Stranger in the Village is the second Malvern Farm thriller(ish) mystery by Kate Wells. Released 30th June 2024 by Boldwood Books, it's 359 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 other books in the series are also also currently available on KU.

Jude is again drawn into investigating a spate of unsettling occurences including a hit and run outside the pub and a mysterious stranger walking her fields at night. She and DS Binnie again collaborate to get to the bottom of things. It's a testament to the author's command of character that all of the characters, including the secondaries are well delineated and three dimensional. Each is quite distinct from the others and readers won't have any trouble keeping them straight.

The author is also quite adept at setting, and the whole is effective and engaging. The mystery itself is well engineered and culminates in a satisfying and twisty way. The plotting is -excellent- and the mystery is very clever.

It's the second book in the series and although it works well enough as a standalone, the continuing characters' interrelationships develop throughout; readers should expect some minor spoilers if read out of order.

Four and a half stars. It's not at all derivative, but fans of Faith Martin, P.F. Ford, and J.R. Ellis will likely enjoy this one. With three books extant in the series and a fourth out from the same publisher in first quarter 2025, it would be a good candidate for a binge/buddy read. The author seems to be on a semi-annual publishing release schedule, so there are books coming out regularly.

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

Wow the entire time i was reading it (i WHIPPED through it in roughly 4 hours) my heart was pounding and i had so many theories and questions. if you love insanely well written and fast paced books with crazy plot twists and well developed, shady, and secretive characters.

Kate Wells’ Malvern Mysteries series continues with the second nail-biting instalment: Stranger in the Village.

It’s been a rocky start, but things are finally going well for Jude Gray and Malvern Farm. Having put in the hours and all of her blood, sweat and tears, Jude is enjoying seeing all her hard work pay off. The only thing that is annoying her is the arrival of newcomer Des Smith who in a very short space of time has managed to get on everyone’s nerves! How a man like that could possibly be married to sweet kind-hearted Loretta is an absolutely mystery. However, Jude soon realizes that she’ll have more pressing things to worry about than awful neighbours.

A hit and run outside the pub brings death to the village again. Was this an accident or something far more sinister? Jude will be forced to do some sleuthing of her own as she wonders whether the identity of the killer could be connected to the stranger who has been seen tramping through the village and her fields in the middle of the night.

Can Jude find out whodunnit? Or is this case so tangled and twisted that even she will not be able to solve it?

A brilliant bucolic mystery that will keep readers guessing till the very end, Stranger in the Village is a compelling, unpredictable and tense crime novel from Kate Wells that I found very easy to get into and very hard to put down. With a great sleuth at the heart of this book, Stranger in the Village is a terrific cosy mystery that has me eager for the next title in the Malvern Mysteries series.

Glamping pod set ups, getting the rams ready for the ewes, a love interest for Jude a substitute grandma for Xeb , a male chauvinist racing round the village in his flashy car and of course a murder

Very busy time for Jude and Noah but in amongst the farming and building Jude still finds time to help solve the murder

Good read

this is the 1st kate wells book i have read i enjoyed ot not as fast paced as what am used too but sometimes just what you need.

alot going on but easy too follow and just kept you wanting more.

Poor lucy

sebbie is so cute

I always fall in love with covers featuring cottages and the blurb attracted me. A well plotted cosy mystery featuring quirky and likeable characters.
The setting is lovely and the plot is tightly knitted and full of surprises
I liked the first in this serie and this is more entertaining and enjoyable.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I enjoy cosy crime novels, so I hoped this would be my kind of book.

On first impressions, I felt it definitely had the cosiness and the countryside village setting that I hoped for. I also found myself warming to the characters, and there were some humorous moments that tickled me. I think my favourite character was Sebbie, as he was adorable. I would have liked to read the first book prior to this, as it seemed there were references to some prior events, but I still enjoyed this one. It was very light, easy reading and a lot of fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources

http://ramblingmads.uk/2024/02/04/blog-tour-stranger-in-the-village-kate-wells/

Jude has settled into life working on her farm. With Noah and Lucy by her side, she feels like things are getting back to normal. However, when a hit and run occurs in the village, it sets off a chain of events. Can everyone figure out what’s going on before someone else gets hurt?

I was so excited to be invited onto the blog tour for Stranger in the Village. Having enjoyed the previous novel, Murder on the Farm, I was intrigued to see what was next for Jude, Noah and Lucy.

Even though horrible things happen around them, it was like catching up with friends.

I love Jude. She demonstrates such a strength of character and keeps going, no matter what is thrown at her. Noah continues to be a stoic support and Lucy is bought even closer into the story. I love these three as a team.

As with the previous book, the plot moves well and I read it in one sitting. I actually had to go back pages at a couple of points as I was reading quite fast because I wanted to see what happened.

The mystery, tension and suspense is released at a steady pace and, like with the first book, just when you think you’ve worked things out, a twist is added. Kate Wells really has a skill of making you suspect multiple people and sending the book in directions you would not expect. I couldn’t see how it all fitted together. Marco for example – friend or foe?

If you’ve not read the first novel though, don’t worry. This can be read as a standalone. I really do recommend the first novel though.

I really don’t want to spoil things so I will end the review here.

Stranger in the Village is a great murder mystery. It has strong, believable characters, a beautiful setting and enough twist and turns to have you reading into the early hours.

I really love this author and look forward to seeing what she does next

Jude and Noah are getting ready for mating season and Lucy has a new job at a nursing home and little Xeb now goes to school or with their nice neighbor Larreta who is like a stand in grandma for little Xeb. It’s too bad she is married to mail chauvinist Das. That isn’t even his worst characteristic he drives around the village in his fancy car acting as if he is the cock of the walk he cheats on Loretta with married women and Jude learns he also swindles people out of money or at least that’s what the gossip is. Jude does her best to ignore all the talk because she is busy with mating season and getting the back pasture ready for her Glamping plans she isn’t sure where she’ll get the money from so when she buys two secondhand hutts and a stranger named Marco agrees to stay in one wall helping her with her new business things are looking up especially when Lucy‘s ex Paul gives up full custody to Lucy. Things only start going downhill when spuds wife is seen around town with Loretta‘s husband Daz
And a woman shows up at the auction causing trouble for Loretta and then gets run over in a hit and run. Jude starts thinking of romance for the first time since Adam‘s death but when Lucy is accused of murder her only focus is her family and poor Larreta. Jude learns not everyone is who they appear to be and sometimes you can never know someone well enough. I love these books I could not wait to read the second one and was not disappointed. Kate Wells does a great job shaping a mystery from an already interesting plot line and OMG if I wasn’t glued to the pages! I can honestly say something I have never said before and this is my absolute favorite mystery series. It is between a cozy mystery and a thriller mystery and a genre all its own and I am loving it I like the first one murder on the farm and love this one stranger in the village if you like mysteries with wonderful characters in an interesting plot line that travels from book to book although none end in a cliffhanger then you will definitely love a stranger in the village By Kate Wells! I want to thank Boldwood books and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I was eagerly awaiting this sequel after reading Murder On The Farm and I loved this even more. This is one of my favourite cosy mystery series with its perfect mix of mystery, intrigue, community spirit and a dash of romance. From the very start I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, the twists and turns were perfectly plotted to keep you guessing and needing to reach the conclusion and still wanting more at the end roll on book 3. #strangerinthevillage #katewells #Goodreads #bookstagram #netgalley

Obvious;y this is a book for adults so not recommending to school.

Read Kate's first book. Murder on the Farm, so was looking forward to this. Would it still be ok based in same place?

Absolutely it is. Jude, Lucy & Sebbie and Noah are back with all the animals and the farming. But a new couple have moved into the village Des and Loretta Smith. Jude and Lucy really like Loretta, as does Sebbie, but they do not like Des. He treats Loretta badly having had several affairs and now carrying on with one of the women from the village who is also married.
Jude is diversifying the farm: shepherds huts and glamping is her plan. The shepherds huts are delivered and it looks like an uphill battle to renovate them. Until a handsome stranger called Marco, an artist asks if he can camp in one. But will he be the one to follow Adam in Jude's heart?
When a woman is run over in the village all the evidence points to Des because she had an affair with him in their last home. Des disappears making it look worse, then one night when Loretta has been babysitting Jude takes her home, and Des is laying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor, his last words are for his wife, saying her name and 'Bison' or at least that what Jude thinks.
Then things get more complicated as Loretta's son Paul turns up - he is Sebbie's father, the same horrid man who Lucy has only just got out of their life. But he isn't there for Sebbie, he's there to see how much cash there is in the will for him! But when the will turns out to list someone else as full benefactor things take a turn for the worse. Paul is also murdered! But was that the wrong person?
Lucy has already been taken in for questioning over Des's murder because there are pictures of her and Sebbie on his computer - lots of them, but now she's taken again and the police have evidence of both murders!
Jude has to figure this out and quick.

"Stranger in the Village” by Kate Wells was a captivating 5-star cozy mystery. Jude Gray is trying to move on with her life after her loss at Malvern Farm. Things were starting to improve, especially after Jude decides to bring camping to the farm. Quickly, those plans are derailed. The list of tragedies starts with her witnessing a hit and run outside of The Lamb and they keep getting closer to home from there.

When I read the description for this book, I was hooked and knew I had to read it. I was a bit hesitant since this is the second book in the series, but I decided to go ahead anyway. I am so glad that I did. Even without the mystery, the way you learn about the farm and what the family is doing was interesting. I especially enjoyed the way the animals were brought to life with the small details about their unique personalities. Add in the mystery, and you have a book that keeps you wanting more. There were several twists along the way before the final mystery is revealed. I am definitely going back to read the first book in the series.

Thanks to Boldwood Books, Kate Wells, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Stranger In the Village' by Kate Wells.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Kate Wells, Boldwood Books, The Bold Book Club, Book And Tonic and Rachel's Random Resources.

Publication date 30th January 2024.

This is the first book I have read by this author but it definitely wont be my last!! It is also the second book in her 'A Malvern Farm Mystery' series but can be read as a standalone.

This novel consists of 34 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

An absolutely fantastic success by Kate!!! Absolutely devoured this book in one sitting!!

Well I must say this is an explosive, addictive and unputdownable book in what is guaranteed to be an addictive and one of my favourite series!! The storyline was very interesting, action packed and very fast paced. I absolutely love the fact that the main character Jude is a farmer, surrounded by animals and is just an absolutely fantastic character, but more on her and the rest of the characters shortly. It is a fantastic and addictive cozy mystery that will keep you guessing throughout. Thanks to Kate's stunning evocative descriptions I could see Malvern farm and all the characters, the atmosphere and more come to life in front of my eyes while feeling everything that the characters were. The storyline is ram packed with animals, crime, suspense, mystery, action and absolutely everything you could ask for in a fantastic book that is perfect to read curled up next to the fire under your duvet or enjoying the sun in the garden. It is one of those books that I gave up promising myself just one more chapter very quickly as there was no chance of me putting it down and I ended up absorbing it all in one sitting and was left needing more so I am off to get the first book in this series as soon as I have finished writing up this review!! Not only is this a suspense and action filled mystery but there was just the right amount of quirkiness, laughter and attitude to give it a nice mix!!!I
OMG!!!! THIS BOOK!!!! LOVE, LOVE, ABSOLUTELY LOVED!!!! 😍 😘 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ WELL DONE KATE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! DID I MENTION I LOVED IT???!!!!!
A fun, addictive, unputdownable cozy crime mystery. Clear your schedules as you won't be able to put this book down!
Although this is the second book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without reading the first one prior. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
I very quickly became thoroughly invested in the characters and really enjoyed meeting Jude, Sebbie, Granny Margot, Binnie, Floss, Pip, Noah and so many more characters for the first time and getting to know them all. I am a massive animal lover so any books that include animals in their storylines are huge bonuses for me and this one definitely has one of the most!! I absolutely adored them all especially Gertie the Goat and Pancake the Lamb!!! Jude is an absolutely kick butt woman but one with an amazing and caring personality and she is definitely someone I would love to make friends with in real life. Kate's absolutely amazing writing skills and descriptions ensures each and every one of the characters come to live and jump out of the pages making you see and feel everything they are doing and feeling. Each and every one of the characters were strong, realistic, the majority were amazing and each and every one was memorable and I am so pleased this book is just one in a series!! All of the characters had their own unique personalities and each and every one had a part to play and played it perfectly. An absolutely fantastic and eclectic cast of characters that I look forward to meeting again and again.

Congratulations Kate on an absolutely fantastic book in what promises to be an absolutely epic series!! I am really looking forward to getting stuck into the first and future books in this series. I would definitely like to welcome you to my favourite author club and here's to your next success 🥂

make sure you read to the very end of this book for an exclusive extract from Kate's first book in this series' Murder On The Farm' which promises to be just as amazing as this book and which I am off to read myself!!

Overall a page turning, perfect mix of mystery, crime, animals, suspense and quirkiness which kept me turning the pages late at night!! An explosive addition to what promises to be an addictive series!!!

359 pages.

This book is just £1.99 on kindle, free with kindle unlimited and £9.99 in paperback (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Farmer Jude Gary works hard and tries to keep the work of the farm and the happiness of her family on an even keel. But village life has been upset by newcomer Des Smith. Rude and chauvinistic, he makes enemies wherever he goes. Jude feels sorry for his long-suffering wife, Loretta, who seems to be the complete opposite. A hit and run outs the pub looks like an accident - but is it? A stranger wandering the fields at night worries everyone. Could there be a link? Jude must uncover the truth as someone close comes under suspicion. Will she succeed before anyone else dies?

I loved being back on Malvern Farm. Jude is a strong character who will fight for what is right. Family is everything to her, and she’s a staunch friend who will go that extra mile. She cares and makes the reader care too. I want to spend time with these characters. Lucy and Sebbie were so much a part of Jude’s life, and Granny Margot’s insightful contributions were wonderful.

The mystery was tense and gripping. It surprised me time and again. Des Smith was a repulsive character and I was not surprised he had so many enemies. The twists and turns fooled me, and the clues kept me guessing. The stories keep getting better and better. I hope we’ll see more of Jude in the future.

Carrying on with the delightful Malvern Farm mystery series, this second installment was just as good as the first!

Our protagonist, Jude Gray, is a young, childless widow who now runs her large sheep farm with the help of Noah, her shepherd, and her loyal dog, Pip - with memories of her late husband never far from her mind. When she met her husband Adam, he introduced her to his life-long friends and they accepted her into their warm fold. Now, it has been three years since Adam's death and she shares her home with her half-sister Lucy, and Lucy's three year old son, Sebbie.

Jude cares for hundreds of sheep, her Bantam hens, her pet lamb 'Pancake', and Gertie, a golden Cheviot goat. In this book two puppies are added to the menagerie, much to Sebbie's delight.

Jude is a loyal, empathetic and caring protagonist, whose personal motto is 'be kind'. She has a strong work ethic and loves her farm, and the animals that inhabit it. She has a deep connection to the Malvern Hills area and walks the hills as a way to unwind and decompress.

Like most farms, Jude's sheep farm is struggling financially. She decides to diversify to earn some much needed income. She purchases two old wooden shepherd's huts which she plans to 'do up' and rent out to 'glampers'. Not long after they are delivered an artist turns up who wants to help renovate the huts in return for a roof over his head. His name is Marco and he is the first man who has captured Jude's attention since Adam died...

Meanwhile, Loretta is a new neighbour who has made herself invaluable to the village. Loretta's husband Des, however, is an obnoxious and odious man who is rude and swindles others out of their hard earned savings. When Des is murdered, Jude discovers his body and, once again, finds herself mired in a murder investigation. Then, another murder on Jude's farm prompts her to question.... Could the murderer be someone she knows? Emotions are running high at Malvern Farm.

West Mercia policewoman DS Binita Khatri (Binnie), makes another appearance in this, the second novel. She has become a personal friend of Jude, and keeps her apprised of the police investigations.

This novel portrayed a working sheep farm, in all its messy, arduous glory. Jude was a strong and admirable character that I am eager to follow in subsequent novels.

The writing was compelling and made for an easy, enjoyable reading experience. There was a plot twist that I didn't see coming, as well as one I did anticipate. The denouement was very satisfactory. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in this engaging mystery series. A series which has become a personal favourite after only two books.

It's only fairly recently that I discovered Kate Wells and her superb books. When I heard that Kate was due to release another book in the 'Malvern Mysteries' series, I knew that I had to grab a copy and hibernate until I had read the last word on the last page. Especially when you consider that I enjoyed the first book in the series ('Murder On The Farm') so much. Well ladies and gents, the wait is over because the second book in the series is called 'Stranger In The Village' and it was released on 30th January 2024. I couldn't wait to dive in and so without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for what proved to be an intriguing afternoon of reading. 

As soon as I started reading, I knew that I was going to be doing nothing other than reading for the next few hours because I knew that I wasn't going to be able to put the book to one side for any length of time. My Kindle wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me, as I couldn't bear to miss a single second of the story. I had my own suspicions as to who the guilty party was and how the story was going to pan out so of course I had to keep reading to see if I was anywhere near the truth. The more of the book that I read, the more I wanted to read and the quicker the pages seemed to turn. I was so wrapped up in the story and in the lives of the different characters that I didn't realise just how quickly the time was passing and the speed with which I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'Stranger In The Village'. I found 'Stranger In The Village' to be a highly enjoyable cosy mystery, which certainly kept me guessing.

'Stranger In The Village' is extremely well written but then I wouldn't expect anything less from Kate Wells. Kate has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Kate's books often feels more like a chat between friends (informal) rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Kate certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be a great story. Kate's love for her characters shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. Kate makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. I love the way in which Kate has captured village life- by that I mean how tight knit village communities can be and how strangers are viewed with suspicion. I love the way in which Kate makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Stranger In The Village' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I hope to read much more of Kate's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Carrying on with the delightful Malvern Farm mystery series, this second installment was just as good as the first!

Our protagonist, Jude Gray, is a young, childless widow who now runs her large sheep farm with the help of Noah, her shepherd, and her loyal dog, Pip - with memories of her late husband never far from her mind. When she met her husband Adam, he introduced her to his life-long friends and they accepted her into their warm fold. Now, it has been three years since Adam's death and she shares her home with her half-sister Lucy, and Lucy's three year old son, Sebbie.

Jude cares for hundreds of sheep, her Bantam hens, her pet lamb 'Pancake', and Gertie, a golden Cheviot goat. In this book two puppies are added to the menagerie, much to Sebbie's delight.

Jude is a loyal, empathetic and caring protagonist, whose personal motto is 'be kind'. She has a strong work ethic and loves her farm, and the animals that inhabit it. She has a deep connection to the Malvern Hills area and walks the hills as a way to unwind and decompress.

Like most farms, Jude's sheep farm is struggling financially. She decides to diversify to earn some much needed income. She purchases two old wooden shepherd's huts which she plans to 'do up' and rent out to 'glampers'. Not long after they are delivered an artist turns up who wants to help renovate the huts in return for a roof over his head. His name is Marco and he is the first man who has captured Jude's attention since Adam died...

Meanwhile, Loretta is a new neighbour who has made herself invaluable to the village. Loretta's husband Des, however, is an obnoxious and odious man who is rude and swindles others out of their hard earned savings. When Des is murdered, Jude discovers his body and, once again, finds herself mired in a murder investigation. Then, another murder on Jude's farm prompts her to question.... Could the murderer be someone she knows? Emotions are running high at Malvern Farm.

West Mercia policewoman DS Binita Khatri (Binnie), makes another appearance in this, the second novel.  She has become a personal friend of Jude, and keeps her apprised of the police investigations.

This novel portrayed a working sheep farm, in all its messy, arduous glory. Jude was a strong and admirable character that I am eager to follow in subsequent novels.

The writing was compelling and made for an easy, enjoyable reading experience. There was a plot twist that I didn't see coming, as well as one I did anticipate. The denouement was very satisfactory. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in this engaging mystery series. A series which has become a personal favourite after only two books.

The second in the Malvern Farm Mysteries but it reads well as a standalone, there is plenty of information about any vital previous plot points.

Jude Gray is enjoying a quieter time on the farm. The rams are enjoying themselves, the harvest is in & she has time to watch her Farmers Weekly broadcasts. Her sister, Lucy, & nephew, Sebbie, are living with her & Noah, the shepherd, is on hand to assist with anything that needs doing. Jude knows she needs to diversify & buys two shepherd huts to renovate & rent out. At the same time, a travelling artist, Marco, appears & offers to help do the work in exchange for being able to stay in a hut for free. Jude has also struck up a friendship with Loretta, a newcomer to the village with her vile & obnoxious husband, Des.
A woman is knocked down & killed in a hit & run. Des is found murdered shortly afterwards. Jude’s quiet life evaporates & she is drawn into another investigation with her friend Binnie, who happens to be a police officer.

I haven’t read the first book, so have nothing to compare to but this was an enjoyable cosy crime read. The characters develop over the book & Sebbie is a typical 3 year old, eagle-eyed & repeating things that he has overheard, whether he should or not! I loved the touches of humour & the informative passages on dog training & tupping etc. The amount of information Binnie gave Jude did grate - I know they’re best friends but even so.
Your heart rate is not going to increase reading this book but sometimes that is just what you need. An easy read which flows well & although I had an inkling who the murderer was, the reveal was cleverly handled. I look forward to book 3 & hope Marco makes a reappearance…

I was invested from the first page. This book kept my attention and had me not waiting to put it down. I enjoyed the author's choice of characters.