"The Mystery of Four" by Sam Blake, narrated by Aoife McMahon, is a gripping tale where murder masquerades as accidents, shattering Tess Morgan's dream of restoring Kilfenora House. As rehearsals for a pivotal play turn deadly, whispers of a curse intensify, and Tess finds herself at the center of a chilling mystery. With bodies piling up and ominous signs pointing to danger, Clarissa Westmacott, a former star determined to protect Tess, uncovers sinister truths lurking within the estate's Poison Garden. Blake's narrative unfolds with suspense and intrigue, weaving a tale where secrets and suspicions drive the plot toward a riveting conclusion.

This is a tough review for me as sadly I just couldn't get on with his one at all. The premise was great and I was looking forward to it from that. But the story just didn't grab me I am afraid.

Tess is the new owner of a stately home (and its gardens) which is rumoured to be cursed. With the grand opening fast approaching, the last thing Tess needs is a series of strange deaths occuring. Throw in a local serial killer, and an online troll, and Tess' dream is getting further away.

Despite all the componants being there, the slow pacing, and multiple characters meant that The Mystery of Four wasn't the hit I expected it to be.

I hesitate to give feedback on this title as it simply did not work for me. I had no empathy for the Tess, who as the main character, was often infuriating and therefore irritating to read. I think when there is something be it writing style or character that is a problem for the reader the rest of the novel is lost as to its potential storytelling. For this reason I have a low rating which is purely a reflection of my frustration with the character and not the story content or writing style.

A great mystery that kept me guessing from the start. I connected with the MC early on and loved her connection to the house and the community. I especially enjoyed the Irish setting of the novel. Tess becomes a target early on and people she cares about are being murdered. But why? It was such a great mystery with lots of twists. A must read.

When I read the blurb I knew I wanted to read this book!
Tess Morgan returnes home to Ireland after leaving her job in Dubato renovate Kilfenora House. She wants to open it to the public, however, strange accidents happen as well as the suspicion that a body is buried on her land...
So it is up to Tess to find out what is going on!
I enjoyed this mystery as well as the narration by Aoife McMahon!
Thank you #NetGalley #Bolinda Audio for an advanced audiobook!

I enjoyed this mystery. I especially loved the ending and I guess you will have to read or listen to it to find our. The only thing I can say is I love a sweet revenge. Definitely worth a read or listen. Thank You for the copy.

I could really get into the story the first half especially dragged and didn't hold my attention. There were too many characters and and a lot of unnecessary dialog.

The Mystery of Four is a classic and cosy whodunit that transports the reader to a stunning but sinister country house in Ireland. The author, Sam Blake, is a No. 1 bestselling writer of crime fiction, and she delivers a clever and captivating story that pays homage to the golden age of detective fiction.

The protagonist, Tess Morgan, is a successful playwright who has fulfilled her lifelong dream of restoring Kilfenora House and Gardens, a historic estate that belonged to her ancestors. She has invited a group of actors and friends to rehearse for a play that will be performed at the opening weekend of the house. But her dream soon turns into a nightmare when a series of accidents and murders start to plague the rehearsal. Someone seems to have a grudge against Tess and her guests, and they are willing to kill to get their revenge.

The Mystery of Four is a fun and engaging novel that keeps the reader guessing until the end. The characters are colourful and quirky, each with their own secrets and motives. The setting is atmospheric and picturesque, creating a contrast between the beauty of the house and gardens and the horror of the crimes. The plot is intricate and twisty, with plenty of clues and red herrings. The Mystery of Four is a highly recommended read for fans of Agatha Christie, P.D. James and Louise Penny. It is a charming and thrilling novel that will make you want to visit Kilfenora House yourself.

Memory seems really easy when it's done correctly!! This mystery is gripping and a fantastic listen. My first couple of Audio books and I really enjoy them. Thank you to the publisher

This mystery follows Tess as she tries to get Kilfenora House open to the public after restoring it and planning a theatre night and a weekend craft market. However, with a Twitter troll targeting her and some mysterious disappearances, it seems the Kilfenora Curse is real.

This isn't much of a mystery, as it was easy to guess who was behind it by the half way mark, and some of the other "reveals" weren't very well hidden. The start of the book was too slow for my liking, but did pick up pace as it went on, with the last third by far the best part. The resolution at the end was too easy and I found myself waiting for further twists and turns that did not appear.

The story is told from the perspective of Tess, and also best friend Genevieve and her mother Clarissa, and this worked well as you got different insights through the story. Overall enjoyable, but just a bit too slow and easy for my taste. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I listened to this on Audio ad the narrator was perfect.
A bit slow to begin with and there was a lot of Characters to get to know. Once the pace picks up it is a good read. There is a lot of comparison out there between this book and Agatha Christie's books and I just didn't get this, yes its a cosy mystery set in an old Mansion that becomes a Character in its own right but for me that's where the comparison ends.
An easy read full of Character, mystery, humour and quirky Characters.
One thing I did not enjoy with the audio was the music between some of the chapters- I just didn't see the reason for this and it added nothing to the story.

A very easy story that had a quite slow start. The book takes a while to get going as there are lots of characters to get to know, but I enjoyed the slow build-up. After halfway, things slowly ramp up and it becomes more gripping. The narrator was fantastic and certainly added to my enjoyment of the book. The Mystery of Four is a good read that I can recommend.

I listened to this murder mystery thriller on audio. What a delightful job the narrater did, her words seemed to skip off her tongue and it was like you were wrapped in a warm blanket.

The story comes under the cosy crime category for me, very easy to listen to but I never really got any tension. Could have done with being a little shorter but the writing was descriptive and there were some nice touches of humour.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I have seen this book described as like an Agatha Christie but for me this is not on the same hymn sheet at all. Certainly can be described as a cosy mystery, set in a big house on the week of a business relaunch. A curse associated with the house alongside a TV crew looking for a body sets the scene for all sorts to go wrong and wrong they go.
Works of fiction allow you to suspend belief for a few hundred pages but for a mystery, thriller, suspense story to really grip the reader I believe the scene set must be believable and this is what let’s down this story for me. It’s a simple, easy read that doesn’t require much of the reader and I certainly wasn’t at all invested in what happened to any of the characters. Loads of better books in this genre out there, find them.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Bolinda Audio for an ARC in exchange for this review

The Mystery of Four is a Christie-esque thriller set in the Irish countryside in Kilfenora, Co. Wicklow. Tess Morgan has been restoring Kilfenora House since she returned from Dubai, where she escaped to after a personal tragedy. However, just days before the grand opening, things start to go very wrong. A cold case, rumours of a centuries old curse and history starting to repeat itself threaten to ruin everything for Tess.

If you’re looking for a cosy mystery full of quirky characters and an atmospheric setting I’d definitely recommend the Mystery of Four. I found listening to this book rather than reading really enjoyable and Aoife McMahon was the perfect narrator for this story.

Thank you to Bolinda Audio, Sam Blake and NetGalley for a review copy of the unabridged audiobook of this book.

Tess Morgan has plunged all her savings into restoring Kilfenora House, a grand mansion in picturesque Wicklow. As opening day approaches, menacing messages unveil the idea that not everyone is happy with her plans. When one of the actors befalls a tragic accident during the dress rehearsal of the show due for opening day, rumours run amok of the cursed history of the house. Then another death occurs, and Tess questions whether these are indeed accidents. Clarissa, ex stage star, and mother figure to Tess doubts the accidental nature two.. As the bodies mount up, there are startling parallels to the deaths decades before. The drama mounts in the final third, as they attempt to unravel the truth. This is a strong character driven narrative, with lots of clues to follow as part of the murder mystery. It makes for an entertaining listen. #themysteryoffour #samblake #netgalley #murdermystery #amateursleuths #audiobook

- really enjoyed the narrator's performance. I've listened to a few books she's performed now and she is excellent every time.

- As far as story goes, this was fine. I loved the Christie-esque style and setting. I loved the fact that the house was a character in its own right, and also Merlin the cat. The wrap up with Clarissa just before the end was fairly satisfying. However, for a character driven mystery, I had little to no connection with the characters. The mystery was alright but the pace was so slow - and not slow in a way that allowed you to appreciate details of setting and character - that I wasn't especially fussed over solving it. Weirdly, I think this story would make a better film than a book in many ways because there are some highly visual moments. Overall, a decent read but a bit plodding for my tastes.

Tess is the new owner of stately manor Kilfenora House in a bucolic area of Ireland. She purchased the property 2 years ago with the help from an angel investor in order to restore to its former glory, under the eye of a documentary series being filmed on the renovations. In the run up to the big launch, Tess is informed by journalist Jerry Lynch, that they believe there are bodies hidden on the land by a notorious serial killer, ‘The radio snatcher’. Soon after there is an accident involving a lighting rig on the ballroom stage. She has already been getting sinister messages from a twitter troll and is at her whits end as incidents begin to stack up. Is someone trying to sabotage the opening of Kilfenora House?

A fun and classic style of murder mystery set in modern times.

 
This is an enjoyable, cosy and atmospheric thriller, with many suspicious actions from the characters making it hard to theorise who the murderer could be.

The narrator was excellent, she did great character voicing which really brought the book to life. Although her Australian accent leaves something to be desired. May main grip is the music between certain chapters really doesn’t bring anything to the audiobook and makes it feel dated.

This is a modern version of a classic who dunnite mystery. Some fun characters and others which did not hold true to themselves through out. Although it is plenty long enough and drags a little in the middle, I felt that the ending was too rushed with a fizzle of a conclusion. Not bad for a quick read but nothing to highly recommend.