Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, I did not know this was the third in a series, though there’s only some personal details missing for each character that I felt like I had to figure them out more than if I had read the first two. This is just an unfortunate circumstance I found myself in, not a negative critique of the book.
Because of that, I didn’t find myself fully involved in each of the characters. I liked them, but I never felt the strong pull towards them if I had possibly read the first two books.

I did find my attention wandering with this book and I feel like it didn’t need to be quite as long as it was. I often got distracted. That being said the mystery was clever and unique and I did enjoy the 3 main characters. I did feel myself wanting more mystery and less cozy. The plot didn’t feel as strong as it could have been.

Book Review 📚
A Clock Stopped Dead by J.M Hall - 4/5 ⭐

A fun-filled and adventurous little mystery! It was thoroughly enjoyable, but I did make the mistake of not knowing there were already 2 books prior to this one.

I think they can easily be read as a standalone the only thing your really missing is some more I'm depth information about the characters.

But nonetheless it was still a great little read. There are some great details and descriptions that make life as a reader so much easier after a long day and struggling to imagine the scene properly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

This was an interesting little mystery. I think it took me a little bit to get into the book and a little longer to understand the characters. I think that could have been addressed if I had read the first two books in this series. There was enough going on where it wasn't obvious where the book was going, so it was a pleasant journey to be on with the characters. I do think I will pick up the first two books to see if that affects how I feel about the characters moving forward.

This is the latest sleuthing adventure for Liz, Pat and Thelma retired school staff who enjoy meeting for coffee at the garden centre and solving crimes in their local neighbourhood. In this adventure, their friend Marguerite, believes she has had a supernatural experience when she chances upon a mysterious charity shop with a stopped clock which subsequently disappears. At the same time a woman driving nearby suffers a fatal accident. The trio are sure that nothing is as it seems and set out to solve the mystery of the vanishing shop. Simultaneously the 3 women are struggling with family issues. These background stories add depth to the plot and make the book more satisfying to read. However, of the 3 novels featuring the trio, this is my least favourite as the plot is not as sound and the denouement is quite weak and predictable. I would recommend reading the books in order to fully enjoy the background stories.

J.M. Hall writes a great mystery overall, it had a fun idea for a mystery. The idea that a entire shop went missing is a scary concept and the characters worked in this universe. I’m glad I got to read this and look forward to more.

This book was an interesting read. I enjoyed that the main characters were older. The way the mystery unwound was engaging. So glad I picked it up.

Retired schoolteachers and amateur sleuths Liz, Pat and Thelma are giving up their coffee morning for a brand-new mystery. The perfect cosy crime story for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman.

This was cute and cozy, just like I expected. It doesn't break any rules or do anything new in the genre, but it is well-done nonetheless.

4.5 stars

A Clock Stopped Dead is the third instalment of the adventures of retired teachers and part-time sleuths Liz, Pat and Thelma. These stories are perfect for readers looking for cosy mysteries filled with small town drama and scandal, with sometimes a little murder thrown in. I have thoroughly enjoyed J. M. Hall's story telling, of which this instalment is no exception. The characters are so ordinary and real I feel like I could bump into them in my local garden centre and there is something so charming about that.

While this is not my favourite of the three, this was a fun story with a unique twisty plot. It was more predictable than the previous books, but the stakes did feel higher and it was entertaining nonetheless.

This is a series that needs to be read in order due to learning about the lives of our amateur sleuths and references to previous books so keep that in mind!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is part of a series, and it would probably be beneficial to read them in order. I haven't read the prior books, and I did find that this book made sense. However, reading the series would give the reader a greater appreciation for the characters, who were distinctly drawn and likeable. Pacing was a bit inconsistent at times. I would've like a bit more to the mystery angle and ending, which made this just an okay read.

I enjoyed this book. It was light and quirky cosy mystery. I haven't read previous books but J.M. Hall but would happily do that.

I have read the previous books in the series and enjoyed them all. On this occasion whilst I liked the characters just as much and their stories the main 'mystery' in this book didn't hold my interest very much, unfortunately I though it dragged.

The writing is still witty, the lives are interesting, mainly because they could be any of us, so you can empathise/sympathise with the main characters, Pat, Liz and Thelma, they have the same issues with family and friends that we can all have.

On the whole it was a good read, but in my personal opinion, not as enjoyable as the previous books.

A book set in the north east! What more could anyone want! The story was well plotted and was thrilling to read. A one sitting book and what’s great about that is the pacing kept the book alive! The characters were well fleshed out and made you feel like you knew them

This book is part of a series, and I remembered these characters, so I enjoyed reading about them again. This book had the comforting cosy mystery feel that I was looking for, and it felt current and relatable. It was entertaining, and I did find it quite humorous.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Was really delighted to be approved to read this before publication.
The book is a really good cozy mystery. Full of coffee, casks and garden centres. It was a lovely twee romp. The story had me guessing until the end. I like the friendships the cattiness, the desperation at some of their kids and husbands choices. The friendships and relationships feel very real. Bring on the next adventure for the ladies!
Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book has really cute, interesting characters with a real cozy feel to it. I hope to read further books in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

3.5 stars/ 5.

This is book 3 in the series, and I do recommend reading the other two before starting this one, just so you can grow to appreciate the characters a bit more! That said, they don't HAVE to be read to read this book.

Each of the three main characters, Thelma, Liz and Pat has their own personality and it's like visiting old friends as you read the next installment in the series.

Pacing for this book was alright, there were a couple lags where I felt nothing was really happening, but then the mystery would pick up and my attention would be grabbed again.

I think this series is perfect for fans of "The Thursday Murder Club" and "The Marlowe" mystery series which are both series I very much enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was excited to receive this ARC for review. I am going to give this a 3.5 rounded up. As others have mentioned, it would be helpful to read the ladies’ first two adventures in order for more context.

Liz, Pat, and Thelma become embroiled in a missing charity shop by their friend Marguerite who may or may not be reliable. As the story unfolds the ladies learn more and more about the family at the center of the mystery.

There are a lot of stories going on here from the central mystery to drama in each of the ladies’ lives that was sometimes a lot to keep straight. Also, within chapter breaks are difficult to discern with the ARC so I had to keep going back to try and understand where the shift happened.

I enjoyed the writing enough that I would like to have a go at the other two stories. This story may have been a bit overly long, but it was interesting and a really fun weekend read. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an introduction to another great series.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
The very definition of a cozy mystery; in the Richard Osman vein of older people solving crimes. I hadn’t realised this was the third of a series when I began, although it didn’t seem to make too much difference - any reference to previous antics were explained or didn’t impact greatly on the plot.
For me, this one seemed to have a little too much book for the actual plot it contained. The main characters are often mentioning or revisiting the same as-yet-unresolved issues, without making too much headway on them until quite late in the book.
I’m sure a lot of people will really enjoy this book and it’s predecessors, for me it was a little too cozy and I wanted a little more mystery and edge.
I did notice quite a lot of spelling errors and grammatical mistakes; as this is an advance reading proof I assume these will be corrected before it’s published properly.

It was a rather enjoyable read. The plot is quite interesting and has some elements of paranormal, which made the plot even more engaging. The characters are agreeable even though I did not personally connect with them. I did not know that it was a book in a series, but I will most likely read the previous books soon. This third book made me want to read its predecessors.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This third book in the series doesn’t disappoint, it was like meeting up with old friends! (Though it could also be read a s a stand alone book). As I retired teacher myself, I really identify with Pat, Liz and Thelma. I love how they compare current situations and conversations with past classroom scenarios. I also empathise with their concerns about children and grandchildren. The story is well paced and takes some unexpected twists and turns along the way. I heartily recommend this book and am eagerly awaiting the next volume in the series.