The Cotswold village of Maybury-In-The-Marsh, England, Summer 1924. Arby Swift - author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghosts, has found himself roped into a session of ghost investigation with his childhood friend Val. Together they are tasked with detecting a family ghost at the residence of Miss Phelps, a wealthy woman in her 60’s whose fortune was amassed through the family's smithy business. However the day after Miss Phelps changes her will, she is discovered poisoned within the confines of her locked bedroom. Arby and Val find themselves instead, thrust into the roles of amateur sleuths and tasked with unravelling the tangled web of motives and secrets that surround the mysterious murder.


Murder by Candlelight is a classic quaint murder mystery with a great blend of suspense, humour, and nostalgia. This is an uncomplicated, cosy tale filled with intrigue and deception. It's the perfect book to unwind with.


The narrator did a great job and their voice compliments the style and tone of the narrative.

3.25 rounded down.

Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin is a delightful journey into the heart of a small village, Maybury-in-the-Marsh, where mystery and intrigue lurk. The story revolves around Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift, a celebrated author known for his work, “The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting”, and his ‘friend’ Val the local vicar’s daughter.
The narrative begins with the mysterious death of Amy Phelps, the lady of the house at the Old Forge. With all the windows and doors to her room locked from inside, the question arises - how and by whom was she killed? Swift, egged on by Val and against his wishes, finds himself in the unlikely position of detective, tasked with solving this conundrum.
Martin’s writing is rich in detail, with subtle humour that adds a layer of enjoyment to the listening experience. The characters are vividly portrayed, each with distinctive traits and personalities that make them feel authentic, if not always easy to connect with. The relationship between Arbie and Val is particularly enjoyable, their banter and camaraderie providing many of the book’s lighter moments.
The mystery is captivating, presenting a host of potential suspects, each harbouring their own reasons for murder. The plot is well crafted, filled with red herrings and misleading clues that keep readers on their toes until the very end. The resolution is gratifying, neatly tying up all loose ends.

However, the book does have its shortcomings. At times, the language felt overly elaborate and unconvincing, as if it was trying too hard to fit the era. The narration, while generally commendable, fell short when it came to Val’s voice, which came across forced and comical.

Despite these minor setbacks, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Murder by Candlelight. It’s a cozy murder mystery that will resonate with fans of the genre, offering a riveting mystery, a charming backdrop, and a memorable ensemble of characters. It kept me engrossed from start to finish and I would rate it 3/5.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I found it incredibly slow going and quite boring. The narrator was good, but I just wasn’t interested in finishing the book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers.

With thanks to the author, publishers HarperCollins UK Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

A complex murder mystery with a supernatural flavour to it, lots of potential suspects throughout, and a satisfying reveal at the end. A worthy addition to the catalog of locked-room murder mysteries!

The characters are wonderfully written, and some of the sarcastic wit employed between them made me laugh out loud a few times, right up to the last scene! The narrator John Hopkins voiced each one really well, which helped to bring the story to life even more.

A really enjoyable work from this author and, like lots of her other works, I hope this one turns into a series, as these are characters I would certainly like to hear more from.

An enjoyable mystery, listened to the audio version on my commute. Kept me engaged throughout. The narrator was a great fit to the characters and story.

It's a story we have all heard before with few twists and many clues. Perfect for a quick familiar read that doesn't need much concentration

Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin is a really fun cozy romp of a book. It’s set in the 1920s in the quiet Cotswold village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh.

Arbie Swift, celebrated author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting, is investigating a spectre in the Old Forge in the quiet Cotswold village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh. Things are not straightforward and the lady of house, Amy Phelps, is murdered. Arbie, together with his friend Val, find themselves playing amateur detective and investigate Amy’s death in what appears to be a locked room murder mystery.

Arbie and Val have a great rapport and really compliment one another. Arbie is the bumbling posh duffer and Val is the down-to-earth no-nonsense vicar’s daughter. The setting of the 1920s is sort of familiar with the Agatha Christie village types. However, there are some incredibly laugh out loud moments, making this such a fun romp of a read.

It was brilliantly narrated by John Hopkins who really brought the book to life with all the different accents and voices.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers, HarperCollins UK Audio, HQ Digital, for making this audio-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

“Murder by Candlelight” by Faith Martin is available now in hardcover and on Kindle and Audible.

A highly enjoyable and well written cozy mystery, with a good dose of “is it or isn’t it” paranormal elements. Arbie and Val are great characters and I can’t wait to see more in this series. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie.

The Cotswolds, 1924. At the Old Forge in the quiet village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh a cry of anguish rings out: lady of the house Amy Phelps has been discovered dead. But with all the windows and doors to her room locked from inside, how – and by whom – was she killed?

Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift finds himself in the unlikely position of detective. The celebrated author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting is staying at the Old Forge to investigate a suspected spectre, but now the more pressing matter of Amy’s murder falls to him too.

#books #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #cozymystery #lockedroommystery #murder #murdermystery #crime #crimethriller #cozymurdermystery #faithmartin

Although I was slightly hesitant at the start of this novel, I'm incredibly glad that I continued reading! It was an intriguing locked room mystery with a twist and interesting characters that are neither perfect nor dull. I was somewhat disappointed by the end, however - not the grand reveal of who the murderer was, but rather at the very final chapter which left many unanswered questions and the future of many characters uncertain. The mystery itself was complicated yet easily explained in the end in a satisfying and realistic way.

Title: Murder By Candlelight
Author: Faith Martin
Pub Date: 4/Jan/2024
Publisher: Harper Collins UK Audio
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Audio/Ebook/hardcopy: Audio
Narrated by: John Hopkins
Percentage read: 100%
Youtube: February Wrap Up, 3/3/2024
The StoryGraph: 15/2/2024
Instagram: 15/2/2024
NetGalley: 15/2/2024

Star rating: 4*

Synopsis: One suspicious death. Two amateur sleuths. And an utterly impossible crime… The Cotswolds, 1924. At the Old Forge in the quiet village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh a cry of anguish rings out: lady of the house Amy Phelps has been discovered dead. But with all the windows and doors to her room locked from inside, how – and by whom – was she killed?
Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift finds himself in the unlikely position of detective. The celebrated author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting is staying at the Old Forge to investigate a suspected specter, but now the more pressing matter of Amy’s murder falls to him too.
With old friend Val, he soon uncovers a sorry tale of altered wills, secret love affairs and tragic losses – and plenty of motives for murder. When events take another sinister turn, Arbie must find the killer, fast. And to do so will mean cracking a most perfectly plotted crime…
Review: I was so excited to listen to this novel. I was super intrigued by the locked room and the tongue in cheek nod to the popularity of supernatural elements in the UK in the 1920’s. Faith Martin (author) and John Hopkins (narrator) did not disappoint with this one! It was such a charming novel with some genuinely funny and sweet moments. It is my first experience with Faith Martin and I am now looking forward to reading more from this author. The plot was well thought out and I did not figure out who the murderer was or even that the murderer was definitely human (wink, wink, nudge,nudge). The moment I realised who the murder was a moment I gasped out loud! Personally, as a reader I am a sucker for characters I can love with my whole heart… Arbie and Val had great interactions and they became real to me… This is my favourite element of this novel. A close second was the description of the environment. It felt very realistic even in the wilder moments it was very believable. Where I would say that it sits very much in the mystery genre there were a couple of scenes that edged into thriller territory which was very enjoyable too!
With reference to the narrator. I felt they did a fantastic job. They’re voice was very well placed for the atmosphere of this novel and although their attempt at female voices was not quite as convincing… it was not a problem. I was not pulled out of the world at all. I will look out for this narrator again as I really enjoy their narration.

I was just in the perfect mood for this. A cozy old fashioned murder mystery set in a quaint Cotswolds village, made for the perfect rainy day listen.

I laughed out loud several times. No mean feat today I can tell you. What begins as a ghost hunt ends up as a madcap murder mystery!

The narrator brought the story firmly to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review

I read and loved this novel as it's highly entertaining and well plotted. The audiobook was even better as the narrator did an excellent job in bringing the characters to life.
Well done!
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Murder by Candlelight is an enjoyable locked room mystery set in the 1920s. It has all the classic tropes of the genre....amateur sleuths, quaint English village, secrets revealed, multiple suspects....I half expected their Aunt Jane to appear!

It does feel like the start to a series, and with a little rounding of the main characters, I think it will be great. Despite Arbies sometimes deliberate bumbling and Vals disapproval, there's a definite chemistry between them.

The narrator of the audiobook is pitch perfect for this type of story. There's a definite touch of Tim Curry in Clue to his voice, which could never be a bad thing.

If you like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, etc, you should love this throwback to a classic mystery genre.

In the sleepy village of Maybury-in-the-Marsh Amy Phelps, the resident of The Old Forge, is convinced she has a ghost. Luckily, celebrated ghost-hunter Arbie Swift, author of The Gentlemen's Guide To Ghost-Hunting, is at hand to help out with a ghost-watch. When Amy Phelps is discovered dead the following morning Arbie investigates, believing it wasn't a ghost who is responsible.

Set in a quaint English village in 1924 Murder By Candlelight by Faith Martin has all the hallmarks of a classic British locked-room mystery. The setting means that everyone knows everybody else's business. A class system still holds power and there are numerous suspects.

Arbie Swift is the central character. He's one of those gentlemen who doesn't really do anything, who accidentally fell into ghost-hunting and, as a result, is now considered an expert. Arbie comes across as a bit of a bumbling character, I thought of the classic Bertie Wooster character early on. Thankfully, Arbie is aided by the vicar's daughter Val in his investigations. Val is much more down-to-earth, logical and intelligent.

A whole host of suspects, each hiding a secret they might kill to protect, means that it is impossible to guess who the murderer is. While the murder mystery is expertly crafted the whole tone of the story is kept light thanks to the musings of Arbie. The whole story worked well as an audiobook, expertly narrated by John Hopkins, who really brought Arbie to life. I felt completely immersed in the murder mystery from beginning to shocking end.

I love a good locked room murder and this was just that, a really good locked room murder mystery.

Although I guessed the who I couldn't work out the why or the how.

A great book for long cozy winter evenings.

This delightful locked room mystery is set in the 1920s in the Cotswolds. The ametuer detective is Arbuthnot “Arbie” Smith along with his helper Val.

Arbie has become famous recently for writing a book called A Gentleman’s Guide to Ghost-Hunting, and is therefore requested to keep watch at a nearby home where unusual things have been happening. When a murder happens while he’s keeping watch, he decides that he must figure out who did it and why.

This book is perfect for Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle fans. My favorite parts were the inner thoughts of Arbie and Val about each other. They’ve always known each other but this situation causes them to see each other in a new light.

I will be checking out the author’s other work and I really hope this becomes a series!

I also loved the narrator’s voice - I had to google him because at first I could have sworn it was Tim Curry.

Special thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the advanced audiobook version in exchange for my honest opinion.

'Murder by Candlelight' is a perfectly pitched harmless piece of 'cosy crime'. It's set in the 1920s, which is always my favourite for crime fiction, and has every element you'd expect. There's a country house completely with a wealthy old lady and various hangers on and distant relatives with an eye on her money. And soon there's a locked room and seemingly impossible crime. Everyone has a plausible motive, but no one seems to have the means.

The story centres on a very likeable pair of amateur sleuths - Arbie Swift, author of a tongue-in-check book about ghost hunting; and Val, his bossy childhood neighbour. Arbie is a reluctant detective - he would far rather keep out of anything that looks like hard work - but is rather better at it than his diffident demeanour suggests. The story starts with him being railroaded into visiting the house at the request of the soon-to-be-victim, who believes she is being haunted. With his supposed expertise in the supernatural, Arbie is roped into doing a 'ghost watch' and becomes unwillingly drawn into the mystery. Val - not one for being left out - tags along.

It really is the gentlest and cosiest of crime, but I really enjoyed it. I did work out the how dunnit (it's not the first book I've read with that solution) but not the who-dunnit until that was revealed. It somehow didn't feel as implausible as most cosy crime, and I felt the characters behaved more naturally than is normal for the genre. There's a bit of humour too.

The narration of the audiobook is well suited to the story, calm and well paced and easy to listen to. The gentle pace and linear structure make it easy to follow in audio format and it would be a great choice for listening to on holiday or while commuting.

If you enjoy the genre, this is a worthwhile book to add to your reading list/listening list. There is no shortage of choice, but this one is worth bumping up the rankings. I wonder if there may be a sequel - if so, I would read it.

MURDER BY CANDLELIGHT is a witty, clever murder mystery that draws on "Golden Age of crime" novels.

The book absolutely nails the upper class dialect of the 1920s, and narrator John Hopkins does the accents pitch perfect too. It immediately situates you in their world with its minor concerns - finding the right husband, being "so poor" you need to sell a painting.

There's a lot of comedy brought out from the problems of the not-so-rich upper class and also Arbie. He has a healthy sense of self-preservation - and is aware of it - which is not quite what is expected of him. He wants an easy life but not to appear a coward in Val's eyes. He is trying to avoid anything that might mean he needs to write another book (given the other was an accident he fell into because of a bet.) Val's opinions of him and his responses to everything are equally amusing.

Arbie and Val are the main narrators, but various suspects and the inspector also have chapters to give a sense of the other goings on of the village, the wheel of gossip, and the various secrets being hid. I liked getting these glimpses and also how it gave the sense of an older novel about village life, a bit of a satire.

I loved the reveal of how it was all done. Arbie all "well I think I solved it, but I'd really like to be wrong and because everyone has such a low expectation of me, I suspect I'm about to be laughed out of the room" made for a very different atmosphere than usual. And also the manner of death! I loved that reveal so much.

I don't know if there are going to be more books with these characters, making it a series, but I would love to spend some more time with Arbie and Val, particularly to see how their relationship develops as at least one is denying how they feel...

Perfect for the fans of Agatha Christie!
A will is changed, a person is dead, cause of death is 'cyanide'. The final question: Who benefits?

The book is great for a light-mood read when you don't want to tax your brain a lot but also need something meaningful. I am glad that the plot was not as straightforward as it appears on the surface and the twists just kept coming one after another. Enticing secrets and the funny reactions of the characters kept me going. The highlight of the book is the character investigating the case - he is a paranormal writer (now that is a novel element to a murder mystery) and actually helps him solve the case too.

Something I see myself rereading over some time and maybe going for a map with the killer board with it too.

Thank you @netgalley @harpercollinsuk @hqstories for the Digital ARC
Genre: #murdermystery #mysterythriller #adult
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

#MurderbyCandlelight #NetGalley

*A big thank-you to Faith Martin, HarperCollins UK Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
A deliciously served mystery, set at the beginning of 1920s, cleverly plotted with two main characters who despite all odds are destinied to find the murderer. I loved the language, witty dialogues and natural interaction with regard to characters. If you are looking for a light read, this book will entertain you, matched with superb narration by John Hopkins. I have a feeling there is another mystery for Arbie Swift just behind the corner.