I love The Cambridge Bookshop Series! Madrigals and Mayhem is the 4th book in the series and so far my favorite. I love the setting - Christmas time in Cambridge and I love all the all of the returning characters and relationships. I am excited to see what is to come for them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy of Madrigals and Mayhem, in exchange for an honest review.

Madrigals and Mayhem is the 4th book in the Cambridge Bookshop Mystery series. It takes place in Cambridge, England during Christmas. Molly Kimball and her mother have moved from the US to help her great-aunt, Violet, with her bookstore, Thomas Marlowe Manuscripts and Folio's. It has been in the family 400 years. Daisy Watson is Molly's best friend. She owns the Tea and Crumpets shop. Kieran Scott is Molly's boyfriend and owns a bike store called, Spinning Your Wheels. He is the youngest son of Lord and Lady Scott. Tim Ellis is Kieran's business partner and Molly's boyfriend. Across the street is Pemberly's Emporium Toy Shop. It has been closed for a year but is now opening. Molly loves the dollhouse in the window. It is the most beautiful one she has ever seen. It gives her an idea to put some dollhouse books exhibited in the bookstore,

Molly goes to see Daisy and is introduced to Charlotte Pemberly the owner of the toy store. She had been production assistant at BBC. Her grandfather had died and left the store to her. The dollhouse belonged to her great grandmother and can never be sold. Charlotte invites both of them to come over for a tour. They go and when they get to the backroom they come across her cousin. Barnaby Winters. He is very sick and needs to go to the hospital. He had eaten tea cakes from Daisy's shop. A card from her shop was with the tea cakes. Daisy says they are not her cakes as she never uses blue frosting. Roxi arrives at the store. She is Barnaby's sister. She follows the ambulance to the hospital.

Charlotte tells them that her grandfather had left her everything. Her grandfather married a horrible woman. It was her 3rd marriage. She is a professor of Renaissance Music and consults with films and plays. She has a daughter-in-law Dorcas who's children are Barnaby and Roxi. Her grandfarlather realized she only married him for his money so kicked them out and changed his will to leave everything to Charlotte. Barnaby and Roxi took her to court but lost. Her gandfather also left her a very rare Madame Alexander doll which he hid somewhere in the store. There are only a half dozen existing. Barnaby was probably there looking for the doll. He also gave her a book called Charolette's Dollhouse. Could there be a clue in the book. She gives to book to Molly to read.

Sergeant Gita Adhikani and Constable Derby come to the store. They work with Detective Inspector Sean Ryan on the Murder Investigations. The police tell Charlotte that Barnaby had been poisoned but is alive. Molly realizes that the cakes were really for Charlotte.

Charlotte tells them that Barnaby broke into the shop. No one from that family was suppose to be in contact with her. Plans to get a protective order against them. They are her grandfather's step-relations. Charlotte tells them about the doll and they are after it. The doll is hidden somewhere.

Molly goes back to the bookstore and sees her Uncle Chris's van. He is a roof thatcher. Inside the store she finds them in the kitchen. He had brought her mother's trunk from her childhood. Her parents had disowned her because she married an american and moved to the US. Her brother, Chris now lived in the house. The trunk is opened and all that is in the trunk is books. Her beloved Sasha Doll was not in the trunk.

Molly tells them what happened in the toy store. Her aunt Violet knew Athea and didn't really have anything nice to say about her. Her son had died suddenly and left her with huge debts. Her aunt get an album out and showed them the cast of the Madrigals and Mayham. Athena wrote the play and the music. There was Athea in the middle. Jonathan Yeats M16 retired agent turned best sellar and in love with Violet. She told Molly that she had seen two people in the alley near the toy store. She lives above the store. George was also in the play.

Dorcus wrote another script for the play. Athea will be the director. They were looking for volunteers to participate in the play. They were going to do the play back to St. Hildegard School. They got the BBC interested in filming it as part of Christmas in Cambridge. Her Mom and Violet thought it would be fun to get tickets.

Two police cars were at Daisy's shop. Kieran met up with Molly. She told him what is happened in the store. The police were looking for aconite. Molly met with Kiernan and Tim and Daisy at the bike shop. They told things over aboiut Charlotte. She could be in danger from the family.

This is where the story takes off on an adventure. There is too much to tell so I will leave it to the reader to enjoy to the exciting ending.

I really enjoyed this book and all the suspense that went with it. The scavenger hunt that gives Molly and Charlotte hints to find the doll. I think I will read the series from the beginning and will look forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this ARC.




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Madrigals and Mayhem is a good holiday cozy mystery.
Molly Kimball is looking forward to her first English Christmas and her excitement is shown throughout the story.
With the reopening of the local toy store, Molly is looking forward to meeting the new owner, Charlotte.
Not everyone believes Charlotte should be the rightful owner, and tempers flare when she refuses to let others try to interfere.
Things begin to spiral out of control but Molly is determined to help her new friend.
I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'm happy to recommend it to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

In Madrigals and Mayhem, the fourth in Elizabeth Penney's charming Cambridge Bookshop series, Molly Kimball finds that even the holidays can come with a healthy dose of mystery. When I read this book, I can sense a thrilling feeling through the journey.

Madrigals and Mayhem is a delightful cozy, set in Cambridge, England. I'd love to walk on the cobblestone streets and visit the shops.. Molly is the perfect amateur sleuth, and Daisy and Charlotte, plus Molly's family added to a great group of characters. The only negative I have is I could have done without the occasional cursing. Otherwise, the story was fun to read. The story will get you into the Christmas spirit with the talk of trees and decorations. If you enjoy a good cozy, you'll want to read this one. I received a free copy. Opinions are my own.

The story was interesting and fun. There was a bit of quick jumping too conclusions but it was only a few steps before I would have made the same observation. I definitely would like to read the 3 previous mysteries solved and am looking forward to more in the future.

I couldn't get into this book but that doesn't mean it's the same for others. I hope you enjoy it. I do like the author so I'll continue to read this at a later date

It is Christmas time in Cambridge and Molly is looking forward to her first Christmas in England. When the toy shop across the way reopens Molly makes friends with Charlotte who has inherited the store from her grandfather. When Charlotte and Molly discover Charlotte’s grandfather’s step-grandson poisoned in the toy shop Molly begins to investigate and soon is embroiled in murder.
A pleasant entry in a nice cozy series. The murderer was pretty obvious all along but the fun here is the Cambridge setting and how characters make progress in their personal lives. Recommended

Madrigals and Mayhem is the fourth book in the Cambridge Bookshop Series by Elizabeth Penney. I really enjoy this series and this book did not disappoint. The setting in Cambridge in an ancient bookshop is so enjoyable as are the cast of wonderful British characters with an American mother and daughter added into the mix. The writing is so descriptive that I feel like I am on Magpie Lane right along with the characters. I loved the Christmas setting and the ending did not disappoint. I also enjoy how the author works excerpts of an older, existing book into solving the mystery itself. I hope this series will continue on for quite a while. There are several big events coming up in some characters' lives that I would love to read about!

I appreciate the opportunity from NetGalley to read this book. All opinions are my own.

This intriguing murder mystery, set in England during the Christmas holidays, held my attention from beginning to end. I read it in less than 48 hours. I was pretty sure I knew who the culprit was, but wasn't sure how they would prove it. I look forward to reading more of Elizabeth Penny's book.

This is the fourth book in the Cambridge Bookshop series and Molly is about to enjoy the holidays.

The new owner of Pemberly’s Emporium, Charlotte, is reopening the shop and is determined to make it a success.

With the extended family not happy about Charlotte inheriting the shop, there could be some problems, and of course, there are. A body, a missing person, and poison make for an interesting holiday!


NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press November 26, 2024

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, St. Martin Press and Minotaur.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Molly is excited to spend her first English Christmas. But it is mar as an expected inheritance of a valuable doll goes missing causing suspicion among the family. It will be up to Molly and her boyfriend to go undercover to figure what is going in this cozy mystery, All is not what it seems in this delightful read.