Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this cozy mystery.

This is the second book in the Julia Bird series. She has settled well into her home in Berrywick and even has developed a relationship with the village doctor. She and the doctor attend a talk by a well know author of historical novels at the library where her friend Tabitha is moderating. Vincent Andrews is a handsome middle aged man who is charming to the fans attending and answers their numerous questions. His wife and her mother are in attendance among the crowd. Julia assists Tabitha in the cleanup the next morning - washing glasses and plates, and then replacing the furniture, when Julia makes a grim discovery - Vincent dead behind a bookshelf. He had been stabbed in the neck. Julia decides she must help the police discover who the killer is.

I enjoy the character of Julia Bird. She a retired, sixty-ish woman who lives alone and has a comfortable life with her chocolate lab Jake and her six hens providing her breakfast daily. She's making friends and has a busy social life. I want to read more books about her.

I am enjoying this English cozy mystery series so much! A body is found in the library the morning after an author event in Berrywick in the Ccltswolds, the small village and home of Julia Bird. The body of local author, VF Andrews is found by Julia as she is helping her friend and librarian Tabitha clean up after the event. He has been stabbed. Shock goes through the village when Vincent's body is found. Who would have killed the popular and handsome author? Julia is finding that a quiet life in the country after her divorce and career in London ends is not really quiet. She and her new Chocolate Lab, Jake, are active with walks, caring for her chickens, her volunteer day at a charity shop, and time spent with her new friend, Dr. Sean O'Connor. Sean's cousin Sarah is married to Vincent and the prime suspect, so Sean asks Julie to help find the real killer. Detective Inspector Hayley Gibson and friend of a sort and allows some help from Julia but no interference. I enjoyed watching the unraveling of the mystery as different suspects are investigated methodically and thought out. This is a refreshing series where the unexpected things happen with unexpected people in a small village setting where everyone knows each other. This one has twists and turns with some big surprises before it is solved. Great cozy with mystery, suspense, and a touch of a budding romance.
I received a complimentary copy from Bookouture and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are mine only.

3.7 Stars

One Liner: Entertaining

Julia Bird is settling down in Berrywick with Jake, her adorable chocolate-colored lab, and half a dozen chickens. Her routine is set until she discovers another dead body.
Famous author Vincent Andrews charms the townsfolk during his meet of the next book’s release. The meet and greet is a great success, or so it seems until his body is found in the same library where the event occurred.
Julia tries not to get involved but can’t help it. She decides to do her bit and help DI Hayley catch the real culprit. As Julia digs further, the truth of Vincent’s real life unravels (with a bunch of lies and contradictions). Can she separate facts from fiction and identify the killer before another dead body turns up?
The story comes in the limited third-person POV of Julia Bird.

My Observations:
The second book in the series can be read as a standalone. It has recurring characters that add to the charm and annoy you by creating new hurdles.
The book is just the right light (250+ pages) and a quick read. It tends to go this way and that once in a while but gets back on track to keep the momentum going.
Julia Bird’s character is shaping up very well. She’s investigating more openly now. It’ll be fun to see what happens in the future books. Jake is growing up, too but is as naughty as before (his sloppiness makes him even more adorable).
I like the relationship strengthening between DI Hayley and Julia. Though I’ll admit I want Hayley to do a little more (even if Julia is the leading sleuth of the series and is not as busy as the detective).
The case of the writer’s murder was decent, with some twists thrown in and revealed in stages in the last quarter of the book. It wasn’t hard to figure out (which I don’t mind anyway).
There’s a development in the personal track (the Julia- Sean track), which is quite endearing. I hope there won’t be any clichéd tropes in the coming books.

To summarize, Murder in the Library is a promising continuation of the series. It’s a light cozy mystery with minimum dangers. Pick it up when you want something quick and easy to read.
Thank you, NetGalley and Jess from Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

There's something quite comforting and satisfying about a good murder mystery such as Murder in the Library. It seems odd to suggest that there could be anything in any way pleasant about somebody dying, but there is.
In this second Julia Bird book, Julia manages to stumble across yet another dead body and also manages to involve herself in an investigation in a way that no one would ever be able to in real life. I think that it is in part, this suspension of belief for the way that things play out, that makes the book so satisfying. You know that it would be nothing like this in real life, so it becomes a simple puzzle to solve.
In this case, I did actually manage to get to the bottom of what was going on long before Julia or the police (who it has to be said are particularly inept and clueless) did. Who cares though? As I said, this was a really enjoyable read and one that I really got into. I'm sure that we'll be returning to Julia, Jake her dog and her other local companions before long and I for one am really looking forward to it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Murder in the Library is set in the Cotswolds and follows Julia Bird in her adventure to solve a murder. This novel took some time to pick up the pace, but after about 70% through the book, the twists and turns really start to unfold. This was one of the first mystery novels that I've read that follows an older main character, which I found to be pleasantly different! This novel is a great choice for a light mystery read!
Thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I like English country villages. They are picturesque, many have charming or quaint shops and lovely coffee shops selling to die for cakes and the like. Not that I think the phrase ‘to die for’ is one I would bandy around if I was visiting a town like Berrywick as they have had more than there fair share of death on the doorstep or, in this case, behind the well stacked library shelves. This time around it is local born celebrity novelist, Vincent Andrews who meets an untimely demise, as discovered by our favourite amateur sleuth, Julia Bird and her best friend Tabitha in the clean up following his appearance at a specially organised author talk.



Actually, I’m not sure if the bad luck charm is Berrywick or Julia herself, a woman with a rather Miss Marple like​ habit of finding herself in the middle of murder investigations. Much like St Mary Mead’s most infamous resident, Julia also manages to ingratiate herself with the local Detective charged with the case, being equal parts irritating and a source of very useful information, having a vested interest in solving the case given that it is her almost partners family who are in the spotlight.



I really like Julia. She is a smart and savvy woman whose simple existence, an almost ‘Good Life’ tribute with chickens, home grown veggies and wayward dog Jake, belies the keen intuition that she always manages to show. A former social worker she has experience of the law, knows how to spot a wrong ‘un, but isn’t beyond making the odd mistake. She is perhaps a little more blatant about her ‘snooping’ than Miss Marple would have been, more open in her observations of others, if a little underhand in her methods os obtaining evidence, but she is a thoroughly likeable character and her relationship with Sean and friendship with Tabitha always bring a smile to my face. The banter and back and forth between Julia and DI Hayley Gibson is a source of amusement too, Hayley accepting of Julia in a begrudgingly Japp to Piorot kind of way.



This is a wonderfully plotted mystery, the killer hiding in plain sight but the motives and the truth of the story remaining anything but obvious. The narrative twists and turns with various suspects falling in and out of favour and motives being cast around like vegetable peelings to Julia’s chickens. I was completely hooked to the story, trying to work out who might has done it as each likely suspect is excluded for various reasons and surprises in the story throw any viable solution right out of the window.



If you like a fun, fresh, witty and mystery laden cosy crime story, then you really do need to read these books. They’re fab stories, with wonderful characters and a colourful and vivid setting that I’d still be willing to visit, in spite of the rate of attrition for people in the vicinity … Recommended for anyone who likes their crime stories on the lighter side.

Murder in the Library (Julia Bird Mysteries Book 2) by Katie Gayle has such a wonderful and charming atmosphere and really transports the reader to the location and inside the scenes. As the synopsis states, Julia Bird’s picturesque Cotswolds life is everything she’d dreamed of. Until, that is, she discovers a dead body in the library… Murder in the Library is a nice cozy mystery. I liked getting to know the characters, and each one was believable and likable. The story had some good twists and turns to get to the ultimate reveal of the culprit. The story was fairly fast-paced and a quick read.

I would recommend Murder in the Library and would recommend reading this author. A very pleasant cozy with a charming setting and a good read. A solid 4 out of 5 stars.

#MurderintheLibraryJuliaBirdMysteriesBook2 #NetGalley @bookouture

Once again, Julia Bird finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when a famous author turns up murdered after an appearance at the local library and she is the one to find the body. Unable to help herself, Julia follows the clues until the mystery unravels itself and she has discovered the killer.

Murder in the Library is the second mystery in the Julia Bird Mysteries series and a good cozy mystery. I have read both books in this series and have really come to love the characters in Berrywick. Julia is so likable and I really enjoy following her as she uncovers the mystery. I enjoyed the first in this series and was definitely not disappointed in this second installation. I am really looking forward to seeing what else Katie Gayle has in store for Julia and the reader. I would definitely recommend this series to cozy mystery fans, I found it hard to put down and easy to read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

Set in the English countryside, the reader finds retired social worker, Julia Bird, volunteering at the local library for an author event. When an author is found murdered in the library after a book signing, Julia's sleuthing skills kick into gear. At times, the story moved a bit slowly for me. Characters were somewhat predictable for an English village--the gossipers, the cook at the local restaurant, the librarian, and the local women police person. The culprit is found after a few twists and turns due to Julia's attention to detail. If you throw in village life and a bit of romance between Julia and the doctor, it is a good, fast read.

Another great read in this series. Julia, as always, is curious and insightful, and she uses her strengths to help figure out who killed the author after his appearance at the library. This is a quick and captivating cozy mystery, with characters that are relatable and believable . Recommend this book and series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this. The story is fast-paced and interesting and the main character is very likeable :) Plus the combination of a murder and a library is always a hit. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

3.75 stars

Retired social worker Julia Bird has moved to the Cotswolds and is enjoying life -- gardening, walking her energetic puppy, volunteering. It's a peaceful existence, except for the occasional dead body she stumbles across.

This time out she is helping her best friend clean up after a library author appearance when they find the author, stabbed to death, under a table. Was it his wife? A local resident unhappy about being included in his book? Someone from the publishing company?

Julia's prospective boyfriend, the local doctor, is related to the author's wife and asks for help in solving the mystery. These are pleasant and readable cozies with nicely drawn characters and an interesting setting. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Julia is a retired social worker who moved to the small village of Berrywick in the Cotswolds after her husband fell in love with another man. Her main goal in moving there was to live out her retirement in a calming slow paced environment, taking walks with her dog, visiting friends, and slowly getting closer to Sean; however, nothing ever goes as planned and Julia stumbles upon a dead body in the library the night after a book signing.

This book was described as a cozy mystery and that couldn’t be more true. It had the murder & suspense but never in that anxiety provoking way that most mysteries tend toward. The relationship between Julia & Hayley (the Detective Inspector) of the murder case is one of mutual respect, with a slight tinge of annoyance on Hayley’s side which is perfectly understandable when someone other than the police is constantly coming up with theories & getting evidence that would most likely not be admissible. I also enjoyed reading about the progression (while SLOW) of Julia & Sean’s relationship.

Overall, I thought this was a super fun and fast read that kept you guessing and wondering what the outcome was going to be. My main reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 was because I felt like there should have been more about Julia & Sean’s relationship, especially his connection with the victim. You could tell that they had a real connection but in my opinion it wasn’t explored/given the attention that it deserved. Other than that, the story & writing were really good and definitely the type of book that would be perfect on a cold night snuggled up by a fireplace. #MurderintheLibraryJuliaBirdMysteriesBook2

*Thank you #Netgalley for my ARC for my honest opinion

This was a fun murder mystery that I just sat down and read in one go. Julia Bird is a recently retired social worker who has moved to Berryfield to make a fresh start. However, she just seems to keep falling over dead bodies. Discovering a murder victim behind the book shelves of the library leads Julia into her second murder investigation. Although this is the second book in this series, it works perfectly well as a standalone.
Julia is a likeable character and the addition of Jake the Labrador adds some light notes to the story. I like the other characters in the village especially Julia’s friend Tabitha and her fellow workers at the charity shop. The shop, library and the local café provide the settings for a lot of the action and you get a real feel for the life of the village. I also like Julia’s relationship with the local police officer, Hayley. I have no idea whether the police would be this happy to work with a member of the public but I think that all books in this genre require a certain suspension of disbelief.
The mystery was interesting and well plotted. Even though I had worked out part of the plot fairly quickly, the actual solution was still a surprise.
This is a good addition to what is admittedly quite a crowded genre.
Thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Body…In The Library..?
The second in the Julia Bird mystery series set in a delightful village nestled in the Cotswolds. Julia has arrived seeking a new start, recently single and retired, but what she did not expect was amateur sleuthing. Julia has now joined the local library where a dashing and celebrated author is soon to give a talk. The talk does not go to plan but no one could have anticipated a body…in the library! Julia is soon on the case but murder is never far away. With a plethora of both suspects and clues, not to mention red herrings, Julia has her work cut out once again. Wholly enjoyable and entertaining with a likeable protagonist in Julia and a supporting cast of colourful characters in a perfectly crafted backdrop.

I'm really loving this series I love the very likable Julia and her partner in crime Jake! This is such a cute cozy but with a great mystery in each installment i cant wait for more books in this series! Perfect book to curl up and read!

Many thanks to #netgalley and #bookoture for allowing me this ARC to read and review

I will be posting my review to the Facebook group I created in the near future
@DOMESTIC THRILLER READERS BOOK CLUB

I really enjoy this series so far. This book involves a smarmy male author who's killed after a reading and Q&A at a library. Libraries and murders--yes! I love Julia and the weight of credibility that her former career as a social worker gives her. This makes her curiosity and insight and deductions feel more realistic. It's a fast read, well-written read, and I'm looking forward to the next one!

<spoiler>SPOILER alert: I think it's obvious from fairly early in the book that Vincent didn't write his books. And the reliance on that trope in mysteries about writers is really the only gripe I have about this book.</spoiler>

I am really enjoying this series and Julie is a great character. Looking forward to more in the series.📖📖

Fast paced fun read! The story flows smoothly. The main character, Julia Bird, is a retired social worker who has moved after her divorce. Lots of great characters that add depth to the story. Will be reading more of this Author! Thanks #netgalley and #Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Julia is settling into life in Berrywick and joins the library to be more involved in local activities. During her first official activity as a library member, the author of a reading she attended shares snippets from his next book. The details sound an awful lot like their town and soon attendees are shocked since things may sound a little too close to home for them. With the promise of secrets to be revealed, it’s no surprise that the author is found dead in the library.

So much for a quiet retirement. With so many people upset by the reading, Julia has a slew of suspects as she and Jake try to find out who was threatened enough by the secrets to be revealed to kill the author.

Each book in this British Cozy is as good as the one before it! I really like the protagonist and her four legged sidekick Jake. Murder, intrigue and red herrings will keep you glued to the seat as you get further into the mystery and try solving it alongside Julia and Jake.