"The Widows' Guide to Murder" by Amanda Ashby is a delightful addition to the cosy mystery genre, transporting readers to the charming village of Little Shaw. The story follows Ginny Cole, a sixty-year-old widow and newly appointed assistant librarian, whose second day on the job takes a dark turn—she stumbles upon the body of her *very* unlikeable boss, Louisa Farnsworth, right in the library. Suddenly, our shy and timid Ginny finds herself playing amateur sleuth, aided by a trio of fellow widows: JM, Tuppence, and Hen.

The Thursday Murder Club vibes are strong, and I am here for it.

This book is packed with humour, perfectly quirky characters, and the warmth of newfound friendships. The dynamic between the widows is equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, and their determination to solve Louisa’s murder leads them into a whirlwind of misadventures—from midnight graveyard escapades to unearthing long-buried village secrets.

Sure, I did wonder how Ginny went from uncertain widow to confident investigator overnight, but honestly? I want to be an amateur detective with a sidekick cat when I turn 60 too, so I’ll allow it. And yes, some elements fell into place *a little* too conveniently, but the vibes were vibing, and I had a great time uncovering the truth alongside Ginny.

An entertaining, easy read that’s perfect for cosy mystery fans like me. Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for the ARC!

Amanda Ashby's The Widows' Guide to Murder introduces readers to a delightful new cozy mystery series, The Widows' Detective Club. Released on February 6, 2025, the novel centers on Ginny Cole, a 60-year-old widow seeking a fresh start in the quaint village of Little Shaw. Her attempt at a peaceful life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers the lifeless body of her disagreeable new boss, Louisa Farnsworth, the local library manager.

Ginny's inadvertent involvement in the murder investigation leads her to form an unlikely alliance with three fellow widows, each bringing their own quirks and perspectives to the amateur sleuthing team. Their camaraderie and determination infuse the narrative with both humor and heart, as they navigate the challenges of small-town dynamics and uncover hidden secrets.

Ashby's skillful blend of mystery and humor, combined with a charming village setting and a cast of relatable characters, makes The Widows' Guide to Murder a compelling read for fans of cozy mysteries. As the inaugural book in the series, it sets a promising foundation for future installments, leaving readers eager to join Ginny and her friends on their next adventure.

Cute story, funny characters. A good example of a fun cozy mystery in a small town. Love that it's partly set in a library!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the sort of cosy crime I needed right now. Loved it!

The characters walked that fine line between being deliciously eccentric and endearingly relatable with their real world woes and experiences. It was a perfect balance. Not too over the top, not too close to stark reality like a True Crime genre. Perfect UK based cosy crime.

I may be a couple of decades younger than the main characters, but they epitomise what I hope to be like at their age. Not a widow, as such (sorry if that freaked my hubby out), but knowing the world no longer considers you useful, or important and thumbing your nose at the lot if them and just being the best YOU that you can be. Growing old gracefully, with a firm grip on sarcasm, curiosity, and a desire for "good deeds" whether folks want the help or not. Plus a cat that puts attitude first, cuddles last.

A great first book in what looks to be a highly entertaining series. I've made a note of it, and the author Amanda Ashby, and will be keeping an eye out for further books in this series.

For lovers of UK based cosy crimes - this book is for you!

I highly recommend and am grateful for the opportunity of having to get to read and ARC.

This sounded like a fun, cozy mystery to me so I picked it up. This is the first book in The Widows' Detective Club series, and it is always good to get in on the first of a series. Amanda Ashby is a new author for me.

Description:
Ginny Cole doesn’t want to be a widow. She’d rather not be forcibly adopted by an opinionated black cat. And she’d give anything not to have just found the murdered body of her rude and dislikeable new boss…

So she’s as surprised as anyone to realise that she doesn’t hate being on the wrong side of the law, searching a graveyard for evidence in the company of three fellow widows, and doing a whole host of un-Ginny-like things in order to solve a fiendish mystery.

It was a bumpy start, but Ginny might even be starting to like her new life. Certainly well enough that when her sleuthing puts her too close for the killer’s comfort, she’ll do whatever it takes to hold onto it…

My Thoughts:
Ginny moved to a new town after her husband died. She want to work at a library, but her boss was found dead at the library not long after she started work. Soon Ginny meets three other widows and befriends them. These women are hilarious and it was fun to follow their antics as they try to figure out who murdered the librarian. I enjoyed the book and think anyone who likes a cozy filled with humor will enjoy this one.

Thanks to Storm Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Ginny has moved to the small village of Little Shaw miles away from the home in Bristol that she shared with her now late husband Eric. On her second day in her new job at the village library, she finds her boss dead, supposedly from a head attack. However, she notices something and mentions it to the young detective constable that shows up.
A group of local widows befriend her and decide to investigate the death that has now been declared a murder. This is mainly because the daughter of one of them is under suspicion and they want to clear her name.
When more bodies turn up, the widows have to use all their collective brain power to help solve the mystery.
A fun read.

This was an enjoyable cosy mystery. I loved the depth and diversity of the main characters. I was not expecting there to be three lgbtq characters. Good on the author. That kind of casual representation is so important.

The plot was complex and kept me guessing until the very last minute. I had no idea who did it and DI Wallace’s redemption arc was incredible.

I’m super grateful to have gotten an ARC and I look forward to reading the second book in the series. I know everyone compares this to the Thursday Murder Club, and I see why, but for me it was more like retired Kitt Hartley and friends (Kitt Hartley Yorkshire Mysteries by Helen Cox). Super atmospheric; lots of sassy, strong independent women; and one eccentric sapphic.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amanda Ashby for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Widows' Guide to Murder coming out March 3, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I’m super obsessed with cozy mysteries! I definitely read a lot of them. I can’t relate to being a widow, but I thought it was a really interesting set up with Ginny’s unlikable boss being the murder victim. I really enjoyed the mystery. I would definitely check out more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries!

Ginny is recently widowed and has moved to Shaw Village for a new start in life. She takes a position at the local library and settles in. But it doesn’t turn out to be quite what she expected. The second day on her job she finds the dead body of her very unfriendly new boss. Three other widows befriend Gand Ginny and they talk her into helping them investigate the killing. This delightful, fun cozy really heated up as more killings occurred. I appreciate receiving an ARC from Netgalley and Storm Publishing. I look forward to reading the next escape of these widows and this review is my opinion.

The Widow's Guide To Murder
The Widow's Detective Club Book One
By Amanda Ashby

Virginia (Ginny) Cole is a 61 year old recent widow who has recently moved to the village of Little Shaw. There she takes the job of Assistant Librarian of the community run library that has been taken over by the parish after funding cuts threatened to see it close. On her first day at the library she meets Louisa Farnsworth, the library manager who is not the most liked person in Little Shaw, known for her rudeness and stickler of many rules and banning people from the library. One such person by the name of Esme Wicks, is not the least bit afraid of Louisa and even goes as far as having her one woman protest outside the library, the protest is on account of her civil liberties, but Louisa won't let her step foot inside the library until the fine is paid.

When Ginny arrives at work the next day, there is a large crowd outside the library trying to look in the windows, Esme is leading the charge, and wants to know why , if Louisa's car is in the parking lot, why hasn't she unlocked the door? Ginny goes in and finds Louisa Dead !!!! And it is up to her and her new widow detective club to find out who did it.

This was a great start to a new series, the storyline runs very smoothly along, and there are plenty of suspects who have the motive to want Louisa dead. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and have to admit, Esme cracked me up, she made me laugh out loud a number of times. I very much look forward to the next installment of The Widow's detective Club. I had the honor and pleasure to receive an advanced reader copy for free in return for an honest review that I am leaving voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley as well as Amanda Ashby and Storm Publishing . This book is a very solid 5 stars.

This is a new genre of book for me but I found it such a cozy murder mystery, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The mystery was good and pulls you in while leaving you guessing till the end. A very good read that left me looking forward to reading more...

This is a cosy gentle whodunnit investigated by a mixed bunch of ladies who manage to discover more about the death(s) in their small village than the police. We meet them as they welcome a recent newcomer, assistant librarian and who discovers the death of the chief librarian - all on her second day at work. Between these unlikely ladies we get to know the back stories and potential motivations of the key people in the village. If you want fast paced, page turning, stomach churning drama, then this isn’t for you. However sometimes it’s good to release tensions by reading something like The Widows Guide to Murder.

This was a cozy murder mystery. It had all the feeling of a classic murder serial with all the added coziness and hilarity of old women with too much time on their hands. The themes of grief and moving on were reminiscent of my own journey dealing with loss, especially the moment you realize you are, in fact, moving forward.

This book is the first in a new series and follows Ginny who is 60 and recently widowed and has moved to a small village to find piece and quiet to grieve in, She takes a part time job in a Library for extra money and meets 3 other widows who befriend her and help out when she finds her new boss dead. They mystery was good and pulls you in while leaving you guessing till the end. A very enjoyable read that left me looking forward to more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Recently widowed Ginny Cole has just moved to the quaint, picturesque village of Little Shaw, where she's taken a position as a library assistant. But two days into the job, she discovers the body of her new boss in the library and she, alongside three other eccentric village widows, are drawn into solving the mystery.

THE WIDOWS GUIDE TO MURDER is a comforting, charming, cosy read that was perfect for snuggling up in bed with. I'm a huge fan of books set in small villages and especially libraries so this was a perfect setting for me. Ginny herself is all kinds of relatable, a woman who just wants a quiet life but finds herself catapulted into all kinds of trouble. I enjoyed how she grew as a character, from someone still very much insular and deep in grief, to someone stepping out of her comfort zone and learning to live alongside her grief. I also love books with older main characters - we 100% need more older ladies as protagonists!

The group of ragtag widows that quickly become Ginny's friends were a standout - and the author's lighthearted prose which was full of heart and humour really solidified their vibes and the overall atmosphere of the book. This book also had another of my favourite things - a cat companion! The cat was a real scene-stealer and I enjoyed every time he popped up!

The mystery itself was good, plenty of red herrings and twists and I know that I'm enjoying it if I'm guessing who the culprit is and making up theories! However, at times, the pacing slowed down a wee bit too much for me and I also found it a bit tricky keeping up with all the side characters and how they all related to the core mystery. I think I would definitely benefit from a re-read once the book is released!

Overall however, I had a lovely time with the book and I'm excited to read the next instalment in the series! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

When Ginny (Virginia) Cole moves to a small village called Little Shaw, little does she realise that this move will help her with the recent death of her husband, Eric. She discovers the body of her new boss, Louisa Farnsworth (Head Librarian) in her office in the community library, and this sets off a chain of events, which involve her teaming up with her new friends, Hen, JM and Tuppence. They proceed to use their individual skillset to become amateur sleuths and investigate Louisa's demise and what happens after this death. I loved the characters and how well they get along. The sub plots, with a few red herrings, and twists and turns knitted together to a surprising conclusion. More please!!

I really enjoyed this book. It had a great storyline and setting. The characters are very believable. An easy read and entertaining.

The Widow’s Guide to Murder is a delightful cozy mystery that checks all the right boxes for fans of the genre. Our protagonist, 60-year-old Ginny, is starting over in a new town with a fresh job as a librarian—only to stumble upon the body of her boss on her second day.
Ginny is a wonderful main character, and the library setting (plus the presence of a cat!) makes for a charming atmosphere. The pacing is a bit slow at times, and it took me a little while to warm up to the other widows, but overall, this was a lovely read with just the right mix of mystery and warmth.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this booked. The cover really captured my attention from the off. Looking forward to more books in this series!

The Widow's Guide to Murder (The Widow's Detective Club series) is the wonderful debut British cozy mystery by Amanda Ashby. The characters are likable, caring and humorous. The cozy mystery kept me guessing with some twists to keep it interesting. Ginny Cole recently lost her husband and is grieving and is at a loss on what she wants to do. She moves to a small British village and begins work at the local community library. She has no library experience and her boss is unpleasant and demanding. When Ginny finds her awful boss dead, things get interesting. Ginny meets three widows, Tuppence, JM, and Hen who help her with her grief and they investigate the suspects and gather clues together. They are great characters and friends. Hen's daughter is one of the suspects. Ginny's next door neighbor is he Detective on the case and they don't get along at first. There is friendship and humor that make this book so enjoyable. The 2nd book in the series is due out soon which I am looking forward to seeing the escapades of the widows. This is a very enjoyable cozy mystery. #TheWidowsGuideToMurder #TheWidowsDetectiveClub #StormPublishing #AmandaAshby