A charming mystery in a seaside setting where not everyone is as pleasant as they first seem. Sarah Vane had hoped for a restful move and soon the body count is on the increase - will she solve the crime before even more people are found dead?

Widowed doctor Sarah Vane has moved to be closer to her friend Daphne, while navigating her new life without her husband. 

But things take an exciting turn when they discover a dead body in Daphne's beach hut. But another body appears and the two must work to find the killer before more bodies turn up, or before they are next.

A fantastic first novel in a series about friendship, change and new beginnings. 

These characters were so real, I felt I knew them, and loved how her little dog Hamish had a point of view in the novel also.

The first in a brand new cosy mystery series, Murder at an English Pub by Alice Castle. Which,Introducing retired doctor Sarah Vane who is looking for a fresh start when she moves to Merstairs, Kent to live next door to her best friend. When they stumble across a gruesome sight, they decide they will solve the mystery themselves and embark on an investigation of their own. The book draws you in from the very first page. I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. It has all the elements that really do make for the perfect murder mystery. With twists and turns throughout, I would definitely recommend.

Although I’ve been a fan of other books/series by Alice Castle, this one fell short of the appeal of the others. The main character, recently retired and recently widowed Dr. Sarah Vane, really doesn’t strike me as a sleuth, her best friend is more than a little flaky, and the doctor’s dog, Hamish, may be the best character in the book.

This is a good cosy mystery and appears to be the first in a series. Dr Sarah Vane, retired GP and recently widowed has just moved from London to Merstairs, a small English coastal town. Her neighbour is her best friend, and self-proclaimed clairvoyant, Daphne who has recently purchased a beach bathing box. However, when Sarah and Daphne start to clean out the bathing box they make a most unwelcome discovery, a dead body in a trunk, and Sarah gets to know her new town through her conducting her own investigation into this mystery.
A nice, light cosy mystery with a share of humour to balance it out nicely.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

The title alone sets the scene. English country village, the usual inhabitants mixed with a bunch of amateur sleuths.

Sarah hopes for a peaceful retirement in the pretty village, close to her flamboyant friend. They did not account for finding a body in a suitcase. The victim was unpopular so the suspects were wide ranging and our two sleuths felt that they could solve the case, much faster than the rather slow local constables. A second victim means that the murderer is getting panicky with ongoing investigations both official and unofficial and the story comes to a happy close with the most unlikely of suspects caught and neatly handed over.

Very light read, more of a holiday read this was not complicated.

Recently retired and widowed, Sarah Vane moves to the seaside to be near her close friend Daphne. The pair decide to use Daphne's new beach hut for storage but find it packed full of boxes already. One contains a body...
Murder at an English Pub is the first book in a new series of amateur sleuth series set in Kent, England.
Poor Sarah is heartbroken after the death of her beloved husband. Now she is proceeding with their retirement plans alone. Luckily she has the wonderful Daphne to lift her spirits but the two women are set on another path when they start to investigate the murder discovered in their beach hut. The body is the local pub landlord and the beach hut has been through many owners recently: lots of potential suspects and motives!
I really liked Sarah and Daphne's characters. Sarah is very down to earth and pragmatic while Daphne is spiritual and vivacious. Their personalities balance each other out nicely. Of course one other character shines... Hamish the dog!
The mystery is sustained well and I was kept guessing. There are a host of suspects acting suspiciously and Sarah has to unpick their alibis to get to the truth. Secrets unfold but which relate to the crime? I liked the way that Sarah investigates and isn't afraid to get stuck in, although I can also see that the murder gives her a distraction from her grief.
Murder at an English Pub is a good start to the series and I look forward to reading more about Sarah's retirement.

Murder at an English Pub is a new, cosy mystery set in coastal Kent. The main protagonist is Dr Sarah Vane, a retired London GP who moves to Kent to live the retirement dream she hoped to explore with her late husband. Instead, she lives next door to her lifelong friend, Daphne, who is an irrepressible force. When Daphne embroils her in a suspicious death, Sarah decides to investigate and finds numerous motives and suspects. The book introduces its characters well, and they are easy to imagine from the vivid descriptions. The coastal town's ethos is immersive and the perfect foil for a cosy mystery, with many secrets hiding behind a seemingly friendly and respectable facade. It's an engaging start to the series with vibrant characters, a mystery to solve and a relatable coastal setting.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The first book in a new series. It has all the requirements of a lovely setting eccentric characters and the necessary pet helping out. However this book while pleasant didn’t grab me and seemed a bit same old same old. I also figured out the villain much earlier than the main character. Hopefully the series will improve as we get to know everyone better. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Murder at an English Pub is the first in a brand new cosy mystery series by Alice Castle. Introducing retired doctor Sarah Vane, it is a warm and engaging cosy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. Beautifully written, with the kind of gentle storytelling that draws you in from the very first page, it has all the elements that really do make for the perfect murder mystery tale.

Murder at an English Pub is a great introduction to the series, with a story that keeps you guessing throughout. Gripping, addictive and with a strong cast of supporting characters, this book introduces recently widowed Sarah Vane, a fascinating new character who I look forward to getting to know even more as the series continues.

Set against the backdrop of an English seaside town, Alice Castle has brought the people of Merstairs vividly to life. I loved this first murder mystery of the series and can’t wait to read whatever the author has in store for the wonderful Sarah Vane next!

With twists, turns, shocks and surprises throughout, Murder at an English Pub by Alice Castle is a quirky, fun and entertaining cosy mystery thriller that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

One of the trends I’ve seen a little of that I love is an older main character. Sarah is in her 60s and is widowed and making a fresh start by moving to a seaside cottage. It’s a beautiful setting for this cozy mystery. It really adds character to it. One of my favorite characters was Hamish, Sarah’s dog. Every cozy should have a pet front and center.

As an amateur sleuth Sarah brings her doctoring skills to the table, which was a new one for me. Sarah and her pal Daphne go off searching to find out who killed the pub owner. She’s in your face as she takes over where she feels the police have lagged at their job.

A lot of the book is setting up the story and the characters for the series and based up on the author’s other series, we are in for a treat in this new start.

Jilly Bond was an excellent choice for narrator. She really sounded like a 60ish British doctor and also did a great job bringing the other characters to life. I especially liked her incorporation of Hamish into the story.

Cozy readers itching for an older lead and an adorable dog will love Hamish and Merstairs.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Murder At An English Pub' by Alice Castle.

Wow!!! Another amazing book by this incredible author!! I absolutely LOVED this cosy murder mystery that had me hooked from the start to the end!!

This book is extremely well written. It is just so easy to read and the descriptions were absolutely gorgeous and vivid. The way Alice describes everything in her writing completely sets the scene for readers ensuring they are can see everything around them in depth and detail.

Yet another brilliant book by this amazing author and an incredible start to the new 'Sarah Vine' series!! I have previously read several books in Alice's 'Beth Haldane Mystery' and I absolutely loved each and every one of them. I am always a bit dubious when starting a new series by an author I have enjoyed a different series by as I wonder how they can make another series as good as the previous ones with characters that I become invested in and feel like friends to me like the previous characters did. I am pleased to say that I had absolutely nothing to be concerned about and Alice has absolutely smashed it out of the ballpark again!!! A sign of an absolutely incredible author so if you have yet to read any of Alice's books then regardless of whether it is this one or any of her previous books, which can all be read as standalones, then grab one today and I guarantee you will not regret it but you may just end up as addicted as I was and buying all the previous books in this brilliant series!!!!! I cannot wait to go back and get sucked in to the previous books that I have yet to read and cannot wait for the next books in this brilliant series to come out!! I am pleased to see that i wont have too long to wait as her next book in this series is called 'A Seaside Murder' and will be released on the 5th September and is available to preorder now on Amazon! The storyline is fast paced and grips the reader straight in from the first page to the very last. I was completely invested in the storyline which completely sucked me in from beginning to end. This truly is a page turner and I felt myself walking around with my kindle in my hand every chance I could get and if I couldn't use my kindle then it was the kindle app on my phone. The atmosphere is perfectly suited for the plot and with the fantastic descriptions throughout I felt myself investigating alongside Sarah throughout. It actually made me want to visit Merstairs regardless of the fact that there was a murder. Alice's writing style completely captures the readers imagination and this is just the type of book that can be read in the sun on a beach or on a rainy day curled up by the fire in your living room. I enjoyed the fact that although this is a cosy mystery there wasn't any unnecessary violence involved making it a nice "soft" crime. There doesn't seem to be many of these available which is a shame as many of my friends ask for crime recommendations but do not want anything with too much violence so I will definitely be recommending this to them along with other readers! There is so much going on in this book to keep the reader absolutely absorbed in the pages. One of the other things I admire about this book is that although it is filled with suspense, murder, mystery and twists there is also plenty of humour to lighten the story up ,breaking up the bad with some good. This book kept me guessing throughout and was filled with unexpected twits. I never did guess who the murderer was so a HUGE WELL done to Alice. It is getting harder to shock me but you managed it perfectly!!!
The characters were all well developed and realistic. I was completely invested in Sarah and loved watching her character develop and change throughout the pages seeing how she comes through her grief. I also loved seeing the friendship develop and grow between Sarah and Daphne although I did feel that Sarah did seem to be overshadowed by Daphne's larger than life personality at times. I must admit though that being a huge animal lover and loving seeing animals playing large characters in books that Hamish was my favourite!!! I am a massive animal lover and although I run a cat rescue called 'Golden oldies Cat Rescue And Hospice' (which you can find on social media) I am also a dog lover and Hamish was just adorable!!! I enjoyed watching the relationship between Sarah, Daphne, Hamish and all the other characters continue to develop and watching them meeting new people. There was a great mix of characters in this story and I loved meeting many of them, some who made me laugh, some I found annoying and others who were just strange. I always seem to love books with strong heroine protagonists and this book doesn't fail there!!! This book contains an absolutely fantastic eclectic group of characters who work together to make this addictive storyline come together and Alice does an absolutely fantastic job of bringing each and every one of them to life ensuring they leap out of the pages at the reader. I am looking forward to meeting Sarah again and seeing what adventures and mystery she gets wrapped up in next!!!
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Alice on an absolutely perfect addition to an addictive new series!! I cannot wait to get sucked into your previous and future books!! This is exactly why you are on my favourite 5 cosy crime authors list !!! Here's to your next success 🥂

Overall a perfect and page turning start to what promises to be an addictive series!

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Sarah Vine has been recently widowed and has moved to the costal town of Merstairs as an opportunity to move on in her life. When she struggles to find space to store some of her belongings, her friend Daphne offers the use of her untidy beach hut. However, in the process of clearing some space to store Sarah's belongings, they find a body.
I loved the seaside setting and really enjoyed the character of Sarah with her faithful scottie dog, Hamish. However I really found it difficult to like Daphne. Perhaps in future mysteries continued development of the principle characters my lead to me changing my mine about this one.
The overall plot and pace was enjoyable and this resulted in a easy holiday read.

Favorite Quotes:

‘The trouble is that the coroner is swamped. Merstairs does have quite a large elderly population, you know,’ she said, in a way that made it clear she was not part of that group. ‘Old dears dropping off their perches keep them very busy.’

It was a threatening beginning, accompanied as it was by a fierce look from Francesca’s bitter brown eyes. Sarah had always previously associated that shade with lovely, sweet, gently warming things, like chocolate and treacle, but Francesca’s stare was the colour of the hardest toffee going– the sort that would yank out your fillings in a trice, and probably crack a molar or two for good measure.

Her resentment is the perfect renewable energy. If only we could use it to power Merstairs. None of us would ever need to pay a penny in electricity bills again.


My Review:

I adore a wry wit and the delightful scribe known as Alice Castle has an exceptionally clever one as well as a smooth and engaging style that never fails to tickle my fancy. Her tales charm and entertain with snort-worthy humor that keeps a smirk on my face during perusal while also poking and prodding my curiosity to work out the “who done it.” But I do miss her beloved character of the pixie boot wearing Beth, maybe she could drop in Sarah for a visit.

A Bookworm's World is a stop on today's blog for Murder at an English Pub.

I have a fondness for cozy mysteries. And I'm always on the lookout for new series. My latest find is Murder at an English Pub by Alice Castle - and this is book one in a new series!

"Retired doctor Sarah Vane moves to Merstairs, she has no idea that the quaint seaside town isn’t quite as friendly it seems, and something sinister is bubbling under the picturesque surface…"

Sarah doesn't have a lot of faith in the constabulary of this small villager. Sarah is curious by nature and can't help but launch her own investigation into the crime. She is helped (or perhaps hindered) by her longtime and somewhat scatterbrained friend Daphne. I quite like Saras as a lead character. And let's not forget Hamish - her black Scottie dog.

Sarah meets the villagers one by one and endeavors to interview them without it appearing so. There's a broad bunch of residents that could be the culprit. But just as Sarah thinks she has the answer - new information is uncovered. I think Castle does a great job of keeping the reader guessing right through to the last pages.

Castle has created a detailed setting in Merstairs that appealed to me. Especially her little cottage.

And given that this is a cozy, it's best read with a pot of tea, a quilt on your lap and a dog at your feet. I'll be watching for the second book in this series.

Retired doctor Sarah Vane, recently widowed, has just moved to Merstairs, a lovely seaside town that should be the perfect place to settle down. Instead, even before she could get settled, Sarah and her old friend Daphne discover a dead body in a trunk. It was soon learned that it was the landlord of a pub and his name was Gus Trubshaw. Completely unimpressed with the local police, Sarah decides to discover for herself what happened to poor Gus and how he ended up in the trunk.

It doesn’t take Sarah long to realize that Merstairs is not the sleepy little town she thought it was. Also, her quickly growing reputation as an amateur sleuth begins putting people on guard. Along with Sarah’s predilection for demanding answers, she is often accompanied by her long-time friend Daphne, who also lives in the quaint little town Between the two of them, this first book in a new cozy mystery series is off to a good start. Sarah’s no-nonsense manner and the references of her past career as a GP work well together when it comes to looking for answers.

As in many cozies, there is the presence of beloved pets. In this case, one of those pets is Sarah’s dog Hamish. I look forward to joining Sarah, Daphne and even Hamish in future installments in what looks like a promising new series.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

First in a new series about a retired doctor, recently widowed called Sarah Vane. She has just moved to a quiet seaside town to live near a close friend called Daphne.

Needing extra storage for her boxes Sarah places some in Daphne's beach hut and discovers a dead body. Since Daphne is then on the suspect list, Sarah decides to play detective to find the real murderer. There are plenty of possibilities but the chief suspect turns up dead too which causes all kinds of problems.

I quite liked the character of Sarah especially when her doctoring skills come into play. However Daphne was awful and I could not like her at all, especially when she kept leaving tissues all over everywhere. Of course my favourite character was Hamish the dog. Dogs should star in every cosy, closely followed by cats.

Altogether this was a pleasant read but not outstanding in any way. However I will certainly try the next book to see how things develop and to spend more time with Hamish.

We follow retired GP and recent widow Sarah Vane who has relocated to a quaint seaside town in Kent with her dog Hamish to be closer to her best friend Daphne. To say they are opposites is an understatement but Sarah knows that Daphne will hopefully help her with her grief following the sudden death of her husband.

When Daphne suggests they store some of Pete’s belongings in her recently purchased beach hut it sets in motion the rest of the story when they discover a dead body stuffed in a discarded trunk from the previous owners. Immediately Sarah gets her detective hat on whereas I think Daphne is more in shock especially when they discover the body is in fact a local resident.

Murder at an English Pub is a really enjoyable and lighthearted read and I enjoyed the plot and the characters. Daphne’s daughter Mariella, handily works for the local police and although still very junior seems to understand the investigation more than the actual detectives in charge which is why Sarah decided to take on the investigation and find out what happens.

It was lovely to watch Sarah grow thoughout the book and having something to concentrate on really helped with her grief although I think she came across as a bit bumbling that made me like her even more!

Looking forward to the next installment already.

Rounded up from 3.5

I love Alice Castle's Beth Haldane series, so I was eager to see what this new sleuth, Sarah Vane, would be like.

Murder at an English Pub has all the tropes I love in a cozy mystery; a seemingly idyllic setting, a puzzling mystery and a furry companion to help the sleuth along.

Sarah's a retired GP and after the death of her husband, she moves to the sleepy seaside town of Merstairs to live next door to her best friend Daphne. Only the town isn't quite as crime free as she's been led to believe and stumbles across the body of the pub landlord, Gus Trubshaw. Her nosey nature makes her want to look into his death, much to the distaste of the locals.

I'll be honest, I didn't find Sarah quite as likeable as Beth Haldane. She got a little overshadowed by her eccentric friend Daphne and her very cute dog Hamish, but I feel as the series goes on I might grow to like her more.

A solid start to the series and I look forward to seeing what's next for Sarah and co!

Sarah Vane is a recently widowed & retired GP who moves from London into a lovely little cottage by the sea in Kent. The rustic charm is everything she hoped it would be, but her new home doesn’t quite have enough space for her things. Her old friend Daphne, who lives next door offers to store Sarah’s boxes in her recently bought beach hut, but while clearing it out, they are shocked to find a heavy trunk… containing a dead body. Daphne immediately recognises the poor man as pub landlord Gus Trubshaw. Sarah concludes that he was suffocated. Unimpressed by the police’s lack of interest, Sarah realises she will have to solve the case herself.
The start of a new series & I really liked Sarah, Daphne, Mel & Charles & look forward to finding out how their characters & relationships develop. Sarah is ‘looking into’ her first murder & blunders around & Daphne is anything but subtle which leads to some amusing moments. Hamish Sarah’s dog is a delight. I did guess who the villain was but not the reasons why the crime was committed. A well written interesting & enjoyable cosy mystery, I look forward to more in the series. I was also lucky enough to get an audio copy too, so half listened & half read the book. The narrator did bring the book to life
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own