Sleuth herself!

This series delivers a solid mystery every time and each visit to Dulwich Village is satisfying. If you haven’t read a book in this series yet, you’re missing out!

Omg, I just love this series. I was so pleased that Nina features a lot in this book. I love her way with words, you always get the gist of what she means. Also really enjoyed meeting her cousin, who I hope will also feature in upcoming books. Having said how much I love this series, I felt Beth wasn’t totally on form in this book. I’m not sure how she could put the clues together to solve a murder, yet not to uncover what is going on in her personal life. This book left many questions that will hopefully be addressed in the next book? Even though this had an assuredly good plot and a perfect setting, I felt there were too many loose ends in Beth’s personal life left open. Now, some may say that the whole point of a series of that of main character development, but I must confess to feeling a little cheated by this instalment. Still a great read and the ‘mother of a teenage boy’ story if fabulous. However, I feel there is more going on with Katie than we know and, as this friendship has been a bedrock of this series, I wasn’t quite satisfied. Could have been great, but I hate untied up loose ends.

The murder garden was a cozy mystery…..it was a good read !! This book was definitely a mind game! It had suspense, intrigue, and a sort of who done it! The storyline was very interesting and flowed nicely! I will definitely recommend reading this one! It was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Love this series a blend of a cozy read and a mystery.Beth is a wonderful character a modern day Miss Marple.All ready looking forward to next charming read in this series.#netgalley #bookouture

Dog And Bone…
The eighth in the Beth Haldane series of mysteries finds Beth deep in death once again when a human bone is sniffed out underneath an unassuming oak tree in her very own garden. With the police casting their eyes towards Beth herself and the village rife with gossip, Beth knows that she needs to undercover the truth. Let the investigation begin - but is Beth herself at risk? It seems that it may well be highly likely. Another delightful murder mystery in the cosy vein with a likeable protagonist in Beth, a well placed setting with an entertaining narrative and a nicely crafted supporting cast of characters. Another worthy addition to this very enjoyable series

I really like this series…one timeline…third person…quirky fun protagonist who has a son and a boyfriend…she has friends she meets at coffee shops…dangerous neighbors…secrets…murder and mayhem…she goes to a job sometimes, but she is never serious about it. This is a quick read, written by a talented author. Each book is better than the the last…curl up in a cozy chair with a warm Afghan and a cup of steaming herbal tea…get lost in Beth’s world. You never know what she will do next…be prepared for a surprise ending. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks also to the publisher and the author. This series is becoming one of my favorites.

First one I've read in this series, and it won't be my last. Totally worked as a standalone too. A creepy, punchy start to the book and it felt quite suspenseful.
A few too many dog scenes for me as I am scared of dogs, but if you are a dog lover then you will embrace this!

Tense, dark and claustrophobic.

Thanks to NetGalley, Alice Castle, and Bookouture for the opportunity to read an advance copy of THE MURDER GARDEN which is the 8th book in the Beth Muldane series. Having not read prior books from this series, this was still workable as a standalone. I found this cozy mystery to be interesting in that Beth, the heroine, who perceived herself as a super sleuth, was delightfully ostentatious in her efforts to seek out the reason bones were found in her garden and to try to solve a local murder. Beth was very closely attached to and in tune with her Labrador and her cat, both of which demonstrated individual personalities throughout the book which was an illustrative departure from most novels in the same genre. Beth Muldane followers will definitely want to read this!

The Murder Garden: A Beth Haldane Mystery Book 8 by Alice Castle is a book I was able to read in one day. This is the first book I have read by this author. Even though this is a part of a series, I did not feel I missed out by not reading the other books. The main character, Beth, is likable. I also liked the setting, Dulwich (the setting), and getting to know the other characters.

One irritating thing was that Harry, Beth's boyfriend, works all the time on cases and doesn't make time for her. But when he suggests after finishing this current case that they take a holiday, he gets annoyed with her when Beth says she will think about it. A bit hypocritical on his part.

The reader definitely needs a glossary for some of the terms used, and sometimes too much description of unnecessary things, which distracts from the storyline and plot.

All in all, The Murder Garden was an enjoyable cozy mystery with good characters and easy to read. Sometimes the pacing was a bit slow, and I found myself skimming some pages. I had the culprit kind of figured out, so not a real surprise, but it did not take away from the story.

#TheMurderGarden #NetGalley @bookouture