Murder at Hawthorn Cottage cover art

Murder at Hawthorn Cottage

A Melissa Craig Mystery, Book 1

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Murder at Hawthorn Cottage

By: Betty Rowlands
Narrated by: Joan Walker
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About this listen

Meet Melissa: cat lover, caring mother… daring detective?

Melissa Craig is absolutely delighted with her new life in an old crumbling cottage, spending her days pruning the primroses and getting to know Binkie, the ginger cat next door. She only wishes she had made the move to the countryside sooner.

But when a knock at the door brings news of a shocking discovery, she suddenly finds herself thrown in to the middle of a baffling mystery: the bones of a young woman have been found in the woods just behind her new home.

Perhaps the little village of Upper Bembury is not as idyllic as it first seemed?

Strange phone calls in the night convince Melissa that the police are barking up completely the wrong tree, so she can’t resist doing a little digging of her own. From the bingo hall to the beauty salon and beyond, her search ruffles a few feathers and uncovers many of the village’s most scandalous secrets, but gets her no closer to finding the culprit.

The discovery of a tatty old photograph in a drawer is the final piece of the puzzle she needs, but as a newcomer in this close-knit community, does Melissa have what it takes to get to the bottom of this extraordinary murder mystery alone?

A joy to read! An absolutely unpausable whodunnit for fans of Agatha Christie, P.D. James and Faith Martin.

This book was previously published as A Little Gentle Sleuthing.

©2018 Betty Rowlands (P)2018 Bookouture
Cosy Crime Thrillers Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Thriller Thriller & Suspense Crime Cats Suspense Village

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All stars
Most relevant
I found it slow to start, but persevere and then it's an enjoyable story with an unexpected murderer!

Slow starter, but perseverance is rewarded

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Very much enjoyed listening to this intricate tale,: celebrating the happier moments with 'Melissa' and feeling sincerely sad at the down points... I was kept guessing right through to the 'reveal' and so couldn't get back to it fast enough when i had to pause it when real life got in the way. Highly recommended.

Cleverly Woven Story

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I thoroughly enjoyed the story line of this book. However I really struggled with this narrator. The inflections used were often inappropriate for the text being read and very quickly annoyed me. I am glad to see that there are many more books in this series because of the quality of the writing and the plot but sadly I shall have to read them in book form.

Excellent story line - surprise ending. Narrator spoiled it though.

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I liked the story but struggled with the narration. It was touch and go as to whether I sent it back or not.
The narrator seems to want to end most of her sentences on an up note, rather than a normal English voice which ends sentences on a down note. I managed to get over this annoyance by speeding up the narration slightly which somehow reduced my irritation.

Whether I can stand going through this on the next book remains to be seen. Perhaps the narrator will have altered her narration to be less simpering.

Charming story spoiled by the narration.

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loved this kept me wanting to get back to the next chapter every time I stopped listening

great read

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