Poignant and twisty cosy whodunnit, drawing on the author's personal experiences of his elderly father suffering from dementia and being inundated by scammers, together with his admiration for the motivation, organisation, resourcefulness and capability of teachers following his 35 years as a Deputy Headteacher.

Meeting for their weekly coffee, three retired primary school teachers happen to meet a former colleague. Before long she is found dead and the three unlikely heroines bring together their invaluable experience from the playground, classroom and staffroom to get to the bottom of what is going on.

A great debut with brilliant narration by Julie Hesmondhalgh

An entertaining book. It followed an interesting crime and I'd recommend it to readers that love this sort of genre.

I was looking forward to this ‘cosy crime’ novel, especially as it’s narrated by Julie Hesmondhalgh. Unfortunately it fell short of my expectations. I liked the setting, the main characters and their subplots; however I felt the identity of the murderer was fairly obvious from the outset. I also thought it was slow to get moving and I felt the three main characters were a bit too similar to be distinctive - different voices for these in the narration might have helped. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of this audiobook.

After the super-interesting <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3535203350?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">The Thursday Murder Club</a> whetted my appetite for senior sleuths, I was constantly on the lookout for such stories. With their wit and wisdom, these seniors do things even I couldn't dream of, often reminding me of my beloved Miss Marple.

Then I came across this book and was instantly hooked! It ticked all the correct boxes even though it was a tad (okay, a lot) longer than my usual audiobooks.

The story follows Thelma, Liz, and Pat, three retired teachers who meet every week at the Thirsk Garden Cafe. On one such Thursday, they meet an old colleague of theirs, Topsy Joy with her daughter, Kelly Anne.

Over coffee and cakes, they discover that Topsy is showing signs of dementia. Some things she says do not sit right with them. They also realize that Kelly Anne is her sole caretaker now and she is having a difficult time.

Just as they make up their minds to visit Topsy more often, the news of her death hits them. But was it a natural death? The police certainly seem to think so. Then why does the trio feel so uneasy?

The book had touches of humour in all the right places. Pat would wonder whether her son is having an affair with the Celtic poet right in the middle of cooking dinner and worrying about Topsy. It was all very natural.

The audiobook was excellent. It took me some time to get used to the accent but once I did, it was all breezy.

The book has a lot of characters and subplots and false clues, but the author has tied them all up in the end. I felt the book was a bit too long, but the ending was worth it.

The interview with the author at the end is wonderful as well (I love these little snippets into their lives - not that I am a stalker or anything. Just saying).

4 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley, J.M. Hall, and HarperCollins UK Audio for the audio ARC.

Following in the footsteps of The Thursday Murder Club, this was a fun mystery with a colourful cast of characters!

Liz, Thelma and Pat, a trio of retired schoolteachers, become amateur sleuths when their old friend and colleague Topsy is found dead. Although it looks innocent at first, there’s soon talk of her taking the wrong pills - and even with Alzheimer’s that’s not the Topsy they know. Soon the women find themselves investigating far more than just her death…

I listened to most of this on audiobook, and it’s probably what I’d call an easy listen or read! Whilst the crimes are plentiful and there are some unexpected twists and turns, I did find the big reveal fairly predictable - but I enjoyed the way all the evidence was laid out and all the pieces slotted together!

The characters were the best part of the novel for me - each of the women is going through their own thing outside of the investigating they’re doing, from parenting to grand-parenting (might be making up words now!), and the reality of not having children in later years. They all have very different personalities and it made for an interesting mix!

Whilst this was an enjoyable read, it lacked a little of the lightness and humour of The Thursday Murder Club for me, which is what makes it so special. Still an intriguing mystery though!

A Spoonful Of Murder is an engrossing mystery, which in most respects fits the "cosy" genre, but also raises some very pertinent social issues around how elderly people, particularly those suffering with some form of dementia, can be manipulated and abused by those around them.

The audiobook narration by Julie Hesmondhalgh is absolutely wonderful, with her characteristically northern delivery. It also includes an illuminating recorded interview between Hesmondhalgh and author J.M. Hall at the conclusion of the book.

Retired Yorkshire school teachers Liz, Pat and Thelma meet up every Thursday morning for "coffee o'clock" at at the Thirsk Garden Centre Café. During one such meeting, they bump into their former colleague, the once-redoubtable Topsy, accompanied by her daughter KellyAnne. It quickly becomes clear that Topsy is no longer the woman she once was - she's fast deteriorating with a dementia-type illness. Attempting to make conversation with Topsy when KerryAnne leaves her with them, they all feel sad to see her in this bewildered state. However, things take an alarming turn when Topsy confides in Thelma about people coming to her house, "financial misnomers" and that someone had said "It'd be better all round if she was dead." when he thought Topsy was sleeping.

The women resolve to keep an eye on their old friend, but within a fortnight Topsy is in fact dead, apparently having "mucked up" her medication while KellyAnne was away on a mini-break in Portugal.

In light of Topsy's comments to Thelma, the three friends aren't satisfied that Topsy's death was the simple accident it appears, and begin a surreptitious investigation of their own into the events leading up to what has occurred. They uncover a rather shocking trail of elder abuse - worst of all that Topsy had been conned out of her life savings by somebody masquerading as a bank employee. She'd also been targeted by a dodgy local builder, who'd convinced her that her late husband had arranged the expensive and unnecessary work he's done (or half-done) around her home. KellyAnne also shows them the evidence of an insidious campaign of targeted catalogues and "special offers" received by Topsy over recent months, apparently designed to draw in the vulnerable to unnecessary financial outlay. And what of KerryAnne herself? Why would she take off to Portugal at a moment's notice without arranging anyone to look out for her ailing mother? And who are the pushy real estate agent and her rather dishy young assistant, who always seem to be hanging around Topsy's home?

The course of the women's investigatory efforts is interwoven with the narrative of each of their own home lives and the goings-on around the town of Thirsk. All three are engaging characters, and I especially loved Pat's no-nonsense approach to life and humorous self-deprecating asides. As the daughter of a teacher, I found that their interactions and preoccupations evoked a sense of nostalgia for listening to my mother and her colleagues-friends chatter during quilting nights.

While on the whole A Spoonful Of Murder is a light and entertaining read, the issues around financial abuse of the elderly are very real and disturbing. From an interview with the author that was placed at the conclusion of the audiobook edition, it transpires that J.M. Hall had to confront many similar issues during his own father's battle with dementia. He's drawn on those experiences to create a very engaging but cautionary tale for those entering their so-called "golden years" and the friends and family members who care for them.

I loved the sense of setting in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, and the very distinctive usage and vernacular in the character's dialogue. The Thirsk Garden Centre and Coffee Shop is a real place, to which J.M. Hall pays homage in his acknowledgements.

A Spoonful Of Murder is J.M. Hall's first novel, and is obviously based substantially around his own experiences. I'm pleased to see that a second novel (A Pen Dipped in Poison) is scheduled for release in early 2023 - I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

I'd enthusiastically recommend A Spoonful Of Murder to any lover of traditional-style character-based mysteries. Having enjoyed listening to an advance e-copy of the audiobook, I'll be purchasing a physical copy for my own collection and to share with friends.

My thanks to the author (Jonathan) J.M. Hall, narrator Julie Hesmondhalgh, publisher Avon Books and NetGalleyUK for the opportunity to read and review this charming and enthralling story.

A Spoonful of Murder is a perfect book for me. Not only am I a retired educator who meets with colleagues regularly over coffee or a meal, but I am a huge cozy mystery fan. As the story starts, we meet Liz, Pat and Thelma, retired teachers and former colleagues of St. Barnabus’s Primary School. They meet up each week to gossip and catch up with each other. One week they bump into Topsy, another ex-colleague, and her daughter Kelly Anne. Topsy is in the early stages of dementia and KellyAnne is her caregiver. While the friends chat with Topsy, they sense that there is something not quite right, especially when Topsy shares some disturbing facts. Within a short period of time, KellyAnne shares that her mother has been the victim of financial fraud and has lost all her life savings. When Topsy is found dead in her home the following week Liz, Pat and Thelma suspect that there might be more to her death than meets the eye. Even though her death is ruled accidental, the ladies are sure there is more going on and they nose around and ask questions. Does the fraud have anything to do with the death or possible murder?

I enjoyed meeting these three ladies. They had a great friendship, yet were very different from one another. I liked how they complemented each other and worked together to figure out what happened to Topsy and with the fraud. Of course, being retired teachers, they knew a lot of people and were observant as well as good at solving puzzles. There was also lots of humor, tongue in cheek and some sarcasm that kept me chuckling. I thought I had a few things figured out, but with so many possible suspects and clues that led me down various paths, I was only partially correct. While the mystery and the ladies antics were somewhat humorous, there are some serious issues dealt with in this story. Issues that elders will deal with such as, treatment of frail persons, possibility of dementia and the issues surrounding care, the vulnerability of older persons to be taken advantage of by scammers (not just bank fraud, but charging for jobs not needed or not completed), banks who don't want to help and those who have no children to help them. Overall, this was a fun cozy mystery with some serious thing to think about after you close the cover. I listened to this book and must say that I really enjoyed the narration by Julie Hesmondhalgh. She gave the characters great voice, emotion and expression. I felt like the ladies were telling me this story while sitting at the local coffee shop. I definitely recommend this story.

This was a very enjoyable, sometimes sad and sometimes funny book, whose plot and characters put me in mind of Richard Osman's "Thursday Murder Club" series. The three main protagonists, Liz, Thelma and Pat, are retired ladies who are kept busy with their respective lives after work, and seem to have a penchant for the mysterious.

When Topsy, one of their friends from many years previous, dies unexpectedly but in apparently unsuspicious circumstances, they struggle to agree with the explanation put forward by Topsy's daughter and accepted by the police. Instead, they use all their skills and the resources at their disposal to dig deeper, each while dealing with issues in their own lives.

I enjoyed how the author was able to deal very respectfully in the story with issues such as death and dementia, but still manages to balance coverage of these heavy topics with frequently funny references or situations involving the three ladies, which released the tension at times and provided a nice balance to the story. The focus of the investigation constantly shifted as the plot unfolded too, which kept me guessing until the end as to who the culprit would be.

The narrator, Julia Hesmondhalgh, was an excellent choice and did a great job telling the story from the points of view of the different characters. Her interview with the author after the story had concluded was also a nice touch, and helped shed some light on where the idea for the story came from, and how the author's own background heavily influenced his development of the main characters.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and will definitely lookout for the second installment, which the author has indicated is in the works.

With thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Audio Avon for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘A Spoonful of Murder’ by J.M. Hall, in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Audio Avon for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘A Spoonful of Murder’ by J.M. Hall in exchange for an honest review. The audiobook is narrated by Julie Hesmondhalgh.

This was a fun cosy mystery in which three retired school teachers become involved in a case of possible murder.

Liz, Thelma and Pat meet up every Thursday for their ‘coffee o’clock’ sessions at the Thirsk Garden Centre café. One week as they are in the midst of catching up, they bump into their ex-colleague, Topsy. They are concerned as Topsy appears to be vague and forgetful.

They learn from Topsy’s daughter that recently she had been cruelty defrauded of her life savings by a telephone scammer. By the next Thursday Topsy is dead after apparently muddling up her pills. Yet something doesn’t feel right to her friends prompting them to do some sleuthing of their own. No further details to avoid spoilers.

Recently there has been an upsurge in cosy mysteries featuring more mature amateur detectives, a modern take on Miss Marple. Certainly as an older reader, I appreciate this trend. In between seeking answers we learn more about the friends’ lives.

With respect to the audiobook Julie Hesmondhalgh is a well-known tv actor and I thought her an excellent choice to narrate this cosy.

The audiobook contains a bonus interview with the author which provides background on the novel, including that his own vulnerable father had been defrauded in a similar fashion to Topsy. So, he is writing from experience. Hopefully this tale will alert readers to this very real danger.

Also, Hall’s background as a primary school deputy head gave him inspiration in creating his main characters and his love for the works of Agatha Christie informed his approach to writing this intriguing mystery.

Overall, I felt that this was a great debut and very pleased to see that Liz, Thelma and Pat will be returning later this year with ‘A Pen Dipped in Poison’. I definitely will be ordering it.

I was first drawn to this cosy mystery, reminiscent of Richard Osman's books by the delightful cover. While it took me a little while to get into it, it was an entertaining read, given its slow pace.

The plot is good and follows three main protagonists, Liz, Thelma, and Pat. Set in Thirsk, Yorkshire, some "ordinary evil" lurks beneath the unassuming façade of their charming little village. We follow these retired teachers while they investigate the demise of a former colleague, Topsy Joy. The friendship of the three is based on a shared history beginning in the staff room at work and extending to support and warm, cosy companionship over a weekly pot of tea in a local coffee shop.

The plot dies have heavier undertones around dementia, death, parenting, ageing, friendships, elder care, and childlessness. These issues are handled sensitively, and J.M. Hall highlights the struggle of older people. However, this is not a sad, depressing read but instead covered in the bright warm cardigans, warm conversation, and secrets.

Thelma is childless and married to college professor Teddy. She is the unofficial leader of the group and more scrutinising than her friends; she sees the writing between the lines and is more curious. Thelma can always "find the exact words the other two are fumbling for" and leads their investigation with a more critical view.

Pat is delightful. She is married to Rod, a builder, and worries about her teenage son, Liam and what might be bothering him perhaps more than most would. Bright and attractive, highly critical of "the internet", which she thinks can be seen to "sap the soul". She may be my favourite character; she is so warm and caring.

Liz is the anxious grandmother of Jacob and is the heart and soul of the group. She is kind and caring, always on hand with tissues and gentle conversation to soothe the soul. Jacob sounds like he is autistic with his need for fairness, routine, and special interests. His teacher sounds awful and, though hidden, uncaring, and unconcerned aside from noting his "naughtiness".

Kelly-Anne, Topsy's daughter, was not my most liked character. I really didn't like her much at all. she comes across as naive and set on believing "what the police said"

I adored the three main characters; they are older, strong females. All relatable, nosy, and motherly figures as you would expect from retired teachers. However, on occasion, I found it challenging to recall which one of them was speaking or whose perspective was being shared.

After many red herrings, the ending is a little chaotic. I had expected this result from the beginning, partly due to the many mysteries and thrillers I read.

This has a fun writing style which worked brilliantly on the audio version, being read by a female with a Yorkshire accent. I really enjoyed listening while driving or doing chores around the house.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for a free advanced copy. I was not obliged to leave a review, which is entirely my own.

A wonderfully, cosy murder-mystery. That basks in the everyday and the domestic lives of a small close-knit community. There's humour and a cast of down-to-earth characters who are extremely likeable and relatable. It's UK centric and I loved the references to popular culture. Obviously, a murder takes place so there's sadness as well. Sorrow runs throughout the book, as the three retired schoolteachers unexpectedly find themselves investigating the death of their friend. The sub-plots are smashing and the narration is A++. Julie's northern accent worked splendidly for this title. Her narration was so intimate that I felt like I was sitting opposite, her voice and treatment of the characters gave them more heart and added to the realistic nature of this mystery. I loved every minute and didn't want it to end.

Description 🔖

Three retired school teachers; Pat, Liz and Thelma meet every week at the cafe of their local garden centre for a cuppa and a catch up. At one such meeting, they happen to bump into an old colleague of their’s called Topsy. By the following week, Topsy is dead.

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.

General Thoughts 🤔

Firstly, I wish I could be a real grown up and enjoy a cup of tea. I feel like a cup of tea is necessary in order to complete the cosiness of this book. This was definitely a great book to get lost in and block out the rest of the world. It was full of twists and turns with red herrings at every corner, however the story wasn’t too difficult to follow.

I loved the warming parts of this story. Not only did it keep me on my toes with the mystery, but it gave me all of the feels and warmed my heart. These ladies had their own lives, some of them with more drama than others, yet they all put that on hold to a certain extent in order to find out what had truly happened to their friend.

Characters 👫👭👬

I think that good characters are an absolute must for a successful cosy mystery and this book didn’t disappoint. Pat, Liz and Thelma are a group of brilliant personalities and they all bring something different to the table.

If I was forced to choose, I think I’d have to pick Liz as my favourite. I loved that her inner monologue was one of little confidence, yet she continued to throw herself into uncomfortable and unfamiliar situations. I think I’m probably most like Thelma as I feel like I could see myself doing some of the things that she did and feeling the same way as her about them.

Writing Style ✍️

J.M. Hall has found himself on my authors that I’ll continue to read list. There was so much packed into this book without it feeling overwhelming and complicated. I listened to an interview with him about his inspiration for the book and it makes complete sense in hindsight. He captured the emotion and impacts of fraud on the elderly so well and it certainly made me think about how it would make me feel if it happened to a friend or relative of mine.

The book was paced really well and certainly kept me glued to the pages so I could find out what happened next. It was told from multiple POVs (my favourite) but there were some moments I got confused about which character I was reading. One thing I particularly loved though was the fantastically named chapters. Every one made me giggle because it was kind of like hearing my Nan’s answer if I asked her what happened in her day.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

As I mentioned above, I was really looking forward to reading A Spoonful of Murder and it definitely lived up to the hype I had created for it in my mind. It was thrilling and full of mystery whilst at the same time, funny and very heart warming. The characters were brilliant to journey with and I would love to see more of them from this great author. You should definitely get this book, a cup of tea and some biscuits and get lost in this cosy mystery.

'Cosy' murder mysteries are in fashion at the moment and this fits that box perfectly - but it's actually less cuddly then the title might imply. As the characters themselves comment, it is 'ordinary evil' - the sort of awful things that very average people will do if the circumstances are right.

Three retired primary school teachers bump into a former colleague when enjoying a coffee and catch up at a local garden centre. They are shocked to find their colleague, Topsy, is now afflicted by dementia and far from the bossy, forthright woman they'd worked with for many years. More worryingly, Tospy seems convinced someone wants to kill her, and her daughter is clearly struggling to cope with her caring duties. Within weeks of their chance meeting, Topsy has been found dead. Surely just a tragic accident involving a confused elderly lady taking the wrong pills - but the friends are not convinced and become drawn into a mystery that highlights the ways in which vulnerable elderly people and their relatives are preyed upon on scammers and fraudsters. But did someone actually go as far as murder?

It's a really intriguing tale with plenty of twists and turns and no obvious solutions - I can't honestly say I knew for sure who the culprit would be, or even if there was a culprit, before it was revealed, which is fairly unusual. The characters are likeable and very ordinary - I think it's the most plausible 'ordinary people as sleuths' story I've ever read. There's a bit of coincidence, but not much. And Hall cleverly peppers his story with the many mundane aspects of their daily lives which keeps things grounded. Hall - a teacher himself - clearly knows the teaching profession inside out and it is in many ways a love letter to the profession. Current and ex teachers will love it - particularly as it's a job that is not always given the respect it deserves.

It's a story that is told with lots of affection and plenty of humour - I often laughed at a description or an aside - but the underlying 'ordinary evil' is not minimised either. The author reveals in an interview at the end of the book that his own father, a dementia sufferer, was the victim of a scam. The anger he feels at people who pray on the elderly in this way, and the terrible damage that it does, is clear.

The audible narrator is a female with a Yorkshire accent - as you'd hope for a book with female protagonists set in Yorkshire. Her voice is just right, comfortable to listen to, a bit wry. She reads with good expression, and clear diction. I found the story easy to follow as an audiobook and didn't get lost or lose attention (sometimes problems I found with audiobooks). That is testament to the good quality of the story and the engaging narration.

Overall I am very impressed by this novel and how it manages to be entertaining, thought provoking, highly compelling, and to tackle difficult subjects that affect everyone. I hope he writes another book - maybe not a sequel (much as I'd love to meet these characters again, ordinary folks getting involved in more than one murder mystery is never very plausible), but a different book. A definite recommendation to everyone who enjoys a crime/mystery novel but also those who have broader tastes.

Three ladies of a certain age, meeting at a garden centre for their usually coffee and cake run into an old friend unexpectedly. Topsy, out with her daughter Kelly-Ann is confused. But just how confused? Confused enough to mix up her tablets causing her death a mere week later? Or is something more foul afoot.

This is a readable and enjoyable mystery. It will be particularly enjoyed by Primary school teachers (of the current or retired variety) as the protagonists frequently recall their experiences in the school they all worked in.

This one gave me real Thursday Murder Club mixed with Murder at the Book Club vibes!

I enjoyed the story and the way this one was written, particularly the short, snappy summary at the start of each chapter. However, I got confused with all the characters and I just sadly hated the way this book was narrated. Some of the accents just sounded really “put on” and it got a bit annoying. I think I would like this book more if I had read a physical copy.

A Spoonful of Murder is a gentle mystery filled with great characters.
I loved that the three amateur detectives were retired school teachers. They sounded so real to life and I laughed at some of their musings as I could recognise and relate to it all.
This book raises a lot of unsettling questions about how vulnerable the elderly are in society and how they are some of the easiest targets for criminals to take advantage of.
The book seemed quite long to read as it was slow-moving. It lost my hold halfway through. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but the pace does pick up towards the end and I found myself really enjoying it.
The narrator did a great job with all the characters and I found the narration very pleasant.

A classic cosy Murder mystery read very well by Julie Hesmondhalgh, although this was ok I felt it was lacking something and at times felt a little disjointed., there was nothing new about the premise but it is a ideal quick read

This book was just what I needed to listen to. Set in Yorkshire and narrated perfectly by Julie Hesmondhalgh, it is witty despite being based on an absolutely awful incident involving the authors father. The humour of the main 3 characters brings the story to life as they negotiate their retirement years with a sense of refusal to decline, to be sidelined or to be patronised. The death of a friend who was suffering from dementia alerts the sharp mind of one of our Miss Marple's, when a few too many off-chance remarks about the deceased begin to knaw at her conscience. The entire book is a delight but also a timely warning to those with vulnerable relatives to whom some people will exploit.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for accepting me for this audiobook arc

i really enjoyed this and started to play it at any given moment that I could, it reminded me of The Thursday Murder Club and because i really enjoyed that i felt i was able to get into the rhythm of this book easily. the narrative was easy to follow.

This wonderful audio book was recommended by an ex teaching colleague of mine who I meet regularly for lunch along with another retired teacher! There are so many parts of the story that made me smile remembering similar incidents and past colleagues.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, carrying my iPad around so I could continue to listen to the story. So pleased I listened to this murder mystery, without blood and guts but with many mini stories that come together quite subtly.

It’s an easy read/listen. The narration was perfectly matched to the story.