Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this. A very good read that had me hooked, once started I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend

This is the first in a lovely new cosy crime series by this author. It can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading in order for maximum enjoyment. I read the second one first as didn’t realise it was part of a series.

I love this authors books and how she writes about strong women and Morernna was no exception. She as a fabulous character with a heart or gold and a penchant for amateur sleuthing.

This was a murder mystery with a twist and a lovely community feel. Look forward to more of Morernna sleuthing tales in the future.

Foul Play at Seal Bay is the first book in a shopfront cozy series by Judy Leigh. Released 7th Aug 2023 by Boldwood Books, it's 298 pages and is available in hardcover, 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. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The second book in the series, Bloodshed on the Boards, is also currently available on KU.

This is a nice, well written cozy set in Cornwall, featuring an eccentric 61 year old amateur sleuth and her friends and family. The untimely death of a local almost entirely unlamented businessman from London has the close knit community aghast, and it soon becomes clear that the local inspector is not up to the task.

The language is entirely clean (there are a few colloquial uses of "bleddy" but nothing worse), there are no graphic descriptions on-page, and the resolution, and denouement are mostly satisfying, if heavily foreshadowed. The writing is competent and the dialogue not clunky or awkward.

There are currently 2 books in the series. It would make a good choice for a short binge or buddy read. Although reviewers have compared it to Osman's Thursday Murder Club, it compares better (and more favorably) to Peter Boland's Charity Shop Mysteries.

Four stars. It would be a good choice for readers who enjoy light amateur sleuth cozies featuring eccentric mature female sleuths. Morwenna is charming and refreshingly intelligent.

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

There's something about a cozy mystery set in a quaint seaside town with an unlikely lovable detective that I just can't say no to. Seal Bay had its fair share of foul play and I loved being along for the ride as Morwenna and her family are thrown into the middle of a murder investigation. The case is headed by a bumbling DI who is rushing to close the case (of course) so our heroine has to take time between her jobs at the library and the local cafe to fill in the gaps and get to the bottom of the mystery. So many cozy mystery tropes (and a touch of will-they-won't-they romance) in one book and I loved every minute of it.

Love a good Judy Leigh book and this is the first in a new series of cosy murder mystery that I just couldn't wait to read. And what a great read it was. Set in a little and sleepy Cornish Village called Seal Bay where Morwenna Mutton is a librarian but after a murder becomes somewhat of a detective too.

With great characters, many of who may be suspects, this book is very entertaining and a bit of fun to read as well. And having read this one I now can't wait to see what comes next. This is going to be a great series and I can see it going from strength to strength.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

It was meant to be the start of quiet season in the sleepy Cornish village of Seal Bay, but not for sexagenarian librarian and wild swimming enthusiast Morwenna Mutton. Because when a local businessman is found on the beach with a bread knife is his back, bungling police officer DI Rick Tremayne is soon out of his depth. Morwenna knows it’s going to be down to her to crack the case.
The list of people the victim upset is long, the evidence is slight, and an arrest illusive. Morwenna has plenty to occupy her time what with ghostly goings-on at the library and skullduggery at her granddaughter’s school, but she could never resist a challenge. And even the most ruthless of murderers should quake at the sight of this amateur sleuth getting on her bike to track them down. I absolutely loved this book and recommend to friends and family. Definitely worth the full five stars!

Foul Play at Seal Bay is the first book in a new cosy mystery series by Judy Leigh and introduces Morwenna Mutton and her family. Morwenna is a delightfully quirky and colourful character, in more ways than one. She divides her time between working mornings in the library, afternoons in her daughter Tamsin’s café and loves an exhilarating morning swim in the ocean.

'The ice of the sea took her breath away as she moved her arms and legs in a steady rhythm. Morwenna loved the sensation, the air punched from her lungs, the cold water biting at her hands and feet. She felt as if a lobster had clamped itself to her buttocks. And she was suddenly calm and laughing out loud with the joy of it.'

Mostly everyone in Seal Bay knows each other and it was a great shock when one of the community was murdered during an engagement party on the beach. The victim was overbearing, so not particularly liked by the local folk, although he didn’t deserve his fate. He owned quite a lot of property in Seal Bay and was pressuring the Mutton ladies to buy Tamsin’s café. They refused point blank. Their refusal put them on high on the suspect list compiled by the less than competent local policeman, because an item from the tea shop was used as the murder weapon.

Morwenna feels obliged to try and find out the truth of the matter before her whole family is accused of plotting the murder. Unfortunately she doesn’t realise the danger she putting herself, and the young policewoman helping her, in. I’m glad Morwenna is portrayed realisically as befits her age and all the disadvantages that go with it.

Foul Play at Seal Bay is a departure from Judy Leigh’s contemporary romances/women’s fiction, although they also feature more mature and individual characters. If this first book is anything to go by, it promises to be a very enjoyable series. Looking forward to see what Morwenna gets up to next and whether she has second thoughts about the lovely Ruan.

This one has been dubbed a cozy mystery and I would agree. Set in a Cornish village with a family of strong determined women who become the center of attention when the local shady businessman is found dead on the beach during their family celebration. Our leading lady is Morwenna Mutton - a 60ish mother, daughter and grandmother is a steady force in her community. She can be seen daily bicycling to her volunteer work at the library and then off to her daughter's popular tearoom to help wait tables and catch up on the local gossip.
When the fingers start pointing at her loved ones, Morwenna hops on her bike and begins her sleuthing around the town.
I enjoyed the characters and the quaint setting. A fast fun read for a beach weekend or just to add to your cozy books. Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Books by this author are always a good read and this is just as good. Set in Cornwall, this murder mystery is a cosy story that keeps you wondering right to the end. This makes a good change from many murder books that you are able to guess who committed the crime early on. Worthy of 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Morwenna Mutton discovers a seriously injured man at her daughter's engagement party. He dies and she finds herself under suspicion so decides to find the real killer...
Foul Play at Seal Bay is the first book in a new cosy murder mystery series set in Cornwall.
Morwenna is at a crossroads, considering the past and future. Her marriage broke down but she is still friends with her ex. She has a couple of part time jobs and supports the family tearoom. She often cares for her granddaughter and offers support to her daughter Tam and mother Lamorna. A local businessman offers to buy the tearoom but is then found fatally injured at a party. Morwenna  needs to prove her own innocence and that of her family but this puts her in danger and she is warned off by the killer.
Morwenna's character is fab. She has some insecurities and vulnerabilities but is also a force of nature. She is devoted to her family and I was keen that she reconnect with her ex Ruan as I felt that they had forgotten to focus on themselves as a couple but never fell out of love. I really enjoyed the use of Cornish words to evoke the accent and people of the region.
There is only one death which is not graphically described. However, there are other violent attacks and warning notes to try to prevent Morwenna fining the truth. I did actually manage to guess the identity of the killer although I did briefly change my mind around two thirds of the way through before being convinced again of a certain person's lies.
Foul Play at Seal Bay is a solid start to a new series and I hope to catch up with Morwenna in the future.

I think this is the good start of a new cozy series and there's a lot of potential: Morwenna is a quirky and eccentric character I loved, the mystery is solid and the setting is lovely
Can't wait to read the next story
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is book 1 in Judy's new series, and it's interesting to have an older character, who is quite eccentric and knows her own mind! Morwenna has 2 mysteries at hand- the ghost in the library and a death at her daughter's engagement party, and she was the last person to speak to the deceased. But there are a lot of people with reasons to be the murderer and in order to clear her name, Morwena has to start asking questions. But like all good plans, sometimes someone doesn't want you asking questions, and Morwena is soon in danger of being killed herself. It's a fun romp and I can't wait to read book 2 in the series!

I have read quite a few Judy Leigh books and they are generally a lot of fun to read, usually with more mature main characters that are simply full of life and get me excited about growing older. Old does NOT mean dull by any means! This story was the first in this genre... cozy crime, so not as funny as some of Judy's other books, but still with mature and full of life characters.
The first half of the book moved rather slowly, creating the setting and letting us get to know all the characters. I enjoyed that half, but did not love it. Then in the second half of the book a lot started happening and I didn't want to put the book down. By then I was completely invested in the story and the characters and I just had to know what would happen next and how it would all end.

I’m a big fan of Judy Leigh’s novels, and the historical fiction she writes as Elena Collins, so I was very excited to hear she had written in a new genre – cosy mystery, one of my favourites.
Foul Play at Seal Bay is her first in the series of Morwenna Mutton Mysteries. I love novels that feature older characters, as being fifty-three, I have more in common with a woman of sixty than a woman of twenty. Here, Morwenna is sixty-one and her mum Lamorna is in her eighties. They are strong and capable, able women who still achieve a lot and have busy lives. Morwenna herself works in the library, co-owns the tea rooms (with her mum and her daughter Tamsin, 28) and goes wild swimming regularly.
There are some amazing characters here. I especially liked Tamsin’s daughter Elowen (5) who has an imaginary dog – a golden Labrador called Oggy – and Louise Piper, 51, who runs the Seal Bay library and is tormented by its ghost Lizzie (Lady Elizabeth Pengellen).
But just as Seal Bay is sounding like a rather lovely place to live, Morwenna finds someone she knows on the beach with a knife in their back! The hunt for a murderer is on… and when the local policeman DI Rick Tremayne only seems to be pointing the finger of suspicion at Morwenna and her family, she decides she needs to solve the crime herself…
This was a lovely read! I got into the story right away, Seal Bay is a fascinating community full of interesting people and what’s not to love about Morwenna? She’s brilliant! I enjoyed trying to solve the crime with her and I adore her eccentric fashion sense and always read what she was wearing with a smile on my face.
My one tiny criticism – like another reviewer had written, I was also getting a bit fed up of the word ‘dreckly’ – sorry.
But it’s a wonderful book, a great read and I am looking forward to reading more of Morwenna’s adventures in the future.

'Foul Play at Seal Bay' by Judy Leigh.
It was meant to be the start of quiet season in the sleepy Cornish village of Seal Bay, but not for sexagenarian librarian and wild swimming enthusiast Morwenna Mutton. Because when a local businessman is found on the beach with a bread knife is his back, bungling police officer DI Rick Tremayne is soon out of his depth. Morwenna knows it's going to be down to her to crack the case.
The list of people the victim upset is long, the evidence is slight, and an arrest illusive. Morwenna has plenty to occupy her time what with ghostly goings-on at the library and skullduggery at her granddaughter's school, but she could never resist a challenge. And even the most ruthless of murderers should quake at the sight of this amateur sleuth getting on her bike to track them down.
At first the cover drew me in and then I read it was based in Cornwall so I had to read it straight away. The book didn't let me down. I loved it. I did guess the killer quite early on but it didn't put me off reading it and enjoying it. If you love cosy crime then give this book a read.

The setting and characters of this cosy mystery came to life for me from the very start and I felt utterly immersed in the Cornish seaside community of close family ties, local pride and cold-sea-swimming.

The main murder mystery kept me guessing nicely, even though I picked up most of the relevant clues, and I was just as intrigued by some of the smaller side mysteries, such as the strange case of the ghost in the library.

I absolutely loved Morwenna as a main character – her mature age and outlook, her active lifestyle and inquisitive nature, and her close bonds with the matriarchal line of her immediate family – mother (Lamorna), daughter (Tamsin) and granddaughter (Elowen). That said, all of the characters are engaging and interesting, even down to the incompetent, blustering detective Rick Tremayne!

With a solid mystery plot, excellent writing and well-developed characters, plus the added bonus of a full immersion into Cornish language and traditions, I would definitely read more from Judy Leigh and Morwenna Mutton in the future. Fellow cosy mystery fans will find this book a salty, but sweet, Cornish treat.

I’ll admit I was slightly nervous about this one – a businessman found dead with a bread knife in his back is something you’ll rarely find in my usual reading, I haven’t read any Agatha Christie since I was a teenager, and (I’ll whisper…) my feelings about Mr Osman’s books are rather mixed. But I really needn’t have worried at all – this book had everything I love about the author’s “never too late” fiction with a focus on family and community, wonderfully created characters (of all ages…), plenty of humour, a touch of romance, and a story that really couldn’t fail to engage and entertain.

Morwenna herself is just wonderful – at sixty-one, and with her eccentric dress-sense, she certainly has no intention of acting her age, helping out at her daughter’s tea rooms, working part-time at the library, and no trip is too daunting to be undertaken on her bicycle. She’s plainly following the example set by her mother Lamorna – she’s irrepressible too, a real character, and the source of a lot of the book’s humour. And when the police seem to be making little progress in investigating the murder at her daughter’s pre-wedding party, her busy life proves no obstacle – Morwenna sets about her own in-depth investigation, using her links with the community, and putting herself in some danger in the process.

This perhaps isn’t a book for hardened crime fans – it’s light-hearted fun, and that only made me enjoy it more – although the plot is very nicely convoluted, with enough unexpected twists and turns to bring a few shocks along the way and keep you engaged and intrigued. I was a step ahead of both Morwenna and the police in solving the crime, which is quite unusual for me – but that honestly didn’t matter one jot.

The joy of this book is in the characterisation, and in the community created – there’s quite a substantial cast, every individual particularly well drawn, along with the relationships between them. I really enjoyed Morwenna’s relationship with her rather lovely ex-husband Ruan – there’s a particular affection there, and most definite potential for further developments as the series progresses. And, although I’m rarely a fan of young children in the books I read, I couldn’t help taking to six year old grand-daughter Elowen – and her imaginary dog Oggy. And many of the more minor characters were fantastic too – Louise at the library, rather obsessed by the ghost of Lady Elizabeth (who seems to be leaking ectoplasm all over the carpet, and helping out with clues…), and the knitting Grundy sisters with their local knowledge and sometimes less-than-helpful interventions.

One thing I will mention is that the book is very deliberately Cornish – there’s even a glossary at the book’s start – and while I was initially amused by the use of “ansum” and “maid”, I will admit that the distinct overuse of “dreckly” did perhaps begin to jar a little. But that’s a really minor point – I loved the setting and the characters, the story certainly kept the pages turning, there were some nice moments of real drama, I laughed (a lot), and the warmth behind the writing was quite wonderful. This is a series so many readers are going to enjoy, and this book is a great start – and one I’d really recommend to others.

I loved this one. Set in Cornwall this was a murder mystery which kept you wondering who did what and why? The murderer was a complete surprise as I hadn't guessed that person. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: A decent start to a new cozy mystery series

Set in a sleepy small town, the book introduces Morwenna Mutton, a sexagenarian librarian and wild swimming enthusiast. She loves cycling to work and enjoys spending time with her 80+ mother, 28yo daughter, and 5yo granddaughter.
When a local businessman Alex, who wants to buy her family Tea Room is found dead, Morwenna knows she needs to go sleuthing and solve the case. After all, DI Rick Tremayne doesn’t seem to know how to handle it effectively. Can Morwenna find the killer, or will she end up as one of the victims?
The story comes from Morwenna’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
I love cozy mysteries and enjoyed a couple of the author’s other books before, so this seemed a great choice to add to my list. While the book isn’t fab, it does have some merits and might grow into a better series.
Morwenna is a gusty 60+ woman with silvery wild hair and colorful dresses. She cycles her way through the village and hills, even if the upward journey is getting harder. After all, nothing like cycling and wild swimming to stay fit. Her family comes first, and we see it throughout the book.
I love the concept of wild swimming and wasn’t aware it was a thing. Swimming in cold sea/ ocean waters once a week is sure to revitalize the senses (apparently, it also has other health benefits). This aspect is seamlessly woven into the plot and Morwenna’s arc.
The setting is broodingly beautiful while presenting the harsh realities of not having enough business during the off-season. After all, it’s not easy to survive in the cold winters without enough money from the business.
The Mutton ladies (Lamorna, Morwenna, and Tamsin) have different personalities yet common traits. Of course, Elowen, Tamsin’s daughter (5+ yo), has the best of all three. That girl is smart, outspoken, and determined. She’s the cutest addition in the book with Oggy, her invisible dog, and Oggy Two, her purple plush toy.
Raun, Morwenna’s ex-husband, a fisherman, is a sweet guy. Can the two find a way to sort out their issues, or will they remain polite friends? I love that he does a lot of cooking in the book and takes care of his family even though they no longer live together.
The central mystery was decent, if not great. The criminal is easy to identify with all the clues provided, and I’m glad we don’t have any unexpected twists. There are a couple of things left to explain but nothing major.
The side characters are interesting, even if a bit stereotypical. The DI is pretty much useless, but PC Jane has a sound mind. I wish she gets more space in the subsequent books. I also like the other inspector who arrives in the last quarter. He should definitely be a recurring character. Not that I’d mind DI Rick being put in place by the Mutton ladies.
There’s a side track with a lady ghost in the library where Morwenna works morning shifts. Is it really a ghost or a living being? The reveal is predictable but still fun.
There are a few Cornish words (bewty, bleddy, derckly, etc.). They were easy enough to guess (with explanations for others). I like how it brought a native touch to the dialogue.
The book has a couple of action scenes too. Morwenna sure shows she can deal with some physical attacks, though I hope she doesn’t have too many injuries through the series.

To summarize, Foul Play at Seal Bay is a medium-paced cozy mystery plus family drama set in a Cornish village. While the book has much to offer, the spark is missing (the reason for not rounding it to 4 stars). However, the series has potential, and I’ll read the second book to see how it goes.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Amazon review has been rounded up to 4 stars.

2.5 stars

I really wanted to love this book. I love a good close-knit community-set mystery with an eccentric middle-aged heroine, and Morwenna Mutton fits the bill perfectly. In fact, all of the character quirks and village window dressing suited me just fine; it was the mystery itself that felt lackluster.

It felt as though the book really wanted to write about Morwenna’s family and the community of Seal Bay, and kept dragging its feet on getting back to the murder mystery of “who killed the local rich guy at a beach engagement party with a breadknife.” I found the culprit pretty obvious from early on, which wouldn’t have bothered me if the text didn’t keep throwing the same hints about the person at me over and over again. Between that, and the heavy-handed exposition, and having Cornish phrases spoon-fed to me instead of falling naturally into the narrative, I felt as though the author was writing under the assumption that her readers were a bit thick. There are few things that irritate me as much as being condescended to, and it left me perhaps less forgiving of the mystery plot.

Much of the plot revolves around Morwenna receiving warnings and threats to back off from the case, which only serve to give her more clues and evidence to work off of in solving it. Honestly, these threats baffled me, because the first few warnings come when Morwenna has made zero progress whatsoever and is asking no questions that everyone else in the gossipy village isn’t already asking. I wish there were more justification for the murderer, and the town as a whole, to regard Morwenna as a clever sleuth. However, I was game to be along for the ride, looking forward to Morwenna working it all out, because she and her family and friends are such fun to spend time with; unfortunately, the climax asked me to suspend my disbelief way too much. I get that bumbling/inept small-town police are a staple of cozy mysteries, but it honestly felt like the story would have worked better set in the 1940s or 50s, before certain policing science and protocol was figured out/established, in order for me to believe the level of “police not doing basic policework” that went on in the lead-up to the climax.

If you’re in it for the “Murder She Wrote” no-nonsense, cheerful, mature woman sniffing out a murderer vibes, this will 100% scratch that itch, and the characters provide genuinely good company while you’re curled up with the book. But if you want a well-paced and -plotted murder mystery, this isn’t going to be your cup of tea.