Set in the 1920s this book certainly felt of the time in terms of characters, language and general context. As a result it took a while to become immersed because it was slow-burning, quiet, thoughtful with none of the modern rush rush rush. The two main characters Arbie and Val were somewhat stereotypical with Arbie being a rather vague, apparently, young man of means, down from Oxford and a bit Wooster-ish. Val was the vicar's daughter, bright, ambitious but terribly aware of mother's desire for her to be married and have babies, because that's what nice young gels do. I liked the closed-room murder of a rich old lady with attendant hanging-on relatives, the honoured old housekeeper all living in a supposedly haunted house. Plenty of red herrings as expected from this author and all, eventually, tied up neatly. Arbie and Val definitely grated at times but I think that they could improve, can't quite give them a 4* yet though. The story telling is good. A light cosy read and definitely a change from the author's more modern detecting books. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

I feel like the cover and description of the book were slightly misleading, and although I didn't actively dislike the book, it was all quite forgettable - a 'cosy' crime mystery set in the 1920s (I thought it was going to be slightly more contemporary, in the vein of Richard Osman/The Appeal)

It's a slow burn, and didn't hook me from the start, which meant I gave up on it a few times, before I decided to get it finished. The characters felt a bit one dimensional, and I never really got a good idea of who they really were. There's some light touch humour in there but just not enough. Finally, the big reveal just didn't feel like a shock or revelation.

Not for me - but I know others who will definitely like this one.

This was a wonderful period thriller romp, and I loved reading every moment of it.

The book follows Arbie, a newly successful author, and his old school friend Val who live in a small village in the Cotswolds. Arbie wrote A Gentleman's Guide to Ghost Hunting (a glorified travel guide) and is asked by one of the village's oldest residents to come and see the ghost that is threatening her in her house.

Obviously, death and mayhem ensue (in a very English way) as the pair stumble through this murder mystery.

The writing is superb, the historical details spot on, and the characters flawed and wonderful. A beautiful fun romp that is a must-read.

Murder by Candlelight is a delightful read that takes place 100 years ago in a village that does not disappoint with its cast of characters.

We meet Arbie Swift and his side kick the Vicar's daughter Val.

Arbie an author of the popular book The Gentlemen's Guide to Ghosts has been asked to search for ghosts in the home of Amy Phelps.

Seems innocent enough until Miss Swift is found dead in her locked bedroom.

The plot is cleverly thought out and the twists and turns and the characters are all so very well done.

The pages turn quickly as Arbie and Val along with the Inspector try and solve the case.

Faith Martin you have a new fan and I certainly hope that we go on another adventure with Arbie Swift and Val.

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ , HQ Digital for a very cozy mystery that captures your attention form beginning to end.

This was an enjoyable and easy to read book. The writing style works well with you getting a real sense of time and place. It doesn’t tax the brain much but sometimes it’s good to have a simple book to read.

Murder by Candlelight is another cosy murder mystery set in the 192o's in a quaint Cotswold Village.I felt it was a little slow to begin with ,nothing much happening but when an old lady is murdered the story ramps up and becomes exciting and mysterious. The characters were good ,my favourite was Uncle ,lots of atmosphere with a very good ending .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC

Faith Martin is fast becoming one of my favourite authors . I almost felt as though I had stepped back into time it was so immersive. Similar in tone to Agatha Christie but written in a much more witty voice. Loved it !

A book written in the style, I imagine, of Jeeves and Wooster. This whodunnit is quite entertaining, set in a small village in the Cotswolds. The plot kept me guessing as to how the murder was committed - it was only revealed in the final 2 pages.

This is such a classic, cosy whodunnit. I love the English village setting of Maybury-in-the-Marsh where everything was calm and peaceful until …….. There are a tremendous cast of diverse characters, all very well written. This is a fun detective story with plenty of twists and turns and multiple suspects along the way. I love the authors writing style and look forward to reading more by her. Altogether a great read

Now this was a classic, Gothic small town mystery packed full of secrets and larger than life characters. Uncle was my favourite and I’d read more of his stories! The dynamic between Arbie and Val was fun, putting a proper smile on my face. It felt like an enjoyable cosy murder mystery, but I was not a huge fan of the ending and final reveal.

This is a delicious cozy detective with all the right ingredients for a cracking good read. And it doesn't disappoint. We have the lovely Cotswolds setting in the 1920s, a wealthy old woman found dead in a locked room and a rich cast of suspects.

The investigators are two jolly good sorts: the lighthearted and easygoing Arbie (who has written a successful book about ghosts) and Val, the sensible, clever (and attractive) Vicar's daughter.

Lots of twists and turns but this is nothing if not a classic, well choreographed cozy mystery.

It's light, funny and just a lark. Have fun!

My thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

I started reading this book thinking I’m not going to enjoy it because of the language used, however, I soon came to enjoy the language.
This is cosy crime at it’s best. It’s easy to read as you slip into village life.
I definitely recommend this book.

I really liked this English murder mystery that takes place 100 years ago in a quaint village! It does take a chapter or two to get used to the language (at least it did for me), and then I was "all in."

Arbie has attained some success with his ghost-hunting book, and he's approached by spinster Amy Phelps to search for ghosts/beings at her home Old Forge. His friend Val tags along, and the reader can see how taken with Arbie that Val is. We learn that Miss Phelps is loaded, and there are a group of folks who are in the vicinity (the housekeeper, the nephew, the cousin, etc.), and we learn that Miss Phelps has recently changed her will. On their second trip to Old Forge, tragedy strikes, and Miss Phelps is found dead in her bed with the door to her room locked. Val and Arbie were in the hallway the entire night. How did the killer do it?

The pacing was good. The characters were interesting. I liked the interplay between Val and Arbie. There was an investigator, but the ghost-hunter was instrumental to solving the murder. This is a fun murder mystery with a whole lot of atmosphere, perfect for a fall evening! I don’t think it’s a perfect book (the reason it’s not 5 stars), but it’s a good mystery romp.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I got to chapter four of this book, and I just couldn’t continue. Although I am a lover of the cosy mystery genre, I think I personally didn’t mesh well with this book. I felt that the characters didn’t intrigue me, and if I’m not pulled in by a book in the first few chapters, I know it’s just not the one for me. The writing style wasn’t awful, and I can see why this author is well loved. I certainly haven’t been put off trying out more of their work!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this opportunity!

This was a cozy murder mystery that i liked but the writing kind of made me feel overwhelmed. It was a little too excessive for me. But it was not the worse book i’ve read this year. It was a mediocre read, i’m just upset that it wasn’t a five star read.
2.5 stars

What a great read. It’s pacy and unputdownable. I read this murder mystery long into the early hours because I was so gripped.
The team of the vicar’s rather bossy and feisty daughter with the would-be ghost hunter/super-sleuth, was priceless. They made me laugh on many occasions, with both pretending to be fearless in the face of strange noises in the night which actually terrified them both.
I loved this murder mystery romp and how our super sleuth actually solves the riddle but is unable to tell the vicars daughter, basically because he’s a bit terrified of her. They are just so funny but so good together.
This book is most definitely one to add to your reading list. It’s excellent.

This was a very interesting story with a great cast of characters. Two amateur sleuths out think the police inspector who was surprisingly amenable. There are several possibilities for the murders and the proposals are very ingenious.. I really enjoyed the way the story rolled out to the conclusion.

I wasn't sure if it was going to be my sort of thing at first as there seemed to be a lot of cliches in it. However, once I got caught up with the story, this didn't matter so much. It's a gentle, cosy read with some fun characters. Also, I found the section featuring the ghost watch - with tinkling bell - quite chilling.

Arbie seems to come by the solution a little too easily, however. There is no lead up to it by deduction that allows the reader to follow his thought processes. He does all the working out in his head and presents his theory fully formed. Not a major problem in a cosy crime novel and not really one that detracts from the enjoyment of it.

I just reviewed Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin. #MurderByCandlelight #NetGalley
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Really enjoyed this jaunt through merry old England in a 1920’s murder mystery.

Arbie was a bit dull and felt like he needed a shake and didn’t warm to any of the characters at all BUT if you like the old Miss Marple’s by Christie, then you will adore this cosy murder mystery.

This wasn't quite what I was expecting and didn't really hold my interest. I found myself skim reading and found it very long winded.