You can’t go wrong with cozy mystery’s it’s so much fun to read them and enjoy the simple who done it with less gross scenes. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Madrigals and Mayhem is the fourth Cambridge Bookshop cozy by Elizabeth Penney. Released 26th Nov 2024 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in mass market paperback (library), audio, and ebook formats. Regular retail paperback due out from the same publisher in Feb 2025. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is a fun and engaging bookstore cozy set in Cambridge (England). This installment follows on from the earlier books, though it can be read as a standalone with the understanding that some character development and interrelationships will be slightly spoiled if read out of order. The characters are a mix of well rendered (protagonist Molly) and quirkily outlandish (most of the secondary characters). Some of the plot developments in the early part of the book were a bit over-the-top, but probably not too outlandish given the genre setting and characters.

The book's admittedly formulaic, but it is quite well written and fun and full of the whimsical amateur cozy vibe which keeps readers of the genre ticking over the pages. Molly's enthusiasm and honesty are appealing and well done. There were a few twists on the way, and cozy readers will enjoy the ending. There are tie-ins and title name-drops to antique toys and books, and readers who enjoy those hobbies will find a lot to like here.

Four stars, entertaining and full of whimsy. Fans of Ellie Alexander, Kate Carlisle, Laura Child, et. al. will be right at home. With four books extant in the series, and a fifth due out 4th quarter 2025, this would also make a nice binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Molly Kimball is excited to celebrate her first English Christmas and explore Cambridge's newly opened toy shop operated by Charlotte Pemberly. Unfortunately, Charlotte faces one challenge after the other. Her relative is poisoned, her shop is ransacked and her valuable inheritance, a Madame Alexander doll, is missing. Molly and friends seek to help Charlotte solve all of these crimes and clear her name while preparing for the town's holiday madrigals performance and their own personal holiday celebrations.
I like the bookstore setting and the cats! And Molly and her family drink a lot of tea!
I couldn't really get into the story, though. The flow felt choppy with multiple plot lines. There's a mean family member, stolen doll, murder, mayhem, romance, and holiday celebrations. At times, all these details were hard to follow, and I felt like I was getting whiplash as the book moved between plots.
Although this cozy mystery wasn't my favorite in the series, I will keep reading about Molly and the bookstore because I do like the setting.

I do enjoy this series with transplants Molly and her mother helping her aunt run the Thomas Marlowe bookshop that has been in the family for four centuries. Family. That is at the centre of this story and despite the one member of Molly’s who is a handful, it is nothing to compare with the family of Molly’s new friend Charlotte. She is reopening the toy store across the way from the bookshop. She has inherited the store and everything else from her recently deceased grandfather. But his estranged wife and her family are not happy with this. They believe Charlotte has robbed them of what should have been theirs.

But things become deadly serious when one of the step-relatives breaks into the store and eats poisoned cakes. There is an obvious attempt to cast suspicion on Charlotte that is only the beginning of the campaign to cause her problems. There is a second poisoning of a friend of Barnaby, the cake eater. There is a spider spinning a dangerous web and will stop at nothing to get the desired results. The more Molly gets involved, the more twists and turns she discovers. Either there is a lot of coincidences or there is a mastermind behind it all.

Set at Christmas time, one can feel the atmosphere of seasonal Cambridge. It oozes with charm. Five purrs and two paws up.

This was a wonderful Christmas cozy mystery! I have read all the books in the Cambridge bookshop series and continue to enjoy the characters and traveling to England in each installment.

Top Pick - 4.5 Stars

This year will be Molly Kimball’s first English Christmas since she and her mother moved from Vermont to Cambridge. They both love their new life in England, where they help Molly’s great-aunt run the family bookstore. Molly gets involved in an attempted murder case when a new friend is being framed for trying to kill a disgruntled relative. Molly is determined to help Charlotte clear her name and solve another mystery at the same time.

This is the fourth book in the Cambridge Bookshop series, but the first one I’ve read. I had no problems getting to know and like the main characters. It’s wonderful how well Molly, her mother, and her aunt all get along, in the bookstore and at home. I also liked Molly’s relationship with her boyfriend, Kieran Scott. It was romantic, and I could feel the chemistry between them.

When it comes to the “mystery” part of the book, Molly goes all in to prove Charlotte, who just took over her grandfather’s toy shop, isn’t a killer. The investigation is intriguing and sometimes sad. I enjoyed the treasure hunt for a valuable doll using clues that Charlotte’s grandfather left for her. There is also a charming children’s story about a magic dollhouse included in the book that fits in well with the main plot.

The solution to the various crimes occurring in the story wasn’t a shock to me, but I still found the book to be engaging, with a nice, cozy holiday feel. The themes of family, friendship, and new beginnings come together for a heartwarming ending. New and returning readers will equally enjoy this book and I will be on the lookout for more books in this series.

~ Christine

MADRIGALS AND MAYHEM by Elizabeth Penney
The Fourth Cambridge Bookshop Mystery

Molly Kimball is happily settling into life in Cambridge. A close set of friends, including a wonderful boyfriend, makes everything better and she's eagerly awaiting her first Christmas in England. As she, her aunt, and mother begin to deck out Marlowe - Manuscripts and Folios for the holidays the trio are delighted to see life in the toy shop across the way. Charlotte Pemberly is preparing to reopen the shop she inherited from her grandfather. Unfortunately, a very expensive doll is missing and Charlotte thinks her grandfather's new family is trying to steal it away from her. Add a break in and a poisoning and Molly is certain that Charlotte needs help. But is she truly an innocent victim? With a clear head and good friends by her side Molly will do what she can to uncover the truth and have a very happy Christmas!

I love the holiday season and really enjoy books set at this magical time. Adding a bookshop, a toy store, and a great group of friends increases that pleasure and setting it in England makes it even better. The characters in the Cambridge Bookshop series are a delight. They are people who really enjoy each other's company. They support and love each other bringing warmth even on a cold winter night. I like that Molly is eager to make a new friend, but doesn't blindly jump in, especially when murder is involved.

The mystery is as enjoyable as the characters, with various crimes and a treasure hunt. I loved how everything eventually came together with an amazing reveal!

New friends, frightful family, and the joys of Christmas along with a sprinkling of romance make MADRIGALS AND MAYHEM a delightful read at any time of year.

As an Anglophile, I love the setting, a bookshop in Cambridge, England, where the mysteries always have to do with some kind of book. This time, the toy shop across the lane has been reopened by the granddaughter of the previous owner. She’s involved in a family dispute over a missing, rare, valuable doll, and there might be a clue in a children’s book set in a dollhouse.

One of her estranged relations is poisoned, and then there’s a murder. Maybe more than one. And it’s Christmas!

The odd thing about this series is that solving the murder doesn’t seem to be the primary point of the story. It’s more something that happens while the characters are getting to know new people and trying to keep their shops running and pairing up loved ones and coping with family history. It’s all woven together, which I like.

I’ll start by saying that I enjoyed this book overall. While I did end up enjoying the book, it did take me twice to read it. The first time, I didn’t get through it because I don’t think I was in the right mindset for the pacing- it was a bit slow to start. With it being several books into the series it took a bit for me to catch up and really get in. Once I got into it, I enjoyed it. It can definitely be read as a standalone, however I may recommend reading the rest of the series.

I was sold when I saw the cover of this book. It’s so cute and cozy and I love cats! I had no idea this was part of a series. I’ll definitely have to go back and read the others! When a valuable doll goes missing, Molly and her boyfriend, Kieran, go undercover to find the doll and help her friend clear her name. I got a little bit of Nancy drew vibes from the book.

I really enjoyed the characters! What a perfect mystery/thriller. Although it was slow, there was enough going on to keep me reading. Thank you NetGalley, Elizabeth and St. Martins Press for the E-ARC!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for this advance reader copy.

I didn't make it all the way through this story. Too many people, confusing relationships and a plodding story had me picking up and putting down the book until I gave up and read the ending. It turned out to be the most oblivious character, Occam's razor. The characters a nice enough, well written, the plot had promise and it's a bookshop/toy store/university setting, that's a bookworm's dream.

#MadrigalsandMayhem #MinotaurBooks #NetGalley #mystery #cozymystery #bookshopmystery

This is the first book I have read in this series. I enjoyed it immensely. The holiday feel, the excerpts from the old children's book and the family mystery added a cozy but sinister feeling to the story. I will be reading more from this series.

Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penney is the 4th book in this series set in quaint Cambridge, England. We follow Molly Kimball and her family as the run a historic bookshop in town. This book revolves around the local toy shop and its reopening after the original owner passes away. His granddaughter Charlotte Pemberly has inherited and is taking over, but things immediately start to go bad. It seems others in her family want to sabotage her and feel entitled to her inheritance. Molly agrees to help discover who is behind the tragic events and is out to get Charlotte. There is also the mystery of a very expensive missing doll that Charlotte's grandfather has hidden for safe keeping. He's left her clues to track it down and she must get to it before someone else steals it.
There some romance and a few very cute cats to keep you entertained, as well as a sweet story about a dollhouse. A fun and cozy read. I really enjoy this series.

This is the first book that I have read by Elizabeth Penney, and I was not disappointed. I found that she did such a good job on this book, and I could not put it down. I think it was a fabulous cozy mystery that kept me turning the pages. It was so much fun to read. I can't wait for more from this author. I know this was a series book, but it is also great as a stand alone. I recommend this to the cozy mystery readers.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and St Martin's Press

Molly makes a new friend in the latest Cambridge Bookshop mystery. Unfortunately, the new friend comes with horrible relatives, a family secret, and a murder accusation. Molly spends her holiday season keeping her new friend out of jail and also from becoming the murderer's next victim. If Molly and toyshop owner Charlotte can't find a valuable toy, the toyshop may close before it even gets going again.

Why you should read this book: It's a solid cozy, with an interesting mystery, comprised of clues that lead to a treasure hunt through the toyshop owned by Molly's new friend Charlotte. You'll enjoy spending time with these characters.

Why you might not want to read this book: It's a slow series. There's a lot of focus on the relationships, which don't move to fast, but I think that just adds to the realism.

I received an advance copy from Minotaur Books via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4 out of 5 stars

This is #4 in the Cambridge Bookshop series. It's Christmas in Cambridge and Molly is happy to see that the toy store appears to be reopening. She meets Charlotte, whose recently deceased Grandfather had owned the shop for many years. Charlotte is his only heir and she plans to honor her Grandfather's memory by reopening the shop. Charlotte has some complications to deal with resulting from Grandfather's late marriage to Althea, a greedy woman who is contesting the will and looking for a valuable antique doll she suspects is hidden in the toy store. When Althea's grandson, Barnaby is found semi-conscious from poison in the shop, Charlotte becomes a suspect. Barnaby's friend, Reese isn't so lucky. He too is poisoned and dies. Molly steps in to help identify the killer and suspicion falls on Althea and her greedy family. The family part of the plot was it's weakest and confusing point. I like the search for clues leading to the location of the doll. Molly's romance with Kieran is progressing and there's another romantic duo too.

This was the first book I've read in this series and it won't be my last! This book is set in England during the Christmas season. Charlotte Pemberly inherits a toy store from her grandfather which his new wife and family highly resent. The will is ironclad but there is a valuable antique doll that the family are determined to find. When Charlotte is accused of poisoning one of her new relatives. Molly is determined to clear her new friends name. This was a great cozy with a very twisty plot, red herrings galore. and plenty of suspense and intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page! I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next book in this delightful series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion or my review itself.

It’s Christmas time in Cambridge, and Molly is thrilled to decorate the bookstore she now co owns. But after meeting Charlotte, who is passionate about bringing her grandfather’s toy store back to life, strange things start to happen. There is a poisoning, and a search for a highly valuable Madame Alexander doll. To help solve the case, Molly joins the cast of Madrigals and Mayhem.

I love the setting of this. Cambridge really comes alive, as do the stores depicted. The characters have big personalities that really work within this story, and their storylines are compelling. The various mysteries are good too. If you enjoy a nice holiday cozy, this one just might be for you.

This was my first book by Elizabeth Penney but it will not be my last! I knew this was book 4 of the Cambridge Bookshop series but it really appealed to me when I saw it. Now that I've read about Molly and the gang I need to go back to the beginning! It's a great cozy mystery that's set in Cambridge which makes me love it even more since I've been there. If you're looking for a fun Christmas mystery, look no further!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 26 November 2024

Molly Kimball is in the thick of it again!  Even though she hardly knows Charlotte, she's certain that her new friend and fellow business owner is innocent.  Not to mention her long-time friend, Daisy.  The way Molly bands together with her friends - as well as her mom and Aunt Violet - to get to the truth is inspiring.  What's even better is that Molly isn't afraid to doubt herself, knowing she might have jumped to a conclusion or is having mixed feelings about a suspect.  It's something I don't always see in a cozy, but makes for a good character.  

I also really enjoyed the fact that Molly wasn't dating a member of the police force, even if her mom might be in the future.  While I don't mind that particular scenario, it seems like the main character in every cozy is, so Molly having a boyfriend not on the force was refreshing. This series definitely has a fun bunch of characters, all of whom I'd love to get to know better.

The mystery was intriguing as well.  I rarely figure things out before the big reveal, but I can often pinpoint the doer, if not the reason why.  This time, I had my suspicions, but I wasn't quite right, either.  But that's okay - figuring it out is all part of the fun.

Although this is the fourth book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.  Which is nice since I keep requesting books, not realizing the series is already several books deep.  The author does a good job of quickly recapping anything you might need to know without spoiling any of the previous books.  It definitely makes me want to go back to book #1 and start the series fresh.  I'd recommend this series to anyone who loves quaint English towns, old bookstores, and fun family dynamics.