"Murder on a Country Walk" is the sixth installment in the Julia Bird Mysteries series and stands out as another excellent addition. True to form, it features compelling characters and an engaging cozy murder plot, replete with sufficient twists to captivate the reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

Julia Bird is walking her dog when she finds the body of her vet Eve at the bottom of the cliffs. Did Eve fall by accident, suicidal intent or was she murdered?
Murder on a Country Walk is the 6th book in the Julia Bird series of cosy murder mysteries. There are mentions of events from earlier books and Julia's relationship with Sean has developed over the series, but there are no spoilers about the crimes.
Eve was a popular vet and her death is upsetting for the whole village. Julia is convinced that it was not accidental and is determined to persuade the police to investigate so starts looking for clues and motives. Eve was passionate about her work and protecting nature, whilst also competitive at the game padel (I'd never heard of this but is sounds fab!) There is plenty of mystery as the suspects begin to emerge. I was kept guessing and thought the conclusion wrapped up the plot nicely.
I really like Julia's character. She always acts with the best intentions even if she is a bit nosy. She has a really good relationship with the police which is quite refreshing, but she does tend to push the limits. Her relationship with Sean is still simmering and the pair are negotiating towards using the 'love' word (nospoilers if they manage this by the end of the book!) Both are in their sixties so it is good to see that age group represented in this way.
Murder on a Country Walk is an enjoyable murder mystery with a likeable and relatable lead character.

Julia Bird is on a walk with her dog Jake when she finds the body of vet, Dr Eve Davies. Not immediately clear is how Eve came to be at the bottom of a cliff, and if it was accidental or murder. Julia thinks it was murder but has trouble convincing the police, until a second body was found in the same location.

Julia is back in book six of this delightful cosy mystery series with her faithful companion Jake.

Julia is a well written character showing that life can really begin in you sixties.

Another stellar edition to this entaining series.

Murder on a Country Walk is the 6th book in the Julia Bird Mysteries and was another enjoyable cozy mystery. Set in Berrywick, a small village in the Cotswolds, Julia Bird once again stumbles on a murder. While out walking with her mischievous dog, Jake, she finds the body of her vet, Dr. Eve Davies dead at the bottom of a cliff on the hill walk. While the police believe she either slipped or jumped, Julia is sure it is a murder. She takes it upon herself to snoop around and gather information. She takes everything she finds to DI Hayley Gibson, but there isn't enough for her to investigate. When a second body is found in the same spot, Eves receptionist, Hayley finally agrees that Eve must have been killed. Who could be responsible?

I enjoy this series and all the wonderful characters I have gotten to know. Julia is a retired social worker and is very good reading people. She also gets them to talk to her, and she has great listening skills. She has a lovely relationship with the local doctor, Sean O'Connor, although we don't see as much of him in this book as past entries. Her BFF, Tabitha is also around and they manage to get into some trouble learning to play Padel, a racket sport, while investigating. Living in a small village, everyone seems to know everyone's business, so eventually, Julia will learn something to crack this case open. Jake steals the show for me. He is always getting into something, and is part of every investigation. I love that he gets "happy tail" in this one, and Julia has to try and keep him calm. The mystery was interesting. As Julia gives Hayley a suspect, Hayley manages to get alibis from them all. Who could the culprit be. I had not idea until right near the end. The solution was a good one and I enjoyed the mix of mystery and personal stories. I recommend this book and series to those who enjoy a good cozy mystery, especially one with an older protagonist.

I LOVE this series – cozy mysteries featuring Julia Bird, former social worker, single older woman, and dog lover! In this one a body is found off a cliff near a popular walking trail and Julia is sure that it is not an accident. I actually didn’t figure this one out in advance either.

Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour!

The Julia Bird mystery series has been a favourite of mine since I discovered it. Her characters are always likeable and engaging. The plots are always interesting, twisty and well written. As I have come to expect from this series it did not disappoint and delivered as it promised to. I hope there is still plenty more to come I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Julia Bird had just taken her dog Jake to the vet for a sore tail. Soon after, Julia discovers that the vet, Dr. Eve, was found over a clifftop. How did Dr. Eve die? Not only does Eve not agree with the police ruling it an accident or even suicide, she takes it upon herself to find out what really happened.

Julia is absolutely certain that Dr. Eve was murdered, so she begins to snoop around. This snooping definitely brings stress to Julia, but she just might not be able to let things go. Meanwhile, in the village of Berrywick where Julia lives, all of a sudden there is a stranger in town. Julia is not the only one being nosy. This further cements Julia’s belief that Dr. Eve’s fall was due to foul play.

What a delightful addition to a really enjoyable series. I just love cozy mysteries and Katie Gayle has done a fabulous job with this book and the previous five titles in the series. No doubt book seven will be just as engaging.

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

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Murder On A Country Walk' by Katie Gayle

This book is the sixth book in the 'Julia Bird Mysteries' series but each book can be read as a standalone.

Yet another fantastic success Katie Gayle congratulations!! Such an easy, fun and addictive cosy mystery that had me hook, line and sinker!!!

I must say that Katie Gayle's 'Julia Bird Mysteries' series is definitely one of the best cosy mystery series that I have ever read, if not the best. Each and every book in this series has its own unique storyline and this one is no different. In this page turner we are transported into the stunning Cotswold village of Berrywick where Julia's beloved chocolate Labrador Jake has been poorly so Julia takes him for a visit to the local vet Dr Eve. When she arrives Dr Eve Davies helps Julia and Jake but also confides in Eve that she believes something awful is going to happen. A few days later Julia is taking a slow walk by the cliff edge when she spots Dr Eve's mother Kay's elderly dog Fergus alone. Julia is concerned as she can see neither Dr Eve or Kay in sight that is until she spots a body at the bottom of the cliff and she suspects the worse. Her suspicions are confirmed when Julia's friend and local detective DI Hayley Gibson arrives and confirms the body is that of Dr Eve. The police believe that Eve's death is an accident and with Hayley also on the hunt for a peeping Tom Julia decides to take things into her own hands to try to find out what really happened. When another body is discovered in the same place Julia refuses to believe that the deaths are a tragic accident and is even more determined to find the killer. Will she be able to discover who the murderer is before they take another life? Has Julia put herself in danger trying to discover the truth? Grab your copy of this addictive page turner to find out for yourself. I promise that you will not regret it!!! I absolutely love reading these fantastic books in this amazing series which all take place in such a stunning environment I felt like I had disappeared on holiday for the day. It was a shame it was only a day but that's how long it took me to zoom through the pages after not being able to put it down. I genuinely felt like I was in the storyline and I was devastated to come to the end and have to "unpack my suitcase". I love getting stuck into these mysteries with Julia, Sean, Leo and Jack each and every time. The storyline is multi-layered with mystery upon mystery to keep the reader completely absorbed throughout without a moment to get bored. It was filled with murder, animals, mystery, mayhem, mystery, tension, twists, romance, friendship and absolutely everything you could ever ask for in a cosy mystery. The fact that it was filled with animals is right down my street being a huge animal lover myself. I run my own animal rescue called Golden Oldies Cat Rescue And Hospice which you can find on social media so any books that contain animals always get bonus points from me and this series is filled with them! It is one of those immense books that each and every time I told myself just one more chapter I just had to read yet one more to know what was going to happen next, and then another until before I know it I had devoured the whole book in just a few hours. Grab your copy and join Julia on her murder mystery, pub visits, charity shop volunteering and animal antics where there's a mix of romance, heartbreak, anger, amazing characters, murder, mayhem and so much more mixed in!! You genuinely couldn't ask for anything else in a fantastic cosy crime!!! This is yet another fantastic addition to this addictive series! ! I was not expecting the killer twist so a huge congratulations there!!! I have read so many books it seems to be getting harder and harder to shock me but you definitely managed it after leading me down the garden path several times!! This is an absolutely fantastic, page turning and fun cosy crime series that can be read in any order. One of the things that I loved about this addition to this series is that I enjoyed discovering new things about dogs such as Padel, cross breeding and 'Happy Tail Syndrome' plus more. I love learning new facts in fictional books and these were some intriguing ones so thank you Katie Gayle!! I would love to see them all turned into movies and I cannot wait to get into Katie's next fantastic success!!!

Do not pick this up until you have cleared your schedules as you will not be able to put it down!!

Although this is the sixth book in the series I would have had absolutely no problems reading it without any of the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

I absolutely LOVED meeting Julia, Jake, Sean, Hayley, Henny Penny and everyone else who makes this cosy mystery series perfect the way it was again. I became completely invested in each of the characters and Katie and Gail portray village life and characters into the first book in this series 'An English Garden Murder' and they all, well almost all, quickly became friends that I miss each and every time I finish the book. I really clicked with Julia immediately who was a perfect choice for this cosy mystery. Julia has a habit of coming across bodies and then getting involved with trying to solve the mystery to the annoyance of her friend (for now 😂) and DI Hayley Gibson. I love the fact that Julia refuses to back down on her digging even though she know she will get in trouble!! She is such a strong female role model. I also loved meeting Sean (007) again and find him to be such a true gentleman. I have also loved watching his and Julie's relationship develop and I'm looking forward to watching it continuing to do so. DI Helen can be very grumpy at times especially when she has to tell Julia off but it's nice to see her soft side come out too and watching the friendship develop between them even more so in this book. I am looking forward to meeting them all again in the next book in this fantastic series and seeing how all the friendship and relationships with the characters develop especially with the naughty but lovable Jake (definitely my favourite!!), Leo, Henny Penny and many, many more!!! It is available to preorder on Amazon now and is called 'A Village Theatre Murder' and will be released on the 11th March 2025. I cannot wait!! An amazing group of string and realistic characters that jump out of the pages and I look forward to meeting time and time again. A fantastic group of unique and strong personalities!!

Congratulations Kate and Gail on an yet another absolutely addictive book in this absolutely page turning series!!! Here's to a fantastic and many more successes 🥂

Overall an addictive and memorable cosy mystery set in a stunning area that you won't be able to put down!!

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Any time I read a new instalment in this series I wish I lived in the Cotswolds, had a huge garden populated by hens, and a very lively dog which quite far from reality as I live in a flat with 3 cats and no Cotswolds.
I visited Cheltenham after i read a reference in a Noel Coward's novel (Pomp& Circumstances, a very funny novel and Cheltham was like I was expecting).
All this blah blah because this is a new instalment in a series that always makes me smile, turning pages, and guessing.
I found some moments in this story poignant, other heartbreaking. It made me smile but there was some more sadness.
I was delighted to catch up with the pleasant and well-developed characters. Julia, Sam, and Jake are as lovely as usual.
There's plenty of twists in the solid mystery and I enjoyed the final twist.
I cannot wait for the next novel, this one was very entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

4 Stars
One Liner: A short and quick mystery

The last thing Julia Bird expects is to find Dr. Eve (the town’s vet) dead at the bottom of a cliff, near their walking path. She thinks it could have been an accident until details emerge. Julia wonders if there’s something sinister at play but DI Hayley is not convinced.
When Julia finds another body at the same spot some days later, she knows it cannot be a coincidence. Can she solve the case and expose the killer?
The story comes in Julia’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
My favorite Jake is back again! The book starts with our chocolate lab participating in the dog talent show and winning an award in a category (guess which one?), much to Julia’s delight.
The MC knows the victim and is naturally sad to see her dead near the cliffs. It is never easy when she is the one to find the body.
The mystery has quite a few elements, some of which are solved pretty quickly. However, we don’t know if there’s more to be discovered! I connected the dots way before our MC did but that’s not new either.
The book deals with a few themes like conservation vs. development (hot topic), competitive spirit, addiction, shady activities, puppy farms, etc. Each of these gets different weightage based on the plot requirements.
The MC is, as usual, trying to gather more information. She isn’t the one to let something go when she knows the details don’t add up.
The side characters do their bit to provide information and entertainment. Little Sebastian makes an entry early in the book for a teeny while and manages to get into trouble.
The best thing is that I learned three new things by reading this book:
• Do you know there’s something called happy tail syndrome where the dog’s tail sprains from too much wagging? It could even cause a mild fracture if the tail hits hard objects when wagging.
• I had no idea cross-breeding dogs was a lucrative (shady) business with loads of income. There’s an increase in demand for customized crossbreeds, and the pups can cost a thousand pounds or two, depending on the breeds. Whoa!
• There’s a game called Padel (tennis) which seems to be a cross between tennis, table tennis, and maybe even a little badminton. It’s played in teams of twos (so like doubles in tennis). It is easier than tennis and hence becoming popular (as older people can also play and get good exercise).

To summarize, Murder on a Country Walk is a good continuation of the series and should work well as a standalone. There is enough detail to get an idea about the character’s backstories without weighing down the plot.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Favorite Quotes:

The thing about a conversation with Nicky was that when it ended, you really appreciated the silence. The

Johnny had an ancient terrier who had looked to be on his last legs since Julia had arrived in Berrywick, but was still staggering gamely around the paths and fields two years later. She’d begun to wonder if he was in fact immortal.

It’s a strange fact of life that even in the most terrible circumstances, life persists in going about its business. The earth turns. Day follows night follows day. Dinner follows lunch follows breakfast.

Julia noted that Eve’s name had been transformed. She was now universally referred to not as Eve, but as Poor Eve, with a capital P.

My Review:

This satisfying and entertaining read kept me guessing and engaged. I enjoy the amusing humor and sneaky wry wit of these two clever scribes. The storylines unfolded with an easy and smooth flow and were populated with authentic, uniquely conjured, and quirky small village residents. What’s not to like about that?

It is full of humour, quirky but relatable characters and charismatic animals. Jake, Julia's chocolate Labrador, is lovely and provides a large part of the humour in this story, which balances the poignancy of the tragic deaths. It is a good mystery plot with originality, many credible suspects, well-disguised clues to the murderer and plenty of false leads. The villagers, all believable characters, add to the story and give it authenticity. Julia is likeable and intelligent, and her motives for getting involved are understandable. It's a story you invest in, and it's easy to participate in the investigation as you read. I like Julia and her lovely dog, the villagers and the clever, immersive mysteries.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I’ve read all the Julia Bird mysteries and enjoyed them. This one wasn’t quite on par with the previous books for me. The middle section of the book was slower as Julia is the only one who thinks the death in the story is foul play.
I like Julia Bird and her life in a small town with a garden, chickens and dog Jake. Her beau Sean and friend Tabitha are important secondary characters.
The ending wraps up fairly quickly. It makes sense so I felt like the story has a satisfactory conclusion.
I would recommend the Julia Bird series. It’s a low key, cozy mystery series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

Julia enjoys walking in the countryside
With Jake, her dog, by her side.
But when she finds a dog on its own
She wonders why it doesn't roam.

Knowing the dog and its owner, too,
Julia isn't sure just what to do.
But then she spots what the dog can see
Its owner at the bottom of the cliff under a tree....

As Julia can't resist investigating the case
There are so many suspects about the place!
When another succumbs in the very same spot
The intrigue builds up in this great plot!

A fascinating read with twists and more
As others' motives Julia tries to explore.
With the police initially doubtful there's been foul play
Julia is determined to prove it some way.

Another great case for Julia to investigate
Just hope she'll solve it before it is too late!
With unexpected allies and so much to do
This is a brilliant cosy crime all the way through!

For my copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

A big thank you to Sarah Hardy and the publisher for issuing me with my review copy of the book and for inviting me to take part on the blog tour.

The Julia Bird books are one of my favourite cosy crime series so I am always eager to start a new addition and this one didn’t disappoint!

As usual we follow Julia and her adorable dog Jake in the lovely Cotswold village of Berrywick. Jake is quite an enthusiastic ex guide dog – although I don’t really think he made it past the first stage of training due to his excitable ways (something to discover in the earlier books if you haven’t already read them) and this story is no different! With Jake suffering from a sore tail due to his excessive wagging (I’m actually laughing as I write this!) it is a trip to the local vets for them both. Dr Eve Davies is the local friendly vet and sees to it that the popular Jake is well looked after. Despite thinking that something is troubling the vet, Julia doesn’t push the subject.

A few days later when walking Jake, Julia comes across a dead body that appears to have fallen off the cliffside and recognising the loose dog, is saddened to see that it is Dr Eve who she had only seen recently. The investigating police are convinced it is an accidental fall but Julia isn’t quite so sure and sets out to try and unearth just what exactly was troubling the vet and was it enough to get her killed?

I really enjoy the investigations Julia finds herself in along with her romance with Dr Sean and friendship with DI Hayley Gibson (who by now is used to Julia getting herself involved in the investigations even if she doesn’t entirely approve!). With a long list of suspects that include Dr Eve’s mother, we aren’t short of people who may have had reason to silence the vet. I have to say, I didn’t quite guess this one and had picked the wrong suspect as the story went in a completely different direction to what I was actually expecting!

A really enjoyable story as usual from the writing duo of Kate and Gail. Very excited for the next one!

Julia Bird is out for a walk with her chocolate labrador, Jake, when she discovers a dead body at the bottom of a cliff. Did she jump or fall or was she even pushed. The police say suicide but Julia thinks otherwise and begins to investigate. When another body is found in the same place even the police realise it must be murder.

Julia is an excellent character and I enjoy her investigations and her romantic interest with the local doctor. The mystery is twisty and there are many possible suspects. The English Cotswold setting is well presented and there are many good characters, plus you just have to love Jake, the naughtiest dog in town. But is he really?

An entertaining read and I look forward to more stories about Julia and Jake.

Julia Bird is walking Jake her chocolate lab when she sees Dr Eve Davies’ elderly dog, then she sees Eve at the bottom of the cliff, the police believe it’s nothing more than a tragic accident, but Julia isn’t so sure.
When a second body appears in the exact spot where Dr Eve was found, Julia knows it can’t be a coincidence. Both victims were pushed off the cliff, but why?
The sixth outing for Julia & the adorable Jake, another well written page turner. The characters have plenty of depth, the pace is good. There are plenty of twists & turns as well as red herrings. Julia is like a dog with a bone once she gets her teeth into something she won’t let go. She doesn’t believe Eve would jump off the cliff & the more she digs the more suspects come to light. I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery & a bonus was I was kept guessing until the end. I look forward to more in the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Cotswolds, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, small-town, book-club, veterinarian, dogs, retired, divorced, cozy-mystery, gambling-addiction, amateur-sleuth, friendship, pet-dog, labrador-dog, situational-humor, mild-humor, murder-investigation, twisty*****

Julia Bird is a retired social worker who relocated from London to a small town in the Cotswolds after the divorce. She was walking on the path with her exuberant chocolate lab when she discovered the body of the beloved local vet down below. Julia didn't feel right about the conclusions of the local law, but finding the second dead woman from the vet's office in nearly the same place made things both clearer and more muddled.
It's a lovely cozy series with friendly characters (human), and positively delightful dogs everywhere!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected advance review copy from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!
#JuliaBirdMysteriesBk6

Julia Bird and her beloved chocolate labrador Jake, loved to walk, and so did a lot of other residents of her little town of Berrywick in the Cotswolds. Chatting to various dog owners along the way, Julia arrived at the carpark below the path along the cliff edge. When Julia spotted the old dog Fergus, seemingly alone and fretting, Julia and Jake tried to discover the reason. He belonged to Dr Eve Davies' mother Kay, and with neither woman around, Julia was a little concerned. She'd only seen Eve the day before when she picked up Jake's treats at the vet, and she was fine. But it was when she spotted the body at the bottom of the cliff that Julia knew something was wrong. With Julia's friend and local detective, DI Hayley Gibson, soon on the scene, it wasn't long before she deemed it a tragic accident. But Julia was convinced otherwise...

Julia did her own sleuthing (as was usual) and each time she uncovered a clue, she would let Hayley know. Until Hayley told her to drop it. But Julia's conviction that Eve's death was suspicious was soon confirmed when another body was found, it the same place as the first. And Hayley decided Julia was right all along. But would they find the culprit? The searching seemed to hit a dead end but Julia's determination kept her on the trail.

Murder on a Country Walk is the 6th in the Julia Bird Mystery series by Katie Gayle and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of red herrings, plenty of gorgeous canine companions, and the odd feline, along with twists and turns - I had no clue until Julia did!! She's a well written character too; sixty years old, a volunteer in the town, her beau is the local doctor, and she loves her garden. I'm already looking forward to the next. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital ARC to read and review.