I really enjoyed 10 Marchfield Square, truly an excellent debut! Well-written, clever, and entertaining, I was hooked from the first to the last page. I loved the wonderful cast of characters, the intriguing mystery, and the setting of the gated community was well-thought.

The story is told from the perspective of three characters. First of all, 82-year-old Celeste Van Duren, the formidable owner of Marchfield Square who, from her window, watches over all her tenants. Then there is Audrey, smart and with a bit of a mysterious past, the friendly neighbour everyone likes, who cleans Celeste’s house every Friday. And finally, Lewis, the crime writer with a bestseller novel under his belt and two unsuccessful sequels that forced him to accept a job he hates while he spends all his free time trying to write a new book. He is the antisocial guy in flat 5 who’s been living there for years, but no one knows. Until, one day, a scream is heard in front of flat 10 where the body of its tenant, Richard Glead, is found shot in the chest. Everyone (except Lewis with his noise-cancelling headphones) knew that Richard was a bad man who used to beat up his wife Linda, so no one is sorry for his death, but when the police starts to look to Linda as his killer, Celeste asks Audrey and Lewis to investigate for her and find out who killed Richard. Celeste may have ulterior motives to team up Audrey and Lewis, but as the two dig deeper into the lives not only of the Gleads, but also the other tenants, they discover that they may not truly know their neighbours.

I found 10 Marchfield Square a fun and refreshing read. The story is full of twists, I was completely immersed in the mystery, and Audrey and Lewis make a fantastic duo of sleuths. I loved the ending and it gave me hope for more Audrey and Lewis’s investigations.

The cover drew me in but the story kept me! It was a mystery that had me hooked with its fantastic characters.

A smashing mystery!

Marchfield Square is a home to many; Celeste Van Duren owns it all but rents out part of it as apartments for those who need a home they can afford. When one of her tenants is murdered and the police are determined to pin it on his long-suffering wife, Celeste does what anyone with money would do - she charges a couple of other tenants with getting to the truth . . .

I really enjoyed this one; a diverse range of characters and plenty going on kept me glued to the page. I think I suspected most people but didn't get to the truth until the author spelled it out for me. A truly enigmatic read and one I'm happy to recommend. For me, 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

Celeste Van Duren has created a gated community in Marchfield Square. But when one of her tenants is murdered and more bodies start showing up, she hires two of her tenants, cleaner Audrey and writer Lewis, to investigate.

This cosy mystery was an enjoyable read with a few twists and likeable characters. I'd love to read more books with this detective duo and busybody Celeste!

A recommended read for fans of The Paris Apartment and Only Murders in the Building.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of Only Murders in the Building, step right up - 3*

A book set in an apartment complex where nearly everyone knows everyone - sign me up! I'm a huge fan of the Disney+ show Only Murders in the Building and I also enjoyed Lucy Foley's :The Paris Apartment so I knew what I was signing up for.

I didn't think I would but I enjoyed the multiple POVs. I obviously particularly enjoyed Lewis and Audrey. I would have enjoyed for this dynamic to be explored further. I think I liked Celeste but I don't think she was in it enough for me to truly enjoy her. I didn't guess the murderer which is always a positive point for me.

Despite this, it did take me a while to warm up to the characters and the style of writing. That being said, I do want to read more books featuring Lewis and Audrey.

Absolutely cracking! Really really loved this. I’ve had a rough month to be honest, blue lighted into hospital, intensive care then recovery time, and I needed something to cheer me up. I couldn’t have picked a better book I don’t think.

A posh square in London, the kind owner overseeing her tenants, a great set of characters, and a good who dunnit murder..

This is so incredibly well put together. I felt like a resident myself, and I felt like I knew everyone- I was massively invested in this storyline, and rooting for our very own detectives.

Absolutely brilliant. I need more! Can I move in?

My thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Marchfield Square owned by Celeste Van Duren is a safe haven for her residents or that's what she intended it to be until one of its male residents is murdered in his kitchen. The police are trying to pin it on his wife but Celeste is adamant she didn't do it. So she hires two of her tenants Audrey a cleaner and Lewis a writer to dig deep and find out what happened.

This was a great murder mystery that gave Only Murders In The Building vibes. Great selection of characters Audrey and Lewis had nothing in common but worked well as a team.

It kept me guessing all the way through I also enjoyed the different view points I just wished there had been more of Celeste she was an intriguing lady.

They all have a lot more to give and I hope there will be a second book!

Marchfield Square looks like a lovely and safe place to live. In the city but behind walls and security gates, wealthy Celeste van Duren built her small community. She’s made one mistake though: she didn’t count on having a tenant with a criminal past – and a criminal live. When he’s found murdered and the police isn’t very fast with finding clues, she asks two other tenants to solve this mystery. Audrey, who loves cleaning and taking care of others, and Lewis, who hates his job and people in general, but loves crime writing. The two set out in a somewhat reluctant way but when the story evolves they learn to work well together.
What I like about this story is the interaction between Audrey and Lewis, and several other characters – not to forget that Marchfield Square itself plays a big role. And although there are developments we don’t expect, and some real surprises, the story failed to keep my interest at places. There was just too much talking and not enough action. It was a nice book and I would like to read more of this author to whether other works by her may get four stars instead of three.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.

A good plot with a varied and interesting cast of characters. I feel like there is plenty more to come from some of them.
A nice but unlikely pairing from the two amateur sleuths.
This one definitely had YA vibes, but a nice little story.

This is a brilliant read for fans of a cosy mystery, I was hooked from the first paragraph. I had my suspicions form the beginning, but the twists and turns kept me on my toes. I love that all the loose ends were tied up so neatly by the end of the book. It’s make an excellent series!

10 Marchfield Square gives out Only Murders in the Building vibes. I enjoyed the differing characters, especially Audrey who was continually battling with bias from the other characters as 'she was only a cleaner'. The short chapters kept me reading and the differing points of view were not confusing. I felt led along with the sleuths to find out exactly what went on with the Gleads. My one gripe was that the characters were a little shallow, so I didn't care as much as I'd hoped to for them to succeed.

***advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
A well crafted murder mystery with a satisfying (if somewhat possible to guess at) reveal. This seems to setup for a series - or at least a further book - and I would probably pick it up if I saw it.
Whilst the detectives were certainly picking up new information every chapter or so, it did still feel slightly slow in places.

DNF @ 25%. I'm not sure how a writer expects me to get to know a character and their ability to solve a mystery when they insist on changing the character perspective every three pages and giving us multiple perspectives on the same scene - including scenes that have very little impact on the overall plot! Every single time I started to read a chapter, just as I was starting to get into it, just as I was starting to form that connection -- boom. Shift to another character to give us a different thought process ON THE EXACT SAME SCENE. Whyte is clearly trying to go for a British 'Only Murders In The Building' vibe here - they're literally in the London equivalent of the Arconia - but what could have been a really interesting murder mystery is badly let down by its choice of structural narrative. Get the old lady to solve the murder, get the cleaner to solve the murder, I don't really care how you do it, but do it properly. You can't do a murder mystery at arm's length and the decision to have 4-5 page chapters with three different protagonists provides exactly that. There are better mysteries. Go read those.

I really enjoyed this debut novel. As other reviewers have mentioned, it does have a feel of Only Murders in the Building (which I love!) about it, but it also reminded me of the Thursday Murder Club books. It is that sense of a small community that works so well. The story kept me guessing, and it was the book I enjoyed reading the most in 2024. Ideal for fans of cosy crime (and especially OMITB and TTMC) I look forward to the next instalment in the investigations of Audrey and Lewis!

Really enjoyed this read, perfect thriller for cosying up on the sofa during the holidays.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me for my honest review.

There’s a body in one of the apartments in Marchfield Square a small, gated community in London, who was responsible? There were clues and although I never worked it, I thoroughly enjoyed the story as the bodies mounted up. I’m not usually a fan when the story unfolds through the viewpoint of different characters in the book, but this time each character was well defined, and their viewpoint developed the story. Overall, a really good story and I definitely recommend this book. My thanks to Net Galley and the author for an ARC.

A fun cosy crime novel, full of suspense and mystery.
Celeste Van Duren has turned Marchfield Square into a gated community and a refuge for interesting individuals that would not normally be able to afford to live in such an expensive place.
When a body is found in this peaceful and tranquil community, the residents all become police suspects.
Celeste cannot believe that one of her carefully selected residents could possibly be a murderer so she asks two of the community to investigate. The unlikely duo of Audrey, a cleaner and Lewis, a writer, grudgingly set out to uncover the truth.
This is a well-written crime thriller with well-developed and interesting characters.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

This was a great read - I particularly enjoyed the pairing between Audrey and Lewis as an unlikely detective duo and eventual friends.

Marchfield Square is a cosy enclave against the world but the inhabitants have their own secrets too which slowly come to light in the wake of a series of murders. I thought Celeste's request gave a believable rationale to Audrey and Lewis' investigations and their combined skillset provided a fresh take to the procedural aspect of this book. The surrounding cast of characters was a good blend of personalities and I hope we'll get a chance to get to know them in future books. The final twists weren't wholly unexpected but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the read.

Would definitely recommend to fans of The Thursday Murder Club and Only Murders in the Building!

I loved this story. A definite page turner with fun characters and plenty of guesswork to keep you hooked.
I really enjoyed the mystery and the relationships between the characters added so much to the story.
Really well paced with a fun plot and lots of twists and turns!

Nicola Whyte's "10 Marchfield Square" is a page-turner of a mystery, mixing suspense and character-driven storytelling in a quaint neighborhood.

The plot kicks off with Celeste Van Duren, an elderly heiress who dreamed up Marchfield Square as a haven for folks seeking refuge from their past. However, her peaceful plans go awry when one of her tenants is murdered in his kitchen, and the cops seem ready to point fingers at his clueless wife.

Determined to uncover the truth, Celeste teams up with two unlikely partners in crime-solving: Audrey, her resourceful and amiable cleaner who knows everyone in the square, and Lewis, a jaded crime writer feeling out of place and weighed down by his failures. The duo's contrasting personalities—Audrey's warm charm and Lewis's cynical broodiness—create an intriguing dynamic as they investigate their neighbors, digging up secrets and motives tied to the victim's dodgy art dealings.

The setting of Marchfield Square comes alive with its picturesque homes and lively community vibe. Whyte crafts a vibrant picture of the place, making readers feel like they're strolling alongside the characters through its bustling streets. The atmosphere is an enticing blend of comforting familiarity and subtle tension as the veil of secrecy begins to lift.

Whyte's writing style is captivating and approachable, infused with witty dialogue and spot-on observations about human nature. The emotional depth she imbues in her characters makes it easy for readers to relate to their trials and triumphs. While the premise may feel like a familiar tune—a murder mystery set in a tight-knit community—the execution is refreshing and gripping. Admittedly, some plot twists could benefit from being less predictable, but the balance between suspense and character development is bound to please many readers.

Nicola Whyte is skilled at crafting relatable characters that mirror real-life intricacies. Her background in psychology shines through in her writing, allowing her to delve into the underlying motivations driving each character's actions.

"10 Marchfield Square" presents an irresistible fusion of mystery and character exploration. It invites readers to ponder how well they truly know their neighbors, while delivering an entertaining story peppered with warmth, humor, and shocking revelations.

This novel not only keeps readers hooked but also inspires contemplation on the power of community bonds and the hidden layers within each of us.