I didn't realize this was fourth in a series, but it could be read as a standalone novel. Characters are well-drawn, quirky, and fun to follow. There's a nice dose of humor, as well, which makes for a fun, cozy mystery.

I absolutely love visiting St. Brides, it reminds me so much of the children's series The Chalet School, in fact I might have to reread those books again. Saying that, the community at St, Brides is wonderful, a true family under the same roof with all the ups and downs that go with it, roll on next term!

Returning from her half-term break teacher Gemma Lamb discovers her school flat wrecked by a badly leaking roof.
Knowing the school coffers are not exactly full Gemma worries how they will fund the repairs. Headmistress Miss Harnett has the idea to get the girls to set up small businesses to raise money while teaching them valuable life lessons.
New pupil Freida Ehrlich seems to be rude and aloof but her reluctance to talk about her home life has Gemma convinced there is more to her story than they are being told.
This funny, warm, lovely story will keep you entranced and entertained from the first page.
I love these Gemma Lamb books, they are so easy to read, you can just fall into them. I was laughing out loud at some of the girls suggestions for businesses, I’m so glad Gemma and Joe seem to be making things work, they are perfect together.

I am just love, Love, LOVING this series, and this is another wonderful installment. I devoured it and couldn't get enough of it. And that a clever title it has too.

Although classified as a cozy mystery and there is a mysterious element to it, to me it's far more of just a nostalgic feeling school story, giving off Malory Towers or Twins at St Clare's vibes, and I love catching up with the staff and girls at this school.

And this time there is a new girl in the school Freida, and it's her sponsor that is attracting various curious looks from the staff. And the latest essential skills projects were like young enterprise at my school, basically making your own business, in this instance in a way to raise funds for the new roof for the staff apartments.

I love how Gemma's curiosity knows no bounds, and she is determined to learn as much about these new people as she can. I also enjoyed seeing how her bonds with the rest of the staff are deepening at all times.

i once again read this book in record time, it is just so easy to read and be involved in the story. It felt like coming home and I just love this setting and these characters so much. Please let there be another book.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This was a really fun cozy mystery. It’s part of a series, but I haven’t read any of the previous books and now I want to because I enjoyed this one so much. Very enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. ~I was given this book and made no commitments to leave my opinions, favorable or otherwise~

When storms damage the school, the head mistress decides the girls will raise the money for the repairs. Which means there is going to be some fun times with this part of the plan.

However what interests Gemma the m oct is a new student who has a mysterious benefactor. Gemma, being inquisitive as she is, MUST know the entire backstory and is determined to flush out the full story. Is there something fishy between the benefactor and student? That’s what Gemma hopes to figure out.

This is one of my favorite cozy series. There is just something about British books that are sometimes far more enjoyable than some US based series. They embrace the quirkiness of the characters and I love that…maybe that’s what it is for me that makes them so much more enjoyable. Either way, this is one of the best series and I encourage your to give one of Debbie Young’s books…otherwise, how will you know what you’re missing out on?!

This is the 4th book in the St Brides school series.

When Gemma returns to her apartment to find the carpet squelching under her feet, it becomes clear that parts of the school have been damaged in a recent storm, and the school are going to have to find the money for urgent repairs somehow. The headmistress comes up with the idea that the girls can raise money by running their own businesses.

Also when a new student joins the school under mysterious circumstances, Gemma becomes more curious about who the young lady and her strange benefactor is.

No secret to the fact that I love this series. This is just as enjoyable as the previous books. They are fun, easy reads with quirky characters .

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy of Artful Antics at St Bride’s, the fourth novel to feature Gemma Lamb, a teacher at St Bride’s, a private boarding school in the Cotswolds.

Gemma returns to St Bride’s after the half term holiday to find it flooded after a leak in the roof. The headmistress organises the pupils into setting up their own businesses to pay for the repairs with unintended consequences. Meanwhile, a mysterious sponsor has sent Frieda Ehrlich to the school as a pupil and Gemma suspects there is more to the sponsor than he’s admitting so she starts investigating.

I enjoyed Artful Antics at St Bride’s which is another fun addition to the series. It is a light, frothy novel designed for humour and entertainment so the plot is slight and, perhaps, predictable. Not that it matters because it’s the humour and incidents that make the novel work, like for example the smuggled rats or the chauffeur’s driving. There is a warmth to the novel in the way that the staff get on well together and with the pupils, who can be ridiculous and amusing.

The novel is told from Gemma’s point of view and she has a welcoming tone. She’s relatively new to St Bride’s but is already an integral part of the school and will do her best to protect it from danger, in this case the unknown quantity of the fishy sponsor. Unsurprisingly she comes up trumps in her investigation and all is revealed in the most satisfactory way.

Artful Antics at St Bride’s is a fun read that I can recommend.

This is a great entertaining, lighthearted read; perfect for those, like me, who grew up reading St Clare’s and Mallory Towers. I have read one of this series before this latest book, so can say that it can be read as a stand alone novel. I particularly like the relationships between the staff and the humour throughout the book. Those who have also read Debbie Young’s Sophie Sayers series (book shop) will be pleased to see a guest appearance by Sophie and Hamish. I can’t wait for the next volume!

Another great book in this cozy mystery series set in an English boarding school.

Lovely characters, exciting plot and another mystery to be solved.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book which follows on and helps build the characters that the reader has been introduced to in the previous books in the series. This could be read as a standalone but I feel is better enjoyed when reading the earlier novels.

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

Artful Antics at St Bride's is book four in the St Bride's series of boarding school books for grown-ups.

Taking place immediately after the events of book 3, Gemma returns to work to find her staff flat in turmoil, and she's not the only one. The old building is in much need of some repair work. And so sets in motion the decision to allow the students to begin their own businesses in the hope of making some money to fund the repairs. And, while that's happening, a mysterious and rather grumpy new student arrives mid-term and causes a few problems.

What, I hear you say, does all this have to do with art? Well, the new student suggests the Sixth Form hold an art exhibition to sell their work, and of course, her father is invited, alongside the man who's sponsoring her time at the school.

As we've come to expect with a St Bride's story, not all is as it seems. Gemma is determined to get to the bottom of the story about the ruined house that the new girl's sponsor and father are currently living in - uninhabitable is not the word - added to which, Max Security is also acting strangely, and then McPhee disappears as well.

I do love the St Bride's series. The tales are gently told but engaging and keep the reader guessing until the end. Perfect for relaxing after a hard day at work or when you just want a bit of 'chill time.' They're lovely, escapist fiction for all those who grew up on the Chalet School, Malory Towers, Trebizon and St Claires stories.

Gemma's flat has been wrecked by awful storms that hit her home town. She sets up a small business in order to pay for the repairs. With lots of funny things happening along the way. Alongside this Frieda a uptight and bossy new girl arrives on the scene. Who Gemma finds out is being funded by a wealthy tycoon who comes with dubious antiques. Gemma fears that this could spell bad news for the school and so she recuits her old band of school friends to investigate the credentials of Frieda and his financial backer. Along the way many secrets are unfolded And with a little bit of help from her friends they find out what Friedas deal is and what she is doing at the school.

A delightful read about a school damaged by storms. The students try to orchestrate the renovation by starting their own business. This leads to secrets and mysteries. Enjoyed the characters. Fills the reader with humor and delight. Thanks#netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

"Artful Antics at St Bride's" by Debbie Young is a delightful addition to the Gemma Lamb Cozy Mystery series. When storms damage Gemma Lamb's school flat, she finds herself in a comedic situation orchestrated by the headmistress, Hairnet. The girls are tasked with starting their own businesses to fund the repairs, leading to a series of hilarious and unintended consequences.

Gemma's worries increase with the arrival of Frieda Ehrlich, a new student sponsored by a dubious tycoon. Determined to protect the school's reputation, Gemma enlists the help of an old friend to investigate the tycoon's background, putting her romance with sports teacher Joe Spryke at risk.

Debbie Young weaves a charming and light-hearted tale filled with mysteries and camaraderie. As Gemma and her friends unravel the secrets surrounding Frieda and her sponsor, the reader is taken on an engaging journey filled with laughter, surprises, and a quest to restore the school and Gemma's flat. "Artful Antics at St Bride's" is a delightful cozy mystery that will entertain fans of the series and newcomers alike.