The book shines in its depiction of small-town dynamics and literary culture, with a colorful supporting cast and a satisfying blend of humor and tension. While some plot points unfold predictably, the clever premise and likable heroine keep the pages turning. Perfect for fans of bookish mysteries and light whodunits, this entry is an enjoyable escape with a metafictional twist.

Maeve Gardner is living comfortably on her house boat writing murder mysteries as a ghostwriter under Simon Hill Mystery's, dreaming of writing under her own pen name
but when her cheating ex is found murdered, found floating facedown near her boat house, maeve is thrown into her own real life mystery complete with conspiracies, extortion and red herrings
i found the charaters mildly likeable and found the red herrings boring but overall a cute rom com murder mystery

Melinda Mullet does a fantastic job of crafting characters with distinct and engaging personalities which made them easy to connect with and root for! The story kept me guessing from start to finish, directing my suspicions toward one character after another. I loved how each character brought something unique to the table, even the Captain! I think he may be my favorite character, I'm a sucker for dogs. That being said though, I absolutely adored Ash and I truly hoped he got the girl in the end, but I appreciated that the potential romance between him and Maeve wasn't wrapped up neatly at the conclusion, as it often is in other books. I prefer it to remain open to interpretation, and in my mind, I see Maeve and Ash living happily ever after — after everything they've been through, they deserve it! I genuinely loved this book and look forward to reading more from this author. The only critique I have is the cover. While I love the concept, I feel the execution falls a bit short. It just seems a little too simple for such an exciting and layered story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This was a fun read. I was excited to see this new series - at least, it looks like the beginning of a series - since I was such a fan of her Whisky Business books. It's a quick read with likeable and hopefully recurring characters, especially the Captain! Gotta love those canine characters. This was an interesting setting with the canal boats in London. Since the FMC is a ghostwriter for a mystery novel, I thought there would be much more of the "book within a book" aspect. There was hardly any, although I did like that the PI of her novel "spoke" to her at times.

"Ghost Writers Guide to Murder" is a true gem in the world of cosy crime mysteries. Set along the London canals, this book has an unusual setting with an exciting plot. From the very first page, I was captivated by the well-developed, interesting, and entirely believable characters, each brought to life in vivid detail by the author. Maeve and her quirky group of friends drew me in and I hope to see more of them in the future.

The multiple points of view, which could easily have been confusing, is handled so well by the author, it lends a richness to the narrative, offering insights into the characters’ minds and keeping the pace dynamic and engaging. The novel is balanced suspense with moments of wit and warmth, making it impossible to put the book down.

The way the London canal life is depicted and the detailed descriptions transport you to the heart of this unique setting, adding unique depth and texture to the story.

Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

Bubbling With Charm..
A ghostwriter finds herself slap bang in the middle of a murder mystery in this cosy whodunnit. Maeve usually kills people to make her living, strictly in the fictional sense of course. She’s good, her plots usually pan out very well indeed. Still, she dreams of publishing a book with her own name on the cover - one day. When her ex boyfriend is discovered very dead indeed Maeve gets arrested for the crime. She now needs to save herself. But how? Nicely penned mystery with a well drawn and credible cast of characters populating a pacy and well constructed plot bubbling with charm.

[NetGalley Read #33]
4.5 ⭐️

"Being a writer was a frustrating and lonely existence, but at least it was her own self-inflicted hell."

Amazing!

A good mystery elevated by colourful and fleshed out characters. Set in London, over a period of one (maybe two) month(s), the story starts with a trip down the canalside, described in beautiful detail. The first chapter really holds your attention with its vivid details and the beautiful imagery/scenery.

Gradually, the story unfolds to give us what a good murder mystery should. A dead body, obviously. The characters (four POVs). An understaffed, shady police department. A wrongful conviction. Characters (not from the shady police department) gathering clues. Hitting a dead end. Going in a different direction. Finding trouble. Turning into a tense few final chapters that had me clenching my fists before the satisfying conclusion. Bring on the next installment, already! (Hopefully there is one)

Juggling four characters/POVs in a mystery is unusual. But it's really well done here. With each character having their own strengths and weaknesses that makes you fall in love with them and has you rooting for them and worried for them in the final few chapters.

The writing style and the prose is exquisite. The places described in vivid details. The author has done a lovely job of capturing the atmosphere, the location, the accents, and the overall Britishness of it all that reminds of, among other things, an old radio show that I listen to these days.

My only gripe with this book was best described by a line in the middle of the story: 'She was going around and around in circles'. Really felt like it.

While I would categorise this as more of a mystery, the last few chapters really turned up the intensity and could easily fit into a thriller.

I thought this was a long book as far as mystery books go (300+ pages). But maybe I'm used to reading shorter length mysteries. Anyway, that's not a criticism. The story justifies the length of the book. And it makes me want to read more longer length mystery novels. As long as they're as well written as this book.

I found it easy to read despite some characters talking in apostrophes. If you're not a native English speaker (or even if you are), you might find yourself Googling some of the words which are really just British idiosyncrasies. For me, it helped with imagining what the characters would sound like.

Highly Recommended. 👍

A Ghostwriter’s Guide to Murder is a cosy murder mystery with a loveable cast of eccentric friends/neighbours. Maeve is a crime fiction ghostwriter who stumbles upon her ex’s murder and then looks to be the perfect suspect. She and her band of friends need to work together to help solve the crime, to keep Maeve out of jail, or worse. This was just a fun cosy read, also bonus points for an adorable dog.

An engaging blend of mystery and charm, A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder by Mullet is a cozy whodunit that kept me hooked from start to finish. From its captivating setup to characters and atmospheric London canal setting, this story is a delight. Maeve, a ghostwriter living peacefully on her houseboat with her loyal dog, Captain, finds her quiet life upended when her ex-boyfriend is discovered floating face down in the water beside her boat. She quickly becomes the prime suspect in his murder. Determined to clear her name, a cast of intriguing and endearing allies and friends work together, unraveling layers of deception and navigating red herrings galore. While the novel provides plenty of backstory, it remains briskly paced, delivering an utterly satisfying conclusion. With such an engaging crew at its heart, I can only hope this isn’t the last we see of Maeve and her friends.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I want to rent a canal boat for my next vacation.

In addition to the delightful location, Mullet has put together a satisfying cast of characters each with their foibles and strengths that play well off one another creating a tight and lovable team. -And they need a good team to deal with the case dropped at their door. Oo, look, there's $50,000 in the bumper tire! Oops, it's gone! And it's been replaced by a corpse floating by my boat. That just happens to be my ex . . . It's not a good morning for Maeve. Of course the police think she's responsible. Good thing she's got friends.

This fast-paced and intriguing whodunit was presented with a likeable, yet quirky cast of characters, a perfectly attuned mystery with plenty of suspects and clues enmeshed within the pages. The multi-faceted storyline had me immersed in all aspects as we learned about the back history of the characters taking part in this tale and the pivotal role they played. As Maeve followed the clues with assistance from her friends, there were a few tense moments that enhanced the suspenseful nature of the task at hand - finding the person responsible. When I thought I had a handle on who was doing what to whom, the author changed directions, all to keep me in the game. It was fun watching this all play out as one by one, the only person left standing was the killer. Overall, this was an enjoyable experience, and I hope this is the start of a new series.

I am a sucker for a cozy mystery. This one involves a mystery writer who finds herself dealing with a real murder, that she is charged with. Maeve has a group of friends who are determined to clear her. This was a fast read. I think there's definitely a lot of focus on the relationships, so if you like cozy mysteries like that, then this is definitely for you!

Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in July of 2025. Make sure to add it to your TBR!

2/5 stars
This felt like a classic book club thriller—something I could see an older crowd enjoying in a doctor’s office waiting room. It had an old-school vibe, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just not my personal taste. The pacing was steady, and while there weren’t any jaw-dropping twists or major reveals, it told a complete story. If you're into traditional, story-driven detective novels, this might be right up your alley.

Delicious. This is a perfectly written mystery with pockets of dark but so many pockets of humour. The characters are all delightful, as the bonds grew the story got better and better.

The setting of a house boat community is different and so enjoyable.

I hope this becomes a series, I would love to catch up with Maeve and the crew again soon

“Maeve Gardner kills people for a living. A dodgy occupation perhaps, but as a ghostwriter for the long-running Simon Hills mysteries, Maeve has planned the perfect murder time and time again, and she enjoys it.” I knew I had to read this book when I saw the description. I expected the general good mystery but what set things apart for me was the dedication of this team! Just like at most local pubs you can end up with an eclectic bunch on the stools beside you. Our main character Maeve has collected just that sort of friend group. Everyone gets a chance to shine in solving our crime. We have India who runs a floating bookstore, whose kindness and empathy are her greatest strength. Ash, a gammer nerd who’s foiled by Paul our former Navy pub owner. It’s not unusual for an amateur sleuth to have a helpful friend group but this one is out there taking initiative and risk. Which makes for a fast paced suspenseful story. With multiple points of view and well developed characters this is a a great read. The loyal dog and house boats also add to the charm. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Mullet has done a fantastic job writing out the characters of this book, presenting them each with a very distinct shell that pulls the reader in. As the story progresses and we follow Maeve's sudden whirlwind adventure into her real life murder mystery, we get to build on these supportive neighbours. It feels authentic, having relatable characters her colourful neighbours, the soft-spoken recluse, a bar owner with more to his mysterious past and the best friend who would go the lengths to help you prove your innocence. The story was fun to follow and the twists were not all too predictable.

A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder is more on the cozy side of mystery than straight up mystery. My problem with the book is that too many info dumping to me, although I appreciate the no-nonsense plot. However, Maeve isn't really a likeable character and while her friends' interactions with each other or together are allright, I can't bring myself to like the book more.

A ghostwriter must prove her innocence after her is is found dead in the water next to her house boat? Yes please.
Filled with red herrings and twist and turns. Definitely a popcorn thriller that will have you racing to the end of the book. Loved the idea of her being a ghostwriter but oddly enough it never really showed up that much in the plot.
Overall really fast enjoyable read would definitely recommend!

London, Present Day: Maeve Gardner is a ghostwriter, writing the 43rd installment of Harland Oaks’ Simon Hill mysteries. They’re very formulaic, very predictable, and thus very boring for her to write. She’s got the plot for the latest one figured out but is highly unmotivated to actually write it. Thus, she comes up with several distractions, ending up sitting on the deck of her boat (a proper canal boat mind you – about 5 times longer than it is wide). Which would be fine except her 50-ish pound dog, the Captain, decides to start chewing on one of the tires that serve as buffer between her boat and the dock ( so neither one gets banged up when the boat brushes up against the dock). She goes to investigate and discovers 50,000 pounds stuffed inside of it. (As a side note, the Captain has blue eyes so I’m guessing maybe some sort of husky mix? Which in my experience means a good sense of smell, a love of chewing on things, and a general predisposition for causing mischief – all of which fit the Captain chewing on the tire). After briefly debating about what to do with that much money, Maeve decides to ‘do the right thing’ and turn it over to the police. She stuffs it back into the tire and heads over to the local police station on the assumption that her tale would be more believable if it is told in person. However, when she returns with DS Dixon, the money is gone, and he is rather cross with her. Trying to find it and prove she wasn’t making a false report, she points to something she notices floating in the water, thinking it might be the money. It’s not the money; it’s the body of her ex-Gavin Forrester. She goes from being a helpful citizen reporting what might be a stash of drug money to being the prime suspect in his death. When she realizes that the cops are happy closing the case with her as the guilty party without doing much further investigation, Maeve realizes she’s going to have to do some investigating herself. She’s not alone, however, in that she’s got her best friend India, the local pub owner Paul who is former Navy, and her tech savvy / white hacker neighbor Ash to help.

This was a fun book. I usually don’t like when the main character is the prime suspect, but it made sense in this scenario – the police are highly understaffed (Dixon mentions his ‘team’ of one other person) and interested in quickly closing a case to make them look good and get a promotion. The main characters – Maeve, India, Paul, and Ash – are likeable, with plenty of backstory to explore in potential future novels. I loved how Ash thought of them as a DND-type gaming group with Maeve as the bard, India as the healer, Paul as the warrior, and Ash as the ninja / rogue / thief. And the Captain! Caine companions are always great. The secondary characters like the Machine and Vicky were also engaging, adding to the twists and turns in the plot.

Highly recommended! I’ve added some of Ms. Mullet’s other books to my TBR pile.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.Com which I voluntarily reviewed.

This is a fast-paced cozy mystery with an original premise— a mystery writer finds herself embroiled in the real thing.

Maeve is a mystery ghostwriter for a series of best selling mysteries. She has a good life living in a houseboat on the canals of London with her dog, Captain, surrounded by good friends, imagining murder mysteries and perhaps, one day, becoming a published writer in her own right. When her former boyfriend Gavin’s body is found floating by her boat, Maeve is charged with his murder.

She has a colorful array of friends who are determined to investigate the murder to clear her. In addition, there is a group of, perhaps, more questionable characters who are Gavin’s friends and darts buddies who get involved solving the death of their friend.

It was a fast read and if you enjoy a lighter cozy mystery that focuses as much on relationships as the crime, I’d recommend it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
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