This is the third book in this series but my first time reading the series and the author, Kate Wells, is new to me as well.

Jude Gray is trying to keep her late husband's family farm going with the help of her sister Lucy, 4-year-old nephew Sebbie and resident shepherd, Noah. One of the ways she has come up with to bring in extra income is to host camping getaways on the farm. This bring four female veterinarians who have been friends since vet school to the farm to have a bachelorette getaway.

There seems to be some tension and secrets between the bride and her friends. One of the women disappears, the groom and his best friend show up to help with the search. There is a murder, and her guests are there for an extended stay until the police, headed by Jude's best friend, DI Binita Khatri are able to determine how and how much the remaining friends are involved. Add in some vandalism and damage to her farm, a grumpy neighbor who may also be involved and Jude feels she needs to try and find answers.

The Author has built quite the mystery with several twists and turns along the way. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, especially Sebbie who is adorable. My only criticism is that Jude seemed fixated that her neighbor Mike was involved to the point of possibly missing some early clues. It is a small criticism and did not take away from my enjoyment of the book.
I look forward to the next installment of this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read this story.

Filled with lots of suspense that grips the reader and won't let them go. Complex characters with great development. A solid mystery. All set in a charming British farm. Settle in for a good read. Thanks#Netgalley and #Boldwoodbooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

This is my first book in the series. The farm is so atmospheric and the characters are quirky. All seems well and then suddenly it’s not. There’s a sense of unease quite early on in the book because of the guests.

The book is well written and I’m interested in catching up with the series.

Thanks to Kate Wells and Boldwood Books for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars

A Body by the Henhouse is a delightful and intriguing cozy mystery set on a sprawling farm in the English countryside. Jude's new campsite on her farm has become a huge success, and she is now hosting a bachelorette party for a group of close friends. However, as the hen party gets underway, strange things begin occurring, starting with Jude's recently acquired animals being poisoned. After one of the bridesmaids disappears, Jude calls her best friend, who happens to be a detective, to investigate. The odd occurrences don't stop there and soon a body is discovered. Jude doesn't know who to suspect. Could it be her grumpy, always-complaining neighbor or could it be one of the hen-do? Until Jude and Binne can solve the mysteries, Jude's campsite is closed and her farm is a crime scene.

A Body by the Henhouse has absolutely everything one would want in a cozy mystery: a fabulous set of lovable characters, a charming setting, and a super intriguing mystery with plenty of twists. I really enjoy that the police/detective character in this series isn't a love interest or someone with a bit of an attitude; rather, it is a very likable best friend. All of the characters are well-developed and an enjoy to read. I even have a soft spot for Mike Trout. I can't wait to continue this series and follow Jude and her family and friends on their next farm adventure!

The third instalment in this fabulous cosy crime series is nearly here! I was delighted to nab myself an advanced copy (thanks @theboldbookclub @netgalley and @katepoelswrites for the ARC).

Where to begin?
This series is set on a farm, with a lovely likeable lady farmer at its helm. The series is inspired by the authors own life experiences, and a desire to share some of the joys (and struggles) of farming life. Of course, being a cosy crime, there is more to it than lambs and cute animals…. It wouldn’t be a cosy crime without some murder to investigate! The main character, Jude, and her cop bestie, Binnie, make a lovely duo to head up any sleuthing to be done.

I grew up on a farm myself and this series transports me to my childhood. I smile and nod my way through, wishing I was back on the farm with lambs in the kitchen!

The third book didn’t disappoint and I look forward to book four!

Kate Wells has written an excellent nerve-wracking mystery. with Body by the Henhouse.
Set ion a rural farm camp site, a most unlikely place for a bridesmaids hen party. But brilliantly done.
It slowed for me towards the end, but I was to invested to care by then, as I needed to know who done it.
I never that one coming.
Excellent.
4 stars only because it drags it out at the end.
#ABodyInTheHenhouse
#KateWells
#BoldBookClub

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood for the opportunity to read "A Body By The Henhouse" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was book 3 in the Malvern Farm Mystery series. We find Jude Gray getting ready to host a hen party at her new campsite. Neighbour Mike Trout is not happy about her new venture. Since moving next-door all he has done is complain about the smell, noise, farm vehicles and dust.

The bride is Shaznay, her little sister Tanisha, bridesmaid Khadija (who is full of attitude), Ellie, Seren and Ash. 4 of the group are vets. All of them have secrets, some of them are resorting to blackmail and threats.

The favourite characters are back Jude's sister Lucy and her son Sebbie (who turns 4 in this book), Noah the shepherd and Jude's best friend Detective Inspector Binita Khatri.

Jude keeps her friend very busy in this story. First she has 4 new sheep who are promptly poisoned by someone. Then someone releases the ropes on Khadija's tent collapsing it on her. Then Shaznay's fiancé Joe arrives - he is entitled, superior to everyone, looks down on Jude as the "female farmer". Arriving with Joe is Dex - Tanisha's boyfriend.

Jude gets into a lot of intrigue in this story. She doesn't help foster good relations with her neighbour Mike when she tries to swipe is phone to look for clues or when she breaks into his shed. Binita gets frustrated with her wanna-be amateur sleuth friend in this story because she puts herself in harms way too many times. Then she finds a body, and then another one. It seems that Malvern Farm is a magnet for murder and mayhem.

Once all the pieces fall into place, many more secrets are revealed and lives torn apart. This addition to the series will keep the reader on the edge of their seats with this wonderful new story.

Another enjoyable book in this series. So much going on on the farm, and then a group of "hens" arrive for a bachelorette party. They're a lot of trouble for Jude, especially the one who complains about everything and has to have a tent put up for her when she breaks up with her girlfriend. Then the next day she goes missing, leaving her cell phone and her asthma inhaler. Binnie, now a DI, comes to investigate and then the bride's intended and a friend come to the camp. Joe is a braggart and also demands attention from all there. Jude can't get much farm work done trying to deal with these guests. But then bodies are found on the farm - it's a deadly place! But I was glad to read the last paragraph and hope that Jude will find some comfort from it. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for an advance copy of this cozy mystery.

Herefordshire, unpleasant-guests, unpleasant-neighbors, rural, farming, campground, camping, widow, sisters, sheep, ducks, chickens, amateur-sleuth, local-law-enforcement, friendship, friends, family-dynamics, small-town, relationship-issues, relationships, relatives, missing-persons, murder, investigations, working-class-dogs, cozy-crime, veterinarian, poisons, drugs-issues, grief, grieving*****

Widow Jude Gray is trying to save the farm that she and her husband ran until his untimely death. One thing she is trying is the expansion of a camping/glamping aspect to the farm to help the finance base and that is also the reason for the addition of a few animals, including sheep. This matters because there is a group of young women veterinarians staying in the tents and one was a great help when four of the sheep were poisoned. Jude is certain that her unpleasant neighbor was to blame. Then the obnoxious guest went missing, some incredible things revealed, and a despicable man was murdered. Then things really got sticky! I loved this one just as much as the first two!
Did you know that only girl ducks can quack? Or that rhododendrons are poisonous to sheep?
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

The clamping project at Malvern Farm is a success, thanks to Jude Gray’s hard work and her glamping project. A hen (bachlorette) party is scheduled for the weekend and Jude wants everything to be perfect. It is until one of the women disappears. Then she and shepherd Noah try to run the farm as the search continues for the missing women. The farm seems to be a target after some of her sheep are poisoned. An ever complaining neighbor is a natural suspect. To add to the confusion, the demanding groom to be arrives. After a murder, with the bride still missing, Jude begins to piece together the complicated web of jealousy, blackmail and criminal activities that surround her campsite guests. She and her close friend DI Binnie Khatri must find the killer before there is another victim.

A Body by the Henhouse is the third in this excellent series. Familiar characters are joined by new, and Malvern Farm remains a character itself. The tedious, daily work of farming blends with quiet moments of joy watching her nephew, four year old Sebby, learning to be a young farmer and dog trainer! And a teaser in the final pages left me eager to read the Kate Well’s next! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Kate Wells for this ARC.