Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for the chance to read this book . A good cozy murder story set in Cornwall at Christmas time. . There are a lot of amateur sleuths in the book trying to solve the murder. If you like cozy books like I do it’s worth a read

Let me set the scene: a drunk, wildly offensive local author shows up at a holiday party dressed like the ghost of Bad Decisions Past, waving around gossip grenades and threatening to spill Seal Bay’s dirtiest secrets. The next thing we know, he’s facedown in tinsel with a mince pie in one hand and a champagne flute in the other. And I’m supposed to not be obsessed?

Look, “Mince Pies and Murder” is trying very hard to be your cozy mystery comfort read, the kind of thing you curl up with while ignoring your family over the holidays. But this thing has range. We’re talking creepy Christmas cards, sketchy Santas lurking outside windows, family drama involving estranged husbands and unexpected boyfriends, and enough red herrings to choke a Cornish fishing village.

At the center of it all is Morwenna Mutton, our meddling sixty-something sleuth who’s somehow balancing solving crimes, wild swimming in water that definitely has a death wish, and wondering whether she still has feelings for the man she divorced but now has to see at every scone-centric event in town. She is equal parts “I raised three generations of women and will end you with a glare” and “I absolutely will sneak into your home to see what you’re hiding.” We love that for her.

Pawly Yelland, the dead author in question, clearly had a lot of enemies and exactly zero charm. He was basically a human Yelp review, overly critical and universally hated, so the suspect pool is overflowing. And yet, the book takes its sweet, Cornish time letting you stew in the small-town gossip stew. Every time I thought I had it figured out, another character popped up with an even better motive and a suspiciously well-timed alibi. Was it the disgraced radio DJ? The tea shop owner with something to hide? Literally everyone at that party?

But here's the thing: this book works best when it's not trying to be clever. It shines in its little moments, Morwenna baking with her granddaughter while low-key unraveling an alibi, her mother Lamorna suddenly dating like she's the star of a retirement romcom, and that one utterly chaotic family Christmas that made me feel like I needed a nap and a gin just reading it.

That said, I docked half a star because holy cast list, Batman. There were so many characters, I genuinely thought the glossary was going to be longer than the actual plot. I get it, it's book four in a series, but even my brain, which can remember almost every single line of “The Mummy” from the late 90's, had trouble keeping up.

Still, this is a solid 3.5-star read. Cozy enough to give you the warm fuzzies, twisted enough to keep you turning pages, and messy enough to remind you that small towns are basically just high school with more biscuits and fewer boundaries.

Merry Mayhem Prize: For Least Subtle Foreshadowing Disguised as Festive Cheer and Most Unsettling Use of a Santa Costume Since “Silent Night, Deadly Night.”

Huge thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the early peek at this festive murder romp. I had an absolutely unhinged time sleuthing through Seal Bay with Morwenna and her gloriously chaotic crew.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this cosy crime with characters that have become like friends.

Christmas is around the corner, but Morwenna isn’t feeling in the festive mood, even with all the Christmas events taking place to get people ready for it in Seal Bay.

At the library an event is held for an author, but when they turn up, the event doesn’t go as planned. Then at a party, the author that was at the event, Pawly is found dead.

As there was people at the party who didn’t like Pawly, it’s not clear whether his death was an accident or was he murdered.

Now, almost everyone at the party is under scrutiny. Can Morwenna find out who is the person that caused Pawlyms death and also responsible for the things that are happening by a strange Santa in Seal Bay before something else serious happens?

The story had all the characters we’ve previously met as well as some new ones. There is plenty of mince pies, wild swimming and strange incidents.

I highly recommend this book.

I very much enjoyed the previous book in this series (The Cream Tea Killer), so I decided to give Mince Pies and Murder a go. I’m glad I did.

I found this a little easier to get into than the previous book, as I now know who all the main characters are, and mostly how they relate to one another. I definitely intend to go back and catch up with books 1 and 2, before book 5 comes out (assuming there is a book 5, I hope so!).

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was fun getting to know the characters a bit better. I like Morwenna - she’s not always the most sensible person, but she does her best to protect her family, and they do the same for her.

The setting is a lovely one. I love the sea, so it’s great to be able to travel there via reading. I also enjoyed the town and the people in it.

The mystery was an interesting one. It took me quite a long time to figure out who was behind all the incidents. The plot line was intriguing, but not too stressful!

Overall, this was another enjoyable mystery, set in a fun location, with great characters. I definitely recommend it.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

Rated 4.5/5

The writing was engaging and had some nice little details that grounded the story well. Whilst the details weren't important to the main storyline, I enjoyed them. They helped to fully immerse me in the characters' world.

The book was split into dated parts which then were further split into a couple of chapters each.

The chapters were long and occasionally split, meaning that you got a good chunk of the story before moving on.

There was a good pace to the book. Whilst the little details slowed you down, you still kept moving forward well.

There was a good flow between the chapters and I quite happily spent long chunks of time reading the book.

There were quite a few characters, which I did find a challenge to keep up with. There was however a handy character list at the front so I was able to keep going back to that. I also liked the Glossary at the front which was helpful when the characters said certain things. I liked that there was a local dialect being used. That gave the story a more authentic feel.

The characters themselves were good. I enjoyed following the main character around whilst she was trying to work out the mystery. The mystery itself certainly kept me on my toes!

This book is a delight, probably better read with a hot chocolate and a slice of Christmas cake the during the hottest part of the year. Very satisfying entertaining read.

a cosy mystery with a detective with pluck. oh and it surrounds Christmas time so bonus points before we've even began. oh wait did i not mention its Cornish based. haha J.R. Leigh is bringing out all the big brilliant gun for this one. the story comes back to Morwenna Mutton our sleuth in her 60's. this time she has to unravel yet another death of a local. an author no less! he was found with a champagne flute and a mince pie in his hand(worse ways to go mate as long as the pie had brandy butter of course.i jest i jest)
soon on the case as she sees darker goings on than an accident Morwenna unravels and unwraps more than presents this time of year.
this book had extra sparkle from the time of year and location and one again had all the charm you wish for in a book like this. i was kept guessing to and just enjoyed the ride of finding out who and what would happen next.
this could definitely be a tv series but i would like none other than Dame Judi for this role please. haha asking too much???

Two weeks before Christmas and Morwenna is hopelessly unprepared with her preparations, Seal Bay, however is in full on festive mood.
There is to be a talk at the local library from the local minor celebrity author, Pawly Yelland, who is promoting his latest book about the hidden secrets of Seal Bay. He arrives late and inebriated and manages to insult quite a few local inhabitants, before a strategic refreshment break encourages his departure.
A pre Christmas party is to be held at Pengellen Manor, fancy dress on a Yuletide theme. There are a few Santa’s, Elves, Peter Pan, Angels and the odd Brussels Sprout. Pawly is there, making a nuisance of himself, but when he is found dead on the floor, with a mince pie and a flute of Champagne in his hands, the question is, did he fall or was he pushed?
Morwenna helps the police investigate, but everyone seems to have a motive following the library talk. Morwenna and her family have problems of their own, a stalker dressed in a Santa suit is apparently out for revenge, but why, they have no idea.
The author is very brave and confident in despatching a key character and loveable rogue so early in the book. Hints of scandals and secrets provide a good motive, but who stands to lose and gain by this death?
There is so much going on in this book, a helpful ghost, thefts of boats and a slightly crazed and possibly murderous Santa. It all sounds a rather exhausting lead up to the festive season.
I found this to be darker in theme than the previous stories, but this is still a wonderful example of strong women who refuse to be invisible, they still have a role to play, both in helping their community and defending their family members.
I have recommended this to my local library and book groups, it is a cosy crime novel, but full of warmth and love. A five star read.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Boldwood Books, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review.
I will post to Goodreads and Amazon UK later.

This was my first Morwenna Mutton mystery and I was not disappointed. It's a joyous mix of cosy crime, family drama and romance, with all the feels of a roaring festive fireplace.

The Seal Bay residents are shocked when local author Pawly dies at a Christmas party. With no end of suspects to interrogate, Morwenna attempts to get to the truth, but is distracted by a creepy Santa who is seemingly stalking her. With help from various generations of her family, and he estranged husband, can Morwenna solve the mystery?

Book 4 in the Morwenna Mutton Mystery series,
As Christmas approaches and the parties begins, local writer ,Pawly Yelland, is found dead at the bottom of a staircase at Pengellen Manor with a champagne flute in one hand and a mince pie in the other! Is this a case of a drunken fall or murder?

Suspicious Christmas cards and scary Santa's seem to be everywhere!

Can Seal Bay's own Morweena Mutton help the police again to solve this mystery before anyone else is hurt or worst!

Another get read from cover to cover!

Enjoyable cosy crime with fabulous characters and a load of Cornish craziness! Light hearted and entertaining this is lovely escapism!
Morwenna Mutton is not feeling festive as the Christmas events in Seal Bay kick off with an author event at the library which doesn’t go as planned, and when the author Pawly is found dead at a party there are doubts if this was an accident or murder.
Can Morwenna work out who is behind the strange Santa happenings in Seal Bay before it’s too late?
Full of familiar characters and some new ones, this is a wonderful festive caper, full of surprises and mince pies. There is crime, wild swimming, cake and romance. This book gave me a lot of smiles amidst the concerns and dangers!!
Hugely enjoyable and recommended for a great read, I certainly devoured this one!
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for the early read! Loved it

"Bad things happen when you least expect them." So begins JR Leith's Moweena Mutton 4th in series. - a quietly arresting opening that sets the tone for what unfolds: a mystery laced with danger, wit, and a heroine who feels both familiar and refreshingly original. Leigh brings her storytelling gifts to the cozy mystery genre.Leigh's affection for both the characters and location shines through on every page.
Readers will find themselves not only eager to solve the ctime, but longing to return to Seal Bay and the world that is so lovingly conjured.
Thanks to net galley and Boldwood books for the opportunity to read and review this great cozy mystery

Based in a close knit Cornish coastal community with extended families and friendship groups. It’s approaching Christmas with lots of events planned including a talk from a local author, Pawly Yelland, about his new book. Pawly turns up for the talk just in time but ill prepared and clearly drunk. He insults several members of the audience and threatens that his forthcoming book will reveal more local secrets. The following evening, at a Christmas party at Pengellen Manor, he is found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs. The list of suspects is long and there are motives in abundance.

A well created story with plenty of intrigue mixed in with a gentle romance. My only criticism is that there are numerous characters and I found it difficult in places to keep track of the various partners and relationships.

I really enjoyed the overall concept of this book, it had that mystery element that I was expecting from the other entry. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this world with them. I enjoyed how good this world in this story was, it had that mystery element that i wanted and glad I got back into this world. J.R. Leigh has a strong writing style and am excited for more in the Morwenna Mutton Mystery series.

I really enjoyed this book, I always enjoy books set in certain places, Cornwall being one of them, This one though was extra enjoyable though because of the lovely characters, each of them with their own quirks and foibles , much like real life . Good storyline, well told and well written. Recommended

I've read several books by Judy Leigh and this is the second I've read in Morwenna Mutton Mystery series, I don't think it matters if the previous books in the series haven't been read as this book easily stands alone. Set in Cornwall in a small coastal town, Seal Bay, with a close knit community. It's an enjoyable light crime story with a fair amount of humour and lovely, well depicted and strong female characters. A touch of romance is thrown in for good measure with many twists and turns as a murder is being solved in the run up to Christmas. Alongside the main plot are other crimes to solve with many Santas in the mix. It may be a bit predictable in places but this doesn't detract from the enjoyment overall.

A cosy murder mystery with a Christmas theme. I enjoyed the story and characters and especially the first few pages explaining who everyone was. I enjoyed all the relationships throughout the story

Seal Bay is getting ready for Christmas. Shops are decorated and children are excited. Morwenna Mutton is looking forward to a festive family holiday with her mother, daughter and granddaughter. Apprehension falls over the town when local author, Pawly Yelland is found dead at a holiday party. Morwenna puts on her sleuthing hat and sets out to prove the death wasn't an accident. Pawly had recently been drinking heavily and had insulted several local resident's in public, so there are multiple motives. If murder wasn't enough, frightening Christmas cards are sent to Morwenna's family and there are threatening events involving her 8 year-old grand-daughter. Just when it seems Christmas calm has descended, terror strikes!
This series features great characters-especially Morwenna's octogenarian mother who has a romantic fling in this title. The Cornwall setting is well done and readers will shiver when the wild swimming group plunges into the sea every Sunday.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

Librarian Morwenna Mutton is looking forward to Christmas in Seal Bay, the small Cornish town where she lives. Everyone is getting into the Christmas spirit and a fancy dress party in the local manor house is something no one wants to miss. Then Pawly Yelland, a local author, is found dead and suddenly the Christmas spirit is dampened.
But Pawleys death was no accident, and the fact that he upset most of the locals at some point means there is no shortage of suspects. As the police investigate a series of burglaries and strange Christmas cards mean they need all the help they can get and Morwenna is happy to oblige.
Everyone wants the case solved quickly so they can have a happy Christmas but things aren’t always as straightforward as they seem and this Christmas could be one to remember for all the wrong reasons.
This is a cozy, warm hearted story with some suspense, mystery, humour and a sprinkling of romance. What more could you want.

I found this novel very confusing with so many characters. Yes, the author provides a list at the beginning but I didn't find this helpful especially reading on a Kindle. It was tiresome going back and forth. Maybe if I had read previous books in the series I would have enjoyed it more