A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you @avonbooksuk and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of A BRUSH WITH DEATH


It was a delight to be back in the company of Liz, Pat, and Thelma, 3 retired teachers, as they do some amateur-sleuthing into the death of Neville Hilton, a retired teacher and OFSTED inspector, at the request of his first wife, Jax.

This book, like the previous 3, is a cleverly plotted cozy mystery which gets its claws into you early. I tried guessing where the story was going to no avail which made me want to get to the end quicker as I needed to know the ending.

I loved how Hall intertwined the bureaucracy of the education system, OFTSED, and academy schools into the story alongside the everyday lives of our 3 ladies.

I'm very invested in the lives of Liz, Pat, and Thelma that I can't wait for another installment. I highly recommend you check this series out if you want cozy mystery (especially if you're from Yorkshire).

This was a wonderfully engaging read. I loved the mixture of characters and the combination of their determination to solve the mystery alongside dealing with the inevitable hurdles that life has a tendency to throw in. The setting was very clear and easy to visualise from the description. As a teacher myself, I enjoyed the accuracy of the education aspect and of the empathy shown towards the characters. There were plenty of hints and clues and certainly enough to keep me guessing.
Hopefully the next book will be along soon.

This is the fourth outing for Liz ,Pat and Thelma retired school teachers and friends from North Yorkshire and I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to be back in their company.When Neville Hilton is found dead from a suspected heart attack his ex-wife is determined that all is not as it seems and asks Liz ,Pat and Thelma to investigate. A fabulous cozy crime with twist and turns which also deals with an important topic -sorry no spoilers .I also treated myself to the audio copy of the novel as Julia Hesmondhalgh just brings these characters to life and adds another dimension to this fabulous novel. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there will be another investigation in the near future. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

This is a cleverly plotted cozy mystery that features a trio of retired teacher-sleuths: Liz, Pat, and Thelma. When Neville Hilton’s sudden death is ruled a heart attack, his ex-wife suspects foul play, these three are on the case. J.M. Hall crafts a story full of village intrigue, grudges, and humor, all set against the backdrop of a hot Yorkshire summer. While the pacing starts slow (with a few too many new characters early on), the mystery soon gains momentum, weaving in themes of educational bureaucracy and past injustices with the more standard murder mystery tropes.

Though the final reveal feels slightly rushed, the journey is thoroughly enjoyable—packed with red herrings, tea-fueled deductions, and camaraderie. If you like "Midsomer Murders" or Agatha Christie novels, this might just be for you

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC!

I love books where the main characters are older.
the small town gossip? perfect.
a very cozy mystery that made me want to go read the rest of the series.

The retired school teacher amateur sleuths are back.
Liz, Thelma and Pat are looking in to the death of Neville Hilton.
Neville wasn't a likeable chap he had plenty to say about everything, so wasn’t short of enemies, but would any of them be prepared to kill him?
It seems that Neville dies from a heart attack , but the trio find that somethings don’t add up and don’t point to a death by natural causes .
Neville was an OFSTED inspector and one of the last jobs he did really brought the school to its knees and everything seems to point to this inspection leading to his death.
But who could have done it, or wasn’t Nevilles death as sinister as the ladies think?
I love this series the ladies are real down to earth characters and the style of writing makes it a dream to read .
There is humour , murder , and the retired primary school teachers not forgetting the slices of cake which when mixed together makes an enjoyable read.
Looking forward to the trio’s next case .
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

I adore J M Hall’s cosy crime, it was great to be reunited with Thelma, Pat and Liz in another adventure. I enjoyed the dual narratives throughout, how the three women each had their own missions to solve the crime, but also worked together. It was great to hear more about their families and not just about the three women, it added more depth to the story. I adored the Yorkshire setting, it sounds so idyllic and tranquil- not so much the crime. Another excellent book from J M Hall, I read this so quickly it was such an easy and addictive read.

A Brush with Death by J.M. Hall is a thrilling and suspenseful mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows a protagonist who finds themselves entangled in a web of danger and secrets, with high stakes and unexpected twists. Hall’s writing is fast-paced and engaging, making for a captivating read that blends tension, drama, and intrigue. It’s an excellent choice for fans of mystery and crime thrillers.

These sleuths are not the norm. Three very dissimilar friends are approached by the former wife of a recently deceased man. The first wife thinks the second wife did the deed. There were certainly many folks who were not weeping at his demise as he could be sanctimonious and punctilious without any concern for consequences. As the ladies ask more questions, the suspect pool dwindles and between the three of them, they are able to piece together the motive and the mystery.

This is a series that has grown on me as I read further into it. This book was enjoyable and I give it four purrs and two paws up.

Great characters good storyline. Hooked from the first chapter. Thanks for letting me review. Would continue the series

During a hot and sticky summer, the retired school teachers are involved in looking into the events surrounding the heart attack of Neville Hilton. Despite it being classed by the police as an accident, is there more to this death than first assumed.

A wonderful return to this cozy mystery trio. The book was an easy read with excellent pacing. I thoroughly enjoy reading about these three's exploits.

What can I say but brilliant! I just loved being back in North Yorkshire with Pat, Liz and Thelma; they feel like old friends now, especially as a retired primary teacher myself and being a Yorkshire lass even though I don’t live there now. Another fast paced story, jam packed with clues and intrigue as I scrabbled to solve the mystery, personal comings and goings for our three leading ladies, and some great new characters. Having listened to previous books, I couldn’t help but have the voice of the wonderful Julie Hesmondhalgh in my head. What a wonderful TV series these books would make! I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

Never read any books by the author before and I think that is why it did not take with me. I did not know the characters or their style and it just didn't stick.

When a cleaner finds her employer dead in his holiday let there seems to be no crime, he died of a massive heart attack. However when a witness says she heard shouting there appears to be a link to a vicious OFSTED report which has led to the closing of a well-loved primary school. Now retired teachers and amateur sleuths Liz, Pat and Thelma are on the case.
Hall's cosy crime novels are a real joy for me because they are set in a corner of North Yorkshire that I love and have a focus on education. Here there are many digs and the inflexibility of our education system, at faceless Academy chains producing identical schools and mostly at the behemoth that is Ofsted. For this alone I would love this book, but it's also a great little mystery written with verve and love.

This one just sadly wasn't for me and I ended up dnf-ing. I'm not sure if I'm just in a weird mood or just feeling overwhelmed but I just could not get into this story. I have seen that this can be read as a standalone but I found myself struggling with the amount of characters introduced and wondered if I should have read the first couple of books set in this world with these characters.

So sorry!!

I really struggled to get into this one and I felt like a lot of the characters were confusing to me due to the nicknames and switching POVs. I liked it a lot more in the second half but it definitely took a while for me to get into it.

Liz, Pat and Thelma are rather confused. How can you investigate a crime if a crime hasn't taken place?

Or that's what it looks like. And what the post mortem says.

Neville Hilton just had a heart attack.

But his ex-wife thinks that the current wife was up to no good...

They suppose they'd just better have a good look into everything. Just to make sure...

Just brilliant

The fourth instalment in this lovely cosy mystery series, centred around a group of retired primary school teachers, and imbued with admiration for their motivation, resourcefulness and capability.

This time our unlikely heroines are investigating the death of an Ofsted inspector, ostensibly from natural causes but there are several things which don't add up.

A lighthearted, compassionate and humorous read, drawing brilliantly on the author's experiences as a Deputy Headteacher.

Superb narration by Julie Hesmondhalgh

A Brush with Death by J.M. Hall is a well written cozy mystery story.
I really enjoyed this book, loved the writing style and plot.
The characters were engaging and very entertaining.
An easy read which kept me guessing. I would highly recommend.