Sadly this book wasn't for me. I did not gel with the main character and ended up not finishing.

A fun premise and I'll look out for other books by the author.

Thank you for the arc.

Murder at Raven’s Edge has an intriguing start with the two leads meeting in a rainstorm. Ben and Milla are not off to a good start as he rescues her and she “borrows “ money from him. The next day a body is found in the same manner and place as a previous murder 18 years before.
The author has written a very interesting story and I wanted to know what happened. The story flowed very well even though it switched between the past and the present.
This is the first book in the English Village Mystery Book. I look forward to reading more.

kMurder at Raven's Edge is the first of the English Coz series. The place takes place in the town of Raven's Edge. Ben Taylor is on his way home in a heavy rain storm. He had gone to visit her daughter but his ex-wife wouldn't let him take his daughter, Sophie, home with him. He had taken the week off so that he could have time with his daughter, He was having a hard time seeing out his windshield and hit a woman he didn't see in the rain. He got out to check on her and she said "You hit me". He went back to his car to get something and when he returned she had disappeared. When he got back in the car he found her sitting in it. He asked her what her name was and she said Camilla (Milla) Graham. He took her home with him. Across from his cottage he slided and went into a ditch because Milla had grabbed the steering wheel. The road was flooded. They went into his house. He gave her the couch and went to bed. Upon waking the next morning he found that Mlla had taken his money and left an IOU. She had called a cab and left.

Detective Sergeant Harriet March lived in a 500 year old half-timber house over a florist shop on Main street. Her mother lived over her clothing store and did not understand why her daughter was a detective sergeant. She worked with Ben, also with the police, as Ben was suppose to be off for the week and she was left incharge.

She found out that Ben had come home and his car was in a ditch across from his cottage. She went to get him as there had been a robberly of a necklace and a body was found at Kings Rest The Grim house a burnt out mansion in the middle of the woods. Their boss, DCI Doug Cameron made Ben incharge of the murder. Lydia Cavill was the first on the scene. She is from the Calahurt's station.

After arriving there Ben asked Harriet about the people who lived in the mansion when Henry Graham, publisher of Graham Publishing Company. They published children's books and were known for their fairy stories. When he died the company went to his two sons, Patrick and Dermot. Patrick was giving a birthday party for his 6 year old daughter but had a fight with his wife. The next day there was a fire and all was killed except for Patrick. His wife and children. He was found guilty and sent to prison.

When Ben and Harriet went into the remains of the mansion they found a staged bedroom of the mansion. The victim lay in a four poster bed that was draped with red brocade and adorned with petals. The victim lay on her back with her arms crossed clutching a beautiful leather bound book on her chest. Ben knew the book. She was dressed in an evening gown. Ben also thought that he had seen the dress before but couldn't remember where. Ben asked the victim's name Camilla (Milla) Graham. Ben said it wasn't her as she didn't look like an 18 year old.

Milla was sitting in a pub in Norchester Cathedral unaware she was suppose to be dead. She was there to meet Mal Graham, managing director of Graham Media. It had been 18 years since she saw him. He came into the pub and went and sat across from her. He asked her who she was as his sister was dead. She told him that she was Milla Graham and had documents to prove it. She had been brought up by foster parents. To her surprise he put a card on the table and told her to come for dinner at the family's home Hartfell. He told her to use the name Camilla.

This is where the story takes off but there is too much to put on paper. I found that the book holds the reader's attention. I will let the reader enjoy the twists and turns of the story to the exciting ending. I enjoyed the book and look forward to the second in the series, Mystery of Raven's Edge with Milla, Ben and Harriet.

Thank you NetGalley an Storm Publishing for this ARC.

British Cozy-ish Mystery featuring a music journalist who's return to her childhood English village turns deadly when a new murder mirrors her mother's unsolved cold case.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in Marley's English Village Mystery series, which is a British Cozy-ish Mystery that features a music journalist who's return to her childhood English village takes a dark turn when the body of a local woman's discovered in an abandoned manor house and the crime scene's chilling close to her mother's eighteen years old unsolved murder. With plenty of twists and turns, Marley has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Marley manages to mix the new murder investigation with the cold case effortlessly. I really liked the addition of the fairy tale elements, it adds a nice Gothic edge. Told in multiple POVs and utilizing flashbacks, Marley's writing and character work is great; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. The main POVs are Milla and Ben, a local policeman, with additional POVs added in the present, Ben's co-worker Harriet, and in flashback to fill out the plot. Milla's lead a tough life and has built up very tall walls. But while working with Ben to solve the cases she begins to open up. Sensitive topics are discussed, take care and check the CWs. A nice start to a new series.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This was a slow burn for me. I struggled to get through it. Part of the reason may be because I couldn't connect with the main character. I just didn't really care for her. I still enjoyed parts of the story.

A fun English cozy with a very twisty plot. A woman claiming to be Milla Graham, arrives at Ravens Edge after eighteen years away. She is determined to unravel the secrets of the past in order to solve her mother's murder, which is eerily similar to a recent murder of a local woman. This book had plenty of intrigue, numerous suspects, a little romance, and a sprinkling of humor throughout.

Raven's Edge is a small village home to the wealthy Graham family. Shortly after Milla Graham returns after the majority of her childhood and teen years away, a woman is discovered murdered... in a chilling fashion reminiscent of her own mother's unsolved death. Stubborn Milla insists on investigating on her own, which leads her to interact with the local investigator, Ben Taylor. And when another death is discovered, nearly everyone becomes a suspect.

At first it was a bit of a challenge to keep up with the characters, but once I worked it out, it was a good, cozy mystery story. Milla is one of those characters your somewhat dislike, but seem to still root for her anyway. And DI Taylor makes some seriously questionable decisions, but I found myself rooting for him as well.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Louise Marley for the ARC.

Lots of family drama, murder and mystery.

A bit of a slow start, mainly due to a complex family tree that I'm not sure I wrapped my head around until about 70% through the book.

I will read book 2, hopefully it's easier to follow after this one.

3.5/5

Raven's Edge is a typical English village for the setting of a cozy mystery. Milla (Camilla) Graham returns to this spot after 18 years, and it is the scene of the murder of her mother some years ago. Soon enough, there is another body found, and Milla is considered by some to be guilty of this murder. Milla is a quixotic and entertaining young woman who, it turns out, has been followed for 20 years by some of her family just to be kept track of in case she disappears. The number of familial characters and their relationships are occasionally confusing to the reader, and the burgeoning relationship between Milla and Inspector Ben Taylor of the local police adds occasional humor and romance to the plot. Soon, another body is discovered, and Ben and Milla and Harriet, also of the force, put their thoughts and ideas together in order to ascertain who the killer might be.

Louise Marley, the author, promises a follow-on book that will incorporate the same characters as they follow and investigate the mysteries of Raven's Edge. Having been taken in by book one, I will certainly want to read the next installment of this series.

Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this engaging book with its myriad charming and not so charming characters.

“I know something you do not know.”

“What’s that?”

“I am not left-handed.”

“There’s something I ought to tell you. I’m not left-handed either.”
This sleight of hand scene from The Princess Bride ran through my head when reading Murder at Raven’s Edge, arguably one of the more confusing books I’ve read in quite a long time.

This book and I started off on the wrong foot, because I couldn’t stand the lead character, Milla, from her appearance within the first few pages. She was rude, childish, and a habitual liar, none of which I find charming. I couldn’t for the life of me fathom what DI Ben Taylor was seemingly instantly attracted to in her, to the point of putting his career on the line for her repeatedly. The complicated Graham family web of secrets and the confusion of who’s who and who did what was both frustrating yet made for mildly addictive reading. Despite loose ends that were not satisfactorily resolved and implausibilities, I did want to figure out what exactly was going on so it wasn’t a total loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Mystery and intrigue...a set of characters who would be fun to watch on a television series...a talented author has written a cannot put down story... This book reads like nonfiction, at times, but is totally fiction. Thanks Netgalley.

Thoroughly enjoyable read, all based partly around fairy tales and children's stories. Milla Graham returns to her childhood home after 18 years; meanwhile inspector Ben Graham has a case which may be linked to the death of Milla's mother, Rosemary. Just when you think you've worked it out, or you've decided who to trust, there's another twist! Lots of secrets, and who's telling the truth and who's not? Cracking pace, good cast, fabulous setting, and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

Laced With Humour..
The first outing in the English Village Mystery Series and Milla Graham has made a return to her childhood village of Raven’s Edge. She finds things much unchanged - but are things really as they seem? When a death is discovered which bears a startling resemblance to one from the past, events take an odd turn. Local policeman, Ben Taylor, does not believe in coincidences - he also finds Milla less than trustworthy - but then .. another body is discovered.. An enjoyable and entertaining cosy mystery with a deftly drawn and credible cast, an atmospheric and well imagined backdrop and a narrative amply laced with gentle humour. A promising start to a new series,

Murder at Raven’s Edge is a modern Gothic tale. Milla (or is she Kiran) has come back to confront her family years after the tragic death of her mother and siblings. Her life is soon twisted up with Ben, a police detective who risks his career for her.
I had a difficult time connecting with this story, but it did help feel as Milla and Ben often felt…confused and grasping for the truth. Who is the villain of the story? And where does Milla fit in?
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

A murder mystery with plenty of twists to get this series off to a good start. It starts with a murder in an abandoned, burnt out mansion but the murder is intricately entwined with a murder that occurred 18 years before. It did get a little confusing at times trying to figure out who did what, but it was an overall good read. I look forward to seeing how Ben and Milla's characters develop in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a twisty, upside down, maze of a book. The family relations are strained and no one is quite sure who is related to whom and who owes who support, protection or love. The book needs reading with concentration to keep up and it is so worth it. The opening chapter is a cracker and sets the scene for the fairy tale inspired dark and nightmarish plot twists and scenes. The police don’t overplay their roles and the focus is on the murder and suspects. The hint of romance was a refreshing strand!

Once I'd worked out who was who, except for Milla, it was an easier task to concentrate upon the murder historic and the murder present. Milla returned home after being away for 18 years in order to find out who actually murdered her mother. Whilst feisty and determined she was an inveterate liar and I did not like her character at all. Ben, the local DI, shared his young daughter with the estranged/divorced wife, lived with his cat (one endearing feature) and met Milla under challenging circumstances. He was investigating an odd murder in her old family (maybe, maybe not) home, populated with a really odd bunch of characters, allegedly her uncles, cousin and maybe grandmother. Eccentric shall we say. There was a lot of lying going on, quite plausible at times, some detectives supportive of Ben, others less so. Not convinced about the police procedural things at all. I already have the next in the series and will see how Milla and Ben develop and what she gets up to next. 3.5* rounded up. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

A nicely paced murder mystery. I loved Camilla’s character and found Ben entertaining, despite him always seeming to have a headache, and walking into situations he didnt seem to know how to handle. There is definitely chemistry between the two, although how a police inspector could get quite so involved with Camilla (Milla) who is either a victim, suspect or witness, it raises a lot of questions. The Graham family is a family you wouldn’t really want to be a member of, on the face of it. However, as any good murder mystery show, things aren’t always what they seem. Enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a deliciously twisted book, where it is difficult to work out who is telling the truth, who is lying, and who is omitting vital information. It appears that Ben is the good guy, but even then there could be doubts. With the gradual release of information on the original crime, we are still bemused until almost the end. I enjoyed Milla's character, she was gutsy and brave, even if a little pig headed! I look forward to reading the sequel to see what Ben and Milla get up to next. The English setting and the fairy story aspects added an extra dimension. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for chance to freely review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Murder at Raven’s Edge by Louise Marley in exchange for an honest review due to be published May 7, 2024.
Milla Graham returns to Raven’s Edge, her childhood home, after eighteen years away. On the outside it looks the same, but as a body turns up eerily like that of her own mother’s murder that was never solved, the village starts to take on a more sinister look. Milla decides to investigate her mother’s murder, with the help of the local policeman, Ben Taylor, and finds herself the subject of another murder investigation.
It was a little hard to get into this book – the names in it were strange and it was hard to tell who was related to which person in what family. After a while, I caught on and it got better. I usually don’t read “cozy mysteries”, but this one was good. Lots of backstory woven in with the present time so I got to know more of the family histories.
Although I do like psychological thrillers better, I will definitely read the second book in the series and possibly look for more books from this new-to-me author.
#NetGalley #LouiseMarley #StormPublishing #MurderAtRavensEdge