This is book five in this series. Jack and Alexi are once again caught up in a murder mystery.
That saying - Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive applies to this book. Lots of secrets and surprises among this cast of characters.
I thought this was a good addition to this series. It was a well thought out plot with a surprising ending.

Murder On The Menu..
The fifth outing in the Hopgood Hall series of mysteries and a local gossip who makes life difficult for Alexi has arrived at the hall desperately seeking help. When the truth is revealed, despite the surprising news, Alexi must consider whether she really wants to help this renowned gossip - even if murder is on the menu. Another enjoyable instalment to this series with a likeable protagonist, a colourful and eclectic cast and a well imagined backdrop.

This was my first cozy mystery and I didn't know I needed this genre until I discovered it. I loved the pacing and the characters (especially Cosmo bc sorry but I’m totally a cat person), it was super fun to follow them during the investigation but that’s it. For me it was a solid 3 stars.

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fabulous novel in this Hopgood Hall series, and the murder isn’t in the hotel this time! I really enjoy these books, set in the horse racing town of Lambourn featuring Alexi and Jack, and Cosmo the cat who has a sixth sense where people are concerned.

This time it’s the partner of Polly, the owner of the B&B who has made Alexi’s life hell since she arrived, spreading nasty rumours and gossip to try and get rid of her. We find out a bit more about this during this one, no spoilers from me but if you’ve been wondering where it all came from, this is the one to read!

As the book goes on, more suspects get found and there seems to be no end to the case, but as usual the trio get stuck in and find out what they can. I like a cosy mystery and these really do fit the bill - so easy to read and gripping as it goes on. I’m looking forward to the net one already.

cozy-crime, England, ex-wife, ex-cop, framed, friends, friendship, hotel, hotelier, investigation, investigative-journalist, lies, local-gossip, local-law-enforcement, mental-health-issues, partners, pet-cat, private-investigators, read, relationship-issues, relationships, rivalry, secrets, series, small-business, small-town, spousal-abuse, suspense, unpleasant-friend, unpleasant-suspect, unpleasant-victims****

A wildly tangled cozy murder mystery involving a bedhopping boyfriend (the corpse) to a woman with a bit of mental instability ( accused murderer), the PI's ex-wife (with an agenda), the relationship between the PI and the investigative journalist, and a whole gossipy village. Add in the cooperative local DI, some overseas dodgy business, and a very necessary cat to have a really good read.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected e-book proof from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you

A cosy murder mystery in the Hopgood Hall series. The story follows Alexi, her private investigator/ex cop Jack and her cat Cosmo, as they try to work out who killed Gerry. The likely suspect is his girlfriend Polly, the village gossip, who has a real dislike for Alexi. Will Alexi put their differences aside and help Polly?

I thought I would try something different to more normal genre. My first cosy mystery was not a disappointment. Even though I did my usual trick and read a book that's part of a series (book 5), it was easy to get into and the author did well to tell new readers a bit of the back story. So I didn't feel out of my depth jumping I to this story. I liked the pacing. It was steady all the way through and compelled me to keep reading on. I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters and trying to work out who did it, with a few twists and turns a long the way. If I had read the other books in this series and more of a feel for the main characters and Cosmo, I would've given it 4⭐️s. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to put their feet up with a cuppa and lose themselves in a cosy read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced copy.
My opinions are my own.

★★★.5

What a great cover! I could not resist diving into the series with the fifth installment. Thanks to E.V. Hunter’s quick summary in chapter one, I felt sufficiently caught up to join Jack, Alexi, and their sidekick Cosmo in their latest murder investigation. While you will likely appreciate the trio more if you are familiar with the entire series, this book can certainly be read as a standalone.

I was immediately transported to the English countryside, feeling reminiscent of the 'Thursday Murder Club' series with its classic cozy mystery vibe. However, I did struggle a bit with the story itself. Without giving away too much, what begins as a crime-of-passion type murder evolves into something much more complex. In hindsight, I can make some sense of it, but it just felt a little far-fetched.

This was a pretty interesting book! I found it very suspenseful with twists and turns throughout. Some parts kind of lost me though, but overall a pretty quick read!

Murder, rivalries, love affairs and vendettas wrapped up in the world of race horses - what more could you want from a mystery series?
I am new to this series but the author gave enough details early on to allow me to get into the characters' world quickly.

I got this book for early release from NetGalley, and it was amazing! I listen to this book and I couldn’t stop listening, this book was amazing! If you are looking for a drama filled romantic mystery this is a great book! Make sure to look for it on August 18th.

A varied cast of characters including the furry ones, Cosmo and Silgo. An enjoyable cozy - well written and plotted. I received this as an advance copy from the author via NetGalley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy

A Deadly Affair is the next installment in the Hopgood Hall cozy mystery series. Due to multiple murders occurring since she arrived in the area, Alexi has acquired a reputation for being bad luck. Leading the gossip surrounding Alexi is Polly Pearson. Unfortunately for Polly, she soon finds herself in a predicament in which she needs Alexi's help. Attempting to be the bigger person, Alexi agrees to investigate the murder of Polly's recent lover and clear Polly's name. Alexi, Jack, and Cosmo soon find that there was a lot more to Gerry than the charming truck driver that Polly described. Who in Gerry's life would want him dead? And what is Polly hiding?

A Deadly Affair is another great cozy mystery. I feel that with each new book, I'm getting to know Hopgood Hall and the surrounding area right alongside Alexi. I love the countryside and small village setting. The characters in this series are fantastic, and I have a huge soft spot for Cosmo. Once again, the mystery was intriguing and kept me guessing. The only issue I had was with Grace being involved. Grace's involvement was a bit confusing/unrealistic. I hope that in the next books, there will be less focus on Jack and Alexi's exes. With that said, I will absolutely be continuing with this series and cannot wait to find out what mystery Alexi and Jack need to solve next.

I was compelled to read A Deadly Affair because I found the blurb and the title curiously interesting, but it was the book cover that really reeled me in. The cover announced that everything I enjoy in a cozy mystery was contained within these pages. And I was not disappointed.

As this is Book 5 in The Hopgood Hall Murder Mysteries, I was delighted to find that all the salient background details needed to better understand this story are given in the first chapter and that this story can be read as a standalone.

I love a cozy mystery, following the twists and turns in the plot as it drip-feeds information that will eventually reveal the culprit. Of course, I love nothing better than identifying the villain of the piece before the sleuth exposes them.

However, A Deadly Affair had me foxed. I did not guess who killed Gerry Dawlish, although I had plenty of suspects to consider. This one certainly kept me on my toes.

I liked Cosmo the cat who accompanied former police Inspector turned private detective Jack Maddox and his journalist partner Alexi Ellis on their mission to find Gerry's killer. I smiled at the idea of the hissing cat preventing a gang of kids from stealing Jack's car and was amused that Cosmo could distinguish between a good person and a bad one just by sniffing them - qualities I attribute to a dog rather than a cat.

A Deadly Affair is an entertaining read that kept me guessing right to the reveal.

I have enjoyed all the books in this series,great characters, interesting plots with a few twists. Love the cat Cosmo, brilliant idea. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

A local gossip is about to get her just desserts! Life at Hopgood Hall is never boring, but Alexi Ellis hopes that there will be no more murders for the time being, she’s solved four already and is getting a reputation in the local area for being bad luck!
Good book! This book was a bit different for me?! It had suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, a great who done it, and a few twists and turns! It was funny also and had decent characters! I would recommend reading this book, it wasn’t one of my top favorites but it was still a really good book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

As local gossip Polly Pearson arrives at Hopgood hall, Alexi knows this can only mean bad news. Polly has made it clear that she dislikes Alexi, and has campaigned for her to leave Hopgood Hall forever – so what could Polly want?
Then Polly reveals that her partner, Gerry has been found murdered in her B&B and that she is the main suspect! Alexi, her partner Jack and Cosmo the cat are all left speechless. More so when Polly begs Alexi for help improving her innocence.
But Alexi isn’t sure she wants to help this spiteful gossip. Is she really innocent or as deadly as the police believe her to be.
Cancel all plans while reading - I inhaled this amazing book over one weekend and resented everything that kept me away from it! The writing was top notch and the characters were very real.