Having never read this author before, I thought I would try this book. Terrific thriller about a woman's return to her home town to find answers about her sister's murder. Years before, Natalie (the main character) had watched her sister, Sarah, slip out of her bedroom to meet someone. The next day, her sister's body is found in a garden's lily pond. In the present, Natalie ,a best seller writer, has written a book based on the murder. Little does she know, this book will start a new round of murders ; will she be next? Family secrets, who knew what etc. kept me reading to the very end. A fanastic read, I will be reading this author's other books!

Great story! 14 years ago Nikki's sister, Sarah, was murdered and her murderer never found. Nikki has subsequently become a thriller writer and in her latest book she drops hints and makes comments related to Sarah's murder, all with the intention of drawing out the murderer. With plenty of twists and turns and not a few bodies, both old and new, she certainly seems to be on the right track. A really enjoyable mystery.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Louise Marley for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a wild ride this book was! Just when you think you know who killed 18-year-old Sarah Grove fourteen years ago, here comes a plot twist! You will not regret picking up this book to read, or the previous three in the series. You can read them all as standalones, but personally I like reading them in order so I know the characters.

Natalie Grove has never had justice for the murder of her sister Sarah, who was two years older than her when she died. Poor Natalie discovered Sarah’s body in a lily pond and life has never been the same for her. She has decided to write a book loosely based on her sister’s story hoping to draw out the killer, even though it could put her in the crosshairs of a killer.

Things get complicated when there is another murder in the same manner as her sister and Natalie once again finds the body. There are lots of twists and turns in this book and when you get to the end, the killer will stun you. The families in this book are highly dysfunctional and it is hard to believe how Natalie’s mom has turned her back on her and created a new life that does not include Natalie at all. When her mom says, “… it always has to be about you,” can you blame Natalie? She has lived in Sarah’s shadow her whole life, and even in death.

I was sad not to find Ben, Milla, and Harriet in this book, but you know that at the beginning that it is a book with DCI Doug Cameron and takes place prior to Murder at Raven’s Edge. Hopefully, we will get more books with Ben, Milla and Harriet.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder at Castle Vyne is book 4 in Louise Marley's English Village Mystery series and it was a compulsive read for me, I had a hard time putting it down.

It's important to note that although this is part of a series, the main characters from the previous books do not make an appearance in this book. I haven't read the full series, but I had read book two, so I was slightly disappointed by this, but for newcomers, you won't have to worry about missing anything because this book is a standalone and not related to those previous books.

The story is told from the point of view of Natalie Grove, an author who has returned to her home town to investigate the unsolved 14 year old murder of her older sister, Sarah. Soon after her arrival, and people start dying, and it soon becomes clear that she has stirred something up in the village.

This novel had some insane twists, and as Natalie tries to find the person who killed her sister, long held secrets are revealed. This was such a suspenseful read that even though I was disappointed in the beginning that it didn't feature some of the characters I was familiar with, I could not complain by the end.

This book was well worth the read, and I recommend it to any lover of mysteries or thrillers. This one definitely felt more like a thriller than a mystery to me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was my first book in the Castle Vyne series, and I had no trouble following along as it can be read as a standalone. A woman revisits her teenage sister’s cold case murder from over a decade ago. The premise was gripping, and the setting added a great moody atmosphere. The mystery had plenty of twists, hidden identities, and dark family secrets. That said, the plot started to feel overly dramatic, with too many revelations and tangled relationships; some subplots felt unfinished. It didn't really resonate with my tastes personally. Still, it’s a fast-paced, layered mystery that fans of gothic family drama and twisty plots may enjoy. The setting is what drew me in initially!

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was a surprise for me.

Imagine watching your sister sneak out and you see her head off with a boy. Being the sneaky sister that you are you try to follow her but she ends up getting lost in a crowd. The next morning she is nowhere to be found.

Now that you are a successful writer you and you a "fictional" story that is based on your sister's murder. Secrets start to come out as the story develops.

Natalie is determined to solve the mystery of who killed her sister Sarah years before. She writes a new book but this one is different than the rest of her books because this one is based on Sarah's murder. During an interview Natalie reveals that she found Sarah's diary and suddenly bodies start turning up. Her father reveals some truths before his nursing home is burned to the ground and she realizes she has made a big mistake.
I was totally involved in this book from the beginning and a few times thought I knew where it was going but then another twist would come. This is more than a cozy mystery, it's intense, I loved it. The title makes it sound Victorian but it is anything but. Thanks to Netgalley and Storm publishing for the chance to read this awesome story.

I would describe this book as more of a dark psychological thriller, rather than a typical cozy. That genre is usually not my cup of tea, but this book turned out to be a real page turner!
It's been over a decade but Natalie has never gotten over the unsolved death of her older sister. When she goes back to the castle where her sister died and starts asking questions, this opens a pandora's box of secrets and lies. This has a very twisty plot and an unexpected ending. What a great read!

Natalie is obsessed with the murder of her sister fourteen years ago and has written a book to attempt to lure the true murderer out of hiding. This is described as a cozy mystery, but don’t expect a fun little mystery as there are a lot of dark themes involved. Natalie has put a target on her own back with her new book and she doesn’t know who to trust. There are several suspects and the mystery is full of twists. I was soon engrossed in the story and pleased with the ending.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this latest novel from Louise Marley. After really enjoying her last series it’s brilliant to be back in a familiar setting but with new characters and a whole new mystery! Brilliant writing and I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a cosy murder mystery with a punch! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my ARC

A real twisty, turny murder mystery with excellent characters that you despise and want to know more to understand more. The book bounces between time periods, with the plot using the different times to expose what happened, or what might have happened bit by bit. Nathalie has a broken family after the death of her sister and this is unpicked and a spotlight put on the relationships in all their glory. The suspense is well done, with a range of potential murderers all relatively close to home which ratchets up the tension. The book is well told, well structured and a pleasure to read.

Fourteen years ago, Natalie discovered the lifeless body of her older sister Sarah.
The crime was never solved. Natalie is determined to discover the truth about her sister's fate. She wants Justice for Sarah!
When Natalie begins promoting her new novel, based on real life events, strange things start happening.
Natalie's book has grabbed the attention of many people from her past. Most are unhappy about new information being revealed and want the case to stay cold!
Murder at Castle Vyne is a fun read filled with twists and turns. This is a classic whodunnit in a gothic setting!
Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for sending me this ARC!
Release date is July 15, 2025

Fourteen years after her older sister was murdered with no perpetrator found, Natalie puts all the angst, guilt, and frustrations of her derailed life into a book of fiction. Bringing the tragedy back out in the open proves to be an invitation for someone to finish the job by terrorizing Natalie with the expectation of murdering her as well. Tightly wound and plotted thriller with some really incredible twists.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof from Storm Books via NetGalley. Pub date Jul 15, 2025
#MurderatCastleVyne by @louisemarleywrites #EnglishVillageMysteryBk4 @stormbooks_co
#secrets #psychologicalthriller #unputdownable #coldcase #angst #survivor's guilt #stalking

Fourteen years ago, author Natalie Grove's life changed forever when her eighteen-year-old sister Sarah was killed. Her fourteen-year-old self was devastated, and the intervening years have done little to change that. Her latest thriller, although not specifically advertised as such, is a fictional retelling of that fateful event, and Natalie is determined to finally solve the cold case and move on with her life. Some secrets, however, have grown used to being hidden, and before she’s even unpacked from her latest book tour, she finds herself in no end of trouble.

Knowing she can't stop now and with the unexpected help of an acquaintance from her past, Natalie grabs the clues she finds with both hands but the past, it seems, hasn't finished with her yet! After some devastating incidents, the unwanted attention and advice from the police, and a shock admission, Natalie knows she's getting closer but, as everything starts to fall into place, can the crucial pieces of evidence even begin to prepare her for what is about to be revealed?

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Storm Publishing, but the opinions expressed are my own. Louise Marley is an author I would have missed without NetGalley, thank goodness I didn't because she is an exciting, seriously talented author, and I love her English Village Mystery Series so was excited to read this. I wasn't in any way disappointed and read it in just over a day. I happily recommend this.

3* Had great hints of stuff to be revealed, but it kind of fell pretty flat in the last 2 chapters...

This is my first read by this author, and it wasn't a bad one. She built up interest and intrigue nicely in the prologue, then made Natslie an interesting protag. The Bryn/Gerraint thing kind of went nowhere, as did the Magda-Nemesis aspect. The father thing made me eyeball so hard, I hurt myself. If you're looking for a tale where people who've done wrong get their comeuppance, this tale won't be for you.

ARC courtesy of Storm Publishing and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.

Wow what an absolute whirlwind!!

The twists and turns just keep on coming and they are so masterfully weaved into this story that you will be blindsided by them!!

On the cover it’s described as ‘a cozy murder mystery you won’t be able to put down’ and isn’t that the truth! I devoured this within a few hours, unable to resist the next chapter.

Fourteen years ago Natalie discovered the body of her sister, floating in a pond. No justice was ever found for the murder and it continues to haunt Natalie to this day. But when Natalie appears on television, promoting her fictional book, that somehow seems quite familiar to real events, things start to happen. Could this mystery finally be laid to rest all these years later?

With great scene description and character development, you will feel like a fly on the wall to everything happening. Once or twice you may think you have worked something out, but don’t let yourself be fooled, another twist is just a chapter away.

Absolute credit to this author for building in so many twists, right up until the last page, all of which you will not see coming.

So my advice? Read it! But make sure you clear your diary, hide from your partner and kids, take a day off work, because trust me when I say you won’t want to put it down!! Such a clever piece of fiction!!

An Enticing Whodunit with a Hint of Old-World Charm
Murder at Castle Vine delivers a satisfying blend of mystery, atmosphere, and classic sleuthing. Set against the backdrop of an imposing country estate surrounded by secrets, the novel follows a gripping investigation that gradually peels back layers of deceit. The cast is engaging, the clues are cleverly planted, and the setting adds a delicious gothic undertone to the suspense. Fans of traditional murder mysteries will find plenty to enjoy it is a page turner that keeps you guessing until the very end. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had a devilishly twisty plot, with people not being who they seemed to be, and lot of lying. Although, all the murders link back to Sir Henry in some way, it all just seemed a little far fetched for me. The storyline involving Natalie’s father really stretched my credibility. The story around Simon was believable, and even the one concerning Magda was feasible. Put together, it seemed just over the top and perhaps for me, just too many murders. It had the potential to be a really good mystery, but just didn’t resonate with me. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was the first book I had read of the author’s series set in the world of. Castle Vyne. I was able to follow the action without that background. It’s a twisty, engaging story with a plot centered on the murder of a teenager more than a decade before. The murdered girl’s sibling tries to make sense of what happened and brings all sorts of uncomfortable truths to light. It was an engaging read but became a little too much like a soap opera for my tastes, with lots of unpleasant relationship surprises and a multilayered ending. Again, not a bad book, just not entirely to my tastes. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.