A simple cosy mystery that would be a good holiday read. I did find the writing to be somewhat slow and clunky, and the friendships to be a little too convenient and cosy. I'm sure it will appeal to lots, but I don't think I would read any more if it were a series.

A little slow as it is with h most cozy mysteries but, this one was quite alot slower than usual. I did guess who the culprit was very quickly as it was so obvious but, on the whole I enjoyed this one. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Albert Franklynn's death is a surprise to all, not least of all Sylvie, his wife. But the surprises come thick and fast when it is discovered three wives show up to claim his body. And then it is discovered that it was murder. So, two of the wives and a best friend team up together to find out who killed Franklynn. Not that can't be very hard or deadly, could it?

About halfway through the book it became obvious who the killer was (and you didn't need to really even need to guess) so the real charm of the book came in getting to know the three women and how they bonded. It is the first in a planned series so it is understandable so much time is spent on getting to know the women. I hope that in future books the mystery would be a little bit harder to guess.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The first book in a new cozy mystery series. As is true in most first books of a series, the story moves a little slower as the author builds the community and backstory, and introduces the main characters and the supporting cast. Without this framework, there is no series to carry forward. Add in the ghostwriter telling the story in the voice of others, and you have a unique beginning to this unusual story.

Monksworthy is a typical small town where everyone knows your business, or do they? Albert Franklyn spends a good deal of his time on the road; he's a salesman with a dedicated route he travels over the course of a few weeks. His wife, Sylvie, is heartbroken when Albert dies in a car accident. But her trip to the funeral home brings a huge shock; Albert has THREE wives. This is the backstory on which the mystery is built. The investigation of Albert's multiple home lives and the turn of events when the police declare his death a murder set up the rest of the book perfectly. With the narration of the story by the ghostwriter comes a birds-eye view of the craziness that explodes into what Sylvie always considered a peaceful life. It's going to be interesting to see where this series goes from here.

Genuinely enjoyed this one. The concept is cool and the tone hits that cozy-but-not-too-sweet balance I like. The three main characters are fun to follow, and their dynamic makes the book fun.

That said, the pacing drags a little in the middle, and the mystery isn’t really hard to crack. Some characters felt a bit thin. Still, it was a good book overall! Exactly what I was in the mood for.

What a messy situation - and it makes for an entertaining read. Following an unexpected death, even more unexpected events lead to an unlikely teaming up of women seeking to solve a murder. I enjoyed the more ridiculous aspects of the story and the author leaned into those really well with the dialogue and relationships between the women.

Death of a Ghostwriter
By Gaynor Torrance

Pub date: 8/5/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was average, at best.

It was annoying and bland, if I’m being blunt.

Man lives secret lives, marries 3 women, then suddenly is found dead with cut brake lines to his vehicle.

You get it.

The worst part is that this book could have been engaging and interesting. So much potential. Unfortunately, there were plot holes and a broken timeline.

I enjoyed this book, it had a good pace and a few good twists. It was a good mix of mystery and humour. A good read

Gaynor Torrance's "Death of a Ghostwriter" is the first of a cosy mystery series set in the fictional village of Monksworthy,. When a polygamist dies, secrets come to the surface. The story would be a fine read for a weekend or beach outing. Torrance creates some fun moments and cute bits of dialogue. The characters are believable, and the plot is engrossing for the most part. I think two problems hold it back from being an excellent read. The beginning introduces too many separate characters, and I would have had the wives introduced at the same time. As it is now, the beginning suffers from a small pacing problem. I also think the ending is rushed, and I wish it played out a bit more. The book series has potential, and I'm curious where the second book in the series goes.

Death of a Ghostwriter by Gaynor Torrance is an addictive thriller that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. I couldn’t put it down. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story threw in another twist and then another. It’s one of those rare books where the surprises just keep coming, each one more shocking than the last.

Thank you for approving. Death Of A Ghost Writer was a really fun read. A brilliant murder mystery that is very entertaining

First, thank you Netgalley and Joffe Books for the ARC!

I am usually not reading a lot of cozy crime but I have to admit that lately, it does start to grow on me. The stories are still gripping, but they are also funny and emotional and I do usually feel very much entertained.

This was also the case with this book.. It was mainly the title the caught my interest - I love stories about writers - and even when the story took a slightly different turn, I would still recommend it! It was an easy read and despite it being 'light' compared to other thrillers I usually read, still came up with some twists I would not have expected! Solid 4 stars, and I can really recommend this book!

Highly entertaining, cute, well plotted and original: I thoroughly enjoyed the story of this man, his multiple wives, and the surprising secrets and multiple wives.
Some characters are more interesting, some a bit flat.
4.5 upped to 5
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Albert died in a car crash; widow Sylvie went to identify the body meeting a fellow widow in the waiting room. Turns out that they were both married to Albert. Police investigations of the crash ascertained that Tess was also his wife although she was not willing to confirm his identity as she was "too stressed". Harriett (wife 2) and Sylvie overcame their shock and teamed up to find out what really happened to their husband and who he really was, not to mention finding and tackling wife no. 3. It was a reasonably entertaining read, especially for a wet week-end or day off reading. The characters were mostly well rounded although Tess much less so. Along with Ivy (Sylvie's friend and partner in their cake shop/cafe) they are three likable ladies; Ivy's relative Simon, the policeman, felt a bit like a typical 'plod' and there was very little about detecting from the official side. It was all ladies who lunch, talk, plot and eat cake. Possibly the start of a series and I would recommend as a light, cosy read whilst suspending some belief. 3.5* rounded up.

Albert, a ghostwriter, suddenly dies when his brakes fail. When his widow goes to identify the body, she’s shocked to find there is another woman there who claims Albert is also her husband. . As the two women get to know each other, they find that this is not the only secret in Albert’s life and the punches keep coming one after the other. A fun mystery with a little bit of an improbable ending, but a perfect light read. I hope this is not the last time we read about Sylvie, Harriet, and Liz.

Thanks to Netgalley and Joffe Books for this ARC.

An enjoyable, light-hearted, and easy read. But if you're looking for a murder mystery that's hard to solve, then this isn't for you. Formulaic and inoffensive, this is the Sunday teatime tv drama of stories; Rosemary & Thyme stylee.

3.5 stars, rounding up as I can’t give half stars on netgalley. This was good read - engaging plot, mostly likeable characters, and some unpredictable twists. It did have its faults though.

I did not love the writing style. The first several chapters all ended on a forced, mini cliffhanger in a (poor) attempt to keep you reading, yet it didn’t really work for me and I often put the book down. This especially didn’t work because then first four chapters were all in a different persons perspective, and being so new to the story and not knowing the character make it confusing. The paragraphs were filled with fragments, which isn’t a crime but always feels choppy in my brain. The dialogue was cheesy at times, downright painful at others. As for the characters, Harriet and Tess/Thea were a bit cliche, as was the gay bartender (stereotypical fashionista gay who felt like an add in just for diversity sake). The story was also quite repetitive, re-explaining to every new character that Harriet and Sylvie were ‘so mature for setting aside their differences and banding together as victims of Albie’s/Berties polygamy’. Finally, the ending felt way off pace. There were constant plot points and progress for 80% of the book, then we flash forward a month in time with a failed attempt at catching Tess/Thea, then to them all of the sudden finding her at a convenience stop? It felt so unlikely that it cheapened the detective work the book seemed to boast of. Why create all the efforts of the detective ladies just for the end result being a chance encounter.

I’ll also add that the title was a bit misleading. I assumed Albert being a ghost writer would be important to the plot - maybe there was something hidden in the stories he wrote, or maybe the people he wrote for had something to do with his death. The fact he was a ghostwriter adds nothing to the plot except for a catchy title. I wish they would have played it up a bit, if it was the books namesake.

My critiques may sound harsh, but it wasn’t a bad book. The plot was engaging, the execution just fell a bit flat for me as someone who enjoys modern thrillers and mysteries. If you like classic old(er) lady detective type stories, this will be right up your alley.

Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the advance review copy.

I was so intrigued by the blurb for this book! *rubbing my hands together* Oh this is gonna be Good! The idea of a man living a triple life. The dynamics of three women learning about the others and working together to solve the puzzle?!

It started out strong as we met two of the widows as they learn of their husband’s death and then discovered his duplicity. I was shocked, saddened and angry right along with them. I was engrossed as they started to uncover clues and developed a plan to unravel the mystery.

Then things just kinda fell flat. The investigation was all over the place. Names of people were introduced but didn’t really add anything to the story. The character of the third wife was flat and undeveloped.

Overall this was entertaining and kept my attention for the majority of the book but for me it was a bit of a misfire towards the end.

"They say sharing is caring, but sharing a husband? That's a grave mistake.

And Hell hath no fury like three widows with a murder to solve...

Albert Franklynn's sudden and mysterious death leaves everyone in the pretty village of Monksworthy in shock - especially his wife Sylvie, who runs the local tearoom.

But the real surprise comes at the mortuary, where not one, but three grieving widows show up to identify his body.

It turns out that Albert wasn't just a devoted husband to Sylvie.... He had two other wives as well.

As everyone reels from the revelation of Albert's double - or triple - life, three widows reluctantly team up to investigate a mystery more tangled than the village's gaudy bunting: who killed Albert - and why.

It turns out Albert's list of enemies is longer than the village bake sale sign-up sheet. Can these three unlikely sleuths resolve their differences to become partners in crime-solving...before the killer writes them out of the story for good?

The start of an unmissable cosy crime series, this gripping mystery about murder, mayhem and marital mischief is perfect for fans of Faith Martin, the Reverend Richard Coles, Kristen Perrin, Veronica Heley or Fiona Leitch."

The real mystery to me is how anyone would have the energy to have multiple lives and wives.

4* Misleading title but a good cosy mystery and wow, a total WTF??? start.

OK, so start this with a huge dose of suspension of disbelief, tuck in, and enjoy! But, don't expect what the title hints at as that's almost inconsequential.

It's a really well-written tale, plausible if you can do willing suspension of disbelief, with surprising warmth. I loved the relationship between the widows; wanted to smack Simon; wanted to hug Sir Barny (the 'pig song' was 😂); Sir Ralph and his mother were a brilliant addition and another 'I did not see that coming!), and I wanted more than a clump of hair torn from the person who got their just desserts at the end, improbable as said ending and circumstances were.

The dialogue was funny in parts, sad in others, very British upper lip, with bits of snobbery on the part of some who eventually let go of their stuff upper lips. It was lovely to see a tale set in the good old UK, one that sets the tone for a pretty good series to come, if this tale is anything to go by.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Joffe Books for my reading pleasure.