“Death in the Countryside” is a nicely done mystery by Maria Malone. I love the main character – Sergeant Ali Wren, who is very good at her job, and her canine companion, Officer PD Wilson, who is also good at his job and invaluable in helping solve mysteries. The two make a great pair. Also well done is the description of the town of Heft where Ali works and lives – a small English town where residents feel free to drop in on Ali and Wilson to discuss petty crime (often speaking more to Wilson than Ali!). Life in Heft can be a bit leisurely and so is this book – a nice relaxing book to read. Besides the two main mysteries (both involving disappearances), there are several smaller mysteries. All of these are well done and it is fun to read as Ali (and Wilson) unravel the crimes, not taking things at face value. There are moments of sadness but there are also moments of happiness and hints for happiness in the future. I don’t know if there will be future books involving Ali and Wilson but I hope so because I really enjoyed this book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It's somewhere between a cozy and a straightforward mystery with a small-town police officer and her working dog Wilson. There was a certain old-fashioned flavor to this one that reminded me a little of Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh with a lot of village business and a slow reveal of the mystery.

Ali has quite a lot going on. She's the sole police officer in a little town where the residents don't have many boundaries when it comes to involving her in their squabbles. With all of that she's pulled in a million different directions all the time. When Brian, an older reserved resident reports his wife, Melody, missing Ali at first dismisses it as a woman running from a bat situation. But as the investigation continues the clues seem to be pointing in two separate directions and Ali suspects there are things that Brian isn't telling her.

This was a solid mystery with a likable main character and a fabulous dog sidekick. It's not the fastest paced read but I enjoyed the slower unraveling that reminded me a bit of the classic mysteries I really love. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I loved this cozy mystery and read it in one sitting. I loved the storyline and all the characters, especially the dog!! I thought the characters had great growth. I would definitly recommend this book.

When I read the synopsis for this book, I was sold! A small British Yorkshire, town, a female police officer and her trustee K9 partner? What’s not to love about that? The book itself did not disappoint and I cannot wait for more in this series. From the mystery to the coziness this was not quite what I was expecting given me protagonist detective, but it really hit the sweet spot with a current investigation and a cold case that ties in I’ll definitely be back for more in this series.

This is the first book I’ve read by Maria Malone and I enjoyed it. The pace of the first half was slow so but once things started happening, the pace picked up and it was an enjoyable read. Ali and Wilson are a good team. I like that Ali has a legitimate reason to be investigating because that is her job. It is a cozy-ish police procedural.

Thank you to the author, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This book is also published under the title Death in the Dales.

Sergeant Ali Wren is the sole police person in a small village in the English countryside. As such she gets mostly small crime to deal with until a resident in the village reports his wife as missing. Has she left under her own devices or has something worse occurred? Luckily Ali has her police dog Wilson at her side and he is really the star of the whole story.

The book is a cross between a police procedural and a cosy mystery. The author writes well and much better than the average cosy. Having the main character a police person who can legally question people also leans towards police procedural. However the presence of a very talented Spaniel and all the small town characters puts it squarely into cosy country.

Whichever genre it is I enjoyed it very much and would be happy to read a sequel.

1/5 stars: This is Malone's British Police Procedural Cozy-ish Mystery which is set in England and features a Sergeant and her trusty canine companion, who most often find themselves negotiating rival bakers and neighborhood squabbles. That is until an older resident reports his wife missing and while the woman might have simply gotten tired of playing dutiful wife and left without a word. Suspicions begins to mount when it emerges the husband's first wife died under tragic circumstances and evidence is uncovered of the missing woman's recent puzzling behavior. When she discovers that the disappearance may be connected to an old unsolved case she and her faithful dog will have their work cut out for them. While Malone's writing and character work are well done and this story has an intriguing plot this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 12%.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

A nice start to what looks to be a genial series set in the UK countryside. Ali Wren has been assigned as the only law enforcement officer in the village and she's brought her dog Wilson with her. Good thing because people will sometimes talk to Wilson (a very good dog) when they won't speak to Ali. This revolves around a missing woman whose husband well, has a bad history with wives. Did she just have enough and leave or did he do her in? No spoilers from me. There are also a few subplots for a village copper that I found amusing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A low key procedural with cozy vibes.

3.5 stars

"Death in the Countryside" by Maria Malone is set in the picturesque Yorkshire countryside, where Sergeant Ali Wren is navigating her new role as the local police officer. The story centers around the disappearance of Brian's wife Melody, but it's complicated by two subplot mysteries that feel somewhat disconnected from the main case.

As the sole police officer in the area, Ali is overwhelmed with trivial village disputes, leaving her little time off. This adds to the story's tension and highlights the challenges of rural policing.

While the setting and characters show promise (I love Wilson), the subplots feel like separate stories, which can make the narrative feel disjointed. Despite this, the book has potential, and I'm interested in seeing how the series develops.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

This book primarily revolves around the case of a missing woman. However, there are two subplot mysteries too another missing person from 20 years ago and a bakery rivalry. Each mystery is unrelated but they overlap time wise for Ali. I expected this to be a police procedural as Ali is a serving police officer however this really had the feel of a cozy mystery which was a nice change. All the mystery's were resolved in the end and as Springer Spaniel owner of over 30 years Wilson made the book for me. 4 stars because it was very slow to get going but the second half was great. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First time reading this author. I enjoyed the book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly, I wasn't too sure about Death in the Countryside when I first began reading it. The pace was a bit slow and I was concerned about Constable Ali Wren''s reliance on her spaniel, as a way to solve crime. I am not very tolerant of silliness. Well, I was wrong. The spaniel is a delight and proves himself in several ways. And after the slow start? I couldn't put it down. I found I liked Ali and loved Wilson, the spaniel.

Death in the Countryside is a cozy police dog mystery. The characters are well-defined, and the mystery well plotted. Readers will find some great twists and turns, and serious mystery buffs will find that Maria Malone's debut mystery is a tough one for we amateurs to solve. The main plot is a missing woman, who has disappeared in the small village of Heft, somewhere in Yorkshire. There is also a second cold case mystery, which Ali is asked to solve. Readers learn a lot about small town life, with the small disturbances that keep the constable busy. Death in the Countryside recalls the early days of women writers and the golden age of mysteries.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I am recommending Death in the Countryside and can't wait for the second book in this series. I am a serious fog person.

"Death in the Countryside" by Maria Malone is set in the English countryside. Sergeant Ali Wren is getting established as the local Bobby of her hometown. We also get the occasional viewpoint of other characters. She's the only police officer stationed there too. This means she pretty much has zero time off from the trivial stuff the villagers feel need mediation.

The story primarily revolves around the disappearance of a missing woman. However, there are two subplot mysteries too. They're not really related to the missing woman though and could have been their own books. Or, at least, they really didn't connect to each other than they overlap time wise for Ali.

Despite seemingly being a police procedural mystery it is really quite cozy mystery. It's very cozy mystery with the main character just have a bit more authority than the usual cozy mystery main character.

This book was a bit hard for me to get into. The beginning of the book was so slow and stuffed with so much unnecessary filler. I had to read this chapter by chapter instead of indulging.

I do think that this book has more potential. I did enjoy the plot line and the characters, it just didn't feel like your typical cozy Mystery due to its length. I could see myself reading a follow up if the rest of the series flowed a bit better

After a 30% of reading this book, I couldn't connect with the players. It was slow starting, even at the point I stopped reading, I have no exciting points. I did not finish this read.

Love the setting for this cozy that features Sergeant Ali Wren and her canine Officer PD Wilson, a Springer spaniel. When Ann older resident in town reports his wife missing Ali suspects just routine stuff but but she discovers his first wife died mysteriously. A small English town in the countryside with a quaint setting makes a delight to read. Thanks#Netgalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Death in the Countryside by Maria Malone is a thoroughly enjoyable book. Though I enjoyed the book, it took a bit for me to become used to the style and rhythm of the book. It seemed choppy at first, but after reading I became attuned to the style and the story was quite enjoyable! I am already hoping for a follow-up book!

A murder mystery with a dog? Sign me up!

Ali is a small town police officer, and with her dog Officer PS Wilson, they help keep the peace. However, when Melody, a local resident,goes missing it up to Ali and Wilson to uncover the secrets that lie behind the missing woman's disappearance.

I enjoyed Ali's character. She is meticulous and kind-hearted. Her detective skills are thorough, and she really enjoys serving justice. Wilson was a delight to read, so smart and passionate with his work.

A beautiful cozy murder mystery that is enjoyable from beginning to end!

Thank you, Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review. I give this one 3 stars because it was a cute small town mystery read! I do enjoy how the author builds up to the main plot. I feel like we were never really sure as readers what actually happened to the missing person or who the suspect was. I like books where you are thrown left and right with clues as to who it might be.

I absolutely LOVED Wilson, he was the perfect other main character in the story. Showcasing how different people act based on if they’re dog persons or not was too real, and in my opinion made the FMC a bit more interesting. Ali Wren is impressive, doing all this work by herself, but her trusty side kick definitely added to that!

Overall an enjoyable read! I would recommend it to those who are in need of a new small town, countryside, muster book with a super cute dog as the MC’s bff, and a story that will keep you guessing until the very end!

Overall, I'm enjoying the book, almost inspite of the author. There's a desperate need for editing as the asides take up more space than the plot. First it was cute, but veers in talking to Uncle Colm from Derry Girls territory. I'm not sure I'll finish it but it's good for a chapter while I'm in between books.