This author clearly loves the settings of cozy mysteries, and wanted to write a story in such a setting. I think she accomplished exactly that, but there may have been a smidgen too much time spent on the setting, but it may not be clear whether this is an actual shortcoming until book two. Since so much worldbuilding has been done (villagebuilding?) she may not go into so much setting detail the second time around, and that with her writing ability would make for a great book. I would say we've all seen this town before, but the author (and Main Character)'s point of view adds a welcome aspect of diversity.

This book is the epitome of a British Cozy Mystery. English countryside, nosy neighbors, affairs, wiccan herbalist, murder, London transplants, the works, a book you could curl up and read by the fire with a hot cup of tea. I have never heard of Paula Sutton before, but after reading the description of this book, I looked to see what else she's done, and she is pretty much who I pictured as Daphne, the MC of this story. This book is very cottagecore, I mean the village is called Pudding Corner, and Daphne lives in Cranberry Manor, everything in the area is named after sweets. After the village headmaster is found dead, Daphne's curiosity gets the better of her and she investigates on her own, digging up secrets and burying assumptions that many people have made. The story itself is entertaining, overall, but there are so very many POVs that it seemingly drags the story down and slows the pace. It all ties together in the end, but I would have been thrilled with fewer POVs to keep track of. Overall, it's good, the first book in a series, and I think it is one that will be worth sticking around for. I always forget the narrator in these reviews. The narrator is phenomenal; she did the voices well and helped with the intrigue of the dicey situations.

The Potting Shed Murder is a warm, charming cozy mystery set in the idyllic village of Pudding Corner. Daphne Brewster, a city transplant turned amateur sleuth, finds herself drawn into a local murder—mostly out of curiosity and a good bit of heart.

Paula Sutton’s writing is rich with atmosphere and gentle wit. The pacing is slow to start but builds into a satisfying web of village secrets. If you love tea, gardens, and a good old-fashioned whodunit with heart, this one’s a treat.

The Potting Shed Murder is a cozy mystery following multiple members of a little English village who have secrets that are coming to light upon the death of the local school headmaster. Daphne, a strong black woman who wants her children to feel at home in their new little town, inadvertently becomes our amateur detective. She uncovers a number of affairs, observes suspicious happenstances, and overhears some unexpected arguments. Can Daphne discover the killer before someone else gets hurt?

There were a couple of twists and reveals in this mystery that I did not see coming. I also didn’t guess the killer until close to the end, which may have been because there weren’t enough clues or too many red herrings. The story telling style was a little all over the place - jumping in time sometimes a few days back, sometimes years back - at certain points as part of the reveals. It felt a bit messy since those parts weren’t focused on our amateur detective like a more traditional cozy mystery setup.

Still, there were many interesting characters to root for and I enjoyed the overall reading experience. Plus, the audio book narrator did a great job on tone. Cozy mystery fans should check this one out!

I have so many good things to say about The Potting Shed Murder, which I hope will be the first of many Pudding Corner mysteries! I have given this cozy mystery 5/5, but I will note that I only have one, small gripe which I get to in the end.

Firstly, I LOVED the Pudding Corner and Pepperbridge. Everyone is weird and there's ton of drama, and it just works. I mean, you've got disgruntled socialites, witches, busy-body sisters, and little shops and town events galore. I would read all these books, then watch the show, then read the books again.

I also LOVED Daphne. She was so relatable as a mom and as someone trying to navigate social justice versus just wanting a low-key life for your kids. She was curious and smart, and I was pleased to mostly follow her throughout this book.

Next, I LOVED this narrator. She strongly reminded me of someone, but I could never put my finger on who exactly. However, she just was Daphne and the way she told the story was so engaging. She could read my freaking phone book aloud, and I would listen.

The characters are odd, but perfect for a small town cozy series. I can see how they could continue to wind their way into every future murder Daphne might encounter in Pudding Corner, and the cops are just incompetent enough that Daphne will always run the show. I saw a lot of reviews that warned against the "slow pace" of the book, but as an avid cozy mystery consumer I thought this was spot-on. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be.

As far as the mystery goes, I was really happy with the part of the murder solution that pertained to all the hidden truths about romance about the town and for Mr. Pappelwick. However, I think the murderer was slightly too loosely involved in the story. I wish they had at least been on my radar prior to the ending. I feel like it's most shocking or effective when the murderer is someone who crossed your mind, but you forgot about them or you scratched them off your list for some reason.

For cozy mystery lovers, this book is it. I hope there are more! I will definitely have to read more by Paula Sutton, 100%.

Multiple times during this book I found myself thinking that I wish I could move to Norfolk and be Daphne’s best friend and raise our kids together while loving all things vintage and gardening.. so yes, I obviously adored the characters, especially the main.

I liked the perspectives of the different townspeople and Daphne’s interactions with them. The end connections of the town people worked out and weren’t predictable, but did feel a little bit drawn out tying up the loose ends. In the end I appreciate it all coming together cleanly.

Narrator had a lovely, smooth voice that fit Daphne so well. I typically prefer to listen to audiobooks at 1.5 speed and she still sounded so smooth and enjoyable to listen to.

If you like a lighthearted, English countryside mystery that will make you smile and want to hug the main character, give this a read. I look forward to the next books in the series for more of Daphne standing up for what’s right, her shop, Byron, Minerva, and all things Pudding Corner.

The Potting Shed Murder…Agatha Christie with snark and sex! Giving the bird to DEI deniers, each of the characters brings their own slant on diversity to this entertaining whodunit.
As an admirer of the wit of SJ Bennett’s Her Majesty the Queen Investigates series, I was hoping this book would fall into that same “cozy intrigue” category. Although the characters are definitely not of the crowned heads category, they are Pudding Corners royalty; adding (and sometimes removing) layers of intrigue as the mystery unfolds.
The potting shed, often a haven for gardeners and misunderstood or mismatched spouses alike, is the scene of the crime, and becomes a final havenand resting place for beloved Mr. Papplewick. As tongues begin to wag and fingers point...specifically toward newcomers., red herrings abound as shocked villagers begin to try to piece together this mystery.
Clever, witty, and fun!

NetGalley ARC audiobook – thanks for the advance copy.

The countryside setting was charming, and I usually enjoy a cosy mystery. But I was 40% in before the death even got any attention, and it still wasn’t being treated as a murder. That’s a long slog with no actual mystery.

I lost count of how many times we’re told Daphne stands up to bullies and inspires the meek. We get it. No need to hammer the same character trait into every chapter.

By 79%, I was just ready to be done. The pacing dragged, and while the characters had a bit of depth, they weren’t relatable. Daphne’s too self-righteous, Minerva barely shows up, and Augusta’s a cardboard cut-out.

I wasn’t shocked by who the killer was. What did annoy me was the main character making a ridiculously stupid decision by drinking something straight from the poisoner. Seriously?

Overall: meh. Easy enough to follow, but slow and forgettable. The audiobook narrator was solid, though – easily the best part.

2.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and RBMedia for this arc.

I had a fun time listening to this audiobook. There were a few twists which I hadn’t expected and I always love a lighthearted mystery.

I was slightly confused by the timeline between the family moving to the village and when the events were happening, but luckily this didn’t impact any of the actual events.

The narrator was very easy to understand and the posh English accent really worked for the books setting.

This book had all the things I love about a cozy mystery— a seemingly quaint English age, a clever amateur sleuth, complicated relationships, and a dose of drama.

I enjoyed that Daphne isn’t the typical sleuth I’ve seen in other recent reads. She doesn’t always seek out the mystery— it seems to find her. I also appreciated that she had empathy and was insightful.

The mystery had a lot of turns and red herrings, which made for a fun read. The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life. I’m interested to see where the story goes from here!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #RBMedia for an ARC.

The Potting Shed Murder is a lovely mystery. I had a little bit of trouble keeping the characters separate in my mind just because the cast was slightly on the larger side and different chapters focus on different characters. That being said, I did like it and would definitely read more by the author!

I also really liked the narration.

Thank you RB Media and Netgalley for the ARC!

AHHH this was a prefect little cozy mystery! The characters were believable, the small town tea was piping, and the ending was satisfying. I liked the characters being so messy and toxic, each one with their own internal demons and poor behaviors. It reads like an old timey murder mystery, but set in the modern era with more progressive characters. I really liked how the author explored the way small towns are often filled with dark and traumatic back stories they won't share.

Can't wait for book 2!

Review of The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton
"Welcome to the beautiful, bucolic village of Pudding Corner, where there's death amongst the dahlias . . ."
Daphne Brewster's peaceful new life as the "Vintage Lady" in idyllic Pudding Corner is shattered when the local headmaster is murdered. She can't help but unravel the web of secrets and scandals that emerge, especially when her new friend becomes a suspect!
I just finished the audiobook, and it was a fascinating listen. The narrator was top-notch, making it feel like I was chatting with a friend over a mug of tea, hearing about an unusual adventure. This modern cozy mystery offers great diversity and representation, which truly enriched the story. Highly recommend!
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, for the digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

2.5/5

Meh, not for me. Don’t get me wrong I love a cozy mystery this was just didn’t hit for me. I couldn’t get invested into the characters or excited about the story, it was just kind of bland.

This book was SO entertaining. I had a great time from beginning to end. Not only is Paula Sutton amazing at winding up a wonderful twisty turny tale, but every character was engaging. I was desperate to know more about Pudding Corner and Paula Sutton DELIVERED. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a great job! You could hear that she was having fun while she read! And the last hour or so, both author and narrator had me on the edge of my seat.

A murder rocks the idyllic English village of Pudding Corner, drawing newcomer Daphne into a decades-old secret as she investigates the death of the local school’s beloved headmaster.

This is a gossipy cozy mystery that tends to focus more on the characters’ internal journey than on the plot. There are several points of view, and the narration frequently jumps between them. The audiobook narration was well done.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A fun little cozy murder mystery. Fun to listen to and entertaining characters. Enjoyable narration.

This book is the quintessential cozy murder mystery - a small town filled with interesting characters and connections that you wouldn’t guess! It starts off a little slowly, and parts felt like the got bogged down by little details but overall was exactly as advertised.
The audiobook narrator was great - had good pacing and distinct voices for characters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)

This one was an ARC from NetGalley and RB Media (Recorded Books). The premise pulled me in, but the execution got a little tangled. There were a lot of characters to keep track of—almost too many—which made the plot feel more confusing than it needed to be.

I also wasn’t crazy about the narrators; their delivery made it harder to stay engaged, especially with so many names and subplots flying around. That said, the core mystery was decent, and I can see how others might enjoy it more—just wasn’t totally for me.

The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton is a mystery novel featuring Daphne Brewster, who relocates from London to the village of Pudding Corner. When the local headmaster is found dead in his potting shed, Daphne investigates to clear her friend Minerva’s name.
The novel shines with its cottagecore vibe and diverse protagonist. The setting and suspects establish an intriguing atmosphere. However, the book's slow pace may hinder sustained engagement. While the twist is noteworthy, it appears somewhat familiar, and certain characters lack adequate development.
This story is an excellent choice for those who enjoy mild mysteries; however, it may not appeal to readers who prefer intricate and suspenseful thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.