Witty, funny, occasionally dark humoured. I lived this one just as much as I loved ‘over my dead body’. Lighthearted and just a really fun read

That'll Teach Her is set at St Nonnatus Primary School and begins with the, generally disliked, headmistress dying from an allergy at a school event. The circumstances are suspicious and it is soon deemed to have been murder! There are four main suspects - Hattie, the adored school cook, Kiera, the hard-working teaching assistant, Clive, the loathed school bursar and Ben, the popular deputy head. They all have their own secrets, but only one of them killed Claudia Stitchwell.

The book comprises chapters from each of the four suspects, interspersed with snippets of the parents' messaging group, local press, police reports and school newsletters. I really enjoy books with mixed media chapters and this one in particular was really very fun to read. As a parent to two primary school children, I found it to be hilariously relatable and found myself giggling out loud in parts.

The book was well written and thoroughly enjoyable.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

I absolutely cackled my way through THAT'LL TEACH HER. It's a compulsive, hilarious murder mystery about primary school life.

If you have ever been in a large group chat comprising people who probably wouldn't have much in common if it weren't for whatever led to the chat, then you will recognise the class chat. Three conversations happening at once, people desperately trying to organize around the gossip, the show offs and the self-righteous, and the person always posting to the wrong chat. It's so funny but you can also tell that the author has experience of primary school group chats.

These group chats also have some lovely little side stories that don't relate to the murder mystery, but are little vignettes of hopeful life. It gives a glimpse into the lives of those who are not the book's focus and also offer a sweet reprieve from the intensity of all the lies and secrets.

Alongside the chats, there are also chapters from the four suspects' perspective. It was nice to get a look into their heads, understand the pressure pots of their own lives so you start to see why they might have murdered the victim. They come from vastly different walks of life, and some are certainly more likeable than others. The voice is spectacular, each sounding instantly distinct, with clear outlooks on life (which is impressive and so necessary for first person narration.)

The situations are also just hilarious. For example, you've had a murder, there's norovirus going around the school, and now Ofsted have said they're coming tomorrow? It's so intensely over the top series of disasters in some cases that you have to laugh, and yet you know education can be manic (my own year in a school had periods of everything happening at once to the point of absurdity) so it doesn't pull you out of the story at all.

Clever, funny, sharply observed. This is a really fun read. The style is ambitious, with the story told via WhatsApp messages. The core plot is twisty and the characters funny yet highly believable.

A great murder mystery written in the new Hallett-type style of messaging apps and emails. A highly disliked headmistress dies from a nut allergy and one of the parents’ What’s App groups in between organising school fetes and discussing next week’s spelling test, sets out to investigate the death with varying degrees of competence and success.
Any member of a parent group will I’m sure find many points of similarity and hilarity. I’m not a member of the school run crowd myself but still found the book enjoyable.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.

What can I say but absolutely brilliant! I have literally laughed out loud and thoroughly enjoyed this one. I loved the quirky format - mix of WhatsApp messages, emails and first person narrative. The cast of characters are simply brilliant, even the baddies! If you’re looking for a cracking murder mystery to solve and fancy a jolly good laugh along the way, this is the book for you. Can’t wait for what Maz has up her sleeve next for us.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

Mixed-media mysteries are always a fun format, however I did struggle more with how this one was told. The cast of characters will feels instantly familiar to anyone who has ever done the school run — from the overzealous PTA members to the grumpy headmistress and the ever-watchful dinner lady. Though the humour keeps things light, the story does touch on some heavier themes. A quick, engaging read that’s both entertaining and cleverly plotted.

A fun read that will have parents everywhere relating to the hilarious, annoying and dull school class WhatsApp groups - but hopefully without the murder!

After a disliked headteacher drops dead in the school hall, there are limited suspects. All four are liars, but which one is the murderer? The parents in the Whatsapp group put their widely ranging experiences together to try and crack the case…and keep up to date with this week’s spellings!!

A great, fun read. I am a big fan of mixed media books, and reading a book full of WhatsApp messages really appealed to me. I felt so nosy, peeping on all these messages as though they were real. Evans managed to convey different personalities very well through often short messages and busy group conversations.

Different plotlines are woven together well, though I think overall it was a touch longer than it needed to be.

A good mix of hilarity and drama, if you’re a fan of Janice Hallett, you would enjoy this!

A witty and humorous look at school life both from the employees and parents point of view , add in a couple of murders and you’ve got a page turner !
The head mistress dies from an allergic reaction and it looks very suspicious .
Claudia Stitchwell is the headmistress at St Nonnatus primary school , and to say she is unpopular is an understatement.
She won’t be missed and there are a number of suspects who could have given her the fatal allergic reaction and left her without an epi pen!
I really enjoyed this book I loved the characters the format and the wit!
A great read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Headline .

As both a mum who has spent years in class WhatsApp groups, and a member of school staff this book gave me plenty to relate to, and plenty to laugh about. Loved the format and the pages certainly kept turning!

I love Maz Evans' writing and her wit - for adults and children alike, though I did find this title slightly harder work to get into. It is told through a variety of narrators and WhatsApp chat groups. Once I had figured that out (not helped by some odd formatting on my kindle), the story got easier to get involved with. The parents' WhatsApp group is hilarious - and truer to life than it should be - the parent trying to find their child's lost property absolutely cracked me up.

This story is essentially a who's dunnit? The headteacher of the school has an anaphylactic shock when she eats cake with nuts in it. Her allergy is well-known and usually policed intently, but this is a lady with many enemies. In fact, an awful lot of the school community is questionable! Irreverent in her character construction, but likely written from personal experience, Evans plots a book where it is hard to feel sorry for many of the characters by the end!

With a great ending, characters to laugh at and judge immensely - enjoy the read!

I absolutely loved Over My Dead Body so the opportunity to read Evans' second adult book was a no-brainer for me. And I am pleased to say that it confirmed that Maz Evans writes very funny books!

When universally unpopular headteacher of St Nonnatus Primary Miss Stichwell suddenly dies at school, the parent group chats are awash with gossip and speculation. A nut allergy is the cause - but was it a tragic accident or was foul play involved? There seem to be four people within the school who could want her dead - the assistant head, the bursar, the school cook and one of the teaching assistants - but can the parents figure out who is responsible?

Told in epistolary fashion, the book is a mix of parent group chats, newspaper articles, police witness statements, whole school email updates, the diary of Tickly Tiger (taken home by a different child every weekend) and sections from the point of view of each of the four suspects.

The murder mystery element is cleverly done, keeping the reader guessing throughout, hunting for clues whilst trying to piece everything together. Keeping track of the large cast of characters initially seems like a bit of a challenge, but with everything from characters you love to hate to parents who will feel all too familiar to many, they all add to the story. But what runs throughout is some real humour - any parent will relate to so much of the school shenanigans and I defy you not to laugh out loud at times. It’s fun, it’s clever and it can’t fail to make you smile.

If you’re looking for a side of hilarity with your murder mystery, look no further! Although the suspicious death of an unpopular primary school head sets the scene, it’s the antics of the parents and wider school community that take centre stage, in large part through the excerpts of group chats, emails, news bulletins, and other written sources that make up the bulk of the narrative. The mixed-media format is fun and immersive, scratching a real gossipy itch and creating ample opportunity for ongoing in jokes (who has the spellings? Why are all the kids inexplicably wearing each other’s clothes?!), but it also works incredibly well for teasing out means, motive, and opportunity and leaving clues in plain sight for a satisfying mystery. Though it did occasionally feel as though the crime solving was taking a back seat to various subplots, the characters were all so entertaining that I didn’t really mind, and I fell in love with several of them so thoroughly that I’d read a sequel immediately if given the chance. Thoroughly clever, riotously funny, highly recommended!
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC.

That'll Teach Her by Maz Evans

The much reviled headteacher of St Nonnatus primary school, Claudia Stitchwell, dies in suspicious circumstances. A group of parents tries to solve the mystery with many twists and turns along the way.

I loved this book and didn't guess the mystery at all! The class group chat was so funny and I'm sure everyone will recognise the type of school parents in it.. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

“That’ll Teach Her” by Maz Evans is a story about the shocking death of Claudia Stitchwell, the notoriously dreadful headmistress, who immediately plunges us into a whirlwind of suspicion and intrigue.
What I found particularly captivating was the unique storytelling format. Instead of a traditional narrative, the plot unfolds through texts, school newsletters, local press snippets, and a dose of good old gossip. This approach kept the story fresh and engaging. I loved diving into the group chat between the parents; their banter was hilarious and often relatable. As anyone who’s been a part of a school community knows, the dynamics of parent groups can be entertaining—and this book certainly nailed that aspect. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions, especially at the exaggerated yet familiar parental stereotypes.
The characters were another highlight. From Hattie, the beloved school cook, to Clive, the reviled bursar, each potential suspect brought their flavour to the table. Their backstories and motivations kept me guessing—and I genuinely enjoyed piecing together the clues to figure out who was responsible for Stitchwell’s untimely demise. Evans crafted a clever, humorous mystery that resonated with me and had me engaged until the very last page.
However, I did encounter some challenges with the e-arc format. The formatting issues meant that the group chat elements were somewhat jumbled, making it difficult to follow the conversation and identify who was speaking at times. This was frustrating, as the witty exchanges were a key part of what made the book so enjoyable. I imagine the physical copy would present a more seamless reading experience.
All in all, "That'll Teach Her" is a brilliant blend of humour and mystery, with just the right number of twists to keep readers on their toes.

This was a great read overall, it had a good mix of humour, mystery and suspense. I loved the characters too.

This book transported me back to those days of class WhatsApp groups and playground politics, but we never have a murder to investigate!

With a lot of characters, all recognisable if you have ever been in a primary school playground, it did take some concentrating to keep up with who was who, but with twists, drama and lots of humour, I definitely recommend this if you are feeling like a funny-cosy-crime read!

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for the ARC

If there's one thing I like in books its multimedia and God did I love it in That'll Teach Her! I had such fun with the group chats, emails, newspaper clips etc. While at core a murder mystery its also cozy. The book has excellent humor, quirky characters and a fabulous plot. Highly recommend!

One evening, during a school event the loathed Head of St Nonnatus Primary School suddenly collapses. Within minutes she is dead, possibly due to a severe nut allergy. One group of parents are not convinced this was accidental, believing there are plenty who would like to teach her a lesson. One of four people could have been responsible: Deputy Head Ben, long standing school cook Hattie; Kiera a very popular Teaching Assistant and Clive the despised School Bursar.

This is such a fun and quirky cosy crime, narrated by various characters, interspersed with parent group chats, local newspaper reports, emails from the school office and Tickly Tiger's Diary. The group chats are highly entertaining, sometimes confusing, as only group chats with many members can be. I loved the addition of the 'oops wrong chat' moments. One of the many highlights were the whole school emails sent by the School Office Manager.

The underlying plot is deliciously thought out. The clues are all there, however so well camouflaged between the humour and marvellous characterisation, I was kept guessing right until the end. If you enjoy cosy crime and mixed media mysteries this is the book for you.

With thanks to NetGalley and Headline Books for my advance reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.

One of my reading highlights of last year was Maz Evans' Over My Dead Body, so I was very excited to pick up her second adult novel. That'll Teach Her confirms her place as the Queen of Black Comedy Crime.

When a particularly nasty primary school headmistress drops dead of anaphylactic shock, speculation and gossip is rife that it wasn't an accident.

The school parents Group Chat ignites with gossip and speculation, and a smaller group chat splinters off. While they want to solve the suspected crime, they also want to exonerate one of their own who may or may not have baked the suspected cake. Between them, they narrow down the large pool of people that hated the headmistress to four people.

There's the put-upon and personable deputy head, who was looking forward to his boss' retirement to claim the job for himself, only to be thwarted by her intention to remain in post. The long serving dinner lady who is part of the school furniture, but rumoured to be too expensive for the school to keep on. The feisty TA who has her own history with the headmistress, and the creepy school business manager who seems to know everyone's secrets, but may hold a few of his own.

The mystery is mostly told through the parents group chat, statements and commentary from the suspects and communications from the school.

Maz Evans excels at creating compelling awful characters, ones that you absolutely loathe, but can't look away from, but this novel shows even her likeable and lovable characters have a dark side.

The group chats are hilarious and so relatable to anyone that's been in a large group chat. The parents are a diverse group, which causes friction and conflict. I love the snarky, witty dialogue, and there are plenty of laugh out loud moments. I like to imagine that the author had so much fun writing this, because I sure had a lot of fun reading!

I remain eternally grateful to be child-free and never have to deal with parent group chats!

Oh and... does anyone have this week's spellings?

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Headline for an advance copy for review.