Maisie Cooper is looking forward to the annual Bitling Fair in the glorious Sussex countryside .
However where Maisie is , murder is never far behind .
This book is slow paced but is set in the 1970’s where the pace of life was quite a bit slower than today , and only enhances the story it certainly doesn’t detract anything from it .
The characters are likeable and the writing descriptive which makes the story flow along perfectly.
Maisie is a character similar to Miss Marple and when things click in to place for Maisie the perpetrator better be prepared .
An enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns .
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton .

Another intriguing read from this author!

In this fourth book in series, it is summer in Sussex and what could be nicer than a local fair? Exactly where Maisie Cooper is heading, hoping for a relaxing day with lots of friendly faces and happy events. However, she hasn't bargained for the tension existing between the villagers and the woman from the 'big house' - she who is in control of who rents the houses in the village, and sets the rents. As the day continues, murder occurs . . .

Having really enjoyed the first book in series, I'm sorry to realise that I've missed the next two but I've made a note to catch up with them. This fourth book is another cleverly crafted mystery and one which drew me in from the beginning and kept me there until the very end. A very satisfying read, and one I'm happy to give 4.5* and my recommendation to all lovers of cosy mysteries.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Summer is in full swing in the picturesque Sussex countryside, and Maisie Cooper is bound for the annual Bitling Fair. Maisie expects to enjoy homemade cakes, a glass of cider and a spot of Morris dancing. What she doesn't bargain for is the tensions running high between the villagers of East Bitling and the disagreements being stirred up by the high and mighty Lady Catherine, from the big house on the hill.
The fourth outing for Maisie & another well written cosy mystery. I’m thoroughly enjoying this series set in the 1970’s, it’s well written & the author gives a good feel for the times. I really like Maisie. The pace was good, there were twists & turns & I was kept guessing as to who the villain was. Roll on book five
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

What I liked about this story was the fact it is set in 1972 when I was a child and things seemed simpler back then. This is well reminisced by the author and adds to the tale. The main character is once again caught up in a murder by chance, and although this is a series, it reads well as a standalone too.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review

Murder at the Fair is a fun cosy murder mystery .The characters are very real set near Chichester in the 1970's this is a slow read but it gives lovely descriptions of life in this time .It is lovely to read a book that has no swearing or sex or gruesome violence .Maisie is a very engaging character who always seems to know when anything bad is about to happen .A very enjoyable read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

Maisie Cooper is back to her sleuthing ways. This time at the Bitling fair. Although someone had been murdered before this and not much is made of it. And yet it seems once the second murder has happened that they are linked. Lady Catherine the owner of almost everything is stirring up all sorts of nastiness in the villages and in families. But who is her family.? For some reason I didn’t enjoy this as much as the other three. But I can’t wait to read the next one as I’m sure there’s more murders for her to solve

A Maisie Cooper Mystery #4

Summer is in full swing in the picturesque Sussex countryside, and Maisie Cooper is bound for the annual Bitling Fair. Maisie expects to enjoy homemade cakes, a glass of cider, and a spot of Morris dancing. But what she doesn't bargain for is the tensions running high between the villagers of East Bitling, and the disagreements being stirred up by the high and mighty Lady Catherine, from the big house on the hill. Is this nothing more than village politics? Or by the time the sun is set on the fair, will Maisie Cooper have another murder to investigate?

Set in the 1070s. Lady Catherine is not a nice character. She's raised the rents, and she's going to close down local businesses, she's just being vindictive. Maisie Cooper is attending the annual Bitling Fair. Her only thoughts are cake tasting, a glass of cider, and Morris dancing. But that's not all she gets.

This cosy murder mystery has been descriptively written. Maisie feels something bad is going to happen, and it's not long before she is fully invested in a murder investigation. The characters are we;;-developed, and the pace is steady. This is an enjoyable series. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone.

Published 29th August 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Hodder&Stoughton and the author #GregMosse for my ARC of #MurderATheFair in exchange for an honest review.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot or publisher's blurb - instead I recommend that you read this for yourself.

This is the 3rd book in the "Maisie Cooper", series, set in the 1970s. The book is another classic "cosy murder mystery", this time set in and around a country village close to Bunting Manor. However, the novel would work fine as a standalone read as there's plenty of background.

Maisie's intuition is seldom wrong, and her feelings that something bad will happen are borne out as the plot unfolds. There is plenty of other interest along the way - with developments in the relationship between Maisie and Jack, plus the village fair - with all its traditions.

There are plenty of new characters to add to the mix, and some we met in the other novels, so there's continuity.

I like Greg Mosse's writing style, and the characters and dialogue feel realistic. Looking forward to more in this series.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

This is a very enjoyable cosy murder mystery, with a lovely rural setting. Maisie is a very likeable amateur detective with keen detecting skills. At times I did feel more like it was set in the 1950s than the 70s, particularly with the dated almost feudal village setup. Though I did enjoy the 1970’s references, such as sherbet dabs, which I remember buying on my way home from school. This is a charming series, and I look forward to reading more of these stories, to see the relationships develop further.

Another welcome addition to Maisie’s sleuthing adventures near Chichester. Filled with anecdotal history about the South Downs regions in West Sussex during the early 1970’s, helps to bring this period to life. The characters are plenty and are well developed. Tension steadily builds as local landowner, and incredibly mean person, Lady Catherine is raising rents and preparing to close local businesses out of pure spite. Consequently it’s easy to predict who the victim will be, but picking out the perpetrator from a long list of suspects is going to be difficult. If you like a fast paced mystery, this might not be for you. The author takes a meandering pace fully developing characters and describing life in detail during this period in time. The book is well written and enjoyable and will appeal to most ages, and being a cosy has no graphic descriptions, no offensive language, and no sex.
Many thanks to NetGalley, and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance electronic copy, much appreciated.

Murder Amidst Morris Dancing..
The fourth outing in the Maisie Cooper series of mysteries and the local fair promises all sorts of pleasures - but no one expects to find murder amidst the morris dancing. It is clear from the offset, that tensions are running at an all time high - soon everything is about to go downhill. Another well written entry to this series with a likeable protagonist, a pacy plot populated with a well crafted cast of eclectic and colourful characters and a solid mystery at its heart. Well written and engaging.