An English village, a cup of tea, and a fresh murder are all I need to find a book engaging. Give that village the name of Great Diddling, and you have Katarina Bivald’s soon-to-be-released cozy mystery. This was my first experience reading anything written by this author. As I generally do, I looked up other books that she had written, read the reviews, and thought this worth giving a try.

In the long run it was worth it, because I really enjoyed the book. But it took me a long time to get into it largely, I think, because I did not care for the main character finding her arrogant, rude, too brusque for my liking, and overall lacking charm and appeal. Case in point, this exchange with the local DCI:

“Daphne Trent likes my books. I just moved to the village. I think she invited almost everyone.”

“Aha! You’re an author. Have I read anything you’ve written?”

“How on earth could I possibly know that?”

This is pretty much how main character Berit Gardner speaks to everyone. I found it tedious after a while, and a bit off putting. Because of this, the book really didn’t draw me in until I was about a quarter of the way through. The secondary characters were vaguely interesting. Other reviewers referred to them as “quirky,“ but I considered most of them to be a bit bland. Surprisingly, the author made that work for her, and, after my initial hesitation, I continued on, and quite enjoyed the story.

It’s a good mystery, fairly well written, and kept me guessing until the end. Grit your teeth, and get through the first few chapters, and then I think that you’ll quite like it too.

This book is okay. I started to enjoy it just over halfway through.
Unfortunately the characters were not particularly likeable for me.
I liked the method of murder, it’s unusual and creative, however I found the book very slow to get into.
Love that the book had a book festival in, and was based all around the love of books.
Love the title and front cover, would buy it based on those alone.

The Murders in Great Diddling by Katarina Bivald is a great new addition to the mystery genre. I would probably call this cozy-ish since it does have some signature elements such as the setting: a cute town in the English countryside, the main character: an author turned amateur detective, and an absurd town tourism council. However, it also has some gritty characters who make very questionable choices and an eventual murderer who is scarier for blending into the crowd.
The characters in this novel can be fairly zany. Berit Gardner is a Swedish- English author who moved to the small town of Great Diddling to try and overcome a bout of writers block. Her pushy editor sends a quirky young assistant to keep an eye on her writing habits and the two end up embroiled in a murder investigation turned town-wide book and murder festival that ends up more true crime than anyone expected. Con artists abound in this small town that (may have) once hosted Winston Churchill. Everyone is a suspect in this fun adventure.
At times I did find the pacing of the novel to be slow, especially in the beginning. It took a while for me to be completely invested and intrigued in the mystery. There are also quite a few minor word errors throughout. I’m sure they’ll be fixed before printing, but it took me out of the story. Overall though not many critiques!
The setting was perfect for the gossipy town Bivald created. It helped push the ideas as well as the characters did. The characters were carefully described and I could picture them easily. The plot was fun. I loved how the town actually pulled off the festival. Eleanor was delightfully bad. I did have the murdered pegged as one of the better suspects but it was validating if not completely surprising during the reveal. Overall 3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4! Thank you for the ARC of this book.

If you like your murder mysteries to take place in a small English village and be populated with a wide array of characters both quirky and colorful, this is the book for you. Berit has fled to the countryside to seek inspiration, and her agent soon sends her own daughter to keep an eye on her and make sure Berit is writing. Berit finds it hard to concentrate on writing after a local is blown up during a tea party, so she sets out to solve the case alongside the half amused, half perturbed local inspector. And because a murder is a great excuse to plan an event, the locals capitalize on their new notoriety by hastily assembling a "Murder and Book Festival". There are wigs, con artists, madcappery, and of course books galore in this often zany, very fun book.

The Murders in Great Diddling is a cozy mystery set in present day England. Author Britt has been sucked into English country village life and she makes new friends. However, when one of the village's inhabitants is murdered, she cannot rest until she cracks the case. Along the way, she solidifies friendships and delves into psychology.

This book was delightful. It was so easy to read right before bed because it has a calm pace that won't stimulate you before slumber. It is a cozy mystery, so the clues are not necessarily laid bare for all to discover, but it has a strong focus on character development, which I truly enjoyed.

My one complaint is that this book features some token gender bending characters. I am very tired of this trope popping up in every single work of contemporary fiction.

All in all, a good read that I can recommend.

It took me a while to really get into this book, but I did. A fascinating look at life in a small village full of personalities, an author new to town, and the difference that friendship can make

This English village mystery is warm and funny with a sharp edge. It kept be riveted to the end and I will be looking for more from t his author.

unpleasant-victims, unpleasant-boss, writers, Cornwall, multiple-perspectives, coming-of-age, women-s-fiction, village-life, bibliomania, theft, greed, explosion, murder-investigation, friction, friends, friendship, rare-books, festivals, secrets, lies, library, suspense, local-gossip, local-law-enforcement, local-politics, twisty*****

There is a phenomenon in Norway known as Slow TV. This book reminds me of that because it is slow (duh), has many perspectives, personalities, threads that work together, and it all concludes with something amazing. The characters are all quirky in one way or another but the overarching main character is BOOKS. Loved it!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
Pub Date Aug 13 2024

I love murder mysteries set in sleepy towns and this was no exception. Berit Gardner is an author who recently moved to Great Diddling, a town dependent on tourist traffic and the few locals. While attending her first event and meeting the locals, someone is murdered! Berit gets involved in investigating and attempting to solve the murder. All of the characters were interesting and distinct, I liked getting to know all the townspeople. I don’t normally like multiple POVs but I thought it was well done and provided a lot of information here. The setting was immersive and was a great addition to the cozy vibes. I thought the story had great moments of comedy and I enjoyed the mystery as well. I was guessing until the very end

Thanks to NetGalley, Katarina Bivald and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-ARC

I just finished Katarina Bivald's latest novel, The Murders in Great Diddling, and I must say, it was an absolute delight! As a huge fan of her previous novels, I had high expectations for this one, and I am thrilled to say that it did not disappoint.

The Murders in Great Diddling is a cozy mystery that is driven by its well-crafted characters. From the beginning, I was drawn into the lives of the inhabitants of the small village of Great Diddling and their quirky personalities. The mystery itself is cleverly crafted, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me on the hook. I found myself completely immersed in the story, and I was sad to see it end.

Overall, I would highly recommend The Murders in Great Diddling to anyone who loves a good cozy mystery with well-developed characters. Katarina Bivald has once again proven herself to be a master storyteller, and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

The Murders in Great Diddling by Katarina Bivald follows the unusual but oh-so familiar lives of the villagers of Great Diddling in the wake of an explosion that ruins a tea party and kills the most hated man in the village. In trying to solve the murder, DCI Ahmed uncovers all the wriggling secrets buried deep in the quaint Cornish town of Great Diddling with a little help from Berit Gardner - the cynical Swedish novelist doing her best to navigating the limbo between book projects, while simultaneously dodging her agent's persistent attempts to get her to write.

The characters are the stars of the show: each and every one is beautifully fleshed out and none of them are anything like how they first appear. While Berit is lined up as the protagonist, this story is told from multiple points of view, giving depth and gravity to the unexpected actions of each character. Whether it's Daphne with her extensive book collection, Mary and Eleanor with their little cafe, or Simu with her political ambitions, it's hard not to grow attached to this colourful cast of characters, and easier still to fall for their ruses.

With its strong theme of stories this book can feel a little meta at times, but bookworms will feel right at home in Daphne's enormous library, Berit's inner writing monologue, and the village's impromptu book festival. This story nails the cosy components you would expect from a story set in a teeny Cornish village but doesn't hesitate to sneak up and hamstring you with plot twists when you least expect them (as all good murder mysteries should).

The main issue with this book is its soggy middle section which was a struggle to get through. Suspense and intrigue are vital parts of any murder mystery, and 50-100 pages of unnecessary information and confusing red herrings could easily have been shaved off to keep the suspense taut throughout.

Overall, this story is an endearing mystery that keeps you guessing and chuckling and desperate for a cup of tea and slice of cake.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC!

The Murders of Great Diddling - Katarina Bivald

The villagers of Great Diddling have gathered at Tawny Hall for a tea party thrown by its owner, Daphne Trent. Berit Gardner, an author who has recently moved to the village, is unsettled by the tension surrounding the tea party, seeming to center on Daphne’s nephew, Reginald. Berit discovers that Reginald has threatened to close down the village shops, and has embroiled the hotel owner into a shady contract. All her fears are merited, as a small bomb goes off in the house, killing Reginald.

The village is thrown into chaos, as multiple people are considered as suspects, and other want to take advantage of a high-profile murder to bring tourists to town. Berit decides she will solve this murder, but every clue she turns up muddies the waters until she isn’t sure it will ever clear up. We follow as Berit, along with London detective Ian Ahmed, try to discover the murderer, while also watching the village being turned on its head, as the town council has decided to capitalize on the publicity and hold a Book and Murder festival in just two weeks.

This was such a fun book! I loved the characterization of all the eccentric villagers, including petty criminals, nosy neighbors, con artists, disgraced politicians, and the wealthy patron of the village who is obsessed with her book collection. The author did a great job showcasing the everyday village life alongside a murder investigation, so it never dragged, but I also really felt like a part of the town. The twists and turns kept me guessing the whole time, and I only figured out the murderer as the characters did. I also love a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and this fit the bill!

This book was The Thursday Murder Club-meets-The Patron Saint of Second Chances-meets-Murder She Wrote, and I would highly recommend it! Mark you calendars for August 13th when The Murders of Great Diddling publishes, as this is one you won’t want to miss!

Beautifully written with exceptional characters! This book is fast paced and has a very comfy cozy atmosphere and is perfect to snuggle up with on a rainy day.

The Murders in Great Diddling by Katarina Bivald is absolutely my kind of contemporary cozy mystery with just the right amount of comedy. I will preface this review with the fact that my attention was grabbed immediately by the title (that made me cackle out loud), the cuppa on the cover (tea is my main food group) and an author I had not come across before. It started strong and it just got better and better


Berit Gardner is having a bit of a time, not least a crippling writers block which is most unhelpgul in her vocattion as an author. Berit decides to up sticks and find inspo in a little village in Cornwall which was the epitome of English country favourites. This includes the obligatory village fete (bunting, fairy cakes, vegetable growing competitions, you know the type) however, at this fete, there is an almighty explosion and a most unalived individual

Berit wanted inspo and it was not so much as given, but deluged. However, a new covation is in sight, that of amateur sleuth and Berit has at it with much gusto!

I loved this book, I was giggling away, intrigued, cheering and growling, all in equal measure. The wrtiting flow is chipper and interesting, the characters brilliantly defined and the dialogue inspired. Brilliant!

Thank you to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author Katarina Bivald for this awesome ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

What a fun cozy mystery! I loved the characters and setting, things that I think are really important in these types of mysteries. The mystery itself was entertaining and resolved well.

This uses the mystery element perfectly with everything that I was looking for. The characters were everything that I wanted and thought they overall felt like they were supposed to in the plot. It had a charm to it and worked with the mystery element going on. Katarina Bivald has a great writing style and left me wanting more.

I've read and loved another book by Katarina Bivald a couple of years ago ("The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend") and was really excited when I saw this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

"A novel about a village that was overrun with books" (c) Katarina Bivald

An author moves to a small village to relax and get out of writer’s block but finds herself in the middle of a murder. I guessed 'who did it' from the very beggining, but I loved that there was so much more to everyone's story and actions than I thought at first. And I can't count how many times I dreamed about moving to the very same village just to be with these characters and in that atmosphere.

'The Murders in Great Diddling' is a murder mystery full of cozy vibes, great and charismatic characters, and funny dialogue.
I enjoyed it a lot! 3.5 stars from me

Katarina Bivald’s novel, The Murders in Great Diddling, is like the fabled curate’s egg – it’s good in parts. Author Berit Gardner has moved to the village because she’s suffering from writer’s block and her agent, Olivia Marsch has despatched her inexperienced 18-year-old daughter, Sally, to act as Berit’s personal assistant. The action starts with a tea party at the local manor, where the owner, Daphne Trent, is trying to calm things down after her nephew told some villagers they would be evicted shortly. There is an explosion in Chapter 3, leaving a body in the library(!).

Although this starts as a fairly standard “our heroine tries to solve the case because the police are ineffective” narrative, it takes a wonderfully surreal turn when the locals decide to cash in on the murder and hold a literary festival – the Great Diddling Books and Murder Festival. I did have to read a couple of pages between the fingers covering my eyes in disbelief as I gasped “No, they wouldn’t dare, would they? Surely not? They do dare?!!!”

Some aspects were simply unrealistic, such as Daphne (who has lived in Great Diddling all her long life) not knowing who a local was; and two live-long villagers, born a year apart, not knowing each other as children. The author overdoes the “staying silent keeps people talking” approach (the characters do it and Bivald tells us they’re doing it). The early review copy I had needed one more proof-reading to eliminate a couple of casual errors such as the time when Berit spent the day in her living room and then “forced herself to go home to bed.”

I’ll be honest, I found the book OK but nothing memorable until the Book Festival twist. Once the Great Diddling Books and Murder Festival is mooted, the book is sublime. The chapter describing the Festival Sunday is one of those gloriously uplifting bits of prose to which I shall turn when I need cheering up. It’s one of those chapters that is a hug in a book. It restores your faith in humans’ friendly nature; it makes you think “I am so pleased for those people at the Festival – both visitors and residents”; and then you think “Oh, I wish I was there, in that High Street, joining in the fun.” This is a book for book-lovers. I don’t mean it’s full of clever in-jokes or hidden allusions, just that it will resonate strongly with readers for whom books are important.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for the free review copy of this glorious book.

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Katarina Bivald for the ARC!

Publication Date: August 13, 2024

The Murders in Great Diddling is so good! I was not expecting half of the plot and the characters were so loveable but I also suspected everybody.

I would highly recommend to get this when it comes out! One of mg favorite ARC’s that i have gotten!

This was an exciting and thrilling read for sure! I loved the setting and the depth we get from each character. It has been a while since I have read a murder mystery book where I have absolutely no clue who could have done it but, this book had me guessing different people every chapter. Really lovely read and would love to read more from this author. I absolutely recommend this book to every murder mystery reader out there.