An enjoyable historical mystery.

This is my first read from this author, and thought he book doesn’t do much to stand out from the pack in the genre, it’s entertaining enough and solidly plotted.

I wasn’t especially crazy about the protagonist (though his basset hound helped a bit), and the sense of place is just ok, but the story flows well and it has some interesting historical detail.

The mystery itself is centered around actors and film industry people, and while that’s more interesting to read about in a historical novel than in something contemporary, it’s never my favorite. This is just a preference issue, so if you do like that sort of thing, you’ll likely enjoy the characters here more than I did.

Overall this has a good premise for a series, and I hope we see more of sidekick/love interest Bella in ensuing installments.

What a treat this audiobook was to listen to! When a mystery writer struggling with his craft and his bank account is invited to a swanky New Year’s party, he finds myself inside a real life murder mystery! It was so much fun for this book to be set in 1920s England and the narrator did a fantastic job! I really enjoyed this title and I did not guess the ending! This was a great addition to my stack of holiday reads/listens!

This complex murder had characters that seemed to hang on for no reason. Hard to understand the importance of all of the characters presented throughout the novel. It seems like a list of who's who throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this book! This is the first I’ve read from this author and it won’t be the last! I enjoyed everything about from the atmosphere, the humor, music and the reveals. Absolutely perfect cozy mystery!!

I was excited by the premise of this book as I love a country house murder mystery ala Agatha Christie. Unfortuantely, I wasn;t gripped in the way I hoped I would be, The plot twists were a bit predictable and it was hard to warm to Marius the main character and his romance with Bella. I would be open to reading other books by the author though as they had a nice style of writing.

The start of a new cozy mystery series set in the 1920s among the Lords and Ladies set.
The premise of the book sounded great, a mystery writer with writer's block who is trying to write his second novel after a successful debut. He meets up with his former ( before the Great War) sweetheart and she invites him to a house party. Hoping to rekindle romance with her and get some ideas for his book he readily accepts.
The host is murdered and the game is on.
The work and writing are very much of the period and the reader learns a good deal about the aftermath of WWI.
The story progressed very slowly over the first 2/3s of the book with the amateur sleuths trying to figure out whodunit in not a very organized fashion. Things seemed repetitive and not really leading anywhere. The ending was more interesting and paced better with some surprises and twists.
The characters were somewhat wooden and type cast for me. It was hard to really root for Marius or Bella to succeed. The cast of suspects and other were likewise not particularly intriguing.
The setting is reminiscent of Agatha Christie type novels with a murder in a country home cut off from police intervention by snowy weather. This is an appeal to most who love mysteries.
I did enjoy the narration (audiobook) on this one.

Narrated by George Blagden ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story by Benedict Brown ⭐⭐⭐

The narrator was fantastic, the cover is eye catching and I book I would definitely click on in the kindle store, but as for the story it was only just OK. I personally really struggled to get into it which is particularly disappointing because I was really excited to start it.

This was a great who-done it set in the 1920's. A best-selling author with a horrible case of writer's block, is reunited with a childhood friend and is invited to spend the holiday at the mansion of a famous actor. The actor finds himself deceased pretty quickly and Marius Quinn the author who wrote a best-selling mystery book sets out to find out who the killer is.
I listened to the Audio version of this and loved it. It had a lot of humor and sarcasm to keep you engaged through the whole story. This is the 1st book in this new cozy series and I am looking forward to the next one.

Currently available on Kindle Unlimited

This was a good book and had a lot of intriguing things in it and a lot of information that was interesting I enjoyed it and would recommend it for others to read

I enjoyed this mystery. A mystery author who is suffering from writers block is invited to a New Year’s Eve gathering at a famous actors house by the woman he once almost married. The first night he is there someone is murdered, followed by attacks on other guests. Now he must put his mystery solving cap on and figure out who is behind these attacks and murder.

Murder at Everham Hall by Benedict Brown follows Marius Quin, who is a mystery writer with writers block after his first novel was a best seller. Marius happens to run into his old childhood friend Lady Isabella Montague, who invites him to stay at Everham Hall for New Year's Eve. Marius has nothing better to do so he agrees join her. Not long after arriving to Everham Hall the host is murdered. Marius and Bella work together as they question everyone who is at Everham Hall to find who is the murderer. This is the first in a series and was a good book. I loved Marius's sense of humor and his beloved Basset hound, who seems to befriend one of the suspects. I can't wait for the second book in this series to come out and to see what Marius gets up to and if he ever finished his second novel. If you liked The Curse of Penryth Hall, A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons, A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality, Murder by Degrees, or Of Manners and Murder: A Dear Miss Hermione Mystery you will love Murder at Everham Hall!

A mystery author with one successful book is struggling to write his next book. He runs into an old friend/romantic interest and gets invited to a posh new years party. This is where the murder and mystery start. I enjoyed the banter and the attempts to solve the crime. The resolution felt a bit rushed for me. There were many characters, so I don't think the author could adequately develop them all. The narrator was good. Overall it was a good story for those who enjoy historical fiction or mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the Advance Listener Copy of Murder at Everham Hall.

Review:
The story was mild interesting. Unfortunately, I hated the MMC. He spent the whole book detailing how much he adored Bella and would break off in tangents about her many glorious qualities. His hatred of her boyfriend obviously clouds his judgment in terms of solving the mystery. I didn't feel that it was a true "cozy" mystery, it felt more like a regular low-stakes mystery. It didn't have the relationships that I think define other cozy mysteries. Also, who brings their dog to an overnight party at someone's house?!

The narration was good and I liked the female vocalist that sang the song. That was a nice touch.

Summary:
December 1927. Mystery writer Marius Quin has one previous bestseller, endless looming mortgage payments, and no idea how to write his next book. When his childhood friend Lady Isabella Montague invites him to an intimate New Year’s Eve party hosted by a narcissistic actor, Marius seizes upon the distraction. With his perpetually glum Basset hound along for the ride, he navigates the snowy lanes to the opulent estate of Everham Hall. As the celebrations begin, fireworks light up the sky, champagne corks pop, and then the host is murdered…

Snowed in and with the police unable to reach them, Marius is the closest thing the panicked party has to a detective and he is swiftly nominated to find the killer. But when two more guests are attacked, Marius soon realises that solving mysteries is even harder than writing them. With Bella at his side, and a clutch of conniving suspects to choose from, can Marius find the culprit before the killer targets him?

Here's a cozy mystery set on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day ... it's the 1920s and men are back from WWI and the world of silent film is takinThe great reveal was fantasticmanor.
The first in the new Marius Quin series - the sleuth a mystery author suffering from writer's block after a very successful first book. The cast of characters the party attendants who all had different reasons to love and despise the murder victim.The great reveal was fantastic.
I could see elements of Golden Age British Crime writing in this new historical mystery. Very entertaining, and the voice narrator was great as the voice of Marius.
I would definitely read another in this series, as well as the author's other series.
I received an advanced listener's copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review - this book was out Friday November 3rd !

I immensely enjoyed myself listening to "Murder at Everham Hall," narrated by George Blagden (narration was *chef's kiss*). I don't know why I don't read more cozy mysteries, I love whodunnits! This was perfect to listen to, and even more so during the upcoming holiday season. I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 already.

I enjoyed this book; the author and the narrator did well. I liked how the story flowed and twisted at the end.

Lovers of Golden Age mysteries will find much to like in this new mystery series, with Marius Quin, a mystery writer with writer's block, turned detective. He is assisted in his pursuits by the lovely Lady Isabella Montague, a childhood chum. An unexpected meeting of the two friends, after a long absence apart, leads to Lady Montague asking Marius to come to a house party at a country estate. When the host is murdered soon after their arrival, Marius steps in to solve the crime.

This was an entertaining and fun read. I look forward to the next installment of the series. I listened to an audio recording of the book, and the narrator had just the right upper crust accent to make me feel like I was listening to the book in a cozy English library!

Thank you to NetGalley, Benedict Brown, and Dreamscape Select/Storm Publishing, for allowing me to listen to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder at Everham Hall is the first book in the A Marius Quin Mystery series by Benedict Brown. This had an interesting premise for the mystery. The mystery was very entertaining, I really enjoyed the writing, and there were definitely a couple of laugh-out-loud moments. However, and unfortunately, I was not a fan of the main character, Marius Quin, and I have little interest in the romance between Marquis and Bella. I do not know if I will continue this specific series but I am interested in potentially reading some other novels by this author.

Mystery writer turns amateur detective.

Marius Quinn is having trouble writing his second book. Pressured by his publisher to write something substantial or not getting paid, Marius needs to think of something quick to lift his writer’s block. Meet lady Isabella, his old love, who he hasn’t seen or spoken to since he left for the war. She ends up inviting him to a party at an old English estate to celebrate the end of the year. While there one of the guests ends up being murdered and Marius suddenly finds himself thrust into the role detective. During his investigation secrets are revealed, relationships exposed, old feelings emerge again, and the taunting murderer attacks another partygoer whilst still snowed in at the estate. Tensions and feelings rise high in this 1920’s novel with many twists and turns you won’t expect.

I loved this book and the narration. The narrator did a splendid job at making each character sound distinct and easily recognisable. The singing also added a nice touch. This book sets up a solid foundation for more novels to come but can just be read by itself for now without feeling like something was missing. The author put a lot of background research into creating this novel and it shows. The authors note at the end was interesting to listen to.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, Dreamscape Select & Storm Publishing for letting me listen to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a witty, utterly charming, historical British cozy in a mansion in seclusion during a snowstorm on New Year's Eve. The characters are in the acting/filmmaking business or adjacent to that, and our protagonist is a struggling writer. He pokes much fun at himself and others, and his pith elevates this from an ordinary whodunit to an one which will cause giggles and worm its way into the heart much more. I'm smitten. I will read more.

I should mention that as the audiobook began and the narrator announced the contributors, it included a mention of so-and-so doing the singing, and I nearly brought the whole thing to.a grinding halt, having no love for musicals or for audiobooks trying to be radioplays. If anyone is also music-averse like me in their audiobooks, rest assured it was just a short song in the middle and not some obnoxious song and dance routine.