I love these cosy murder mystery books and then now putting gardening in now too - superb! I loved Daphne - so hard to dislike though I think/ Really looking forward to book 2.

'Miss Marple for the 21st Century'. Was not to like about that? The sleepy village of Pudding Corner, How can you not be charmed by this village? A great English cosy murder mystery and one I enjoyed immensely. I love a good cosy and this one definitely is one I would highly recommend for a bit of fun, a few thrill and of course the suspense behind the who dunnit!

Great characters, a wonderful and charming setting and a well written book that is both enjoyable and entertaining. A great and wonderful read.

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

"The Potting Shed Murder" by Paula Sutton is a delightful cozy mystery that invites readers into a charming village brimming with secrets and intrigue. Sutton’s writing is both engaging and atmospheric, with vivid descriptions that bring the quaint English setting to life. The plot is well-crafted, offering just the right mix of suspense, humor, and twists that keep you guessing until the very end. The protagonist, a sharp and endearing amateur sleuth, navigates the layers of deception with wit and determination, making the unraveling of the mystery all the more satisfying. "The Potting Shed Murder" is a perfect read for fans of traditional whodunits, blending the warmth of village life with the thrill of a classic murder mystery.

Great reading. Twists and turns. You think the country is quite and disinteresting. Easy read and thorughly enjoyed this. would definitely read more from this author

I couldn't put this down, it is best served with a pot of tea. I loved the characters in Pudding Corner. A good cosy crime to pass away an afternoon. I look forward to more.

This was a much more serious murder mystery set in a rural location than I expected. Usually, the people in the background are harmless, until the killer surfaces. There’s usually a layer of frivolous excitement in the background over something else ( in a good way).

Here, our lead protagonist is a black woman married to a white man and ends up making a sudden decision to leave the city and move to a more rural setting. She fears that such a move might make it harder for her children to embrace their identities. She has plans in place to introduce conversation about race in the classrooms, which not many are open about.

In the midst of settling down, we also see what several of the key players in the future murder do with their time. Each carries a secret, some more readily guessed than others. One night, it looks like everyone is out on the streets, and a man is found dead.

We have a tenuous reason for the amateur investigation, but things move around a lot before the final reveal. There isn’t enough information for us to get the answer right, so the reader should just sit back and watch the story unfold. It felt a little slow at times but overall I liked the way no one ended up being how we expect them to be.

I would recommend this to readers of the cozy mystery genre who are on the lookout for something more serious.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience

The first in a new cozy series set in a small English town. When the headmaster of a school does, Daphne becomes determined to find out who did it to clear her friend’s name.

I liked the mystery here fine, but the writing style/narrative structure was difficult. It switches between characters pov without an indication and multiple times within a chapter. I find that hard for a cozy when I really just want one main character!

This was an easy read cozy mystery. I loved meeting the characters and enjoyed the setting. It was a bit slow at times but I did enjoy the book.

This was a lot of fun - I really enjoy the cosy murder mystery genre at the moment and this fits right in.

I had fun and thoroughly enjoyed this well plotted and compelling mystery. Lovely setting, quirky and lovely characters, a solid mystery.
I hope there's going to be another book by this author soon.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I am going to give this one a 2.5 rounded up to 3. Overall a good book - it gave me the same vibes as the Thursday Murder Club. Personally, I prefer something a bit faster paced, and I did find Daphne irritating at times. I think the only character I really liked was poor Charles. If you're a fan of cosy murder mysteries, then I would say this one is definitely for you - and I enjoyed how all the story lines came together at the end.

super cosy crime in so far as it is a nice potter through mostly genial village life, full of oddbods and great characters but at the end of each chapter there is a reminder of the forthcoming dead body!
Once the corpse is discovered the plot thickens with multiple accusations hurled and secrets revealed giving a bit more oomph to the crime side of the book.
Super sleuthing and a lovely setting.

Planting the seeds of a series...

A delightful middle England cosy, and intriguing whodunnit, with an eclectic mix of contemporary and classic characters, and plenty of scope for further adventures.

I received a free copy of, The Potting Shed Murder. by Paula Sutton, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I found this book slow and boring. I did not care for the characters either.

A quaint little village which appears to be all it is, quiet, perfect and a restful spot to raise children, when escaping from the rat race of London. The Potting Shed murder, is a cosy novel that unravels the quaintness of village life to reveal the reality of the deepest secrets that are hidden there. Wonderful characters that make you laugh, with tender hook moments and revelations. A great summer read.

I really enjoyed this fun, cosy murder mystery. Daphne was a likeable main character, and I enjoyed following her trying to figure out the mystery. The twists and turns had me changing my mind all the way through, right up to the intense ending! Highly recommend!

A fantastic modern, cosy murder mystery!
This was a fun and easy read, perfect for snuggling up with on a rainy day. The characters, while almost caricatures of stereotypical English village folk were lively and interesting. The plot was not too complex, which was good because it was a fast-paced read! There were some great little twists and I really liked how we saw things from a few different perspectives.

Daphne and her family move from London and relocate to rural Norfolk. The local headmaster is found dead in his potting shed. Done had previously seen him hugging her new best friend Minerva and wonders what’s going on. The headmasters wife accuses her of killing him. Is everyone as they seem? Of course not. Even the doctor next door to Daphne acts strange and she gets herself into a whole host of problems. Loved it.

I really enjoyed this book and it's the first I have read by Paula Sutton. I am gpoing to read her next one as I really found this easy to read. Daphne and her family have upped sticks from London to rural Norfolk and she is enjoying becoming a part of rural village life. Then the local headmaster is murdered and Daphne gradually becomes focused on finding out who did it. It could be calld cosy fiction but I think it's more modern than that. I loved the characters and the descriptions of village life. It has humour too and such realistic happenings. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and whizzed through - a sign of a good read for me! Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.