I throughly enjoyed Jane Darrowfield and the Madwoman next door. How refreshing to find a middle aged retiree who advertises her business of taking care of problems by her business card, Professional Busybody. The mystery was intriguing and interesting with cyber gaslighting as the main subject. I loved Jane’s friends and her late in life relationship as well. In fact there wasn’t anything I didn’t love about this book, , the writing, the plot, the Cambridge setting, the characters, all were wonderful. My only complaint is the length of the book, as it ended too quickly because I wasn’t ready to leave Jane Darrowfield, so I eagerly await the next installment.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Kensington Books, Kensington and #NetGalley for my honest opinion.

The Jane Darrowfield series is delightful and this is an added joy.

I always thought it would be efficient, and fun, to have a "smart" house. Well, after reading this latest Jane Darrowfield mystery, I think my "average" house is just fine! The trouble starts, when Megan Larsen, a young, upwardly mobile lawyer who lives next door, asks Jane for her help. Megan thinks she is losing her sanity as she begins experiencing blackouts, lights coming on in the middle of the night, strange sounds and things not being where they should be. Megan has a"smart" security system and no one should be able to enter her home. Jane is hired to determine if Megan is paranoid or if there someone or thing out to drive her mad. Jane's second case, a "catnapped" feline named Roo is heartwarming and special.

What a perfect cozy mystery! Jane is a "busybody" you'd love to know. I appreciate the fact that Jane is very relatable and has issues she deals with that echo parts of her case with Megan. I'm a fan of "closed room" mysteries and while a bit different, the book has the same twists and turns, The mystery was spooky by it's setting and I loved every minute of it! How does Jane deal with a "murderous" house, you'll be amazed as the mystery unfolds and the pieces fall neatly into place. Along with helping Megan, Jane finds herself in the middle of a " catnapping" where the lovable feline has "catnapped" himself!

I enjoy the "Busbody" Mysteries because Jane is a mature character who has faced struggles in her life and has risen above them. She is kind hearted and wants to help people, but she's also tough and determined to find the truth. Jane is the type of person I'd love to have coffee and a pastry (of course) with and hear about her cases. I only have to wait for the next book....I may eat the pastry!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I enjoyed this book even though it’s slow at times. The suspense is good, the story interesting and great characters. You really feel for them. #NetGalley

Jane Darrow is back in the second entry in this series. When her younger next door neighbor hires Jane to help her determine if she is losing her mind, Jane is at first wary of taking the job. Megan could be better served by seeing a psychologist, but she takes the case on and begins asking questions. Before Jane really can dig in, Megan goes missing. But Jane is certain Megan wasn’t losing her mind and she convinces the local detective to begin searching for Megan, even though the woman’s father tries to shut a search down, claiming the young woman has gone off to relax. But will they find Megan dead or alive? Jane has her doubts, but keeps hoping for a positive outcome.

While I didn’t read the first entry, this was fine as a stand alone…and I will be reading the first entry shortly. I like the author’s Clambake series as well, her writing is solid and you find yourself quickly immersed in the book and turning the pages as time slips away. Looking forward to more from this author in both her series.

This book was sent to me on Kindle by Netgalley for review. The protagonist is a character one can like...the story is tricky...red herrings...what will happen next??? This is a quick read...I enjoyed it.

Jane Darrowfield is quickly becoming my favorite character. Estranged from her son, Jane is doing her best to live her best life. She has a few close friends, and a wonderful side business where Jane makes discreet inquiries for those who don't need the police involved.
It's this business that introduces Jane to her next door neighbor. It seems Jane's services are needed since Megan feels someone may be watching her, and she needs to find out if it's real or imagined.
I found myself wrapped up in this book, reading each sentence closely, looking for a clue to solve this unique mystery.
This is the second book in this fantastic series by Barbara Ross, and I can't wait to read another one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

#JaneDarrowfieldandtheMadwomanNextDoor #NetGalley

Jane Darrowfield and the Madwoman Next Door by Barbara Ross is an excellent cozy mystery that is the second book in the beyond amazing Jane Darrowfield series. This is such an amazing series that I cannot recommend enough!

Jane Darrowfield, Professional busybody, is at it again, this time being hired by her next door neighbor in hopes of getting to the bottom of several concerning and odd occurrences. Megan doesn’t know if she is imagining these strange instances or if someone is purposely harassing her. She asks Jane as an impartial and no nonsense woman to help her wade through these mysteries. Before Jane can even get her investigation off the ground, Megan disappears.

Now Jane has to race against time with the help of Detective Alvarez to find Megan, and solve the mystery. Has she been abducted? Did she voluntarily run away? Only Jane can find out.

The narrative was smooth, dialogue whip smart, and Jane is realistic, likable, and imperfect. She is the perfect main character and an excellent amateur sleuth. I was totally invested into the mystery, and I found the conclusion excellent, gripping, and fascinating.

5/5 stars enthusiastically.

Ms. Ross is truly one of my favorite authors.

Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 12/28/21.