An entertaining tale, with some great moments of hilarity. A decent mystery at its core, that perhaps just took a little too long to manifest itself within the story.

I did find having Jeremy Vine narrating it himself however a little distracting, and I needed to keep reminding myself I was listening to his book, not his radio show.

Murder on Line One by Jeremy Vine is a gripping mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. This novel dives into the world of live radio, where a seemingly ordinary day takes a dark turn when a caller confesses to a murder on air. What follows is a thrilling chase to uncover the truth, filled with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.
The protagonist, a radio host named Matt, finds himself thrust into the role of amateur detective as he navigates the complexities of the case. Vine's background in broadcasting shines through, adding an authentic touch to the high-stakes world of live radio. The tension is palpable, and the pacing is spot-on, making it hard to put the book down.
One of the standout elements of Murder on Line One is its exploration of the power and responsibility of the media. The story delves into how information is disseminated and the impact it can have on people's lives. This adds a thought-provoking layer to the narrative, making it more than just a standard thriller.
If you're a fan of mysteries with a unique twist and enjoy stories that keep you on your toes, Murder on Line One is definitely worth a read. It's a compelling blend of suspense, intrigue, and social commentary that will leave you thinking long after you've turned the last page.

🎧 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

I enjoyed the premise of this story and loved the many characters and their relationships throughout the book, especially Edward.

A cosy mystery with some emotive subjects involving the elderly community and their online commications with potential scammers. These were expressed intelligently and with empathy.

I did enjoy the audio, however felt it lacked a little emotion from some of the characters in places but overall
I enjoyed the story so I intend to read the book too for a different experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my Audio ARC.

I wasn't sure about Murder on Line One at first-it starts off slow, and it took me a bit to get into it.
But I'm really glad I stuck with it, because the second half totally pulled me in.

Edward Temmis is a fallen-from-grace radio presenter, now grieving and disconnected after the tragic death of his son. Enter Stevie, whose grandmother was a longtime fan of Temmis. When her gran dies in a suspicious fire, Stevie senses something isn't right-and turns to Temmis for help.
From there, the story really picks up. There's a lot going on (no spoilers!, and the mystery kept getting more layered and intriguing. The way it all comes together in the end made the slow start worth it.

If you like character-driven mysteries with a bit of a slow burn and a payoff at the end, this one's worth checking out.

I waas curious about this audiobook. I couldn't get into the first chapter, and found there was some repitition. I decided to continue with it, but the pace was too slow. I was initially pleased that Jeremy Vine himself was narrating it, as it usually makes an audiobook special to me if it's narrated by the author. I found the narration was monotoned and didn't add anything to the story or characters.

3 stars

Thanks to Jeremy Vine and publisher for my audiobook in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Murder on Line One is a cozy mystery written by and narrated by Jeremy Vine. It revolved around a late night radio host and his past and a murder. It was a "very slow" burn audiobook, quite repetitive in places and i found that i kept getting lost as it appeared to me it was disjointed in places. I found it was difficult to connect to the story and characters. The audio just wasn't for me but I would try the book to read in future. It is worth listening to if you enjoy cozy mysteries.

Darkness comes to sunny Sidmouth, when, unable to cope after a devastating tragedy, late night radio talk show host Edward Temmis is let go from his beloved job. Cast adrift, his outlook is bleak – until he meets Stevie, whose grandmother, a devoted listener, died in a suspicious fire last year. Well, nobody hurts his listeners and helping Stevie might just give him the purpose he needs. When their investigation stalls, they enlist local estate agent Kim, with whom Edward had a doomed fling last year. Working together, they discover Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one of his listeners targeted.
This was a case of half listening to the audio book & half reading & I much preferred listening as the narrator brought life to the book. A slow start to the book & I think if I’d just been reading I would have given up but the narrator saved it for me. I think this book shows that there isn’t a book in all celebrities
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Murder on Line One by Jeremy Vine and narrated by himself, was a "very slow" burn audiobook. I was looking forward in listening to this audiobook especially as I love Jeremy Vine's radio and TV shows etc which is he famous for. However, I could not get into it, I found it disjointed and I could not connect with the main characters and the story! Jeremy was monotoned and the story was boring. . . . There was nothing that drew me into the story. Shame though as I was looking forward to his book/audiobook.

I was confused what this book was gene was meant to be!: was it a romance? a cosy mystery, or a thriller.
All these different styles of writing within this book, do not work well together, particularly the romance parts they were dire, which could have fitted well into this story, should of rounded this book up!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio | HarperCollins for my ARC's

I had seen this book advertised and thought it looked intriguing. I didn’t know Jeremy Vine wrote fiction and I believe this is his first crime fiction novel. I chose the audiobook which is publishing on 24th April. Thanks to Harper Collins UK Audio and NetGalley for my copy.

Edward Temmis is grieving the sudden death of his young son and has been off work from his radio presenter job for almost a year. He ends up being replaced by another host and feels a bit lost. He’s contacted by Stevie whose granny died in suspicious circumstances and she was a regular listener to Edward’s show and often wrote in. Edward then discovers that she’s not the only listener who has been targeted, and he makes it his mission to find out who has been manipulating and scamming his mostly elderly listeners.

This was an engaging enough read and I warmed to Edward. Unfortunately I hadn’t checked the narration and the story is narrated by Jeremy Vine so if his voice annoys you then I wouldn’t listen to the audiobook! I wonder if it would have been better narrated by someone else as at times it was almost distracting.

The chapters are quite short and I wanted to find out what was going to happen. From early on in the story I had an idea of who the suspect was and I was disappointed to be proved right and I think it was a bit obvious. I quite liked the idea behind the plot and wondered how many of the listeners in the story were based on listeners to Jeremy’s radio show. I did find the plot got more far fetched as it went on and was a bit ridiculous overall.

Nonetheless, I didn’t mind this book and I liked the characters and idea behind the plot.

What if your favourite late-night radio host became your only hope for justice?

Welcome to Sidmouth, a sleepy Devon town where the sea is calm, but something sinister is crackling through the airwaves.

Edward Temmis was once a beloved voice on local late night radio. But after a devastating personal tragedy, he’s abruptly taken off the air and left adrift. Until Stevie enters his life. Her grandmother, a devoted listener of Edward’s show, died in a fire last year. Officially an accident. But something doesn’t add up…

Someone is targeting Edward’s ageing audience. And now, the killer’s got unfinished business.

Together with Stevie and Kim, a local estate agent and Edward’s ex-flame, the unlikely trio start digging. But the deeper they go, the stranger things get. Twisted motives. Buried secrets. A trail that leads back to the very people who once listened to Edward’s every word.

A cosy crime with heart, humour, and a dark undercurrent, Murder on Line One is the first in a brand new murder mystery from Radio 2 broadcaster and author @thejeremyvine

Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett, and Elly Griffiths.

Murder on Line One is out now on Hardback, ebook, and audiobook (brilliantly narrated by Jeremy Vine himself!)

Jeremy Vine isn't well known in New Zealand, but his name was familiar enough to me that I requested this one from Netgalley to add to my "mysteries written by British celebs" collection. I'm glad I did. The premise is an all-too-common one, where folk (mostly elderly) are being conned out of their life savings, and the characters were interesting and well constructed. I picked the scamming culprit really early on, which took a bit of a shone off the denouement, but I didn't guess who was driving the car. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would read something by this author again. Bonus point, also, for giving a shout-out to the late, great Kenny Everett.

***Disclaimer: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

This audio wasn’t for me. It was quite repetitive in places which I found annoying. The story just didn’t seem realistic to me . It was worth listening to but definately not for me

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher

I enjoy atmospheric seaside mysteries and unconventional sleuths so I approached Murder on Line One with genuine curiosity. Jeremy Vine, best known to most as a broadcaster with a flair for public discourse, has already dipped his toes into fiction with The Diver and the Lover. But this, his first foray into crime, promised a new voice in the genre: a tale of murders shrouded in nostalgia and late-night radio fog. And in many ways, Murder on Line One delivers—just not quite in the way I’d hoped.

At the heart of the novel is Edward Temmis, a once-respected local radio presenter now stumbling through a haze of professional disgrace and personal grief. Vine shows how well he knows local radio and its audience. He uses his expertise here to great effect. Vine paints Edward with a deft touch: he’s melancholic, self-deprecating, and clings to the airwaves like a man to a lifebuoy. There’s a charming brittleness to him, and I found myself rooting for his redemption. He’s not a classic detective—more a reluctant knight errant, drawn into amateur sleuthing by a caller whose grandmother perished in a suspicious fire.

The character work here is, on the whole, a strength. Stevie, the grieving, dogged granddaughter, injects youthful momentum into the narrative, and Kim—Edward’s former flame turned unwilling accomplice—adds both heart and a sardonic edge. The trio form an unlikely investigative unit, and their dynamic is one of the novel’s pleasures. Vine has a knack for dialogue, and his background in radio serves him well in capturing the intimacy, eccentricity, and quiet loneliness of the late-night call-in show.

The setting, too, is evocative. Sidmouth’s coastal charm sits in eerie contrast with the unfolding horror, and Vine’s descriptions of the town and its faded grandeur lend the novel a certain wistful allure.

However, as much as I enjoyed the ambience and the characters, the plot ultimately left me wanting. I correctly guessed the killer far too early, which sapped the latter chapters of tension. The clues are laid with a heavy hand, and while I appreciate clarity in a mystery, part of the thrill lies in the chase. Here, I felt like I was led along a well-lit path with neon arrows pointing to the culprit. The resolution, though competently executed, lacked surprise.

More troubling, though, was one particular scene of brutality—far more graphic than the rest of the crimes. Without giving too much away, there’s an act of violence that feels not only out of step with the tone of the book but almost gratuitously inserted. Most of the crimes are subtle, quietly terrifying, and rooted in a chilling psychological logic. This moment, by contrast, veers into the grotesque and momentarily ruptures the world Vine has so carefully built.

That said, Vine’s writing is fluid, pacy, and never indulgent. He strikes a balance between character development and plot propulsion, and there’s a real affection here for the world he’s created. It’s clear he enjoys these characters, and that affection is infectious.

Verdict: Murder on Line One is a promising debut in the crime genre. Edward Temmis is a protagonist I’d happily follow again—flawed but sincere, emotionally resonant without veering into melodrama. When Vine returns to him in future outings, I hope the plots become a touch more intricate and the tone more consistent. This novel has charm, heart, and a unique premise—but it could use a tighter web of mystery and a more judicious approach to violence. Still, for fans of not-quite-cosy meets contemporary crime, with a radio twist, it’s well worth a listen. Vine himself, as you’d expect, is a fine narrator.

Edward is still reeling from the death of his son when he is sacked from the radio station, but life really starts to fall out of control when Stevie shows up, saying she thinks he had something to do with her nans death.
Edward and Stevie along with Kim start investigating what happened.
There are a lot of characters in this book who get a voice, and I think that was to it's detriment, it was hard to follow in places and took me out of the story. The mystery itself was intriguing, although I did guess quite early on who the culprit was.
It was a solid cosy crime, but not one that will stay with me.

I enjoyed the storyplot and the idea of the book, but it took me awhile to get into the book. I also enjoyed the author narrated his own book, which he knew the best how to present the book. The story began with Edward - the radio presenter, and it then started after he met Stevie. Stevie believed her grandma was murdered, and they had to find the truth together.

The twist and turns were quite obvious. I would not say it was thriller/mystery, but still an enjoyable read.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Heartfelt mystery that is thought provoking and entertaining…

I went into Jeremy Vine’s crime fiction debut completely blind and found myself reading a book that was so much deeper than I was expecting. I really liked protagonist Alfred Tennis, but was not expecting him to have such a deep and emotional backstory. Alfred’s son has been killed by a motorist whilst cycling with his father. The book opens with a really affecting scene that demonstrates how difficult Alfred has found facing this loss. I immediately found myself caring for Alfred and I spent the remainder of the novel completely rooting for him. The fall out of this tragedy has a profound effect on Alfred’s life, but sets into motion his meeting with Stevie. Her grandmother has been killed as a result of a house fire that had been deemed an accident. Stevie doesn’t believe this, particularly when she discovers her grandmother reached out to Alfred’s radio show before her death. Together they investigate exactly what has happened and take the reader along on a twisted and intriguing journey. Vine has written a mystery that feels incredible topical, which I personally found made it almost the more gripping. It’s woven with empathy, heart, and a strong sense of justice. I had great fun trying to piece together the different strands of the narrative and work out what the truth was. It’s accomplished plot that is complex, but remains clear and refrains from becoming convoluted. At its very core though, this book is equally about Alfred’s road to healing. I was as much invested in his emotional journey as I was the unravelling of the central mystery.

I was also fortunate enough to receive early access to the audiobook, which is narrated by Vine himself. From previous experience, audiobooks narrated by the author are not always as enjoyable as when they are read by a narrator. However, here, Vine’s narration is fantastic! He breathes life into his characters, intoning all of the raw emotion, but also delivering the humour in the words perfectly. It was a really enjoyable listen and I felt the connection to Alfred (and Stevie) even more when listening.

I wouldn’t necessarily call this cosy crime, but it’s probably the sub genre it most logically fits into. What I will say is that if you enjoy your crime novels character lead and with a heart, you will probably enjoy this one!

I think the marketing on this book should be changed as it is perhaps leaning away from it's target audience. This is less a podcast murder style book and much more about a pensioner learning about the hardships of life - loss, new relationships, the power of community and the vulnerabilities of being "old" especially when targeted by callous scammers. A wonderfully sad but life affirming novel.

Everything was so obvious that it shouldn’t be called a mystery.
The writing isn’t awful but it’s not engaging enough in my opinion. As I said I can’t even comment on the mystery because it was way too obvious!! The plot twist at the end was lukewarm at best. I’m not rating this one star because I finished it (on 2.5 but still).

This book hooked me immediately with its heartbreaking and emotional opening.

From there, it was gripping and suspenseful right up to the end.

I like how character driven this book is and I love the unlikely threesome who became amateur sleuths.

For me, this book was well-thought out, making it brilliant! Everything tied up so perfectly at the end and it left me feeling happy, knowing everything was resolved.

I am a huge for of audiobooks and enjoy when authors narrate their own books. In my opinion, who better to give life and a voice to the characters other than the author? I thoroughly enjoyed Jeremy Vine’s narration!

I highly recommend this 5 star read. It’s the first I’ve listened to by this author and I wait in anticipation, with fingers crossed, that the author will write another phenomenal mystery soon!

Thank you NetGalley, Jeremy Vine, and HarperCollins UK Audio for the opportunity to listen to this delightfully suspenseful audiobook ahead of the proposed April 24th release date.

Murder on Line One brings the cosy crime murder mystery to a new locale; a local radio station. I enjoyed listening to Jeremy Vibe read this book ,a good story .Set in Sidmouth Devon, Edward is a local radio presenter until tragedy happens, and his son dies in a hit and run, and because of his grief, he was let go.

He meets Stevie, whose Grandma dies suspiciously, and the mystery begins when they start piecing all the facts together.

It's a simple read, offering moments of levity, even if it does take a while to get going. Characters where relatable helps you to keep reading to see if they get justice.

It's perfect for fans of Reverend Richard Cole or those looking for something not too taxing to sit back, read, and enjoy.