Something Nefarious…
Nicely written, nicely plotted mystery in traditional vein and the follow up to ‘Murder at Church Lodge’ as, our protagonist and amateur sleuth, Maisie is pulled into another baffling situation. It is clear that something nefarious is afoot in the usually tranquil village of Bunting - but what? As Maisie investigates, secrets will come crawling out of the woodwork. Engaging and entertaining with a deftly drawn cast of characters and a, perhaps, rather surprising denouement.

I love Maisie and love these stories that mixes classic whodunit with cozy mystery elements. The mood is a bit darker than the standard cozy mystery but it's a well plotted and solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I thoroughly enjoyed it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Decent cozy mystery

Maisie Cooper has to stay back in Sussex to attend the trial of her brother’s murder. Solving the case seems to have made her popular. Maisie gets an offer to investigate the unsettling events in and around Bunting Manor. Turns out the place is owned by Mrs. Pascal, none other than Aunt Phyllis, the estranged aunt Maisie knew as a child.
It seems that someone has a grudge against Aunt Phyllis and is out to kill her. However, Maisie learns there are a lot more secrets being kept from her, and the only way to get to the bottom of the truth might be to keep asking questions. With help from Sergeant (and childhood friend) Jack Wingard, Maisie needs to find the culprit before there are more dead bodies.
The story comes in the third-person POV of different characters.

My Thoughts:
Though second in the series, the book works well as a standalone. I’m glad to report that it mentions the date right at the beginning. It’s provided in the prologue and the first chapter, making it easy to understand the setting and track the case.
The book pretty much takes off where the previous one ended. Maisie is getting ready to attend the trial and wondering about her job, housing, and earnings (or the lack of it).
The pacing is slow, similar to the previous one, and Maisie spends a lot of time trying to get people to talk and share something useful.
There are distinct characters like Aunt Phyllis, Zoe (16yo orphan), Archie, etc., However, the dialogue between characters is a bit strange. I understand this is done to highlight their eccentricities. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. They stand out only in a couple of instances. The rest of the time, the characters seem as if they are on a stage.
One secret is stretched a bit too much. I can see why, but it is easy to figure out the secret. Though I can see why, the reveal somehow doesn’t deliver.
The mystery is decent. Easy to guess, but not right away. There are no last-minute twists. Even with some information being withheld (common in mysteries), there is enough to connect the dots and arrive at a conclusion. The rest is supplied by the characters later on.
Maisie and Jack’s friendship is okay, but I’m not convinced by how much she thinks about him in this book. That connection just isn’t there yet. The chemistry feels forced despite it being a super slow burn.

To summarize, Murder at Bunting Manor is a good continuation of the first book and has its merits. It makes a decent cozy mystery. However, I am unable to connect with the characters and enjoy the book as I should. My journey with the series ends here.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
*****

These books are so easy to read and the 1970’s vibe in a small rural village is just perfect and you’ll never guess whodunnit.

This story/mystery starts just one week after the events of the previous book and Maisie is feeling very raw and emotional and to top

It all off she has to leave Church Lodge which was her brother’s home.

If it wasn’t for the court cases she’d be back in Paris in her little apartment but could she leave her budding romance with Jack?.

This mystery had so many red herrings that at some points I had no clue at all who the culprit was, I also enjoyed Maisie reconnecting with her Aunt as she thought she had no family left.

Jacks Grandma is sweet and a little feisty, I enjoyed reading about her and Jack of course plus his relationship with Maisie.

This story is the perfect cozy mystery with a whole host of entertaining characters to get you through the cold evenings.

Only weeks after solving her brother's murder, Maisie finds herself pulled into another investigation in the nearby village of Bunting to help her aunt find a killer.

This was the perfect follow-up to Murder at Church Lodge.

I enjoyed that this book closely follows the events of the first in the series because you get a real sense of how Maisie is feeling about everything that has already happened. At the same time it was refreshing to see a different setting and meet some new characters.

I loved the way that I was pulled into the mystery of the plot. I found myself constantly looking for potential clues which made it feel like a real puzzle to get stuck into. I had a lot of fun reading this book.

I already can't wait to see what happens next in the Maisie Cooper series.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Something is afoot in the little village of Bunting and someone is trying to kill the lady of the manor. Luckily, amateur sleuth Maisie Cooper is on the case. Having recently brought her brother's killers to justice, Maisie's ready to go back to her glamorous life in Paris. When Maisie receives a letter asking for her help in the little village of Bunting from the lady of the manor, she is curious enough to accept. She is then shocked to discover that the very woman requesting her assistance is her estranged Aunt Phyllis, who believes that someone is out to kill her.
The second outing for Maisie & it’s easily read on its own. A well written, well paced book with strong characters. I really like Maisie & loved the dynamics between characters especially Maisie & Phyllis’. There are twists, turns & red herrings & I was kept guessing as to who the villain was until the end. I look forward to more in the series as I feel I’m only just getting to know Maisie
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is a bit of a strange one as the lady asking for help is really Maisie's Aunt who she hasn't seen in many years and had no idea lived so close which seemed a bit strange and distracted me. The murder mystery itself was interesting and kept my interest but the strange relationships were a distraction. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Just when Maisie Cooper thought she had murder out of her system after catching her brother's killers, and was going back to her life in Paris, she gets a letter asking for help from the lady of the manor of the village of Bunting - who turns out to be her estranged Aunt Phyllis.

Is Aunt Phyllis just mad, or is someone really trying to kill her?

Maisie isn't heading back to Paris just yet...

With Maisie (her name comes from the Greek meaning 'pearl') being perceptive as she is, I tried paying attention to details of this book hoping to be an amateur sleuth myself. So with her having a cold, I expected it to be essential to discovering a clue... well, it wasn't which made me laugh about myself :)

Interesting dynamics between Zoe, Maisie and her Auntie Phyllis. We'll see what happens next in the third part of this series...

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.