After reading book 1 I was very sceptical about reading the follow up as I wasn’t too enthralled with it. Thankfully this book is much better as the storyline is more real this time than make believe. Good main characters and decent secondary ones and a decent storyline with some good twists along the way.

Milla Graham and DI Ben Taylor have been seeing each other for four months now. Prior to that she was involved with gothic singer Lorcan Black but he moved to France. Now he’s bought Ravenswood House and has invited Milla over one night. Unfortunately, when she gets there, all she finds is a head in a jar. Neglecting to mention this to Ben (he doesn’t even know Lorcan is her ex) and convinced of Lorcan’s innocence, she seeks help from Kieran Drake, the PI employed by her father in the previous story, who cleans the scene and removes the evidence. After all, he is being paid by someone else to protect the singer. The next morning a woman’s headless body is discovered at Meg’s Pond and Lorcan is found unconscious and covered in blood in the church. Ben, DS Harriet March and the rest of the usual team are soon on the case which is not as cut and dried as it seems. Milla believes someone is intent on setting up Lorcan but how far would they go and why? With a link to Ben’s own family history, of which we hear a whole lot more in this story, does the often irritating Milla, once again meddling in his investigation, stand to lose more than just her boyfriend this time?
This is a great second book in the new series featuring all of the favourites from book one like Milla’s Granny Brianna and PI Drake together with some new additions, such as the dishy new vicar. I’d definitely recommend reading the first book before this one as there’s lots to know about Ben and Milla. I really like both Ben and Harriet although, for me, Milla is still a bit too much of a loose cannon and not entirely honest at times. The cosy nature of the story allows for plenty of leeway in police procedure, the plot is well laid out and the twisty strands are engrossing in a highly enjoyable story perfectly set in a place with lots of dark history. 4.5*

I hadn't read the first book and am not sure this mattered as the characters are well developed with a good plot. It's a fast paced read that kept my interest to the end. Full of twists and turns the odd red herring and a surprise ending that turns things around There are multiple POV's and we do jump back 15 years in the past as this village gives up it's dark secrets. Looking forward to where this series goes next. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was another good story in this series. It’s a gruesome murder mystery. Milla and Ben both are dealing with the mystery and their own issues. It has some twists too. It will keep you guessing.

A gruesome murder in charming Raven’s Edge sends Milla Graham sleuthing to catch a killer, win back her detective ex, and dig up a decades-old secret along the way...
When a shocking murder rocks the picture-perfect English village of Raven’s Edge, erstwhile amateur detective Milla Graham finds herself right at the centre of the mystery. Still reeling from her recent breakup with local police officer Ben Taylor, Milla sets her sights on solving the case, hoping to win Ben back.
But when the evidence begins to point to Milla’s old friend and former paramour Lorcan Black, she must choose between her loyalties to the past and the possibilities of the future. Meanwhile, Ben is on a different trail – he’s begun to suspect that the murderer could be someone from his own family's dark history.
Further complicating matters are Milla's meddling grandmother, Ben's no-nonsense police partner Harriet, and David the surprisingly young and sexy new vicar. With shocking twists around every cobblestone corner, the truth refuses to stay buried for long in this quaint village, whose picture-postcard façade hides decades of buried grudges, plots, and betrayal.
Will Milla solve the mystery in time to rescue her relationship with Ben? Can Ben face the skeletons in his family’s closet before one of his own relatives meets the same bloody end?
Brimming with drama, intrigue, romance and quirky characters, this addictive tale will have cozy mystery fans racing through the pages long into the night.
This is the 2nd book in the series. It's about family history and the village's dark past. It has well-developed characters and plot. It's a fast gripping read with a surprised ending. It has multiple POV's (Milla, Ben, Harriet and David) and flashbacks to 15 years ago and a robbery and murder that happened. Great twists, turns and red herrings kept me reading until the very end of the book. If you like crime thrillers with history of the past then you will love this book. I am now looking forward to the third book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

The next instalment in this mystery series lives up to the first one. The new mystery is exciting and the romance is developed further. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first book and I will definitely read the next book as well.

Murder at Ravenswood House by Louise Marley

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A gruesome murder in charming Raven’s Edge sends Milla Graham sleuthing to catch a killer, win back her detective ex, and dig up a decades-old secret along the way...

When a shocking murder rocks the picture-perfect English village of Raven’s Edge, erstwhile amateur detective Milla Graham finds herself right at the centre of the mystery. Still reeling from her recent breakup with local police officer Ben Taylor, Milla sets her sights on solving the case, hoping to win Ben back.

But when the evidence begins to point to Milla’s old friend and former paramour Lorcan Black, she must choose between her loyalties to the past and the possibilities of the future. Meanwhile, Ben is on a different trail – he’s begun to suspect that the murderer could be someone from his own family's dark history.

Further complicating matters are Milla's meddling grandmother, Ben's no-nonsense police partner Harriet, and David the surprisingly young and sexy new vicar. With shocking twists around every cobblestone corner, the truth refuses to stay buried for long in this quaint village, whose picture-postcard façade hides decades of buried grudges, plots, and betrayal.

My Opinion

This is the second book in the series and I read both of them back to back. I would recommend reading the books in order so you don't get any spoilers. Once again Raven's Edge seems like such an inviting place with some now familiar characters. We are introduced to some additional characters throughout this investigation, but all of these are introduced carefully.

With many twists and turns this really was an enjoyable read. I really hope that in the future we will able to return to Raven's Edge - I just love the descriptions of this fairy tale village.

Rating 4/5

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

This is the second I the series published very soon after the first. It is possible to read as a stand-alone though.

This is cosy murder mystery though gruesome in parts. Milla is the central character again but other characters from the first book are cleverly woven into the narrative.
It’s clever the way the author weaves historical events in with contemporary ones.
It’s well written with twists and turns until the perpetrator is revealed.

Obviously when I finished the first book, I jumped straight onto the second. And now I'm eagerly anticipating the third.

Narrated from several different POV, Murder at Ravenswood House is a cosy mystery that once again finds Milla at the helm as she investigates a murder that's shocked the village to its core.

We reacquaint with recurring characters and meet several new. Milla is by far my favourite, she's quite the quirky character isn't she?

There's a brilliant reveal at the end, and plenty of twists throughout to hold your attention. It flows at a moderate pace and is an addictive read.

Set in a very Gothic atmosphere, we have Lorcan the very epitome of gothic, we have Ben Taylor the local Detective and we have Milla - girl friend of one, ex girl friend of the other , also not telling current boy friend about the ex.

Steeped in feuds, murderous thieving history in the Elliot family of which Ben and Lorcan both belong means that they can never live down their father’s sins. That was the complicated background.

When a headless corpse is found, and when Lorcan is found all bloodied over a gravestone, he is arrested immediately. When the powers that be discover that the body was robbed from a mortuary so too the blood, detectives know they have someone vengeful on their hands. The tension keeps building up with attempted murders, appearances of a faceless highwaymen and a second murder.

No clues, Milla playing a dangerous and a childish game of concealment with the detectives doing their best to keep panic at bay.

Story was fast paced, characters were good and it was a page turner.

BOOK: MURDER AT RAVENSWOOD HOUSE
AUTHOR: LOUISE MARLEY
PUB DATE: 07 MAY 2024
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REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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When I started this book, I thought it was a cozy mystery, but it was more of a crime thriller with a bit of lightness. That being said, I loved this book and how every character had a role to play. I liked that the main characters; two police officers and an amateur sleuth did a very good job in solving the case. But, I would have wanted more of Ben's POV.
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The case that was solved was engaging from beginning to end and the author did a very good job. I didn't even expect the unfolding of the case and the culprit. It was very good. I enjoyed reading about Ben's past and Elliot's history.
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This book was very good and I'd definitely be reading the next books in the series. It was very good
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I enjoyed the plot and the storyline. I had a really hard time believing that anyone would get rid of a human head without asking any questions, and an even harder time believing that they would be able to just call someone else up to help them get rid of the head. Maybe because I did not read the first book in the series, I did not really care of Milla. I liked the twist at the end and how all the loose ends were tied up. Overall I enjoyed the story and the progression.

My keyword for this review will be: more
More about the characters, more about the story, more funny dialogues, more suspense moments. more.
This book could have been easily around 500 pages and no one would have been bored.

It was a cosy little story in a cosy little setting and we can’t say anything really bad about it. we just wanted more of it.
I feel like I like the characters but don’t know them. I know it’s the second book, and to be honest I haven’t read the first, but still even if it’s the second volume it could have been longer and more deep into the story.
Take it as it is I would describe this book as a cosy small-town murder mystery that based is brilliantness on the contrast between a cosy setting and macabre murder that just makes you laugh. And it’s brilliant, please give me other books like this.

The story is brilliant and no one can say otherwise, the plot twist was highly unexpected and made me gasp. BUT STILL, it could have been something bigger, the story narrated here could be the very base for a brilliant book.
As I said everything was nice, the setting was nice, and the characters were nice but they both could have been amazing instead of just nice.

I give this book 4 stars but not really four full stars, more like 3.75 stars, simply because four stars are too much and three stars are not enough.
In the end, I don’t have critical comments for this book except that it could have been more. More of everything.
Taking the story as it is I think it’s brilliant.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and Net Galley for a free copy in exchange fora review.

When a gruesome murder rocks the picture-perfect English village of Raven’s Edge, the evidence begins to point to Milla’s old friend and former lover rock star Lorcan Black & she must choose between her loyalties to the past and the possibilities of the future. Meanwhile, DI Ben Taylor is on a different trail – he’s begun to suspect that the murderer could be someone from his own family's dark history & his family is being targeted.
The second book in the series & I read it straight after finishing book one. I must admit I much preferred it to the first book too. In this book we learn more about Ben’s family & the events from fifteen years ago. As events unfold links are made to the robbery when Ben was fifteen. There are twists, turns & red herrings before things are gradually revealed & the ending is a surprise I wasn’t expecting. I warmed far more to the characters & feel the books would be best read in order. I look forward to more books in the series, to see how all the relationships both professional & personal develop
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the second book by Louise Marley set in Raven’s Edge and is just as good as the first one. Milla Graham has settled into Raven’s Edge but starts sleuthing when there is a gruesome murder in the picturesque village. Her friend Lorcan Black has recently moved into the village and becomes the prime suspect but things aren’t how they seem. She has also recently broken up with police officer Ben Taylor who is part of the team investigating the case. He has always tried to distance himself from his notorious family but it’s looking like they are the ones being targeted. This is a gritty page turner that has so many twists and turns. I loved the way how everyone is connected is weaved into the story. Although I would recommend reading book one the characters and events in that book are well covered. Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Murder at Ravenswood House by Louise Marley is a multi-POV mystery and direct continuation of Murder at Raven’s Edge. Milla goes to meet her ex-boyfriend, Lorcan, to later learn that he is the estranged cousin of her current beau, detective Ben. Meanwhile, a murder from Ben’s past is rearing its head up again as the reader learns more about his family and the role they played in a robbery and kidnapping.

What I liked was how we got to see Ben’s family’s issues whereas we saw Milla’s family in the previous book. Ben has several cousins that he doesn’t really have a relationship with and Lorcan, in particular, has very little contact with the family and is a singer who’s third studio album bombed when he did a concept change. Another cousin runs a driving school with his wife and sister-in-law.

The other thing I liked was how the flashbacks were set up, giving us glimpses into what happened fifteen years ago and what led us to the current day. Ben’s father and uncles invaded a home in order to get cash and a man ended up dead. Ben continues to feel guilt about this death and his part in the family’s crimes.

I would recommend this to fans of Murder at Raven’s Edge and readers looking for a mystery with a strong established romantic relationship subplot.

A lovely gentle read set around Halloween. Beautifully written book with well crafted characters. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

The beginning had me hooked from the moment we met Mila. She is the kind of character who you will never know what will do next. I enjoyed her relationship with Ben and his interactions with his investigative team.
I thought Ben was smart and liked how he didn't jump to conclusions even when what happened seemed obvious.
It did drag a bit in the middle for me, and I think if I had read the first book I would have been able to understand Mila's actions and motivations a bit better which did have me confused during parts of the story. I did really enjoy uncovering all the info about Ben's family and his past, and thought the mystery was well plotted and I didn't figure it out until it was revealed.
I will definitely go back and read book one, and be reading any future installments in this series.

Murder at Ravenswood House
by Louise Marley
Pub Date: May 07 2024

Murder at Ravenswood House is the second book in Marley's English Village Mystery series, which is a British Cozy-ish Mystery that features a music journalist who finds herself at odds with her policeman boyfriend. It has many twists and turns, a mystery that balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. It kept me guessing until the final page! A great follow-up to the first book. I'm looking forward to book 3.

Synopsis: A gruesome murder in charming Raven’s Edge sends Milla Graham sleuthing to catch a killer, win back her detective ex, and dig up a decades-old secret along the way...

Many thanks to #MurderatRavenswoodHouse #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

The 2nd book in the series, which unfortunately for Ben, brings his family heritage to the fore. Family reunions, murders, village history and tales of folklore makes for an interesting case for Ben and Harriet to solve. Plenty of action and humour throughout. Well recommended. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.