I have loved this cosy old fashion mystery this is the series of books for you. Murder at Benbury Brook by Betty Rowlands is the 9th book in the Melissa Craig series and I have loved reading them. One thing I liked about this series was I never read them in order and I found you could pick these up at any time and get a great feel for these books as they are so easy to read and enjoy.

Highly Recommend this book if you Love Old fashion Mystery who done it books.

Big thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for an ARC.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in return for an impartial review.

As the series progresses, the plot topics do seem to be getting slightly darker, as someone else pointed out. That makes a welcome change from some of the fluffier cosy mysteries - Rowlands doesn’t shy away from things. Nor does she feel the need to keep the characters all the same, which is refreshing - here, Iris has moved to France (Ken having left before), and so new characters means fresh blood. Overall, a positive addition to the series.

Of all 9 books in the Melissa Craig series that I've read thus far, this one was my least favorite. The characters weren't as interesting, her friend Iris has moved to France (so is not in the story), and her new neighbor is rather bland. The plot was rather straightforward, making it easy to figure out the culprits.

Murder at Benbury Brook (A Melissa Craig Mystery Book 9) - Another good mystery in the Melissa Craig series. A young woman is found dead lying dead along a babbling brook in a wooded glade. Melissa resolves to solve the mystery when suspicion falls on her neighbor. The locals are blaming certain individuals because of their past history. Melissa is determine to remind them that “innocent until proven guilty” still stands. This book had a good plot and a good ending.

I enjoy a nice cozy mystery from a small cottage, like this one. Melissa is a crime writer and she has a new mystery to solve.
Thank you Netgalley for this nice book.

Book #9 by the Marvellous Betty Rowlands in the Melissa Craig series.

Melissa Craig has a new neighbour, now that the artistic Iris has moved to France….I’ll miss her as she is one of my favourite characters, acerbic but with a soft heart really.

It’s not long before Melissa is caught up in another mystery, after the body of a young woman is found In the woods…..was it an accident or something more sinister? What has Mel got herself mixed up in again?

I really enjoy these gentle mysteries, nothing too graphic but enough to keep you entertained while enjoying a nice hot cup of tea….brilliant engaging writing as always by Betty Rowlands.

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review

Betty Rowlands involves Melissa Craig in a Murder at Benbury Brook. A conventional cozy set in rural England.

This series can easily be read as stand-alone books but are far better read in order so you follow the growing relationships between the characters.
They are always well written and plotted with fabulous characterisation and a lovely setting. I always look forward to delving into the next one.

In this ninth book in the series, Melissa Clark is missing her next door neighbour, Iris. She has a new renter next door in Elder Cottage, a young man who's been hired to teach at a local private school. Graham Stripley is a shy young man, but Mel makes friends with him. Then one day she's driving home, and Graham comes running out of the woods towards her. Together they go to Benbury Brook and find the drowned body of sixteen year old Cissy, a pretty girl who worked at the local shop. Graham insists he "didn't touch her", and Mel believes him, but the police take him away from questioning. Graham's past is revealed by Bruce, the newspaperman. At Graham's previous school, a young girl falsely accused him of making a pass at her, and although he had not been arrested, the stress caused him a breakdown and broke up his marriage.

Mel is determined to find out what happened to Cissy. She had been to the dilapidated cottage of elderly Tommy Judd to deliver some eggs - why had she left the path and plunged into the woods, and then fallen to her death in the brook?

Melissa Craig is a great character. She is writing a novel while investigating, and writes up her notes and hands them off to the police. She visits various people in the village, poking into their lives, while her son and her publisher advise her to leave things alone. I was afraid she would come to grief in this book. Can't wait to read some more!

I received this book via Netgalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. Returning to the Cotswolds for the 9th book in the Melissa Craig series is always enjoyable. This can be read as a stand-alone. There are references to previous characters, including her former next door neighbor and good friend, Iris, as well as a former love interest who has relocated to the United States. Previously published as ‘The Man in the Window’, this story revolves around the death of a local girl and the implication that Melissa’s new next door neighbor is involved because of prior circumstances. As always, it’s a well-written story and you learn a great deal about the motivations of the characters as Melissa is drawn into solving the mystery.

A well detailed plot and good character development shown throughout the book. I see this is #9, but I had not trouble following the story. Melissa is back in the country, trying to finish writing her book, when a young girl turns up dead. Seeing her distraught neighbor she rushes to help, and ends up getting involved trying to help him clear his name when he is held for questioning. Really enjoyed this one, and the style of writing reminds me of a nice British cozy mystery. So have a cup a tea, sit back and enjoy. Highly recommend this book and author.

This book is both engaging and fast paced.
I have read the whole series and the author never fails to write an amazing book

Well-plotted reboot of the former book, titled The Man at the Window. In book 9 of the Melissa Craig series,
Murder at Benbury Brook features strong characters and a fast-paced plot centering on a neighbor with a questionable past and the murder of a young woman.

Appearing to be a cozy mystery, Murder at Benbury Brook tips out of the traditional cozy formula and delivers a hybrid novel - a cozy thriller. Still taking place in a traditional 'cozy' environment - quaint Cotswolds - the story is excellent for those avid cozy mystery fans who are seeking something different.

Melissa Craig is an author living in the beautiful Cotswolds. She returns home to find that she has a new neighbour, school teacher Graham Shipley. He is a little strange and defensive and when teenager Cissie is found dead suspicion falls on him. Melissa feels the need to prove the locals' suspicions of him are wrong and starts to investigate the murder to find the real culprit.

This is the first book that I've read in this series, but I didn't feel like that mattered. This mystery has an intriguing cast of characters with a glorious setting, which in some way makes the murder seem that much more shocking. I loved the twists and turns and unexpected ending and will definitely read more by Betty Rowlands.

My thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this arc copy of Betty Rowlands book.

This is the 9th book in this well loved popular series . I find this series fascinating and always enjoy returning to the small charming Cotswold's village to solve a new mysterious crime. Part of the great joy of reading this series is experiencing the village through the author's eyes. This series can be read out of order if one likes. The author has in every book described the setting and previous charcters for every new reader to understand. The charcters are richly drawn by the author and the investigation is well crafted whodone it to a most pleasing end.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC for review. My personal opinion is my own.

Melissa is a savvy adept protagonist who happens to be a crime writer. Her investigation into murders is primary to her writing career. In this next installment a new neighbor adds to the mystery as she begins to solve another murder using her sharp investigative skills. . As the mystery deepens clues abound and soon Melissa is on the right track of solving another murder.

I highly recommend this most entertaining cozy mystery. This is the perfect mystery to read on a cold day curled up with a cuppa .

It’s no secret that I love this series, but how can I not? The plots keep getting darker and more menacing, whilst still retaining the essentials of a cosy mystery.

Melissa is a complex protagonist, a crime writer, whose career and private life, often takes second place to her crime solving.

There are new characters to meet, for Melissa and because of the changes in her personal life, Melissa is even more driven to solve the crime that features in this story.

The picturesque Cotswold setting, realistic characters and an interesting twisty plot makes this story an atmospheric, interactive crime-solving mystery.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I love this series and each installment is better than the previous one.
This one was enjoyable and entertaining, a bit darker than the other and with some new characters.
I liked the mystery and I liked how Melissa is coping after Iris and Ken left.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Melissa Craig, the Jessica Fletcher of the cotswolds is back in her latest instalment, this time she has a new neighbour with a sketchy past and another mystery to solve, As always the characters are fun and for a cosy murder mystery it keeps you guessing on who actually has committed the crimes.

Again a great story by this author. We see some 'old' characters again, but some have left and new ones are being introduced. It's always a bit sad to have to say goodbye to them and I missed them, but the author filled the void with quite interesting ones.

In this book we get less information about the private life of Melissa. There is more focus on the case itself and she really excels. Maybe because she had more time on her hands due to the changes in her personal life?

Either way it was a truely enjoyable read and I love the connection between Melissa and Bruce. They work well together and have become friends. 

The author has a nice writing style and I am looking forward to book 10. I wonder what Melissa will have to untangle next and how her (love) life is going to develop. 5 stars.

Thank you, Betty Rowlands, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Another Melissa Craig book, and a lot has changed in her neighborhood, and in her life, which make this series come to life in another way.
I enjoyed this book, different, but still familiar in many ways - the story is good and with a surprise ending, a mystery not what it seems.
A good read, a little cozy but with bite.