I read this as a standalone and now want to read the rest of the series! It took a minute to get going, but became very engaging.

"The Ghostwriter's Study" by Julie Highmore is an intriguing and captivating novel that skillfully blends mystery with a deep exploration of character. Highmore’s prose is crisp and engaging, pulling readers into a world where secrets are unearthed and the past lingers just out of reach. The protagonist’s journey through the shadows of their own life and the lives they write about is both thought-provoking and suspenseful. Highmore masterfully balances tension with moments of introspection, making this book a compelling read. "The Ghostwriter's Study" is a must-read for anyone who loves a well-crafted story with layers of depth and intrigue.

The Ghostwriter's Study is the third cozy mystery featuring Edie Fox written by Julie Highmore. Released 28th Jan 2024, it's 202 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU.

This is a wryly humorous cozy mystery with an appealing and relatable protagonist, a private investigator. She's hired to investigate if the elderly sister of her client is being robbed by caregivers in her home. The case is complicated by the sudden very unexpected death of one of the carers in question.

This is a very well written series, and the author is wonderfully adept at clever plotting and comedic timing. It works well enough as a standalone, but as the third book in a continuing series, some spoilers should be expected for earlier books if read out of order.

Four stars. It's would be a good choice for public library acquisition, or a binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

This was my first introduction to this author and this series, and I will definitely read more. Edie is a private detective who takes on an assignment to help an older lady whose carers might be taking advantage of her.
The mystery isn't complicated and the characters are charming. I loved how seamlessly Edie's private life flowed with her work, even as she worked undercover with a different name. Friends and family are the most important here.
Thanks to NetGalley fore letting me read this.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

The Ghostwriter’s Study by Julie Highmore is a delightful foray into the world of cozy mysteries, where intrigue and humor intertwine to create a compelling narrative. Highmore’s protagonist, Edie Fox, is a private investigator with a knack for blending into her surroundings, which she does with aplomb in her latest assignment.

In this third installment of the series, Edie goes undercover as a ghostwriter to keep an eye on the affairs of Suzie DuBarry, an eccentric older woman with a colorful past. The assignment takes a dark turn when a garden party ends in tragedy, and Edie must unravel the truth behind the incident.

Highmore’s writing is sharp and witty, with a narrative that is both engaging and easy to follow. The Oxford setting comes alive under her pen, with its bohemian vibe and quirky characters that are both endearing and suspicious in equal measure. The plot is well-crafted, with enough twists to keep readers guessing until the very end.

What sets The Ghostwriter’s Study apart is its blend of humor and suspense. Highmore has a gift for balancing the darker elements of the mystery with light-hearted moments, ensuring that the story never feels too heavy or grim. Edie Fox is a relatable and likable heroine, whose personal life and challenges add depth to her character and the story.

Overall, The Ghostwriter’s Study is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries. It’s a book that offers escapism, entertainment, and the pleasure of a mystery well solved. Whether you’re new to the Edie Fox series or a returning reader, this book is a charming addition to your bookshelf.

This is my first Edie Fox book, but not my last! Dylan asks Edie to pose as a ghostwriter for his sister, Suzie. Dylan is suspicious of the caretakers' motives. This is such a fun book and was the perfect palette cleanser after dark, dreary thrillers.

3 stars - An enjoyable, but forgettable mystery.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

I genuinely wish I liked this more than I did. It might be that I have not read the books prior to this one, but I felt like I never learnt enough the cast to care about anything beyond the mystery itself.

To Ms. Highmore's credit, she writes extremely well. She balances dialogue to descriptions of the surrounding very well. I also saw the Richard Osman inspiration in the humor sprinkled through the book. It takes a skilled hand to weave comedy into something often as bleak as murder mystery; Highmore shines in this.

Unfortunately, I felt the book was paced very well until the final 1/5th. Highmore seems to have became lost in her own world a little, and the beauty of her writing dulls a little. If the final lap was a little better, I could have be convinced to take this to 4 stars.

I might not have learnt much about the cast, but I definitely know Highmore is someone I will read again when the mood strikes me. Keep writing Highmore, you have a talent.

An entertaining and well plotted story featuring likeable characters. It's a solid mystery. I found the end a bit rushed but the plot kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I just loved the first of Julie Highmore’s Edie Fox mysteries, The Missing American. Edie was a fun Kinsey Millhone-type private detective, if Kinsey had been a rookie, a mother and grandmother, and a British former school teacher. The Missing American was a nice, twisty read with many quirky, loveable characters and a satisfying solution.

This is the third mystery in the series. Edie goes undercover as a ghost writer to a glamorous elderly woman with failing memory, Suzie, who wants to write a memoir of her life in the music industry. Edie’s real client is Suzie’s younger brother Dylan, and her assignment is actually to suss out whether Suzie’s live-in carers are stealing from her and to make sure that no salacious, scandalous facts about her life is ever published. From this set-up, we’re treated to many drinks, a glamorous party, some very old secrets being uncovered, and of course an inexplicable murder.

Despite loving the characters and Highmore’s world even more as it grows, I did have some reservations.

This is a continuing series that introduces new characters and builds on the earlier books, and since I missed no 2. in the series, The Missing Husband, I was somewhat at sea when characters from that book popped up with no explanations and new relationships were alluded to.

I also got impatient with Edie, who was less than professional and often down-right stupid. When you’re undercover, you don’t drag your whole extended family plus some chance acquaintances that you know will blow your cover, to a party in the target’s house. When you’re a private detective, you also at least google the guy who has hired you and insisted on providing you with a fake ID. This time around it was less Kinsey and more of a slapstick cozy mystery with a ditzy heroine. However, I still very much loved Edie’s world, I had a fun read and the solution to the mysteries (yes, there is more than one) was surprising, so that is all good.

In disclosure, I received this as an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgally, the publishers, and Julie Highmore

When I requested this book I was unaware that it was apart of a series, one that requires you to read the previous books for this one to make sense. I am unable to read all the previous books along with this one before the publish date. Therefore, I will rate this a fair 3/5 stars and will adjust the rating and review when I am able to read all the books in the series along with this one.

What a fun read! It was so easy to get immersed in Edie's adventures. The characters were all fully fleshed and easy to like. I wanted to go to Suzie's with them and discover all the secrets. Some definite twists and turns in the story, so it keeps you on your toes. I would read the rest of Julie Highmore's books in a second.

#theghostwritersstudy by Julie Highmore was just an ok read for me. I found it difficult to keep the characters straight. Lots has occurred in the previous books to bring the characters to this point, and I understand how difficult it must be to juggle that successfully in subsequent books. The writing was humorous, but the plot was a tad convoluted. Don't think I'm going to be picking up books 1 or 2.

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

The third book in a series which i read as a standalone.
A straightforward Murder mystery set in oxford. A simple plot and easy read I felt the characters weren't that well fleshed out. Maybe if I had read the first two books in the series that wouldn't be the case.

This is book three of the Edie Fox series, but I read as a standalone, and it doesn’t lose anything from being read that way.

Dylan McCrimmon is afraid that live-in caregivers Joey and Delores are stealing from his older sister Suzie DuBarry who lives in Oxford. He hires Edie to pretend to be Suzie’s ghostwriter to investigate. During a party one of the carers falls from a balcony and dies. Accident or murder?

This was a fairly straightforward murder mystery. Not a lot of bells and whistles. It was fine.

Edie has a busy home life, with her daughter and grandchildren living with her. Then there’s her relationship with Greg and her work as a private investigator. Her life is full of quirky friends and family.
Edie is approached to pretend to be a ghostwriter for the elderly mother (Suzie) of the client, Dylan. It’s all to be very secretive. Dylan says Suzie has dementia and she currently has a cook and a carer to watch over her. It all seems ‘off’, but things come to a head when a death occurs and the carer immediately takes off. Was it murder, suicide, or an accident?
The story is entertaining, though I was a little disappointed by the way the solution to the death is handled by the characters. All in all, this is a fun cozy mystery with interesting characters.
Thanks to The Book Folks and NetGalley for the ARC.

I cannot help but use the term adorable and relatable for Edie Fox, even though she is a sleuth that would give Angela Lansbury a run for her money (Seriously, no comparison. I could not abide watching Murder She Wrote, but love reading all types of Cozy Mysteries)

I digress. Edie Fox is asked by her friend, Dylan McCrimmon, to watch over his sister Suzie because he thinks the live-in carers are pulling a fast one. They devise a plan for Edie to come in as a ghost writer for Suzie, so as not to arouse suspicion

However, one of the carers meets an untimely end in a very public fashion, so who is pilfering Suzies cash?? Things are not as simple as they seem and Edie, along with her litany of wonderful side characters is on hand to solve the mystery (Maeve is a doll, Jesus, not so much, but loved Greg and Lily)

The writing style is not my usual pace, but that is a personal preference, and no shade at all to the author. The character developent and weaving of storylines is ecellent and certainly kept me guessing!

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the Book Folks for this lovely Cozy ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own