"The third in the charming, page-turning cosy mystery series from million-copy bestseller Fiona Walker matchmaking has never been so murderous...

Juno is feeling ready - at last - to start dating again, after losing her husband some years ago. She is sure she can make time from being a Village Detective, indeed it might help distract her from her crush on hunky (but far-too-young!) pub landlord - Mil.

So she's signed up to an exclusive new dating app and cannot wait. But when one of the founding investors in that same dating app drops dead in front of fellow Village Detective Phoebe in a nearby hotel - and then a second investor is found hanging in the local cricket pavilion just days later - Juno knows she'll have to put her love life on hold.

Teaming up once more with Phoebe, Felix and Mil...the Village Detectives are back. And this time Juno - who'd thought she was getting under the covers with a new lover - is going undercover to catch a killer...

Wickedly funny cozy crime, from million-copy bestselling author Fiona Walker. Fans of Richard Osman, Janet Evanovich and Rev. Richard Coles will love the Village Detectives!"

I mean, isn't the founding investor of a dating app dropping dead in front of you a sign that you should be investigating murders and not dating?

A glittering river, a dating app, and a cricket pavilion murder — welcome back to Inkbury, where matchmaking meets murder in the most charmingly British way.

In this third installment of Fiona Walker’s Village Detective series, Juno is ready to re-enter the dating world. But when two app investors meet untimely ends — one in front of fellow sleuth Phoebe, the other swinging from the cricket pavilion — romance quickly takes a back seat to mystery. With Phoebe, Felix, and the ever-distracting Mil by her side, Juno dives into a case that’s as twisty as it is entertaining.

Walker’s writing is wickedly funny and full of heart. The village setting sparkles with gossip and secrets, and the characters feel like old friends you’re thrilled to see again. It’s a cozy crime with bite — clever, warm, and just the right amount of scandal. Fans of Richard Osman and Janet Evanovich will feel right at home, but Walker’s voice is distinctly her own: witty, affectionate, and quietly sharp. I adored every page and already miss the Village Detectives.

A delightfully escapist read with a killer sense of humor.

With thanks to Fiona Walker, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this as a third entry in the Village Detectives series, it does a great job in creating that historical mystery and was hooked from the first page. Fiona Walker has a strong writing style and am excited for more, as this had that feel that I was wanting from the previous two books. The characters worked well in this setting and thoroughly enjoyed the concept and how they were used in the cozy mystery concept.

Book review: The Little Black Book Killer by Fiona Walker
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

There’s something about a cozy mystery set in a picturesque village with charmingly nosy locals that makes me want to cancel my plans, make a cup of tea, and settle in for the night—and Fiona Walker delivers exactly that, with a sharp-witted twist. The Little Black Book Killer is the third entry in the Village Detective series, and it’s just as clever, cheeky, and addictive as ever. If you haven’t yet met Juno, Phoebe, Felix, or Mil, you’re in for a treat. Think Agatha Raisin with better jokes and more sass, or Stephanie Plum but with fewer car explosions and more biscuits.

This time around, Juno’s finally ready to swipe right on romance after years of widowhood, but fate—and a dead tech investor—has other plans. Her debut on an exclusive dating app is quickly sidelined when murder crashes the matchmaking party. With one dead body in a hotel and another strung up in a cricket pavilion, it’s clear this app isn’t about love—it’s about lies, secrets, and something much darker. Cue the Village Detectives: nosy, hilarious, and surprisingly effective.

What I love most is that Fiona Walker doesn’t just write a mystery—she writes people. Juno is funny, flawed, and completely relatable as a woman trying to reclaim her life while also playing Sherlock in yoga pants. Her chemistry with Mil is one of the book’s biggest joys (give us the kiss already, Fiona!). The banter sparkles, and the pacing never drags. Also, I genuinely didn’t guess the killer, and I always guess the killer.

Favorite quote? “You can tell a lot about a man by his profile photo—and even more by who dies after he posts it.” Honestly, that line could be a T-shirt.

Fiona Walker has absolutely nailed the balance of laugh-out-loud humor, satisfying sleuthing, and just enough emotional depth to make you care. The murder mystery is smart and twisty, the characters are vivid and memorable, and the English countryside setting is pure cozy escapism.

Five suspiciously scented candles out of five. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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