Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker are coming to the end of another busy half term as dinner ladies at Summerview Secondary school. The school is abuzz with chatter about the upcoming break, the local harvest festival, and the fact that maths teacher, Mr Weaver, hasn't turned up to work in days. When the pair embark on an evening walk, they discover Mr Weaver’s body in the woods, with a mysterious symbol painted on the tree beside him. Something suspicious is clearly afoot. As the nights grow darker and the mysterious symbols continue to appear around Dewstow, the Dinner Lady Detectives are pulled deeper into the case. Can they solve the mystery as deceit and chaos reigns, or will their killer pull off another deadly trick? This the 4th in this really delightful cozy series. Fun characters and good mystery.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Book four of The Dinner Lady Detectives Series and Dewstow is giving Midsomer a run for its money with yet another unexplained death the teachers are dropping like flies at Summerview Secondary School making the reader wonder how long until a merger with Itonvale is on the cards! Margery and Clementine are, as usual, right at the heart of things at the bequest of the local constabulary this time. But can they get to the bottom of things before the cloaked and masked gang strike again? I love these characters and stepping into another DLD books us like slipping in a cosy pair of slippers, a onesie and snuggling up on the sofa. The comedy is light, the plot so well thought out it flows effortlessly and the characters could almost pop out of the pages they are so three dimensional. I’m intrigued to see what comes next for the Butcher-Bakers and hope there’s not too long to wait!
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Marjorie and Clementine are an old married couple who have worked as cafeteria dinner ladies for decades. Over the past couple of years, they have found themselves embroiled in the investigation of murders, gaining the infamous moniker 'the Dinner Lady Detectives'. This entire series is the epitome of cozy mystery; Marjorie and Clementine are wonderful women and the entire cast of characters is so lovely and well-meaning. I will continue to return to this series. This was my first journey into the realm of cozy mysteries and I understand the appeal,

This book was great, it felt fresh and not like anything else I've read lately. It kept me intrigued all the way through, I didn't want to put it down.

A lovely cosy read perfect for a rainy day, lose yourself in the 4th instalment of the dinner lady detectives as they solve yet another murder in their usual humorous way

A truly satisfying cozy mystery that I really enjoyed reading through! I loved the Dinner Lady Detectives. The setting and plot were really fun to immerse myself into.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a sweet read, I loved this book it was such a delightful read. I loved the amateur sleuths, they were so funny and entertaining. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4 ⭐️

Margery and Clementine Butcher-Baker discover a body in the woods with a mysterious symbol painted on the tree beside the body. When the symbol keeps appearing around Dewstow, the Dinner Lady Detectives decide to investigate.

I think it would have been good to have a recap at the start of the book with it following on from the events in the previous book, as there were things that felt thrown in there that I didn’t remember reading in the last book and felt like I had to put the pieces together on my own. Margery and Clementine felt weird in this one as it felt like they were swapped, so instead of clementine always wanting to be involved in the police investigation, which didn’t really fit the vibe set in the first three books of this series. I do wish that we got more of a glimpse into the other characters and what their lives are like, as I feel like the majority I only know them because of their career.

However, I did really enjoy the plot of this book. I thought it was really interesting, especially with how the victim was murdered as I feel like I haven’t seen that MO in a murder mystery book before. I liked being reunited with the returning characters and I am interested to learn more about the new voices that showed up in this one.

The ending didn’t lack the punch that I thought it would, as the reveal felt quite mid, like something was missing. I think it’s because of how the reveal is done, as I didn’t feel as shocked as I expected to feel, despite not guessing who the murderer was. After the reveal was done, it felt like a rush to get the end, whereas I think it needed a bit more padding as there were some things that I wish were expanded upon more.

⚠️ CWs: murder, cheating, alcohol use, mentions fire, cursing ⚠️

Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for this eARC!

The Dinner Lady Detectives #4" introduces readers to the fourth instalment in the series, and while the narrative may have dark undertones with occasional touches of gruesomeness that diverge from the typical cosy mystery, it still retains elements of a traditional mystery. The plot, featuring numerous characters and intricate details, can be somewhat convoluted, offering a blend of red herrings and ominous developments. It's noted that having read the previous books in the series would enhance the reader's understanding, suggesting continuity in the storyline and characters.

The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a story I should have loved. Quirky lunch ladies who solve mysteries and work with the local constabulary rather than at cross purposes. They are drawn into a murder when they discover the body of a handsome teacher during a walk through the woods. As they learn more and more about him and his life, they discover nefarious deeds are afoot at their school. Affairs galore, gambling, blackmail or all sorts of other things. The two protagonists and their various cohorts offer that lovely British eccentricity that makes some books so charming.

Why this one failed to resonate with me is baffling. It was not that I disliked it. I just felt a bit empty after reading it. It was neither here nor there. Still, it might be the perfect cup of tea for someone else. Three purrs and two paws up.

Margery and Clementine are back in another entertaining and solid mystery. I had fun, was kept guessing and was glad to catch with this cast of lovely characters
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love this series, and loved the characters. Enjoyed the light hearted ness and the humour within in the characters. Looking forward to the next one in the series.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading all the books in this series so far, I’ve loved all of them but this is by far the best one yet. I was hooked from the moment I started reading. The writing/ plot is similar but there’s definitely a more sinister tone to it. I loved the storyline, the mystery remained a mystery until the big reveal. It was great to read it as it’s set during this time of the year. I have a real soft spot for the dinner lady detectives, they’re so entertaining but they had more of a vulnerability in this story which was refreshing by to read. Overall so enjoyable, full of fun and I absolutely loved it.

I absolutely love this series. I've been reading them since the first book came out and I have loved every word of the 4 books. I think that they keep getting better and better. This was a fast read for me because I was so anxious to get in their world again. This is the perfect cozy mystery series.
I just reviewed A Frightfully Fatal Affair by Hannah Hendy. #AFrightfullyFatalAffair #NetGalley
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This is #4 in the Dinner Lady Detectives series, and unfortunately you do need to have read at least some of the previous books. I have not and there were many places with references I knew I was missing the point of. Otherwise, it seems a bit dark with light touches of gruesome that don't really qualify as a cozy, more of a traditional mystery. There are a lot of characters involved (all new to me), and the plotting is fairly convoluted with lots of red herrings and dark forebodings. The Dining Ladies do not go into this mystery with gusto. Everyone seems fairly miserable throughout, but it all comes out in the end. It's a good mystery puzzle, but not much fun. Disappointed.

The Dinner Lady Detectives are coming up to the end of another term, and all the talk at school is of the upcoming Harvest Festival and why has the maths teacher not turned up. The maths teacher hasn't turned up because he is lying dead the woods but who put there, and is there any connection to the strange symbols that have been appearing all over town. While this is an easy read it does draw you in, although I have to say that given the number of murders connected with the school over the course of the series I am surprised that it is still open.

Margery and Clementine are back with their usual crew of dinner ladies and they are never far from an investigation.
Mr Weaver the maths teacher from Summerview secondary school is missing , and unfortunately is found dead.
Meanwhile mysterious symbols are being daubed around Dewstow are they connected?
The dinner lady detectives waste no time in trying to track down the culprit.
The writing is easy to read and the characters are likeable .
An enjoyable cosy mystery!
This series is getting better with each new book.
Eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo.

This is the best yet of the dinner lady detective series in my opinion. The characters are familiar and we’re back in the school.
The plot is a bit different now that the ladies are helping the police for real. I also love that it’s set during Halloween. It’s gives the book a bit of more mystery.
Once again, I tried my hand at detective work and I was half successful even if it did take me a while to guess the murderer.
All in all, this is a brilliant cozy mystery and I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series!

Absolutely love this author and so enjoy the cozy crimes and capers. Would recommend to anyone and would definitely give a day gift!