3.5 stars. Happy to receive an arc of this. This book is a cozy mystery to me, complete with ladies of a certain age. Ginny is newly widowed and is the lead of this series. She’s a good fodder to her new set of friends, widows as well. The mystery itself was interesting and well planned. The pace of the book was just right. And I was curious about the story till the end. Though no baking involved, and I was curious about Ginny’s jam recipe, it’s still a cozy read to me.

The Widow's Guide to Murder was the first cozy mystery that I have read, from a new to me author; Amanda Ashby. I really enjoyed the cozy storyline of this book!

Ginny Cole is starting a new life. Not only has she moved to a new village, but she is also now widow, which wasn't in her plans. Starting a new job is stressful at the best of times, but finding your boss dead on your second day certainly doesn't help. Especially when you realise it was murder. Ginny is reluctant when a local trio of women start to take her under their wing, and persuade her to help them investigate the murder. Surprisingly though, she finds herself starting to enjoy her new life.

I grabbed this from NetGalley as it is the first book in a new series along the lines of Richard Osman and Robert Thorogood. It definitely has a lot of promise.

I warmed to Ginny very quickly. She comes across as a capeable and competent woman, who is clearly finding it hard to adjust to her new life without her husband. She is a very likeable character, and I could empathise with her reluctance to be on the wrong side of the law! The other widows were a very quirky mix, and at times were a little too much for me (JM particularly is quite overbearing). That said I have a feeling they will grow on me as the series progresses.

I enjoyed the storyline, I thought it was well structured and had plenty of red herrings and depth to it. I did find some of the aspects (such as the widows digging up a grave) to be a bit out there! It was an enjoyable read though, and had a nice balance of humour and more serious storylines.

Overall I did enjoy this and will read book 2. There was a couple of minor drawbacks to it, but I think there is a lot of potential and look forward to seeing how things develop.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club series you will likely enjoy this new series as well. It was a lighthearted cozy mystery with a delightful cast of characters.

Ginny Cole is a recent widow. She and her husband had recently settled in a new village for their retirement. Now she is alone. To pass the time and earn some extra funds, Ginny gets a job as an assistant at the local library. Her new boss, Louisa, is something special, has the skill to rile up many of the library patrons, and not unexpectedly is the victim in the book.

This was a well written cozy mystery with lots of good supporting characters, including Edgar (Allen Poe) the black cat that has adopted Ginny. Ginny and her compatriot widows in the village pool their knowledge to help solve the mystery behind Louisa's murder. A fun, fast read.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery which is the first book in a series that is based around friends who all happen to be widows who decide to do their own detective work after a murder. I liked how the three widows embrace Ginny when she moves to the area after the death of her husband to start her new job at the library. I thought that the other main characters fitted well into the story. I always like it when there are pets or animals in books that I read so was pleased that there was a cat that arrived early on in the story. I think that people who like to read cozy mysteries will enjoy this book. Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Amanda Ashby for the ARC of this book which I received for free in exchange for my review.

For everyone who would like a cosy mystery with quirky characters and twists and turns, I cannot recommend a better book. The protagonists is relatable and has her heaet in the good place. And the twists, and the writing style kept my attention the whole way. The only negative I can say, is that I have trouble with names, so I got lost with the side characters a few times.

Ginny Cole, recently widowed and determined to rebuild her life, takes a job as a library assistant. But her fresh start is quickly overshadowed when her boss is murdered soon after she begins. Thrust into the chaos, Ginny is taken under the wing of a group of spirited widows who refuse to sit on the sidelines. Their quest for justice leads them down a wild path—one that even includes a late-night grave - digging adventure!

This book is a fantastic read — clever, well-written, and thoroughly enjoyable. I hadn’t come across this author before, but I will be reading more! There’s already a sequel, and I’m eager to dive into it.

This was a cute and cozy murder mystery with some unpredictable twists. I enjoyed it for what it was. Perfect for fans of the Thursday Murder Club. This review was posted in Goodreads as well.

It's a quirky, cosy mystery that has many unique elements and features vibrant characters. The well-described setting in a Lancashire village is easy to visualise, and the characters are distinctive but relatable. You get to know the widows and the village community. Ginny, the main character, is easy to like, and the layered mystery with multiple suspects and motivations makes this an engaging read. I enjoyed the characters, solving the mystery, and the story's humour and poignancy.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

After moving to Little Shaw following her husband's passing, Ginny unexpectedly gets caught up in a murder investigation after finding her new boss, the town librarian, dead. What ensues is a entertaining and fun read with quite a few twists.

Ginny was an endearing main character and reminded me so much of my MIL at times. She is an easily likeable character with her heart in the right place. I enjoyed the writing style and could easily tell the author was someone who knew how to keep her audience hooked and entertained.

While I enjoyed it, I do think cozy mysteries maybe just aren't for me. I prefer higher stakes and thrills, however this would suit anyone who enjoys a good sleuthing without the adrenaline and instead a cozy vibe with a dose of found family. A fun little read all-round that kept me guessing till the end.

** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Storm Publishing via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ginny Cole has moved to the quaint village, Little Shaw, for a fresh start following the death of her husband. She gets a job at the local library and meets a few friends, who invite her into their unofficial widow club. All is going well for Ginny until her manager is found dead. It is initially thought to be an accident, but thanks to Ginny they realise she was murdered. Like all little villages, the mystery is subject to a lot of gossip and speculation and Ginny is soon drawn into this herself along with the rest of the widows to find out whodunnit.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of Ginny and the widows as they eschew the stereotype for woman of their age - you’ll find yourself forgetting they’re in their 60s! But they still have that familiar warmth and no-nonsense attitude you associate with your older relatives.

For a cosy mystery there were a lot of deaths and you don’t know who’s safe and who’s next! The plot has lots of twists and doesn’t slow down. Added bonus is that this is a nice short book to get you out of a reading slump. Definitely recommend!

Cozy mystery that was a fun, fast read, so if that is a genre you enjoy, you will probably like this. Felt like there were too many side characters, which made if difficult to keep them straight and connect with the characters.

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ginny is a widow who gets a little job in the local library but then finds the murdered body of the disliked library manager. She joins forces with other widows in the village. But then there are more murders. Fantastic book

Ginny Cole, initially seeking a part-time job at the small library in Little Shaw, found herself entangled in a web of intrigue upon her arrival. When she discovers the dead body of her unlikeable boss, she is determined to discover what happened to him.

Ginny is not alone in this. In fact, she soon meets some other ladies her age, and she becomes fast friends with them. They are JM, Hen and Tuppence, all widows like Ginny, who possessed a quirky charm that Ginny couldn’t resist. The group is eager to form a club, one that would find the four of them solving crimes together.

However, as with any case involving a civilian, the police were not amused. Detective Inspector Wallace, the assigned investigator, was determined to have Ginny leave the crime-solving to him. Despite the tension, Ginny remained steadfast in her commitment to solve the crime with her little group. .

This delightful first book in a cozy mystery series has left me eagerly anticipating the subsequent installments. In fact, I couldn’t resist reading The Widows’ Guide to Backstabbing immediately, the second book in the series, which was an equally enjoyable adventure.

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

Great for fans of The Thursday Murder Club and The Marlowe Murder Club, I loved this cozy mystery set in quaint Little Shaw and its community library. I loved the way Ginny’s grief and new widowhood is woven into the mystery (which turns out to be driven by twisted grief.), and loved the quirky characters that populate the world of Little Shaw. There are multiple mysteries afoot, which kept me guessing. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Highly recommend.

This was an really enjoyable book! I loved the main character Ginny and her quirky new friends. This is the first in what promises to be a great new cozy series. It is well written and easy to read. The plot revolves around the library but is not exclusive to it. The widows are anything but boring and very little stops them, including the local police, in their pursuit of a solution. If you've watch "The Marlow Murder Club" on PBS, this book has a similar feel and premise.

The author kept my suspicions switching around among various characters, and although I wasn't entirely surprised at the identity of the murderer, the motive never occurred to me.

I look forward to the next books in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the Arc.

This brought me out of my reading slump! For the past few months I have been so busy and could not for the life of me pick up or finish any of my books until now.

This novel follows Ginny, a widow who recently moved into a quaint little town. Wanting to become more independent, she decides to get a job. She gets hired as a library assistant at the community library, only to hate her employer. It seems no one else in the town liked her boss either as she ended up dead soon after. Soon, Ginny and her new widow friends meddle and solve the crime.

I really liked Ginny, I think she’s a great character and super interesting. She’s not particularly complicated but she has some depth for a cozy mystery. The book was also very easy to read and I finished it in about three sittings, but only because I am still quite busy. You can easily finish this in one day.

The first in the Widow’s Dective Club followed newly widowed Ginny and the friends she makes in the village she has just moved to. When her new boss in the village library is murdered, Ginny finds herself making friends with other widows who like to break into houses, dig up graves and drink!
Edgar, the black cat is a delightful side character.
Ashby kept me guessing til the very end, and I can’t wait to read the 2nd book.
The characters are so relatable, and Ashby keeps the twists coming.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc.

This is the start of a new series and it is one that I would highly recommend, I loved it and have book 2 ready to read which I can’t wait for. Ginny is very down to earth in the way she thinks and goes about solving crimes and has made lots of new quirky and interesting friends. It’s a nice, cosy mystery and I look forward to seeing how the series develops.