If you're looking for a fun cozy mystery with an amateur sleuth to get you in the mood for Fall, look no further! Great characters, lots of suspects, and some twists!

First, thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

There were two reasons for me to pick this book - I have not too much experience with cozy thrillers yet - and it was the fact that it takes place during Halloween - my second favourite holiday - and that the setting is an ancient castle in England - with a dead person showing up there at some point, of course. Both are things I do absolutely love! Oh, and the amateur detective trope is always a win, too.

I had no idea this was part of a series yet again, however, it was still a quick, fun read with the right amount of suspense to keep me entertained without creeping me out too much. I am going to put A Christmas Murder onto my list for this winter now, for sure! Very well done!

A well-plotted dark murder mystery on the Isle of Wight with amateur detective Susan Flynn. It's a good, modern page-turner in a historic location.

Story snapshot
Isle of Wight amateur detective Susan Flynn and her daughter Zoe are drawn into a murder on Halloween.

Spooky setting
The story's set in 2017 and so feels modern and relevant.

Zoe and her friends take a ghost walk at Carisbrooke Castle, a good, spooky setting for the murder. With its history and dark atmosphere, the different parts of the castle all had a place in the story.

Characters
There's diversity among the characters, both the key players and supporting cast, which was great to see.

Susan's character is well-rounded, as are those of her daughter Zoe and her friend Robert. They're believable and the relationships between them are well-written.

However, Zoe's friends didn't work as well. They showed little friendliness to each other. Even with the murder and the investigation, I would have expected a bit of light along with the dark.

Also, some of their dialogue was too formal for a group of 30-something friends.

Catching the murderer
The plot's been carefully crafted with clues pointing at different suspects to keep you guessing. The story kept me gripped throughout although the ending felt a bit 'scooby doo'.

This book was my first time reading about Susan's investigations. As I liked her character and the plot, I'd read more stories in the series.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.

Mary Grand has done it again—A Halloween Murder is another delightful addition to the Susan Flynn mystery series, blending classic cozy crime with a modern, emotionally intelligent sleuth who readers can't help but root for.

Set against the haunting backdrop of Carisbrooke Castle, this installment perfectly captures the eerie beauty and tight-knit secrets of island life. Grand's ability to weave a compelling mystery through richly drawn characters continues to impress.

Susan, with her quiet strength, observant nature, and loyal cocker spaniels, makes the ideal guide through this intricate whodunit. As always, the pacing is just right—slow-burn and suspenseful without ever dragging. Every red herring and reveal is carefully placed, making the final resolution satisfying and well-earned.

I do think this can be read as a standalone, although you'll immediately want to go back to the beginning and follow Susan on her crime-solving adventures. This is a charming novel that I would recommend to anyone!

Such a fun read! I started this series with A Christmas Murder and was so thrilled to be asked to read the next book. I love cozy mysteries but I really love this series. The fictional town just sounds amazing, it has dogs which I love, our main character is in her 60s instead of being a super young woman.

Our story starts with Susan getting ready to host her daughter and a friend of her daughter for a week while some of the other friends in the group are in town and staying in a castle. They are all coming together to put on a concert for their previous music teacher.

On Halloween night, one friend in the group goes missing and is found dead the following morning. Was it murder or just a horrible accident? We swap between following Susan and her daughter Zoe while they try to uncover the truth and get to the bottom of what happened on Halloween night.

I really enjoyed reading about both Susan and Zoe as well as trying to find what what happened alongside them. I thought I knew what was going on multiple times but then new information came out and I was wrong. I was guessing right up until the end.

I did struggle some with the wording in this book because I'm American and the author is British so certain wordings and phrases threw me off but I'm getting better at understanding it all. Overall this was a very good book and I flew through it. I'm impatiently waiting for more in this series.

Mary Grand is an accomplished writer and it shows through her books. The characters she creates draw you into the story and brings along for the ride. This book was quite the thriller and kept you on your toes with lots of suspects and with many clues as well. Each page has its own twist and turns.

A Halloween Murder blends eerie atmosphere with cozy British vibes in a suspenseful tale. Amateur sleuth Susan goes on a ghost walk with her daughter and winds up trapped with a dead tourist. Her daughter becomes the main suspect, and she and Susan must find the real killer.

A fun, quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Ghost walks, old secrets, and a murder at a castle? Count me in. Spooky season never ends.

Atmospheric, suspenseful, and just the right amount of spooky. A Halloween Murder delivers a classic locked-room whodunnit, with a cozy British setting and a mother-daughter duo you’ll root for. Susan’s instincts—and determination—make her a refreshingly mature amateur sleuth, and the castle setting adds a chilling layer to the drama.

While it leans more classic than twisty thriller, it’s a solid, satisfying read for anyone who loves their mysteries with foggy nights and family secrets. One star off because the pacing lagged a bit in the middle, but I stayed hooked ‘til the final reveal.

This is my second book in this series, and I enjoyed it. I like the Isle of Wight, and the idea of a Halloween ghost walk in a crumbling castle on Halloween sounds like a fun event. Sadly, someone dies, and so it is a murder to solve. Susan and her fellow cast do a great job of helping the local DS solve this murder.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

Really great cozy mystery, I love the amateur detective trope a lot and this one delivered it again. Susan is really comfortable with her life on the Isle of Wight. She is the amateur sleuth and has solved quite a few cases in the past but now that her daughter Zoe is coming to stay with her for few days she just wants to enjoy this times with her daughter without any drama but clearly that’s not what happens.

When Zoe invites her for a Halloween ghost walk to a creepy castle she doesn’t have a good feeling about this when they get trapped and there’s a dead body and Zoe becomes the main suspect, Susan has to find the real killer.

Thanks NetGalley and Boldwood Books for kindly providing me with this eARC. I absolutely loved this. All opinions are my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed "A Halloween Murder" by Mary Grand. It was my first book by her and I loved all the cozy, Halloween festiveness of this book. Great read.

A Halloween ghost walk in a crumbling castle on the Isle of Wight, turns tragic, and deadly after one of the tourists winds up dead and this charming Halloween cozy

#AHalloweenMurder #NetGalley is the perfect book to read on a stormy day.
Susan is excited to have her daughter Zoe stay with her for a few days, however, she's not prepared to find herself wrapped up in another police investigation.
Zoe is meeting up with her old school friends, to celebrate the retirement of their music teacher.
A few of the friends have lost touch, but no one expects them to have so much animosity among them.
When Zoe's friend Maxine confesses her secrets, she has no idea it will be the last time she speaks with her.
Susan becomes quickly involved when it seems Zoe is a suspect, and the two of them team up to see if they can find the truth.
This is a fantastic story, it grabbed my attention from the beginning, and I read it in one say, because I had to know who did it and why.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
I'm happy to recommend it to other readers.

The beginning hooked me…imagine…a mystery with red herrings…secrets and suspense. Reliable characters kept the story moving quickly. Murder and mayhem…friends…mysterious. Enjoy. Thanks Netgalley.