Neville Hilton was an inspector for Ofsted. He treated guidelines as rules, was a stickler for tick-box over nuance, and unmindful of the lives he ruined. Remarried and now a senior academic within the Lodestone Multi-academy Trust, his future looked secure. Unfortunately, a CVA has just killed him. He was found, sitting in the living room of a guest house which he rented out in the grounds of his home by Chelsey, the young cleaner. Thelma, Liz and Pat, retired primary school teachers, had known him, but not well, and known his reputation for finding fault rather better. They know his first wife, Jax, because she had worked with Thelma. By coincidence, she runs the cleaning company and is concerned that Chelsey is now traumatised by thinking that she had failed to save Neville. The trio are locally famous for solving mysteries, so are not overly surprised when Jax asks them to investigate the death and find some way of assuaging the girl’s concern. But the death is not suspicious, he had heart problems. Perhaps something had triggered the heart attack. His new job, for example? He’d also been the subject of a hate e-mail attack following his report on a small primary school which had led to it’s closure, his new wife seems more interested in her horse than in him, and someone had had a screaming match with him around the time of his death. All pretty mundane really, but still Chelsey had to be saved. What could possibly go wrong?
This is the fourth book in the series, but no previous knowledge is required. Liz, Pat and Thelma are solid, believable characters and their family lives help with the verisimilitude of retired primary school (a category which provides a particularly incisive wisdom) teachers living in a tranquil environment; old friends with active minds. The writing is equally tranquil, a gentle, indeed loving, tone, a voice that you can hear as you read. A non-murder mystery, a cosy non-crime; or is it? There are strange goings on and unexpected tensions, which have to be unravelled or connected, so the plot is that of a standard detective story in which clues have to be found, red herrings avoided and a satisfactory solution provided. It is not particularly difficult to solve, but the joy is in the reading as much as in the puzzle solving.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

I have read the previous books featuring the intrepid trio, and mostly enjoyed them, so was looking forward to reading this one.

Neville Hilton is found dead in the lounge of his holiday let, according to the police, natural causes, heart attack. Unfortunately his first wife Jax, is convinced he was scared to death, and who better to ask to investigate but the old friends and colleagues trio of Liz, Pat and Thelma.

Unforunately Neville was an ex-Ofsted inspector and was known to be harsh in his dealings with not just the schools he scruitinised but with people in general.

I liked this book, was full of characters, families with issues and people you could identify with, all leading 'normal' lives.

Was the ending a little obvious, maybe, but still an enjoyable read

Small criticism, Liz leaves her Diabetes meeting at 8.30 and on the next page she can hear the marketplace clock start chiming 8 and she has time to nip to Tesco before it closes.

First off congrats again on the cover I love the cats on each one of the books in the series so far.
This book is great editor to the series the ladies are back on top form and developing nicely it was great to catch up with them and the background players. As usual the story is set among the back drop of education and primary school while the writing/plot is a little formulaic but on the main the plot is unique and hold your interest. I say it every time I catch with the ladies who would have thought so much skullduggery went on in schools and I can only guess what interesting conversations are having in my local centre. Cosy crime at its best great mix of humour with dark undertones and hint of satire. Crying out to be made into a Tv series.

This fourth book by J M Hall is my favourite so far. The characters of Pat, Thelma and Liz have become more rounded and likeable as the three retired schoolteachers with a knack for solving crimes. This time they are approached by an ex colleague, Jax, who runs a business cleaning holiday lets in the local area, who is convinced that her ex husband was murdered by his second wife, despite the Police confirming that his death was caused by a heart attack………
Initially our crime fighting trio are reluctant to investigate this seemingly natural death, however they are convinced otherwise after meeting the young woman who is distraught and unable to return to work after discovering Neville’s dead body in one of the holiday lets. As they investigate this seemingly innocent death, an altogether different side of Neville comes to light and they soon discover that no one actually liked him. But did someone dislike him enough to murder him??
I read this in one sitting and it kept me guessing until (nearly) the end……. Cosy crime at its best. I’m very much hoping that there will be a fifth book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Retired teachers, Thelma, Liz and Pat, are asked to investigate the death of Neville Hilton who died of a heart attack. His ex-wife feels that something is not right about his death and suspects his wife was involved.

The three are persuaded to find out more. As they investigate the village where Neville had lived and delve into his professional life they find there are a number of people with a motive but has a crime really been committed?

Each is also grappling with their own dilemmas.

A delightful cosy crime - fun and entertaining.