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EXCERPT: Since they'd all been retired (Pat two years, Thelma and Liz four) it had to be said the weekends had somewhat lost that special quality - that snatched, hallowed glow. Truth be told, the days even held a certain . . . sameness - Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays - a sameness to be fought against with book groups and keep fit classes and stints in the charity shop. Fought against, but not admitted to. This book is a joy, I really really loved it.. I really liked the three ladies and I was invested in their lives.
Fabulous, cosy, mystery... Wonderful... Absolutely perfect for fans of Richard Osman!’ NetGalley Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Alongside the fast paced, humorous, story there are some weightier themes; including the threat of dementia and the manipulative exploitation of the vulnerable or elderly, so that whilst this is a relatively light-hearted read, there’s considerable light and shade to enjoy too. Not only is the story beguiling and diversionary, but it’s cautionary and educational. These three ladies had no idea they were about to become involved in a murder, but it is important to them to find out what happened to their friend. They are certain that a crime was committed and it is up to them to solve it.
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It's always great for me to begin a new cosy mystery series, and this is especially true when the setting is relatively local. The characters were well done and the ending was satisfying. The plot flowed at an even pace, and there were numerous moments of hilarity. Red herrings were plentiful and there was a multitude of suspects who might have been responsible for Topsy's death. Well worth a look if you're partial to cosy mysteries. DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Avon Books UK for providing a digital ARC of A Spoonful of Murder by J.M. Hall for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. Cosy mystery at its best with a cast of loveable characters, a truly satisfying read!' NetGalley review, Pat, bright and attractive, the wife of Rod, (a builder), worries about her youngest, teenage son, Liam, the bodily trials of aging, and a generation raised in a world where the internet in all its trappings can clearly be seen to “sap the soul”. There must be a thing now with older amateur sleuth stories, as I’ve read more than I had expected to recently. This trio muddled their way to the solution, and a resolution for their other personal cares, in a way that held my attention to the end, and has me looking forward to their next sleuthing adventure.
Warm characters and wonderful writing… It’s steeped in Yorkshire like a mug of hot, strong tea… I loved it’ SJ Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot The story takes a while to get going, with the author giving us time to get to know Thelma, Pat and Liz and their personalities, insecurities and family concerns. Thelma becomes concerned about one of her former pupils experiencing money problems, Pat is worried about her weight and her son and some unknown “internet problems”, while Liz is worried about her grandson’s tantrums in a highly regarded school. Also, Topsy’s death exposes a series of schemes targeting seniors, which has all three of the friends understandably upset. The audiobook of this is brilliantly narrated by Julie Hesmondhalgh, and can definitely be recommended. If captures the combination of hope, melancholy and humour that the story deserves, for there are as many moments that will make you smile and even laugh, as those that will leave you saddened by what comes to pass. I know that the three women, Liz, Thelma and Pat, were great characters, brought perfectly to life in the audio, and really good to spend time with. If you like a good cosy crime, with emotional and thoughtful undercurrent, this may well be the book for you. About the AuthorThe Yorkshire setting feels absolutely right for the narrative and J.M. Hall’s style made me think often of Alan Bennett or Victoria Wood so that reading A Spoonful of Murder brought a real smile to my face. That said, as the threads of the plot are drawn together so successfully at the end, there are moments that bring an emotional lump to the throat too. It’s cute and charming to have elderly people teamed up to solve a crime. Although the beginning of the story is a slow-paced for me, I’m glad to be entertained by these three nosy retired teachers who have involved themselves in solving a mystery.
Given that the school remains close to their hearts, Thelma, Pat, and Liz still care a lot about the happenings at St. Barnabus. The school is now administered by Kayleigh Brittain an influential, confident, and enigmatic headmistress. She has a reputation for being a forward-thinking person who has some very innovative plans for the school. In 2021, his first novel was published by Harper Collins. "A Spoonful of Murder" introduced us to the unlikely crime-solving trio of retired teachers Liz, Thelma and Pat. These wonderfully warm and funny characters took on a life of their own and spawned a series of cosy crime novels. The eagerly awaited second novel is due in March 2023 and the third is already well underway.I really loved this book, it’s was so well-written, with good use of language, and a smattering of humour. I smiled at some of the names that were used, like ‘Mandy Pinder-that-was’ for an ex-pupil from their school and a son’s girlfriend the ‘Celtic Poet’. Just two examples that made this book stand out to me. The author was born in Yorkshire and except for a few short interludes, he has always lived there. Before he became a fiction author, he had been writing for radio and the stage for many years. In fact, he is the creator of “Trust,” the critically acclaimed radio series on the BBC. In 2021, Hall published “A Spoonful of Murder” under Harper Collins and the novel introduced the characters, Pat, Thelma, and Liz that form an unlikely crime-solving trio. They are funny and wonderfully war characters that would take on a life of their own and result in the Liz, Pat, and Thelma series of novels. This book follows ex colleagues Liz, Pat and Thelma as they meet up every Thursday to catch up on each other’s lives. One Thursday they bump into another one of the old colleagues, Topsy, and her daughter. It turns out that Topsy has been diagnosed with dementia that has been getting progressively worse since the death of her husband, and the only person in her life she has caring for her is her daughter. During this surprise encounter the girls are concerned for Topsy after she shares some insights into her life that aren’t quite right.
A fabulous, cozy, mystery story... Wonderful... Absolutely perfect for fans of Richard Osman!' NetGalley Review When an elderly former colleague suffering from dementia dies, it all seems perfectly understandable that she would have mixed up her pills’ dosages and overdosed. Retired teachers and friends Thelma, Liz and Pam are saddened by Topsy’s death, and would never have thought anything was off about the situation, but a word here and there sets each off into asking questions and poking at situations to find out whether Topsy really did accidentally overdose or was murdered. MY THOUGHTS: A Spoonful of Murder is an entertaining cosy murder mystery starring three very down to earth retired teachers, any one of whom could be your neighbour. It's always great for me to begin a new cosy mystery series, and this is especially true when the setting is relatively local. The characters were well done and the endi Warm characters and wonderful writing... It's steeped in Yorkshire like a mug of hot, strong tea... I loved it' SJ Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot
Warm characters and wonderful writing... It’s steeped in Yorkshire like a mug of hot, strong tea... I loved it’ SJ Bennett, author of The Windsor Knot In 2021, his first novel was published by Harper Collins. " A Spoonful of Murder" introduced us to the unlikely crime-solving trio of retired teachers Liz, Thelma and Pat. These wonderfully warm and funny characters took on a life of their own and spawned a series of cosy crime novels. The eagerly awaited second novel was published in March 2023 and the third is already well underway. Well done J.M. Hall for an excellent read, I shall definitely be recommending this delightful and interesting book to my family and friends. Poignant and relatable, I want these ladies as my friends!… I enjoyed it very much… Recommend’ NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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