Ginny Cole is relatively new to being a widow when she moves to town and finds herself in the company of three other widows. These women cause all sorts of havoc, and get up to all sorts of shenanigans, all in the name of ‘helping’ to solve a murder. As the bodies pile up, they make some questionable choices, but always stick together.
This was such a fun book. Definitely in the cosy mystery genre, it’s an easy read and most enjoyable. I’m looking forward to reading the second in the series soon.

Amanda Ashby's upcoming novel, The Widows' Guide to Murder, set to release on March 3, 2025, introduces readers to the charming village of Little Shaw and its unexpected band of amateur sleuths. This delightful cozy mystery marks the beginning of the "Widows' Detective Club" series.

The story centers on Ginny Cole, a recent widow who stumbles upon the body of her disagreeable new boss. Despite her initial reluctance, Ginny teams up with three fellow widows—each bringing their own quirks and strengths—to unravel the mystery. Their investigative methods are as unconventional as they are entertaining, involving everything from sharing tea and tequila shots to a bit of lighthearted breaking and entering. As they welcome a new friend into their fold, chaos ensues at every turn. Yet, through their camaraderie and determination, they manage to piece together the clues and help solve the case.

Thank you to the Author, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read these two books prior to their release date.

Ashby's narrative is infused with humor and heart, offering a fresh take on the cozy mystery genre. Fans of authors like Sarah Yarwood-Lovett and Robert Thorogood will find much to enjoy in this series. With its endearing characters and engaging plot, The Widows' Guide to Murder is a promising start to a series that cozy mystery enthusiasts will eagerly anticipate.

For those interested in following Ginny and her friends' adventures, the sequel, The Widows' Guide to Backstabbing, is slated for release on March 10, 2025.

Thank you to the Author, Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read these two books prior to their release date.

This book was an engaging and fun read. I enjoyed how the plot moved and the characters. I liked how the mystery was set in a library and how the ending was not what I expected.

The Widow's Guide to Murder is a delightful read that keeps those pages turning.

Ginny Cole recently widowed is new to the village and has taken the job of library assistant where she meets all sorts of characters charming and not so charming.

Who killed the librarian.

Ginny joins the group of widowed ladies who truly believe that they will solve the case before the police.

The police just want the ladies to mind their own business.

The ladies feel this is their business and the bodies begin to pile up.

I laughed out loud at their antics, I cringed at some but this group definitely out smarted me.

Twists and turns with a few red herrings keep those pages turning quickly.

I am off to read Book 2 in the series , I cant miss what misadventure this group of widows will get up to next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for introducing me to this great new series that I wll be sure to follow.

The Widows’ Guide to Murder by Amanda Ashby is a delightful start to The Widows’ Detective Club series, blending humor, mystery, and heartfelt moments into an engaging cozy read.

Ginny Cole is newly widowed and adjusting to life in the quiet village of Little Shaw, where she’s taken on a job as a library assistant. But her fresh start takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles upon the dead body of her boss, pulling her into a murder investigation. Luckily, she’s not alone—three mischievous widows quickly take her under their wing, dragging her into their antics as they set out to uncover the truth.

This book offers a charming mix of lovable characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and an intriguing mystery filled with twists and red herrings. At the same time, it doesn’t shy away from the emotional weight of Ginny’s grief, showing her struggle to navigate life after losing her husband of 35 years. Her growth is both inspiring and realistic as she slowly finds her place in the village, makes new friends, and even adopts a stray cat (or, more accurately, is claimed by one).

With an engaging cast, a well-paced mystery, and plenty of heart, The Widows’ Guide to Murder is a fantastic read for cozy mystery lovers who enjoy a mix of humor, sleuthing, and emotional depth. I’m excited to see what trouble Ginny and her widowed sidekicks get up to next in the series!

My approval came in earlier this evening and I quickly sat down to read this cosy crime! I love a mystery and meeting new characters, figuring out what happened and whodunnit.
Well, the evening passed in a blur of Ginny, a recently widowed woman beginning her job as library assistant on her first day. After moving to this quaint little village, Ginny is forcing herself to take steps to get over being alone. Getting a job, exploring the town and discovering the eccentric neighbours is just the beginning.
On her second day of work, Ginny arrives at the library to discover her boss’s body and this sets into motion a series of events, meetings and plotting between her and her three new friends, all widows. They have a reputation for trouble and boldness and at first Ginny is uncertain but soon sees their hearts are in the right place, even if their morals go walking sometimes,
As you read, if you are like me, then you begin to suspect everyone and look suspiciously at all the behaviours and actions. What you might also do is discover just how wrong you were until close to the end when it all comes to boiling point.
While Ginny always spent evenings doing crosswords and speaking to the husband’s empty chair, she is now too busy to catch him up and has a cat occupying said chair. She is a remarkable character, with a great sense of justice and wanting to do the right thing. Her friends balance her out with their outlandish ideas and activities but as a group, they are entirely wonderful.
I am so pleased to have been approved and will be recommending this to my stock team for purchasing, it is the perfect cosy crime! I am also glad the second book was made available to read as well. That is for tomorrow!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Ginny, recently widowed, has moved to Little Shaw. She gets a job at the local library, and on her second day, finds the body of her boss Louisa. Can Ginny and her newly made friends solve the crime?

I loved the group of widows, JM, Hen and Tuppence, and library volunteer Connor was a great character. A really entertaining, in depth story, full of twists and turns - just when I thought I knew who the murderer was, the story moved away again! A great first book in a series.

This book is such a fun, quirky read! I mean, the premise alone has all the right cozy mystery vibes—an unexpected widow, a rude cat, and a murder that just kicks things off. Ginny, the main character, is seriously relatable. She’s dealing with grief, adjusting to her new life in a small town, and, of course, she accidentally finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are moments that’ll make you laugh out loud, thanks to the ragtag group of widows who take Ginny under their wing. They’re a blast!

The twists and turns are definitely enough to keep you on your toes. It’s one of those books where you think you know what’s going on, but then BAM! It switches it up and leaves you questioning everything. The plot had me hooked, and the characters are just so charming and full of life. Plus, the small-town setting just adds that extra cozy element.

I gave this a solid 4 stars because while it was delightful, I was hoping for a little more depth with some of the characters and the relationships. But honestly, I couldn’t stop reading, and I’m super excited to see where this series goes next!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! Can’t wait for more from these fun widows!

These main characters are a pretty entertaining bunch of Characters (pun intended), and that book title is Fantastic! :D
What didn't sit well with me was that there ended up being a lot of side characters which got confusing at times; Some of the incidents/interactions got a bit too unbelievable; It didn't really feel British aside from all the tea they were drinking, lol; and the steady pace slowed down so much I got a bit lost near the end.
I Loved how a stray cat was included and how much of the story was centred in and around a library. Cats and Libraries are one of my all time favourite pairings in a book!
I like how Ginny is coming out of her comfort zone, yet we know through her thoughts how much effort it's taking her to do so. She's relatable. I'll definitely be reading Book 2 and see what this motley crew gets up to next :D
There were a couple mentions of pot, a spicy-ish bit, and maybe should be tagged for the LG crowd.
Many Thanks to Storm Publishing at NetGalley for this ARC, and for including Book 2 which I am looking forward to reading xox

Ginny has just lost her husband and to recover from her grief she gets a job at the library. Louisa the head librarian is a rather unfriendly woman and when Ginny finds her murdered she along with some other widows sets out to solve the facts.

This is a fun cosy mysteryand I loved it. Ginny is a fabulous character, she is not ready to be a widow, or to be old or to be anything other than herself.

It is a well told read and I just adored the cat who seemed to adopt ginny.

A good read and one that would be suitable for a book club read.

"The Widows' Guide to Murder” the first instalment in The Widows’ Detective Club Mystery series by Amanda Ashby set in the Village of Little Shaw, England. What a great start to a new series. Ginny Cole doesn’t want to be a widow. She’d rather not be forcibly adopted by an opinionated black cat. And she’d give anything not to have just found the murdered body of her rude and dislikeable new boss…

This is a new to me author and I will definitely be reading more from her. I love the story and the I enjoyed the bond between the four widows, they were witty, and authentic. I liked the quirky characters and the sense of community.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end. I kept guessing and second-guessing myself but I was right on who the killer was.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and heartwarming fiction. Amanda’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 love the cat 🐈‍⬛
He is perfect
What a great mystery, a lovely old lady lead character coming to terms with her grief
Twists and turns, lots of characters but they come together well

It was refreshing to read a book about some middle-aged men and women for once instead of a group of teenagers. I am in my early 30s and I can tell you that I am already looking forward to retirement.
The book is about Ginny, she has just lost her husband and taken a new job at the library. Soon she finds herself in the middle of a murder and, along with other middle-aged ladies, she plunges into the investigation.
What I found difficult about the book were the many people and names involved. Like I was reading Game of Thrones. Amanda writes very descriptively and you have to love that. Sometimes this took me slightly out of the story.
Nevertheless, a book I finished within a day!

A new author to me and a book I devoured! Ginny has not long been widowed and has moved to a village where she has taken a job helping in the library. Louisa, the librarian, is rather a harridan as Ginny quickly finds out on her first day. On her second day there is a queue outside the library and rather a kerfuffle- the door is locked and no sign of Louisa. On being told where the spare key is, but no one dares go in for fear of Louisa’s reputation and treatment of many of the locals, Ginny braves it only to find Louisa dead. A group of widows soon make themselves known to Ginny and before she knows it they are investigating the crime. Who killed Louisa and why?

I so loved this, it's a wonderful, comfortable, easy read with a smile. There is far more than the crime going on, as in any village, and also those who know everyone else's business one way or another which makes for good opportunities for the amateur detectives. Ginny is a great lead and her warm heartedness and skills she never realised she had from her past life, make her a perfect sleuth (strangely!!)
Sometimes you take a chance when reading a new author, and I'm so very glad I did- I’ll be happily reading other books as it’s a style I very much like. A wonderfully entertaining read and I very much look forward to more from the widows detective club.
For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbookblog
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I was invited by the publisher to review this book. This is the first book in a series about widows who wind up solving mysteries. This book follows Ginny, who may not be okay with being a widow and other circumstances, but nevertheless accepts her role in life - and then discovers the body of her new boss, who she did not like anyway. She finds herself with other widowers, and they work to solve the mystery of the death of her boss. With her sleuthing, Ginny learns something about herself - that while she may not have initially liked where she was in life, she was ultimately happy to accept and keep that life.

This book had a great lesson in it: treasure your life, even if it is not how it envisioned and try to look at things in a different light. On the flip side, the book was fun and engaging, and the murder mystery kept me intrigued. I also liked the other widows, and look forward to more from this group.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like cozy murder mysteries then this book is for you! Ginny is a widow that moves to Little Shaw to have a fresh start after her husband’s untimely passing. She starts working at the local library where she soon finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery of her own.

Ginny is instantly a likable character and I felt really contented with her like she was my own grandma.

This is the first book in what is bound be a successful series!

Thank you, Storm Publishing, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I appreciate a new series with an older protagonist that is confronting widowhood and the challenges of the later years in life. The book aligns with the British cozy mystery genre with the “interfering “ amateurs rescuing the police but the characters are quirky and interesting and I was taken by surprise at the end.

The Widows' Guide to Murder (The Widows' Detective Club #1) by Amanda Ashby is a delightful cozy mystery set in the quaint village of Little Shaw. Ginny Cole, recently widowed, seeks a fresh start and takes a job as a librarian's assistant. But her quiet new life takes a dramatic turn when she discovers her boss's body in the library. Determined to uncover the truth, Ginny teams up with three other widows – Hen, JM, and Tuppence – forming an unlikely detective club.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, particularly the dynamic between the four widows. Their witty banter and genuine camaraderie added a warmth and humor to the story that I found captivating. The mystery itself was well-paced, with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the very end.

I would recommend this book to fans of cozy mysteries who appreciate strong female characters, a touch of humor, and a charming village setting. Readers who enjoy books with a focus on friendship and found families will also find much to appreciate in this delightful story. I am looking forward to reading the next installment – The Widows' Guide to Backstabbing!

Thank you to Storm Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Amazing Cozy Mystery!

Loved every pages of it. Perfection at pure nature.

Will definitely recommend