As a fan of Leigh’s novels about women of a certain age, when I found out she was writing a cozy murder mystery series, also with women of a certain age, I was thrilled. My regular readers know that I really enjoyed the first Morwenna Mutton book, and I’m thrilled that her publisher, Boldwood Books, is so generous with allowing me to read more of Leigh’s books. Now, this book was released yesterday, so my apologies for this being a day late, but it won’t be (as we American say) a dollar short, I’m sure. So, this time Morwenna finds murder even though no one else was even the slightest bit suspicious of the death. I mean, seriously, older men die all the time of heart attacks, especially octogenarians like Daniel Kitto. Thankfully, her skeptical imagination takes hold and although we’re all ready for this close-up, obviously the murderer would prefer Morwenna stay out of the theater altogether!

Usually, I have a bit of a hard time keeping track when there are many people in a story. However, what I like about Leigh’s extensive cast of characters (in this case, both literally and figuratively) is that Leigh really knows how to make them all very distinctive. Obviously, I’ve got the main ones all figured out with this second book, as well as most of the minor ones. That we get a whole new group of people with the travelling theater company was a touch worrying for me. But I shouldn’t have been concerned, because as I already said, Leigh has a knack of making them each their own individuals. She also gives them distinguishing names that help us tell who is who. Granted, I’m not sure I’m pronouncing all of the names correctly (is it mor-WEE-na, mor-WIN-eh, or something else?), but that’s neither here nor there.

In this book we get a bit more about some of the minor characters, like Morwenna’s ex, her mother, and her granddaughter. The latter was terribly fun and she made me smile quite a few times – I remember how insistent young children can be, so that tracked perfectly. I’m also glad that Morwenna now has a partly motorized bicycle, because I was worried those hills might be too much for her. Silly, I know, but when you read a series, you do tend to get emotionally attached to the main characters, that is if it is done right. Mind you, I was hoping I’d get a touch more about Ruen, Morwenna’s ex-husband, but I’m guessing Leigh is holding back with him for future episodes. I did like the budding romance between Morwenna and Barnaby (from the previous book), and I also appreciated how Leigh is treading lightly with this aspect of the story, and letting Morwenna discover for herself what kind of a romantic relationship she wants in her life, if any.

As for the plot, this isn’t the most twisty story I’ve ever read, but there are a couple rabbit holes that Morwenna does go down, and thankfully, one of them proves to be very useful to discovering the murderer. What Leigh does instead, is slowly reveal things about the various characters in order to either cast light or shadow on each of them. You know, sort of like the old peeling away each layer of the onion to get to the center. This also means that some characters that feel very minor to begin with, end up having more importance in solving the murder. Also, kudos to Leigh in her pacing with this novel, including one harrowing car chase that did raise my blood pressure a bit. Mind you, I think the police were a bit too lenient with Morwenna’s nosing in on the investigation, but that is partly explained by the fact that the authorities weren’t even considering Daniel’s death as suspicious until Morwenna began digging about.

So, what’s my bottom line here? Because this book made me smile several times, and I did almost choke up at one point, I think I’ll once again very warmly recommend this second installment. For all this, I think it deserves 4.75 stars out of five (I really should get a graphic for that rating, but until I do… the five star graphic will have to suffice).

Bloodshed On The Boards is an engaging, cosy mystery set in Cornwall with a believable cast of characters and a charming amateur sleuth in Morwenna. Everyone is excited when the travelling theatre comes to town, but not all the drama is fictional. Morwenna is soon investigating a suspicious death, which puts her family in danger. The plot is twisty, the investigation immersive, and this story contains a lovely mix of humour, poignancy and romance. I love the dynamic between Morwenna and her family and friends, the theatrical setting and the gentle romance that contrasts with the intriguing mystery.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

An enjoyable Cornish mystery!

The arrival of a travelling theatre company in Seal Bay causes quite a stir and the locals flock to be entertained, including Morwenna Mutton and her family. When actor Daniel Kitto dies on stage during the opening night, it's widely thought to be a heart attack but Morwenna has her doubts and can't help but try to find out what's going on . . .

I've ready many of Judy Leigh's novels and always enjoyed them but this time round I have to be honest and say that, while I'm not a cat lover I really don't mind them but someone allowing them on the table or eating from their plate really puts me off and definitely impacted my enjoyment of this one. It's a well-planned mystery, nicely written as always but the cat - and his eating habits - really spoiled it for me. 3.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Bloodshed on the Boards by Judy Leigh

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

There is excitement in the air as the travelling theatre arrives in Seal Bay. When The Spriggan Travelling Theatre Company arrives in Seal Bay to perform a Cornish version of King Arthur the locals flock to be entertained. But for Morwenna Mutton, sexagenarian librarian, wild swimming enthusiast and amateur sleuth, the theatre brings intrigue too. Actor and director Daniel Kitto is not the most popular member of the cast and unbeknownst to him, his role of Uther Pendragon on the opening night is to be his swansong.

In front of a horrified audience, he collapses during the dying moments of the performance in a pool of fake blood, and although the police are content that the causes of his death are natural, Morwenna isn’t so sure. And once it becomes clear that there are a number of people who stand to gain from Daniel’s death, Morwenna’s investigation takes a dangerous turn.

My Opinion

Judy Leigh writes some great books, but I have to say that as a character I am loving Morwenna. Morwenna travels everywhere on her bike and makes for such a lovable character. This is a series that I need no encouragement to read. I read the first 50% of this book in one sitting, and then I was so eager to return for the second half of the book.

Judy Leigh writes about older characters, but the books are still thoroughly entertaining. This is the second book in a new cosy mystery series and whilst the book would work as a standalone, I would recommend reading the books in order.

Rating 4/5

Bloodshed on the Boards is a community-led cosy mystery with its very own "Miss Marple" sleuth in Morwenna Mutton. Morwenna likes to tackle mysteries in her own way, by asking questions and following up leads while seeming to be perfectly innocently curious.
Set in Cornwall, with the added attraction of a wild swimming club where members talk "freely" about what's happening in their lives and their village. It's prime puzzle-solving ground for Morwenna in this book as she interacts not only with her friends but also others connected in some way to the travelling theatre group - whose director/owner has just been killed - and the murder itself.
Very much family-oriented, the story thrives on the interactions of Morwenna and her family and friends and their shared activities support the mystery plot well while also adding some fun red herrings to the mix.
It's an entertaining, enjoyable and easy read. A good whodunnit with more than its fair share of humour, community spirit, joie de vivre and good, old-fashioned fun. A series I could happily explore further.

Another wonderful read by Judy Leigh second in the series.A traveling theater an element of mystery great characters enjoyed from beginning to end.#netgalley #boldwoodbooks

As always a Judy Leigh book is a comforting and relaxing read as you join in with all the characters and their friends in their latest adventure!
Bloodshed On The Boards was exactly that, but boy was it a hard task working out who the murderer was in this latest adventure for Morwenna in Seal Bay! This is my first read of this series and I knew I would love it before I started! I need to read any previous ones!
Morwenna is middle aged lady, separated from Ruan, who lives a couple of doors down from her and is still a good friend. She works in a library, and helps her daughter in the family cafe but she also seems to be a very talented sleuth in her spare time!!!
A travelling theatre comes to town, bringing with it an old flame of Morwenna’s mum. Daniel is an actor himself and has invested in this theatre. He’s pulling his funds out and will be settling down in Seal Bay, much to the delight of Lamorna, Morwenna’s mum. But on their first performance, Daniel dies in front of the audience, apparently from a heart attack. Morwenna isn’t convinced, and she will move heaven and earth to find out how, why and by whom!! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt like I was working alongside her!!
Many thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this arc copy for review consideration via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #TheBoldBookClub, #JudyRLeigh.

This was first by this author and I enjoyed this book!

It had a mystery element and the writing worked with the. Characters. With the mystery aspect it was good to try and figure out what was going on in the book!

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review

As a fan of Judy Leigh's Morwenna Mutton Mysteries and having read the previous installment, I eagerly anticipated diving into the next chapter of the Mutton women's sleuthing escapades. Judy Leigh's Bloodshed on the Boards continues to captivate with its quaint Cornwall setting and the endearing quirks of its protagonists.

When the director of a theatre group meets a tragic end on stage, suspicions arise, challenging the notion of his death as a mere heart attack. Morwenna's instincts tell her there's more to the story, especially as threats against her family emerge, pushing her to unravel the truth.

The theatre setting adds a delightful twist to the murder mystery, with Morwenna's six-year-old granddaughter charmingly cast as a mermaid in the play. Amidst the investigation, Morwenna's complex relationship with her ex-husband Ruan adds another layer of intrigue, as they navigate lingering feelings while pursuing new romantic interests.

While the abundance of red herrings and escalating threats kept the tension high, the revelation of the killer's identity felt somewhat abrupt, lacking the seamless integration I had hoped for.

Despite its minor flaws, Bloodshed on the Boards by Judy Leigh remains a delightful read, thanks to Leigh's vivid character portrayals and immersive storytelling. While the mystery may have left me wanting more, the eclectic mix of characters and the charming Cornwall backdrop made for an enjoyable escape into the world of the Mutton women once again.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had everything that I was looking for from this type of book. It had a great mystery element to it and worked with the characters that I was looking for. I enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on with the mystery element. It left me wanting to read more in this series and from the author. Judy Leigh has a great writing style and glad I got to read this.

A traveling theatre? I never would have picked this up, normally, but I’m so glad I gave it a try! Thank you NetGalley.

When a traveling theatre arrives in Seal Bay, locals eagerly attend the performance. But when the theater director dies onstage, Morwenna suspects foul play. With several suspects set to benefit from the actor’s demise, Morwenna embarks on a dangerous investigation.

A modern take on Miss Marple, Morwenna is a fun and quirky character, as are the other Seal Bay denizens. The book has a very small town feel, and Morwenna gets away with things she wouldn’t be able to in a larger village. The plot isn’t strictly believable, but it’s entertaining.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

An enjoyable book. I haven't read the first in the series which was a disadvantage. Although I enjoyed it I did not find the characters or plot memorable. It was the first of three books I read on a two week holiday and when I came to write the review at the end of the holiday, I had to read the synopsis to remind me of the story.

This was an amazing book. I highly recommend it to everyone. Great characters and a great plot. I will be looking for more books by this author. The book is superbly written. Lots of twists, turns and shocking turns of events. Quickly becoming a go to author for me!!!! If you love to read a book and be shocked by the ending then check out this author for sure. You will love this book and this author

This is the second Judy Leigh book featuring Morwenna Mutton and the community in Seal Bay and just as enjoyable as the first one. This time round a theatre company comes to Seal Bay and after director Daniel Kitto unexpectedly dies on stage amateur sleuth Morwenna starts to investigate. She’s not convinced that he wasn’t murdered and soon there are plenty of suspects. Daniel wasn’t very well liked and many people would benefit from his death, but as Morwenna starts to work things out someone starts to threaten her to leave things well alone. This has some fabulous characters and plenty of drama. I love how it’s easy to keep track of how everyone is connected and I could easily visualise the individuality of each character . A great read and I’m so looking forward to reading what Morwenna gets up to next! Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC

This book is the follow up to Foul Play at Seal Bay and involves all the characters from the previous book. Things have settled down some for Morwena. Her daughter and granddaughter have recovered from incidents in the previous book and are making at adding some changes, allowing for more babysitting time for Morwena and her ex-husband. But before they can settle on a schedule, there is the new play in town, a love interest for Morwena's mom, and inevitably, a murder. It's a fun, quick read, and it's great to have an older character that is making changes in her life and taking on new experiences with glee. You may figure out who the murderer is, but the why may have you questioning til the end! Get the series, and you'll be read for Spring break reading!

Bloodshed on the Boards is a cozy mystery by Judy Leigh and it is second in a series featuring amateur sleuth Morwenna Mutton.
I haven't read the first book, and I think that was a disadvantage when reading this one. Events in the first book were frequently alluded to while not directly explained in this book. I thought the mystery in this one was good, plenty of different strands going on and a bit reminiscent of a Miss Marple type tale. I do however feel that Morwenna's electric bike features very heavily to the extent that it's a main character - at times it seems like a sales pitch! The glossary of Cornish phrases at the start was a nice touch. Overall I would recommend this book, but maybe read the series in order for optimum enjoyment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.

A local grandmother gets involved in a murder of a local actor.

I have read only one other of this authors novels, and I found it and this book enjoyable, mostly as is focuses on older characters and how they are still active in society and capable still of many things.

I personally didn’t get overly invested in any of the characters and the freedom of the main character was a bit unrealistic that the police wouldn’t be more involved. What kept me motivated was the mystery itself who did it and why did they do it. There was plenty of red herrings and the storyline was fun to follow —it was entertaining enough to keep me going until the end of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood books for this ARC . This is my honest review.

This was an all-around fun book to read. I enjoyed the fresh storyline and was unable to predict what came next! I think anyone who loves suspense and a quick read will enjoy this book!

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Another fabulous book by Judy Leigh.

We are back in Seal Bay where a theatre company arrives. But the director isn’t liked by some of the members. One night as there’s a performance on stage, the director whilst playing the lead character dies, and he’s not acting. His death leaves lots of suspects.

Morewenna thinks that there’s something that doesn’t add up, and the death didn’t happen by natural causes. So she sets out to investigate and find the culprit. But as she’s trying to find out the truth, she starts to receive threats, but, they’re not from that persons phone. So who is it?

The story has some twists and turns along the way.

I highly recommend this book.