A slow beginning, as all the characters are introduced, but a good story line and a great ending. A typical Faith Martin story.

An enjoyable cosy read set in the cotswolds. I thought the plot was good and the characters believable. The story flowed well with the murderer being a surprise. This is a traditional cosy, no sex, language, or violence. Easy to recommend to all ages.
Thank you netgalley for an advance copy.

Whilst everything you would expect from this author I must confess, this one is not my favourite lead character. A decent read, especially for followers with Faith, but I just found this a little too contrived. None the less my thanks to Net Galley and Joffe books.

A very easy to read book, that flowed well and led the reader backwards and forwards before the final episode. Definitely recommended to those who enjoy an easy to read detective story.

A very good cozy mystery with elements of a Golden Age mystery.
It's a gripping and entertaining story that kept me hooked till the end.
The cast of characters, the vicar and Monica above all, is well written and likeable. The setting is lovely and I liked the humorous and realistic descriptions of the village life.
The mystery is very good, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing till the end.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

(Please note this book was first published as "An Unholy Mess" under the pen name Joyce Cato.)
This is the first book in an exciting new series from Faith Martin featuring Monica Noble, a vicar's wife with a taste for crime solving. Widowed young and with a teenage daughter, Monica has remarried, given up her high powered London advertising executive job and settled into a quieter way of life. In the sleepy Cotswold village of Heyford Basset the enormous former vicarage has been developed into twelve apartments. Vicar Graham and his wife Monica occupy the first one and most of the others have now been sold to an array of different people, all of whom appear to be harbouring secrets and even making covert plans. We quickly learn that one is carefully planning a very clever murder! Doing one of her "good deeds" Monica is organising a garden party to bring all the new residents together and it seems to be going well until a blast from a shotgun rings out and the dead body of one of the residents is soon discovered. DCI Jason Dury is quickly called to the scene with his Sergeant Jim Greer in tow. Everyone appears to have some kind of motive but proving who could have actually committed the murder and how they did it is baffling for the police and they seem to be clutching at straws. And unable to prevent a second death.
During the first few chapters the author takes plenty of time to set the scene and introduce all the main characters living in the apartments which means that by the time the murder occurs the reader has a good idea what each of them is about. Over the several days of the investigation different people rise to the top of the suspect pile and everyone is getting twitchy about their own secrets. The author gives a good insight into their lives and leaves lots of clues whilst still keeping the reader guessing as to the identity of the killer. In this first story Monica initially does not have much involvement in the detective work, but gradually she starts to become a bit of a sleuth as the book progresses. She is an intelligent and observant woman, maybe not fully stretched after giving up her career, and looks like she will be a force to be reckoned with in future stories. A clever plot, beautifully drawn characters and great writing that keeps the pages turning over all make for the start of what promises to be another highly successful series. If you enjoy a good old murder mystery then this is for you.

This is a new series for Faith Martin. DCI Jason Dury has come to the new community that the vicar's wife has thrown a party to get everyone acquainted with each other. One of the residents is murdered and we begin to find out things about the past of some of those living there. The murder victim was not a nice person. Monica, the vicar's wife is able to help the police with what she has learned.

murder-investigation, law-enforcement, greed, blackmail, England, women-sleuths

Diabolical! It was very easy to figure out who the murder victim was going to be, but nearly every character had reason enough. Well, except for the vicar and the vicar's wife. During a somewhat impromptu garden party on the grounds of the former vicarage turned apartment building the blast of a shotgun is heard, but the body is found in an apartment that is being painted and decorated pre sale. The only things more prevalent than suspects are the red herrings and plot twists! I read it on one hot day and loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Joffe Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Another book in a new mystery series by Faith Martin. Monica Noble and her husband Graham who is a vicar in a village I the Cotswold. The vicarage being quite a large building is sectioned into a number of flats with the largest ground floor flat used by the vicar and his family. As the new owners of the different flats move in it is decided to hold a garden party to bring the community together until one of them is found dead.
A very enjoyable book with many twists and a surprising ending.

Another great cosy murder mystery by Faith Martin. The story kept me gripped with its twists and turns. I will continue to read more books by this author.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Faith Martin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first novel in another new series from Faith Martin. I had often thought about living in an idyllic little village, but it seems from what I read, they are not so idyllic!
A Cotswold vicarage has been divided up into 12 luxury flats. In an attempt to get the new residents together, and get to know each other better. The vicar's wife arranges a garden party. However during the party a gunshot is heard. Later on one of the residents is found dead.
There are lots of characters all with back stories and secrets that intermingle.But who is telling the truth?
The vicar and his wife are strong and like able characters, who have the dual task of solving the crime, but also look after the parish.
A good read and a great start to another brilliant series for Ms Martin.

Please note this book was first published as “AN UNHOLY MESS” under Faith Martin’s pen name JOYCE CATO.

Monica Nobel is a newlywed, married just 6 months to her second husband, Graham, the vicar of this small quaint English village.

Having converted the vicarage into apartments, Monica decides to throw a getting-to-know-you party to have call the residents meet the others.

It's an eclectic mass of people ... Monica and Graham and her daughter Charlie, a celebrity chef and his wife who are not what anyone would call happily married, a retired university professor, a divorcee, a middle aged woman and her university aged daughter, and the owner of a chain of gyms.

As the food and drink is being consumed, a shot rings out. It seems to have come from the inside ... but who's missing?

DCI Jason Dury and DS Jim Greer are lead investigators. When they discover who was killed, it seems like almost everyone had a motive. All the guests harbor secrets that they don't want exposed to the light of day.

And then another body turns up .. and Monica decides to do a little snooping of her own.

Monica takes the lead, as widowed and remarried to an older man, and the mother of a young teenage girl. Having left the bright lights to settle in this small village, she finds she enjoys the quiet life .. until there are two unexplained murders.

It's well written with great characters and lots os suspects. The mystery itself is unpredictably brilliant. I have read two other series by this author and have never been disappointed. This one doesn't disappoint either. Looking forward to reading the remaining books in this series.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, the opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

I love Faith Martin's books. And I was thrilled to see that she has a new series. Book one, the Vicarage mMurder. I love murder mysteries that are set in choosy little English villages. I enjoyed the characters in this and I look forward to reading more of this series. The storyline was very good, with a well developed plot and characters that send to jump off of the page. I read this book in one day. I wasn't able to put it down.

I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and exchange for a fair and honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of The Vicarage Murder, the first novel to feature amateur sleuth Monica Noble.

Monica gave up a successful career in London to marry a country vicar and move to the Cotswolds. They live in the vicarage which has recently been converted into flats so Monica decides to throw a get to know each other party for the residents. The party is disrupted by a shotgun blast and the discovery of Margaret Franklyn’s body.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Vicarage Murder which is a cosy mystery combining a police procedural with Monica’s lateral thinking. The novel concentrates on the neighbours and their secrets so suspects abound although most seem to have unshakable alibis. It would be unfair of me to point out that a serious forensic investigation would have debunked many of them because it’s a cosy where realism takes a back seat. Nevertheless this is a fun read which I sense is a little tongue-in-cheek with a compulsive plot and a complicated, unguessable solution. It unfolds well with reveals at strategic moments and hints towards this solution but not enough for this reader to guess.

The characters are all very middle class - flats at The Vicarage are not cheap - but their motives and motivations are fairly standard, affairs, jealousy and financial shenanigans for starters. Monica Noble is a fairly standard protagonist, smart, attractive and wholesome so it is her subversive teenage daughter and their interactions that give her character colour.

The Vicarage Murder is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

“THE VICARAGE MURDER” by Faith Martin was first published as “An Unholy Mess” under Martin’s pen name, Joyce Cato. It is a gentle cozy featuring the vicar’s wife, Monica Nobel and a large cast of characters. The book is interesting as a relaxing read, but lacks the depth of character that is found in other Faith Martin Series such as the novels featuring Jenny Starling or the series featuring Ryder and Loveday.
Descriptions of the vicarage, which has been converted to multi-family flats are good and the reader can picture the appearance as well as enjoy the atmosphere of the small community which is anchored by the vicar and his wife, Graham and Monica Nobel. The large cast of characters can be slightly difficult to keep separate, and would benefit from more individual development for each person. Still, as the reader progresses, the individuality of each person begins to peek through.
In this novel, the vicar’s wife, Monica, has planned an afternoon party for the residents as a way of helping everyone get to know each other. Personal secrets and desires abound, which muddy the waters when trying to figure out who hated the victim enough to want her dead. She is not a pleasant person, and as information unfolds, it becomes more apparent just how unpleasant she is.
During the party, when almost everyone is in sight of everyone else, a gunshot is heard. A quick search of the vicarage reveals the victim’s body, under a tarp in one of the flats that is still being remodeled into a private dwelling. Monica, the vicar’s wife, finds the body and is drawn into the mystery at that point. Her interest in solving the murder is heightened when there seems to be some information that might implicate her teenage daughter.
While there are leads pointing to various people as possibly being the murderer and red herrings throughout, the solution to the murder isn’t fully apparent until the vicar and his wife learn some “last minute” information which provides the solution to the murder. While I had determined who the murderer was, it was somewhat of a guess since I didn’t have all the information necessary to put the puzzle together. At the end of the book, the solution is given at the same time the information required to draw the conclusion is given, removing the opportunity for the reader to completely solve the puzzle by themselves. Still, the book was enjoyable, an easy read, and provided a good source of entertainment.

What do Hillary Greene, Jenny Starling, Ryder & Loveday, and Monica Noble all have in common? Why they are all characters that have come to life on the written page by the author, Faith Martin. I have read and enjoyed all her books and was excited to see a new series set in the Cotswold countryside. (What is it with all those idyllic English towns? Another place that sounds like heaven, but everyone, and I mean everyone, has something to hide or has murder on their mind! Though it does make for good reading!)
Monica lost her husband but has found love again with Graham Noble, a very popular pastor. Monica and her daughter Carol-Ann have moved from the city to the countryside, and it is a very different life being the wife and stepdaughter to a pastor. Monica has organized a small party with her new neighbors, and everyone is shocked to hear a gunshot and even more dismayed to find a body. The victim wasn't well-liked, and it seems that everyone from the husband, to his girlfriend, and even Carol-Ann are suspects, some with more to hide than others. The pieces of the puzzle emerge, and we have a classic whodunnit and why.
There were quite a few characters introduced, though Monica and Graham will most likely have a prominent position in future books. There was much more to discover about their relationship, and I look forward to seeing where this series goes next. This title was originally published as An Unholy Mess under her pseudonym Joyce Cato.

I received a DRC from Joffe Books through NetGalley.

My Review System:
5 stars – Absolutely loved everything about the book! It was unique or presented something differently, and I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.
4 stars – A really solid read that made me glad I read the book. Didn't keep me up all night or make me abandon my plans, but I would recommend it without hesitation.
3 stars – An ok read and I might try another book by the same author to see if their writing style is a good fit for me.
2 stars – The book just didn't work for me.
1 star – I have never read a 1-star book( yet, fingers crossed), but I would have to hate it to give it this rating.

I loved this cozy mystery. A Coswold vicarage has been divided up into 12 luxury flats. To get the new residents together, the vicar's wife arranges a garden party. During the party a shot is heard. Shortly after one of the residents is found dead.

Who did it? Signs point to a resident and there are several candidates. It's puzzling and the relevant clues come together slowly. With plenty of red herrings, great characters, and a puzzling plot, it's a lively mystery. I'm looking forward to more in this series.

Detective Monica Noble #1

Monica is married to the local vicar. She has a daughter from her first marriage. Her first husband had died. They live in a large house that's recently been converted into flats. Monica decides to hold a garden party so that she can get to know her neighbours. But many of her neighbours. But many of her neighbours have secrets, but which one of them would want Margaret dead.

Faith Martin is back with another new series. There is a lot of characters to remember. The pace is steady. DCI Jason Dury & DS Jim Greer are the detectives sent to investigate. But Monica overhears them discuss that her daughter Carol-Ann might have had a reason to kill sends her into a tailspin. Then another resident gets murdered. The story is tense and gripping. A promising start to a new series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author Faith Martin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cosy crime thriller set around Minica Nibke a vicars wife... in the first of this series a murder takes place in the middle of a garden party to welcome the habitants of the converted vicarage to their new home.....could the murderer be an outsider or one of those at rhe party ???

A twisty jigsaw of a novel based in an old vicarage converted into apartments. A garden party has been arranged for the residents. A shot rings out and a dead body is found. Several of the residents have one piece of the puzzle if they can only remember what they have seen which did't ring true. the kindly vicar and his wife are strong and likeable characters who are not only trying to solve the puzzle but look after the wider parish. A good read