This was a quick read full of drama and mystery, a perfect match. Alice runs her shop, but when she’s asked to do a stall at the village fair she asks her mum to knit some lovely festive pieces. While one piece becomes the weapon of a mans death, why did they pick that particular scarf? A fast paced thriller that’s easily readable in one sitting. A great 5 star mystery. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a great read this was. I’ve read the first in the series, but missed there was a 2nd! It was lovely to be back with the residents of Little Pride as they celebrate their annual fair and Santa Run, until a thief and an assault happened that no one saw coming.

Alice and Robert can’t help but get involved as the theft was from her mum’s stall and there was a link to her shop and buttons. Next thing, we’re learning about all things Japanese and visiting museums! It’s an interesting ride for sure with new and old characters that get better as the book progresses.

I love a cosy mystery and this ticks all my boxes, I’m going to get the 2nd now and indulge in that one, and keep my eye out for more from Little Pride in the future.

"Death at the Village Christmas Fair” the 3rd instalment in The Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mystery series by Debbie Young set in the Cotswold Village of Little Pride, England. With the help of her charming neighbour Robert Praed, can Alice find the killer before the bells ring out this Christmas?

I devoured Debbie's latest novel, which expertly combines cozy mystery and heartwarming storytelling. Alice's character shines, and I'm eager to see her relationship with Bob Sponge unfold in future instalments. I also hope that her mum ends up moving to Little Pride.

The mystery is engaging, with clever twists keeping me on the edge. I enjoyed guessing and second-guessing the killer's identity.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and heartwarming fiction. Debbie's writing is engaging, and her characters are lovable and well-crafted. I highly recommend this charming novel and look forward to the next instalment.

I requested and received an advance readers copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A delightful cosy murder mystery with a sprinkling of romance.

The rural Cotswold setting and the buzz of a close knit community at Christmas time provides the setting to this story. The characters are nicely developed and the pace of the dialogue makes this a fun and quick read. The chapters are short and focussed and I particularly liked that each one had a title setting the scene for the next part in the puzzle.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be the last.

This was such a fun read! I love it when an author takes me away to another place when I'm reading. In Death at the Village Christmas Fair I was in a beautiful Cotswold village. I love that Alice gave her mom some crochet work to do to keep her busy. I love that the "button" she put on was involved in the mystery. The characters are interesting. I think it's great that Alice's love interest, Robert, lives nextdoor and is very rich. I like that his daughter is fine with their relationship and that his granddaughter is loved by all. I look forward to more of this dynamic in the next book. I also think her roommate is a great character and hope to read more about him as well. I definitely enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to all.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Boldwood Books, for letting me read and review an advanced copy of ‘Death at the Village Christmas Fair’, by Debbie Young.

This is my first book written by Debbie Young, and it was a delightful change of pace from my usual British police procedural. Alice ( owner of the Curiosity Shop) and Robert (neighbor and current love interest) are faced with another murder in their quaint village. Since the police do not seem to have a handle on the case, Alice and Robert start investigating.

What more do you need? This story includes Christmas/the Cotswolds/and a cozy mystery. I enjoyed the mystery and a lesson on Japanese antiquities.

Death at the Village Christmas Fair is the third book in the Costwold Curiosity Shop Mysteries by Debbie Young. I've read the previous title in the series.

Our main character, Alice, is gearing up for a quiet Christmas with her new beau and her mum, until a Santa is discovered, wounded on the school playing field, and Alice immediately suspects foul-play. From here, the storyline moves fairly quickly (it takes a while to get to the actual 'death' at the Village Christmas Fair, but the same happened in the previous book, so readers will be used to this), as we follow Alice and Robert as they endeavour to determine why the man met his death. They also have to convince the police the man's death was indeed murder.

This is an engaging, light-read, stuffed with Christmas events and activities, in a picturesque location. The author does an excellent job of portraying a village gearing up for Christmas, and although I enjoyed the resolution of the mystery, I felt it was somewhat secondary in the storyline.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

When a knitted scarf is stolen from her mothers' Christmas stall, Alice Carroll, the new owner of the Curiosity Shop is on the lookout for a Santa.

Unfortunately it was also the Santa's fun run and it was going to take some investigating to locate the thief until a body was found with the scarf tired tightly around the mans neck.

With Robert, her neighbour and her mothers help to mind her shop, Alice is on the trail to find out what happened and who is to blame.

A great fun and witty read!

Murder she wrote meets Christmas in the Cotswolds.
Cotswolds is a perfectly picturesque region in South Central England.
Think iconic stone cottage villages among rolling hills. Add in a dusting of snow and some charming old world Christmas decor, and feel the cozy sweetness of the season seep into your soul.

Alice Carroll owns the Cotswold Curiosity Shop. She becomes embroiled in a murder mystery when someone from the annual Santa Run swipes one of her Mum’s homemade scarves at the Christmas Fair.
The thief is then murdered by an unknown assailant before he can be caught and questioned.
It’s then revealed that Alice’s Mum unknowingly sewed a button of extreme value onto the scarf.

As you can imagine, an eccentric cast of characters is then paraded throughout the pages, complicating the mystery and turning up the charm.

I got to learn something new! I had never heard of Netsuke before. It is a Japanese art form … a mini sculpture which originated in the 17th century and was initially used as a button fastener for small boxes. Now it’s a very valuable collectors item.

This novel is third in a series, but worked well as a stand alone for me. I loved it and I’ll be adding the others to my TBR.


Thank you to @theboldbookclub and @debbieyoungauthor for the advanced copy!
This is a great one to add to your Christmas collection.
It’s never too soon to start the stack! Happy reading! The Christmas countdown has begun.

In this third book in a cozy series featuring Cotswold business owner Alice Carroll, it’s Christmastime and Alice is gearing up for the festive season. Things aren’t initially festive as Alice’s Mum calls to say their dear friend, Mrs. Hardy, died and left her knitting shop’s inventory to Alice’s Mum. Given Alice’s Mum is an amazing knitter and crocheter, it’s a perfect opportunity for her to visit Alice and make lots of wonderful Christmas items for the shop.
Alice is also buying, sorting and planning uses for bags of old buttons as part of her shop’s inventory of specialty items. But things aren’t all wonderful as the annual Christmas Fair and Santa Fun Run for charity results in someone stealing one of Alice’s Mum’s scarves with an adorable antique bear button close. When the Santa is found dead with the scarf around his neck and the button missing, the situation doesn’t offer much Christmas cheer. Luckily, Alice, her new friend, Robert, and Alice’s Mum are on the case as they search for clues and the missing bear.
This is a lovely cozy and perfect for those who enjoy English settings, intrepid heroines and holiday mysteries.

An easy read with appealing characters. Just the book for a relaxing read without too much intensity.

Death at the Village Christmas Fair by Debbie Young

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Death at the Village Christmas has everything one could want in a holiday themed cozy mystery! A super interesting read with delightfully quirky characters, a wonderful small-town, and a determined main character who’s eager to solve the mystery!

Alice Carroll has been busy with her new shop, as well as two murders happening in her Cotswold village. She is excited for her first countryside Christmas, but then her mother’s knitting stall is stolen. The thief is found dead outside the village with the stolen item. Alice thinks there is more than meets the eye with this mystery. She's determined to solve the mystery with the help of her neighbor Robert. Alice is determined to solve the case before Christmas!

This story excellently balances heart, charm, and coziness with a mystery that’ll keep readers guessing to the very end. The small town brings warmth to the story overall, while Alice’s courage and focus on solving the case is evident. Full of holiday sparkle and clever twists and turns, this is an amazing cozy mystery!

Another cute read in this nice small-town British mystery series. I enjoy the characters, Alice, her roommate Danny, her neighbor and love interest Robert, his granddaughter Tilly and and her visiting Mom. We also got a holiday mystery, which added to the atmosphere and was definitely a cooling touch to the hot July summer days as I read it. This is a murder mystery revolving around buttons found in Alice's Curiousity Shop located in the small town of Little Pride. There are buttons, and then there are buttons, but this just adds to our mystery. When a scarf made by Alice's mom, Wendy, was snatched from the Curiousity Shop's booth at the Village Christmas Fair, then used to strangle the thief, can Alice, Robert and company figure out what is going on? Was the scarf stolen for its warmth or its special button? Can we get this all figured out before Christmas is ruined? Come along and help solve the mystery! Thanks to #Netgally, #BoldwoodPublishing, and the author for the opportunity to read. #Death attheVilliageChristmasFair #TheCostwoldCuriousityShopMysteries #DebbieYoung #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

This was a Christmas cosy mystery and I loved it!!! It kept me engaged the whole time and I had to get to the end. Thank you for an arc of this

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Murderously Merry Mystery
There’s nothing quite like a Christmas fair in a quaint Cotswold village… unless someone turns up dead in a Santa suit.

Death at the Village Christmas Fair delivers exactly what you want from a holiday cozy: quirky characters, small-town charm, and a curious heroine who just can’t help getting involved. Alice Carroll is settling into her new life with her curiosity shop and countryside routines—but when a Santa Runner turns up murdered outside the village hall, things get suspicious fast.

🧶 A stolen item from her mum’s knitting stall
🔍 A trail of clues wrapped in festive flair
💫 Sweet slow-burn tension with neighbor Robert
🎄 Coziness with just the right amount of danger

This one felt a little more layered than earlier installments, and I loved the way the village traditions added texture to the mystery. The pacing lagged a bit in the middle, but it all came together in a satisfying, seasonal reveal.

A warm cup of tea, a woolly blanket, and this book? The perfect cozy December night in. ☕📚✨

Debbie Young wraps up mystery, merriment, and village charm in a delightfully festive package with Death at the Village Christmas Fair. It’s everything you’d want in a cozy Christmas read—witty, atmospheric, and full of small-town intrigue.

As Alice Carroll prepares for her first holiday season in the Cotswolds, the local Santa Run takes a dark turn: one participant is found fatally injured, clutching a stolen item from her mum’s knitting stall. But as the police lean toward a quick conclusion, Alice suspects there’s more than meets the eye—and she won’t rest until the truth is untangled.

Young’s storytelling is crisp and comforting, balancing humour, heart, and a neatly constructed mystery. The cast of villagers brings warmth and whimsy, while Alice remains the steady, clever anchor of the tale. With help from neighbour Robert Praed, this investigation unfolds with charm, seasonal sparkle, and clever twists.

An irresistible read for fans of classic whodunnits and festive flair. The perfect cozy crime to curl up with beside the Christmas tree.

With thanks to Debbie Young, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The latest book in this fantastic series does not disappoint.(though it would be equally enjoyable as a standalone). It’s great to see how the relationships develop between characters, and the village Christmas setting is perfect. It’s almost got me picking up my knitting needles! I’m already looking forward to more books to continue the series.

It's December, and Curiosity Shop owner Alice Carroll is looking forward to enjoying her first Little Pride Christmas Fair complete with a Santa Claus race. Her mum, Wendy, has come to stay and booked herself a stall to sell her beautiful hand knitted creations. When a Santa takes one of her scarves and leaves without paying things take a serious turn, especially as the thief is discovered fatally injured minutes later. When the scarf fastener disappears at the same time Alice and partner Robert know something strange is going on. After all, it was just a teddy bear button, wasn't it? As they begin their own investigation, the reason for the theft becomes clear, but someone from the fair is a killer. All they have to work out is who!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Boldwood Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. This series is becoming a must-read for me now. I love all the regular characters, and Alice and Robert especially are great together. I did have a bit of a grrr, moment early on, which, as it seemed an obvious thing to do, lost it a star but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this and all the information which was added throughout. I will definitely be on the lookout for book four early next year.

When Alice bought buttons for her Cotswold Curiosity Shop little did she know the trouble that would follow. Alice's mother, Wendy, used some the buttons to adorn her knitting projects to sell at the village Christmas fair. However, after someone stole a scarf with a cute little button it was discovered the value was much more than anyone would guess and what followed turned out to be even worse.

The first half of this story moved too slow for me but near the middle things started to pick up and bit by bit it became more intriguing. Also, the author did a good job capturing the charm of village life.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yet another book that fulfills my mystery trifecta — Christmas, a cozy mystery, and an English location (Cotswolds) — I quite enjoyed Death at the Village Christmas Fair by Debbie Young. Reading it in July didn’t dim its festive magic; the Santa Run and bustling Christmas Fair in Little Pride wrapped me in that warm holiday glow I love. The Cotswolds setting felt like a dream, making me yearn to revisit those charming villages. Coming from a family of knitters, crocheters, seamstresses, and button collectors, the story’s focus on a button-adorned scarf hit so close to home. I could almost feel myself rummaging through my grandmother’s button tin, each one sparking memories, just like Alice’s mum’s nostalgic biscuit tin of buttons did for me.

I found Alice Carroll, the Curiosity Shop owner and amateur sleuth, so relatable, though I’ll admit her naivety annoyed me a bit at times. Still, her heart and determination won me over, and I loved how her romance with Robert Praed felt real rather than cloying. The mystery, involving a murdered Santa and a stolen scarf with a valuable netsuke button, was straightforward but fun, perfect for when I’m craving cozy vibes over a tricky plot. Learning about netsuke was a delightful surprise, like finding a hidden gem in my family’s crafting stash.

This book’s charm lies in its blend of humor, heart, and holiday spirit. Alice’s mum, with her quick knitting and witty remarks, felt like she could join my family’s crafting circle. Little Pride itself is so vivid it’s practically a character, making me long for that village life, murders aside. While the mystery isn’t the twistiest, it is the kind of story that feels like a warm blanket. As a Debbie Young fan, I’m torn between her Sophie Sayers series and this one, but Death at the Village Christmas Fair is a new favorite. For now, I wholeheartedly suggest this to anyone craving a festive, cozy escape, especially if you love Christmas and a good button jar memory.

Thanks to NetGalley, Debbie Young, and Boldwood Books for an advanced, digital copy in exchange for an honest review.