A really enjoyable listen. This cozy mystery is well written with some very English characters and a very interesting plot. The narrator does a really excellent job and I was fully engrossed in the story and didn’t guess ‘who done it’ Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to this audiobook.

Sarah has just been widowed and she’s moved to Merstairs by the seaside, to be near her childhood friend, Daphne. Sarah is a retired doctor and has Hamish the dog for company. Daphne has bought a seaside hut and Sarah needs some space to store her deceased husband’s clothes, sorting out the hut brings forth a shock.
Described as a warm, cozy murder - and this is just that. It’s gentle yet twists and turns and was rather engaging.
I enjoyed it and would listen to more.

I was charmed by the characters in this first installment of a series. Sarah (retired doctor turned accidental sleuth) is clearly going to start solving some murders in her new, quaint English village. I thought the narrator, Jilly Bond, did an excellent job with Sarah, as well as the many other characters coming in and out of her life.
I think this was a fun, cozy mystery and I'm sure I'll check out the second when it comes, but likely will enjoy the series on audio.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

Following the death of her husband, recently retired doctor, Sarah Vane, has moved next door to her best friend, Daphne, in the small town of Merstairs on the Kent coast. The two women have been friends since their schooldays, and both are delighted with the new arrangement. Daphne has recently purchased a beach hut and offers to let Sarah store some boxes there, but first it needs cleaned out a bit. While the two are working on it, they discover a body in a trunk, clearly murdered. Turns out the dead man was a mostly well-liked local bar owner. Sarah, of course, decides she has to snoop around. I’ll grant you the cops don’t seem incredibly competent, but Sarah barely knows the people in town aside from Daphne who isn’t a real suspect. I felt her reasons for jumping headlong into the investigation seemed a little weak.

The small town setting with quirky characters is a cozy mystery staple, but it was nicely done here. The town was described so well, with the breeze from the sea and the quaint cottages. The townspeople are an assorted lot and Sarah has a bit of a tendency to look down her nose at them. Daphne is a joy, but perhaps not as appreciated by Sarah or the town as she should be. We even have pets. Sarah has a Scottie called Hamish. Daphne has a massive orange cat called Mephisto, and another character has a Chihuahua called Tinkerbell.

The mystery itself was fine. Sarah jumps to conclusions a bit quickly but usually reevaluates before making a total fool of herself. In the end, she gets to the solution.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a good job. She differentiated the characters well and dealt nicely with the few spots where we get to hear Hamish’ thoughts. Hopefully, she will also narrate the next in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for sharing this adorable and witty murder mystery.
I was pleasantly pleased that this was not a thriller style murder mystery, but instead a wonderfully developed group of characters that were trying to figure out who was the murderer. These quirky individuals each had wonderful character development. And I loved the incorporation of the dog!

“Murder at an English Pub” by Alice Castle is available now in paperback and on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited and Audible.

When retired doctor Sarah Vane moves to Merstairs, she has no idea that the quaint seaside town isn’t quite as friendly it seems, and something sinister is bubbling under the picturesque surface…

Recently widowed and looking for a fresh start away from city life, Sarah Vane moves into a lovely little cottage by the sea. The rustic charm is everything she hoped it would be, but her new home doesn’t quite have enough space for her things. Her old friend Daphne offers to store Sarah’s boxes in her messy beach hut, but while clearing it out, they are shocked to find a heavy trunk… containing a dead body.

A lot of cozy mysteries can occasionally venture a little too far into “irritatingly twee”, but this is full of great characters, a surprisingly dark mystery, and several great moments of humour, especially the friendship between Sarah and Daphne. Keen to read the next in the series!

#books #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #mystery #murdermystery #cozymystery #cozymurdermystery

A quintessentially English mystery novel, it's an easy listen, and a solid introduction to a cast of characters that I could see myself being entertained with regularly. Positively charming.

Murder At An English Pub by Alice Castle The book was narrated by my favorite female British narrator jilly Bond and it is about Dr. Susan Vane. She recently moved to Merstairs. She recently lost her beloved husband and wants to be closer to her friend Daphne. While getting settled in she realizes she brought stuff of her husbands that she really doesn’t need so Daphne offers to store it for her and her surprising new beach front cottage. The only problem is they have to empty the cottage out first. While the ladies are unpacking boxes of old clothes books shoes ATC Hamish is obsessed with a certain box and cannot stop barking at it and ripping the paper off so the ladies picked that one next and inside they find a dead body. After calling 999, Susan sees how inadequate the police department is in her new little village and decides to investigate the case herself. Something that Daphne’s constable daughter is totally against but as Susan meets new people and learns the ins and outs of the town she is also looking for a killer. Just when she thinks she has found the culprit her and Hamish find him dead on the beach. Is there a Serial Killer in Merstairs or is there more than one? I thought Susan solving this Crime while getting to know her new village was such a brilliant choice I loved Susan and her out of the box BFF Daphne I thought Jilly Bond’s deadpan was so laugh out loud funny! I do want to say when the culprit was eventually pointed out I was surprised but I was also like really? You have to read/listen to the book to know why but in my opinion it almost came out of left field. Having said that I absolutely love this book and would definitely read the next one especially if it is narrated by Jilly Bond. I have never read a book by Alice Castle before but I’m looking forward to the next book I can get my hands on by her. I found the riding funny no matter what part of the investigation the story was on I found it interesting I loved Hamish and especially loved Susan and“Psychic“ Daphne‘s friendship. What a great read! #BookoucherAudio, #NetGalley, #AliceCastle, #MurderAtAnEnglishPub,

Sarah Vane is a recently widowed & retired GP who moves from London into a lovely little cottage by the sea in Kent. The rustic charm is everything she hoped it would be, but her new home doesn’t quite have enough space for her things. Her old friend Daphne, who lives next door offers to store Sarah’s boxes in her recently bought beach hut, but while clearing it out, they are shocked to find a heavy trunk… containing a dead body. Daphne immediately recognises the poor man as pub landlord Gus Trubshaw. Sarah concludes that he was suffocated. Unimpressed by the police’s lack of interest, Sarah realises she will have to solve the case herself.
The start of a new series & I really liked Sarah, Daphne, Mel & Charles & look forward to finding out how their characters & relationships develop. Sarah is ‘looking into’ her first murder & blunders around & Daphne is anything but subtle which leads to some amusing moments. Hamish Sarah’s dog is a delight. I did guess who the villain was but not the reasons why the crime was committed. A well written interesting & enjoyable cosy mystery, I look forward to more in the series. I was also lucky enough to get an audio copy too, so half listened & half read the book. The narrator did bring the book to life
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Alice Castle, Bookouture Audio, and NetGalley.

The narrator of this audiobook is Jilly Bond. Ms. Bond does a wonderful job as the voice of Sarah. I also enjoyed the tone she used for Daphne and how she handled Hamish's interactions.

This is a delightful and lighthearted introduction to a cozy mystery series. The first book generally establishes the history of the protagonist. In this, Sarah is a retired GP, recently widowed upon the sudden death of her long-time husband, Pete. She has 2 adult daughters and 2 young granddaughters. Plus, the dog, Hamish, that Sarah inherited from Pete. Sarah needs a change of scenery from London and moves to a picturesque English seaside of Merstairs. 

Sarah's long-time friend, Daphne, is already a resident. Sarah hopes time spent with Daphne, and her relaxed attitude will help her heal from Pete's death. First up is the beach hut Daphne rented for them for the summer. The ladies have to clean it out before they can use it and, in the process, find the body of a local man.

A new career as an informal detective seems to have found Sarah, with her besty Daphne and Hamish for protection, this crime will definitely be solved in an entertaining way! Also, multiple pets were involved, which was great fun.

Thank you to Alice Castle, Bookouture Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

Murder at an English Pub by Alice Castle and narrated by Jilly Bond is the first book in a new Sarah Vane cosy Mysteries. Now, I love reading these cosy mysteries however, this book just didn't pull me in. Sadly it was flat and I had to turn off the audiobook after a few chapters, I ended up reading it which was a ok......I really hope the next book within this new series is better especially as I love this authors books. I loved the two main characters - they were really lovely but this book was missing however, Alice Castle, did a brilliant job of providing lots of description in her writing throughout the book, You felt you were there in the back ground.
But, don't let my review put you off especially as it is a great quick holiday read to get your holidays started.

Big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Bookouture, for my Audiobook and Book.

A widowed woman, Sarah, moves to a small town with her adorable dog as her sidekick. She and her friend stumble upon a dead body that they find in her friend’s recently purchased beach hut. Sarah becomes very intrigued with who could be the murderer and when the police don’t seem to be much help, she takes on the task of solving this mystery herself. I enjoyed the accent of the narrator of the audio book, as it really helped set the scene/tone of the book. I thought that the author, Alice Castle, did a good job of providing lots of description in her writing. I found myself depicting vivid pictures in my mind while listening! This is a suitable uncomplicated read and readers would enjoy if they are looking for a cozy, easy to read, mystery.

Murder in a quaint seaside town.

This cozy mystery set in Merstairs features a sixtyish retired GP whose husband has recently died. Sarah Vane moves next door to her old friend, Daphne, and looks forward to embracing seaside life. While looking at a hut owned by her friend as a place to store some of her extra boxes, Sarah and Daphne discover a body hidden in a trunk. It happens to be the local pub landlord who was thought to be on a vacation. There are plenty of suspects, and Sarah tries her hand at amateur sleuthing.

This was sluggish and redundant at times and I'm sorry to say that the focus on the antics of Sarah's dog, Hamish, was beyond irritating. Way too much of the dog for me. I wanted to read an absorbing mystery, and this was not really it. Quite predictable from the start, the narrative wound its way slowly to the murderer at the center. The main character, Sarah, was not very believable for her all her being a doctor and fancying herself a detective. The first in a series, I won't be reading further installments.

I listened to the audiobook while following along in the e-book (both provided by the publisher) but had to put the audiobook aside because I could not listen to the narrator's voice a moment longer. It was grating and sounded like a 100-year-old crone (I mean woman). Not for me.

This was too much like a Miss Marple storyline for me personally it had a good storyline but I like my thrillers a bit more gritty

I love cozy mysteries - especially the Thursday Murder Club books, so when I saw this book I had to give it a try. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I thought the characters could have been developed a bit more, particularly the minor characters who end up playing a larger role in the end. I didn't really connect with any of the characters because we just get to know them superficially. I will probably read follow-up books, hopefully to get to know the characters better, but won't necessarily be waiting on the next release.

The audiobook narrator was solid!

I enjoy seeing protagonists of a "certain age," and Sarah Vane is a fit for that demographic. The setting is compelling, and there are more than enough suspects to keep the investigation moving. However, I did not connect with these characters. Sarah was underwhelming, and Daphne was annoying. The well developed characters, tight dialogue, and camaraderie that I look for in a cozy were missing. I am uncertain whether or not I will continue the series.

Name of Book: Murder at an English Pub
Author: Alice Castle
Series: Sarah Vane Mystery - Book #1
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Jilly Bond
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pub Date: July 3, 2024
My Rating: 3.3
Pages: 311

This cozy mystery features Sarah Vane, a recently retired Doctor and recently widow.
She and her Scottie dog, Hamish, have moved from London to live in a small cottage by the sea which is also next door to her best friend Daphne.
Sarah and Daphne have known each other for sixty years. True Daphne is a bit eccentric -always dresses in spectacularly outfits and insists that the spirits from beyond tell her things.
Sarah and Daphne start organizing everything left by the previous owner. Yikes, they stumble upon a chest containing a body – who turns out to be Gus a local pub owner.
Daphne is the prime suspect.
, Sarah is determined to solve this murder before her friend is arrested. Throughout her investigation, Sarah quickly gets to know the village and its people.

This was a nice easy read not a WOW was nice!

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 3, 2024.

Murder at an English Pub is a cozy mystery series starter by Alice Castle. Due out 3rd July 2024 from Bookouture, it's 317 pages and will be available in 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 will be included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

This is a nicely engaging village cozy featuring a retired GP as an amateur sleuth. She's recently widowed and has moved to a new place to make a new start near her quite eccentric friend. Despite being chalk and cheese, they're good together, and it's heartwarming to read about their genuine friendship and how they get on together despite being utterly different.

The village is full of oddball eccentric characters and the "whodunit" part of the book is well constructed and satisfying to figure out. Even with the introduction first-book-in-the-series background necessary, the author has done a good job of providing the necessary info without bogging readers down or drowning them in details.

The actual solution to the murder was a bit over the top, but not suspension of disbelief breaking. The language is very clean, nothing worse than an occasional "damn" and no graphic violence or sexual content.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 8 hours, 15 minutes and is capably read by Jilly Bond. She has an -excellent- command of modulation and accents and she delineates each of the characters well, with varying regional accents and of a wide range of ages and both sexes. She does an excellent job with the read; one can only hope that she'll be the choice for the following books in the series. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

The plot, denouement, and resolution are self contained in this volume, but there are foreshadowings for upcoming mysteries for Sarah, Daphne, and co.

Four stars for the mystery itself, a strong 5 stars for the narration and audiobook.

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

Who ever thought retirement would be boring, never moved to Merstairs

This is my first read of this author. I didn’t know what to expect. At the start we meet recent widow, Dr. Sarah Vane, retired. She has moved to the village of Merstairs near her childhood friend, Daphne. Sarah doesn’t have a lot of room in her new home and Daphne offers to store Sarah’s husband’s things in her beach hut until Sarah is ready to let them go.

As the story progresses we learn of the history between Daphne and Sarah (they are a bit of an odd couple), Sarah and her late husband (married for many years with two children), and of course the victim (pub owner). Charles, the antique store owner, and the seller of the beach hut to Daphne. He is also, a suspect. There are many characters and many motives. Hamish, Sarah’s dog and Daphne, keep the story light.

The treatment of some heavy themes is handled very well. I like how Sarah is adjusting to her new life, embracing her grief (it has not been very long since her husband’s death), and learning her new strength.

As the mystery progresses, we learn about the town, the people - many are related to each other - and of course, the secrets.

The murder resolution most likely will cause a moment of pause and reflection. If you were perpetrator, would you do the same thing? Does the reason justify the murder?

I can’t wait to see what’s next for Sarah in her new home in Merstairs.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.
Happy Reading!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of Murder at an English Pub in exchange for my honest review.

This book is perfect for fans of small-town murder mysteries. Sarah and Daphne are delightful characters, but it's Hamish who truly enriches the story. While I appreciated the cozy mystery elements, it didn't quite captivate me as much as I had anticipated, hence my 4-star rating.