The first part of the book is a detailed introduction into the life of crime writer and amateur sleuth Melissa Craig. She has recently moved into a renovated cottage in the countryside, to gain some peace. The author sets the scene beautifully and the addition of Iris the next door neighbour is superb. Iris is an endearing character who speaks exclusively in sentences which contain no more than five words! She is extremely straight talking and fiercely loyal to Melissa, even though they only recently met.

The cottage itself sounds idyllic and the villagers who call by (including a very interesting Rector and his wife!) are described intricately. The book is a series, so I think the early chapters are crucial to build up a good understanding of the characters and learn a little about their background.

The mystery part starts with strange phone calls to Melissa’s home telephone. When Melissa meets investigative journalist Bruce, they discuss the phone conversations and come up with an interesting theory. Meanwhile, a body is discovered in nearby woods. Could they be linked?

Melissa and Bruce make up a great duo of amateur sleuths. He jumps to conclusions quickly and she keeps him grounded, but she has an adventurous side too. Melissa is a crime author and she meticulously plans her next novel taking inspiration from the location and residents of Upper Bembury. I found this a very interesting insight into a novelist’s mind.

I loved this crime mystery and will be reading others in the series. Betty Rowlands has a real talent for storytelling. The writing is extremely detailed but broken up with interesting and compelling dialogue, I found it difficult to put down!

In this story we meet Melissa arriving at her new home and apart from a few issues with the builder everything seems to be pretty perfect. Of course it can't stay peaceful for long and what follows is an interesting mystery waiting to be solved.

The story moves at a steady pace as Melissa begins her investigation but there was enough detail to keep me intrigued. I will mention that if you enjoy a more faster paced story then you could be disappointed. However if you are a fan of the more cosy style mystery then you should be fine. It is a little slow to start with but I enjoyed Melissa and Bruce's interactions as they start to look into things.

Location wise this story is perfect as the scene is set wonderfully and you can really get a sense of the countryside. Along with a range of quirky characters to get to know who make for good suspects! The writing is descriptive and will make you feel as if you are a part of village life.

With thanks to Bookouture for my copy via Netgalley.

What a gem of a book, there are times when you want to snuggle up with an engaging cosy read and this fits the bill perfectly. The characterisation is wonderful, the story is set in the Cotswolds and the area is vividly brought to life.
Although first published in 1990 it stands the test of time. I enjoyed the excellent writing and the well thought out plot, I was kept guessing for quite a while. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I have to admit that I was a little confused by this novel to begin with. Having got a copy from Netgalley, I assumed that it was a new title. Something just didn't seem right though, there were no mobile phones, computers or modern technology. The main character, detective novelist Mel seemed older than 45. I soon found out that this was a reissue of a book from 1990 and suddenly everything made sense. Once I'd placed it in a time frame, it was much easier to get into and enjoy.

This is a character-led novel that moves at a gentle pace. Although it's described as a cosy murder mystery, I felt that it had more depth than much of the books in this genre. There weren't the cliched animal companions or silliness disguised as humour that often pops up in similar books. Personally, I'd call it a classic mystery.

I really enjoyed this read and am looking forward to getting into the next in the series. I didn't manage to solve this until almost the very end. The solution itself worked well which is always a good sign. If you enjoy gently paced mystery novels then this may well be for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Melissa Craig is a writer, having just taken the bold step to move to the countryside. Imagining an idyllic life, with plenty of time for writing. Little does she know that she soon becomes heavily involved in detective work - a disappearance and subsequent murder - enlisting local journalist Bruce Ingram as her right-hand man. The question is, will she be able to solve the murder and write the plot of her new book...

Betty Rowlands writes brilliantly, and I really enjoyed her in-depth descriptions of places and people alike. The array of language, both figuratively and literally, was fantastic and really allowed a sense of being immersed in the novel.

I liked the neutral references such as, “An actor from a popular soap opera” which allowed for nods to common knowledge. This meant it wouldn’t be an unknown or confusing reference to certain ages or date heavily in years to come.

Melissa Craig is a great character, very likeable! I enjoyed her quirks and she had a warmth about her. Often channeling her main protagonist when unsure of what to do, I found this to be a unique and interesting idea.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Crime fiction author Melissa Craig moves to a delightful little village and soon finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. This is the first in a cosy crime mystery series. With a lovely setting, colourful characters and a Murder, She Wrote / Midsomer Murders feel to it, I have no doubt it will appeal to many mystery readers. For me though, the pace was too slow and I like my crime fiction a bit more on the gory and gruesome side.

I received this ARC via Netgalley in return for an honest review. A good start to a new English cosy mystery. Melissa (Mel) Craig, a successful author, decides to leave London and an annoying, separated boyfriend and buy her first home in the country. After renovations and builder issues, the tumbledown cottage is ready and in she moves. She meets her amazing neighbor, Iris, and lots of the local community as she starts her transition. Then, Iris finds a buried skeleton and somehow, Mel is sucked into the mystery and the solution. It's a good first start and I look forward to reading the rest in the series. I like how Mel is growing into her space and her decision to stand on her own. Good cosy summer read.

This was one of the least enjoyable books I’ve read in a while. I struggled to get engaged....it was very slow and I really didn’t find the main character believable. She is in her 40’s yet the way she behaves and the way the author portrays her you would think she was 80. The other problem with this book is that it appeared to be copying Murder She Wrote only in the Cotswolds instead of Cabot Cove, Maine. It just lacked originality or any real sense of mystery. I kept waiting for it to get better and it never did. Even if you like cozy mysteries you may find this too tame and a tad dull.

I rather enjoyed this, though at times I felt the language was somewhat old fashioned at times and Melissa somewhat fuddy duddy for a woman in her mid 40s - it certainly raised my eyebrows as someone of a similar age myself. And a few of the other characters seemed older than their years.

I particularly liked the journalist Bruce - it would’ve been nice to see more interaction between Melissa and Bruce, rather than all the phone calls. Maybe this is a relationship that will develop over the series? I hope so.

I’ve since learnt that these books were originally published over 20 years ago, so the technology was certainly different and may go some way to explain the changes in attitude and language.

I would particularly recommend this to those who like “cosy crime” books, such as Agatha Raisin.

I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book in the series and I really enjoyed meeting the character Melissa Craig. She is a mystery writer and is currently working on her next mystery detective novel. While she is trying to concentrate on her writing, a "real" murder victim is discovered and she finds herself "playing detective". She even contemplates what her fictional detective might do. Maybe her crime writing experience will assist her in solving the case!

The countryside cottage setting seems like it would be the "perfect" quiet environment, but soon after she moves in things begin to "rattle" her. Mysterious phone calls, a shocking discovery in the woods, and building tension in the community. One thing leads to another, and Melissa finds herself piecing together clues and getting closer to the truth.

There are some red herrings that threw me, some interesting eccentric characters and some foreboding throughout that gave this cozy mystery some character.

Recommend for fans of light mysteries who enjoy a lead character who has charm, persistence and is one "smart cookie".

'Murder at Hawthorn Cottage' is the first book in the highly acclaimed Melissa Craig Cozy Mystery series by highly successful crime writer Betty Rowlands. Despite the fact that this book was first published way back in 1990, it has a timeless plot that certainly stands the test of time. I loved some of the detail that reminded me of a bygone era, although I suspect that some editing was done to bring it up-to-date.

The setting in the beautiful Cotswolds was vivid and reminded me a lot of the villages in Midsomer Murders. At least that's what I had in my minds eye when reading. The pace was pretty gentle with lots of background given for the various characters, so we have the relevant information on them for when we progress on to further books. The story is well thought out, and I appreciated the excellent writing. I had wrongly assumed that cozy crime fiction would be too slow and nicey-nicey for me, which it wasn't if this book is anything to go by. However, I did have an issue with the fact that it was implied that by forty-five you are old - this is simply not realistic, and really quite offensive to some people, I would imagine. This is an ideal read if you are looking for a tame mystery novel, I had fun with this lighthearted read, but ultimately it was not as compelling as I would've liked.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookotoure for a digital ARC of this book.

I'm so glad to have found this cozy mystery series! It was originally published in 1990, but--surprisingly--it rarely feels dated. Perhaps some editing was done to remove too many dated references or maybe it's just that the setting (the Cotswolds, England) takes us back in time anyway and, thus, we feel at home in these pages. There are a few spots where you do feel the cultural shifts of the past 30 years, but it's not off-putting or distracting.

This novel moves at a rather slow pace for the better part of the narrative but that, too, is okay. Especially since this is the first book in the series, it's important that we get to know both the characters and the setting.

I'll be watching for the second in this series when it's re-released and am anxious to see what adventures Mel Craig takes on next.

I decided to give this style of mystery a try and while I enjoyed it I also found that they are too tame for what Ipve about crime.

The characters are well thought out and are written well.

It took me awhile to get into the book. I kept thinking I had read it before but then I'd come across a part of the story I didn't recognize. Once I threw out "I've read this before", I enjoyed it and will read more of Betty's books.

The book is out of sync with reality! Forty-five is not old; Melissa is an attractive crime writer moving to the Cotswolds for peace, serenity, her desire was leaving London for her lovely Cottage. The book is a plot within a plot; it is ruined by no one having a cell phone, treating forty-five as middle-aged, not bringing Joe into the beginning of the story! It beggared my belief, does the UK not have cell phones or generators? I think the publisher, proofreader, her manager, and the Author herself needs a significant rewrite. Thank you Netgalley.

This is the first book i have read by this author and I enjoyed it. A very lighthearted cosy mystery with a good storyline that is a nice easy read. Perfect if you like the cosy mystery genre. I will definitely look to read more books in this series.

I would not usually read mysteries such as this nivel BUT i absolutely enjoyed from start to finish, will certainly read future releases by this author

What a wonderful cozy. I’d a lot of fun reading it and was hooked since the first pages.
The cast of characters is very likeable and the setting is wonderful, the desciption made wish to be there.
The plot is fascinating, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading other instalment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Bookotoure and Netgalley for this ARC

Perfect for lovers of COSY CRIME!
Meet Melissa: cat lover, caring mother… daring detective?
Melissa Craig is absolutely delighted with her new life in an old crumbling cottage, spending her days pruning the primroses and getting to know Binkie, the ginger cat next door. She only wishes she had made the move to the countryside sooner.
But when a knock at the door brings news of a shocking discovery, she suddenly finds herself thrown in to the middle of a baffling mystery: the bones of a young woman have been found in the woods just behind her new home.
Perhaps the little village of Upper Bembury is not as idyllic as it first seemed?

I have to say straight off that I loved this book, it made me feel at home from the first page and I guess that's what cosy crime is supposed to do. It also sounds like it would be a gentle stroll with the odd murder thrown in, it wasn't. Although the idea of an idyllic village and cottage in the back of beyond is a little cliched the characterisation is great and I didn't find any stereotypical personalities; they all had their flaws or quirks which made them at least one step removed from that.

The synopsis at Netgalley and presumably on the back of the book seems a little trite to me and doesn't do the book justice, for example ' ...spending her days pruning the primroses and getting to know Binkie, the ginger cat next door...' gives no hint of Melissa's feisty personality but instead makes her, in my opinion, a little woman, and she definitely isn't that. Without the offer of an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley I don't think I would have been drawn in enough to purchase it and would have missed out on a gem.

My favourite part of the book was the way the author, Betty Rowlands, showed the writing process. Melissa Craig, the main character, is a crime writer and her new home inspires her to begin her next novel taking the reader with her as she works through the ideas, planning and first couple of chapters. I found this fascinating and not at all a distraction from the nefarious goings on of Upper Benbury.

Melissa's only neighbour, Iris, was beautifully drawn as a foil for Melissa's enthusiastic, energetic and occasionally indecisive personality. Her dry, sometimes monosyllabic utterances when speaking to humans are replaced by high pitched tones as she professes her love for Binky as soon as her cat enters the scene.

This is an easily read book but it will keep you on your toes. I didn't guess the killer and was pleasantly surprised at the denouement which is always an added bonus.

I would like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for issuing me with ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Murder at Hawthorn Cottage is a delightful read for the fans of cozy murder mysteries. The novel is set is the most charming part of England the Cotswolds where a writer-cum-sleuth Mel Craig tries to solve a murder which was committed in the vicinity of her cottage. The pace is good,the characters interesting and the witty dialogues add to the attractiveness of the novel. It is a perfect summer/holiday read.