The first in a series of mysteries and a pleasant enough read, the characters were entertaining and the settings realistic, a good start for the new detective on the block

I received an ARC of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a blend of chick lit, cosy mystery and romance. It has an unusual setting in and around a "English Trust" stately home where the MC is employed as a conservator in the wakes of her Uncle's death and her husband's infidelity.

There are the usual cast of characters, the supposedly inept policeman and and a whole handful of suspects. For me there are large holes in the move from being the one who is going to solve the case to (view spoiler)
It never really had me holdingmy breath or wishing for more. It is readable, passes an afternoon but won't feature in any "best of" lists. Others in the series could make my reading pile but only if they fill a challenge

This is a murder mystery with a difference. It is cleverly interlaced with some excellent humourous lines at the expense of a fictional heritage charity.

I liked the perceptive way that the author has captured the way aspects of the current 'woke' agenda are creeping into our lives.

The characters are crafted in an entertaining way in this fast moving story which is set around the Dorset coast. I like the use of real places, which help to give a geographical anchor to the novel.

The central character is Astrid Swift, is an art conservator who finds herself working for an organisation called the English Trust in a stately home. Whilst at the same time moving from her old job in London to claim an unexpected inheritance from her uncle. I won't go into further detail for fear of spoiling the story. Suffice to say that an entertaining set of characters and events make for a lighthearted but entertaining narrative.

On the basis of this novel, I will look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for a copy in exchange for this review.

This was an easy to read mystery story. The characters and the scenery were well described but I did find the plot in places to be highly improbable. However the story did have an appeal and was had funny inicidents throughout. I enjoyed it but because it was a light hearted mystery I think it would make a great summer read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
This is the first book in a new series of cosy mysteries written by an English author. I liked the setting (a Dorset coastal village) and there were some lovely descriptions, even the oily puddle with 'circles of green and royal blue swirled on its surface like peacock tail feathers' created a beautiful image. The manor house was the main crime scene setting, and Astrid's boat quickly became her new home as she adjusted to life outside London as a singleton. I thought the characters were well-drawn and interesting, with individual quirks making for lots of fun. This is an enjoyable read promising more good books to come in the series.

Whilst this story undoubtedly has the cosy mystery vibe. Astrid Swift doesn't immediately strike the reader as the quirky amateur sleuth persona essential in this type of mystery. A successful fine art restorer working in a high profile gallery., Astrid enjoys her life until a. chance discovery forces a rethink. Astrid finds herself in coastal Dorset, discovering the legacy left to her by her favourite uncle.

As she sheds her city glamour, a new Astrid emerges, and she is a charming blend of astute, funny and vulnerability. The people she meets are flawed but believable characters, and she soon realises these are people she can trust. Discovering a body turns her into an amateur sleuth determined to find the truth whatever the risk to her safety.

There is an excellent cast of suspects in a twisty plot with pleasing original touches. Astrid's emotional journey of self-realisation explores controlling relationships and gives the female protagonist positive character development.

The story has lots of humour, a sound mystery and a believable emotional quality that makes it engaging reading. I look forward to Astrid's next adventure.

I received a copy of this book from 'Head of Zeus - Aries Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The first in the Astrid Swift series of mysteries and what a great read it is. A cosy mystery with an edge; a brilliantly eccentric and easily relatable cast of characters and a storyline that soon made it impossible to put down. I didn't warm to Astrid to begin with, but I think that is very much the point, as by the end of book the reader is rooting for her as she begins redeem herself in the locals' eyes, settling into her new life and home. The mystery itself is solid and engaging, whilst not being too far fetched, leading to a very satisfying conclusion. Astrid's new friend Kath really shines in this with her straight talking and uncomplicated views on life. I read this in one sitting late into the night which goes to show how thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining it was. Here's hoping this top notch mystery is the start of what becomes a long running series and I cannot wait for Death on the Isle. Excellent fun.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a well-written, entertaining, and cosy murder mystery that is easy to read, and will have you laughing out loud in places. The plot is (sort of) plausible and the main characters are lovable. I wasn’t too keen on the heroine, Astrid, to begin with but I changed my mind as the story developed and I was really rooting for her by the end. My favourite person in the story was Kath. Who wouldn’t want a friend like her?! The only thing I didn’t understand was why the boat’s name suddenly changed in the epilogue? I would recommend this book to anyone who has read The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books of 2021), and am looking forward to reading more of Astrid’s adventures in the second book of this series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

The Trust is a fun cosy murder mystery, following art restorer Astrid as she flees London and her philandering husband to find her uncle's legacy in the countryside. Some of the details were a little off (mushroom hunting in early summer?) but overall an enjoyable easy read.

Recommended for fans of Agatha Raisin.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

A gentle, cosy crime with plenty of great characters (I love each and every Trust volunteer with their shining personalities and crazy attitudes!).
Murder is done but it is done quietly and with the minimum fuss. Getting to the bottom of it proves much more difficult though and Astrid feels let down by the local police.
Setting off alone to try and solve the crime Astrid puts herself in danger whilst trying both to prove her own professional worth and to escape the emotional turmoil of her failing marriage whilst also identifying the master criminal.
So much more than scones!!.

4 stars (pub. date Aug. 12, 2022)

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a very good cozy mystery that is a quick and easy read. The mystery is interesting and I really liked the main character Laura. She is smart, curious and the growth in her character throughout the book felt natural. She comes to the countryside ensconced in her designer clothes and expensive tastes, but soon finds herself befriended by free spirit Kath who serves as a sort of liaison between Laura and the village. As her friendship with Kath grows, Laura's stiff exterior melts away and she is slowly accepted by the village. The minor characters from the village add a lot of charm to the book and provide a good sounding board for Laura's ideas. I love stories that are set in tiny villages because we are always treated with a variety of quirky characters, and the author does not disappoint here.

Laura is an art restorer at a prominent institution in London. She is married to the head of the department and they live a comfortable life, until Laura discovers her husband is unfaithful. Shocked to the core, she flees London for the countryside when she discovers she's inherited property in Dorset. Thinking she will lick her wounds in a beautiful countryside manor, she is surprised to find her property is a dilapidated houseboat on a muddy estuary.

She finds work at a National Trust home preparing and restoring art for a future exhibition. Instead of a genteel and stately charity, the home is a hotbed of intrigue and politics. On her first day Laura discovers a dead man on the premises and decides it's her duty to discover the killer when the police deem it an accident. When another death occurs at the home, Laura's list of suspects grows longer while the danger to her increases.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend you read it. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Head of Zeus - an Aries Book. All opinions are my own.

This is a cosy little mystery. At first I really didn't like Astrid, but she quickly grew on me and most of the characters were really likeable. It had a lovely ending and was an enjoyable weekend read.

A very enjoyable book. Astrid discovers her husband is having an affair with her best friend and, at the same time, inherits her uncle's home. She walks out on her husband and her job to live in her uncle's home. As a fine arts conservator, she starts work at a stately home run by the Trust. On her first day she discovers a body. Then another is found. With the help of a motely bunch of eccentrics, she solves the murders. It is a light-hearted and slightly predictable plot, but a great escapist read. Hopefully more will follow.
This is an honest review of a complementary ARC.

Astrid Swift is a great character in this story and immediately grabs your interest. She sets about solving mysterious goings on at the stately home where she works as an art conservator. Tension increases as the body count mounts, with the local inept police failing to take action, placing Astrid in danger. This is a very good page turning read with great characters, excellent story line set in a lovely location. Looking forward to book 2.

The Trust is an entertaining cosy mystery, featuring an endearingly flawed protagonist, quirky supporting characters and a quintessentially English setting.

In one fell swoop, art restorer Astrid Kisner loses her marriage, her best friend, her home and her beloved job at London's National Gallery, after discovering a bracelet that's not hers in the shower of the plush Waterloo apartment she shares with her husband of four years (who also happens to be her boss). Feeling justifiably aggrieved, Astrid thinks she's been handed a lifeline in the shape of a idyllic country home in Dorset, when she discovers she's been made her estranged uncle Henry's sole heir. Astrid's relief turns to dismay, however, when she discovers that "Curlew's Rest" is not the country home surrounded by gardens that she remembers from her childhood, but a rather dilapidated classic ketch, moored on the riverbank close to the (fictional) town of Hanbury in southern Dorset.

Astrid snares herself a temporary position cataloguing and restoring artworks at nearby English Trust property, Sherborne Hall, bringing her into the varied circle of characters who run, work and, in the case of the imperious but impecunious Lady Sherborne, live in the property. One day, while exploring the grounds during her lunch break, Astrid discovers a body lying sprawled at the bottom of the pit in Sherborne's secluded ice house.

Astrid's boss, marketing-obsessed Cressida, is keen to keep Astrid's discovery under wraps, in case it affects footfall (i.e. the number of visitors) to Sherborne. Local police also seem content to assume the death of local antiques dealer Gerald DeVine an accident. But Astrid and her unlikely new pal, Kath, are convinced it's murder, and commence their own covert investigation. One death rapidly becomes two, in addition to a near-miss at a civil war re-enactment, and Astrid comes to the realisation that she's also become a target. But who is behind the murders and is it related to the artwork, attributed to British master Constable, that Astrid has been working on at Sherborne House, a painting that Astrid is convinced is a clever fake...

Other readers may, like me, detect echoes of M.C. Beaton's quirky heroine Agatha Raisin in Astrid. Like Aggie, Astrid is often too quick to judge others and prone to making impetuous decisions which frequently land her in sticky situations, but is redeemed by a solid loyalty to those she holds close and a nose for mystery and wickedness. While on one level, Astrid uses her mystery-solving activities to distract herself from the major life changes she's facing, we also follow her journey to a renewed sense of purpose and a reassessment of her priorities, as she uncovers a series of beguiling clues left behind for her by Uncle Henry.

I loved the frequent satire around the culture of Britain's extensive National Trust network, here barely camouflaged as "The English Trust". As Kath remarks, the Trust's influence is far-reaching and not always entirely benevolent:
"They own everything 'round here. It's like the mafia with cream teas." (loc.809).
The Trust and local community certainly provide fertile ground for the supporting cast of characters , possessing a wide range of both useful skills and devious motives. The story also takes Astrid to a number of familiar settings in coastal Dorset, including RSPB Arne, Brownsea Island (a real life National Trust property) and elsewhere in the vicinity of real life Wareham and Poole Harbour (the village of Hanbury, located near Astrid's mooring, is fictionalised). It's a picturesque area of the United Kingdom, which M.H. Eccleston utilises to full effect as a setting for this rollicking mystery.

I'd recommend The Trust very highly as a quick and entertaining read for those who enjoy a lighter, frequently humorous, angle to their mystery reads. I'm already looking forward to Astrid and Kath's future adventures in Death on the Isle, scheduled for publication later in 2022.

My thanks to the author, M.H. Eccleston, publisher Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this engrossing and quirky mystery.

A cosy mystery with a wonderful collection of quirky characters, THE TRUST by M.H. Eccleston is an entertaining and enjoyable read from start to finish.

Astrid Swift loves her perfectly ordered life with her perfectly ordered job and her perfectly ordered relationship with her husband (and boss), Simon. But when she accidentally discovers that he has cheated on her with her best friend, she needs to get away from him, and the country house that her Uncle left her in his will, seems like the perfect idea. Except the house is a run-down old houseboat that needs a lot of tlc, and when Astrid walked out on Simon, she also walked out on her career. But luckily for Astrid, the local Trust is looking for an art restorer for the local stately home and as she begins to get to know the locals and even make some friends, things might just be looking up. Until Astrid discovers a dead body on the grounds of Sherborne Hall and realises that the local policeman doesn't seem to be up to scratch to catch the killer. As the bodies begin to pile up, can Astrid uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again or will she become the next victim?

THE TRUST by M.H. Eccleston is the perfect book to cosy up on the couch with of an evening with a cup of tea. The setting is fantastic and I love stories centred around small communities where you can really get to know the characters. Astrid isn't immediately likeable as she comes across as snobbish and condescending at times, but as she settles into her new life, she starts to relax and re-evaluate many things and becomes much more relatable and loveable. I always enjoy a good mystery and this one does not disappoint - is it the formidable English Trust who are knocking people off in their own backyards, or, is it someone closer to home? You'll have to read it to find out.
​Throw in an ex-husband arriving at the worst possible time, new friendships, rivalry between the elderly volunteers, and the possibility of a new romance, and Astrid's fresh start has become a lot more complicated than she could ever have imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE TRUST and I cannot wait for more from M.H. Eccleston.A cosy mystery with a wonderful collection of quirky characters, THE TRUST by M.H. Eccleston is an entertaining and enjoyable read from start to finish.

Astrid Swift loves her perfectly ordered life with her perfectly ordered job and her perfectly ordered relationship with her husband (and boss), Simon. But when she accidentally discovers that he has cheated on her with her best friend, she needs to get away from him, and the country house that her Uncle left her in his will, seems like the perfect idea. Except the house is a run-down old houseboat that needs a lot of tlc, and when Astrid walked out on Simon, she also walked out on her career. But luckily for Astrid, the local Trust is looking for an art restorer for the local stately home and as she begins to get to know the locals and even make some friends, things might just be looking up. Until Astrid discovers a dead body on the grounds of Sherborne Hall and realises that the local policeman doesn't seem to be up to scratch to catch the killer. As the bodies begin to pile up, can Astrid uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again or will she become the next victim?

THE TRUST by M.H. Eccleston is the perfect book to cosy up on the couch with of an evening with a cup of tea. The setting is fantastic and I love stories centred around small communities where you can really get to know the characters. Astrid isn't immediately likeable as she comes across as snobbish and condescending at times, but as she settles into her new life, she starts to relax and re-evaluate many things and becomes much more relatable and loveable. I always enjoy a good mystery and this one does not disappoint - is it the formidable English Trust who are knocking people off in their own backyards, or, is it someone closer to home? You'll have to read it to find out.
​Throw in an ex-husband arriving at the worst possible time, new friendships, rivalry between the elderly volunteers, and the possibility of a new romance, and Astrid's fresh start has become a lot more complicated than she could ever have imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE TRUST and I cannot wait for more from M.H. Eccleston.A cosy mystery with a wonderful collection of quirky characters, THE TRUST by M.H. Eccleston is an entertaining and enjoyable read from start to finish.

Astrid Swift loves her perfectly ordered life with her perfectly ordered job and her perfectly ordered relationship with her husband (and boss), Simon. But when she accidentally discovers that he has cheated on her with her best friend, she needs to get away from him, and the country house that her Uncle left her in his will, seems like the perfect idea. Except the house is a run-down old houseboat that needs a lot of tlc, and when Astrid walked out on Simon, she also walked out on her career. But luckily for Astrid, the local Trust is looking for an art restorer for the local stately home and as she begins to get to know the locals and even make some friends, things might just be looking up. Until Astrid discovers a dead body on the grounds of Sherborne Hall and realises that the local policeman doesn't seem to be up to scratch to catch the killer. As the bodies begin to pile up, can Astrid uncover the truth before the murderer strikes again or will she become the next victim?

THE TRUST by M.H. Eccleston is the perfect book to cosy up on the couch with of an evening with a cup of tea. The setting is fantastic and I love stories centred around small communities where you can really get to know the characters. Astrid isn't immediately likeable as she comes across as snobbish and condescending at times, but as she settles into her new life, she starts to relax and re-evaluate many things and becomes much more relatable and loveable. I always enjoy a good mystery and this one does not disappoint - is it the formidable English Trust who are knocking people off in their own backyards, or, is it someone closer to home? You'll have to read it to find out.
​Throw in an ex-husband arriving at the worst possible time, new friendships, rivalry between the elderly volunteers, and the possibility of a new romance, and Astrid's fresh start has become a lot more complicated than she could ever have imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE TRUST and I cannot wait for more from M.H. Eccleston.

Astrid, is living the ‘perfect’ life in London. She lives in an expensive flat, wears a designer wardrobe (there’s a lot of label-name dropping), and a wonderful marriage to the director of the National Gallery (where she works as a conservator). But her great life comes crashing to a halt when she discovers that her husband has been cheating on her… with her best friend.

With her life in shambles, Astrid tries to start over and the perfect excuse comes in the form of an inheritance – apparently her Uncle Henry has left her his property in Dorset. Astrid remembers a nice country house and decides to pack up and begin a new life in Dorset. The only problem is when she arrives – the property turns out to be a houseboat… one that is badly in need of repairs.

Not to be deterred, Astrid finds a job in Dorset with the English Trust – restoring paintings at Sherborne Hall. However, on her first day at work, she not only discovers a valuable painting, she discovers a dead body.

I loved seeing Astrid develop as a character in this book. She starts off as this perfect city girl, moves to a small village and becomes a bit of a snob, and then slowly becomes one of the locals. At the start I wasn’t sure that I would like her as a main character but she really grew on me. I liked that she was plucky and adapted to her new life rather than just give up and wallow in her bad fortune.

“It’s like the mafia with cream teas.” ~ Kath describing the English Trust

Aside from Astrid, I really enjoyed travelling to Dorset and meeting some great new supporting characters, including Astrid’s new best friend, Kath, and the boat restorer Cobb (future love interest?). These new friends become quite loyal to Astrid pretty quickly and it’s obvious that her new life is much more fulfilling than her previous one.

One of the things I enjoy most about cozy mysteries is that they aren’t as dark and gritty as regular murder mysteries or crime thrillers. Sometimes I just want to relax with a good whodunnit and The Trust definitely fits that bill.

The pacing is pretty even throughout the book and kept me turning the pages while the murder mystery itself is believable. As a series starter The Trust does a great job of introducing us to Astrid and her friends while making sure the mystery keeps the action moving along. It’s always a lot of information dumping in the first book but I never felt overwhelmed with info and had a very easy time keeping track of all the new characters I was meeting.

There is a bit of light-hearted humour sprinkled throughout the book, which I also appreciated. It takes a very deft hand to inject laughter into the middle of a mystery story and I always enjoy a cozy mystery more when it’s able to do that in a way that doesn’t seem forced (or turn it into a comedy book).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Trust and I’m very much looking forward to the next adventure with Astrid Swift.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Head of Zeus – an Aries Book, for inviting me to this blog tour and providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I think we are living in a sort of "Golden Age of British Cosy Mystery" after Osman's books.
This is the excellent start of a new series: lovely setting, quirky characters, lots of humour, a solid mystery.
I had a lot of fun in reading this book. I was a bit wary at the beginning as I didn't like Astrid who seemed to be a snob but she grew on me and I appreciated her brain and how she faced the changes in her life.
Kath, Margaret, and Harold are great characters: I loved them as they are quirky, relatable, and fleshed out.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A lovely book in all respects; an entertaining story, interesting characters and a good plotline. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I didn't guess the ending! I will definitely be recommending it to other readers.

‘The English Trust represents all that’s decent about England’ – a quote taken from the opening chapter of ‘The Trust’ – a wonderfully charming and amusing novel set at an ‘English Trust’ property. Well, it’s true, isn’t it? I love a spot of ‘Trust-ing’ whenever the opportunity arises – beautiful, historic properties, knowledgeable staff and volunteers, and treating yourself to a scone and a peek in the gift shop before heading home... or perhaps onto the next property, if you’re like me!

Sadly, for our main character, Astrid Kisner, her first day working for The Trust ends not with a scone or a gift shop memento but a MURDER. Employed by Sherborne Hall to oversee the restoration of artwork chosen to feature in a blockbuster exhibition, conservator Astrid is immediately on the case.

But she’s not working alone; this book is absolutely crammed with larger than life characters. From the Trust volunteers that welcome Astrid into their basement break room, and the eccentric locals down the pub, to the enthusiastic Trust employees and bumbling local Police. There’s even a ruggedly handsome boat builder. But don’t forget, someone in this quiet, rural idyll is a murderer... and the recently uprooted Astrid has plenty of other mysteries to solve in her personal life, too.

This is a really entertaining romp which will have fans of the real ‘Trust’, whether visitors or volunteers, chuckling into their cream teas. The interweaving plots keep the pages turning, and the contrast between Astrid’s life in London and the one in Dorset is done really well, but it truly is the motley crew of characters that shine through in this novel. If I had to level one criticism, it’s that they do seem a little familiar – especially if you have ever watched programmes like ‘Midsomer Murders’ – but the lack of a ‘police procedural’ element and the inclusion and character development of Astrid injects a different, highly enjoyable dynamic. ‘Cosy crime’ at its best.

Many thanks to the publishers, Aries Fiction and Head of Zeus, for the advance copy on which this review is based.