A Swarm of Butterflies - A Dr Nell Ward Mystery Book 6 by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett attracted me with a fantastic synopsis and range of characters, however, (and this is no shade on the book, it is rather my knowledge of the series) it would be better read with an understanding of the established relationships between the various characters.

A wonderful murder mystery and Dr Nell is a likable sleuth. Defo an addition to my tbr to catch up on this series

Thank you to NetGalley, Embla Books and the excellent author Sarah Yarwood-Lovett for this ARC

A Swarm of Butterflies by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

When Finchmere's first summer fete turns fatal, Nell has more than just a killer to net...

Since their YouTube channel, Following Finchmere, has taken flight, showcasing Dr Nell Ward's sustainability transformation at her family's Finchmere estate, it's her partner and colleague, Rav, who's become the star.

Amongst Rav's fan mail and gifts, Nell makes the chilling discovery that one person's obsession with him has metamorphosed into a deadly threat.

Just as Finchmere flings open its gates to welcome swarms of visitors to their idyllic summer fete - celebrating rewilding, artisan produce and local crafts - Nell realises the disguised peril has already wormed its way into the heart of Finchmere itself, and the path of destruction soon leads to murder.

DI James Clark's and Nell's powers of observation are put to the test to detect the camouflaged predator.

With everyone as a suspect, who can Nell really trust when those she loves are in danger?

My Opinion

A Swarm of Butterflies is the sixth book in the Nell Ward Mystery series but it could be read as a standalone. Compared to the rest of the series, this had a slightly more complicated plot – but it was still enjoyable. So far I have enjoyed reading this series, the books are just so easy to keep reading.

Rating 4/5

Sarah Yarwood-Lovett knows her ecology. It's evident in every volume of the Nell Ward series.

Nell, Rav, and the Finchmere estate are throwing a fete, and you know what happens - murder. The story arcs of our returning characters weave through a delightful tapestry of natural wonders, making you almost forget about them.

Except this book is tense. I was worried about the traumas happening, but do not despair. Nell, Rav, and James figure it out in the end (pun intentional for the solution!)

Nell Ward is busy with her rewilding project at her family estate and the social media channel she fronts with her partner Rav is a huge success. Rav is natural in front of the camera and attracts lots of attention, some quite obsessive. However, when an arson attack on Nell's home is followed by an attempt on her life, things take a shocking turn. As the Finchmere Fete takes place, a series of murders take place and Nell is in a race to find Rav's stalker before they succeed in killing her.
This is a great little set of novels and this is no exception. I have always really loved the ecological settings and strands through the plots. Here the plot was a little one-dimensional and the cast of characters quite difficult to track but it's still a great read.

I've been enjoying the Dr. Nell Ward series, and I was delighted to get the opportunity to read the latest installment thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.. The books keep getting better and better. I don't think this particular book would work well as a stand-alone; I think readers would appreciate the characters and their interpersonal relationships much more if they read the books in order. The story was very suspenseful with threats on Nell's and others' lives, and there were lots of twist and turns and suspicious characters. I highly recommend this book and the series, and I look forward to the next.

This book kept me on my toes the whole time I was reading it. I kept jumping from suspect to suspect, trying to work out who the killer was and I was super pleased with myself for guessing correctly just before it was revealed. I love the writing style of these books, and this one did not disappoint. I really hope there is another in the series to come!!
Rated 4.25 stars

"A Swarm of Butterflies," the sixth book in the Dr. Nell Ward Mystery series, is yet another fantastic addition. I adore everything about this series, from the engaging characters to the well-crafted and informative storylines. I highly recommend both this book and the entire series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for my ARC.

The 6th book in the Dr Nell Ward Mysteries has a whole lot of murder going on, alongside house fires, stalking, hate Mail and lots of unearthed secrets. The focus is on Nell's estate and the ecological work going on. Nell and Rav's podcast is popular and has gleaned fans alongside a stalker for Rav and antagonism towards Nell. A fire and repulsive hate mail and breakins show this is serious enough to involve security and police, especially as the estate is to be opened to the public with seminars for superfans, making danger more imminent. A murder makes it more real, and then bodies start to mount. Can Nell and Rav use their skills to track down a serious killer before one of them succumb? An exciting thriller that keeps you guessing. Can be read as standalone as references to previous cases are there but don't detract from this story. You'd be missing out on all the characters backstories and a lot of great reads though, so check them out! #aswarmofbutterflies #drnellward #sarahyarwoodlovett #emblabooks #netgalley

I really enjoyed this latest instalment in the Nell Ward ecology series. The characters are smart, well-rounded and realistic, and the mysteries are always cleverly done. The clues are clever and you need to pay attention to the ecological titbits in order to figure them out. I figured out the killer partway through, but it didn't take away any of the enjoyment in reading through to the end.

It's best to read this series in order to get the full character arcs as they all play out over the series. Very much looking forward to the next in the series.

Recommended.

This is Book 6 in Sarah Yarwood-Lovett’s series of eco-mysteries, featuring main character Dr Nell Ward and her friends and family as they preserve wildlife and cultivate the natural environment while also solving the occasional murder mystery.

I’ve really grown to love this series, mainly due to the character, but the environmental aspect is also a unique hook and always provides some fascinating bonus facts about the natural world. This instalment is something of a cosier, cottagecore version of Nell’s adventures, as the focus is on the small businesses being established as part of the rewilding of Nell’s ancestral estate – beekeeping and honey production; artisanal food and drinks and woodworking.

This also neatly gives a natural suspect pool when Nell finds out that someone is stalking Ravi and is willing to go to great lengths to remove any obstacles between them… namely Nell herself!

I definitely recommend reading these books in order, as the characters develop and grow throughout the series and there is a lot of backstory that might not affect the current mystery plot but would be a real shame to miss out on.

As always from this author, this is a solid mystery with plenty of motive and opportunity among the core suspect pool and a lot of fun investigating alongside Ravi, Nell and James, each in their distinctive ways.

Another great addition to this nature-friendly cosy mystery series and I genuinely can’t wait for the next one!

Dr. Nell Ward is back, and she and Rav Kashyap have been busy for the last two years on a rewilding project at Finchmere, which they’ve documented extensively on social media. Rav has garnered a number of passionate fans, to Nell's bemusement, but both are thrilled with the progress they've made.

They've also been busy getting ready with local artisans and vendors employed on Finchmere land to host a festival to showcase all their efforts. Someone, however, has it in for Nell, as they're totally obsessed with Rav, and make several attempts to harm and kill Nell, much to their horror. At first Rav can't imagine anyone stalking him, but each attack, and then the murders, convince him that this is a very serious problem. James, their friend and the local DI, is run off his feet trying to solve the case so he can keep his friends safe from all the potential suspects, most of whom seem to be some form of shady or in lust with Rav.

I love the way the ecological science is used to solve the mystery of the identity of the stalker. Nell's and Rav's relationship is progressing well, and believably, though I felt a wee bit frustrated with how Rav wasn't taking the stalking and his security as seriously as they merited, but that did change as the story progressed.

I've read all the stories so far in this series, and though this one had a somewhat more complicated plot and slightly confusing set of motives than previous entries, I still really enjoyed this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Embla Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

A summer fete at a historic estate quickly turns fatal and a popular online personality realizes that the situation with his stalker is much more serious than he ever thought. It took me a while to warm up to this one. Rav and Nell are partners, rewilding the Finchmere estate. The book begins with Nell escaping a housefire, so the plot jumps into action with very little backstory about the characters or their rewilding efforts. If you're not already familiar with the concept, or the names of some of the small animals in their region, you may be just as lost as I was. (I imagine that if I'd started the series with the first book, I would've learned as I read, but I jumped in mid-series.) There are a lot of characters, with a lot of conflict between them. It's far more complex than your average cozy mystery plot. I'm definitely curious about what's going to happen with these characters, so I'll be watching for the next book.

Dr Nell Ward and her partner and colleague Rav are back in another intriguing story.
Nell and Rav are on a YouTube channel about the rewilding of the Finchmere estate .
The channel is going from strength to strength and Rav’s popularity increases particularly with the female population.
The increased attention directed towards Rav brings a stalker out of the woodwork this in turn puts Nell in danger.
The characters in this series and the writing style make for an easy and enjoyable read.
It may be a cliche but this series continues to improve with each new book .
A satisfying read.
Looking forward to the next instalment!
Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books .

As this is the sixth book in the Nell Ward series, the characters have formed emotional connections and invested in each other. When a stalker threatens them, emotions run high, often causing the protagonists to make less than objective decisions, which puts them in danger. I also listened to this as an audiobook. The narrator brings the characters to vibrant life and distinguishes well between them. The ecological details woven into the plot give it a unique perspective. It's an immersive and intriguing read with its clever and courageous protagonists and a plot with many twists. I enjoy the clever plotting with numerous suspects and false leads. I like the complex and relatable cast of characters and the country estate setting that provides the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and purchased an audiobook copy.

I love the Nell Ward series of mysteries. This one had the right mix of interesting ecology information and intriguing plot lines. There were many different lines to the story and many red herrings but for me this did not detract from a great story.

A mystery set in such a quaint setting was always going to be great to me, but this book was truly a joy to read, and I'd definitely read more of her works, past and future.

This is the 6th book in this series which for the most part is a cosy mystery. The biggest difference is in wildlife information which is both fascinating and different from other books in this genre and indicates a great deal of knowledge and research by the author. The mystery is a twisty and complicated one that kept me turning the pages. All in all another great in this enjoyable series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 upped to 4
I love this series and always enjoyed Nell's investigations and her complex private life.
This is not a favorite even if it's entertaining and the mystery kept me guessing.
It's the most complicated installment in the series, sometimes a bit confusing: too many suspects, to many read herrings.
I loved it as I consider Nell, Rav, James, and the other characters as sort of book friends and I’m always delighted to catch up with the pleasant and well-developed characters of this series.
I had fun but would not recommend as stand-alone or the book to start this series.
Can't wait to read the next one.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

How many bodies in a rather small cast of characters is enough to eliminate all but the actual killer? This book seeks to address this question. Rather than eliminating red herrings by finding alibis or new evidence, in this book the character put forward as the next best suspect just gets bumped off too, til there are so few left that a toss of a coin has a good chance of picking the killer from among the survivors. This was not a terrible mystery. I enjoyed it, but this story structure bugged me. Also the post-arrest wrap-up took FOREVER, which messed up the pacing and made the book drag rather than ending on a higher note. All in all, I gave this book 4 stars. I really enjoyed the ecology bits, and how many female characters with speaking roles this book has. I will probably read more books by this author, but I am hoping she doesn't make a habit of killing off most of her characters. ,

Part of a series of Dr Nell Ward and her partner Rav.
You need to read the previous books to understand the characters and their roles in the story.
Rav has got a stalker. Combined with a local fete for Finchmere there are plenty of suspects and red herrings when murder happens.
The characters have complicated and complex backgrounds which makes it more difficult to follow the many lines of enquiries.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.