A cozy mystery with a hint of romance. This story had me dreaming of the Cotswolds and you can’t help but get lost in the tale.

The mystery here for me is why I kept reading this. The book was ruined for me by Georgie, the Bicker Queen. I just got so sick of her picking fights, arguing with every breath, and bossing everyone around. Towards the end, Sebastian tried to excuse/explain her behavior with some amateur psychology, but regardless of why she was the way she was, she was just annoying and irritating. The mystery fell a bit flat, too -- lots of red herrings, almost too many. I noticed that it has good reviews, so my opinion should perhaps be taken with a grain of salt. I just know that I will not read another of this series.

I wanted to love this book. It has everything I love in books: small villages, amateur sleuths, and a handful of murders. And it mentions Agatha Christie? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the mystery fell flat and the emphasis on the romance side just didn’t make sense. Georgie was okay, but Sebastian was insufferable. I didn’t by his act or his reasoning, and I did not like them together. If you’re a fan of Marth Waters, give it a read. If this is your first interaction with this author, I’d pass.

This was exactly the adorable read I needed.Georgie and Sebastian’ are such beautiful couple, reading and watching their love grow made me so happy. I highly recommend it if you love mystery & thrillers with romance.

A special thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Uber-competent and practical Georgiana Radcliffe has become a bit of a sleuth after helping to solve several murders in her otherwise sleepy 1930s Cotswolds village. When yet another person dies under mysterious circumstances, Georgie can’t help but think something nefarious is afoot no matter what everyone else thinks. She reaches out to a famous London detective for assistance only to be saddled with his handsome but seemingly dim assistant Sebastian Fletcher-Ford. Together Georgie and Sebastian investigate and Georgie soon learns there may be more to Sebastian that he lets on and more to life than the charming Buncombe-Upon-Woolly.

Historical mystery? Historical rom-com? I’d say this is Martha Waters’ take on a cozy mystery with a strong romantic subplot. It was fun and light and had her signature wit and send up of classic genre fiction tropes (here on the mystery side). Overall it was a lot of fun. I think it’s hard to have both a fully fleshed out mystery and a fully fleshed out romance in a single standalone novel and the romance here may have gotten the short end just a bit (honestly, I better understand why historical mystery writers usually go the slow burn route over multiple books—more time to make the relationship sing). But I still very much enjoyed grumpy bluestocking Georgie and golden retriever himbo Sebastian solve crimes in the Cotswolds (along with a bevy of fun side characters). After a historical romance series, a contemporary holiday romance, and now an historical mystery—is there anything Martha Waters can’t write?! And Then There Was the One is out Fall 2025.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the e-arc; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am a big fan of Martha Waters, particularly of her Historical Romances. I have read all of her work, and I was excited to receive an advance copy of And Then There Was The One. This book is a delight. It is a cozy mystery and a romance set in a picturesque village in the Cotswolds in 1930s England. The title is similar to Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”, and cozy murder mysteries have an important role in this story.

Georgiana Radcliffe and her friend Arthur have had a busy year in their village of Buncombe-upon-Woolly solving multiple murders. They enlist the help of England’s most famous private eye, who sends his secretary instead, to solve a recent murder in their village. Sebastian Ford-Fletcher is dashingly handsome, and initially seems interested only in charming or seducing ladies and eating large amounts of desserts and sandwiches. Georgie is dismayed and extremely annoyed at the prospect of spending a week with Sebastian, but as they get to know each other, they both learn that initial impressions about the other person were completely wrong.

I am not a fan of cozy mysteries, but I thoroughly enjoyed the investigation of the murders in Buncombe-sur-Woolly, including the murder tourists who have invaded their village, providing much comic relief to the story. Sebastian, Arthur and Georgie work tirelessly and discover many of the townspeople’s secrets as they solve the murders. The characters’ personalities, backgrounds, and sense of humor come to life as they investigate the townspeople and solve crime.

Martha Waters writes quirky love stories with lots of humor. She is particularly skilled at weaving emotions and attraction into her stories. When they meet, Georgie and Sebastian seem to be complete opposites who would never fall in love. Waters slowly builds the attraction and interest between these two characters to develop into a strong bond by the end of the book. Georgie is completely attracted to Sebastian, despite her determination not to like him. I loved the deep respect and admiration Sebastian has for Georgie, which is not typical of that time period. Their first impressions are completely reversed by the end of the book, and the reader is captivated by the love story between Georgie and Sebastian.

I wasn’t sure about reading a cozy mystery, but I really enjoyed this book. The mysteries and the lovely English countryside setting were entertaining and added depth to the story. I was really happy to see Georgie and Sebastian solve the murders and also find their HEA by the end of the book. The humor in Ms. Waters’ writing sneaks up on the reader, but her books are extremely funny, including this book. I liked the queer representation in this book in the relationship between Arthur and Constable Lexington.

Thank you to Martha Waters, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

3.75 ⭐️’s. I need to book a trip to the Cotswolds immediately. What a lovely, cozy mystery this was.

I wasn’t necessarily in the mood for a historical mystery with a romance subplot and yet I still enjoyed this read! I felt transported to the English countryside where there were cute names like the Sleepy Hedgehog Inn or the Scrumptious Scone Bakery.

Georgie and Sebastian’s banter was so fun, I loved the quick quips.

And Sebastian…I loved how down bad he was for Georgie despite being such a flirt with all women.

Sebastian: I don’t think you believe I mean it when I flirt with you
Georgie: Of course I don’t
Sebastian: Well perhaps you ought to try
Georgie: Try what?
Sebastian: Try believing it
🫠

Some points off because the actual mystery didn’t grip me and I could’ve used some more suspense. Also there were too many mystery novel references. But overall, this was a fun read.

Thank you to Atria Books eGalley and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Cozy mysteries are my new favorite genre and this was fantastic. The cover is gorgeous! Georgiana was such a fun character to follow along with. Sebastian was fantastic too, I love him!

Murder mystery historical romance set in 1930s England? Why not. This was the first historical romance I’ve ever read and I really enjoyed it I will say that the romance was more of the sub plot while the murder mystery was the main plot.

The line about her aunt having been married multiple times and it being a feat that she hasn’t harmed any of her husbands took me out.

The way the mystery unfolded was really fun and surprising! I didn’t guess the perpetrator at all!!

Thank you to netgalley for the arc!

This was not my favorite of Waters as it felt more of an Agatha Christie fanfic rather than an actual book. It was fine just not super memorable.

I was excited to read another novel by Martha Waters and intrigued by the “cozy mystery” genre. While I did find the village and the characters quite lovable, the story unfolded a bit too silly for me. Sadly, I like not a love but I am excited to see what Martha writes next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm not one to usually read historical romances or mysteries but I'm so glad I gave this one a chance! I found to And Then There Was The One to be delightful, charming and funny. Georgie and Sebastian had great chemistry and I often found myself giggling throughout the book. I really enjoyed the romance aspect of this book, and thought it was intertwined really well the mystery aspects. I love a good mystery and loved following along with this one, it kept me guessing. Reading Georgie and Sebastian try solve the mystery was also hilarious.

I can't wait to recommend And Then There Was The One to my friends when this is published!

This was a refreshing genre mix of cozy murder mystery with a romance subplot. The only thing this novel was missing for me was a hook and some suspense - it had an intriguing and unique plot, but it was a very casual read.

I like Georgie, quietly confident and sure of herself but grumpy. Oh look, is it me? The romantic aspect of Sebastian and Georgie’s relationship I think could have taken more development, but I appreciated the friendship that was slowly built amidst the teasing due to their differences. Sebastian has such golden retriever energy that even when he’s annoying, you can’t help but love him.

Martha Waters is becoming one of those authors that I’ll always read whatever she releases! Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is very cute. I like Martha Waters' other series, and she is VERY clever, and this play on cozy murder times romance novel is definitely fun and skilled. I think for me, personally, I would have taken one step more romance and one step less mystery, but that's a personal preference. I think I would have liked to get to know the main characters a little bit better, which was less possible of the focus on the mystery plot.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley.

About Agatha Christie:
I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie, and And Then There Were None is one of my all-time favorite novels, so I was really excited to read this book. However, it doesn’t have much in common with And Then There Were None. In this novel, some characters are familiar with Christie’s work and occasionally reference or reflect on her stories, but that’s about the extent of the connection. That said, nothing is so heavily referenced that you need to have read her books to understand or enjoy the humor.

Plot:
Georgie is a clever and independent young woman from a prestigious family in a small town. Much like Emma from Jane Austen's Emma, she feels it's her duty to care for her father, her sister, and the town itself—so she rarely leaves. Life is quiet and routine until five murders occur in the same year, shattering the town's peace. Disturbed by these events, Georgie writes to a famous detective in London. To her surprise, he replies and sends his associate, Sebastian, to investigate on his behalf. However, Georgie soon learns that Sebastian is not truly a detective but a secretary, sent mostly to escape his own troubles. Despite this rocky start, the two end up working together to solve the mystery—and in the process, they each discover new meaning and purpose in their lives.

Overall Thoughts:
Overall, this is a classic cozy mystery with a romantic comedy twist. The dialogue is witty, and the plot can be dramatic at times, but the story flows smoothly and is easy to read. The characters are charming and endearing (almost all of them), making for an enjoyable and heartwarming read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I want to thank Atria Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
I love a good cozy, English, murder mystery. Agatha Christie is one of my favorite authors. I definitely do not regret reading “And Then There Was the One.” I haven’t read Waters’ Regency Vows series yet, but I definitely put that on my (ever growing) TBR after finishing this one.

Georgie Radcliffe, of the historic Radcliffe family, has become quite the amateur detective. Her small village of Buncombe-Upon-Wooly has seen a startling increase in violent crime. Georgie herself has solved 3 murders in the span of less than a year. After a fourth murder (which the police seem to solve almost immediately), the council chairman dies suspiciously. Georgie and her friend, reporter Arthur, set out to invite a famous detective to help investigate. But instead of the famous London detective, his assistant, Sebastian, shows up. What ensues next is an adventure utilizing each and every resource the pair can find: including (much to Georgie’s dismay) the murder tourists.
As they get to the bottom of the crime spree happening in Buncombe-Upon-Wooly, it becomes hard for Georgie and Sebastian to deny that there’s more to their relationship than they think. It seems like they’ve judged each other completely wrong.
What I loved:
• The characters: Georgie is SO relatable. I love how independent and strong she is. I also love how vulnerable she ends up being. Sebastian Fletcher-Ford is very, very dreamy. I imagine him as a young Hugh Grant. *heart eyes* Even the minor characters stand out. However, my absolute favorite character has to be Egg, the adorable beagle.
• The setting: I want to immediately travel to Buncombe-Upon-Wooly (if it weren’t fictional, of course). Waters really brought the quaint village to life. Between the different shops and restaurants, the “Murder Tourism” hotspots, and the historic Radcliffe estate, it felt like I was actually there. I also loved that this was set in the 1930’s. That’s an era I don’t read much about.
• The romance: I’m not going to spoil anything. We still have a long way to go before the book releases in October. I’ll update this section after the release.
• The mystery: So many red herrings and plot twists. I loved that the book kept me guessing.
What I didn’t like:
• I wanted more investigation and confession. Georgie’s “amateur detective” status wasn’t fully explained.
• I could have done with a few less references to murder mystery novels. While it was a fun addition, it was borderline overdone.
• It was over WAY too soon… does anyone know if this is going to be the beginning of a new series? I hope so.
Overall, this was an excellent read. I will definitely be reading other books written by Martha Waters. This one is anticipated to release 10/14/2025. I recommend checking this one out.

4⭐️
"There really was something to be said for a romantic subplot in a mystery after all."
A cozy murder-mystery set in the 1930s Cotswolds, this is different from Martha Water's other historicals but I thoroughly enjoyed! Buncombe-upon-Woolly has had four murders in the last year- when the fifth murder occurs, local amateur sleuth Georgie decides to call in an expert. Except the famous detective Georgie writes to sends his assistance instead- enter Sebastian.

I really enjoyed how this book leaned into and also poked fun at cozy murder-mystery tropes. The entire atmosphere of the quiet village with growing Agatha Christie type fangirling was great. I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters as well, and everyone we got to meet in the charming villages.

I've got to say, I think Sebastian was my favourite, he was just the most lively character of the bunch. At first I was a little nervous I would hate him, because from the moment he stepped off the train he was a lot. But I think Martha Waters did a good job of showing who he really was behind the unruffable playboy facade. I do wish this leaned more heavily on the romance? It sort of felt like an afterthought. Georgia is still barely tolerating Sebastian until like 65% of the way through? I wasn't even entirely sure she had real feelings for him until the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Intentionally over the top, this cozy mystery x romance had me laughing out loud at the shenanigans. I liked the overall premise, banter between Georgie and Sebastian, and the depth hidden behind some of the chaos (e.g., Sebastian, the murder tourists).

And as a double edged sword, this was a light, quick, easy read…but in a way that was rather forgettable. Exasperated by the overall conclusion for the mystery which felt anticlimactic.

overall a 3.5 rounded up since I did giggle the afternoon away reading this.

Thank you to Martha Waters, Atria, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A charming and cozy romance between two aspiring detectives. The setting of the Cotswolds is lovely and Georgie and Sebastian have chemistry. I enjoyed the callouts to mystery novel tropes. The central mystery was intriguing but the relationship between Georgie and Sebastian was the highlight of the story. Would love to know Sebastian's secrets for staying in great shape while feasting on seemingly dozens of pastries a day!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

A lovely read that features a quaint and sleepy village with a delightful heroine and a hero that isn't your usual run-of-the-mill historical romance hero. The dynamics and growing relationship between them is definitely the highlight to this ode to the classical golden age mystery, resulting in a cozy mystery that stands out from others.