3.5 stars

Cosy mystery with all that small British village in the Cotswolds charm, what's there not to like about it? Though everything was far too predictabel and obvious right from the start, I found the way the plot and story develop to be entertaining enough to have kept me going with an interest. I liked the relationships between characters, their interactions, the way they all moulded and fit an obvious role at the village, and found especially amusing the relationship between Jake and Henny Penny - unexpected as it was. For fans of really soft and unpresumptuous cosy mysteries with a middle-aged protagonist who's unassuming and realistic.

Julia Bird seems to find herself caught up in murder after murder. She moved to the country for a quiet life, but the murder rate there seems to be sky-high! This time someone seems to be targeting members of a local pub quiz team.
I do enjoy these mysteries, the combination of a murder to solve and the humour that comes through really works well. This time, Julia's rather naughty dog Jake found himself a new best friend; a chicken!
I didn't manage to solve this one until nearly the very end when I had guessed who had done it, but it was more of a guess than any cleaver deducing on my part. Still, it was a fun read and I'm looking forward to more in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Quizzes Turn Murderous..
The fourth entry in the Julia Bird mystery series set in a delightful village nestled in the Cotswolds. Julia has arrived seeking a new start, recently single and retired, but what she did not expect was amateur sleuthing. Julia is now part of the local pub quiz team, where quizzing is definitely taken seriously, but it’s soon to become clear that someone has taken that seriousness to a frighteningly high level when a gruesome murder is committed following the final quiz round. Julia is soon on the case. With a plethora of both suspects and clues, not to mention red herrings, Julia has her work cut out once again. Wholly enjoyable and entertaining with a likeable protagonist in Julia and a supporting cast of colourful characters in a perfectly crafted backdrop

Berry sick is a delightful village where Julia Bird resides. She's a delight and such a well developed character. The village descriptions are so vivid that you can just picture yourself there. Plenty of plot twists and red herrings. Thanks#Netgalley and # Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Retired social worker Julia Bird is back, and taking on pub quizzes and murder in the fourth Katie Gayle novel. Her team includes Lilian, constable and quizmaster. Lilian knew the answers to the pub quiz, but something else she knew got her killed.

Julia's investigation is somewhat stymied, because her friend DI Gibson is housebound with a broken leg, and a new superintendent is blocking them both from the case. The police think that the local firebug killed Lilian, but Julie isn't so sure. With her doctor partner, Sean, and her librarian friend Tabitha, she gathers the clues that lead to the answer.

This is a delightful series, and I love spending time in Berrywick. I did guess who the murderer was around halfway through, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all. There are great descriptions of the village and its residents, and the plot moves along well. Julia is not getting the relaxing retirement she thought she wanted, but I love how her character is progressing.

In addition to sleuthing, Julia is preparing for a visit from her daughter, and her ex-husband's upcoming nuptials. Jake, her failed service dog, has befriended the matriarch of Julia's chickens, Henny, and provides his usual comic relief. There's a subplot with a potential rival for Sean's affections, and Julia has a few moments of jealousy, but, with the common sense we've come to expect from her, she talks it out with Sean. She also ruefully reflects on how society perceives older women, as the potential rival didn't even realize that Julia was in a relationship with Sean.

If you like village mysteries with engaging characters, great scenery, and deft puzzles, you should read this series.

4 out of 5 stars. Recommended.

I received an advance copy from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Who doesn't love a pub quiz? Especially if you get a chance to meet up with friends who don't mind if you make a complete fool of yourself! Julia Bird has started going to her local , the Tasty Turnip, along with close friend, Dr Sean O'Connor, where their knowledge and expertise has made them welcome members of the same team.

After an opposing team member is killed and another seriously hurt a new superintendent is put in charge of the ensuing investigation. Julia finds herself reluctantly trying to discover who would target two village quizzers but when another Berrywick resident is attacked the danger moves closer to home and once again she has to intervene.

Book four in this brilliant cosy series is all I wanted and more. The actual investigation is more serious and far-reaching than Julia’s previous cases while in her private life unexpected changes have to be dealt with. Added to this Jake has a new friend which provided a wonderful release of tension when it was most needed. This series has improved with each installment and I can't wait to see what happens next.

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

In this fourth installment of the Julia Bird mysteries, a local constable and pub trivia team member is murdered and with DI Hayley Gibson laid up with a broken leg due to a hit and run accident, local retiree Julia Bird investigates.

The Cotswold setting is lovely, the characters are varied and richly described, and while I was able to guess the culprint 2/3 of the way through the book, it didn't detract from the storyline. Side plots---one involving Julia's former husband and one a flirtatious patient of her doctor boyfriend---add detail to the main character. Recommended for cozy mystery fans and anyone looking for a light British read.

This was my first adventure with Julia Bird and her dog Jake. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the village and each of the characters. I truly got to know each one and started keeping mental tabs on each as the story progressed to try and find out who exactly committed the murder. I was kept guessing through the story up until the reveal and all the connections fell into place. I felt like I was playing clue again and was caught up trying to solve the mystery! This was a medium paced read and I will be following along the adventures of Mrs. Bird and her trusty side kick.

I enjoyed this book. It’s definitely got a British vibe to it. I loved the descriptions of the village. The characters are richly detailed. I did suspect who the killer was about midway through and was right but the story of why he did it was good. #MuderattheInn #NetGalley

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of the latest Julia Bird mystery.

This book was again a pleasant read about life for a retired woman in a village in the Cotswolds.. Julia is invited to join a quiz club at the local pub named the Topsy Turnip. Also on the team are two policewomen, Hayley (who we know from previous books) and Lilian, who lived in a nearby town. On the way home from the quiz, Hayley is hit by a car and suffers a broken leg. A week later, Lilian is found stabbed to death in her room at the inn. Hayley is frantic to help but is still in traction at the hospital and her nemesis, Detective Grave (nicknamed Shallow Grave) is sent to lead the investigation.

A amusing story is the friendship between Jake, the chocolate lab, and one of Julia's chickens, Henny. She finds them curled up the garden and Henny spends her days strutting around the back yard with Jake following.

I really enjoy this series - the stories are relaxing, amusing and intriguing. I look forward to the next. Thanks so much!

Julia Bird loves the village pub quiz, but it seems one of her team won’t make it to the next round alive…Pick up this novel and you will find it hard to put it down again, and when you have read it, you will find it easy to believe that you have actually been there experiencing the story yourself.

This book is the fourth book in the ‘Julia Bird Mysteries’ but the first I have had the pleasure of reading before now.

Julia Bird is introduced as an established figure within her local village, and the author(s) quickly introduces a cosy ‘picturesque English countryside’ undertone to the story itself. As the story progresses, the local village is thrown from quiz-night relaxation in the local pub, to the death of one of their own police force. Despite ensuing chaos within the village and the police force itself, Julia stays aware of investigation findings and is able to assist in directing the enquiry along more appropriate lines.

Alongside assisting formal investigation enquiries, the story also details Julia’s personal life and circumstances where she forms close bonds with many of the local village residents, each with differing stories to their personal connection.

The last twist was unexpected and kept me guessing until just before it was revealed which is a welcome feature of a crime thriller. The author(s) also used appropriate humour/wit alongside the descriptive text to make this book into the ultimate guilty pleasure. The pace and excitement of the book kept me engrossed and I completed the book within a day.

I look forward to starting the ‘Julia Bird Mysteries’ series from book 1 to learn more around how her role in the village has developed as well as her relationship with the other key characters. I would highly recommend this cosy crime page-turner as the perfect indulgent summer evening escape.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book.
#NetGalley #MurderAtTheInn

Can Julia solve the crime? Will her quiz friends help her? Realistic characters keep this story moving quickly. Red herrings kept me guessing. This talented author (authors) has written a page turner. This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher and the author. I enjoyed reading about the lives of the villagers and especially about quiz nights. A great series to read. I cannot wait for the next one. I really liked this book.

In this, the fourth installment of the Julia Bird mystery series, Retired social worker Julia and her friends are taking part in the pub quiz. They're a bit nervous about this, but quickly settle in and have a great time. Things don't end well, though, when Julia's friend, Detective Hayley Gibson, is hit by a car and stuck at home with a broken leg. After the second pub quiz night, things take an even darker turn when Lilian, a local police constable is found dead. Julia steps in to make sure the investigation stays on track.

I enjoy this series a lot and always look forward to the next book. I like Julia's back story and learning a bit more about it--there is some progression on one aspect of it in this book. I love Jake, the dog Julia adopted when he flunked out of guide dog training--he always makes me laugh. In this book, Jake has found an unlikely new best friend. I like reading about Julia's enthusiasm and sometimes surprise as she settles into a life unlike anything she ever thought it would be. The Cotswolds village setting and the quirky characters hit just the right note for a cozy mystery. If this is your cup of tea, then I highly recommend this series!