This is the second book in this series that follows a recently widowed and newly head librarian as she an her friends become involved in another murder investigation. The characters in this series are interesting, and the case had enough twists to keep the story going. If you enjoy cozy mysteries as I do you might enjoy this addition.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Another fun book in the series. I love Ginny and her possie and secretly like Wallace too.his gruffness and frustration is so over shadowed by his caring. The mystery was nuanced and peeled layer by layer to get to the villian. Nicely written, well paced and even though the cast of characters is long, each has a role to play.

#netgalley #TheWidowsGuidetoBackstabbing

It was such a joy to return to Little Shaw in this second instalment of Amanda Ashby’s delightful cosy crime series. I absolutely loved being back with Ginny and her wonderful widow friends - JD, Tuppence, and Hen.

This fabulous foursome have become quite the amateur sleuths, despite DI Wallace’s repeated (and often ignored) requests to leave the investigating to the professionals!

Since moving to the village, Ginny has now stumbled across her second murder victim - this time it's Timothy Harlow, the owner of the local haberdashery shop and a celebrity judge for the upcoming Little Shaw Spring Fete.

Found stabbed in the back with a pair of scissors, his death throws the fete plans into chaos and raises plenty of questions. Can the show still go on? And more importantly—who killed Timothy?

While the police quickly arrest a suspect, Timothy’s daughter Megan insists they’ve got the wrong person.

Naturally, the widows can't resist taking on the case, complete with a brand-new mobile murder board and a growing list of suspects.

Meanwhile, Ginny’s cat Edgar is causing mischief of his own—bringing home mysterious objects and unwittingly helping to uncover hidden village secrets.

Ginny soon finds herself playing negotiator between neighbours, which just might lead to some valuable clues...

This is another charming, funny, and twist-filled mystery, packed with secrets, love affairs, rivalries, and plenty of red herrings.

Amanda Ashby continues to deliver well-paced plotting, witty dialogue, and an endearing sense of community that makes Little Shaw such a pleasure to visit.

The bond between the widows is a true highlight—heartfelt, hilarious, and refreshingly empowering.

With danger never too far behind, you’ll be turning the pages eager to find out if Ginny and her friends will crack the case before DI Wallace and whether they’ll come out unscathed.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, perfect for fans of cosy crime. I can’t wait for book three!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The Widows' Guide to Backstabbing" delivered exactly what I hoped the second part would – familiar characters, new secrets and more fun mayhem in the charming little town of Little Shaw. Ginny Cole is slowly settling into her new life, and although grief still lingers in the background, she has now not only accepted the company of the widows, but practically lives and breathes with them.

This time the story begins with another murder – the owner of the small town's beloved haberdashery shop is stabbed in the back with a pair of scissors, and Ginny is the one to discover him in the back of the shop. Timothy Harlow, judge of the Spring Festival, was not a popular figure among the locals, so there are plenty of suspects. Ginny – driven by curiosity, logic and a sense of justice – is once again drawn into an investigation, once again with the inevitable trio. JM, Hen and Tuppence continue to form an unbreakable unit, however different they may be. The team dynamics are now even livelier, even more cohesive and full of humour, making every moment with them a pleasure.

The spring fete, the homemade jam, the kleptomaniac cat (who is also impossible not to love), and the secret relationships, old grievances and petty revenges that lurk beneath the surface of the small town all serve as a backdrop that is both charming and unsettling. Behind the idyllic view of the small town, there is always something stirring – and Amanda Ashby builds it masterfully in this part too.

It was especially enjoyable to watch Ginny evolve – simultaneously trying to keep her common sense while being forced to confront again and again that the world is far more complicated than the familiar and well-ordered life she lived before her husband's death. And Amanda Ashby is at her best this time again, just when we think everything is clear, she adds another twist to the story. This part brings all the strengths of the previous book – likeable characters, well-dosed suspense, and a community you want to belong to, even if it means solving a murder with them.

I highly recommend this novel to all fans of cozy mysteries. I'm already looking forward to what the third part has in store – because one thing is for sure: life is never dull with these widows.

The next book in the Widows Detective Club series and it is just as amazing as the first. I was so excited to continue on with an adventure with Ginny. Just when you think life is normal Ginny goes and finds a body, again. This time it's the arrogant shop owner of the haberdashery. Stabbed. Ginny is once again swept into the middle of things and needs to solve the mystery. Along with her friends they try to solve the crime themselves. She soon discovers the quiet town isn't so quiet after all. It is full of rivalries, affairs and hidden secrets. Can she solve it before more danger finds her?
It's a fun on the edge of your seat mystery. Twists and turns you never expect. Once again I love the characters,like her friend Hen who is obsessed with crafts. Asby gives a real story with such great detail we become a part of the mystery. The story is easy to follow yet keep you guessing. You will love this adventure. I can't wait for more.

Oh my god this was so freaking good!
I really enjoyed sitting down and reading and honestly read it in one sitting’!

Ginny Cole is now the head librarian at Little Shaw library and is enjoying her job and adapting to her life as a widow.
One day after leaving work she visits the haberdashery shop and find a body and it’s not looking like a death from natural causes due to the scissors sticking out of its back.
Ginny along with her friends (also widows) have become amateur sleuths and don’t have to think twice about investigating this death.
This book is full of village charm and likeable characters that make it an enjoyable and entertaining read.
There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested and a great addition to the cosy mystery series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

The village of Little Shaw in Lancashire is proving to be as murder prone as the villages of Midsomer when Ginny Cole, the new head Librarian, finds another body in suspicious circumstances. Harlow is the owner of a haberdashery store and a local celebrity. Despite his overeager sense of self-worth, he had many enemies, which meant many suspects. Ginny and the other widows are determined to investigate when they believe the police have arrested the wrong person. What I like about this story is the number of mistakes the amateur sleuths make in their investigations. It gives the mystery an authenticity and allows the reader to suspend belief on the number of murders the village has. The mystery has a multitude of motives, and it makes immersive reading. I like the amateur sleuths, the web of lies and secrets the village community reveals and the conclusion.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

EXCERPT: She pushed open the front door and stepped inside. Her arrival was announced by a tinkling bell. The interior was crammed with large glass jars of buttons, cubed wooden shelves of homespun wool, and an old oak cutting bench next to the counter.
No wonder Hen had declared a self-imposed ban. It would be easy to spend a fortune in the stylish shop. Despite having lived in Little Shaw for seven months, Ginny had never been inside before, mainly because she'd stubbornly brought as much as she could of her old furniture - and her old life - with her when she'd moved here.
But since the first anniversary of Eric's death had passed, she had been considering some changes. Until this morning, she'd been thinking of a fresh coat of paint, but now the idea of curtains, cushions and new upholstery swam in her vision.
There was no sign of anyone behind the counter, so Ginny continued to walk around, running her fingers along a soft red version of William Morris's 'Strawberry Thief', before inspecting a duck-egg blue Laura Ashley with delicate flowers. There were more large wicker barrels of fabric, as well as a French Louis XV armchair with stripped-back walnut legs and reupholstered squabs in a straw-coloured linen. It was stunning and she studied the small, gilded frame perched on the seat. Vanya Petrovic Upholstery Services. She didn't recognise the name, but the address was local, and his work was exquisite.
Was this what had inspired Tuppence to attempt her own reupholstering?
Ginny turned to ask, only to discover her friend wasn't there. That was odd. She scanned the shop, but on finding it empty, she went outside to where Tuppence was pressed against the wall of the post office next door, her hat pulled low over her face.

ABOUT 'THE WIDOWS' GUIDE TO BACKSTABBING': When librarian Ginny Cole discovers a body in Little Shaw’s beloved haberdashery shop, she finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation. The victim? Arrogant shop owner and spring fete judge, Timothy Harlow, found with a pair of sewing scissors plunged into his back. While the police are quick to arrest Milos, a charming young upholsterer, Ginny thinks the case has been sewn up too neatly.

Together with her friends – no-nonsense JM, craft-obsessed Hen, and irrepressible Tuppence – Ginny delves into the village’s secrets. Between apologising for her kleptomaniac cat and making marmalade for the spring fete, she discovers that behind Little Shaw’s quaint façade lies a tapestry of rivalries, affairs, and deadly ambitions. And when her own car brakes are sabotaged, Ginny realizes the killer is still at large – and getting closer.

With help from the widows and an increasingly exasperated Detective Inspector Wallace, can Ginny unpick the clues before the murderer strikes again?

MY THOUGHTS: A fun small town mystery featuring amateur sleuths 'of a certain age' in which Ginny discovers her second murder victim within months of moving to Little Shaw.

Yes, suspend your belief but go along for the ride because it is certainly another enjoyable one.

After moving to Little Shaw Ginny has been befriended by a group of women who are also all widows. JM has half a law degree and a rather fearsome personality. Tuppence can be a bit gung-ho, and Hen is more the shy, retiring kind. Ginny just wants to fit in with her new friends and, unfortunately, usually goes along with their schemes. DI Wallace tends to be quite dismissive of the women, but secretly I think he enjoys their antics. We also meet his father for the first time in this story.

Ginny has a rescue cat, Edgar, who causes more than a bit of mayhem with his light-pawed tendencies - he has taken to bringing home odd shoes and other items, causing accusations of theft and cheating amongst the villagers.

A lot of village secrets are uncovered during the investigation into the murder of haberdashery owner and spring fete judge, Timothy Harlow, including love affairs, family secrets and competition rivalries that get out of hand.

I was completely taken by surprise by the revelation of the identity of the murderer and yet, once it was explained, it was all perfectly logical.

BTW, I am NEVER moving to a small English village. I don't have a death wish.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#TheWidowsGuidetoBackstabbing #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Amanda Ashby was born in Australia but now lives in New Zealand where she writes romance, young adult and middle grade books. She also works in a library, owns far too many vintage tablecloths and likes to delight her family by constantly rearranging the furniture.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Widows' Guide to Backstabbiing by Amanda Ashby for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Ginny from the library discovers a body in the habadashers. He’s been stabbed by a pair of sewing scissors. While trying to solve what’s going on the brakes on her car get cut but luckily she’s ok. There’s her other widow friends that help out. But she keeps making marmalade and jam.

Well, Ginny and her small group of friends, JM, Hen and Tuppence, have become a neat little group of amateur detectives. In one of the town’s shops, a gruesome discovery was made—a body. Remarkably, Ginny was the one who stumbled upon the scene. When the police arrested a young man named Milo, who seems their most likely prime suspect, Ginny decided to step in on his behalf.

Just like before, these older widows power on, much to the consternation of DI Wallace. He doesn’t want any of them involving themselves in this case, finding them to be an annoyance. The victim’s daughter appeals to the little group that the police have the wrong suspect, just as Ginny herself believes. Interestingly, not only had Ginny become the owner of a black cat she named Edgar (after much deliberation), but he keeps bringing home little gifts for her. One of these gifts is undoubtedly connected to the murder, much to Ginny’s surprise, so she stays firm in her resolve to solve the crime.

The Widows’ Detective Club series made a strong debut with the first book, The Widows’ Guide to Murder, and this second book in the series was just as delightful as the first book. I very much look forward to continuing the series with The Widows’ Guide to Skullduggery, set to be released this June.

Many thanks to Storm Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

A solid addition to the series. While I enjoyed this one, it didn’t have the same fun feel as the first one and, at times, seemed a bit more serious. It also was well-plotted but moved slower than the first, making it more difficult for me to follow along at times. The cat did provide some levity but I missed scenes like the gravedigging in the first one. Still, I found it entertaining and look forward to the next in the series.

The Widows did it again!
Ginny and her gang managed once again to get involved in a murder and solve it too.
It really feels quite weird that Ginny once again finds a body and gets entangled in the mystery. However, even she could not believe that this was happening again.
I did not like this book as much as the first one because the premise and the twists are too similar. It was a fun read and a nice break from romancelandia!

Thank you @NetGalley for the copy!

This is the second in the series and I would highly recommend, Ginny is very down to earth in the way she thinks and goes about solving crimes and has made lots of new quirky and interesting friends since moving to Little Shaw. There’s plenty of twists and turns, with secrets revealed and suspects to tackle. It’s a nice, cosy mystery and I look forward to seeing how the series develops. I would definitely recommend this book..

The widows are back in action in the second book of this cozy mystery series! The newest resident, Ginny, is starting to feel at home in her new life in Little Shaw when she is once again thrust into a murder mystery: this time, the murder of Timothy Harlow, local shop owner and spring fete judge. The widows will not rest until the correct culprit is caught.

I enjoy spending time in this fun village with exciting and humorous characters. Ginny is becoming a more well-rounded character, and it's a joy to join her on her adventures. And who can't love more Edgar antics?
I look forward to #3 in this cozy mystery series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Still a similar vibe to the Thursday Murder Club series. It does make me giggle that they're in their 60's and portrayed as old.

It's really about a fun group of Widows who keep finding themselves involved in solving murders (because there's never just simply one). I love how nosy the small town is and how involved in everything they are. While murder is a bummer, there is definitely some laugh out loud moments with these books. Even as a "youngen" you relate to the widows and love their spunk.

Definitely should be a read for you if cozy mysteries are your thing.

Number 2 in a new series by this author. A cosy murder mystery set in a quintessential village complete with library, pub and haberdashers. If you like Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Agatha Christie , then this is for you.

Looking for a cozy mystery that’s sure to put a smile on your face? I can’t recommend The Widow's Guide to Backstabbing by Amanda Ashby enough! This is the second installment in The Widows’ Detective Club Series, and it picks up where the first book left off, set in the charming little town we’ve come to love as the group of friends dive into yet another murder investigation. It’s an entertaining blend of The Golden Girls and Murder, She Wrote that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Just like in the first book, the characters are an absolute riot, getting into all sorts of amusing antics with their break-ins, knitting, lawyering attempts, and the return of “stolen” items—all while trying to navigate their way around Wallace without getting on his bad side (spoiler alert: they don’t quite succeed).

I found myself chuckling at the witty dialogue and the fearless antics of these widows who refuse to hold back. Some of my favorite moments included:

“… They wouldn’t take no for an answer. It was like a zombie movie. You know the kind where they won’t stop once they’ve smelled brains. In fact –”

“Not everyone who breaks into workshops has a criminal record,” (this coming from Tuppence who enjoys B&E and picking locks (which she’d proudly tell you she learned from YOUTUBE).

“Threatened him? I barely touched the man.” JM snorted before seeming to remember why she’d been there. She gave him a dazzling smile. ‘Please expunge that statement from the record. What I meant to say was, “How fascinating.”

“No idea, and remind me to get Human Resources to talk to you about personal space.”

“Oh, Ginny well done. And just what we need. JM almost got into a fight with two estate agents and Tuppence keeps wanting to break into the offices after hours. They will be relieved to have something to do.”

I loved seeing more of Connor in this book and how he’s matured since the first one. He’s becoming a wonderful addition to the group of widows, helping to keep them out of too much trouble. I especially enjoyed the moments when he plays the voice of reason. I’m excited to see how his character evolves as the series continues!

Like in A Widow’s Guide to Murder, there are some darker moments, but the overall tone remains light and delightful. It’s a cozy read that’s easy to follow, packed with twists that I felt were even better executed in this book compared to the first. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down and genuinely enjoyed every page!

Book three comes out later in 2025 and I couldn’t be more excited to see what my favorite widows get into this time!

A huge thank you to Netgalley & Amanda Ashby for the gifted ARC!

This is the second book in The Widows Detective Club series. Ginny is back and once again stumbling across a dead body. This time it's a local celebrity who runs his own haberdashery shop and is the head judge of the summer fete. The widows can't help but jump head first into the investigation but this time it's more dangerous and Gunny finds herself being targeted too.

I enjoyed this one just as much as the first! There were just as many suspects to follow and a boat load of red herrings! I enjoyed seeing more of Connor I this one, he's a great side character with brilliant wit! Edgar also made some great appearances, I loved that he'd turned into a little thief, making Ginny wander the village apologising for him.

I always look forward to this author books they have good plots.
From the beginning as they build to the end.
I recommend this book was well done.
I received arc from Net Galley and Storm Publisher