Ginny is attending the wedding of Colin's sister, Grace, in the next town over. It's a staunch and uncomfortable affair with tensions brewing up until the nuptials, as both towns believe in a curse that affects anyone who crosses the town borders. It only gets worse when a skull shows up, and brings the entire event to a disastrous halt.

*****

We're back in Little Shaw again for the third book in this cozy detective series. Just like with the others, we get the brigade of Ginny and her widow friends together to solve a local murder, with the usual ample quirks worked in.

I loved that this was a different setup than the other two, with the initial case already being closed, the ladies needing to infiltrate a new town, and Wallace being away on vacation. They were all able to move freely, not be told off by police, and also had new challenges and opportunities outside of their home town gossip. It made for a cozy mystery that still had the same vibes as the first two novels, but didn't feel repetitive, with so many new characters and scenes worked in.

I loved seeing Ginny grow outside of her grief, as well as the characters from previous novels brought back in in new and developing roles. Overall this was the perfect cozy mystery with a comical ending in the nick of time, and was exactly what I look forward to in this series.

*****

Thank you to Storm Publishing for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am loving this series and another visit to Little Shaw was another exciting installment, Ginny Cole is attending a friend’s wedding when the dog, who was ring bearer, after running and digging in the church yard dropped a skull at the bride’s feet, well this stopped the wedding and Ginny is again with her friends from the Widows’ Detective club using their sleuthing skills to get the answers.

The two families involved in the wedding do not get along as one of them comes from the next village and there has been some sort of feud between the two villages for way too long to remember but when the skull turns out to belong to a woman murdered twenty years ago and that case was never investigated correctly as far as Ginny, Tuppence, MJ and Hen are concerned they are going to make sure that they do especially when the bride’s notorious family has asked them to do so.

What they uncover was a terrible plot but when another body is discovered and this one is one of the peopled Ginny and team had been talking to the plot thickens and with DI Wallace away on holidays and DI Sterling in charge of the investigation The Widows’ Detective Club are not happy and determined to get answers.

This is a fabulous installment in the series one that I highly recommend Ginny and the ladies are so easy to like and they leave no stone unturned in their hunt for answers and I am thrilled that there will be more in the series. I loved this one witty fun and a fabulous cosy mystery.

My thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for my copy to read and review.

This was a fun follow-up to the other Widow's Guide books. Perfect for a cozy mystery section. The characters are real and well-rounded and the storyline is complicated enough that this requires a little focus, but it doesn't have the creep factor that thrillers have, which is great for readers who like the puzzle aspect of murder but not the gore.
This series is an auto-buy for my store now!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Amanda Ashby for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Widow's Guide to Skulduggery coming out June 30, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Somehow, I missed the second book in the series. I really enjoyed the first book so I was excited to receive this. I really love murder mystery books. I think the characters are really fun. I would definitely read more books in this series.

I’m so happy to be back in Amanda Ashby’s cozy mystery series—this is book 3, and it’s just as delightful as the first two! The atmosphere is charming, the mystery is engaging, and the characters are truly the cherry on top. Especially Ginny, the main character—returning to her and her quirky group of friends feels like getting a warm hug from an old friend.

What makes this series shine is the cast: well-developed, funny, and full of personality. The murder mystery is just the right level of tricky—not too easy, not too complex—and the cozy setting makes it all the more enjoyable. While each book has a standalone mystery, I’d definitely recommend starting with book 1 to really get to know the characters and their relationships.

If you’re looking for something fun, heartwarming, a little dramatic, and full of cozy crime-solving, this series is a gem. Highly recommend the whole series!

A fun, magical cozy with a biting edge. I loved the clever writing, strong female leads, and mix of dark humor and witchy charm. It’s cozy, and perfect for fans of practical magic with a twist.

This is the third book in the series, but I had no trouble jumping right in. After finishing this book, I’m eager to go back and read the first two. The story pulled me in blending mystery, charm, and small-town drama in just the right way.

A wedding is abruptly halted by the discovery of an old skull, reopening a long-cold case and setting off a wave of gossip. As the mystery deepens, a new murder adds fresh complications. Rivalries between neighboring towns (reminded me of Parks and Rec’s Pawnee vs. Eagleton) add fun tension, while a group of determined widows-turned-sleuths brings warmth and wit to the investigation.

One plot point that gave me pause was the abrupt decision by Grace and Theo to call off their engagement. While the town gossip about a supposed “curse” added intrigue, the sudden dissolution of their relationship felt a bit underdeveloped. I found myself wishing for more context or emotional buildup to that moment.

Also, while the mystery kept me engaged, the ending arrived too quickly and didn’t feel fully earned. The resolution came with minimal groundwork, and I was left wishing for a bit more development before the final reveal.

Still, the character dynamics, especially among Ginny, JM, Hen, and Tuppence, were strong and engaging. Despite coming in mid-series, I had no trouble getting to know Ginny and her group of detective friends. The writing does a great job of weaving in enough backstory for new readers while keeping the pace brisk and engaging for returning fans.

The mystery, peppered with moments of humor and heartfelt reflection, makes this a satisfying read.

The Widow's Guide to Skulduggery

This is the third book in this series, but the first one I’ve read. This did not detract from the story for me, as any needed references to earlier events were smoothly woven in. It was a good escape book as it was a somewhat easy read (I did keep confusing a couple sets of characters) with a solid mystery to unravel. The rivalry between villages was an interesting plot point, but the snooty wealthy vs the poor was over the top and missed the mark as humorous for me. There are elements of other cozies I enjoy - the interest of a crime family in the success of the amateur sleuths, older main characters who play on their weaknesses to learn what they need to, and a good balance between dialogue, thoughts, and environmental description. All in all, it was a decent read, but probably not a series I’ll add to my “must read” pile.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for access to this fun cozy mystery.

The Widows’ Guide to Skulduggery is the third book in The Widows’ Detective Club series and it is great to meet up with Ginny, Tuppence, JM, and Hen once again.

Connor’s sister Grace is about to marry local “royalty,” Theo Faulkner, who comes from Walton-on-Marsh, a touristy type of town located near Little Shaw. There is mention of a curse and when a skull is dropped at Grace’s feet by Theo’s family dog, the curse is blamed. Reading about the groom’s family attending the wedding wearing black, you know things aren’t looking too good for Grace’s future with this family.

The skull belonged to Lesley Charlton, a woman who died 20 years ago, killed by her husband. As a result of the skull episode, Grace calls off the wedding. I felt that Grace calling off the wedding was an extreme reaction, but when your fiancé’s family hates you, maybe she thought it was for the best. However, Grace’s grandmother wants the detective club to find out who planted the skull at the church to ruin her granddaughter’s wedding. To me the question was why wasn’t the skull with Lesley’s body to begin with and where has it been all this time? The ladies discover who planted the skull, and that person ends up murdered. They then investigate the murder to find the connection between the skull and the current death.

Unfortunately, we don’t get grumpy DI Wallace in this book until the end because he is on vacation. The description of the people living in Walton-on-Marsh and how they look down on the people of Little Shaw is pretty funny, especially at the tea shop. I think readers will enjoy the women of the detective club, Grace’s family (especially her grandmother) and the story of how maps were made in the past and how that affected towns. I think people will be surprised by the killer and the end with Wallace is pretty funny. Please let’s have more books in this series because these ladies and the town are a delight.

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

Another very entertaining book in this series!

Everyone looks forward to a wedding, and Ginny Cole is no different. But, when a skull turns up in the churchyard and the betrothed couple end up at daggers drawn, something is afoot. Ginny and her friends can't resist looking into the matter and they begin to suspect that it isn't so much about the skull, more about breaking up the wedding . . .

This is the third series with Ginny and her friends and each one just gets better. It's never obvious where it's heading, but such fun in getting there! Well-written, packed with great characters this is a series I hope continues. For me, 4.5* and a definite recommendation to all mystery lovers.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.

Ginny is attending the wedding of Grace and Theo. Some guests on Theo's side are behaving badly in the form of trying to convince him not to marry Grace. Then Colin, Theo's mother's dog digs up a skull and everything goes to hell in a handcart.
In the aftermath of the wedding that never was, Maureen, Grace's grandmother asks Ginny and her friends to look into what happened because her son Joey, is threatening to return and wreck havoc to find out what happened. No one wants this to happen as he is a wanted man with very little impulse control.
As Ginny and her friends dig deep, certain things come to light which in turn cause a chain reaction of bad events.
Another easy to read murder mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed.

This is the third book in the series but it didn't matter I hadn't read the second.

It has all of the key characters and was really fun. A little obvious but a cosy read.

Thanks for the arc.

Another fun one from Amanda Ashby. I do love Ginny and her coconspirator band of amateur sleuths.
The return to Little Shaw was more interesting this time. with the history between them and their posh rivals in Walton-On-Marsh. The class difference and favoritism (looking at you DI Sterling) were well critiqued.

The mystery was not so obvious, it took me a while to see the dots connecting.
I missed Wallace but Anita and Bent were sufficient police representation.
I also enjoyed Ginny's journey as a widow, coming to terms with loss, loneliness and not expecting her late husband to respond to her etc.
The ladies using the address book as an indexed note keeper was such a cute touch.
This was a good palate cleanser, fun for a cozy weekend. I look forward to more books in the future.

Thank you Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Widows’ Guide to Skulduggery is the third Widows' Detective Club village cozy mystery by Amanda Ashby. Released 30th June 2025, it's 280 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 solid series. The book is populated by small town eccentrics, undercurrents of rage, jealousy, and scandal, into which the new local village librarian 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.

Compared to the first books in the series, the series has found a footing and more surety in the plotting, with a host of secondary characters who are a bit of a handful to keep track of, but overall, still readable and enjoyable.

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 40 minutes and is capably read by series narrator 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 stars. It's a diverting read. It would be a great choice for home library, or a binge/buddy read. There are now three books extant in the series.

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

Thank you, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for letting me review The Widow's Guide to Skulduggery, to provide an honest review in return.

I absolutely love this series! This is the third book, and definitely the best for me! There was more suspense, and I will never get enough of the group of widows, that can get away with sneaking around to work on investigations.

The widows are always running into trouble on accident or on purpose, and then being older widows, they get looked over, which has helped them uncover many murders.

This one had me wanting to turn the next page, then the next page, until I know it, I have read the whole book in one sitting. It was gripping, and I love all of the characters in this book. You just fall in love with them and their quirks.

This book is suspenseful, gripping, and twists and turns throughout the whole book starting at the very beginning, with Little Shaw and a skull just uncovered and crashing a wedding. An old skull, a new dead body, can they solve this before another one drops dead?

Check this book out you guys! I absolutely love this series.

Ginny, JM, Hen and Tuppence are back, and I can't get enough of them!

Ginny Cole is invited to a wedding. All is going well until a skull rolls onto the bride's feet. Chaos ensues, and the police are called. However, it seems like no one is interested in finding out the origin of the skull. It is up to Ginny and the Widow's Club to figure it out.

It is always such a treat to read this series. There are enough twists, turns, and secrets to make this another fast-paced success.

Thank you, Netgalley and Storm Publishing, for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

I have been thoroughly enjoying this series! The widows a quirky without being "too much" and the mysteries offer up some nice twists and turns. I especially like how the author has added depth to the side characters and keeps them involved throughout each book. With this book we also get to know more of Connor's complicated family - his grandmother is somehow both terrifying and someone you would want to sit around and have a drink with. Having the initial events occur during the wedding opened up the door for plenty of new characters all of whom made good suspects. The rivalry between the towns offered some levity as well as plenty of motives for the various crimes. The big reveal of the murderer came as a surprise to me - I did not see it coming until Ginny made the realization herself. The only bigger surprise (for me at least) was the reason behind of the initial murder that kind of got everything started. Of course, the best parts are those in which the widows are carrying out their investigations. I would not mind growing up to be any one of these women!

I enjoyed this book like I did the other two in the series, they are easy to read and are charming, twisty, and have just the right amount of macabre.

I really enjoy this series, with a great cast of characters and very involving mysteries. In this one, I especially enjoyed the research into maps that the writer must have done.

This is the third book in the series and they have improved over time.

To give too much information would be to provide too many spoilers for what is a cozy mystery thriller..

It’s well written with lots of twists and turns to keep the reader entertained - and to encourage just one more page/chapter.

The group of widows are developing their own characters and their own roles within the group as they investigate the Skulduggery.

Can’t wait for the next in the series - I sincerely hope there will be a next !