My approval came in earlier this evening and I quickly sat down to read this cosy crime! I love a mystery and meeting new characters, figuring out what happened and whodunnit.
Well, the evening passed in a blur of Ginny, a recently widowed woman beginning her job as library assistant on her first day. After moving to this quaint little village, Ginny is forcing herself to take steps to get over being alone. Getting a job, exploring the town and discovering the eccentric neighbours is just the beginning.
On her second day of work, Ginny arrives at the library to discover her boss’s body and this sets into motion a series of events, meetings and plotting between her and her three new friends, all widows. They have a reputation for trouble and boldness and at first Ginny is uncertain but soon sees their hearts are in the right place, even if their morals go walking sometimes,
As you read, if you are like me, then you begin to suspect everyone and look suspiciously at all the behaviours and actions. What you might also do is discover just how wrong you were until close to the end when it all comes to boiling point.
While Ginny always spent evenings doing crosswords and speaking to the husband’s empty chair, she is now too busy to catch him up and has a cat occupying said chair. She is a remarkable character, with a great sense of justice and wanting to do the right thing. Her friends balance her out with their outlandish ideas and activities but as a group, they are entirely wonderful.
I am so pleased to have been approved and will be recommending this to my stock team for purchasing, it is the perfect cosy crime! I am also glad the second book was made available to read as well. That is for tomorrow!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Ginny, recently widowed, has moved to Little Shaw. She gets a job at the local library, and on her second day, finds the body of her boss Louisa. Can Ginny and her newly made friends solve the crime?

I loved the group of widows, JM, Hen and Tuppence, and library volunteer Connor was a great character. A really entertaining, in depth story, full of twists and turns - just when I thought I knew who the murderer was, the story moved away again! A great first book in a series.

This book is such a fun, quirky read! I mean, the premise alone has all the right cozy mystery vibes—an unexpected widow, a rude cat, and a murder that just kicks things off. Ginny, the main character, is seriously relatable. She’s dealing with grief, adjusting to her new life in a small town, and, of course, she accidentally finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are moments that’ll make you laugh out loud, thanks to the ragtag group of widows who take Ginny under their wing. They’re a blast!

The twists and turns are definitely enough to keep you on your toes. It’s one of those books where you think you know what’s going on, but then BAM! It switches it up and leaves you questioning everything. The plot had me hooked, and the characters are just so charming and full of life. Plus, the small-town setting just adds that extra cozy element.

I gave this a solid 4 stars because while it was delightful, I was hoping for a little more depth with some of the characters and the relationships. But honestly, I couldn’t stop reading, and I’m super excited to see where this series goes next!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! Can’t wait for more from these fun widows!

These main characters are a pretty entertaining bunch of Characters (pun intended), and that book title is Fantastic! :D
What didn't sit well with me was that there ended up being a lot of side characters which got confusing at times; Some of the incidents/interactions got a bit too unbelievable; It didn't really feel British aside from all the tea they were drinking, lol; and the steady pace slowed down so much I got a bit lost near the end.
I Loved how a stray cat was included and how much of the story was centred in and around a library. Cats and Libraries are one of my all time favourite pairings in a book!
I like how Ginny is coming out of her comfort zone, yet we know through her thoughts how much effort it's taking her to do so. She's relatable. I'll definitely be reading Book 2 and see what this motley crew gets up to next :D
There were a couple mentions of pot, a spicy-ish bit, and maybe should be tagged for the LG crowd.
Many Thanks to Storm Publishing at NetGalley for this ARC, and for including Book 2 which I am looking forward to reading xox

Ginny has just lost her husband and to recover from her grief she gets a job at the library. Louisa the head librarian is a rather unfriendly woman and when Ginny finds her murdered she along with some other widows sets out to solve the facts.

This is a fun cosy mysteryand I loved it. Ginny is a fabulous character, she is not ready to be a widow, or to be old or to be anything other than herself.

It is a well told read and I just adored the cat who seemed to adopt ginny.

A good read and one that would be suitable for a book club read.

"The Widows' Guide to Murder” the first instalment in The Widows’ Detective Club Mystery series by Amanda Ashby set in the Village of Little Shaw, England. What a great start to a new series. 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…

This is a new to me author and I will definitely be reading more from her. I love the story and the I enjoyed the bond between the four widows, they were witty, and authentic. I liked the quirky characters and the sense of community.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and heartwarming fiction. Amanda’s writing is engaging, and her characters are lovable and well-crafted. I highly recommend this charming novel and look forward to the next instalment.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I requested and received an advance readers copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love the cat 🐈‍⬛
He is perfect
What a great mystery, a lovely old lady lead character coming to terms with her grief
Twists and turns, lots of characters but they come together well

It was refreshing to read a book about some middle-aged men and women for once instead of a group of teenagers. I am in my early 30s and I can tell you that I am already looking forward to retirement.
The book is about Ginny, she has just lost her husband and taken a new job at the library. Soon she finds herself in the middle of a murder and, along with other middle-aged ladies, she plunges into the investigation.
What I found difficult about the book were the many people and names involved. Like I was reading Game of Thrones. Amanda writes very descriptively and you have to love that. Sometimes this took me slightly out of the story.
Nevertheless, a book I finished within a day!

A new author to me and a book I devoured! Ginny has not long been widowed and has moved to a village where she has taken a job helping in the library. Louisa, the librarian, is rather a harridan as Ginny quickly finds out on her first day. On her second day there is a queue outside the library and rather a kerfuffle- the door is locked and no sign of Louisa. On being told where the spare key is, but no one dares go in for fear of Louisa’s reputation and treatment of many of the locals, Ginny braves it only to find Louisa dead. A group of widows soon make themselves known to Ginny and before she knows it they are investigating the crime. Who killed Louisa and why?

I so loved this, it's a wonderful, comfortable, easy read with a smile. There is far more than the crime going on, as in any village, and also those who know everyone else's business one way or another which makes for good opportunities for the amateur detectives. Ginny is a great lead and her warm heartedness and skills she never realised she had from her past life, make her a perfect sleuth (strangely!!)
Sometimes you take a chance when reading a new author, and I'm so very glad I did- I’ll be happily reading other books as it’s a style I very much like. A wonderfully entertaining read and I very much look forward to more from the widows detective club.
For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbookblog
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I was invited by the publisher to review this book. This is the first book in a series about widows who wind up solving mysteries. This book follows Ginny, who may not be okay with being a widow and other circumstances, but nevertheless accepts her role in life - and then discovers the body of her new boss, who she did not like anyway. She finds herself with other widowers, and they work to solve the mystery of the death of her boss. With her sleuthing, Ginny learns something about herself - that while she may not have initially liked where she was in life, she was ultimately happy to accept and keep that life.

This book had a great lesson in it: treasure your life, even if it is not how it envisioned and try to look at things in a different light. On the flip side, the book was fun and engaging, and the murder mystery kept me intrigued. I also liked the other widows, and look forward to more from this group.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like cozy murder mysteries then this book is for you! Ginny is a widow that moves to Little Shaw to have a fresh start after her husband’s untimely passing. She starts working at the local library where she soon finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery of her own.

Ginny is instantly a likable character and I felt really contented with her like she was my own grandma.

This is the first book in what is bound be a successful series!

Thank you, Storm Publishing, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I appreciate a new series with an older protagonist that is confronting widowhood and the challenges of the later years in life. The book aligns with the British cozy mystery genre with the “interfering “ amateurs rescuing the police but the characters are quirky and interesting and I was taken by surprise at the end.

The Widows' Guide to Murder (The Widows' Detective Club #1) by Amanda Ashby is a delightful cozy mystery set in the quaint village of Little Shaw. Ginny Cole, recently widowed, seeks a fresh start and takes a job as a librarian's assistant. But her quiet new life takes a dramatic turn when she discovers her boss's body in the library. Determined to uncover the truth, Ginny teams up with three other widows – Hen, JM, and Tuppence – forming an unlikely detective club.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, particularly the dynamic between the four widows. Their witty banter and genuine camaraderie added a warmth and humor to the story that I found captivating. The mystery itself was well-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the very end.

I would recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries who appreciate strong female characters, a touch of humor, and a charming village setting. Readers who enjoy books with a focus on friendship and found families will also find much to appreciate in this delightful story. I am looking forward to reading the next installment – The Widows' Guide to Backstabbing!

Thank you to Storm Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Amazing Cozy Mystery!

Loved every pages of it. Perfection at pure nature.

Will definitely recommend

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the arc of this book. The Widows' Guide to Murder is the first book in Amanda Ashby The Widows' Detective Club series. Ginny is recently widowed and moves to the village of Little Shaw. Ginny makes friends with a group of widows and they investigate a murder in their village. This book was fast paced with many twists and turns. Ginny and her friends are interesting characters who draw you in. This story was a warm cozy mystery. I read this book in one sitting and cannot wait to read the next in the series.

The Widows’ Guide to Murder is the first book in the new series, The Widows’ Detective Club, by Amanda Ashby.

Ginny recently lost her husband and went through with their plan to retire to the small town of Little Shaw. She just started her job as assistant librarian, when her boss is murdered and Ginny finds her body.

The Widows’ Guide to Murder is full of fun characters, and hilarious escapades, mostly involving the three widows who take Ginny under their wing, and who have a reputation for being troublemakers.

But don’t think this book is all laughs, we also see Ginny struggling to adjust to a new life without her beloved husband of 35 years, Eric. They were not only married, but she worked with him in his medical practice for most, if not all of their marriage, so his death has hit her hard.

Soon Ginny starts to make friends in the village, adopts a stray cat (it might be better said that the cat adopted her), and experiences new things, and it’s obvious that although she still has a lot of grieving to do, she has started to make a life for herself and is coming to terms with being on her own.

I really enjoyed The Widows’ Guide to Murder, and will be looking for future books in the series. I recommend it for any lover of cosy mysteries, if you love a laugh, but also don’t mind reading about a more emotional subject, such as the loss of a loved one.

What a wonderful story! Ginny moves to Little Shaw after her husband's passing, living in the little cottage they bought for their retirement. She gets a job as assisstant librarian and on her second day finds the head librarian dead in her office. She becomes friends with Tuppence, Hen and JM, all widows themselves who understand what Ginny's going through, and together they take it upon themselves to investigate. The ladies are such a fun group! The detective, who also turns out to be Ginny's neighbour, starts out as a real grump, but he's a good man. Loved all the crazy characters we meet along the way and the mystery gets more muddled (with plenty of suspects!) as it progresses until finally all the pieces come together. A thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Amanda Ashby for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

small-town, library, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, unpleasant-victims, librarian, extortion, amateur-sleuth, senior-sleuths, women-sleuths, murders, investigations, grief, grieving, secrets, lies, rescue-cat, widowed, attempted-murder, apparent-accident, apparent-suicide, friends, friendship, new-series, first-in-series*****
Recently widowed Ginny Cole has recently moved to the village of Little Shaw, started working as assistant in the local library, and has been included in a group of other widowed friends. Things change when Ginny finds the body of the current librarian murdered in the office. The local DI is also her irascible neighbor and he is less than thrilled with her "interference" and the "meddling" of her group of friends. That's only the first murder! The story goes along into blind alleys and dead ends, murder and attempted murder, and even a couple of deaths that were not as advertised. Great start, and I want more of these characters and their doings!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected ebook file from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Pub Date Mar 03 2025
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Ginny Cole is new to the village of Little Shaw, she’s also the new library assistant, and, most upsetting of all, she's newly widowed. While the village is everything she and late husband, Eric had hoped for, the job has its problems, and widowhood isn't something she'd planned for at all! When she discovers a dead body in the library it sets in motion a chain of events which introduces her to three ladies, also widows, who take her under their wing and involve her in activities she definitely would have avoided pre Little Shaw!

Book one in Amanda Ashby's new series is an easy and fun read with red herrings and twists and turns aplenty all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Ginny is a relatable and quite complex character, which is good as there is plenty of potential for the forthcoming series. The three other widows are all likeable, and her next-door neighbour's identity is inspired. I look forward to seeing what everyone gets up to next, -which is lucky as the second book is also released this month.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Storm Publishing, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a good series starter and easy to recommend. 3.75 rounded up to 4*