An excellent and cosy book to read and one that would make any holiday fun. Love the series and the characters but best of all the writing made me want to read more and I think the author does a wonderful job to keep me enthralled and entertained. Great read and highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

It's Christmas, a time for holiday cheer and celebration. When a set of antique decorations cause a death in the church hall, the only question is who has been naughty. Was Edward Marsh the intended target or will there be more mayhem than merriment. Good read for a cozy holiday evening but not a favorite.

Abby Finch is a delightful protagonist, and I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy. I love having a master gardener as the main character and sleuth! The book had plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing and I love how all the characters are developing in this series. I'll definitely be looking forward to more Abby Finch!

I love this British cozy mystery series! Abby is absolutely one of my favorite characters. The first book was good but this one is even better and we get to know Abby even more. I loved it!!
I just reviewed MURDER UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Liz Fielding. #MURDERUNDERTHEMISTLETOE #NetGalley
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Really enjoyed this book and I think the author is one to watch. Worth recommending to friends. I love a book set around Christmas as it’s my favourite time of year so a win win really

My Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

There were a few things about this novel that I just couldn't get into. Let's start with the fact that this is book number two in a series. Technically, it can be read as a standalone, but the first book is mentioned a lot in terms of how Abby knows the police force, and her husband being murdered. The second part especially left me slightly confused. Not only were we not given even a basic recap as to who killed her husband and why, you would think that having something like that happen, Abby would have known better to run around town trying to track down a killer on her own. I understand she was personally invested in the case based on her fingerprints being found on some chocolates and some other circumstantial evidence, but she should have at the very least kept her police officer friend Dee appraised of what she suspected.

Another issue I had with Abby was the way she treated her boyfriend. While it is obvious that he cares for her (and it is revealed that they have a history together from before she was married), the way that she constantly pushes him away, then gets mad when he takes offense got old quickly. Yes, she had been widowed six months prior to that, but it wasn't as though hers had been a happy marriage considering her husband had left her and fathered a child with another woman. Honestly, if her children could come to terms with their father doing that to them, then they certainly could have come to terms with their mother dating again, especially when they were cool enough with him to ask him to bring presents back for them from Italy.

There was also a long list of characters who, for the most part, blended into one another. Honestly throughout most of the book (even when the killer was revealed) I barely had any idea who one person was over another, and I feel like if they would have narrowed down the list of characters it would have been easier to keep track of who was important to the story and who wasn't.

Now that being said, I did enjoy the author's writing style, so much so that I may go back and give the first book in the series a try. As it stands now, I would read more from this author.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Cozy mystery that was perfect for the holiday season. I was wrapped right up into it promptly and have thoroughly enjoyed this series. The characters are all enjoyable as well. The perfect holiday read.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoy this book, the first I've read in this series. The first victim is so likeable, and then the second victim (the actual intended victim) is so much the opposite. Fielding does a fabulous job of showing us how manipulative and despicable people can be. And also...the opposite. The writing is clear and crisp, and I feel like I know the people in this village, for better or for worse. Can't wait to go back and read book one.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Slow to start book and had a good character build in the majority people but after being 20% in I couldn't finish, might pick back up sooner but was looking for some more mystery or thriller vibes in the beginning to hook me.

I had not read the first book.in.this series when I read #2 - I have now. I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as I would if I'd had previous knowledge of Maybridge, it's residents and the deceased, as they're mentioned a lot.

I did enjoy the stand alone element of the narrative and the characters introduced. The story running in the background always seems quite weighty, and I guess that's what gives the story a bit.more gravitas than some.others of a similar genre.

I really enjoyed it and definitely will read the next in the Maybridge series.

3 stars

The second book in the Maybridge Murder Mystery series has a festive flavour and a murderer on the loose. Abby is adjusting to her new life, but the competing elements of a new business, family, and rekindled romance make her life challenging. When she helps out at the village hall, she meets a serial womaniser and an old teacher, but when tragedy strikes, she finds that discovering the culprit is her most crucial festive focus.
I enjoyed the characters in this story; everyone is believable and multifaceted, giving the story depth and interest. Abby is likeable and relatable, and the strand of romance in this festive, cosy crime novel is lovely. It's an entertaining read.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Helping to decorate the old church hall for Christmas, Abby Finch is excite to hang up mistletoe and holly and deck the halls. Tragedy, however, soon strikes. While hanging Christmas lights, Edward March gets electrocuted and passes away. Suffering from guilt over Edward’s death, Abby decides to look into Edward’s death. She soon discovers though that his death was no accident. As she delves into the mystery and clues, she discovers that Gregory Tatton was the target. A known widow charmer, Gregory turns out to be a blackmailer. Meanwhile, Abby is still reeling from the aftermath of her cheating, now deceased husband, her ex’s daughter, and an old romance is rekindling for her. With a naughty killer Santa on the loose determined to keep their secret a secret, can Abby solve the mystery before it’s too late? Can Abby sort out her personal life and love life?

The plot is well written and full of twists and turns. The characters are intriguing, engaging, and help bring the story to life. The author’s writing style is smooth and navigates the twists and turns with ease. Readers who like cozy mysteries, with a little romance will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.

Please Note: A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. No other compensation was received.

Murder under the Mistletoe is one of those feel good cosy mysteries that are perfect for the winter holiday's.
At first I thought that this would be a stand alone for the Christmas holiday's but it turned out to be the second book in a series. This made the beginning a bit difficult to get through because there are a lot of references to the earlier episode.

The protagonist, Abbey Finch, is a landscape gardener. When she drops of a load of mistletoe and other Christmas greenery at the local church she is witness to what seems like an accident involving a faulty string of festive lights but turns out to be murder. This is the start of an investigation into Edward Marsh's death. As it soon turns out the real intended victim is Gregory Tatton, the universally disliked blackmailer in the village.
Abbey and her friends put all their joined effort in finding the killer. I liked all the secondary characters and the village of Maybridge felt, well, quite cosy despite the murderous inhabitants.

Maybe not quite four starts but heck, it's Christmas and I'm in a good mood, so benefit of the doubt. The extra star is probably because I'm reading this book in the right season.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

First time reading this series. The mystery kept me guessing and I like the characters. I look forward to more.

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

A new author for me and I enjoyed it. Such a fun read for this time of year. This had alot of red herrings and twists. I will certainly read more by this author. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Murder Under the Mistletoe is a wonderful holiday-themed cozy, perfect for reading on a winter's night. We follow Abby, who is a gardener, mother and amateur sleuth as she investigates the deaths of two murders in her town.

This book started a bit slow for me and it had one of the most cliched ways to die for one of the town residents- electricity goes out, you hear a thud and someone screams.
However, it quickly picked up after that and became hard to put down.
Seeing multiple sides of Abby's life beyond just the "amateur sleuth" added to the coziness as we see scenes where she is being a very considerate mother and friend of the town. The Christmas scenes are lovely, but not forced. The use of blackmail by one of the town residents against her is very engaging as I really began to care about the deeper intricacies of the mystery and pulling for Abby to overcome.

I wish that I had read the first book in the series as I may have had more background information into some of the characters mentioned but not fully explained.

Overall, this was one of my favorite holiday reads this year. I'm looking forward to reading more work by Ms. Fielding.

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

I liked the first instalment in this series but this one is better: solid mystery that kept me guessing and well rounded characters.
The fast paced plot kept me hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

When I was approved for Murder Under the Mistletoe I found a copy of the first book in the series (Murder Among the Roses) and read that first. I am glad I did for two reasons.

First, when reading Murder Under the Mistletoe, there is no recap of book #1. I was fine with that and think you could read this book as a standalone. There are things you may wonder about (how did these characters meet? What happened to Howard? How do Jake and Abby know each other? etc.), but I don't feel it affects the enjoyment of this book (although, if you can read book #1 first, that's the way to go).

Second, having read book #1 I appreciated the improvement in book #2. This is more tightly written, the story line is more linear and clearer to follow. I enjoyed reading this book more than book # 1 and now am invested in the story and characters. I look forward to reading book #3.

The second in this series finds Abby investigating the death of a known blackmailer.

I’m enjoying this series a lot! I feel like it has good progression of clues and sleuthing plus just enough of Abby’s personal life. I’m excited to see where this series goes next!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Murder Under the Mistletoe by Liz Fielding, the second instalment in the Maybridge Murder Mystery series, busy mum and savvy amateur detective Abby Finch finds herself entangled in a Christmassy crime when a man is killed via electrocution, seemingly an unintended target of a plot to kill a blackmailer. Abby’s expertise in gardening becomes a crucial element of the story and, as she investigates, plenty of intriguing twists and red herrings are uncovered. Fielding blends family dynamics, a budding romance and a quaint village setting, capturing the essence of the Christmas season. Murder Under the Mistletoe is a fun-filled and well-crafted cosy mystery that combines holiday cheer with a compelling whodunnit.