In line with the book’s title, this is exactly what you think it will be. It is a ripper of a mystery with all the traditional al and thoroughly enjoyable aspects of the police procedural genre. Red herrings, twists, quirky characters and a lovely evocative setting all come together to create a thoroughly enjoyable read.

The Cotswold Manor Hotel. Sounds like a nice place but what happens when an argument happens and and there is strange evidence of foul play discovered by the maid the following day. What will ensue is murder, secrets, lies and some intriguing characters. This is a book that has all the suspense and intrigue you want in a mystery thriller and plenty of twists to keep you on your toes.

A well written book, fast paced and ever so enthralling and tense. I loved it as I never got bored reading it and I never knew what was around the next corner. A great read, exciting, intense, and thrilling.

Thank you NetGalley and The book Guild for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is a British Clue type mystery. A fast and east read. Great if you like a cozy murder mystery. I was provided a copy from NetGalley.

Murder at the Manor promised intrigue, but the sluggish plot, frequent recapping, and lack of compelling character development left me disengaged. It’s a case where the idea was much more exciting than its execution.

DCI Chloe Taylor had the potential to be a strong lead, but her character never fully develops. While she’s meant to balance the complexities of a murder inquiry and the pressures of working with the Counter Terrorism Unit, these challenges don’t feel as intense as they should. The introduction of a terrorism subplot could have added layers to the mystery, but instead, it feels forced and disconnected from the central murder case.

The cast of characters, while varied, also come across as underdeveloped, with many of them reduced to stereotypes or suspicious simply for the sake of it.

It was painfully boring at times, this one was a letdown.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I enjoyed the murder mystery elements that I was looking for from the description. The characters had that charm that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of them in this story. Colin Wade was able to create a suspenseful atmosphere and was hooked from the first page.

Murder at the Manor is a brilliantly crafted British police procedural that kicks off with an intriguing mystery: a missing guest at the Cotswold Manor Hotel, a bloodstain, and no body to be found—at least not at first. DCI Chloe Taylor is called to the scene, and what starts as a classic murder mystery soon evolves into something much more complex as the case becomes entangled with a terrorism investigation.

Colin Wade has done a fantastic job of building tension throughout the novel. The setting of the Cotswold Manor Hotel is the perfect backdrop for a mystery, with its mix of eccentric guests, each carrying secrets of their own. It reminded me of a modern-day Agatha Christie-style whodunit, full of red herrings and twists that keep you guessing until the very end. The interplay of lies, deceit, and fake identities adds a layer of complexity that makes this more than just a simple murder investigation.

DCI Chloe Taylor is a strong and determined character, and I really enjoyed her leadership and grit as she navigates both the investigation and the challenges of working alongside the Counter Terrorism Unit. The stakes are raised as the investigation uncovers more about the victim and the wider implications of the crime, leading to some real edge-of-your-seat moments. The pacing is fast, and the suspense never lets up.

What really stood out to me was how well Wade handled the twists and turns. Just when you think you've figured it out, another surprise throws the investigation in a new direction. The characters are well-drawn, from the eclectic mix of hotel guests to Chloe’s own team, and I appreciated how the author added depth to their motivations and backgrounds.

Overall, Murder at the Manor is a gripping, fast-paced mystery with plenty of surprises along the way. It’s a must-read for fans of British crime novels and anyone who enjoys a well-constructed, twisty thriller. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from Colin Wade in the future, especially if DCI Chloe Taylor returns for another investigation!

Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Colin Wade for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Something of an old fashioned who done, suspects and clues to keep you guessing. Perhaps not for everybody, but a decent enough read over a couple of days.

This was my first experience reading a book by this author. Although it is part of a series, it works very well as a standalone. Very much a police procedural, the chapters are organized by the hourly activity of the police investigation. There are a lot of characters, but they are well fleshed out and not confusing. As mentioned in other reviews, lots and lots of red herrings. A mystery set in an upmarket country hotel, the bodies pile up quickly. Rivalry between “country coppers”, the CIA, and CTU brings tensions and backhanded behaviors.. Overall a good read, pacy and good plot. One thing that bothered me was no mention of CCTV, with all the cameras in Britain, I can’t imagine none in the hotel or grounds. My only complaint.
Thanks for the advance copy from NetGalley, the publisher and the author. I would recommend this book.

In true Agatha Christie-style the guest list at the Cotswold Manor Hotel is like an army of red herrings. Is anyone actually who they say they are?
Over the past five years Colin Wade has honed his talents as a novelist and it is always exciting when he has a new book published. If you haven’t read one of his books yet you've got many hours of pleasurable reading to come.
Once again the plot is extremely complex and full of shocks and surprises as DCI Chloe Taylor and her team try to find a murderer who is also being hunted by other law enforcement agencies.
There's never a dull moment and plenty of interesting characters all adding to the suspense.

If you’re in need of a good Clue styled mystery, this is the book for you! This story focuses on solving the case and likes to leave the characters a mystery. This story follows a young female detective trying to solve a complex case with many twists and turns. This is a great palate cleansing book and easy weekend read.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. The setting is well described and scenic and very police procedural in format. The mystery was good with red herrings, disguises and lies galore make for a very entertaining read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Murder, mystery and mayham are what make this book a good read.

Set in a country manor hotel a murder has occurred following an argument and DC Chloe Taylor and her team are trying to get to the bottom of it.

I loved all the twists in this cozy mystery and with the suspense and intrigue I had a good time trying the clues to discover what happens next..of course I didn't.. I never do....

A well written story with great characters, I cannot wait to see what Chloe's next case is.. I loved her..

law-enforcement, procedural, hospitality-industry, hotel, office-politics, disguises, false-identities, theft, murder-investigation, murders****

The first corpse vanishes except for a very large bloodstain in the hotel room only to turn up later in the pond on the hotel grounds. That's only the beginning of the case that just keeps on escalating. Well done!
I requested and received a temporary ebook from The Book Guild via NetGalley.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Colin Wade for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder at the Manor, which was released September 28, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really loved the setting at Cotswold Manor Hotel. I think Chloe was a strong, smart character. I loved the mystery and the police procedural formatting of the book. There was a lot of drama and I loved it! I would definitely read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries!

Murder at the Manor is the first book I’ve read by Colin Wade and I surprised how quickly I read the story. That is to say I enjoyed the mystery, suspense, complex characters and how the police solved the case-I couldn’t put it down! It was fascinating to read their step by step procedure and kept me intrigued and engrossed in solving the crime.

I definitely would like to read more of Detective Chief Chloe Taylor and her team solving crimes. I would like to get to know them a bit better with more background of their lives. We get glimpse of Chief Taylors however, but not the others. That said, the characters played their parts well and I enjoyed their interactions with each other and their team work.

Brilliant plot, unexpected twists and perfectly paced.

Stephanie Hopkins

My first book by Collin wade and I really enjoyed it
So much going I was so engrossed I read it in one sitting
Loved the characters and getting to know them
This was fast paced and completely twisty
Loved it

this was a pretty good book! It was a mystery with some high end theft, murder, and thrilling turns. It kept me entertained throughout the book. I liked reading this one!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

The Cotswold Manor Hotel welcomes an eclectic mix of guests, and on one fateful Friday evening, two witnesses overhear an argument in a neighbouring room, followed by a loud thud. The next morning, the maid discovers the room has been vacated, all that remains is a dried bloodstain on the carpet! Good book! This was a cozy mystery but with a bit of a bite! It has good suspense, action, murder, mystery, high stakes thief's, a great who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

A brilliant British police procedural. I couldn't put it down. DCI Chloe Taylor is called to a small upmarket hotel after a maid finds a large blood stain in one of the rooms she was cleaning. At first, Chloe's not quite sure what to make of it as there's no body and the resident of the room has vanished. But, then a body does turn up and it's all systems go. Chloe has to deal with a case that just gets bigger and more involved as it progresses, as well as 2 of her staff being determined to undermine her ability to handle the case. A fast paced, well written story that has plenty of twists and turns and a satisfying ending!
Thanks to Netgalley, Troubador Publishing and Colin Wade for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.