Another brilliant story by Lisa, not so gritty as her other books but feel this will be very popular with the older generation. It would make a super tv series when they have all been written. Set in a cute Kent village there is no need for 'Murder she wrote' as Belinda Penshurst is on the case and doing very well for an amateur detective, who needs Jessica Fletcher!
An enjoyable read that keeps you engrossed, trying to work out the clues and who did it. Characters that work well together that you get to know more as the series expands. Light entertainment at its best.

Murder in the Village is the first book in a new English village cozy series by Lisa Cutts. Due out 25th Aug 2021, it's 286 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This was a good series start with a solid small village cozy. The author is a technically adept writer and provides necessary backstory without info-dumping. The narrative is lighthearted, including an ensemble cast of oddball small-town characters.

There are some fairly silly and over the top developments and plot twists (including a murder involving cling film), but it's a village cozy, so it's really part of the whimsy. The "over the top" characters and dialogue were always on the right side of charming and didn't shade over into annoying or yank me out of my suspension of disbelief, so it was a fun read. There's also an almost slow-burn on/off romance subplot with the handsome former detective who's new to the village, again par for the course. The language is clean, the murder(s) are off screen and free from gory violence, there's no direct graphic sexual content; it's a well written and charming cozy. The plot threads include dog-napping, light blackmail, extortion, and murder, and amateur sleuth Belinda, castle-dwelling, clever, and single minded, is determined to get to the bottom of the skullduggery infesting *her* village.

The audiobook version is very well narrated by Lucy Paterson and has a run time of 7 hours 31 minutes. She has an impressive facility with different local accents and they come across clearly in her dialogue recitation between two or more characters (of both sexes). One of the characters she narrated was an older resident in the village and she was perfectly convincing portraying the stressed and crying septuagenarian.

Charming, diverting, and well written. I intend to seek out future volumes in the series. Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Nothing ever happens in Little Challham...nothing really happens in this book either! Yes, the local pub landlord drowned in his own ale and there are a band of dognappers lurking in the dark...but none of it is exciting enough to hold my attention.

Belinda Penshurst might love her life in Little Challham...hell, I probably would too if I lived in her castle! But I didn't like Belinda. She was irritating and seemed to look down her nose at everyone. Her brother Marcus was another fool who hasn't appeared to have grown up. Harry Powell, now retired from the author's previous East Rise series, was the only likeable character with his little chats with the villagers...but with Belinda I was left scratching my head. What on earth are they talking about? The pair left me utterly confused by their interactions to the point I just didn't care anymore.

I really couldn't get into this book and I don't even have the energy to rehash the plot in my own retelling of it because there doesn't seem much point.

I love Midsomer Murders and the whole cosy English village scene...but MURDER IN THE VILLAGE doesn't cut it for me. But don't take my word for it...plenty of other people have enjoyed it so you might too!

I haven't read the author's crime series but I think that would be more up my alley, particularly the ones that feature DI Harry Powell who has now retired to Little Challham and featured in this book, as I'm fairly fussy about cosy mysteries that can hold my attention.

I would like to thank #LisaCutts, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #MurderInTheVillage in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Murder in the Village, the first novel to feature local businesswoman Belinda Penshurst and retired detective inspector Harry Powell, set in the English village of Little Chalham.

Harry suspects there is a dog napping ring in Little Chalham and decides to investigate to alleviate the boredom of his new existence as a dog food distributor. Meanwhile Belinda finds the local pub landlord murdered and is determined to investigate. They pool their resources to investigate both cases.

I enjoyed the author’s police procedurals, so I was interested to see what she would do in this new series. I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed it, but I can’t say that I didn’t either. I read it in return for a free copy, but I felt no enthusiasm for doing so. It lacks the spark that good reads have, so it was easy to put down and I never heard the siren call luring me back.

The plot is relatively simple, two amateurs running around asking questions to find a murderer and break up a dog napping ring. The method isn’t really my thing, as it seems to get bogged down in minutiae and circular thinking. In short, it takes a long time to get a result and I found the journey to that result a bit boring.

I didn’t find Harry particularly convincing as a former DI. Running an investigative team requires strength of character and a certain forcefulness and he’s rather passive as a personality. Belinda is more recognisable as forceful, bossy woman used to getting her own way. If there had been real chemistry between them it would have livened up the read, but it never gets there with a few musings and some lame jokes being the sum total.

Murder in the Village is not for me, but I can appreciate that it fits well into the cosy genre.

An enjoyable start to a new cozy crime series in which we are introduced to local landowner, business owner and amateur sleuth Belinda and retired policeman now seller of dog biscuits Harry. The two seem an unlikely couple but their easy going banter and mockery of themselves and each other is quite entertaining and makes this a fun read.

In their first outing together the two are looking into both murder and dog napping, both which may be tied together. The pair team up and Harry starts the investigation using his police methods as they write the suspect list out on a whiteboard. There is a good background story to how Belinda and Harry first met some 20 years ago which adds to the character of both and their understanding and treatment of each other and the cast of other people in the book.

There are some hilarious moments also, usually involving Belinda and her rush to act without thinking. The incident near the end when she threw a bag of dog treat turkey twizlers to stop Harry being injured was very comical and I could picture the scene vividly. I look forward to the next outing for Belinda and Harry.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this first book in a new series which brings together amateur sleuth Belinda Penshurst and retired policeman Harry Powell. The setting is a charming English village with all the quirky characters required to make an interesting and fun read.

Belinda lives in the castle and is engaged in making the local businesses viable.She has a finger in many pies but also has to deal with a brother, Marcus, who seems to be making his cash in less than honorable ways. Harry turns out to be a blast from her past but they quickly get together to try and solve the thefts of local dogs and a quick succession of murders.

The relationship between Belinda and Harry is really good and has great promise for future books. They obviously like each other and some of their dialogue is very humorous, but Harry has issues to deal with before they can progress. I liked the fact that both of these main characters are intelligent, rational human beings which often is not the case in all cosy mysteries!

I am looking forward to more books in this series.

This book was such a fun read. It reminded me of the Agatha Raisin books I love so much.
Belinda Penshurst becomes a sleuth along with acquaintance Harry to solve some dognapping issues along with a couple of dead bodies within their village. Good humour is used throughout the book and the storyline romps along at a good pace. It certainly kept me turning the pages.
I thoroughly recommend this book and as it is the first in a series I cannot wait to catch up with Belinda and Harry on their next fun filled adventure.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

In Murder in the Village, the first in the Belinda Penshurst series of mysteries, we meet Belinda Penshurt, who is a little over forty and living in her family home—the village manor/castle—in the village of Little Challham. Belinda has invested in various local businesses and done well for herself, even saving her family from certain financial ruin, a result of her brother Marcus’s endless hare-brained schemes. Marcus too lives at Challham Castle (and comes up with said hare-brained schemes), as does their father who seems absent from the scene though where or why is not explained.

One of the businesses that Belinda has invested in, is one of the two village pubs, run by the usually inebriated Tipper, who is assisted by Sandra, a woman who bears Belinda a grudge. Noticing that Tipper doesn’t seem to have invested any of the money Belinda gave him in the pub’s décor, she heads in to confront him, only to find him dead—murdered. She decides to investigate.

Alongside we have our second main character, Harry Powell, a retired police detective. Harry has now moved to Little Challham, where he is working as a representative of Doggie Delight, a dog food company, a job which requires him to get orders and deliver food to customers. On one such delivery trip, a customer, Ivy White tells him of her fears that a dognapping gang is on the loose and she fears for her dog’s safety. Soon others, too, are seen to have the same fear.

Belinda knows Harry from a previous meeting many years ago, and convinces him to join her in her investigation of Tipper’s death, promising also to help him with the dognapping gang. Harry is reluctant and wishes to leave the murder investigation to the police but agrees to join her. Belinda is excited about investigating (gleeful, almost), but behind it also is her worry about her brother’s possible involvement in the case, for just before Tipper’s death, she had overheard Tipper rowing with Marcus. Do they get to the killer before the police does? Do they manage to catch the dognappers?

A small English Village, a murder mystery and a dognapping plot—this book has all the elements that I would enjoy, and I expected to enjoy it very much, but sadly, this one didn’t work for me at all. I did appreciate the fact that both main characters are middle-aged, and loved that there were lots of dogs around in the story but that was about it.

Belinda wasn’t a character I took to at all; and many of the plot details too, seemed a bit strange/unconvincing—for instance, why Belinda would decide to investigate a case simply because she found a body, rather than leave it to the police didn’t make much sense—agreed it was a person she knew, and a matter she was interested in, but even if she had started taking an interest because of her brother’s possible involvement, I’d have been more convinced, but that comes after. Then there were other little things like how both Belinda and Harry go poking around even in the police’s presence, or Harry’s being at a loss for explanations when a person is hurt because he’s only dealt with dead bodies—I mean he was a police detective not a coroner (also if this last instance was meant to be humorous, it didn’t really come across as that). Then Belinda is supposed to be an investor and businesswoman, and yet when Harry tries to use his whiteboard to chalk out the case, she sees it as something to laugh at than a methodical way of looking at things. Also the dognappers marking houses where they planned to strike didn’t seem a mystery at all—fairly clear from the start. Regrettably, the writing too was not to my liking.

This was not one that worked for me at all, but other reviewers have enjoyed it, so don’t let me dissuade you from giving it a try. For me, though just 2 stars.

This book was a delightful start to what looks to be a good series.

The characters were fantastic - from Belinda with her bossy yet endearing ways, to Harry with his gruffness with a vulnerable side.

I loved how the book kept me guessing and while I had plenty of suspects to write on my whiteboard, I didn’t actually figure it out until the big reveal.

Definitely worth a read and I’m looking forward to more in this series.

I really didn't like this book. I had a hard time getting into it, and it just didn't flow for me. The mysteries were uninteresting to me. I hate giving a bad review, but I really just didn't like this one.

When dogs are going missing in Little Challham, Challam Castle owner, Belinda Penshurst, talks retired detective, Harry Powell to investigate with her. When a murder is committed, Belinda and Harry decide to investigate both matters.

This is an entertaining cozy mystery and the first in a new series. I wasn’t too keen on Belinda’s character to start off with but she did grow on me. Plenty of interesting characters and an enjoyable take on village life, I hope to read more.

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely loved this read, a new author for me and one who will be high on my tbr list

A great start to a new series and now waiting for number 2

A good fun, cozy murder mystery. People around Belinda seem to be dropping like flies. Her main worry is that her brother Marcus is involved in some way - dognapping perhaps. She and former police detective inspector Harry need to find out who really did it.

Really enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

This is the first book that I have read by this author, and have to say that I am not a fan. Not off to a good start when I found the main female character to be rather shallow and annoying, especially in the way she interacted with others.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "Murder in the Village" in exchange for my honest review. This is the first book in the new Belinda Penshurst series of mysteries.

The series is set in Little Challham in Kent. The best part of the book was the dogs! Belinda Penshurst owns the family castle and lives there with her brother Marcus who is usually up to something shady. Belinda also owns the New Inn pub in the village. It's run by Tipper Johnson who also seems to be involved in something a tad shady.

Harry Powell lives in the gatehouse of the castle. He has recently handed in his Warrant Card and now is a driver for Doggie Delight. He and Belinda have some history as he arrested her on the docks 21 years ago.

There is something going on in town. A couple of things actually. There is a rivalry between the New Inn and the Dog and Duck - the other pub in town, this one run by Lennie Aisling. Did that lead to murder? How is Marcus involved this time? Several people are mentioning mysterious yellow markings appearing outside homes, at the end of drives and on lanes. There have been dognapping's and attempted dognapping's. There is some talk that a village resident was murdered for their dog.

Harry and Belinda team up to solve the murders and the disappearance of the dogs. It will be interesting to see what Harry and Belinda team up to do next and of course, hear more about the rescue dogs!

I truly enjoyed this first book to the a new cozy mystery series. Love the characters and the banter between them.
Belinda loves her village, and the people who live there. When she sees Harry, a retired police detective from her past, she is surprised to hear he is living in town and works for a dog food company now. When the town has a series of dogs dognapped, and people begin to be murdered, Belinda and Harry work together to unravel the mystery. Their suspect list isn't long, but the people on the list keep being found deceased. Can they save the pups, and themselves before it is too late?
Great story. Looking forward to book 2.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am not really sure why I finished this. Pretty predictable and plodding. Just ok, I certainly can't see it being a series.

What a great start to a new series! I loved the heroine, castle-owner and business angel Belinda Penshurst, who rushes in where angels fear to tread. Her crime-solving partner, retired police detective Harry Powell is much more cautious (and dearly wishes Belinda was too) making for some wonderfully humorous moments and a lively, spark-filled investigation. I really enjoyed the local characters and the setting too, and had no idea who the murderer was. In short, wonderfully entertaining with the perfect set of ingredients.

The theft of the dog seems rather boring to a retired cop, but as he looks into the case, Harry realizes they're more than meets the eye. But why would someone want to steal dogs? He doesn't seem to make sense, and the more Harry investigates the more confusing it seems. Until suddenly he has an idea and the story roller coasters from there. A charming book, and a super quick read perfect for the beach!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Great mystery book, great storyline and great characters. I shall look forward to Book 2 with Belinda Penshurst.