This was a cozy mystery with several twists and turns but such a delight to read. The characters were lovey and heartwarming. Highly recommend!

This was a fun mystery where readers not only followed Cath’s adventures on a murder mystery trip in England that her mother booked for them without her knowledge before she died but also the journey of Cath’s mother’s life. The characters were very entertaining and interesting, and I enjoyed reading the friendship among Cath, Amity, and Wyatt.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

(Rated 3.75 on StoryGraph)

4 stars.

Thirty-four year old Cath Little discovers tickets for two to a murder mystery week in a small village in the Peak District of England in her estranged mother’s belongings after her death and she is shocked to learn that her mother intended for Cath to accompany her in the trip. As far as Cath knows her mother had no interest in mysteries or England.

Her ticket isn’t refundable so Cath decides to take the trip and is paired with two other solo travelers, Wyatt Green, who is unhappily employed at his husband’s bird store and Amity Clark, a fifty-ish divorced romance writer. Can the team solve the murder mystery put on by the town and maybe determine why Cathy’s mother planned the trip?

I occasionally enjoy a good cozy mystery but I don’t adore every single one that comes along. However this was well done and fans of the genre will LOVE it, especially since it isn’t a series. Cath is great, there are some fun townspeople and the mystery surrounding Cath’s mom is interesting. Good stuff!

Welcome to Murder Week is a very cute and charming mystery about loss, identity, and acceptance. Cath's long absentee mother has just died suddenly and amongst her belongings Cath finds a mysterious receipt for a "Murder Week" in the English countryside, an immersive experience where participants solve a fake murder mystery set in a small town. Cath is shocked to find out her mother intended to bring her along on this trip and ends up going solo when she learns that the trip is non refundable. Once Cath gets there she discovers a much more personal mystery which explains why her mother booked this.

The fake mystery in this book was charming and although it was a "murder mystery" there were no dark twists at all which I was expecting. The only "real" mystery in this book is the secret that Cath's mother was hiding from her which Cath uncovers with the help of the team she is assigned to for the fake mystery and the organizer of the event who had some clues as well.

The characters were all interesting and charismatic, however it was a little repetitive how Cath kept second guessing everyone based on her assumptions regarding the game they were playing. The plot of the murder mystery game was very predictable and ended exactly as I thought it would. I kept hoping there was going to be some kind of big reveal about that as well, but maybe it would have been too gimmicky to include that in addition to what Cath discovered about herself.

Overall this was a very sweet book that is a lighthearted mystery for folks who are into cozy mysteries, but not anything dark.

Many thanks to Gallery/Scout Press and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.

I loved this mystery with a fake whodunit. Great writing. Loved the relationship storylines. This is a story with unforgettable characters and an irresistible setting - a captivating story that’s smart and fun.

This was a nice cozy read! If you are a fan of small village quirky characters and BBC mysteries this is a perfect fit. No high stakes here but you become invested in the main characters journey to connect with her mother. 3.5 overall!

When I started this book, I wasn't sure how I felt about the protagonist but I can to really, really like her and this take on a non-traditional cozy that pays a wonderful homage to all of us who love the British cozy genre. Cath's absentee Mom dies and, while finally going through her mom's boxes, Cath discovers an all expenses paid trip for two to a small English town for their first annual Murder Mystery week. Encouraged by her co-worker and neighbor, Cath takes her first vacation in four years and goes on Murder Week. To say this is a huge change for her is an understatement about her personality.
Cath is roomed with Wyatt and Amity in Wisteria Cottage. Wyatt's husband sent him on this trip and Amity is a romance writer who's post-divorce. The three of them bond over the Murder Mystery as well as trying to solve mysteries in Cath's life, related to her mother. There's also the handsome Dev, a former Londoner turned artisanal gin distiller, who's moved to the small town to care for his mother as she deals with dementia.
The cast of characters are great - both those pretending for the Murder Mystery week, as well as Cath, Wyatt, Amity, Dev and Cath's deceased mother. Just a really lovely book!

The coziest of cozy books, because there is no real murder, just a staged live murder mystery! Our protagonist flies to England to solve a mystery and learn more about her mom. A very enjoyable read!

I love this book. It is fun from start to finish. It's a light mystery with a lot of heart. The characters quickly feel like old friends ( friends you wished you had in real life!) and seeing how they support each other as they try to find their way around an " olde English village" is delight. There is humor and compassion. Fans of classic English mysteries will find a lot that's familiar and lovers of romance and family stories will be happy as well. Highly recommended!!