A Halloween Murder by Mary Grand.
This was a really good read. I liked the cover and blurb of this book. This is the fourth book I've read by this author. I knew i would enjoy this book. I had a theory who would he the first victim. But I was so wrong. I was wrong with who the killer was. I kept thinking it was one suspect, then another. I do hope there is more to come. Definitely Recommend.

It was meant to be a bit of old school girls get together in the caste at Halloween but when on of the party turn up dead, it is down to Susan and her daughter to put the puzzle pieces to gather and solve the murder.
An easy to read cozy mystery with plenty of clues and false leads which keep the reader hooked. Perfect holiday reading material.

This was the perfect cosy murder mystery set against the backdrop of a spooky castle and Halloween. Susan was excited to be invited to a Halloween ghost walk with her adult daughter Zoe and her friends but Susan soon senses tension amongst the group, it clear all is not as rosy between the friends as she thought.

When one of the group is found dead under mysterious circumstances everyone is a suspect & the group is under lock down in the castle. Susan is determined to get to the bottom of it all & crack the case herself. This is a perfect locked door mystery, with plenty of red herrings, twists and suspense. The cast of characters are brilliantly written and well developed. The creepy castle setting really added so much to the story.

This was a really enjoyable easy read, which was my first read from this author but definitely won't be my last.

A group of former school friends – including Susan’s daughter Zoe – are reuniting for Halloween weekend, with a concert planned to mark the retirement of their former music teacher. Barrister Maxine, contemplating the likely end of her marriage, is joined by husband Gino: they’re staying in an apartment within the walls of Carisbrooke Castle, together with Nick and girlfriend Annika, who will be performing at the concert. Zoe, and local friend LeAnne – now a successful restauranteur – are both staying with Susan, and she’s delighted to be invited to join them all for a nighttime ghost walk. But there are tensions within the group, and Susan feels generally uneasy.

When one of the group is found dead in the courtyard below the battlements, there’s a clear cast of suspects – this is very much a locked room mystery, as no-one can enter or leave the castle at night, so one of the group must be the killer. And when the individuals start to turn on each other and the finger of suspicion begins to point towards her daughter Zoe, seen on the battlements after the ghost walk, Susan – despite being warned off by the police, who now know her well – feels compelled to get involved in the investigation.

This was a really compelling mystery, becoming increasingly complicated by further discoveries, the pages turning ever faster. Every one of the suspects, each taking their turn in the frame, is equally credible – and the characters are so complex and well drawn, with many more dark secrets uncovered as the story unfolds. Susan digs into the hidden detail, with the assistance of her elderly but logical-minded friend Alice at the local nursing home – although distracted at times by the arrival of her new neighbour, concerns about Zoe’s future plans, and the possible departure of her ex-police friend Robert to help his own daughter in France. And they were distinctly more successful than I was in putting the clues together – the perpetrator, when finally uncovered, came as a surprise, but not a left-field one because all the clues were always there.

The pacing is excellent, as always, as the tension builds – and the story itself has distinctly dark edges. I’ve grown particularly fond of Susan, her internal monologue when weighing up the evidence and testing her theories, taking every opportunity to walk her dogs even when it means putting herself in the path of danger (I’ve now learned when to look away…). The location is simply perfect, with Carisbrooke Castle (wonderfully described) now firmly on my “must visit” list, very much another character in the story. And I rather like the close community of Bishopstone too – where everyone knows everyone else, and there’s not much that escapes the notice of Tracy at the village shop who usually has her own “take” on events.

Another excellent read from a favourite author. I might not read cosy mysteries very often, but this is a series I’m very much enjoying – and this another book I would strongly recommend to others.

With a backdrop of a castle, this mystery comes about. The friends get together for the weekend for a Halloween ghost walk. When one ends up dead and one is a top suspect for the murder. Susan, the mother of the prime suspect gets to work. This is the first book that I have read by this author. I enjoyed the story and how the story has its twists and turns.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Boldwood Publishers and leaving a review by my own choice.

Susan is the mother of Zoe and, now divorced, lives in Bishopstone with her two dogs. Zoe is coming to stay for a few days as she is meeting up with a group of friends from high school who were all in a band together. Their plan is to rent an apartment at Carisbrooke Castle that is partially in ruins and where King Charles I was held prisoner. There will be Zoe, Annika, Nick, LeAnne, plus Maxine and her husband Gino. It's Halloween night and there will be a ghost walk and a couple days later a concert. As space in the apartment is limited, Zoe and LeAnne will be staying the night at Susan’s home.

There appears to be animosity among the friends and Maxine and Gino are having martial problems. After the ghost walk, and shortly after midnight, Maxine goes missing and is found dead the next morning. She appears to have fallen from the battlements. The police question the friends and hope to find some answers.

I decided to read this book because I had enjoyed the author’s novel “The Christmas Murder.” I don’t that book was as convoluted as this one. The author has written what is supposed to be a “deep-thought” scenario to make the reader really try to solve this murder. However, there are so many red herrings that it can give one a headache trying to keep it all together. I do have to compliment the author for putting together something as complex as this mystery. But for me, it put far too much pressure on my little gray cells.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5 stars. Susan has known her daughter's friends since they were children. When they decide to have a reunion and invite Susan along for a haunting ghost walk within the castle grounds, she cannot imagine that anything could go wrong. However, she starts to pick up on the tensions within the group and she realises she may not know them as well as she thought she did. Soon, one of them are dead and she knows that the killer has to be one of them. After all, they were all locked inside the castle grounds... 

This was such a fun read. I loved the setting of Carisbrooke Castle as it really added to the atmosphere and claustrophobic feel of the story. I also enjoyed the story taking part during Halloween. 

The author did a fantastic job of setting the scene and filling the story with lots of secrets and red herrings... the killer could have been anyone! I love a story with so many twists and turns. You don't know what to think, and this was one of those moments.

The characters were well portrayed and each one had hidden depths. Susan and Alice were great they both have a sharp mind and eye for detail and of course the true star of the show... Princess the cat.

I liked all the different threads and how it all came together in the end. It was well written, nicely thought out and the pacing was perfect and had me quickly turning the pages. I highly recommend to any cosy crime fans! I will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

I liked the characters and the setting. Mystery did keep me guessing,

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

A Halloween ghost walk set in a castle, love it!
The setting was perfect for a creepy atmospheric whodunnit.
Susan and her daughter Zoe end up stranded in an old castle with a murderer.
Secrets are revealed, some quirky characters within the group, all in all this is a good cosy murder mystery which will be a great especially those who like autumnal/seasonal reads.
I really enjoyed it, plus what a stunning cover 😍

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Creepy, scary - and an intricate plot!

Susan's daughter's friends are planning to go on the ghost walk at a remote castle, staying there for the weekend. Zoe, her daughter and friend Leane are going to stay with Susan rather than in the castle accommodation, travelling back and forth so Susan finds herself invited on the ghost walk too. Despite a horrid feeling of foreboding, she goes along but one of the party is found dead and, with the police investigating Susan can't stand by and just watch - she has to find out 'whodunnit' . . .

This is a wonderful read; the setting is palpably creepy - and I certainly wouldn't have been wandering around it in the dark, that's for sure - even with my dogs! Susan is a seasoned investigator .. this isn't her first rodeo, and I was hooked. Did I work it out? Only seconds before the killer was revealed on the page! Another gripping addition to this series and one I'm very happy to both recommend and give all five stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

Susan has always taken comfort in the peaceful rhythm of life on the Isle of Wight. But when her daughter Zoe invites her to a Halloween ghost walk at a remote castle, Susan has a sense of foreboding she can't quite shake. It's meant to be a bit of fun for the group of old school friends, the thrill of an overnight stay behind the castle's ancient gates. But when one of them is found dead, the weekend away takes a sinister turn. With the castle and the group trapped inside, it soon becomes clear the killer would have been among them.

When Susan's daughter Zoe asks her to join her and her friends on a Halloween ghost walk at a remote castle, she is a little apprehensive about going. But the last thing Susan was expecting was to end up in another police investigation.

I quite liked the thought of a ghost walk set around a creepy old castle. The mother/daughter relationship that Susan and Zoe had was well-developed and believable.. Zoe's friends are a mixed bunch. Everyone was a suspect. Secrets are revealed. This is a good cosy murder mystery.

Published 7th July 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #MaryGrand for my ARC of #AHalloweenMurder in exchange for an honest review.

A thrilling read. When an overnight stay turns deathly Susan feels like she needs to discover which in the group could possibly do this. Great setting. Thrilling. Lots of twists and turns that keep the reader engaged.. Thanks #BoldwoodBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

Another cracking mystery from Mary Grand. Based on the Isle of Wight and once again featuring Susan who yearns for a quiet life but somehow murder always seems to find her. In this story a group of friends including Susan’s daughter Zoe, gather together at Halloween to reminisce about their school days and attend a concert. On their first night they attend a ghost walk around the haunted castle where most of them are staying. Some are quite spooked by the walk, others just think it fun. However, when the body of one of their group is discovered at the foot of the precarious battlements, the suspicion begins. Did they fall or wete they pushed? As Zoe is implicated as much as her remaining friends, Susan cannot help but become involved and searches for answers regardless of the danger she may put herself in. There are many clues and red herrings along the way and once again I have failed to guess the truth. A final shocking twist reveals all the answers. I love this series, not least because the Island is so familiar to me but I also enjoy all the regular characters and especially the lovely dogs. I look forward to the next one. Readers who don’t know the Island - it’s really not this murderous! It is however as beautiful and interesting as Mary portrays.

I really enjoyed this!! Having been to the Isle of Wight myself, and lived in the south of England, it always feels closer to home to read local books.

This cosy mystery is exactly that, and perfectly done. Susan and Zoe are both captivating main characters and I enjoyed the pov focus on both of them. I was captivated by their thought processes and how it all unraveled for them, with us along for the ride.

I’ll definitely look to read this authors other books.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Susan lives in the village of Bishopstone. She moved there after her divorce. Zoe, her daughter lives not that far away from her with her wife and little girl.

Susan is looking forward to her daughter’s visit, Zoe will also be catching up with her old friends, when they were younger, they all were part of a band.

The friends have rented an apartment which is in an old castle. They will also be doing a ghost walk on Hallowe’en. But, as the apartment isn’t that big, they all can’t stay together, so Zoe and LeAnne will be living with Susan.

After the group reminisce of the past, one member is found dead and it looks like they were killed. The killer could be any one of them, but Zoe was the last one to see the dead person, is it her?

As the death is looked into, secrets are revealed, as well as the lies that have been told. The story was well written and it was hard to put down, turning the pages to find out what happens next and who was the killer.

I highly recommend this book.

Murder mystery set around Halloween and the autumn. I was eager to read this! I absolutely loved this and would love for more. A brilliant cosy mystery book

When a group of old school friends rent an apartment at a castle on the Isle of Wight they are hoping for a fun reunion. But when one of the friends is found dead it's clear they are not as close as they thought.
Susan's daughter Zoe was with the group and as one of the last people to speak to the victim she finds herself in the spotlight. Susan is determined to prove that her daughter is innocent but to do that she will need to prove that one of the others is guilty.
If you like an easy going cosy crime this is perfect for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Mary Grand for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Halloween Murder coming out July 7, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I love cozy mysteries. I thought it would be a fun Halloween themed book. It wasn’t as Halloween oriented as I thought it would be. I was hoping for some spooky cozy fall vibes. It was a little on the long side. I would check out other books by this author though.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future

Susan Flynn is invited to go on a ghost walk at the castle her daughter and friends are staying at, it is Halloween after all. The friends were all once in a school rock group and have all gone their separate ways, the get to together is to participate in a concert to pay tribute to their school music teacher.
Susan soon notices that tensions are high among the group and is glad to return home, as there is limited space in the castle apartment her daughter Zoe and one of the group Leanne are staying with her. In the morning Zoe is stunned by a phone all saying Maxine, another of the group is dead, and Zoe might have been the last one to see her.
A good cosy mystery with plenty of false leads for Susan and Zoe to follow.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.