The story set out in a small village of Maybury has all the characteristics of a vintage cozy. The well to do family not aristocrats but wealth from hard work, then the residents all the usual characters, each adding a necessary piquancy to the whole story.

Two murders one the classic locked room scenario, one a supposed overdose baffle the local constabulary but with judicious thinking through, the young local author Arbie solves it methodically and presents it to the Inspector on a platter.

Ideal holiday read, charming background and setting and excellent characterization.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for a complimentary copy of this novel.
Amy Phelps, the Lady of the Old Forge house has been mysteriously found dead in her locked room. With both her door and window locked from the inside, her murder is indeed very puzzling. Who would want Lady Phelps dead and for what reason? In comes Arbie Swift, author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost Hunting; and Val, friend to Arbie and the Vicar’s daughter. Both get embroiled as unlikely amateur detectives to find out who wanted to kill Amy Phelps and why. But with a handful of suspects and a second murder on their hands, Arbie and Val are running out of time. Will they be able to solve the mysterious locked room death of Amy Phelps?

The beginning of this novel was a bit of a slow burn, but it started to pick up half way through. A very smart and well-crafted fictional, locked-room murder mystery!!! Available January 4, 2024

3.5 ⭐️A cosy Murder mystery set in a 1920’s Cotswold village, Arbie is a character you could imagine being played by Ian Carmichael if you’ve ever watched any of the old Ealing films.

Slightly Woosterish but with more going on in the old noggin than that suggests, Arbie and his friend Val investigate the possible haunting of Miss Amy Phelps, a spinster of the parish. It all seems a bit of a lark until Miss Phelps is found dead under classic locked room mystery circumstances.

The characters aren’t deeply evolved and the period isn’t especially evoked but it is escapist fun and might keep you guessing.

With thanks to NetGalley, HQStories and Faith Martin for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is set in the quiet village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh in the Cotswolds. A village that harbours secrets.
Over at the Old Forge manor house, the lady of the household, wealthy Amy Phelps has been having ghostly experiences, and so calls upon local author Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift. Arbie has recently written 'The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting' which is a travel book that shows places where alleged hauntings have occured. Amy wants Arbie to conduct a ghost watch overnight at the Old Forge. However, he thinks that Amy isn't a true believer of ghosts, and that she actually suspects one of the household of trying to scare her. Things have escalated, and she is in fear for her life.
Arbie's old friend Val soon muscles in on the action and spends the night at the Old Forge with him, They soon uncover a tale of altered wills, secret love affairs and tragic losses – plus plenty of motives for murder.
This was an easy read, and had many interesting characters, that you are sure to love.

Arbie Swift has recently written a book about dealing with ghosts which surprisingly has suddenly become a best seller. When he meets Miss Amy Phelps, an very wealthy and elderly neighbor, she invites him to dinner with his friend Val Coulton-James, the daughter of the vicar who has joined them, in order to help her with her ghostly problems. It turns out that Amy Phelps is worried that someone is trying to kill her. Arbie and Val agree to come to the house and stay awake during the night to see what's going on. When Amy is found dead in her bed in her locked bedroom, they have a mystery to solve. There are several guests at the house, and some of them are in the list to possibly inherit. It seems that shortly before she died, Amy changed her will so that her niece inherits. However, that means that she might be the next to die.

There is a lot happening in the book, and the reader is kept wondering throughout. This is a great start of a new series. I thank Netgalley and HQ(Harper Collins) for the ARC for me to read ahead of publication.

I quite liked this cosy mystery. Set it a small village in the Cotswalds in the 1920s, the author did develop the setting and the characters very well. You get a real sense in this book that Faith Martin had fun writing it. There's just something in the flow of the story that speaks to enjoyment on behalf of the author.

I felt the two protagonists, Arbie and Val, very engaging and thought they came across as close friends in the story. Arbie's character was exceptional. To have embroiled in a mystery on the preface of his successful ghost hunting book that he didn't want to write was a good element in the story. It made Arbie seem more genuine, gave him more character.

The author presents a locked room mystery for the reader to solve. It's a clever mystery. Well thought our and plotted, with many suspects and a few red herrings. If I were casting a critical eye over this, I would say some sections in the book may have been too lengthy, letting the pace drop too much. But on the whole, I think the pacing was just right, and the characters drove this story forward very well.

When I read this, I thought of Midsomer Murders. It had that feel. Maybe it's the setting. Maybe the characters. But the story had that feel for me, and that made it even more enjoyable.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book for an honest review. All comments are my own.

Rating: 1.3/5

Oh, dear! Given this author's not insubstantial back catalogue, albeit under a variety of pseudonyms, I really did expect something better than this very disappointing offering. Whilst "Murder by Candlelight" may possibly not be the least enjoyable of the hundred or so books I have read over the past year, it would certainly be on the shortlist.

It isn't simply the fact that the solution to the mystery is horrendously contrived - you can often get away with that kind of thing in the cosy mystery genre. Nor was it even the fact that the mystery itself was pretty uninspiring - a half-decent cosy mystery can still get by on the strength of its engaging narrative or its appealing characters. Sadly, apart from a reasonable opening there is very little to recommend about this book. After the adequately engaging early chapters "Murder by Candlelight" soon becomes quite dull. There is little in the way of intrigue or humour, which are two of the key components in a cosy mystery. Instead, the author seems to rely on rather unappealing caricatures that rapidly become quite tiresome. It is one thing to reflect the language and mannerisms of the 1924 setting, but labouring the point is quite another. Author, Simon Brett, sends up similar characters from this period in his "Blotto & Twinks" series. Those books are also a little overdone, but at least they are punchier and quite quick, short reads, unlike "Murder by Candlelight" which drags on and on.

One of the biggest let-downs in this book is the amount of wearisome and grating repetition. Obviously, the English language has its limitations and it would be impossible to write a novel without using certain words or phrases more than once. However, an experienced author, should be able to avoid frequent repetition. Or, if the author does have a tendency to rely on the use of certain phrases, the editor should pick up on that and invite the writer to amend certain sections. That does not seem to have happened in this case. There are just shy of two hundred instances of the author starting a spoken sentence with "Oh," and I was sick and tired of reading, "At this" - another of the author's favourite terms - which appears more than seventy times! There are other examples, too, but I won't labour the point any longer - if nothing else, it brings back painful memories for me.

It could be that this book represents the author's equivalent of "a bad day at the office" and it may be something that she is not normally guilty of - but I don't think I will run the risk of finding out.

As ever, I would still like to convey my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review. It is a pity I was not in a position to pass more favourable comment on this occasion.

The opening line of this book initially grabbed me and the buildup of the story kept me engaged initially. I would say that the killer was my original guess, however it was still a cozy read. I was hoping for something akin to Robert Barnard, but did find the writing somewhat reminiscent of Anthony Horowitz but perhaps not quite as engaging.

In the tranquil village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh in the Cotswolds, the year is 1924, and a cry of anguish pierces the quietude of the Old Forge. Lady of the house, Amy Phelps, is discovered dead. The mystery deepens as all the windows and doors to her room are securely locked from the inside. The questions linger: How was she killed, and by whom?

Arbuthnot 'Arbie' Swift, an unexpected detective in this idyllic setting, is a renowned author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting. Initially at the Old Forge to investigate a suspected spectre, Arbie now finds himself drawn into the more urgent matter of Amy's murder.

Teaming up with an old friend, Val, Arbie unravels a tale of altered wills, clandestine love affairs, and heart-wrenching losses, uncovering numerous motives for murder. As events take a darker turn, Arbie must race against time to identify the killer. To succeed, he must navigate through the intricacies of a meticulously planned crime.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if it were in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A locked room mystery full of red herrings and interesting characters .
The mystery is set in the Cotswolds in the 1920’s and the sleuthing duo are Arbie and Val . Arbie is an author of a book about ghost hunting and Val is the vicars daughter together they make a great pair of detectives.
Amy Phelps has asked for Arbie’s help to find out if her home is haunted .
Shortly after she is found dead in her bed with the door locked , did she die of natural causes or was something more sinister at play?
Val and Arbie get to work to try and get to the bottom of Miss Phelps’ death.
The writing is excellent and the story is very much in the style of an Agatha Christie novel .
An enjoyable story and it kept me guessing right until the end.
Looking forward to the next case for Arbie and Val .
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ.

The was a light hearted entertaining read, the thing I liked best was the mix of characters who were all quirky and had their own characters, fell a bit sluggish in parts could have done with some more drama.

I haven't read any of Faith Martin's books prior but I will certainly be looking her other books up. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this murder mystery which had suspense, red herrings, quirky characters and a duo of would-be detectives. The relationship between Arbie and Val was definitely what makes this story and I literally kicked myself at the end when Arbie unmasked the murderer and their method! I did find the ending a little abrupt however - I was expecting another chapter or two just to tie up some loose ends with the other characters!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Quite good and lighthearted

1924 Cotswold, England
Maybury-in-the-Marsh is a quaint little village with some interesting personalities. Amy Phelps of the Old Forge comes from old money and has a dominant presence. However, she has been uncertain the past few days and contacts Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift for help.
Young Arbie, though the author of the best-selling book The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting, wants nothing to do with hard work. He is happy to be idle and stay away from others’ lives. However, with Amy’s insistent appeal and Val’s (his friend and the vicar’s daughter) determination to help, Arbie has no choice but to do what is expected of him.
Soon, Amy Phelps is dead, and Arbie knows it’s not natural. Someone murdered her. Despite his reluctance, Arbie and Val join heads to solve the case and find the killer.
The story comes in the third-person omnipresent POV.

My Thoughts:
The book is written like it would have been in the 1920s. This works to an extent, and we get a more realistic feel of the setting, language, and people. However, a few phrases (old bean, stiff upper lip, etc.) feel repetitive. Still, I like that the book tries to recreate the Christie and Wodehouse ‘feel’.
Arbie and Val might give vague Tommy and Tuppence vibes, though they are very much different. Arbie is a typical 20-something lad who hates the idea of work. Val is the daughter of an impoverished vicar and a force of nature. Nevertheless, Arbie manages to create a better impression by the end. He is a bit of Bertie Wooster (with no Jeeves to help).
Though the mystery begins early, the murder doesn’t happen in the first quarter. But this adds to the intrigue as I wanted to see when it would happen. That said, waiting that long wasn’t a good feeling.
The suspects are easy enough to track and have varied personalities. However, they don’t get much character development. The setting and main characters have potential, so this could very well become a series. In fact, given the extent of detail we get, this is bound to be followed by more books (I’d be disappointed otherwise).
The (locked room) mystery is interesting, though I wish it was handled better. The middle has filler content, which I skimmed through. The story would read better if the whole thing ended in 300 pages or less.
You see a cat’s silhouette on the cover. That’s Empress Maud, a well-fed, fluffy black feline with tiger stripes. She has a role to play, though not much.
There are quite a few references to Christie and Holmes by the characters. Not that annoying for me, but others may not like it. Also, despite the references to ‘Victorian’ the book is more of a Golden Age mystery.

To summarize, Murder by Candlelight is an entertaining mystery with a good dose of humor. It would read even better if it were not buried under filler content.
This is my first book by the author, though I heard a lot about her mysteries. The book isn’t great, but I will happily read more books in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley and HQ Digital, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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The rating will be rounded up to 4 stars on Amazon

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

A old-fashioned closed-room whodunnit set in a cosy quintessentially English village in the 1920s. The detective is Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift, the author of a best selling book about ghost stories, assisted by his childhood friend and vicar’s daughter Val. With a cast of village eccentrics, including Arbie’s artist uncle, the story has the feel of a series about it and is part of a current trend of fairly generic whodunnits in the Agatha Christie mould. Good for lovers of nostalgia but at times seems to verge on self-parody.

With thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

I am so confused with the ending, I was actually wondering if my copy missed some pages... still not sure.

For things I liked: the atmosphere and characters. There was a light-hearted quality to the book which made it a quick read and I really enjoyed the characters, goofy as they were. There was a bit too much 'old-timey' speak, making it feel very exaggerated and disingenuous at times. But it did contribute to the 1920s cozy mystery feel, so I didn't hate it too much.

I didn't like the mystery itself, although the method of the murder was interesting, the perpetrator and other suspects were very lacklustre. I feel like the book had so many dropped sub-plots, it must be a first in a series, otherwise this is the most unsatisfying book I read in a long while.

A locked room cozy set in a Cotswald village in 1924 that sometimes overdoes the period speech. Amy reached out to Arbie Swift, a newly published author of a book about ghost hunting for help figuring out why things are going bump in the night at her home. He involves Val, the vicar's daughter and an old friend. And then Amy is found murdered in her locked bedroom! Who killed the elderly spinster and why? There are multiple suspects but one clear reason. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It's not too twisty and to be honest it's imitative of others but it's still a good read for a rainy day.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
An enjoyable cozy murder mystery of which I assume the publicity will (as ever) align with Christie, however I felt that Arbie, the main character, put me in mind far more of a grown up Fredrick from Enid Blyton’s The Five Find-Doubters.
The narrative is pretty pacy, and whilst it’s heavy on the cozy aspect it never loses sight of being a murder mystery; so the reader is not bogged down in unnecessary background detail.
The main character and his sidekick have an enjoyable pseudo-partnership, and I could see this being the start of a series featuring them both.

Murder by Candlelight is a quaint murder mystery set in a small Cotswolds village in the 1920s - and it never lets you forget it with the number of genre tropes stuffed into this book.

The main character, Arbie, is the popular author of A Gentleman's Guide to Ghost Hunting, and off the back of this fame he is persuaded to investigate some spooky happenings in a large old manor house in the village. Unfortunately for him, he seems to have bitten off more than he can chew, when the lady of the house is found dead in a LOCKED ROOM with NO OBVIOUS EXPLANATION.

I felt like the story was badly-paced - the murder happens far too late, and then the explanation and reveal of whodunnit comes very suddenly and close to the end of the book. There are a couple of red herrings but they don't really work too well, and to be frank I found the relegation of Val to purely a sidekick (and one who gets forgotten at the end of the book) to be quite disappointing. Still, if you like this type of book, it wasn't too bad - it was definitely funny at times and when the plot got going I was definitely intrigued.

Arbie Swift finds himself caught up in a murder investigation after being invited to ghost hunt at the Old Forge by Amy Phelps the owner. When she is found dead in a locked room, it is first thought that she had passed away quietly during the night. However when it is declared murder, Albie and his old friend, Val, take it upon themselves to solve the mystery.
A nice story set in the mid twenties.