A mystery within a mystery. Murder revolving around a fairy tale, lies, deceipt humour and more. Likeable characters and a good story line with twists. I enjoyed it and would read more of Ben and Milla. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ben Taylor is driving home at night in a pouring rain when he almost hits a young woman, Milla Graham, walking down the center of the road. With the road ultimately blocked by the storm both ahead of them and behind them Ben reluctantly lets her sleep on the couch in his cottage. In the morning she is gone and Ben is called to a murder in an abandoned manor where the victim is initially identified as Milla, but it is not her. Milla has returned to Raven’s Edge to find the answer to who murdered her mother eighteen years earlier. As Ben investigates the current murder and Milla delves into her mother’s death it increasingly becomes apparent the two are related and that Milla is likely to be either the current murderer or the next victim.
This was a quick read, the action moves along at a good pace, the characters are interesting and, while the murderer was who I expected it to be fairly early on the whole scenario is well plotted. I look forward to the second book in this series to see where all our characters go next. Recommended

Raven's Edge is a picture-perfect example of the ideal gothic novel village. The place is literally brimming with witches, ghosts, highwaymen and other creepy characters. The town's Detective Inspector Ben Taylor has his hands full with them, Until one night when he is driving home in very bad weather that equals his bad temper he literally bumps into Milla Graham, short for Camilla, and invites her into his house because the roads are blocked. But is Camilla/Milla really who she says she is? Next morning his nocturnal visitor is gone, as are some of his possessions and about a hundred pounds.

But it certainly isn't the last Ben sees of Milla. Soon a body turns up in an abandoned manor house on the edge of the forest. The murder scene closely resembles a much older murder in which the victim was... Milla's mother. That is, if Milla really is Camilla Graham, or is she actually Camilla's niece?

I loved the quaint village, the sometimes eccentric characters and the interesting plot twists but in the and I found that there were also a couple of loose ends to the story that really should have been dealt with better. Well, maybe there will be some explanations in the next episode because I noticed that there already is a second book in this series.
Benefit of the doubt, so 4 stars

I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed for Netgalley.
First, I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery of Murder at Raven's Edge, for we had a mystery within a mystery and it was very cleverly done. The ongoing theme: is Milla Graham really Milla Graham or not? Several years ago there was a fire with the death of an adult and some children - only the adult was murdered before the fire started. Someone has been convicted for the foul deed but did he do it or not? The repercussions are still reeling in and around the picture-perfect village of Raven's Edge. But then a young woman turns up claiming to be one of the dead children.

From here, the plot gets complicated with many tangled twists and turns, complicated by our hero detective, Ben Taylor, realising that he's falling in love with Milla (who might or might not be the assumed dead Camilla.)

The red herrings were well done, the plot moved at a good pace - I changed my mind several times about what the truth was or wasn't. (I ended up wrong.) So for that part I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

But (you knew there was going to be a but...) Even though I enjoyed the read, I'm still confused. (And reading some of the other reviews on Goodreads etc., I'm relieved that I'm not the only confused reader.) My main confusion, though, is because this is a series and I'm well and truly muddled about which plot belongs to which book. I think the descriptive blurbs for each could be clearer - this one for instance would be clearer as: 'When the woman claiming to be Milla Graham turns up..."

Book Two, Murder at Ravenswood House the blurb states: "Still reeling from her recent breakup with local police officer Ben Taylor..." Yet the book starts with their relationship intact. (So my first thought: 'Oops, have I missed an episode somewhere?') Confusing? So maybe something like: "when the discovery of a murder causes the breakup..." would be clearer and less confusing.

But my main confusion came because of a completely different book connected to the series, which I read first: Something Wicked: A romantic mystery with a supernatural twist, this one I also thoroughly enjoyed, but is the cause of my confusion because it's set in the same village, with similar characters and a very similar opening. (Woman in road nearly gets killed, meets the detective by chance...) I went back and forth with Murder at Raven's Edge a couple of times thinking 'Hang on, have I already read this one or not?' Then I started wondering, is this the same village/place/author?

These books are all standalone, but there are some loose ends in Murder at Raven's Edge: why didn't the police know that one of their officers used to babysit the children - surely a huge conflict of interest during a new investigation? And why was the murdered woman in this story murdered? (Nor did I consider her 'local' as in the blurb.) How did the murderer get hold of the dress? In such a small village the apparently unlived in cottage would have been well known about - so who did live there, or at least keep the cobwebs at bay? Who was the policeman outside who let Milla sneak off? Loose ends or did I miss something? And Ben's background? This is another puzzle not yet revealed? I guess we'll find out in the next book Murder at Ravenswood House?

But, (yes, another but! :-) despite my comments and continuing confusion I did enjoy these mysteries, and look forward to the series continuing.

Sadly this book wasn't for me. I did not gel with the main character and ended up not finishing.

A fun premise and I'll look out for other books by the author.

Thank you for the arc.

Murder at Raven’s Edge has an intriguing start with the two leads meeting in a rainstorm. Ben and Milla are not off to a good start as he rescues her and she “borrows “ money from him. The next day a body is found in the same manner and place as a previous murder 18 years before.
The author has written a very interesting story and I wanted to know what happened. The story flowed very well even though it switched between the past and the present.
This is the first book in the English Village Mystery Book. I look forward to reading more.

kMurder at Raven's Edge is the first of the English Coz series. The place takes place in the town of Raven's Edge. Ben Taylor is on his way home in a heavy rain storm. He had gone to visit her daughter but his ex-wife wouldn't let him take his daughter, Sophie, home with him. He had taken the week off so that he could have time with his daughter, He was having a hard time seeing out his windshield and hit a woman he didn't see in the rain. He got out to check on her and she said "You hit me". He went back to his car to get something and when he returned she had disappeared. When he got back in the car he found her sitting in it. He asked her what her name was and she said Camilla (Milla) Graham. He took her home with him. Across from his cottage he slided and went into a ditch because Milla had grabbed the steering wheel. The road was flooded. They went into his house. He gave her the couch and went to bed. Upon waking the next morning he found that Mlla had taken his money and left an IOU. She had called a cab and left.

Detective Sergeant Harriet March lived in a 500 year old half-timber house over a florist shop on Main street. Her mother lived over her clothing store and did not understand why her daughter was a detective sergeant. She worked with Ben, also with the police, as Ben was suppose to be off for the week and she was left incharge.

She found out that Ben had come home and his car was in a ditch across from his cottage. She went to get him as there had been a robberly of a necklace and a body was found at Kings Rest The Grim house a burnt out mansion in the middle of the woods. Their boss, DCI Doug Cameron made Ben incharge of the murder. Lydia Cavill was the first on the scene. She is from the Calahurt's station.

After arriving there Ben asked Harriet about the people who lived in the mansion when Henry Graham, publisher of Graham Publishing Company. They published children's books and were known for their fairy stories. When he died the company went to his two sons, Patrick and Dermot. Patrick was giving a birthday party for his 6 year old daughter but had a fight with his wife. The next day there was a fire and all was killed except for Patrick. His wife and children. He was found guilty and sent to prison.

When Ben and Harriet went into the remains of the mansion they found a staged bedroom of the mansion. The victim lay in a four poster bed that was draped with red brocade and adorned with petals. The victim lay on her back with her arms crossed clutching a beautiful leather bound book on her chest. Ben knew the book. She was dressed in an evening gown. Ben also thought that he had seen the dress before but couldn't remember where. Ben asked the victim's name Camilla (Milla) Graham. Ben said it wasn't her as she didn't look like an 18 year old.

Milla was sitting in a pub in Norchester Cathedral unaware she was suppose to be dead. She was there to meet Mal Graham, managing director of Graham Media. It had been 18 years since she saw him. He came into the pub and went and sat across from her. He asked her who she was as his sister was dead. She told him that she was Milla Graham and had documents to prove it. She had been brought up by foster parents. To her surprise he put a card on the table and told her to come for dinner at the family's home Hartfell. He told her to use the name Camilla.

This is where the story takes off but there is too much to put on paper. I found that the book holds the reader's attention. I will let the reader enjoy the twists and turns of the story to the exciting ending. I enjoyed the book and look forward to the second in the series, Mystery of Raven's Edge with Milla, Ben and Harriet.

Thank you NetGalley an Storm Publishing for this ARC.

British Cozy-ish Mystery featuring a music journalist who's return to her childhood English village turns deadly when a new murder mirrors her mother's unsolved cold case.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in Marley's English Village Mystery series, which is a British Cozy-ish Mystery that features a music journalist who's return to her childhood English village takes a dark turn when the body of a local woman's discovered in an abandoned manor house and the crime scene's chilling close to her mother's eighteen years old unsolved murder. With plenty of twists and turns, Marley has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects, clues and red herrings and will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Marley manages to mix the new murder investigation with the cold case effortlessly. I really liked the addition of the fairy tale elements, it adds a nice Gothic edge. Told in multiple POVs and utilizing flashbacks, Marley's writing and character work is great; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. The main POVs are Milla and Ben, a local policeman, with additional POVs added in the present, Ben's co-worker Harriet, and in flashback to fill out the plot. Milla's lead a tough life and has built up very tall walls. But while working with Ben to solve the cases she begins to open up. Sensitive topics are discussed, take care and check the CWs. A nice start to a new series.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This was a slow burn for me. I struggled to get through it. Part of the reason may be because I couldn't connect with the main character. I just didn't really care for her. I still enjoyed parts of the story.

A fun English cozy with a very twisty plot. A woman claiming to be Milla Graham, arrives at Ravens Edge after eighteen years away. She is determined to unravel the secrets of the past in order to solve her mother's murder, which is eerily similar to a recent murder of a local woman. This book had plenty of intrigue, numerous suspects, a little romance, and a sprinkling of humor throughout.

Raven's Edge is a small village home to the wealthy Graham family. Shortly after Milla Graham returns after the majority of her childhood and teen years away, a woman is discovered murdered... in a chilling fashion reminiscent of her own mother's unsolved death. Stubborn Milla insists on investigating on her own, which leads her to interact with the local investigator, Ben Taylor. And when another death is discovered, nearly everyone becomes a suspect.

At first it was a bit of a challenge to keep up with the characters, but once I worked it out, it was a good, cozy mystery story. Milla is one of those characters your somewhat dislike, but seem to still root for her anyway. And DI Taylor makes some seriously questionable decisions, but I found myself rooting for him as well.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Louise Marley for the ARC.

Lots of family drama, murder and mystery.

A bit of a slow start, mainly due to a complex family tree that I'm not sure I wrapped my head around until about 70% through the book.

I will read book 2, hopefully it's easier to follow after this one.

3.5/5

Raven's Edge is a typical English village for the setting of a cozy mystery. Milla (Camilla) Graham returns to this spot after 18 years, and it is the scene of the murder of her mother some years ago. Soon enough, there is another body found, and Milla is considered by some to be guilty of this murder. Milla is a quixotic and entertaining young woman who, it turns out, has been followed for 20 years by some of her family just to be kept track of in case she disappears. The number of familial characters and their relationships are occasionally confusing to the reader, and the burgeoning relationship between Milla and Inspector Ben Taylor of the local police adds occasional humor and romance to the plot. Soon, another body is discovered, and Ben and Milla and Harriet, also of the force, put their thoughts and ideas together in order to ascertain who the killer might be.

Louise Marley, the author, promises a follow-on book that will incorporate the same characters as they follow and investigate the mysteries of Raven's Edge. Having been taken in by book one, I will certainly want to read the next installment of this series.

Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this engaging book with its myriad charming and not so charming characters.

“I know something you do not know.”

“What’s that?”

“I am not left-handed.”

“There’s something I ought to tell you. I’m not left-handed either.”
This sleight of hand scene from The Princess Bride ran through my head when reading Murder at Raven’s Edge, arguably one of the more confusing books I’ve read in quite a long time.

This book and I started off on the wrong foot, because I couldn’t stand the lead character, Milla, from her appearance within the first few pages. She was rude, childish, and a habitual liar, none of which I find charming. I couldn’t for the life of me fathom what DI Ben Taylor was seemingly instantly attracted to in her, to the point of putting his career on the line for her repeatedly. The complicated Graham family web of secrets and the confusion of who’s who and who did what was both frustrating yet made for mildly addictive reading. Despite loose ends that were not satisfactorily resolved and implausibilities, I did want to figure out what exactly was going on so it wasn’t a total loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Mystery and intrigue...a set of characters who would be fun to watch on a television series...a talented author has written a cannot put down story... This book reads like nonfiction, at times, but is totally fiction. Thanks Netgalley.

Thoroughly enjoyable read, all based partly around fairy tales and children's stories. Milla Graham returns to her childhood home after 18 years; meanwhile inspector Ben Graham has a case which may be linked to the death of Milla's mother, Rosemary. Just when you think you've worked it out, or you've decided who to trust, there's another twist! Lots of secrets, and who's telling the truth and who's not? Cracking pace, good cast, fabulous setting, and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

Laced With Humour..
The first outing in the English Village Mystery Series and Milla Graham has made a return to her childhood village of Raven’s Edge. She finds things much unchanged - but are things really as they seem? When a death is discovered which bears a startling resemblance to one from the past, events take an odd turn. Local policeman, Ben Taylor, does not believe in coincidences - he also finds Milla less than trustworthy - but then .. another body is discovered.. An enjoyable and entertaining cosy mystery with a deftly drawn and credible cast, an atmospheric and well imagined backdrop and a narrative amply laced with gentle humour. A promising start to a new series,

This was a strong start to the English Village Mystery series, it had everything that I was looking for and enjoyed from the mystery genre. The characters were what I wanted from this type of book and enjoyed the concept of the story. It had everything that I was looking for from a murder mystery and the characters were wonderfully done. I'm excited to read where this series will go and enjoyed what I read. Louise Marley wrote this perfectly and I can't wait for more.

Murder at Raven’s Edge is a modern Gothic tale. Milla (or is she Kiran) has come back to confront her family years after the tragic death of her mother and siblings. Her life is soon twisted up with Ben, a police detective who risks his career for her.
I had a difficult time connecting with this story, but it did help feel as Milla and Ben often felt…confused and grasping for the truth. Who is the villain of the story? And where does Milla fit in?
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.

A murder mystery with plenty of twists to get this series off to a good start. It starts with a murder in an abandoned, burnt out mansion but the murder is intricately entwined with a murder that occurred 18 years before. It did get a little confusing at times trying to figure out who did what, but it was an overall good read. I look forward to seeing how Ben and Milla's characters develop in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.