This is the second book in a series, but I was able to jump into the story without much of a hiccup. Our main character, Alice, owns an antique shop in the Cotswold and is establishing herself in the village when her ex-boyfriend calls from his worldwide motorbike trip. He wants Alice to liquidate his chess set collection so he can have some additional money.

As a reader, you don't need to know the intricacies of chess to follow the story (thankfully!) but I enjoyed the artistic description of the fancier chess sets. As the story progresses, there is a murder (hence the title) at the Village Chess Club and Alice sets out to see if she can solve the crime.

This is a fairly tight mystery and the story is fun to follow. Although it is a cozy mystery, the denouement is full of action. The characters are fun but I will note that some of the conversations aren't too realistic because the author has decided to let explanations for antique chess sets or locale information be shared in conversation. I find this type of artistic choice in other cozy mysteries, so while it isn't my favorite, it is fairly normal.

Brilliant - absolutely loved it. Loved the setting and the characters and the plot - recommend to everyone! Will read anything else the author writes!

A really lovely cosy crime books that keeps your interest throughout and keeps you turning the pages. The main character Alice as an amateur sleuth plays the part really well and is a really likeable character. The village setting and the general plot is great for lovers of Agatha Christie and M.C.Beaton .
Would definitely recommend and will be reading others on the series

A quick and light read, perfect for Agatha Raisin fans (hi, it’s me). I love a good mystery set in the Cotswolds and this one made me jealous of small village life (minus the murder). I really enjoyed getting to know the cast of characters and enjoyed it despite not reading book #1. What I appreciated most of all was the straightforward simplicity of the story, no red herrings here.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book! Pub date: March 3, 2025.

Not knowing how to play chess I was intrigued to read this book. Alice is asked by her ex to sell off his collection of chess sets as he needs the cash.
Having moved to a small, quiet Cotswold village where everyone knows each other and their secrets, almost before they know themselves, Alice sets out to revive the small shop that sells 'collectables'. Donating several chess sets to the local school and selling the rest it soon becomes clear that one in particular is causing problems as several of the pieces go missing and a man is murdered. With the help of the police and family and friends can Alice find out why. An easy read highlights village life and characters, not is all as it seems.

This is a really enjoyable cosy murder mystery. It depicts village life perfectly, with the 2 shops, school, church and pub. Although this is the second in a series, (I’m so happy to know there’s another book on the way!), it could also be read as a stand-alone. I strongly recommend this to any reader who loves a cosy mystery.

This book falls into the category of what some might call a 'cosy mystery '. Alice lives in the Cotswold village of Little Pride and runs a curiosity shop, selling an assortment of interesting goods. Her ex is now off living the good life overseas and asks her to sell off the multiple chess sets he has in storage, which he purchased as a hobby over the years. Alice and her friend Danny decide to host a chess event at the local school in the hope of raising some money for the school and finding some buyers for the chess sets. Although the event goes well, by the end of the night some pieces from one set are missing and the alleged thief is found murdered without the chess pieces on him. With the police investigating the crime and Alice concerned the locals may think she is involved, she becomes determined to solve the mystery.

Unfortunately, while the storyline was sweet and the characters likeable, overall I was disappointed with the book. It was simplistic and the story moved along far too quickly to feel satisfying. The character development lacked any real depth and they didn't seem to react realistically in some situations . The mystery itself unravelled too easily and quickly and the plot was underdeveloped so it didn't challenge the reader. I've read a number of cosy mysteries and while I have an appreciation for this genre, I felt this one was disappointing overall

Thanks to netgalley for my opportunity to read and review this book.

A cozy mystery set in a small town in the Cotswolds, centered around a seemingly innocuous chess set that starts causing issues.
Alice, new to the small Cotswold village of Little Pride, is roped into helping her ex sell some chess sets and sets up a chess match with the local high school to drum up interest. The night of the match, though, pieces from one of the sets get stolen, and the thief ends up dead in a parking lot. A subsequent night-time visit leaves Alice unsettled, and she and her neighbors start to lightly investigate.

This seems to be the second (at least) in a series as there are allusions to a previous mystery that Alice solved, and a familiarity with the characters in the village. This can be read as a stand-alone, but may be more enjoyable having read the first book.
While this was still enjoyable, it felt very much like a first draft. Foreshadowing and red herrings were a little overt, and there wasn't much description. The denouement was very anti-climatic - none of the characters acted the way one would expect when there is <spoiler alert> a kidnapping involved. This just felt very one note. I did enjoy the flirtation with the next door neighbor, Robert, and hopefully the series will continue to explore that.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I very much enjoyed the cozy mystery Death at the Old Curiosity Shop which was book 1 of this series. This is cozy mystery book 2 and continues the series of Alice Carroll and her life in the Cotswolds. I enjoyed this book as well as the first book.

Alice Carroll is starting to feel at home in Little Pride. Her Curiosity Shop is open and doing well and her little cottage is perfect for her.
When her ex, Steven, asks Alice to sell his collection of Chess sets for him she agrees. After all, if she can send him some money it may just keep him well away from her life.
Alice decides to showcase the sets by setting up a tournament at the local school, things are going well, until a body is found in the car park. The man was suspected of stealing some of the pieces from one of the chess sets, but surely no one would kill for a few pieces of plastic.
Feeling a little guilty as she organised the tournament, Alice is desperate to help find the killer. But will that put her and those close to her in danger.

Debbie Young brings us an interesting mystery from Little Pride, a cozy English village. I really enjoyed this MC of a certain age who is clever and has a great sense of self. Out March 3rd.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was definitely a fun mystery. I enjoyed the comfy small village English setting. Alice is an interesting character at an interesting time in her life, but she is realistic, earnest, and has a good sense of humor. This is the first time I have read this author. Though this is the second book in the series, it was definitely easy enough to pick up. What I enjoyed most about this series besides a lovely cast of characters was the fact that our MC is smart, doesn't try to do too much, involves the police but also definitely adds her part to our mystery without doing anything ridiculous. If you like chess, it will just add to your enjoyment of this interesting mystery. I will definitely visit Alice in Little Pride again! Thanks to #Netgally, #BoldwoodBooks, and the author for a chance to read. #DeathattheChessClub #DebbieYoung #CostwoldCuriousityShopMystery #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

As a fan of both the Cotswolds and cozy mysteries, Death at the Village Chess Club was the perfect choice for my first ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) review. After a long, exhausting month, I was looking for something comforting and engaging—and this book delivered exactly what it promised: a classic cozy mystery true to its genre.

Despite not having read the first book in the series or any of Debbie Young’s previous works, I had no trouble diving in. The author skillfully fills in the blanks, making this an enjoyable standalone read. The premise is intriguing, the characters are charming, and the chess element at the heart of the mystery adds a unique touch. I also appreciated the subtle hint of romance, which has me eager to follow the next installment to see how the protagonist’s relationship with her wealthy but kind neighbor unfolds.

For cozy mystery lovers, this book has all the essential ingredients: a picturesque village, an endearing community, an easy-to-follow mystery, and a satisfying, feel-good ending. If you're in the mood for a light yet engaging read, Death at the Village Chess Club is a delightful choice.

Alice is asked by her ex-boyfriend to sell some of his collected chess sets, and she agrees. Deciding how to garner attention, she asks the school if she could have a chess club set up with local students. Some chess pieces end up stolen, and a biker is found murdered in the parking lot. Deciding to work to find out what happened and why, the cozy mystery continues. Enjoyed this one overall, although skimmed a bit in the middle. Might just be me. Overall though enjoyed this one and would recommend. Had to look up Isle of Lewis chess pieces and Aztec ones too. Look fun.

"Death at the Village Chess Club” the 2nd instalment in The Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mystery series by Debbie Young set in the Cotswold Village of Little Pride, England. What a great follow up to the series. She doesn’t know why anyone would be interested in stealing random chess pieces, let alone willing to kill for them, but she’s determined to find out. Can she solve the case before someone else gets hurt?

Or will this be one gambit too far for Alice?

I devoured Debbie's latest novel, which expertly combines cozy mystery and heartwarming storytelling. Alice's character shines, and I'm eager to see her relationship with Bob Sponge unfold in future instalments.

The traditional romance and blossoming friendship between Alice and Bob feels authentic and, with the misunderstandings adding a touch of humor. The mystery is engaging, with clever twists keeping me on the edge. I enjoyed guessing and second-guessing the killer's identity.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and heartwarming fiction. Debbie's writing is engaging, and her characters are lovable and well-crafted. I highly recommend this charming novel and look forward to the next instalment.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I requested and received an advance readers copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had just about finished reading the first book in this series, when I saw the second. I was happy because I really enjoyed the first book.
These are just good fun cozy mysteries. I enjoy the setting of a small English Cotswold village. The characters are fun and have developed further in the second book.
If you like cozy mysteries, English villages and loveable characters, you should give this one a try. Can't wait for the 3rd book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

Loved this follow up cozy crime story, which started strong and has built on this success in the second novel. Alice is building her small business and her relationships with the locals and in book 2 her ex husband tasks her with selling some of his collectible chess sets.

Bring on murder, intrigue and the development of the great characters and a story that was good fun to read and hard to put down.

I love the character of Alice and can’t wait to see how her relationship with Bob Sponge will evolve. I enjoy the misunderstandings that get in the way and the traditional romance of their blossoming friendship.

Can’t wait to read the next instalment.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful cozy mystery full of wonderfully lovable characters in a Cotswold village that had me hooked from the beginning. When a task of selling chess sets turns into investigating a murder at a tournament hosted at the local school, “I couldn’t believe a board game could be so dangerous.” Perfectly captures the essence of the book with fast paced sleuthing and twists I wasn’t expecting.

Death at the Village Chess Club is the second book in Debbie's new series. I have not read book 1, but I have read titles from both of her other series, so I was intrigued to discover this new series.

While it takes a while for the death and the subsequent mystery to become the central part of the narrative, I did adore this lovely depiction of life in the Cotswolds. Debbie has created some lovely characters in a charming location, and although I also don't play chess, I've tried to learn to play chess so I understand the chess elements. I also very much loved the addition of the bell ringers, as we have some in our local village as well (every Monday from 7.30-9 pm).

When the focus did turn to the mystery, it was very intriguing. Like our main character, I couldn't understand why anyone would be so fascinated by the chess boards, and I was swept along by the unfolding mystery.

It's a thoroughly entertaining read. I didn't guess the resolution, which always pleases me:)

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

small-business, small-town, ex-husband, local-gossip, Cotswolds, cottage-industry, new-series, murder, amateur-sleuth, situational-humor, verbal-humor, wry-humor, local-law-enforcement*****
Alice is stuck helping out her flighty ex who is touring. He wants her to sell off his collection of chess sets in order to finance his gambling and stuff. Everything goes well for a while until pieces go missing. And then there's that body that turns up. Absolutely loved it!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected ebook file from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Avail Mar 03, 2025
#DeathAttheVillageChessClub by @debbieyoungauthor #TheCotswoldCuriosityShopMysteriesBk2 @theboldbookclub #CotswoldCuriosityShop #AliceCarroll #cosymystery #cozyMystery #booksAboutChess #CotswoldsMystery #chess#cozyMysterySeries #englishmystery #NetGalley #goodreads #bookbub #librarythingofficial #barnesandnoble ***** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #knitters

I knew nothing going into this book other than that it would be a 'cozy mystery.' As I've been taken with mysteries lately, I was excited at the prospect of a cozy one.

I'm sorry to say I was disappointed. I didn't read the first one, which, to the author's credit, I could still make sense of everything happening. However, it all felt cookie-cutter. The characters didn't have any real depth or growth in the story.

It also seemed like all the plot points happened because they had to. A character needed a clue, so the next character walked in with a clue. A character was wondering about something, so the next character brought it up. There were also moments of unrealistic reactions to the situations and it just felt disconnected.

A few grammatical errors and odd sentence structures also brought me out of the world.

I was looking forward to a story that made chess interesting, but in the end, it fell flat and just...everything was laid out neatly and expected.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sending this book for review consideration . All opinions are my own.