I enjoyed the mystery and it kept me guessing. I also like the settings and the characters. What I didn't like was the MC focus on being short and that she constantly thought about it. I know as someone who is vertically challenged it is not something I would think about every few days. Every time the MC did it took me out of the book. However, it might not bother you and in that case you'll enjoy the story. However, you also need to be aware a number of dogs are killed in this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Beth Haldane just can’t help herself getting into trouble! Beth agrees to act as a receptionist in a law office on the suspicion that all is not legal at this office. It takes a while for the whole mystery to unfold. There is lots of humour in this book and progress is made with Beth and Harry’s relationship.

Previously published as Homicide in Herne Hill, The Murder Plot sees the return of single-mum to ten-year-old Jake, Beth Haldane, a determined and amusing protagonist whose priority is her son. In this tale, it is soon to be Christmastime. Her best friend, Katie is on a skiing holiday with her family and won't return until New Year. Nina, another single mother to her son Wilf, plonks herself next to her at the school nativity play and strikes up a conversation. Nina's employer, a solicitor called Mr Potter, has a dog, Lancelot the Great Dane, and something is amiss at his company. Then Lancelot is found dead in his basket... Beth, drawn to a mystery, can't resist getting involved.

It was a treat to return to Dulwich, South-east London to follow events alongside Beth and Harry York. The writing is funny and expressive and the plot is intriguing will plenty of shenanigans. I loved the inclusion of Nina and I hope she features in the other books.

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

Wow, just wow. Such an amazing book. You will fall in love right away and be glued to the book. It's definitely a must read. Absolutely loved it, looking forward to next one in the series.

Beth Haldane is getting ready for a quiet Christmas with her son Jake and their beloved grumpy cat Magpie. Her best friend is on a skiing holiday so Beth goes to the school Nativity play by herself where she meets fellow single mother Nina who begs her for help. Something fishy is going on with Mr Potter, the solicitor she works for… business is slow, with the accounts empty. Unable to resist a puzzle, Beth agrees to cover Nina’s job as office manager aka general dogs body to get a closer look. Mrs Potter arrives in floods of tears with terrible news for her husband. Their precious pet, Lancelot the Great Dane, has been found dead in his basket. Mrs Potter suspects a poisoning. Beth is shocked anyone would harm a beloved family pet, but it’s not the first dog to be poisoned.
The fourth book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. However I love series & I’m thoroughly enjoying how the characters are developing throughout the series. I love Beth & feel that the reader does get into her head. I also love Beth’s relationship with Harry, which is now moving forward all be it with some hiccups. Once again there's a slow build to the crime & clues are left but I didn’t pick up on them until the denouement when I thought, of course. There's a lovely mix of humour & intrigue. This series just keeps getting better
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

The Murder Plot, the fourth book in the Beth Haldane mystery series, continues the story of Beth Haldane, widow, single mother and amateur sleuth. This is a true cozy mystery with all the things that make you love a cozy mystery but there is more character development and introspection from Beth and less sleuthing in this story. The real mystery doesn’t become apparent until halfway through the book and almost took a back seat to Beth's personal life. Especially appealing in this book is the introduction of a new friend for Beth. One who is not the typical well off SAHM Beth usually encounters at the school yard gates. The writing is gentle and funny and her books cover some thought provoking themes. The series does not need to be read in order but i would recommend reading at least one of the previous books to become familiar with the many characters in Beth's life and village. This is a series to sit back and enjoy.

Part 4 in the Beth Haldane series is called The Murder Plot. I got it from Bookouture via Netgalley and it will be out on 22 August.

Beth is in need of a friend since Katie has gone on holiday and Beth feels quite alone. She happens to befriend Nina who tells her about the suspicions she has about her job. Beth, the sleuth that she is, can't resist and takes up Nina's job to investigate. That's when things turn sideways.

I couldn't really get into this book even though I really liked the previous three books. The character of Nina is not really likeable, in my opinion and she is a major part of the book. Furthermore, the story itself is not that strong. Only after about 3/4 of the book the story actually started and that's really a waste. Hopefully the other 3 books will be better.

2,5/5⭐

Just enough main characters to make it easy…simple enjoyment…yet enough details of the mystery to make it interesting…surprises…red herrings…love and romance…mother and child…I started this series with this book…number four…yet I caught up quickly with the lives of the characters..this is fiction but reads like nonfiction, at times…I liked this book enough to read more in the series…what will happen next? The book was sent to me by Netgalley for review electronically…enjoy

Christmas is coming and the village is covered in snow. Beth should be enjoying the season with her son, but she just knows something is off in the village.

When her friend comes to her for help, Beth agrees. When the wife of Nina’s boss comes into the office distraught over her dog being poisoned, Beth starts to wonder what’s wrong with the boss and his business. He’s not making any money, his wife is spending it though, and he is the only one that doesn’t seem upset about the dog being poisoned. Beth is going to find out what’s going on if it’s the last thing she does…and it may very well be.

I love a good British cozy and this one hits all them arks. Cozy village, cozy mystery, likable and well developed characters. A cuppa and a comfy reading spot and this book just takes me over the pond and lets me enjoy some time in the UK.

A Distressing Case..
The fourth of the Beth Haldane mysteries finds Beth preparing for the festive season. Christmas is just around the corner! However, as everybody knows, Dulwich Village is not the tranquil place it appears to be and something serious is afoot. Beth cannot resist an investigation and she is soon delving deep into what becomes a distressing case. Another delightful murder mystery in the cosy vein with a likeable protagonist in Beth and a well crafted supporting cast. Enjoyable and entertaining. (Note that this was previously published as Homicide in Herne Hill)

A nice enjoyable read, but as this was book four in the series, I felt I was missing something, so I am going to seek out book one to see if it will tempt me into continuing through the complete series.
Only down side was thinking the final plot had been used before in another book I had read.

Slower to start than the original three books, but anyone who has read them are already in love with Beth, her friends, her frenemies and the wonderful sense of place of ‘the village’. Great to see how the budding relationship with Harry is progressing and please can we have more of Nina? Her malapropisms alone make her a worthy addition, but her love of fast food and lack of ‘proper’ parenting lol, make her a total winner of a character. To be honest, I was dreading her being a part of any wrongdoing as I loved her so much. This series is a must read for cosy crime/character driven murders.