This is an excellent historical cozy series: well research and featuring an unusual couple of amateurish detectives.
Martha is a woman who doesn’t know if her husband is dead or alive as he disappeared, Luke is the vicar. There’s a lot of development in the relationship between them and I hope that the mystery of Martha’s husband will be solved.
There’s a lot of research in this book and it shows in how a respectable woman should behave, in the plot of this mystery and the general atmosphere. There’s not a lot of mysteries set just after WWII and this is one of the best.
This mystery could have been written in the 40s as the atmosphere, the characters and even the number of pages pay homage to the mysteries of those ages even if those were darker.
The mystery is solid, full of surprising twists and I thoroughly enjoyed even if I guessed the culprit.
There’s a lot of character development and I hope there will be more developments in Martha’s story.
I enjoyed it and it’s strongly recommended.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Will Martha Find a 3rd Killer?

Catherine Coles's 📓, "Death at Lover's Leap (The Martha Miller Mysteries Book 3)", is pure historic mystery buff entertainment! But the Series is meant to be 📖 in Chronological Order.

Martha finds another body. But is this misadventure a moment of lovesick madness, or foul play? Vicar Luke's life is complicated, when his estranged Father moves to Westleham.

I really liked that CC added moments of romance, in between the engrossing murder investigation. I Highly Recommend You 📖 this Great, Page-Turning, Mystery! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The year is 1948 and Martha’s husband Stan is still missing, whereabouts unknown (but definitely not buried in the potato patch), which leaves Martha Miller and the vicar Luke Walker she adores as having to observe propriety and remain just friends, despite rumours to the contrary. Feeling a little lost on Valentine’s Day, she takes her red setter Lizzie for a walk to local beauty spot Lovers’ Leap where an ill-fated couple once jumped to their deaths in the river, and Lizzie spots a body at the water’s edge. Martha instantly recognises it to be village lad Stephen Strickland, apparently one of two suitors to Florence Noble, daughter of Joe and Winnie who run the village pub. DI Ben Robertson, her sister Ruby’s boyfriend, is called out and soon it appears to be not an accident or suicide but murder!! Martha’s notoriety has grown amongst locals due to her being paramount in solving some tricky cases recently and Stephen’s mother begs her to find out what happened to her son. Soon Martha and Luke, aided by the old gang of her neighbour Maud Burnett and gossip Ada Garrett, are joining forces in a bit of detecting again! They discover all manner of people, including both the undertaker and Luke’s estranged father who has recently started to rent the house of disgraced former resident Margaret Leaming, know more than they are telling and are keeping secrets. Will this unlikely yet very adept team of sleuths get to the truth before there are any more deaths?
This is a charming cosy murder mystery story, full of very engaging characters, intrigue and a little romance for good measure where, despite being set in a bygone era where people had different worries and a slower way of life, the dark side of human nature still abounds. Perfect for a reader to lose themselves in a little bit of nostalgia and gentle crime solving. The whole sizzling “will they, won’t they” question lingers on for Luke and Martha (I do hope the Stan situation is resolved soon!) and I am looking forward to more stories in this lovely series.

Death at Lovers' Leap by Catherine Coles

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Westleham Village 1948

As Valentine's Day rolls around, Martha Miller finds herself unusually melancholy at the state of her own love life. With husband Stan still missing and with her growing feelings for Vicar Luke still shrouded in secrecy, there’s only one place Martha can go - famous local beauty spot, Lovers' Leap.

Legend has it that those with a broken heart throw themselves off the bridge that spans the river, but Martha is certainly not about to do such a thing! But it looks like someone else has had other ideas….

Because there in the river, Martha finds a body. But is this misadventure, a moment of lovesick madness, or is foul play afoot?

Martha knows one thing…the villagers of Westleham have another crime to solve!

Let the investigation commence!

My Opinion

This was the first Catherine Coles book that I have read but for me I was able to follow it as a standalone. With this only being a short book I chose this as a quick read to take with me on a car journey. In total, this book took me just over an hour to read and was enjoyable. This was a well-paced cosy mystery, great for reading when you have limited time available.

Rating 4/5

Death at Lovers' Leap is the 3rd book in the Martha Miller series. I hadn't read the 2 previous books but the way they were recapped in this one made it very clear what had happened and the reader wasn't at a disadvantage by not having read them. One thing I really liked about this story is the continuation of certain events and relationships through the books without leaving cliffhangers at the end. It certainly left me wanting to read the next in the series as soon as I could.
The character of Martha was very likable and surrounded by the cast of characters, all with their flaws and strengths, makes for a really good community feel. This wasn't one of those books where the protagonists are met with unnaturally fortunate timing and luck and solve the mystery based on that. It was a good mystery with twists and turns and the Vicar and Martha are met with friendliness and hostility, but persevere through it all to get to the end result.
I enjoyed reading about the family dynamics between the Vicar and his father and really like Iris as a character for the series and hope she stays around. One mature element was that not everything was resolved positively for Martha but we are left hoping it will come around in future books. I also enjoyed the era of war without being in the middle of it. To see that ration cards, shortages and people going without, was still happening 3 years later is a reality not often spoken about.
All in all, thoroughly enjoyable!
Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Martha Miller mystery series; however, I read this as a standalone. Catherine Coles gave enough information, especially about Martha, so I didn't feel I was missing anything.

Martha Miller is a master sleuth, and I like her style. While she is on a walk near Lover's Leap, she discovers the body of a young man. As Martha has previously solved two murders, the young man's mother asks Martha to find out who murdered her son. With the help of the vicar, neighbors, friends, family, gossip, tea, and cake, Martha puts the pieces together.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. The story is set in the 1940s, so there is a historical element to this as well. The author provided amazing details about the setting. There are a lot of characters, but I always felt clear about who anyone was. The characters are likable and believable. I like Catherine's writing style, and this was an easy read. I was able to finish this in one sitting.

Death at Lovers' Leap is a well-paced, entertaining, cozy read. I am excited to read the other books in this series.

Thank you, Catherine Coles, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley, for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Martha makes a tragic discovery whilst walking her dog and is soon investigating the death of a young villager. Luke, the village vicar, has an unwelcome visitor, and we discover secrets from his past. Martha and Luke's attraction remains, but within the constraints of Post-WW2 society, anything more than friendship seems unlikely. The investigation digs into village relationships and reveals dark secrets. The suspects are numerous, and Martha's investigative skills have developed. I like the relatable characters, the postwar rural setting and the dynamic between Martha and Luke. It's a good escapist read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

February 1948. Mrs Martha Miller while walking her dog discovers the body of young man Steven Strickland. Entreated by his mother she investigates with the help of vicar Luke Walker, much against the instruction of friend DI Ben Robertson. But why would anyone want to kill the teenager and how many people are telling lies.
An enjoyable and well-written cozy mystery with its likeable main characters which are supported by varied characters. Another good addition to this entertaining series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The latest in the series about Martha, who lives in a small town in the English countryside with her sister. Martha discovers the body of a local young man in the river and must sort through village relationships and secrets to find the truth about his death. Complications exist in the form of Martha’s feelings for the village vicar, an issue because Martha’s husband disappeared years before but she remains technically married. Adding to the drama is the sudden appearance of the vicar’s estranged father. Like the other books in the series, the mystery is interesting and the village feels almost real. I struggle with this series a bit though because Martha herself is not always as relatable as would be ideal for a main character you’re supposed to be invested in. I also worry that her relationship with the vicar will continue to be drawn out without much movement. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Martha Miller Mystery series and it was lovely to be back in Westleham again. Martha makes a great sleuth and you can't help but warm to her and all the other regular village characters, they are just adorable. The will they/won't they between Martha and Luke was ongoing and you just find yourself routing for a happy outcome. So if you are looking for an easy read and you enjoy a good old fashioned English cosy mystery this is the book and series for you. You could read it as a standalone but I would highly recommend starting at the beginning. I really hope there will be more from Martha but you really wouldn't want to live in Westleham with so many murders! Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for letting me read and review this book.

This is the third in the Martha Miller mystery series but can easily be read as a standalone as the author gives you enough background on the characters to not feel like you'd missed anything.

A young man is found dead at Westleham's notorious lover's leap, a bridge where legend had it that two lovers leapt to their deaths after they couldn't be together. Martha isn't sure whether Steven died by accident or it was murder, but she's going to get to the bottom of it, regardless.

Death at Lovers Leap is a historical mystery which is definitely on the cosy/lighthearted side of things, giving a nod to classic mysteries while maintaining a modern and fresh feel.

I absolutely devoured this story in two days. It had such a fast pace which pulled me along, making it hard to put down.

Luke gets a few unexpected visitors in the story and it's nice to know more about his past and make me see him in a different light. He wasn't just the dishy vicar any more but a character with flaws and faults.

I felt that the relationship/potential romance took over a bit in this story, pushing the mystery a bit to the back burner. I didn't mind this too much, but I really hope they don't take too long to get together. There's only so much, will they, won't they, I enjoy.

Also, I understand that one character is a vicar, but there were several faith based questions, i.e. why would God let this happen, which as a non-religious person found a bit unnecessary in the story and made it feel gloomy in places.

A quick read with likeable sleuths with an intriguing mystery to get your teeth into.

Another great book from the Martha Miller series. Set in Westleham Village 1948 this is a book that cosy mystery you want with the historical aspect and it all happens and revolves around Valentine's Day. Martha is a great character and again becomes embroiled in an investigation when it seems the legend of the broken heart strikes again.

It is charming, it is cosy, it is mysterious. It has everything you want from a good cosy mystery book and is so easy to read. With great characters and an interesting storyline who wouldn't love reading another Martha Miller Mystery.

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

I adore this author and was ecstatic to receive this ebook. I loved it so much. The characters really come to life. The plot is brilliant and the arc of the love affair of the wide characters is perfect. I want more!

I’m not really a big fan of historical fiction. However, this series changes everything for me. I love the setting I love the characters, and I love the mysteries. In fact, I love them so much, but I really don’t think of it as historical fiction.

Perhaps it’s the mystery component, but I think it’s the great writing that really changes things for me. Full of red herrings, it’ll keep you guessing up to the end.

Death at Lovers' Leap is a welcome return to the village of Westleham and Martha Miller (and her trusty dog). An innocent walk quickly turns to tragedy for Martha, as she ends up, not only coated in mud from head to toe, but discovering the body of one of the local young men.

As ever, Martha is determined to discover the culprit, and with the aid of the vicar, Luke, and her two trusty nosy neighbours, she begins to do just that, uncovering a web of deceit which extends even to the grave.

Death at Lover's Leap is another really well thought out cosy mystery, where a cup of tea is never far from the lips of our characters, and where the privations of post-war Britain are kept firmly in mind.

A delightful mystery. I've been reading Catherine Coles books for a good few years now. Martha is a great creation, and this is another really good addition to the series. Fans of cosy crime will really enjoy the mystery.

This is a Martha Miller cosy mystery.

I haven't read any of this series before, but have been interested in it for a while, as I thought it looked like my kind of book. Based on this, I would read another one.

I liked the protagonist, Martha, and warmed to the other characters too. The village setting provided all the cosiness that I was looking for, and I found this was very light reading and easy to finish in one sitting. A very comforting, relaxing read.

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

Another fine, if depressingly short, mystery starring Martha, our favorite 1947 housewife at loose ends as her husband has disappeared. This series is like a sweet cocktail: light and frothy and over too soon. More importantly, I can't wait for the next in the series where I _hope_ we start getting some clues about Martha's husband!

This is a delightful cosy murder mystery, I absolutely loved it. The details of life in 1948 give a real feel for that period; I am so glad that society now has more open and relaxed attitudes to relationships, amongst other things. And so glad we don’t have food rationing! Although part of a series, it can also be read as a stand alone novel. The village characters have developed as the series progresses, and the descriptions of village life are charming. I am already looking forward to the next in the series.

A confident little mystery, I am enjoying this authors Martha Miller series of books and I am excited for more books from her.
The main mystery is about the death of a boy who Martha finds on her walk, cue a story about rationing, the vicars father, characters in the village and red herrings.. There is also there small mystery of where Martha’s husband is and this will need answering in later books.. and of course the will they won’t they with Martha and Luke..
A solid story with a good mystery.. more please!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Catherine Coles for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Death at Lovers' Leap coming out February 16, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

To be honest, I didn’t read the first two books. But I love Catherine Coles’ writing, so I was excited to check out this book. I’ll go back and read the other books in the series. Historical cozy mysteries are one of my favorite genres. I love the village setting and post war era is a fun time period. I was able to get into the story straightaway. I think Martha is a strong character and I enjoyed her relationship with Luke. Things are a bit complicated since she’s still married to her missing husband, but I think she handles things well. I enjoyed the mystery. It was definitely fast paced and a quick read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries set in the 1940s!