Fantastic whodunnit. Great introductory book to a new cozy mystery series. I liked Violet and was rooting for her. I want to read more in the series.

I enjoy reading about small villages/towns in England. The mystery kept me guessing and the characters are great. I look forward to others in the series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first of many, I hope, if this book is a snippet of what’s to come. It’s always difficult to create a new world, particularly a cosy Agatha-style’ village, which has been done to death in all the mediums. Bettany has done just that with Violet and Merrywell. A remarkable talent

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and Jane Bettany for this arc in exchange for a honest review.

Violet moves to Merrywell to work on a film for the town. Upon gathering info to use on the film she is secretly asked to help find someone who went missing decades ago. While working on her film Violet starts to ask too many questions and a local turns up dead. Violet then is determined to find out who killed the local and if it's connected to what happened decades ago.

This mystery was easy to read. It was a little slow and had a lot of characters but the mystery parts were so good which is why I gave it 3.5 but overall good. I will be looking into more by this author. I can't wait to read more about Violet.

This modern cosy is well-written but I battled with the premise from which it starts. An established villager disappeared 40 years before but no one looks for her...until now. Our leading lady, Violet, is asked by a villager, who she has just met, to find the missing lady. The more questions Violet asks, the more she stirs up concerning consequences. I just couldn’t connect with the characters.

Whilst not for me, I can see others enjoying this book, a start to a new series. It’s a three out of five on the enJOYment scale.

This is an easy read modern cosy mystery set in an English village.

Being relatively new to the village and still in the early stages of setting up her business, she has a lot to learn about village politics. As part of a project, she becomes embroiled in a local mystery. She asks a lot of uncomfortable questions and, unsurprisingly, there are consequences.

Not really sure why but I just didn't feel engaged with this story or key characters, some of it just felt a bit of a stretch for me. I am sure there will be others who thoroughly enjoy it.

It's 3/5 stars for me.

My thanks to Netgalley and HQ publishing for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Highly, highly recommended! One of the best murder mystery books I have read all year. Mysterious and tense. It will most definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. Definitely a must read.

This is the first in this series and I thought the characters were introduced well.

Overall a cosy murder mystery if a little obvious as to who did it but I enjoyed the characters!

Thank you for the advanced reader copy.

3.5/5 ⭐️
After her divorce, Violet moved to the small town of Merrywell. She soon gets a job to make a commemorative film for the city. As she starts interviewing, she stumbles across a decades old missing person case. Violet starts to ask questions about the missing woman when a villager is murdered. More than ever, Violet becomes determined to solve the cases.

I enjoyed this debut. I think it had some slow parts and had to set up a lot of characters but I saw a lot of promise for Violet in future books. She reminded me of a less combative Agatha Raisin!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Murder in Merrywell is the perfect first book in a new cozy mystery series. Violet has just recently moved to Merrywell and started a new business. While working on her first project, one of her interviewees mentions that his ex-wife disappeared roughly 40 years ago. After some initial digging into the disappearance, Violet realizes that there is much more to the "story" and that some of these close-knit villagers likely know more than they are letting on. Because it's the first book in the series, we are introduced to an entire village of characters - all of which I'm excited to learn more about in future books. The small village of Merrywell is super charming, the characters are interesting, and the mystery is intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed Murder in Merrywell and will definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a feel-good, cozy mystery. I cannot wait to see what Violent is up to in book two!

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for my approval to read and review this book.

Violet Brewster has recently moved into the small village, Merrywell, and set up a new business called The Memory Box. This story has moments that will make you laugh out loud! The story is set on Violet producing a film of nostalgic memories from the villagers for posterity. She stumbles across a nearly 40 year mystery of a missing lady. No more spoilers as you will have to read the book for the conclusion. I recommend this book to my fellow readers.

This books sees the introduction of amateur sleuth Violet Brewster recently divorced and new to the village of Merrywell Violet starting out in her new independent life and business is tasked with a community project which sees her side tracked by a missing person which despite her reservations she just can't seem to help getting involved.

Violet is a headstrong character a modern day Miss Marple and she is complemented well by the setting and other characters within the story.

An enjoyable read a real cosy mystery.

A fun look at life in an English village as a new resident become fascinated by the disappearance of a resident 40 years ago.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an advance copy of this cozy mystery.

Violet Brewster has recently moved to Merrywell and bought a house called Greengage. She has started a business where people are filmed talking about their history and remembrances. It's called The Memory Box. She hasn't secured a client yet, but has an interview with the village parish council to make a film about the history of the village, and is delighted to be awarded the contract. The first man she interviews, Nigel Slingsby, tells her about his childhood and life in the village. When the interview is over, he asks her for advice about finding his wife Helen who disappeared 40 years ago. Violet is intrigued but feels she should stay focused on the job she's been hired for. But her inquiring mind gets her on the internet searching for Helen. When she finds nothing, she begins to speculate.

Merrywell is a small village, only a few hundred residents, so no-one can do anything without everyone knowing. How could Helen have disappeared without a trace? Violet continues her interviews, and also asks people about Helen. One senior citizen, Martha Andrews, leaves here a voicemail one afternoon to say she had come information, could Violet come by? But when Violet calls her, there's no answer, and later it going around the village that Martha has been found murdered in her house.

I liked the character of Violet - she's relentless in her snooping. I would like to read some more books by this author, and am happy to see she has written another series.

Violet Brewster moved three weeks ago to Merrywell and soon discovers an old mystery. What happend to Helen Slingsby? I liked this cosy crime very much. Interesting characters and the story is funny, thrilling and touching. A very good combination.

Did I read somewhere this book being interested for readers that like the Midsomer Murder series? It definitely reminded me of that TV-series with all its lovely greenery, the old houses, the village shops and gentle way of telling the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

Interesting cozy mystery of Violet, who is new to the village, who is making a video documentary of the village history. One of the people she interviewed asked her to look into his wife who disappeared 40 years ago. When she does it stirs up a lot of animosity and threats and murder soon follow. Liked this one, although the genre usually has more romance so kept waiting for it but it never really developed. Might just be me, but distracted me a bit. Would recommend this book, as the mystery was good.

New Village, New Business..
The first in the Violet Brewster Mystery series finds former journalist Violet in a new village and keen to make her mark. Not only new to the village of Merrywell, Violet has also embarked upon a new business and in the process of researching for her most recent contract with the council she finds out about the disappearance of a former villager. Needless to say, her journalistic tendencies rapidly overcome any common sense when she becomes convinced that something sinister lies under the idyllic exterior of village life. When a death occurs Violet knows that she is on the right track. With a deftly drawn cast of characters, an entertaining plot with a likeable protagonist and a sparky narrative this is a most promising start to an enjoyable new series.

Murder in Merrywell is an enjoyable first in series by Jane Bettany, somewhat reminiscent of Katie Gayle's Julia Bird series, but Violet Brewster, divorced woman of a mature age, has an interesting new business venture. Through her business, "The Memory Box," Violet intends "to capture on video whatever people feel compelled to talk about or want to share with others." That includes working with "communities to create living memories and village histories," and helping "individuals tell their personal and family histories." Her first venture is a PR film for her new home in Merrywell, a history of the village that includes compelling stories from a generation soon to be lost to us, those from the second World War, as well as subsequent decades up to and including children in the Merrywell school. While interesting, in and of itself, it also provides a great opportunity to snoop, and Violet is one of those who seems to be unable to keep her curiosity in check, once it is whetted. As one person put it, she is like "a dog with a bone." In her defense, her digging began at the request of and to assist one of her neighbors, but once begun, there was no stopping her. As the ex-wife of a detective with the Met, Violet respects the police but also recognizes their limited resources and reluctance to delve into things based on her "gut feeling." It will be interesting to see how her relationship with the local force fares in later books, but rest assured that the amateur sleuth/police detective love interest trope is not in play here. The detective, who seems to be quite good at his job, is also married and no heartthrob. That is not to say that there aren't other options available to Violet, but that is for another story and another time. All in all, I enjoyed this read and meeting the variety of characters in Merrywell. Violet is quite likeable, if a bit headstrong. I look forward to her next outing..

After her divorce ex-journalist Violet Brewster decided she would up sticks, move north, start her much planned new business, and fully embrace Merrywell's village life. Investigating a decades-old missing person mystery wasn't on her to do list even if she used to be married to a detective in the Met!

Violet is supposed to be making a film extolling the positives of Merrywell but her inquisitive nature means she can't leave well enough alone when one of her new neighbours asks for help finding out what happened to his wife in the eighties. It seems a harmless distraction until a sudden death makes her wonder if her questioning has unnerved someone. With the police reluctant to take her seriously will Violet concentrate solely on her film or is it already too late for that?

This is the first in a cosy series by popular crime writer Jane Bettany and was a really good start. Violet is an interesting main protagonist and, by the end of the book, has a few allies to help in her forthcoming investigations. The village and local council members add an interesting background, and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series very soon.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this and happily recommend it.