The Widows' Guide to Murder is the first book in a village cozy mystery series by Amanda Ashby. Released 3rd March 2025, it's 264 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also currently available on KU.

Small village cozies are perennially popular and it's lovely to find a new series entry. The book is populated by small town eccentrics, undercurrents of rage, jealousy, and scandal, into which the new local village library assistant has been unceremoniously thrust without warning. It checks all the boxes: intelligent late middle aged sensible widow/librarian, small town gossip, an outlandish ensemble cast of apparently harmless oddball characters, and a satisfying resolution and epilogue.

It's not derivative, but fans of Robert Thorogood (Marlow Murder Club), Janice Hallett, and Richard Osman will find a lot to like here. The author has a genuinely good grasp of character and setting, good pacing, and a satisfying denouement and conclusion.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 8 hours 33 minutes and is capably read by Diana Croft. She has a well modulated alto voice and an impressive command of regional accents (East London, Midlands, etc), and switches seamlessly between a range of ages and male and female (even Scottish) without a hiccup. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four and a half stars. It's a diverting read. It would be a great choice for home library, or a binge/buddy read. There are two books extant in the series, with a third due out at the end of June 2025.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I am a sucker for a mystery with old folk - women particularly - as protagonists trying to solve the case and I think Ginny and het friends may just bee my favourites.

I'll admit, there weren't any obvious clues that allowed me to work out what was going on, but I also didn't feel completely like everything just got handed to me on a platter at the end with no real clues leading to it. It all tied in nicely.
Of course many a part was farfetched and I'm certain they'd have been arrested rather than sent off with warning's at points for the way they invoved themselves but that's the fun of these types of books.

I also strangely for me connected far more with the characters and their interactions than I cared for the mystery - usually I am desperate for that "omg what happened, what could this clue lead to? omg what does this mean?" feeling, but I really enjoyed when we were in Ginny's cottage with the cat, or gossiping with the other widows.
I feel like I've spent an age with them, though perhaps I have as I'm in the worst slump of my life (this was only my ninth book of the year!!) but every time I was able to pick it up and read I felt like greeting an old friend and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

I picked up A Widow’s Guide to Murder on a whim, and I’m so glad I did! It’s a cozy mystery with the perfect blend of humor, charm, and a bit of suspense. The main character, recently widowed, is witty and relatable, and I loved how the story balanced her emotional journey with a fun murder mystery. The small-town setting was delightful, and the quirky supporting characters really added to the charm. It’s an easy, engaging read that kept me entertained right through to the end. Definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for something light but clever.

If the title didn't suck me right in, the blurb would have and I'm really happy to have stumbled across an author new to me with a series so good! It is my first read and on book 1 which is a bonus.

The characters are all so full of personality that it just wouldn't fit to have them as energetic 20 somethings and have the same punch. Instead they are world wise widows with a lifetime of experiences to bring to the mix. Main character Ginny has found a warm set of friends and an instant murder solving society at her fingertips when she moves into a new area.

The good ones are written warmly and the bad ones even better!

A small town setting to die for...literally in a few cases.

I'll be onto the next one quick as a flash!

My thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ginny moves to a new town, to work at their local library. Not long after starting Ginny finds her boss(who is not very liked in the community) murdered in the library. Ginny who is a widow becomes friends with a few other widows and they become amateur detectives. This is a cute, funny cozy mystery. Cozy mystery is not always a favorite genre of mine but I did enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

This is the first book I've read by the author and I LOVED IT! It is a cozy mystery that keeps you guessing till the very end
Highly recommend!

I tried so hard to get into it but just couldn’t. It wasn’t that the writing was bad or the storyline was lackluster….i think it was just the wrong vibe at the wrong time. I plan to revisit it to see if it really is just me at the moment.

A brilliant first book in the series! Full of wonderful characters, heartwarming and funny moments and plenty of suspense! Really enjoyable read!

This is the first book in The Widow’s Detective Club series and what a great start to the series.
I didn’t know anything about this book when I picked it up and sometimes I feel that’s the best way to read a book as you have no expectations. An enjoyable cosy mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. Looking forward to the next book in the series. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review. Recommended.

This is one of my favorite books of the year. Recently widowed Ginny moves to a small village and takes a job at a local library with the intention of having a quiet, mostly solitary life. She soon thinks she has made a horrible mistake. Her boss is not at all nice, and she is accosted by a group of widows. When her boss is murdered, the widows become her best friends as they all work together to find the murderer.

This was a fascinating story of several widows trying to solve several murders in their village. The characters really came to life and the scenes were easy to imagine. What a lovely complicated conclusion.

4.5★s
The Widows’ Guide To Murder is the first book in the Widows’ Detective Club series by British author, Amanda Ashby. Less than a year widowed, sixty-year-old Ginny Cole has moved from Bristol to the retirement cottage she and Eric had planned in the Lancashire village of Little Shaw. But she’s having second thoughts about taking the job at the community-run library: her manager, Louisa Farnsworth is really unpleasant, nasty to just about everyone.

Arriving for her shift on her second day, a shock awaits: Louisa’s dead body in the library’s office. After telling the police what she can, including an observation pointing to the cause of death, Ginny goes home to Middle Cottage, at a loose end. She considers making jam from the damsons on her rude young neighbour’s tree, and ends up adopting a stray cat.

At the village grocery store, needing cat food, she encounters a trio of widows whose main concern seems to be the impending arrest of the shopkeeper, Alyson Farnsworth, ex-wife of the newly-widowed Bernard Farnsworth, and daughter of one of the trio. With no intention of getting involved, she’s somehow searching the library stacks for incriminating evidence, trying to subtly interrogate villagers who might know more, and attracting the ire of that young neighbour, who turns out to be DI James Wallace. His opinion of her new friends: “nosy civilians with more grey hair than wit”.

Ginny’s investigations cast doubt on two earlier deaths in the village, and it looks like corruption and embezzlement are rife, even in Little Shaw. Before the case is solved and the guilty are brought to justice, there’s another murder, and two attempted murders. Ginny never thought she’d be digging up a grave, saving a man from burning to death, and trying to stop a not-so-innocent woman from being murdered.

Ashby gives the reader plenty of red herrings and distractions to keep them guessing and the pages turning right up to the dramatic climax. The widows are a quirky bunch: an avid knitter, an almost-lawyer, and an expert on many things courtesy of YouTube. More of this cast in The Widows’ Guide to Backstabbing will be most welcome. A very enjoyable cosy.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is a delightful blend of cozy mystery and romantic comedy, centered around the recently widowed Evie Harris. Grieving the unexpected loss of her husband, Evie finds herself not only navigating the complexities of widowhood but also unexpectedly embroiled in a murder investigation.

This book was entertaining. I really liked our protagonist, Ginny Cole, and her fellow widow friends. They're all quirky and have good personalities. I agree with another review that mentioned that there were too many characters introduced. I understand why... more characters, more red herrings, but I did find it a bit confusing and ended up not really connecting with any of them. My favorite character, by far, is Edgar and he was the true hero and mystery solver IMO. IYKYN lol Although a little slow paced and a bit long-winded, I enjoyed it overall and appreciated all the little twists that got us to the end. Thanks to Storm Publishing at NetGalley for this ARC, and for including Book 2. I'll pick up that book soon!

Thank you so much Netgalley for the amazing read!
The town felt so welcoming and comforting, I didn't feel like leaving it! The plot was very well written and the grandmas are super sweet with great mystery solving brains 😂😂
I enjoyed the book a lot!
Kudos to the author! And thoroughly enjoyed and a must read book!

Ginny has been a widow for eight months and she still feels buried by her grief. Hoping to improve her outlook, she moves to the village of Little Shaw, where she meets three other widows who seem to instinctively understand Ginny’s need to recover from life’s setbacks. Ginny’s new job at the library is a step in the right direction and when she discovers the library manager’s body she and her new friends become involved in a murder investigation.

The Widows’ Guide to Murder is a notch above the normal cozy. It’s charming and relatable, with characters that are so likable (well, except for the bad apples) and whom I enjoyed meeting. The writing is well-done, with dialogue that’s realistic and natural, and the mystery is well-paced, with a nice twist at the end. Meanwhile, the author also does a good job addressing the effects of grief and the loss of someone close. This adds yet another layer to the characters and gives the story even more depth.

This was the perfect book to enjoy with a cup of tea (of course). Now I’m definitely looking forward to the second book in this series. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

This was such a cozy and delightful read! I absolutely adore mysteries set in charming little villages, and when you throw in a group of elderly ladies juggling murder investigations with knitting, baking, or whatever other hobbies they’re into? Total win. Oh and the murder happens in a library. I mean, come on. That’s peak cozy mystery.
Ginny Cole has just started working as a library assistant in the sweet village of Little Shaw. She’s trying to settle into her new life and quietly process the loss of her husband, but things take a turn when she finds her (very unpopular) boss dead in the library office. Not exactly the fresh start she had in mind.
Before long, Ginny gets caught up in the investigation with the help of three delightful widows (JM, Hen, and Tuppence) who basically take her under their wing. Hen’s daughter is the prime suspect, so the ladies are on a mission to uncover the real killer before things get even messier.
The murder plot was nicely done! I actually guessed the killer (go me!), but there were enough twists to keep me turning the pages. Ginny is such a sweet, grounded character, and I really related to her need to always do the right thing. I’m hoping we get to learn more about the other widow ladies in future books, they’ve definitely got stories to tell.
If you’re in the mood for a feel-good mystery with a little charm, a little mischief, and a lot of heart, this one’s a lovely pick.
4 Solid stars!

This cozy mystery is as charming as its title suggests, with a delightful cast of older amateur sleuths, small-town secrets, and just enough murder to keep the pages turning. Ginny Cole, recently widowed and hoping for a quiet fresh start, finds herself tangled in a murder investigation almost the moment she arrives in the village of Little Shaw. What follows is a mix of mischief, midnight graveyard escapades, and the power of unlikely friendships.

The widows’ dynamic is the heart of the book—quirky, loyal, and full of spark. The mystery itself has some solid twists, and the pacing is solid, with some clever twists, and I enjoyed the unique premise of widows turning detectives.

That said, I believe some characters could have used more development, and also a few plot points were predictable, but overall it’s a cozy, slightly offbeat mystery perfect for fans of lighthearted crime fiction. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s charming in its own way and sometimes, that’s exactly what you need. 3.7

Aww I loved this book!!

I loved Ginny and my heart ached for her at the start when she has to try and navigate life as a widow.

This is a perfect cozy mystery. It’s funny, heartwarming, and really good fun.

My favourite thing is how Ginnys confidence grows. But generally a very good, very well written book. Loved it!