Cover Image: Murder at Hawthorn Cottage (A Melissa Craig Cozy Mystery Book 1)

Murder at Hawthorn Cottage (A Melissa Craig Cozy Mystery Book 1)

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Member Reviews

A cozy crime mystery written in the style of the "Murder She Wrote" TV series. Definitely seeing some Agatha Christie influence in this author's style. If you are looking for an easy reading mystery, this will meet your needs.

The author shows great detail in creating mental pictures of the scenes in this story. The way the story progresses is a bit predictable, I would have liked to see a little more surprise content.

I received an ARC copy of this book and have agreed to provide an honest review..

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Perfect example of cosy crime genre- a likeable detective, sidekick, dead bodies, unexpected twist and satisfactory resolution. Easy read. Very enjoyable

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I would like to thank Bookouture Publishing and the Netgalley website for this partnership.

I was immediately attracted by the blanket and you can see a nice cottage.

It features Melissa Craig, a friendly neighbour, a loving mother and a daring detective. She's going to have to flee London after a series of bizarre phone calls. A crime has reportedly been committed, as a corpse will be found near his chalet.

I read this first volume in just one morning, I immediately hooked on the story so captivating, engaging, full of suspense and twists and turns. I found the characters endearing. Looking forward to reading on.

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Melissa Craig is a mystery novelist in her mid-forties. Single, and the mother of a grown son, she has just moved from London into an isolated Cotswold cottage where she intends to write her next book. One of her other reasons for moving was to distance herself from Aubrey, a married man who loves her, but whom she does not love back. He has become to clingy and solicitous.

Melissa meets her new neighbour, Iris, who is a vegan fabric designer and accomplished organic gardener. Iris has a wonderful cat named Binkie who adds some feline presence to the book.

Melissa meets some colorful residents. A clergyman with secrets, a vivacious cleaning lady, and a grounds-keeper who wants to find 'tid-bits' that she might use in her next mystery novel.

Only a week after her move, a body is found by her next-door neighbour as she digs leaf mulch for her garden. The corpse has been buried in the wood for several months.

With the aid of a young journalist, Melissa does some 'gentle sleuthing' and helps to uncover the seamier side of the idyllic Cotswolds. Murder suspects are discovered, and danger lurks...

MY THOUGHTS

On the cover, beneath the author's name is the tagline: "An absolutely gripping cozy mystery". It is exactly that! A while back I wrote a post about cozy mystery covers and how some of the more cartoonish of them might do them a disservice. I think this is true even more now that I've read a cozy. The beautiful covers of this series (published by Bookouture) are what drew me to the novel. I would never have requested it if it had one of those typical 'cozy' covers.

This is the first in a series of 13 books featuring the fictional crime novelist Melissa Craig (many of which were published previously under different titles). Undoubtedly a series that will be enjoyed by lovers of the 'cozy' mystery sub-genre.

The Cotswold setting was divine. The protagonist, Melissa Craig, was engaging. The mystery was interesting. What more could you ask for in a light, easy to read, escapist whodunit?

3.5 stars rounded up

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A charming cozy perfect for book lovers📚

I love a book where a crime writer turns real life detective... even more fun in this book Melisa Craig tries to channel her fictional character, to figure out what would she do in this situation? This is the first book in this cozy series, it is a bit of a slow burn, but overall a pleasant read!

Mellisa moves to the Causwells for some peace and quiet... but soon the body start dropping and Melisa dons her sleuthing cap... I liked Melissa I thought she was smart and savvy, and actually cut out to do some amateur detecting.... I like this village and I am looking forward to getting to know the secondary characters better in future books... my one niggle with this book is that I liked a little more humor in my cozies... but this is a matter of taste, it’s a me thing!

A good start to this cozy and quaint series!

*** huge thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

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*4 1/2 Stars*

ARC kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting read with interesting characters. It was intriguing to see what some writers will do for a book and what some parents will do to protect their children and their money.

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A very nice cozy mystery for thinking women, for those of you who like to 'talk' to book's characters and find similarities and points in common. Setting of the novel is 'what doctor's ordered': English countryside at the beginning of summer.
Somehow English countryside gets a lot of murders, doesn't it? Anyhow, a couple of bodies, a couple of men interested in the main character, eccentric neighbour and pastor with secrets will keep reader entertained without being gory, disgusting, too procedural or graphic.
A very nice read and a very good beginning of the series of novels. I am about to read the second one. I will have no problems doing it as I like Melissa Craig (the main character) very much. Single mother who struggled to find her way in life and became successful crime writer sounds just about right for someone who could be my friend.

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Murder at Hawthorn Cottage by Betty Rowlands.
Melissa is just settling into her new life in a crumbling cottage in the countryside when a knock at the door brings news of a shocking discovery: the bones of a young woman have been found in the woods just behind her new home.
As an investigation begins, strange phone calls in the night convince Melissa that the police are barking up completely the wrong tree. As a newcomer in this close-knit village, does she dare to start asking questions?
Enlisting a local journalist to help her do a little digging of her own, Melissa’s enquiry takes her from the bingo hall to the beauty salon and beyond, exposing many of the village’s darkest secrets, but getting no closer to finding the culprit.
Just as she’s about to give up, the discovery of a tatty old photograph links all the pieces of the puzzle to a scandal that will shake the sweet little village of Upper Benbury to the core.
This was a good read. I liked melissa she was my favourite character. I liked the story too. Looking forward to the next book. 4*.

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I enjoyed reading about Melissa as she settled into her new life in the country. I look forward to getting to know the characters further.

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Wow great read gripping plot hook at the start very easy to read loved the stoetline lots of twiat and turns a great twist

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I've discovered a new and very interesting cozy mystery series! The main character is an author of crime novels, she has moved to a small quiet countryside village in order to have more peace with which to write when her neighbor stumbles across a body and the village turns from quaint and quiet to exciting as she gets drug into the investigation as "research" for her book. Excellent character development that enhances a layered plot with multiple facets to keep you interested and turning pages! I can not wait to jump into the next book in the series.

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Betty Rowlands is a new writer to me, and I understand that this is the first book in her Melissa Craig series about a writer-turned-detective. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'll be looking out for more Craigs as they appear.

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Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I read the second book before the first book but saying that still really enjoyed it and looking forward to more in the series.

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This is the first book in the Melissa Craig Cozy Mystery series. Melissa is a mystery author and has purchased her first home. Eager to escape London and an over-protective suitor, Mel moved to a cottage in Upper Bembury. She is looking forward to a quieter, simpler life where she can write without distraction. However, within days of settling into her new home, she is embroiled in a murder, the disappearance of a local girl and the suspicious accident of a young man. Added to the mix is her eccentric neighbor, an eager reporter and a host of village residents.

I am usually fairly critical of cozy mysteries. I often find them to be superficial with stilted or trite conversation and, well, mostly unbelievable. But, in the case of Murder at Hawthorne Cottage, I was pleasantly surprised. Betty Rowlands gives her characters depth and personality. The mystery is well-crafted (although it does jump around a little bit too much) and the descriptions of the people and places is well-done. In fact, I’d like Mel to be my new best friend so she’ll invite me to spend time with her. The cottage and its surroundings sound charming and it would be a wonderful place to visit (or stay).

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I simply must know if Mel was able to finish that book she had started to write.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

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I love a book where the main character Melissa is a sensible woman, who is in her forties, just settling down into a small English village. And a murder occurs right in her backyard which has her scrambling for clues, suspects and putting her sleuthing cap on.
My first book by author Betty Rowlands, had me loving the slow pace with great descriptions of various landscapes and characters. Melissa as the main character is both enterprising and intelligent; she uses all her experience as a crime writer in solving this cozy mystery.
A super fun cozy read

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The first book in the Melissa Craig series was a cracker! Formerly titled A Little Gentle Sleuthing this cosy mystery has all the ingredients for an enthralling who done it with the bonus of being set in the stunning Cotswolds. With unique characters and complex criminal activities Betty Rowland’s has created a riveting world of intrigue and I look forward to continuing the journey with the next book.

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This is the debut book in the new series "Melissa Craig Cozy Mystery Series."
I am a avid mystery reader and found this a delightful blend of the perfect cozy and classic mystery.

In this debut we meet our protagonist Melissa Craig a single woman in her forties. She is a crime writer and has moved from the city to a country cottage in a small English village. She plans on a quiet country life, and writing her next mystery. Melissa never expected a real murder would happen in her own backyard! Soon she is headfirst into suspects, clues and interviewing the local villagers.
The setting is a small village like outside of London. It is a delightful village to read about and I only wish I could visit such a place. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of small village life. The plot had the right amount of equal twists and turns . The characters all added to the story with depth and interest. As in every small English village there is a plethora of charcters from a prickly rector, his rude wife, and a band of quirky villagers that added fun.

I enjoyed reading this classic type of mystery and found it intriguing and interesting. I look forward to the next in series. Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review. A very well done mystery!

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This was a bit of a slow starter but once it got going I was totally drawn into the life of Melissa Craig. The way the author takes us inside the life within a tight knit village community is brilliantly done. Melissa herself is a newcomer and finds her life become even more complicated as matters outwith her control start to take over her everyday interactions with other people.

The characters are written well, the story itself was well done too. This is the start of a series and I look forward to what the author brings us next,

Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy,

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I really loved the main characters and the brilliant plot. I read this book in one sitting and could not put it down. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

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