Murder at the Gorge is the seventh instalment in the Exham-on-Sea Cosy Crime Mysteries series, featuring widowed chocolatier and cake baker Libby Forest and her other half and partner in crime former banker turned cyber crime investigator, Max Ramshore. Private Investigators Max and Libby are preparing to finally get married, and Libby is rushed off her feet trying to make plans for the small wedding ceremony. She attends a local History Society meeting that takes place at cafe owner Angela’s large Georgian home where Dr Archie Phillips is due to talk about the history of Wells Cathedral Library. But before it can get underway one of the members, Annabel Pearson, mentions that a resident of Exham, Carys Evans, had received a poison-pen email with a strange, sinister nursery rhyme within it. Meanwhile, husband-to-be Max receives an email from his unpleasant ex-wife, Stella, as she had been receiving the same emails. He agrees to meet up with her in the woods by the Avon Gorge where he walks his dogs. But when the dogs sniff out Carys's body Max realises they have a killer in their midst...

This is a twisty and compulsive cosy mystery with bite and a grittiness to it. There are several suspects for Max and Libby to look into and this gives it a bit of unpredictability. Our amateur sleuths are such likeable characters that by this time in the series they feels like friends, and I always look forward to the way they interact with one another and how they conduct their investigations. I found it perfect to curl up with and escape the current situation for a while and it managed to keep me engaged and riveted throughout without any problem at all. Exham-on-Sea is the ideal setting for these mysteries as its chocolate-box, picture-postcard description reminds me of Midsomer Murders and I imagine Exham to be much like Midsomer with the small community where everyone knows everyone and gossiping is so rife that things don't stay secret for long. The delicious descriptions of a Libby's yummy cakes will have your mouth watering and there is plenty of drama in her personal life too, which adds to the overall tension. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Packed with everything that makes a good murder mystery!

When several locals receive emails containing nursery rhymes everyone assumes it's a joke, but when one of the recipients is found dead it takes on a more sinister slant. Libby and Max are called upon to find out what it's all about but, with their wedding drawing ever closer, they could have done without the re-appearance of Max's ex-wife. With things becoming fraught between them, the pair of investigators need to get to the bottom of things and quickly - can the local history society point them in the right direction?

This is my first novel in this series, and it certainly won't be the last as this kind of mystery is right up my street. A wide range of characters and plentiful suspects, it takes a bit of brain work to uncover the guilty. Along with the investigation, there is lots of other stuff going on and it all adds up to a very enjoyable read. The author has the balance just right with the range of residents of all differing personalities and - it won't surprise anyone to know - I adored the animals too. As with all the best enigmas, it's all plausible which just adds to the story. A thoroughly good novel, recommended to lovers of a good murder mystery and one I'm happy to give 4.5*.

Book 7 in the series, this is the first book I have read, and I'll be going back to read the first 6! This is a charming book, with a wide cast of characters, as the reader gets to meet the residents of the town. At first I didnt really like Libby. She seemed a pushover, when it came to her kids. But Frances may have realized it was going to make readers turn away, but she has Libby's bestie take her to task over her behavior, and it sets her a bit right, and she becomes a better character. It's a mystery that seems to have multiple suspects. A proper classic mystery, its a fun and quick read, that's highly recommended.

I haven't read any of the previous six books in this series, but I know I will. This was a really good and exciting book. Max Ramshore and Libby Forest are an engaged middle-aged couple, both have their own businesses and jointly solve crimes to assist the police. One day, Max gets a call from his ex-wife Stella - she's received some strange emails which are slightly threatened, showing that she's being followed. After talking to her, Max takes his two dogs for a walk in the forest, and one of the dogs finds a woman's body, buried under a pile of leaves. Then Max and Libby learn that the dead woman had received a threatening email in the form of a nursery rhyme. Others in the village also received nursery rhyme emails, including Stella and Libby. But there are the wedding and the opening of the new cafe where Libby will work to distract them. But then a kidnapping starts the investigation in earnest.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I will certainly read the previous six - if they are good as this one, it will be great!

One of the villagers in Exham receives a strange anonymous email with a nursery rhyme. A few days later, she is found dead — pushed from the Clifton Suspension Bridge (the bridge on the cover!). Meanwhile, Max's ex-wife has also received a nursery rhyme and some concerning photographs from a stalker. Libby and Max are amateur investigators and help the police with their enquiries. Can they figure out the identity of the Nursery Rhyme Killer before it's too late?

This is the first book in the Exham-on-Sea Murder Mystery series that I've read, but I found this book easy to follow. I really enjoyed it and I definitely will be checking out the previous books in the series to catch up. While there are references to events from the previous books, this all was done in character and felt very natural. There was no big 'info dump' about the previous murder mysteries!

The main characters of Libby and Max are fantastic! I really took to them both straight away. Their relationship felt very loving and realistic. I really like reading realistic, loving relationships in books and you can feel their chemistry come across really well! I also loved their two dogs, Bear and Shipley, who also feel very realistic with different personalities! There is also a great cast of side characters alongside Libby and Max — both eccentric older characters as well as younger characters.

The story itself was a great read. It moves along at a good pace with the perfect combination of character-driven elements alongside the mystery. A lot of the mystery involves technology, as Max is an expert in IT security. I liked this element, which gives the cozy murder mystery genre a very modern twist.

Overall, Murder at the Gorge is a must-read for fans of murder mysteries. I instantly warmed to the main characters of Libby and Max, and was rooting for them throughout the book. It's well paced, with a fantastic modern twist on the traditional murder plot — the perfect read for rainy evenings!

When the Exham-on-Sea residents are targeted by anonymous emails containing apparently harmless nursery rhymes, no one knows whether to laugh or shudder until an unexplained death touches the town. Libby Forest, baker, chocolatier and Exham’s very own resident private investigator, alongside her partner Max Ramshore, set out to solve the puzzle before more people die. But when Max’s ex-wife arrives on the scene, ahead of Max and Libby's long-awaited nuptials, things go from bad to worse. With the town and their relationship under threat, Max and Libby need the help of the Exham History Society if they're going to find the nursery rhyme killer in time.
This is the seventh book in the series & could easily be read on its own but as with most series reading from the beginning really helps to appreciate the book & to also feel part of the main characters lives. A well written engrossing read with plenty of red herrings that had me guessing all the way through, I thoroughly enjoyed it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

An easy and quick read of a book which could be better fitted in the cosy category rather than a suspense thriller. As there are too many characters, not reading the previous titles led to some amount of confusion. The prose and the suspense were good by themselves but the conclusion felt rushed trying to tie up all the loose ends. Readers of the series would definitely appreciate and enjoy the book.

I had not read the previous books in the series but I had no trouble following the story. Actually, this was so good I will probably go back and read the others as well!
The story begins with Libby and Max planning their wedding. The lead up to their nuptials though is marred with a mystery when two people are killed and many residents in the village (including Max and Libby) receive weird emails. Things escalate when Libby is kidnapped just before her wedding. Of course, everything ends well and they embark on their happily ever after.
I like stories with mature characters and this did not disappoint. Their personal story was engaging and definitely added to the tale. I also liked that Libby was an accomplished baker but that was not in-your-face as it sometimes is in cozy mysteries.
The mystery was woven well and I was unable to guess the murderer until the big reveal.
Definitely a good read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

This is the seventh in a series of seven books that comprise The Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries. It is a quick read, well written and one that is most likely to be best enjoyed if the reader has read some or all of the previous books in the series. I thought I had done so when I started this book, only to discover it was a different series by the same author, which led me to some confusion when I began the book.
Having not read the other books in the series, I constantly felt as if I were about an eighth of a beat behind the pace, scrambling to figure out who different characters were and how they related to the two protagonists. The writing was good and the story was entertaining; it was just slightly frustrating to feel as if I had arrived at a wedding only to find out they had already moved on to the reception.
I believe readers who have read the series up to this point will find this a good addition to the series and will enjoy the story. The ending seemed just slightly abrupt, and definitely tied in some of the events in previous books, so if the reader has not read them prior to this one they may wind up a bit frustrated. Judging from the connections apparent in this book, I suspect one book bleeds into the next throughout this series.
My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me an advanced digital read copy for review. The thoughts expressed here are entirely my own.

Max and Libby are about to get married. Libby is a baker and choc0latier and working on opening a new cafe; Max used to be a banker; and they both are now detectives. Libby is at a Historical Society meeting and hears about Carys Evans getting a poison pen email with a nursery rhyme. Meanwhile, Max gets an email from his former wife, Stella, whom he hasn't heard from in years. She is worried because she is getting cyber crime emails. He goes to meet her in the woods by the gorge, and after talking with her, his dog finds the body of Carys.

Max finds pictures of Stella with a friend, Angus, from long before their daughter died and they were divorced. He finds other evidence and finally narrows down the field to five names. He goes to his son Joe to help with backgrounds of the people he suspects. Meanwhile, more people in town are receiving emails with nursery rhymes. Are they all about to die also? Max and Libby must work fast to prevent more deaths. Things suddenly happen on the morning of the grand opening, as the killer makes his big move!

This is the first book in the series which I have read, and it was fun and exciting. I didn't need the earlier book to understand what was happening, but I will definitely go back to read the earlier books in the series.

I read this as a stand alone mystery novel and although it was really enjoyable I felt that I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the full series and intend to start reading from book 1. It was quite a short book and moved at a good pace. To me it felt quite old fashioned but in a really pleasant way. A bit reminiscent of MC Beaton. Really enjoyable from start to finish.

4.5 stars

This is the seventh book in the Exham-on-Sea murder mystery series by Frances Evesham.

I felt like this was a cross between a police procedural and a cozy mystery. Probably more of the latter than the former. The couple is great at solving crimes that even the police call on them for help now and then. Right before the two are to be hitched, Max’s ex-wife shows up after she is being threatened through her email account. Max fails to tell Libby about it and it sets up a perfect storm that careens throughout the story.

I definitely loved the action in the mystery and how it impacted both of their personal lives. Great plotting and character building. I felt like I was watching a reality tv show that I couldn’t take my eyes away from.

This is the first book I have read in this series and I am sure it won’t be the last.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

This is the seventh entry in the Exham-on-Sea Murder Mysteries series and the first one that I have read. Although you can read it as a stand alone book, the story refers to previous events and it may be interesting to go back and read the first six entries in the series. This book features some great characters, and an interesting plot that centers around nursery rhymes that have been sent to some of the villagers. It's up to Libby and her soon to be husband Max to sort out the mystery.

Having read a book by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it, I was really looking forward to reading Murder at the Gorge. And yet I just couldn't really get into it.

I'm sure there will be readers who appreciate the build up to the wedding, the baggage of the middle aged couple and the back story of some of the family members but, for me, it detracted from the murder mystery. The mystery itself was quite intriguing with some lovely red herrings!

I know this is the seventh in the series and perhaps not having read the previous books had a bearing on my opinion. I'm sure the fans of this series will enjoy the next instalment.

With thanks to #NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for my free advanced reader copy to review in exchange for an honest opinion.

Libby and Max are finally getting married and the plans for a small wedding are interrupted by murder. Stella, Max's self-involved ex-wife, believes someone is stalking her, and when he agrees to meet her to discuss it. Max inadvertently trips over a body - not Stella's though. Suddenly residents of Exham-on-Sea begin receiving threatening emails in the form of suggestive nursery rhymes. Will Libby and Max be to busy solving crimes to actually get married? Another unpredictable adventure by the sea.

I really enjoyed this book all the way through. It had a really good plot, great main characters and really keeps you hooked on the plot. I would highly recommend this book.

Hmmm. I usually enjoy a good cosy mystery, especially at this time of year when the evenings are darker and colder and it's nice to snuggle up with a good book. However, I can't say that this did anything for me. Admittedly, I have jumped in mid-series, but no prior knowledge of the protagonists is required..One of the irritations of the book is the very stilted and un-natural dialogue. An early example - no spoiler here - is where one of the main protagonists, talking to his long-term partner, refers to his son as "my son, Joe". I know some exposition is required for newcomers to the series, but it could be more subtle.

Additionally, there are far too many characters in the book, the majority of whom are completely interchangeable - there is no character development or even differentiation between any of them, which makes the story somewhat difficult to follow at times. There is also a lot of gender stereotyping on display here - men are doctors, mechanics and IT experts; women are cooks, homemakers and shop assistants.

In terms of the plot, I think in that respect it may help to have read previous books in the series to know a little about the relationships between some of the individuals, however this is not a major issue.

I think, in fairness, the book is probably not aimed at me - I requested it for review based on the synopsis provided, but that synopsis doesn't really explain the type of book that this is - I would describe it as more of a gentle romance than a mystery, even a cosy one. There is no sense of peril or suspense at any point in the book.

Overall, it's not bad but I won't be back for more by this author I'm afraid. Sorry :(

How do deceit, murder, secrets, nursery rhymes and romance all wrapped up together sound? Add dogs and scrumptious baking and chocolates for extra sweetness. This, the seventh in the Exham-on-Sea Murder Mystery series features Libby, middle-aged baker, chocolatier and investigator and her fiancé, Max, an internet investigator.

Secrets have a sneaky way of coming out at times and in this book are revealed through nursery rhymes, the internet and murder. Libby and Max have their hands full as they discover clues which lead them down twisty paths. Both are parents to grown children with problems of their own as well so there is no shortage of subplots and family drama.

While reading this fun book I had an insatiable chocolate craving! I like that the protagonists are middle aged and have life experience.

Cozy mystery readers, reach for this book along with slabs of cake...you'll want both!

My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this delightful book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.

Nursery Rhymes Take Sinister Turn......
The latest Exham-on-Sea mystery featuring, baker and chocolatier, Libby Forest. Anonymous emails bizarrely containing nursery rhymes are plaguing the residents of the town but when a death occurs the emails take on a more sinister meaning. Libby, alongside partner Max, decide to investigate despite being plagued themselves with problems of a more personal nature. Enjoyable cosy mystery with a pleasant setting and a likeable protagonist in Libby. A worthy addition to the series.

pets, family-dynamics, friendship, threats, murder, murder-investigation, England, amateur-sleuth, cosy-mystery

Libby Forest, (baker, chocolatier) and her soon to be second husband Max Ramshore (professional internet sleuth) are up to their necks in the latest murder and weirdness. Some nutter is targeting some people both locally and some related to locals (like Max's less than delightful ex wife) with emails of personalized nursery rhymes. The first murder victim apparently didn't get her email until after her death, and the police are mystifies enough to hire Max to help. Lots of family issues when they'd rather just be seeing to their wedding, but the murderer wasn't done yet. Good sleuthing and interesting characters backed up by some lovely dogs. I enjoyed it very much!
I requested and received a free ebook from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!