**First Person ARC Review: *Murder Under the Rock* by Ali Simpson**

*Murder Under the Rock* was the kind of mystery that lured me in with the promise of a classic whodunnit and then surprised me with how layered and atmospheric it turned out to be. Set in a remote coastal town with a reputation as rocky as its cliffs, this story builds tension with the quiet intensity of a storm gathering just off the shore.

What really hooked me was the setting—it’s so vividly drawn that it practically becomes a character itself. The isolation, the local legends, the deep-rooted grudges—it all creates this simmering tension that made every interaction feel like it could be the spark that sets everything ablaze.

The investigation unfolds in a satisfyingly slow burn. I appreciated that it didn’t rush to deliver twists; instead, it let them stew, giving each new reveal time to deepen the mystery. The protagonist—sharp, persistent, and refreshingly flawed—was someone I rooted for even when I didn’t fully trust her instincts. That sense of unease, of not knowing who to believe, kept me turning pages late into the night.

This isn’t a flashy thriller; it’s more like a shadow creeping across the walls, tightening around a town that’s been keeping secrets for far too long. *Murder Under the Rock* is smart, suspenseful, and quietly haunting. It left me thinking long after the final page—not just about who did it, but about all the ways silence can be just as dangerous as violence.

I just loved this book! Once I got started I was just hooked and I had to find out what the truth is. I loved this story, as it was set back in the day 1930’s I just loved it. I just loved the characters in this book as well, I also loved that the twins had their dad to have their back. This story kept just kept me guessing right until the end and I loved it.

I would highly recommend reading this book if you love a good mystery that keeps you guessing until the end and believe me it’s worth it.

I would like to thank Troubador Publishing Ltd and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. I look forward until the next book in this series.

I thank NetGalley and Troubadour Publishing for an advance reader copy of “Murder Under The Rock.” All opinions and comments are my own.

What happens when two precocious young women, twins, aided by the young man that lives next door, decide that the wrong fellow has been arrested for a horrific murder? Why, go investigating on their own, of course. And that’s what the Markham Twins, formerly finders of lost purses and lost cats, determine to do. And a fine job they do of it, too in “Murder Under the Rock,” the first in a new series by Ali Simpson.

In a case close to home in post-WWI Wellesmead, Torquay, Catherine (“Kitty”) and Eleanora (“Nora”) Markham, pull out all their investigative skills to determine who murdered Mrs. Watcombe of Rockcliffe House, and what’s happened with her priceless pearl necklace (the one readers learn about straightaway). Aided by young “Master Arthur” from next door, their 16-year-old partner-in-crime, whose father is the Chief Constable, Kitty and Nora stop at (almost) nothing to figure out the details of this crime, and in a stunning twist, they absolutely do.

Author Ali Sinclair is adept at presenting word pictures of the characters within these pages. Each one stands out as you make your way through “Murder Under The Rock.” Twists and turns will keep readers guessing along the way, too, always a challenge to the imagination. And as there has been some personal danger for our girls, dear father Markham asks them to stop “detecting” as the book ends. Kitty and Nora will find a way to continuing their sleuthing, and an entertaining bookish journey it will be, too.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

I LOVED this book and I hope this is the start to a new series.

If you are looking for an excellent police procedural / amateur sleuths book to read, look no further. This crime story set in the past has wonderful plot and character development (and a charming set of crime solving twins) .

5 stars from this reviewer for this delightful story, I will be watching for more books by Ali Simpson!

This charming and humorous mystery novel takes place in the 1930's along the English rivera. It features quite a unique cast of characters. There is another book in this series that will be released in the. future so overall this first novel had a really good start.
Our two main characters are twin sisters Nora and Kitty. Nora and Kitty have always had a knack for private investigating but given to their age it has mostly been lost animals. However, a murder takes place in their hometown they decide to team up with their neighbor Arthur to get to the bottom of it.
Overall these amateur detectives were brilliant. Kitty, Nora, and Arthur seemed to really know their stuff and seemed more reliable than the actual detectives on the case. I can't wait to see what adventures unfold in the next book!