UK mischief and murder, hidden rooms, impostors, jolly good fun all round, thanks to NetGalley’s review copies.

The Body in the Kitchen Garden by Paula Sutton

The Body in the Kitchen Garden is a charming and atmospheric cosy mystery filled with village intrigue, grand old houses, buried secrets, and an appealing amateur sleuth. Paula Sutton brings Pudding Corner vividly to life, creating the perfect setting for a mystery that is both comforting and suspenseful.

Daphne Brewster is a warm, observant, and engaging protagonist. Her love of vintage style and historic interiors makes her the ideal person to help restore the crumbling Darlington Hall, with its stained-glass windows, elegant turrets, and neglected gardens. The estate is beautifully described, giving the story a strong sense of place and plenty of gothic charm.

The discovery of an unidentified body in the kitchen garden quickly transforms Daphne’s exciting new project into a dangerous investigation. As Lord Hugh Darlington is attacked and burglaries begin unsettling the village, the mystery expands into a clever web of suspicious behaviour, hidden motives, and long-held loyalties.

Daphne’s determination to investigate, despite warnings from the local police, makes her easy to root for. She approaches each clue with curiosity and courage, while the colourful village characters add humour, warmth, and plenty of possible suspects.

Engaging, gently humorous, and full of well-placed twists, The Body in the Kitchen Garden is an excellent audiobook for fans of cosy crime, picturesque village settings, vintage style, and mysteries with a touch of country-house elegance. It is a delightful return to Pudding Corner and a thoroughly enjoyable listen from beginning to end.

Murder Like Clockwork by Nicola Whyte

Murder Like Clockwork is a clever, atmospheric cosy mystery with an irresistible locked-room-style puzzle at its centre. Nicola Whyte combines the elegance of a grand London townhouse with the warmth and humour of an amateur-sleuth story, creating a mystery that feels both classic and refreshingly original.

Audrey Brooks makes an engaging and relatable protagonist. Her careful routine of cleaning the Petrov house and winding its extraordinary collection of antique clocks gives the opening a wonderfully precise, almost hypnotic quality. That calm is shattered when she discovers a body in the back bedroom, only for every trace of the crime to vanish before the police arrive.

The missing corpse is a brilliant hook, but the clock running four minutes slow makes the mystery even more intriguing. With no victim, no blood, and no obvious crime scene, Audrey must prove that the murder happened before she can begin working out who committed it. The result is a satisfying combination of “whodunnit”, “when did it happen?”, and “where is the body?”

Audrey’s partnership with the persistent and occasionally irritating Lewis adds plenty of energy and humour. Their contrasting personalities make them an entertaining detective duo, and their previous experience does not stop them from making mistakes, taking risks, or getting drawn into increasingly complicated situations.

The London setting, unusual collection of clocks, and possibility that the case may be connected to Marchfield Square give the story a strong sense of place and continuity. The supporting cast adds further charm, suspicion, and unpredictability.

Inventive, witty, and full of carefully timed twists, Murder Like Clockwork is an excellent audiobook for listeners who enjoy cosy crime, eccentric amateur detectives, impossible-seeming murders, and mysteries built around one wonderfully puzzling clue.