I'm a bit of a sucker for a cozy mystery, so I jumped at the chance to read Murder in the village.

I know Lisa Cutts has written other books before this one but this is actually the first I've read of hers, but it certainly won't be the last!

Two cases run side by side in this novel. First off, the dog owners of Little Challam are being targeted by mysterious dognappers. The second mystery involves the murder of pub landlord Tipper, a man with no shortage of enemies, but who would want to kill him? Belinda joins forces with retired detective Harry Powell to solve both cases.

Murder in the village has all the ingredients of a good cozy mystery, an idyllic sounding setting, a cast of interesting characters and a couple of determined amateur sleuths intent on getting to the bottom of the case.

Belinda and Harry made a fun pair together. Belinda is fairly bossy and stubborn, not afraid to say what she thinks, while Harry is a little more reserved and thoughtful. I enjoyed the back and forth between Belinda and Harry. I feel there's some good potential between the pair and look forward to seeing what they get up to next.

At times, I found Belinda a tad annoying, but she grew on me as the story went along.

Both mysteries kept me guessing with plenty of suspects and red herrings along the way.

Murder in the village is a solid cozy mystery and a must for fans of this genre!

My first read from Lisa Cutts was a fun one! A cozy mystery with a little bit of murder and a whole lot of dogs. The main characters, Belinda and Harry, have great chemistry together. Belinda is the type of character that puts her nose into everyone’s business. She is also a little haughty and can be a little unlikeable on occasion. I love the fact that she lives in a castle and would love to think that some of the future books will have more of the day to day descriptions of the castle setting.

Harry, on the other hand, is a great character. Caring, sweet and a dog lover, he was my favorite thing about this story. A retired police officer who now works for a Dog Food Company, the way he loves all the dogs he comes into contact with and how he is so caring of the people he comes across.

The little English Village sounds like a great setting for more books. I hope there will be more likable characters in the upcoming stories as this one seemed to have an abundance of not-so-nice people.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Book 2 will bring.

Murder in the Village by Lisa Cutts is the first book in The Belinda Penshurst Mystery series. I like that this cozy mystery is set in Britain. We get that cozy English village charm. The author provided detailed descriptions that allowed me to visualize the village, Belinda’s home, and the characters. Our two amateur sleuths, Belinda Penshurst and Harry Powell work to solve two crimes. They must catch a murderer and figure out who is behind the local dognapping’s. The two run around asking questions and trying to outdo each other. The mysteries were straightforward. For a detective, Harry failed to question the right people with regard to the dognapping. I felt the story got bogged down in the details. The endless detailed descriptions made for slow reading along with the repetitive details. I had a hard time wading through this whodunit (it is great if you are suffering from insomnia). I could not get into the story (I really tried). It did not feel that this was the first book. The author did not provide the backstory that I wanted on our main characters especially Harry. We are told that Harry is a retired detective inspector who has moved to Little Challham and now works for Doggie Delight delivering kibble (I want more information). Of course, Harry may no longer be a detective, but it is hard to give up old habits. Belinda has her finger in a number of pies in the village plus she is trying to find out what mischief her brother, Marcus is up to this time. The last time the family almost lost their home. She is also having trouble with her latest investment. Belinda finds the cause of her latest problem dead which is how she gets involved in solving the crime. The author was trying to establish a romantic relationship between our two protagonists, but it missed the mark. Why Harry would like someone who looks down on him and sneers, I do not know. The dialogue between them makes a person cringe. Personally, I was not a fan of either one of them. Belinda is a bossy, forceful woman with attitude (big chip or should I say boulder on her shoulder). Harry is a quiet man who pays attention to details. There are times, though, when I felt he missed the mark. The book moved at a snail’s pace (I felt like I was traveling on a glacier to get to the resolution). The best thing about the story was the cute dogs. Murder in the Village was not the right fit for me. I suggest you read a sample to see if this cozy mystery suits you. Murder in the Village is British whodunit with dognapped doggies, pub problems, a troublemaker brother, a mysterious murder, and two squabbling sleuths.

After a rough start with showy vocabulary and a brief chuckle over a bartender using a tea towel to clear the bar top, things started to settle down a bit, with the characters capturing my attention. By midway, I wondered why I continued only to conclude that I had invested this much time, so why quit now. By the end, I should have listened to my inner critic and stopped after the first chapter.

Escape to the village of Little Challham. Belinda Penshurst loves her little village, with the quiet streets and quaint pubs. Belinda lives in Callham Castle, and when local pub owner Tipper is found dead in his cellar, Belinda wastes no time, and she is on the case to investigate. When retired detective Harry Powell, who is new to town, is pulled into a murder investigation he wonders just how quiet his new town really is. And when a dognapper is following dog walkers, it makes this book both exciting and unputdownable. This story was absolutely amazing and I loved plot twists and turns, it kept me guessing to the very last page. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, it definitely will not be the last. I absolutely loved it, it was a great plot. I loved everything about it. I really liked the introduction of a new sleuth Belinda Penshurst. She is a wonderful addition to the cozy mystery genre.

Thank you Lisa Cutts for such a wonderful cozy mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I’m so happy to know that it is only the beginning of a series. I can’t wait to read more from this author. This story is fantastic and I highly recommend this book.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Murder In The Village' by Lisa Cutts.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Lisa Cutts, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 25th August 2021.

This is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the first book in the 'Belinda Penshurst Mystery' series.

I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of M.C. Beaton, H.Y. Hanna and Emily Organ will love the first novel in the Belinda Penshurst series!' I am a huge fan of Emily Organ so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 50 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Little Challam which is a fictional village in Kent, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.

This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Belinda Penshurst and Harry Powell. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

What an absolutely fantastic page turning start to what promises to be a riveting new series!!! Congratulations Lisa on a great success!!!

This book is very well written and very smooth and easy to read. The descriptions are vivid and helps you to really feel that you are in the middle of the village whilst everything is going on. The synopsis and cover suit the storyline perfectly.

The storyline itself is quite fast paced and there is always something going on to captivate your attention and keep you constantly turning the pages. I am very pleased that Lisa brought the methods used my dotnappers to the readers attention as graffiti outside homes where dogs reside is a well used technique by dog thief's yet many people I speak to know nothing about it so congratulations Lisa on bringing this fact to your readers attention. I really enjoyed the storyline and was pleased to read at the beginning thay No dogs were harmed in the making of the story or in the storyline either. I also wanted to mention that I really enjoyed the extract included prior to the storyline from 'The Power of the Dog' by Rudyard Kipling. An absolutely fantastic choice and true words that fit well with the storyline. This book is filled with suspense, red herrings, tension, friendship, a hint of romance, lots of dogs and some laughter mixed in. A perfect combination for any successful cosy mystery. I had no idea who was doing what and am pleased to say that I was quite surprised when the reveal was made. It is getting harder and harder to surprise me after reading so many crime books and there is nothing worse than working it all out by 50% so another congratulations on this Lisa!!

I really enjoyed meeting Belinda and Harry for the first time and not only was I invested on the storyline but I also became invested in them. It is always worrying when starting a new series as you have no idea who the characters are and whether you are going to love them or hate them.
I am pleased to say there was nothing to worry about in this case and I am looking forward to seeing more of both Belinda and Harry. The fact that I love animals and run a rescue and that both Harry and Belinda are animal lovers definitely helped me engage with them both. I liken them to a pair of naughty school children. The type on primary school who bicker but really fancy each other and I really am looking forward to see what becomes of them. They both had me in stitches on several occasions, Belinda with some of the things she came out with and her attitude and Harry for just being Harry, bless him!!! Extremely strong, likeable and realistic characters!!!

Well done Lisa on an absolutely fantastic first book in what is promising to be an epic series. Here's to reading the next adventure 🍻

Overall a page turning, non stop, addictive, hilarious cosy mystery that is perfect for the beach or in front of a fire, a fantastic start to what promises to be a riveting series!!!


Some of my favourite quotes in this book include the following:

😂 "‘Who hasn’t?’ said George, vein popping out of the side of his shaved head. ‘Especially when someone accuses them of murder.’‘She didn’t actually accuse you of murder,’ said Harry, stepping forwards. ‘Didn’t she?’ said George. ‘Didn’t I?’ said Belinda. ‘I meant to.’‘That’s what it sounded like to me,’ said Anita. ‘Thank you, Anita, at least someone was paying attention,’ said Belinda, a triumphant look on her face."

Genres covered in this book include Cosy Mystery, Crime Fiction, Mystery and Crime Thriller amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Emily Organ, Agatha Christie, Faith Martin, Helena Dixon and anyone looking for a fantastic, laugh a minute cosy mystery


252 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free if you have kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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I really enjoyed this book. It was a great storyline with excellent characters. I would highly recommend this book as it was a great read.

Lisa Cutts has written a great debut in her new mystery series featuring Belinda Penshurst.

Belinda is in Little Challham, Kent and her home is the castle there. She lives with her dad and her brother, Marcus. The gatehouse is occupied by Harry Powell, a retired detective inspector who moved to look for a quieter life. He has trained to be a Doggy Delight food delivery associate but it's not long before he finds himself getting involved in the area's disappearing dog problem that has suddenly arisen. When the landlord at the local pub, the New Inn, an establishment that forty-one-year-old Belinda has enjoyed a tipple or two in and has invested in financially, is found dead, Belinda and Harry work together to try to figure out the perpetrator's identity.

The characters are a brilliant mixed bag who are excellently drawn, each with distinct personalities. The locale and the castle are described in appreciable detail. The mystery itself was vastly intriguing with a great amount of suspense for a cosy. A fun, entertaining and atmospheric read with a bang on small-town setting. I'm already looking forward to the second instalment.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Whether due to the murder of pub landlord Tupper or a slew of missing dogs, Belinda Penshurst is on the case. Amateur detective to be sure, Belinda has every intention of solving both cases. When Harry Powell, a retired dectective, moves into Belinda's small town, he certainly had no intention to be dealing with yet another murder. In fact, Harry and the police in the small village just don't appear to be taking things as seriously as Belinda.

Just as the police are certain that they found the killer, Belinda digs even deeper, proving that she is the perfect person to solve the mysteries at hand. Murder in the Village most certainly makes a fabulous first book in what promises to be an entertaining series. I loved Belinda, Harry and other characters in this story. Belinda's doggedness (pun intented) to get to the bottom of what was going on was enjoyable from start to finish. I loved the possible romance between Belinda and Harry and especially how the book ended which no doubt made me anticipate what just might be next.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley, too,
For my copy of this book - here’s my honest review:

Welcome to Little Challham, a village with a castle,
That’s where Harry Powell retired to for a life without hassle.
However he’d not known about Belinda Penshurst before
Or that murder mysteries they’d investigate there for sure!

Belinda knows most folks in the village and what goes on
But now there are mysteries to be solved - and not just one!
She has a knack for turning up when disaster strikes
And finding murder victims is something she definitely dislikes!

However, the discoveries have made her determined to find
Who has spoilt the village by being so unkind
With Harry working with her, she’s sure that they’ll discover
Just who did what, to whom and when - and hopes it isn’t her brother!

This is a story of village life with pubs, rivalry and more
But just who are the dognappers and who are they working for?
Are they linked to the murderer - and is there more than one?
Can Belinda and Harry find the answers before any more are gone?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this cosy mystery book
With a fantastic community, fun characters and, look,
As well as murder and dognapping, there's a possible romance!
I can’t wait for more in this series and hope you’ll also give it a chance!

A great start to a new cosy mystery series .
The main characters are Belinda and Harry and they are very much chalk and cheese , but make the perfect partnership. Harry is retired from the police force and Belinda is a businesswoman and is not short of cash,.
I didn’t find Belinda an amiable character at first but I warmed to her throughout the story. Harry is a more likeable character and there is plenty of room for character development. The book takes place in Little Challham which sounds an idyllic village complete with its own Women’s institute. There are murders and dog napping galore.
I enjoyed the book it was an easy read and I look forward to more from Lisa Cutts.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Belinda Penshurst loves her home village Little Challham, with its shady lanes, two pubs and weekly market, and she’s determined to keep it peaceful. She may live in Challham Castle with her father & nrother but she knows almost everything that goes on under her nose. So when irritable pub landlord Tipper is found dead in his cellar, she’s perfectly placed to investigate. Retired detective Harry Powell moved to Little Challham for a quiet life & lives in the castle’s gatehouse. He didn’t expect to be dragged into a murder investigation plus a number of dogs have disappeared lately too.
A new author to me & a new series, so a bit of a leap into the dark. I thoroughly enjoyed it, a well written slightly edgy cosy mystery with plenty of suspects, red herrings & twists & turns. I was left guessing until the end, which I love. I also loved Belinda & Harry who complimented each other beautifully, they had depth & were well portrayed. A captivating read & a lovely start to the series & I for one will definitely be reading more
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Murder in the Village is the first in Lisa Cutts’ new Belinda Penshurst mystery series. It was released today (August 25th) from Bookouture. As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Let’s get to it!

Murder in the Village follows Belinda Penshurst as she tries to settle back into village life after a bad break up. She prides herself on knowing everything happening within Little Challham, but when she discovers a dead body and finds out there have been a series of potential dognappings in the village, she quickly realizes how little she actually knows. In order to solve both cases, she teams up with village newbie and ex-detective Harry Powell to investigate everything going on.

It’s pretty standard cozy mystery fare. A nosy lady (though she’s in her 40s instead of the usual younger protagonists) stumbles upon a murder scene and finds a reason to investigate. She’s trying to protect her brother, whose stupid ideas have gotten him in trouble in the past. Throw in Harry Powell who takes over both the best friend and potential love interest roles and things get more interesting. He and his dog food delivery job make the whole story more fun, but mostly because dogs make everything better. And Harry is basically a giant pupper in human form.

When it comes to the characters, I’m definitely more a fan of Harry than Belinda. He’s more down-to-earth and a little doofy and an all around interesting dude. Belinda is rich and very much expects things to go her own way without regard to what other people want, unless it’s her brother. She coddles the crap out of him which is probably why he’s such an idiot. I just didn’t connect with Belinda the way I like to with protagonists. But that’s just me. The rest of the characters were potentially suspects, so I didn’t even try to get attached to them in case I was wrong about what was going on.

My biggest complaint about this book is that I hate when bad guys are only mentioned in passing, then surprise! This person who was just thrown in as an afterthought did it! It’s annoying. Don’t get me wrong, the murderer in this story was fine and had a decent role. It was just the dognapper who sucked. When the big reveal came, I literally asked myself “who the hell is that?” And apparently the author figured that would happen because she immediately explained who it was. I don’t even remember if they ever actually talked to this person or what, but I was too lazy to go back and check. That always feels like a cheap trick that people use when they can’t figure out how to tie everything together. It’s just disappointing.

The writing itself was nice. Everything flowed pretty well. There were a couple of spots where the pacing slowed a bit too much for my liking, but it wasn’t something that really bothered me. And there were some cute lines sprinkled throughout.

Ultimately, Murder in the Village was okay. I probably won’t go looking for the sequels, but that’s just because I didn’t connect with the characters enough to care what happens to them. It wasn’t bad, though.

Overall, I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy cozies and have time, check it out. You might like it. If you don’t have time, I don’t think you’ll be missing anything.

In one sentence? It grows on you.

New cozy-mystery series main character Belinda Penhurst is bossy, obnoxious, loud, busy body and foul mouth kind of lady who believes the whole village is her property and she can interfere anywhere she likes. Belinda loves dogs and her naughty man-child brother who gets the family into all sorts of troubles. And Belinda loves snooping. As the first installment in the mystery series will demonstrate, Belinda is quite good at it. She is... yes, 'like dog with a bone', persistent, thorough and practically invincible.

Belinda pairs up with retired detective come dog food delivery man Harry Powell. And together they become a couple worth watching.

Their first mystery is all around dogs, dognapping and dogs food. It will be hilarious in places, silly in others and even a bit dangerous (bodies will pile up like it is Midsomer Murders all over again). But it will all end well. It is a cozy mystery after all.

I found this book a bit heavy going to begin with. I found the language a bit too much and too witty-banter-cliche for its own good. But it did grow on me, especially Belinda.

Murder in the Village is a good entry into the series set in a picturesque English village populated by fun and curious characters. Hope to watch them grow. Enjoy the read.

Murder in the Village is the first instalment in the Belinda Penshurst Mystery series set in the small, pristine village of Little Challham in Kent. The picture-postcard location for this brand spanking new series has shades resembling that of Midsomer Murders; it's stunning, tight-knit but with a sinister edge to it. Belinda is the proprietor of the local castle and has the pleasure of living in such a grand place which she shares with her father and brother, Marcus. Our secondary protagonist is Harry Powell, a retired police detective who is now enjoying the slower and more serene way of life out of the hustle and bustle of the city.

He lives in the castle's gatehouse and has recently started a job he finds thoroughly mundane - delivering dog food and treats for a business known as Doggie Delight, however, recently the area has been plagued by a slew of canine disappearances, and Harry can't help but quietly and covertly investigate. Belinda has invested in several local businesses as she understands the importance of village commerce, so when a suspicious dead body is discovered in the New Inn, the watering hole in which she is a stakeholder, she is of course concerned about both the murder and its impact on the pub.

Harry is first on the scene to help investigate given his past career, but when the bodies begin to pile up, it seems someone is playing a very dangerous game of cat and mouse with the villager’s lives and livelihoods. This is billed as a cosy/cozy mystery but it has an edgier side to it that makes it a lot more exciting than many cosies/cozies out there but still avoids graphic descriptions and profanity. The characters are a wonderful bunch who are beautifully developed each with distinct personalities and the setting and Belinda’s castle home are described in lush, richly imagined detail.

It's a captivating and compulsively readable mystery with plenty of tension and intrigue throughout it's pages, but one of my highlights was the atmosphere and how well the author portrayed the often claustrophobic nature of small-town life and the tendency to overestimate how well you know someone who is an inhabitant of the local area. It's a fun, easy and entertaining read simply perfect for a spot of escapism and a break from reality. A promising start to the series. Highly recommended.

4,5* rounded to 5
It's a good start for a new cozy series, i thoroughly enjoyed as it's engrossing and entertaining.
It's a bit darker than the average cozy mystery and the characters are more mature and experienced.
Belinda is a business woman, sometimes harsh and not always likeable and I liked her as she no-nonsense and clever.
Harry, the former detective, is a hurt man, someone who's trying to come to terms with his new life.
I liked how they interacted and I'm curious to read about the development in their relationship.
The mystery is complex, full of twists and turns, and it kept me guessing.
The character development is good and the dogs were lovely.
My only note is that the beginning is quite slow even if it serves as introductions to the characters and the setting.
I look forward to reading the next instalment as I liked this one.
Many thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Murder in the Village (A Belinda Penshurst Mystery Book 1) by Lisa Cutts

📓Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Suspense
Star: 🌟🌟🌟

🔖This is a cozy little murder mystery, set against the backdrop of a picturesque village called Little Challham.
🔖Living in the Challham Castle, Belinda Penshurst, is kind of the Marple of the book, as she joins hand with the retired police officer Harry Powell, and starts investigating the death of a local pub owner.
🔖As is quite common with several cozies – the actual police aren't of much help, and it's upto the duo to find out the killer.
🔖There are some nice moments in this light-hearted tale, but some parts didn't work for me. Certain scenes were added possibly for some added humor, but I personally thought the story could've been better without those bits.
🔖I however liked the way Harry Powell handled his share of the investigation, and I would love to read more stories featuring him in the lead.
🔖Overall, a nice story.

🔸Final Verdict: Good
🔸Book Cover: Sadly, I didn't think it to be eye-catching enough.
🔸Writing Style: Descriptive
🔸Character Development: Good

✨Many thanks to Bookouture (Publisher) and Netgalley for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

#MurderintheVillage #NetGalley #arc #bookreview

A Series Of Bizarre Events…
The first outing in the Belinda Penshurst Mysteries set in the enchanting village of Little Challham where all is peaceful and serene - or is it…? A series of bizarre events begins with the suspicious death of the local pub landlord and soon escalates. It would seem that Belinda is perfectly placed to investigate. With a colourful and eccentric cast of characters and a fun storyline this is enjoyable cosy crime, some ideal escapism and a promising start to a new series.

Loved the synopsis but found this too slow in pace and lengthy. The story was good but too long in delivery

Belinda and Harry make a delightful team in Lisa Cutts' first book of the Belinda Penshurst mysteries!

When murder and dognapping occur in Belinda's quiet town, she goads Harry, an ex-policeman, into helping her figure out exactly what is going on. The two make a very interesting duo with some moments being reminiscent of Abbott and Costello. Belinda's take-charge, get answers attitude juxtaposes Harry's lay back and observe attitude. It's a very fun story to read with these two characters at the helm. I appreciate the view point switching throughout from Belinda to Harry, as well.

A wonderful first installment, and I can't wait to read more!