What a fun historical mystery! Right out of the gate, I'll say that my favorite thing about this book was its protagonist, barrister Gabriel Ward. He's such an intriguing and unique character. He's intellectual, sheltered, introverted, kind, and rigidly observes his rituals. He is also a brilliantly observant, if rather reluctant, sleuth. He rises to the occasion and I enjoyed his growth across the story. I also enjoyed the character of Constable Wright and the dynamic he shared with Gabriel.

The book is set in 1901 in London's Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London's legal world. The Temple is responsible for training barristers and judges, and qualifying the fallowing them to practice, as well as an actual place that has existed since the 14th century. The rules are different in the Inner Temple than in the rest of London, and as the victim is one of their own, they are allowed an internal investigation. At the same time, Gabriel is working on a case involving an anonymous children's book author and the publisher that is being sued.

This was brimming with incredible historical detail, and the world-building was very well done. As this book introduces the series and this world, the first part takes just a little while to get going, but it soon pays off, as this is genuinely a delightful and interesting read. I enjoyed learning the history of the Temple, and the legal precedents of the time.

The two mysteries intertwine with humor, secrets, and red herrings throughout this cleverly plotted and witty whodunit. And the writing is fantastic. This was just a gem. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to Bloomsbury Books and Netgalley for the gifted eARC

When I saw "A case of Mice and Murder", I was immediately intrigued by the title and blurb. It seemed like it was made just for me — and it turned out to be even better than I expected. The writing was atmospheric and elegant, making me feel as if I were transported straight into the book’s time period. It felt like the story was being whispered to me, rather than being shouted or overdone in the way modern storytelling often is.

This book is an absolute gem.

I loved the main character, Gabriel Ward KC, and I truly hope this marks the beginning of a great series.
Big thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the copy.

Gabriel Ward is a reclusive attorney in London. In this, the first book in a new series, he is pressed into service to find out the killer of the highest judge in the land. He must get over his fear of leaving his daily routine and controlled environment. But he does.

Simultaneously, he still must perform his legal duties. His client is a publisher accused of usurping the character of an author's children's book. Gabriel must use all of his legal powers to prove that his client is not guilty.

I love this new series. The characters are involving and entertaining. The writing is crisp and pleasant. I highly recommend this new series.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be providing a full review and/or posting a full review on my blog. I found the story off putting from the very start and difficult to read.

While I read a good amount of mysteries, I don't usually read historical ones. Humorous and interesting. Will probably read the next book in the series. 3.5

The Inner Temple, 1901: a warren of shaded courtyards and ancient buildings that has formed the heart of legal London for hundreds of years. A place where tradition is everything, the police enter only by consent, and murder is only to be found in the case archives. Until now…

At precisely two minutes to seven every morning, Gabriel Ward KC steps out of his rooms in the Inner Temple, presses his oak front door three times to ensure it is locked, and walks to his office to begin his day. Except for today.

Today, the dead body of the Lord Chief Justice of England, immaculately clad in evening dress except for his bare feet, is lying on his doorstep – with one of the silver Temple carving knives sticking out of his chest.
As rumour and gossip fly round the chambers and the press set up camp outside the gates, an internal investigation is ordered by the head of the Temple, who coerces a very unwilling Gabriel into taking charge.

Paired with the eager young Constable Wright, he must draw on every bit of his legal training to solve the case – but not before he discovers that there are more surprising, and sometimes sinister, secrets hiding behind those heavy oak doors than he'd ever imagined.

The first in a brand-new series introducing a wonderfully eccentric sleuth, perfect for fans of S.J. Bennett and Richard Coles.

This was SO FUN!!!! I had such an amazing time reading, and recommend this to anyone who's in need of a cozy mystery.

Set in London in 1901, where the murder of an English Lord Chief Justice causes an uproar inside the inner Temple. A place that is essentially a law of its own. Sir Gabriel Ward is appointed to do a preliminary investigation before the police are allowed to enter these halls. The very reluctant Justice has to unravel the clues and solve the mystery while also preparing for a sensational case.

This was essentially two mysteries that is woven into one and it's very well done. There's enough twists and red herrings throughout the book that keep you guessing and constantly flipping the page to find out what was going to happen next.

I would say that this qualifies as a cozy mystery, but it does have a little bit more grit than a typical cozy mystery. I am very excited to discover that this is the first in a new series because I love the characters and I'm excited to see more of them.

Thank you to the publisher for an arc.

"The first in a delightful new mystery series set in the hidden heart of London's legal world, introducing a wonderfully unwilling sleuth, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Nita Prose.

When barrister Gabriel Ward steps out of his rooms at exactly two minutes to seven on a sunny May morning in 1901, his mind is so full of his latest case - the disputed authorship of bestselling children's book Millie the Temple Church Mouse - that he scarcely registers the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England on his doorstep.

But even he cannot fail to notice the judge's dusty bare feet, in shocking contrast to his flawless evening dress, nor the silver carving knife sticking out of his chest. In the shaded courtyards and ancient buildings of the Inner Temple, the hidden heart of London's legal world, murder has spent centuries confined firmly to the casebooks. Until now...

The police can enter the Temple only by consent, so who better to investigate this tragic breach of law and order than a man who prizes both above all things? But murder doesn't answer to logic or reasoned argument, and Gabriel soon discovers that the Temple's heavy oak doors are hiding more surprising secrets than he'd ever imagined..."

Please say the murder has to do with a children's author! It would be wonderful synchronicity.

Sally Smith was a King’s Counsel (obviously, formerly a Queen’s Counsel), practicing law from 1 Crown Office Row in the Inner Temple, part of London’s famed Inns of Court. The inns are societies to which all English barristers belong, but they are also physical places that include libraries, dining rooms, and lodgings. The Inner Temple and Middle Temple have the distinction of being so-called liberties of the City of London, meaning that they have their own jurisdiction and are not subject to that of the City. That fact is critical in this book.

The novel is set in 1901, and our protagonist is the brilliant but unassuming Sir Gabriel Ward. He is a man of habit, who leaves his office on the dot of six each evening, leaving his desk in precise order, and strolling the few steps to his lodgings, where he spends several hours each evening with his books, a collection that has long since overcome his shelves and turned into so many floor towers that there is barely room for two people, in the rare event that he might have a guest.

Ward is musing about his upcoming tricky case, one in which his client, a publisher, has published a children’s book that was left at his offices and whose pseudonymous author he hasn’t been able to locate. Years have gone by, and the book, Millie the Temple Church Mouse, has gained great fame and success. Now, out of the woodwork, comes a woman claiming that she is the author, and is suing the publisher.

In the midst of his musings, Ward stumbles over the legs of a corpse that turns out to be that of the Lord Chief Justice, who is, most oddly, barefoot. The head of the Inner Temple coerces Ward into investigating the death, rather than turning it over to the Metropolitan Police. Ward does manage to gain the assistance of the Met’s Detective Constable Wright. An unusual, but touching, respect comes to bind the highly educated but unworldly Ward, and the working-class but thoughtful Wright.

Much detail is given about legal precedents of the time, and the challenges facing Ward in his representation of the publisher. But author Smith never bogs down in legal minutiae. The courtroom scenes are vivid and easy to follow. Ward’s investigation of the Lord Chief Justice’s murder pieces together small clues until he has identified the culprit. Along the way, the lives of many associated with the Inner Temple are revealed to Ward, giving him a view of his surroundings and insights into others that had never been parts of his bookish life.

Two very satisfying cases, an appealing amateur detective and sidekick, an unusual and intriguing setting, and outstanding writing make this one of the most rewarding mysteries I’ve read in quite a while. I’m thrilled that Ms. Smith will be giving us a sequel later this year.

This historical mystery takes place within London’s legal world. It is very much a story in which the clues have been fairly planted. However, not all readers will remember them.

There are two things going on within the novel. One plot has to do with the death by murder of a chief justice. The other intriguing question has to do with the authorship of a book featuring a very famous mouse.

Will the two storylines intersect? How will this murder case with many aspects and suspects be solved? How important will Millie the mouse be?

I thoroughly enjoyed this very traditional mystery and look forward to the authors next book which comes out in 2025.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for this title. All opinions are my own

A word of explanation: In London, "inns of court" are professional organizations of barristers (lawyers) and judges. To practice as a barrister in England or Wales, one has to belong to one of these four inns. These are also physical places, with offices, chapels, libraries, dining halls, gardens, and in the past, accomodations. Inner Temple is one of the four inns. 

The odd and particular Gabriel Ward is a fastidious barrister at Inner Temple. He is currently working on a strange case of ownership and provenance for a wildly popular children's book, Millie the Temple Church Mouse. It imagines a meek mouse that attends services at the inn's church and practices good deeds. Edwardian parents of a certain class are all too glad to have their children read this instructive book. Of course, it has also greatly increased the number of celebrants at the Temple Church, gaggles of restive kids look for a glimpse of a mouse. Now that there are stuffed mouse toys and merchandising everywhere, a woman has come forward to claim authorship of the book that had been published anonymously.

At the end of his work day, Gabriel is so focused on his case (and what book he will be enjoying that evening) that he nearly trips over the dead body of the Lord Chief Justice of England. In life, he never would have been overlooked. Now, he is stabbed dead, on the floor, and without his shoes - decidedly plebeian. Owing to its ancient rules, and the fact that Inner Temple is even older than London itself, police authorities need permission to enter the grounds. Gabriel's superiors decide he is the man for the job and give him the task of investigating the crime himself.

Author Sally Smith, herself a barrister and King's Counsel, is able to bring a level of verisimilitude around daily life at Inner Temple by researching real figures and cases in the inn's archives. She recalls in an interview, "When I turn off Fleet Street at night and the gate at the top of Middle Temple Lane closes behind me, I feel I am home in every sense of the word."

It's a world that few will ever experience, let alone understand, so this glimpse for the curious readers like myself is very welcome, fictional though it may be. Smith has managed to write a cozy mystery that is still sophisticated. The plotlines are clever and thoughtful. The character of Gabriel Ward is particularly ingenious and I was thrilled to learn this is only the first in a series with Ward at the bar. I can't wait to visit Inner Temple again.

*Review goes live May 19.

London - 1901

Gabriel Ward KC is one of the solicitors or barristers living in the very private, very sanctified environs of the Inner Temple in London. It is London's legal environment, exclusive to her judges, lawyers, and those serving them. Even the police must be invited. Gabriel has lived his entire working life within the walls of the Inner Temple. His eccentric, meticulous lifestyle may seem odd to others living there, but he is also considered one of the most articulate and precise barristers in the Temple. So it comes as a shock when it is Gabriel who finds the body of the Lord Chief Justice lying across his threshold, clad in his dress clothes, but not wearing his shoes and socks. And, not to mention, one of the knives from the Temple kitchen embedded in his chest.

To Gabriel's dismay, he is charged with trying to find answers to the murder. Assigned a young police constable, Wright, to assist him, Gabriel reluctantly sets out to gather what clues he can, and to interview the very people he works with in the Temple who attended the private dinner with the Chief Justice. This is also as Gabriel prepares for a court case to defend a book publisher responsible for publishing a children's tale set in the Temple Church within the Inner Temple. The author has always been a mystery, and now someone claiming to have written the book has come forward and wants what the book has reaped for the publishing company.

Meticulous, Gabriel, with Wright's help, questions each individual who was within the Inner Temple that fateful night. But is he on the right track? There were plenty of people who had a reason to dislike the Lord Chief Justice, however, were any of them really wanting him dead? The security of the Inner Temple makes it difficult to think that someone outside the walls could have done the deed. There are plenty of possibilities, it seems, but none that are very obvious.

A CASE OF MICE AND MURDER is book one in the new Trials of Gabriel Ward series. Gabriel has his idiosyncrasies, but he is the perfect non-detective for this job. Readers will be surprised, as this reviewer was, by the outcome. Don't miss this terrific tale.

This was the perfect British cozy mystery story! I read a lot of psychological thrillers and heavy books so this was the perfect palate cleanser! It took a bit for me to get into but overall it was a fun read!

I love a good British cozy mystery. I love a procedural crime novel. I love an earnest and determined lead character. Toys book should be right up my alley, but I found it a bit too slow moving for my taste.

My favorite part about this book was discovering the Temple area of London, which apparently is still a thing?? Very unique setting with such intriguing history.

The legal aspects of the novel were also engaging. I found it especially interesting that things like intellectual property laws have been around for more than a century and only continue to develop as our technology develops and grows.

Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

An absolutely delightful cozy mystery. It took me a little while to get into it, although that might have been because this ARC came in the form of a PDF (????), but I became thoroughly engrossed in the characters and mystery. I loved the MC, the setting, and the writing. I'll definitely be reading future books in the series. (I do hope more women will make appearances though.)

The first in a new series of mysteries set in London, 1901, the Temple, that cloistered 15 acres where lawyers have lived and worked for 700 years.
Sir Gabriel Ward is neuro-divergent and probably OCD, and as such, he has his routine and it does not deviate - until he is asked to investigate a murder of the Chief Lord Justice of England which has occurred on the grounds, almost on Sir Gabriel's very doorstep. How will he be able to investigate the events leading up to the murder and the murder itself? And why was the Lord Justice barefoot, of all things?! (It's just not done in polite society!) Sir Gabriel works with a young constable and the two become very good at sleuthing out information. Sir Gabriel has not been out of the Temple grounds for many years and with the constable's help, he is able to go back out into the world.
The murder uncovers a lot of intrigue unknown to Sir Gabriel - who will be the new Chief Lord Justice? Why is there so much mystery and ill-will with some of the families of other lawyers? What about the vicar who cares more for his cat than any thing else in the world? And what is the story behind Millie the Temple Church Mouse and why is the publisher being sued for releasing this children's book? And who is the real author?
The book started out slowly for me. There will be a certain group of people who will love this series, and others who will not be interested at all. I am looking forward to another book in this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA/Raven Books, in exchange for a review.

I have found a new mystery series to obsess over. Gabriel Ward is kind, caring, at times humorous, and incredibly smart. I loved how he was so reluctant to get into the murder case, but then got more and more interested in it as time went on. I also loved how his two cases somewhat became one at the end, and everything was tied up in a neat little bow. I look forward to the release of the book's sequel!

Thank you Sally Smith, Bloomsbury, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Brilliant but reticent barrister Gabriel Ward just wants to be left with his books and his routine way of life but when he trips over the body of the Lord Chief Justice on his doorstep,his life takes an unexpected turn. Appointed to investigate the murder while also preparing for a difficult trial concerning a beloved children's book, Gabriel finds that his cozy sequestered life within the walls of "The Temple" is threatened unless he can solve the mystery. As his legal case and his murder investigation begin to intertwine, Gabriel is thrust into the "outside" world for the first time in decades only to find that the people he thought he knew withheld information to protect their own secrets.

I found the character of Barrister Ward well drawn as was the 1901 London setting. As more of the Judges, Temple officials and various social climbing wives were introduced, I did get some of them confused and had to backtrack to remember each one's relation to the others.
Overall, a satisfying historical mystery, the first in a new series.

The setting is an interesting one, and I'm not sure I have ever read anything similar. It Takes place in London in 1901. Sir Gabriel Ward is an interesting, and unique, detective. I love the fact that there are two mysteries at play. I wasn't familiar with the Temple, so that makes this book informative, as well as entertaining. This is a solid start to a new series.

Historical mystery is a favorite genre of mine. When I saw the blurb for this book, I wanted to scoop it up. I am glad I did. This introduces a reluctant sleuth, Kings Counsel Gabriel Ward. He is a brilliant barrister who is very socially awkward. He will well read and is very comfortable in his very sheltered world of the Inner Temple. When murder shows up outside his door, he is given the task of questioning the people involved along with the constable who was called in when the murder was discovered. I loved this mystery. I really came to like and admire Gabriel. I thought the case was interesting. It is a little slow and full of interesting (to me) history. If you need constant action, you might not enjoy this as much as I did. I thought the twists were good. I love Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels and this has a similar feel but has less death and more use of intellect. I will look forward to more of this series.