*Many thanks to J.M. Hall, HarperCollins UK Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
An enjoyable listen, with a perfect narrator, that takes us to the world of a little town where suddently poison pen letter begin to arrive. Their author seems to know all the secrets and begin to stir things up in a not that pleasant way. Three close friends join forces to unmask the culprit.
A cozy mystery perfect for a weekend.

This was an absolute joy of a cozy mystery, while it is the second in the series, and I hadn’t read the first (I will now) it actually made no difference for me it worked perfectly as a stand-alone novel aswell.

We follow a group of retired teachers and friends whilst they investigate the mysterious poison pen letters being sent to members of staff and the reasons behind them. The woman are lovely, in fact all of the characters in the book are written with such warmth that it’s hard to dislike them. A treat that Julie Hesmondhalgh narrated this and she done a beautiful job, making it even more of a cozy read. If you enjoyed the Thursday murder club and the others in the series you’ll love this, personally I preferred it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins U.K. audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.

Julie Hesmondhalgh returns to J.M.Hall’s second instalment, A Pen Dipped in Poison, as narrator. She is a brilliant narrator and always brings humour, energy and “feel good” vibes to her narration. The e-audiobook is an absolute joy to listen to.

Liz, Pat and Thelma, the Yorkshire Trio of retired teachers and now amateur detectives, with their HQ at Thirsk Garden Centre cafe, find themselves investigating a spate of poison pen letters which are causing a great deal of upset and hurt to people at their former school and in their local community.

JM Hall really has an ear for dialogue. Listening to this book Liz, Pat and Thelma all sounded very authentic warm, funny, strong, resourceful, no-nonsense straight talking Yorkshire women. I love the way their lives carry on despite investigating a crime. I loved the way in which Pat plans her dinners using Angela Hartnett recipes whilst planning their next move in the investigation. These are women who run houses, work/volunteer and find time for sleuthing - they take everything in their stride.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, HarperCollins UK Audio, Avon, for making this e-audiobook available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. I can’t wait for JM Hall’s third instalment and to see what Liz, Pat and Thelma will investigate next.

First off, so happy this narrator came back for this audiobook! I love the personality she brings to the book and her accent is perfect.

The plot is a great one too. Letters left around the school, with secrets, bribes and mystery. It was a slow run up and did take me a while to get into. It felt like there was plenty of foundations being set before the plot started to reveal but it was steadily drawing as it went along. I didn’t find this one as investing as the first but solely down to personal preference and had no bearing to the book itself, which as well written and the characters are ace.

It was great to be back with Thelma, Liz and Pat, who are all fab characters. I love seeing them unravel a mystery and seeing how it will all conclude. Through the twists and turns, the author takes you through the story in such a well written way and I’m excited to delve into the next one in the series.

A fun whodunnit mystery, who’s sending the poison pen letters and why, with a convincing ending. I really enjoyed this, vibes of a cozy crime drama but with a bit more substance.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the advance audiobook.

This is very much a cozy, small town ‘mystery’ that sticks to this feeling throughout the book.

I was unaware that this was a sequel of sorts and found the beginning confusing as some characters and events were mentioned.
You’re introduced to a lot of characters with not a lot of information about them throughout the story; which with all the descriptions of buildings and the town would have been a good addition.

The synopsis of the story does make it seem like there will be a lot more to the story; but there isn’t. It’s not one for those who want a reasonably quick paced book.

Finding out the conclusion to the ‘mystery’ does feel worth the long listening of small town activities.
I found that I zoned out a few times during the story but feel like if you are a fan of cozy books, this is for you.

The second instalment in this lovely cosy mystery series, centred around a group of retired primary school teachers, and imbued with admiration for their motivation, resourcefulness and capability.

This time our unlikely heroines meet with the vagaries of school academisation and encounter a spate of poison pen letters, which have unintended consequences for those who become involved.

A lighthearted, compassionate and humorous read, drawing brilliantly on the author's experiences as a Deputy Headteacher.

Superb narration by Julie Hesmondhalgh.

Signed. Sealed. Dead?

Retired school teachers Liz, Pat and Thelma never expected they would be caught up in a crime even once in their lives, let alone twice. But when poison pen letters start landing on the doorsteps of friends and neighbours in their Yorkshire village, old secrets come to light. With the potential for deadly consequences. It won’t be long until the three friends are out on a case yet again…

Liz, Pat and Thelma are back!

Could there be a murderer in their midst once again?

“The horror of getting involved”

Following on from the events of the murder of one of their good friends, Topsy, in A Spoon Full of Murder; Liz, Pat and Thelma are settling back into their routines as retired school teachers and leisurely family life – including their infamous Thursday catch up’s at their local garden centre, where they often tune into their inner sherlock while sipping coffee and nibbling on slices of cake.

While attending the school summer fayre at the school they all used to teach at, Thelma becomes aware of some conflict with the new headteacher. Then a nasty poison pen letter, addressed to the new head is discovered – soon after other staff members begin receiving similar, very personal and hurtful letters of their own and the beloved school they all once loved, becomes a place that they barely recognise.

All three of the former school teachers feel themselves becoming involved in the mystery of what is really going on at Lodestone Academy Trust in different ways, realising the more they learn that something darker is lurking behind the shiny new paint job, pineapple maths and the pristine designer-clad new headteacher…

“You know, Thelma, I thought you and I were friends,’ she said. Thelma ignored this. In her experience comments of this nature were very little to do with friendship and everything to do with manipulation.”

I love a good, old-fashioned multi-layered cosy mystery, and this is exactly what you get with J. M. Hall’s books! I really enjoyed the poison pen storyline and felt the book was well-written and interesting, just like the previous book in the series. I did enjoy A Spoon Full of Murder a bit more than this one though, although, I did really enjoy the school setting. I have a child at primary school, so it was interesting learning a bit more about the inner workings of school life from the teacher’s perspective. I’ll be interested in continuing with the series if / when new books are available.

My thanks to the author and Avon Books UK for my advance copy to read and review via Netgalley. Due out 30th March 2023!

A Pen Dipped in Poison by J M Hall is the second book featuring three former primary school teachers; Pat, Thelma and Liz.

A series of poison pen letters are received by the staff of the three amateur detectives former workplace. But who is sending them, and why?
This book was better than the first book however I have some qualms. The book doesn’t get off to a great start as there are lots of references to the first book which will confuse those who haven’t read it. Additionally there are a lot of characters thrown into the mix quickly and with little introduction. This is particularly confusing with the audio version as you can’t flick back pages and remind yourself who is who. The second half has more detail on fewer characters so the book does become easier to follow. Whilst the ending does make sense as in who sent the letters and why it is again a little messy. The mystery gets lost as we get bogged down in the private lives of the individuals and also the working of a school.

In summary, I think it’s important that readers have read the first instalment as there are lots of references to it in this book. I also think that a knowledge of the education system from the inside would make this more enjoyable. An okay read but not one I would recommend to friends or followers of my Bookstagram.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and J M Hall for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.