Ginny Cole has moved into a new home and town after her beloved husband of many years dies. Ginny does not know what to do with herself, and continues the routines she had with Thomas, such as crosswords in the evening. She keeps to herself, but finds that without his income, her retirement money doesn't go as far as she expected, and she takes a job in the local library, where she meets the overly demanding, demeaning and quick to anger manager, Louisa Farnsworth.

The next morning, Ginny finds Louisa dead, seemingly of a heart attack, but Ginny also feels something else is going on when she notices a detail that could point to something nefarious.

This murder both shocks and excites townspeople, with many pointing fingers at the first Mrs. Farnsworth, Alison, whose land development husband left her for Louisa. Alison is a wreck with the attention, and quickly comes to police attention with her behaviour. Alison's mother, and her group of friends, all widows, rope Ginny in to help them clear Alison's name. They create a murder board, break into homes, and generally cause some amount of trouble, and bring the ire of the investigating detective, an irascible man, and Ginny's neighbour, on their heads.

Ginny, even after agreeing to halt all her investigating, keeps noticing details, and eventually discovers the identity of the murderer and how it connects to a tragic incident some time earlier, shocking her and the rest of the town. Along the way, Ginny comes out of her shell, makes new friends, and finds a way to move forward with her life.

This is my first read by Amanda Ashby, and though the pace is a little slow, it fits as we need to see Ginny stuck and grieving, and gradually deciding to connect with other women. The investigation propels the narrative forward, but is also just the vehicle for Ginny to open up and find herself again.

There's also an opinionated cat who pushes himself into her life and refuses to go away, which I loved.

This was fun, and I'm interested in what the widows get up to in their next investigation.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars. This is about a group of widows in a village - one who discovers a dead body on the second day of her new job. This was a nice easy read with a good premise although the characterisation felt a little lacking at times. The end felt a bit tacked on and rushed. I have the second one available to read so will probably read that too.

This book was a fun read. A group of widows solving a series of murders, a long suffering police officer, and a cast of interesting characters.

If you liked The Thursday Murder Club, this book is for you. I loved this cozy mystery! Ginny and her amateur detective friends are a hoot. I loved the different personalities all coming together and solving the small village’s recent murders. I’m looking forward to book 2!

Thanks Netgalley!

This book was the perfect conclusion to the Nightmare Quartet series, and it definitely took me on an emotional roller coaster! I loved seeing Zarya, Rabin, and even Yasen grow in this final story, with plenty of twists and heart-pounding moments that had me panicking at times. The ending was everything I hoped for, and I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a romantic fantasy with a great plot and some spicy moments. Nisha J Tuli's writing keeps getting better, and this book was action-packed and filled with emotional depth, even if the fighting scenes were fewer. The character growth and the twists made up for it, and while some parts felt a bit rushed, I absolutely loved how everything wrapped up. I’d love to see some of these characters again in future spin-offs!

While it has been compared to The Thursday Murder Club, I found it to be a much stronger and more enjoyable read. The writing flows effortlessly, making it an easy book to dive into and stay hooked on.

The characters are well-developed and likable, which is a big part of what makes the story work. Unlike some cozy mysteries that rely too much on quirky personalities without depth, this book gives its characters charm and substance. Their interactions feel natural, and you genuinely root for them throughout the story.

The pacing is just right—there’s enough to keep you guessing without dragging things out or feeling overly complicated.

Overall, this is a good read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, especially those looking for something sharper and better written than The Thursday Murder Club (in my opinion) It’s light and entertaining without being predictable

Omg this was such a cute cozy mystery!! I loved it!! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc of this book!!

A Charming Cozy Mystery with a Few Stumbles

The Widow’s Guide to Murder is a delightful addition to the cozy mystery genre, offering a mix of humor, small-town charm, and an engaging amateur sleuthing adventure. Ginny Cole, a sixty-year-old widow looking for a fresh start, quickly finds herself entangled in murder when the unpleasant library manager is found dead. With the help of her fellow widows, she forms the Widows’ Detective Club, determined to uncover the truth—whether the local police like it or not.

The novel shines in its quirky, endearing characters and the witty banter between the widows. Their camaraderie adds warmth and humor, making them easy to root for. The charming village of Little Shaw provides the perfect backdrop, filled with local gossip, hidden secrets, and plenty of red herrings to keep readers guessing.

That said, the mystery itself unfolds a bit predictably, and at times, the pacing slows, making certain sections feel drawn out. Some of the plot twists are telegraphed early, which may disappoint seasoned mystery readers. Additionally, while the humor is enjoyable, it occasionally undercuts the tension, making it difficult to fully invest in the stakes.

Overall, The Widow’s Guide to Murder is a fun, lighthearted read perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club or anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery with charming characters and a bit of mischief. While not groundbreaking, it delivers enough intrigue and heart to make it a worthwhile read.

I love the library setting...and what a hot bed of gossip and intrigue it is. I also love the location...the fictional Little Shaw, a village out in the sticks of Lancashire (a county I know and love well).
The four widows are beautifully drawn characters: feisty and not daunted by age or responsibility. They just about manage to stay on the right side of the law with an unexpected ally in Wallace (a character I greatly look forward to seeing developed as the series continues). Connor is also another great character. And let's not forget Edgar and Brandon!
The plot is surprisingly complex and handled with aplomb by Amanda Ashby. I can't wait to read more titles in this series.

I fully enjoyed this cosy mystery, set in a small English town!

The story follows newly widowed Ginny, who has just moved to the small town of Little Shaw, when a series of murders pushes her into the sphere of a group of local widows (who are usually up to no good), who decide to investigate goings-on (for the good of the town, of course!)

I was totally pulled into the story of this quirky small town, where everyone is in each others business and no gossip goes unshared!

The mystery wasn’t anything crazy, it followed the same setups of the genre, though Ginny does flip pretty quickly from suspect to suspect.
All-in, a fun quick story!

Whenever I’m in the mood for a cozy read, senior citizens solving murder mysteries (not because they’re qualified, but because they’re stubborn and nosey) will always be perfect. I liked the characters, the mystery and all the clues were well thought out, and overall it was very well written.

A cozy crime mystery, The Widows' Guide to Murder (2025) by Amanda Ashby is another charming grey-haired sleuthing mystery. After her husband’s death, Ginny Cole moves to the village of Little Shaw and gets a part-time job at the local community library. On just her second day of work, she arrives to discover the body of the library manager and endeavours to assist the police by recognising the symptoms of poisoning. Ginny soon becomes friends with JM, Hen, and Tuppence, a maligned group of women who are also widows. When a young woman is arrested, the four women are convinced of her innocence and decide to investigate and encounter local rivalries, affairs, a dodgy business deal and three more murders. A formidable group of women investigators, this is the first of The Widows' Detective Club series and is an enjoyable crime mystery read with a gentle four star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given. With thanks to Storm Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

The last thing 60 year old widow Ginny Cole expects to find when she moves to a small village is a dead body, even if it does belong to a very unpopular person!

Her subsequent sleuthing puts Ginny in the cross hairs of the killer and this cosy tale delivers generously on quirky characters and entertaining events in the telling. It gets 3.5 stars.

This cozy mystery was an easy, fun read that was just what I was hoping it would be.
I loved Ginny and her friends and the situations they got themselves into while trying to solve the murder, I especially got a laugh from their murder board. The story kept me guessing and none of my theories ended up being correct. I’m looking forward to visiting Little Shaw again and seeing what Ginny and the girls get up to next.

4* A good start to a new series

The Widows' Guide to Murder introduces Ginny Cole, widowed after a long, happy marriage and newly moved to Little Shaw in Lancashire. Ginny's second day at work at the local library starts dramatically when she discovers the body of her thoroughly unpleasant manager.

Reeling from the shock of finding the body, and having gained the 'age of invisibility' with the ability to sneak around unnoticed, Ginny and her three brand new friends decide to investigate the murder themselves. The ladies regard themselves as amateur sleuths, whilst the local police inspector considers them busy bodies.

Due to the dead librarian being universally disliked, there's a wide choice of suspects for the murderer's identity. As in all good cosy mysteries, the murderer's identity is only revealed at the very end.

An amusing who-done-it, book two following almost immediately.

With thanks to Elke of Storm Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

Very much in the spirit of the Thursday Murder Club, this is a group of amateur sleuths in what was a sleepy village where everyone knows one another’s business. Ginny has very recently moved into a little cottage and is struggling to find a purpose in her life after the death of her husband. She is taken under the wing of three other widows, and after she is unexpectedly offered a job in the local community library, everyone knows who she is. But Ginny’s life becomes very busy as one death in the village is followed by others and the group of friends do their own investigations. Implausible, but a fun, easy read.

Ginny moves to a small town after her husband passes away and becomes a librarian at the local library. She meets a local group of ladies that have their own club and invites Ginny to become one of them. The local librarian is found dead in her office, and the ladies decide to work together to find the killer. Who says you’re too old to have fun?
Goodreads

I really enjoyed this cosy mystery with Ginny and her gang. The plot had twists galore and a great storyline that I couldn’t put down. I can’t wait to read the next instalment. If you enjoyed the Thursday murder club series you will love this. I highly recommend this book.

The Widows' Guide to Murder is the epitome of cosy mystery, and a fun read to boot.
The widows of the title are Hen, Tuppence, JM, and newcomer Ginny. They live in the Lancashire village Little Shaw, and are amateur sleuths. They're not quite on a par with Miss Marple, but they do their best, bless them.

I love a cosy mystery, be it from the golden age of detective fiction, or something more contemporary. The Widows' Guide to Murder ticked all the boxes for me.
I loved the characters, although the star of the show was Edgar, the stray cat adopted by Ginny. 🐱
The story unfolded at a steady pace, with a perfect balance of humour and seriousness. There was also the usual fun of trying to solve the crime before the widows did. Alas, I failed miserably.
Suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to catching up with the widows very soon.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This title will be available on 03/03/2025.

Really enjoyed this introduction to Ginny and the gang. Great plot, twists galore and an interesting swarm of characters. So good I've pre ordered The Widows guide to backstabbing due our this March.

Enjoy......