The Cream Tea Killer by Judy Leigh is a most delightful, contemporary, cosy crime novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the third book in the Morwenna Mutton Mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone. However, for maximum enjoyment, I recommend reading the previous books first.
I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces as the Cornish summer season gets underway. We ‘experience’ the Cornish hospitality. “If you come here when we are closing, I’ll give you what’s left over, a pasty, a bit of cake, scones, some fruit, a bottle of milk.” Seal Bay is a welcoming community that offers hospitality and help to those in need.
There is a more worrying side as one of their own is washed ashore and shady characters are seen around. Fortunately for all, Morwenna Mutton, a modern-day Miss Marple is at hand to investigate, alongside the police. Her amateur sleuthing is second to none.
All the characters were well drawn and believable, Morwenna Mutton is sixty-three but is like a breath of fresh air wherever she goes. She is very sprightly as she cycles around the village.
I loved Morwenna Mutton’s six-year-old granddaughter who has an old head on young shoulders. She is absolutely hilarious. “Why do I need shutting up, Great-Grandma? You said women need to speak up for themselves.” And you cannot argue with her logic! “Can I stop going to school… I’ve learned enough.” She is also relentless in her desire to have a dog – but the grown ups are not quite worn down yet!
Despite the murder, the novel is light-hearted and fun. It is cosy crime after all. I think the Morwenna Mutton Mystery series would make fabulous early evening television viewing.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Cream Tea Killer and can highly recommend it.
I received a free copy from Rachels Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Morwenna Mutton... You can't help but love her...

If we just all could be a bit more like Morwenna, the world might become a better place. Seal Bay in Cornwall is lucky to have her.  She runs a tea café with her daughter and mother, that is...  when she is not solving murders.

The blurb...
Morwenna Mutton should be living the quiet life of a librarian and grandmother in Cornwall’s beautiful Seal Bay – if only dead bodies would stop turning up…
After the excitement of her last investigation, amateur sleuth Morwenna is looking forward to things getting back to normal. When local DJ Irina asks to meet however, desperate to share information she has discovered regarding nefarious goings-on, Morwenna can’t resist.
But Irina never arrives for their drink – instead her body is washed up on the beach, an apparent victim of an accidental drowning. At once keen wild bather Morwenna knows something is amiss as Irina was a strong swimmer who knew the local conditions well. What had Irina uncovered and who would want her dead?
When the local news dubs Irina’s murderer The Cream Tea Killer in honour of Cornwall’s famous delicacy, the clock starts ticking. Now the murderer knows Morwenna is on their trail, no one in her family is safe. She must get to the truth before the killer gets to her…

Why I chose this book
I'd just enjoyed Five French Hens when I stumbled across The Cream Tea Killer. I, myself, am in the middle of writing a cozy mystery. The outline of my thirty chapters is already done, my story has nothing to do with cream teas and takes place in continental Europe. So, there was no risk of inadvertently becoming a copycat. I was interested in finding out how other writers go about their cozy mysteries. And, of course, I had already hugely enjoyed Judy Leigh's hen-lit novel.
There are many cozy mysteries out there. What drew me to this book is that I also write about an elderly hero, and one who is neither boring nor dull. Morwenna is just as quirky as my Jill, who I am sure would love to take a dip in the sea with the SWANs. I also love how Morwenna is still working things out at her ripe old age.
The Cream Tea Killer has so much going for it. You just want to return to Seal Bay as fast as you can after finishing. The dialect in the book makes it cozy. There is just enough to go round, and although there is a glossary in the front of the book, I found it easy to follow in the context the dialect was used.
The characters jump off the page. In the beginning, I worried I might not be able to tell who's who in the extended Mutton family, but you effortlessly get to know them. I think her little granddaughter, Elowen - don't you just adore the sound of that name? - and her ex, Ruan, are my favourites.
I also like it when I manage to find out who the culprits are  somewhere down the line, and preferably not too much towards the end. And I did this time, though there were still a couple of unexpected twists.
I don’t want to give anything away, so it's kind of hard to explain but I didn't completely get certain romantic developments in Morwenna's busy life. That could be me though, I am biased and just want Ruan and Morwenna to get back together.

The third cosy crime mystery from Judy Leigh. Based in Cornwall and full of Cornish life! After not enjoying the first of these very much, I actually hugely enjoyed reading this latest episode from Morwenna Mutton investigating a murder in Seal Bay.
Morwenna has a wonderful life working at the local library in the mornings with her friends and then supporting her daughter Tamsin in the afternoon in her cafe serving cakes hot chocolates and cream teas. Always a full advocate in her local community in support of the locals and the visitors.
The story is well written and brilliantly thought out. The characters and their portrayal are funny and believable. Twists and turns that keep you hooked from the start to the very ingenious end! Entertaining and funny, warm and wonderful!
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the early read! Loved it!

This book starts with a glossary of Cornish phrases, handy for all of us Emmets on holiday in that part of the world!
This is a cosy crime mystery, with a little romance on the side provided by two male contenders for the affections of Morwenna Mutton.
Morwenna has become involved in another murder mystery in the picturesque village of Sea Bay. The victim is a journalist friend who has a slot on Bay Radio, who was apparently going to reveal a huge secret that would ‘ rock ‘ the whole community. Morwenna agrees to a drink in the local pub, but the journalist never turns up, but, a few days later, a body turns up in the sea.
When such an experienced wild water swimmer drowns, Morwenna suspects it is murder. She voices her concerns to Jane the local Police constable, and decides to investigate.
Even the ghost in the library, Lady Elizabeth Pengellen, believes it was not an accidental death. Books are left open at relevant pages, but who or what is leaving clues to be followed?
Full of larger than life characters, the reader is drawn to this close knit community, and their love and affection for all . Morwenna doesn’t have the most conventional family set up,but they all bring a unique insight to this mystery.
I found this book to be full of fun, wit and wisdom, scrapes, and the enjoy life while you can attitude, a great read and very entertaining. There was an intriguing plot, and great cooperation between the police and the locals. This can be read as a standalone novel, but why not try the previous books?
A five star read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Boldwood Books for my ARC, freely given in return for my honest review. I will leave copies to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

The Cream Tea Killer is an entertaining and well-plotted cosy mystery, filled with a little romance between our main character and the men in her life.

Once more, we return to Cornwall and find Morwenna involved in something deadly. She's getting quite a reputation for being able to solve crimes with or without the aid of her contacts in the police. All of our regulars are there as well: Morwenna's mother, her daughter, her granddaughter and the cast of her home town besides.

The mystery itself is well pieced together, and while I might have worked out some of what was happening, the devil was in the details, and I certainly missed a few things.

This is a lovely addition to the Morwenna mysteries. It is engaging and fun to read, with an added bit of drama and peril.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

A cosy mystery full to the brim of drama and intrigue. Alongside a cast of well developed characters that all brought something unique to the story.
Perfect for those cosy crime lovers.

I really like Morwenna and her somewhat unconventional family. This book is full of wit and wisdom and so many wonderful details. I had to laugh about Morwenna teaching Elowen "the way of the peace," and I love how essential Brenda the cat is to Morwenna. But not in a sappy "furbaby" way. And the ocean bathing in the North Atlantic. These strong women in the frigid waters reminded me of the few people I saw swimming daily in the ocean in Skerries, Ireland (sometimes with their dogs). Something about these scenes feel visceral and wonderful. Not romanticized, but also somehow larger than life. Aside from the ridiculous title, which implies that this is a culinary cozy--which it isn't--this is a thoroughly enjoyable read!

I'm looking forward to the next title in this series. (And I'm going to have to back up and read the first two!)

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy, in exchange for this honest review.

I hadn't read any of the Morwenna Mutton mysteries before so it was a bit confusing. I radio journalist Irina contacts Morwenna to say there was something big going on and they were supposed to meet but Irina didn't show up. Later her body was found in the sea

We are back in Seal bay, this time Morwenna has sadly found the body of a friend she used to swim with. Irina went missing the night before when she was going to meet Morwena to tell her something important and when she didn't turn up Morwenna took things into her own hands and broke into where Irina was staying- as did someone else who Morwenna managed to avoid. Why has Irina been killed and what on earth is going on in quiet Seal Bay?

I adore this series. It's always a great plot and wonderful characters. They probably stand alone but why miss out on the rest of a great series? Morwenna and her friends have the right attitude to life as in “one life- live it” and don’t hang around waiting for things to come to them, they grab opportunities with both hands and Morwenna loves her bit of sleuthing. A terrific read with lots of smiles, a great plot and so much more.
For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbookblog
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This was such a good book. I absolutely enjoyed it and look forward to reading other books by this author in the future. Great writing and wonderful storyline.

Morwenna, an amateur sleuth, is hoping for a quiet life after her last investigation, but when local DJ Irina asks to meet and share information about suspicious activities, Morwenna can’t resist. However, Irina never shows up for their planned drink. Instead, her body is found washed up on the beach, apparently the victim of an accidental drowning.

As a keen wild swimmer herself, Morwenna knows something doesn’t add up—Irina was an experienced swimmer who knew the local waters well. Driven by curiosity and a sense of justice, Morwenna begins to dig into Irina’s life, uncovering a dangerous secret and searching for answers about who would want her dead and why.

amateur-sleuth, contemporary, Cornish-coast, cozy-mystery, family, family-dynamics, family-history, festivals, friends, ghostie, librarian, local-gossip, local-law-enforcement, multigenerational, murder, pet-cat, read, situational-humor, small-business, small-town, swimming, teashop, TV-personality, verbal-humor*****

There's nothing better after a difficult day than coming to the Cornwall coast and having a good time swimming in the surf with Morwenna, her tea shop, the ghostie, and the latest murder investigation. I love the way Morwenna sets about doing her own thing in her own way from attire to transportation to opinions and sleuthing. And don't forget her eighty-something mother who simply must swim every single day regardless of the weather. This time the victim is a local news personality who was about to air someone's dirty laundry. For everyone who likes her, there are two others who dislike and/or fear her. Serious business, but lots of fun to be had, too!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected proof copy from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Avail Jan 04, 2025 #TheCreamTeaKiller by @JudyLeighWriter #MorwennaMuttonMysteriesBk3 #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks #CozyMystery #Cornwall

Enter Morwenna..
The third outing in the Morwenna Mutton series of mysteries finds Morwenna happily ensconced in Seal Bay, Cornwall, hoping that life will soon be back to normality. That, however, is not to be as a body is about to be washed up on a local beach. Enter Morwenna, stage left, and let the investigations begin. Wholly entertaining with an eclectic cast of well drawn characters, a well imagined backdrop and a plot laced amply with humour. A worthy addition to this enjoyable series.

3.5 stars

The third entry in a contemporary cozy series set in Cornwall featuring 4 generations of the tough, outspoken Mutton women. The main character is Morwenna, the grandmother, who helps her daughter run a tea shop when she's not working at the library. Morwenna is hardy and rides her electric bike all over as her main method of transportation.

She is one of a group of mostly women who do wild swimming - jumping into the frigid ocean - once or twice a week to blast their senses and get some exercise. She also seems to trip over dead bodies fairly often.

What's to like: strong female characters, tight-knit community, nice glimpse into Cornish customs and geography. I did grow weary of usually decisive Morwenna's romantic angst having to do with her ex-husband who lives across the street, which seems to be an ongoing theme in the three books I have read.

Morwenna's friend Irina, a local radio personality, is in pursuit of a big story and promises to spill all over a drink with Morwenna. But she never shows, and her body washes up on the beach and is found by Morwenna, who has an implausible relationship with the local police. Although they constantly warn her off of pushing into their investigations, they clearly don't really mean it.

The action is a bit over the top at times but nicely paced. The small town feeling is well-portrayed. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

'The Cream Tea Killer' by Judy Leigh.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I love this series of books. This one is probably my favourite of the series. I love the added addition of Blessed, she's brilliant. I felt like this one was a lot more fast paced then normal but I enjoyed that. And I like the added twists at the end, I wasn't expecting them.
If you love cosy crime and a beautiful location then give this series a read.

Morwenna Mutton should be living the quiet life of a librarian and grandmother in Cornwall’s beautiful Seal Bay – if only dead bodies would stop turning up…
After the excitement of her last investigation, amateur sleuth Morwenna is looking forward to things getting back to normal. When local DJ Irina asks to meet however, desperate to share information she has discovered regarding nefarious goings-on, Morwenna can’t resist.
But Irina never arrives for their drink – instead her body is washed up on the beach, an apparent victim of an accidental drowning. At once keen wild bather Morwenna knows something is amiss as Irina was a strong swimmer who knew the local conditions well. What had Irina uncovered and who would want her dead?
When the local news dubs Irina’s murderer The Cream Tea Killer in honour of Cornwall’s famous delicacy, the clock starts ticking. Now the murderer knows Morwenna is on their trail, no one in her family is safe. She must get to the truth before the killer gets to her…

I usually absolutely love Judy Leigh’s books however this one, although good in places, really didn’t grab my attention. I did finish it but it’s really not a book for me!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

I didn't realize when I picked this book up that it was the second in a series. Though it was apparent that several relationships were set up in the first, I didn't feel that lost while reading. I must say that I'm really enjoying the trend of cozy mysteries having the lead sleuth be a senior citizens. The main character, Morwenna is so lively and quick witted. But she is also the type of character to go into the woods alone in a scary movie. It's both ridiculous and a lot of fun in a mystery. I had a lot of fun reading this novel and I can't wait for the next installment.

This is the second of this series that I have read. I like the setting a great deal, and the MC is a strong, independent woman in a community filled with strong women. That is refreshing. I did not love the mystery itself in this book, but I would recommend this series to readers of cozy mysteries.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy mystery and felt myself transported to a warm (and rainy) day on the Cornish coastline.

Morwenna is the towns amateur sleuth and she always has her nose in the air searching for trouble. When an acquaintance turns up dead and the mystery deepens she steps up and begins her own investigation which ends with fiery and intense final showdown! I loved the familial bonds that the Mutton family have with lots of strong independent women who aren’t afraid to express themselves, as well as the ties to some very modern day issues for both Cornwall and the country as a whole.

Overall this was a fun, cosy read and I hope to hear from Morwenna again; because I’m absolutely certain this won’t be the end of her sleuthing!

A cozy crime book? Say less. I loved it. It was the perfect book to read as the months get colder and darker. I read it in one sitting. It ended up feeling like I wasn't even reading. If you want a cozy murder crime vibe, This is your book.