My thanks for the audiobook ARC from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Mystery
Language: Some profanity scattered throughout

I loved the dynamic between the author and the assistant. The small town dynamics were also fun. It was great to see how many people held secrets. The reveals were awesome!

I had the feeling this was going to be a cozy mystery, and it almost is—except for some swearing. It still has the mechanics of the non-professional sleuth working on the mystery, a cast of characters with quirks, and lots of fun.

Tell me what you think when you read this book.

Happy reading!

Rating: 3.5

A writer with writer’s block, a couple of murders, and a book festival in a small village in need of tourists

This story is not a quick cozy mystery resolved in a couple hundred pages, no, this is an intricate and intertwined story of murder, mystery, villagers coming together, and the how a writer overcomes writer’s block to write…a cozy mystery.

It seemed to me to lean more mystery thriller with a cozy tone. The prologue sets the stage. What’s it like to be so disliked that a village capitalizes on your death within a couple of weeks.

Book lovers would love all of the wonderful references. I really enjoyed the characters, though some times it felt like too many, because they were not the typical ones you’d find in cozy-ish mysteries. They were not all sunshine and light. The story while interesting and intriguing, is a slow burn. At one point, I thought I was almost done but I hadn’t gotten half way through.

Thinking through other book series, another thing that sets this one apart is that depth of the character backstories. In others, it is dripped through the series where here it is all presented, which also adds to the number of pages and slow burn. Once this was accepted, settled back for the ride. We got to see the characters evolve in this story instead of waiting for future books.

Books are at the center of this story and I loved it. Berit’s need to write the next one in her series. Daphne’s love of them so much she has them all over her home. The book festival the village puts together. The references and quotes to many authors and books. The discord between Daphne and Reginald over the family home being overrun with books. The attempted theft of books. And so on. It was wonderful.

I appreciate the author’s depth in the story but it did feel a bit long. I found that I had to go back over pages because I’d lost track of the plot when I put it down for a break. Despite this, I wanted to know who did it, not so much for justice for Reginald but more for how they managed to pull it off.

A good long read with lots of fun characters and a couple of murders to boot.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts on the story.
Happy Reading!

'The Murders in Great Diddling' is a cozy mystery book that includes lots and lots of books and many book lovers.

The mystery was nicely handled, with many twists, and a nice setting that worked to the story's advantage. The interesting set of characters also aided the plot a lot, as it wasn't easy to pinpoint who was the culprit.

However, I do have to point out that I would have wanted more involvement of the main character, the prestigious author was set out to solve the mystery. She was an entertaining character and she had a strong presence in the first part of the book and the ending chapters, but she kind of vanished in the middle part.

Still, the switching of POVs was smooth and one of the best that I've read so far.

Berit is in desperate need of a story idea for her next book, and with a deadline looming, she decides to write about the mysterious, decrepit village of Great Diddling. Then, while visiting the village, an explosion kills a local and just like that, Berit is part of the story. The characters in this book are eccentric and charming, almost as charming as this lovely book, which is guaranteed to make you forget your bad day

I had just finished Death Comes to Marlow and I was thinking "I wish I had something to read that would keep these vibes going." Then The Murders in Great Diddling dropped in my inbox. Berit Gardner is another eccentric, brusque, resident of a small village plagued with incomprehensible murders. Along with a large cast of characters, she attempts to solve the murder and get over her writers block.

There is something very Murder, She Wrote about Berit Gardner, but J.B. Fletcher's huge list of friends and acquaintances is introduced very slowly. It was difficult early on to keep all of the characters straight because they appear pretty rapid fire.

I, a sucker for books about books, loved the subplot about a hastily arranged book festival and I found the characters very charming.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Murders in Great Diddling by Katarina Bivald is an interesting cozy murder mystery book which did not disappoint. There are many characters, so at the beginning it was hard to distinguish between the different point of views. But I found the story intriguing and engaging. Since I listened to the audiobook, I must say that the narration was excellent! It was such a nice experience, very cozy and very British!

The Murders in Great Diddling is a wonderfully humorous cozy series starter by Katarina Bivald. Due out 13th Aug 2023 from Sourcebooks on their Poisoned Pen Press imprint, it's 432 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

Writer and observer-of-life Berit has moved to the village of Great Diddling, having bought a cottage in Cornwall sight unseen. It's not on the more fashionable coast, as everyone points out, and her pushy agent is half convinced she's gone off her rocker. She's got an intractable case of writer's block, and the voices in her head have gone worryingly silent. Add a village of eccentric secondary characters, a mousy unwished-for assistant (her agent's daughter). Add an exceptionally rare book collection, the loathesome nephew and heir of the local feudal family landowners, some high-powered explosives, and stir well.

The author's dry comedic timing is a wonder to behold, and the book is delightfully *full* of delightful bookish tie-ins and sly unforced bibliophile in-jokes which will bring smiles to lovers of books.

The author/publisher has also included suggested discussion topics and questions for book clubs and personal analysis. It's not entirely clear from the publishing info provided, if this book was translated into English (the author is Swedish), but if so, the translation work is perfectly seamless and invisible. There are currently 3 works in the series (books 2 and 2.5 are currently only available in Swedish).

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 13 hours 30 minutes and is masterfully read by Helen Lloyd. She has a perfect voice for the read, slightly gravelly and practical, and easily switches between numerous regional accents, from cut-crystal RP to a pretty credible Polish working class, as well as MC Berit who is of mixed Swedish/English descent. Sound and production quality are very high throughout the read, and the narrator is an absolute delight.

Four and a half stars for the print version, a strong 5 stars for the delightful audiobook. Highly recommended for public library acquisition, home use, and bookclub/buddy discussions.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

When I have the opportunity to both read and listen to a book I am happy. I can read when I am sitting and can listen when I am out and about. This synchronicity worked perfectly while I enjoyed The Murders in Great Diddling.

The cover and title give some sense of this as a British mystery and indeed it is. Great Diddling is in Cornwall. It is a community where the people who live there know one another.

The story begins when there is an outdoor tea party. Owner of a grand (if rundown) estate has invited the villagers to a tea party. This device leads to a rapid introduction to many characters for the reader.

There are the manor owner, Daphne and her assistant Margaret. There is Daphne’s difficult and disliked nephew. There are author Berit and Sally, daughter of her agent, and hopeful employee of Berit. There is a couple; James has a stake in a hotel and Penny has a stake in defending her husband. There are owners of village businesses whose doors are to be closed and others as well.

There is an explosion and in its aftermath a body is found. I will leave it to the reader to find out who the victim is. Suffice it to say, there are many with motives.

This is the lead in to a long, fun and involving story. Take the time to enjoy it. I did. Note how much there is about books, lots of books in this one as you read or listen.

I found the narration to be spot on. The reader was British and helped to create the atmosphere of the story in a delightful way.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Dreamscape Audio for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author and publisher for sharing an ALC of this fun book with me! When I say fun book, I truly mean it! The cast of characters in this book was unmatched! The book takes place in a very small community where everyone knows everyone and thinks they know everything and then a murder happens! The residents try to solve it amongst themselves, while also trying to save their community's financial situation. They decide to capitalize on the murder by hosting a Books and Murder festival- and despite their lack of experience and lack of planning- this book festival seems like exactly the type of festival I would adore! This is such a fun murder-mystery while also having all the charm and characters of a small-town romance. It was truly so much fun to read!

Author Berit Gardner comes to a small village, Great Diddling, when she is going through a writer's block. so she moves to a cottage in the village. She is invited to towny hall for a tea party when someone ends up dead. So she wants to solve the murder, find out what the villagers think, what are their secrets because they all have secrets.
This book is from multiple pov starting from Berit, her assistant, the detective, villagers and sometimes from the perspective of guests, it was confusing at certain times but it gives the feels of watching a show once you get the hang of it. It also made it easy to figure out who the murderer was, I guessed it around halfway through the book.
This book gave me the ultimate cozy vibes, with a small village, tea party, book festival and party in the great library.
I loved it through and through and I can't wait to read more books in this series.

I think are small towns are the same …..people being nosy and gossiping about others. Another problems with small towns is it is hard for a new person when moving to a new town and trying to get to know the people of the town. Author Berit Gardner lives in a small country town, Great Diddling Berit is trying to write a new book and there is a bit of writers block going on. Berit ends up invited to tea at the Grand Manor. While having tea it an explosion occurs. The nephew of the owner of the Grand Manor had been killed. As the residents come to terms with what has happened the reader learns more about it’s inhabitants but they are not really what they appear to be.. The residents finally realize they need to do something to help there town and they feel that this incident is a great start. They decide to plan a book/murder festival. Berit in the meantime has been investigating and it seems each person in the town is a suspect. Berit has decided to write a books about this but will she be able to figure out who the murder is and figure out the odd people of the town?

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for this ALC.

This was a departure in style from the best-selling Swedish author's previous women's fiction book, The readers of Broken Wheel recommend but I quite enjoyed it as at its core is the common love of books and reading we all share and the way that can unite a community.

This first in a new cozy mystery series set in a small Cornwall village, follows Berit Gardner, an older author struggling with writer's block who finds herself with an unwanted assistant and attending a local tea party where an explosion in the grand library kills a man, sparking off a murder investigation and attracting all sorts of attention to the little town of Great Diddling.

Funny, with a cast of quirky characters and told from multiple POVs, this is perfect for fans of books like the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley. Good on audio too narrated by Helen Lloyd and sure to entertain cozy mystery book lovers of all ages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm looking forward to reading what comes next for Berit and the villagers of Great Diddling!

The Murders in Great Diddling by Katarina Bivald is a quiet story set in a small village with a quirky set of characters, murder, secrets and some social commentary. Even though it's told from multiple points of view, the main character is Berit Gardner, an accomplished author with writer's block who has made Great Diddling her home. When an explosion in the library of the grand manor during a tea party kills a much hated local man, she decides to investigate it. During this investigation, we learn more about the people living in this village. We have a book collector who spends all her money on books, a police detective who forms an unlikely partnership with Berit, an assistant who is the daughter of Berit's agent and is there to make sure that she works on the book, a couple of international con artists, people with secrets to hide, people who love to gossip and a lot of people with motive.
Now this is a book that has been described as funny. Generally when a book is described as funny, it is not. But that’s not the case with this one. I genuinely laughed at so many points in this one, especially when the village decides to host a book and murder festival and advertises that Margaret Atwood and Ian Rankin are going to be a part of the panel discussion. The audiobook has been done well. So I definitely recommend it in audio format. At it's core, the plot was good, the writing interesting enough and the characters memorable. However what prevents this book from being good is the length. I so wish that it was shorter and crisper. It could have been really good.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

A cute cozy all about books, book lovers, book readers, book collectors, someone getting blown up, and others being loyal to the person they love most.

Our protagonist is an author and she's out-investigating the investigators in this mystery where too many people confess to murdering someone that everyone seems to be happy is dead. And meanwhile, there's a big author fair without any authors. The story is goofy, but it is a classic cozy and makes you feel good about being a reader and book lover.

I received this as an advanced listener copy from NetGalley. I am beyond grateful to them, and the author for giving me the chance to listen to this novel.

This story is the embodiment of a cozy murder mystery.

It all takes place in the small, rundown village of Great Diddling, where author Berit Gaudner lives hoping to get inspired for her next book. She is fascinated by the various characters in the village and their peculiar habits. The way they avoid outsiders, the furtive stares and whispers in the presence of newcomers. One day while attending a village tea party, Berit witnesses an explosion in the library of the village manor, killing a local man. Now this once quiet run down town is at the center of a murder investigation, making everyone question who in the village is capable of murder. This tantalizing new detail in life is one Berit cannot tear herself away from. With her manuscript deadline fast approaching, this event might just be the story she’s looking for. But can Berit safely investigate this occurrence, or will this put her on the radar of the killer.

This story was so much fun to be immersed into. The Town of Great Diddling is absolutely a place I would want to visit in real life. All the characters, and there’s a large cast in this one, all felt distinct and special. Everyone in this town has their own unique story that you get to see undone by the always watchful eyes of the author Berit.

The pacing and reveal is a bit of a slow burn. This novel really takes its time letting you get a feel for the village, the people, and their stories. Through all the villager’s unique experiences and connection with the victim is ultimately what helps Berit solve the murder. I didn’t find this mystery easy to solve, but the resolution and how we got there does make sense. I honestly really enjoyed not solving it right away.

This story is more of an homage to books, and us book lovers! The addition of the mystery is the little bow on top.

I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something cozy, witty, and slower paced. It’s a really well written book, and the audiobook is incredible.

I loved this book. It felt like a series I was coming home to, not a new one. The main character captures bits of Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher, and is a delight to read about. All the characters in the book are a delight, and the motivations and understanding what's happening throughout provide a decent amount of twisting and turning.

This book is written for book lovers and filled with literary references throughout. From casual conversations about books to quotes altered to fit the situation, this book has them all.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy mystery or who is a fan of Christie or Murder She Wrote. I'd also recommend it to classic literature lovers who may not have done a lot of mystery reading. It's easy to follow while still being smart and making you guess.

Thank you for the ARC!

This was a fun, if a little convoluted, romp through a quaint English village. It had it all - murder, tea parties, a somewhat cranky protagonist, and BOOKS - so many books! The entire story is really an homage to people who love books/writing, and in that sense it was a raging success because that definitely came shining through on every page. It felt a little long and drawn out - more than necessary for a cozy mystery, anyway - but the narration was excellent and really helped me stay involved.

I think this one worked better for me as an audiobook than it would have as a book-book. The narration gave it an extra boost of atmosphere that made it quite enjoyable, even when things felt like they were getting mired in details rather than moving forward the way I wanted them to. Berit was a lovely and engaging protagonist. I see it labeled on GoodReads as Berit Gardner #1. I would definitely listen to more in this series.

The story follows writer Berit Gardner as she collaborates with the police to solve a series of murders in the quaint village of Diddling. As a fan of mysteries, I appreciated how this book paid homage to Sherlock Holmes.

While the story was intriguing at times, I found myself occasionally confused by the multitude of characters, which detracted from my overall enjoyment. However, I did find Berit, the main character, to be witty and cheeky, adding a delightful flavor to the narrative. This book could be a good pick for your summer reading list if you're in the mood for a mystery with a charming protagonist.

I loved this audiobook. I was so emerged in it I couldn't stop listening it until I was done. It was one my favourites audioboooks this year for sure.

The story was so funny and cozy I couldn't believe I was reading a suposed mistery muder.

I think this would be great for romance lovers who are afraid to read mistery/crime books (and I think the other way around works too).

But if you really into thriller/crime books and you don't read romance novels at all, maybe this is too"small town romance" for you. Not for the romance itself, 'cause there is any, but the vibes the book give us.

In my head this book is a "mix salade", meaning a mix of many genres and does not fit in any specifically.

It give us small town vibes, relations between "neigboors"/villagers and their background, mistery crime, a book festival and a lot of book related stuff.


I want to thank the editor and also Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book in advance in exchange of an honest opinion/review.
- publication date: August 13, 2024

This is a confection of a book, with the village itself the character we grow to love. I listened to this in audio form, enjoying it greatly. But it means I do not recall all the characters' names. Berit, a woman of Swedish and British background is a semi-well known author with writers' block. Her agent "surprises" her with an assistant, nineteen year old Sally early on. Sally crushes on Nate, a local handyman. The town is abuzz because the heir apparent to a local estate owns and is pulling in loans on several buildings in town, threatening the very existence of several businesses. His aunt, who has a life estate in the estate and loves books has a library with a surprise feature that's fun to imagine. Some questionable people in Reginald's camp are interested. When his aunt holds a tea party at the estate no one has anything good to say about Reginald. And murders will out. The village has a wonderful cast of residents. Sima, the local councilwoman, brilliant, risk taking and out to save her town. A pair of older retired sisters who turn out to be quite the characters. The problem, of course, with writing about a mystery that is full of red herrings and nice little twists and turns is that we cannot give things away.

This mystery has been underrated. I agree it feels like a lovely Agatha Christie with very Swedish Berit taking a spin as a sleuth. It is all that was promised.