I absolutely loved this book! I loved this story as I was gripped right from the start and I couldn’t put this book down until I finished reading it. I loved all the twists and turns and also how everyone at the dinner party all could have at least committed one of the murders, when really the murderer was hiding in plain sight as they aren’t normally the type of person thought of being a murderer. I will admit to being surprised by who it was, but when everything was broke down by Kitty and Nora then it all worked out. I loved that we had some new characters but I’m also glad that we had some of the original characters as well. As I really do like them all especially the original characters. I throughly enjoyed this book as I have previously enjoyed the other books in this series and I really look forward to reading their next adventure to come.

I would highly recommend reading this book and the previous books in this series as they are just amazing stories that will keep you gripped from start to finish but also have amazing characters as well.

I would like to thank Troubador Publishing and NetGalley for this Advanced Readers Copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for access to the this ARC.
I wasn’t familiar with this series but what a delightful treat this book turned out to be. With a period setting in 1931-32 England, it is lush tale that is smart and exciting. The characters were (mostly) likable but there was enough drinking, gambling and carousing to make it interesting and create controversy. The mystery was complex enough to keep me guessing and it was rather clever to put each of the suspects in the position to have committed at least one of the murders. The motive for the murders was a complete surprise. I will be reading more of the books from this series.

The Sticklepath Phantom is set in England in 1931 and follows the Markham sisters as they investigate a very strange series of murders that seem to be modeled after legends of local ghosts: a decapitated monk, a strangled Spanish woman, and a poisoned organist.

I thought this was an enjoyable mystery and the cast of characters was fun and quirky. Of course Kitty and Nora Markham are the most fleshed out and funny as our leads, but Jimmy the detective was also interesting, as was Evelyn, the Markham sisters' friend, who runs the ghost tours that the murders are modeled after. This was also very atmospheric and had some great detail that made the time period and setting feel very grounded.

I know this was an ARC, so I expected a few minor errors. However, the number of spelling and grammatical mistakes was enough to pull me out of the story at times, which is why this unfortunately got put down to a 3 instead of being a 4 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Troubador for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I loved every minute of this book. The story was full of unexpected turns, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, it surprised me again. A fantastic read!

The Markham twins have unravelled it all again and with much more confidence and poise. This story gave us more of peek into who the young women are and where their futures lie. The character progression was well done, as they come into their own as established detectives.

The crime this time felt a bit more complicated with more people involved, but it wrapped up quite nicely. Once it’s solved you realize all the little things that have added up.

The start was a bit slow to get going but once it picked up it was much more enjoyable. This was a solid cozy mystery and I’m looking forward to reading about their next adventures.

Set in England during the autumn of 1931, twins Kitty and Nora Markham have another mystery on their hands. Their new friend, Lady Evelyn Underhaye, is linked to a series of murders that mimic different ghost stories from her ghost tour. The twins rush to figure out who is behind it, and why, before they strike again.

This was a fun, quick read. Kitty, Nora, and the rest of their household are all fun characters. I enjoyed seeing two women who were feminine and capable. They didn’t sit around and wait for the men to figure things out. They were alongside the police, helping solve the case every step of the way. When they had to sit something out, it was because they weren’t police officers, not because they were women. While I’m not sure how historically accurate the portrayal was, it was fun nevertheless.
There were some twists I didn’t see coming, but they never felt like they came out of nowhere, which I always appreciate. I did raise an eyebrow at the motivation of the killer. Other than that, it was a fast, fun mystery that I’d happily recommend to mystery fans.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Troubador for providing me with this ARC.

The Markham Twins and company--minus one--are at it again when a new friend, Lady Evelyn Underhaye ask them to investigate nasty letters she received that may tie into deaths that eeriely reflect the ghost stories she tells on her haunted tours. They will have to use all their investigating skills to solve this one before someone else dies.

I enjoy the Markham Twins and company. They are developed characters that you can relate to. You definitely get the small town charm that make cozies so much fun to read with a good mystery. And in this case a spooky atmosphere that would make for a great Halloween read with all the ghost stories, spooky fog and creepy manner of death.

I look forward to more stories in this series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Great mystery full of folklore and would recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read.

This was an enjoyable mystery that wasn't afraid to be a little macabre and different.

It's 1931 and the Markham twins go on a ghost walk and then attend a high society dinner in short order. This lets them meet a selection of characters who all coincidently wind up being their suspect pool when a series of dark and dangerous murders occur. All of them seem to be mimicking famous ghosts but why?

I did expect it to lean more into the ghosts considering the set up and the way in which the people are killed, but it wasn't nearly spooky enough for my personal liking. It was still highly entertaining but if you're going to call a book 'something phantom' then I expect some more ghostly hijinks.

The characters within were great, we had a full range from the upper class - both the stereotypical snob to the woman passionate for equal rights - to the clergy, to doctors, all the way down to the police and servants. They all felt realistic and developed characters in their own right.

The Great War hangs over this book too, and there is a chapter in the middle that brings the horrors of war all too painfully to life.

The pace is nice and snappy, we move along at a rapid pace without sacrificing too much of the plot, and there is always something to keep you turning the page.

Personally I don't like it when mystery books keep things from you, when the investigators discover something and obliquely refer to their knowledge while setting the final scene up. It's fine for them to look at evidence and realise something, but there was notable facts kept from the reader. It was still sort of possible to work out who the killer was, but it required guessing and game theory because the evidence just wasn't there and that held it back for me.

It was still a fun read though and well worth it to anyone who enjoys their genre.

As someone who knows Sticklepath well I couldn't resist requesting this one but unfortunately the writing style was just not for me and I gave up after about a third of the way through.

The Sticklepath Phantom is another charming entry in Ali Simpson’s historical crime series — full of character, folklore, and clever sleuthing.

Set in autumn 1931, the novel makes brilliant use of Dartmoor’s brooding landscape and its rich vein of ghostly legends. The idea of a geological fault line spawning spectral sightings is irresistible, especially when Lady Evelyn Underhaye’s ghost tours collide with a series of gruesome murders that seem to echo those very apparitions. It’s a deliciously spooky setup, but Simpson keeps the tone balanced — eerie enough to intrigue, never tipping into the overwrought.

Kitty and Nora Markham continue to be the heart of the series. Their grounded, practical approach contrasts beautifully with Evelyn’s flair for the supernatural, and their friendship adds warmth to the darker threads of the plot. I loved how the sisters sift through superstition to uncover human motives, giving the mystery a satisfying, rational core beneath all the spectral whispers.

The pacing is brisk, the clues neatly planted, and the final reveal lands with clever precision. Simpson’s attention to period detail — from small‑town gossip to fog‑shrouded lanes — enriches the story without slowing it down, making the setting feel both vivid and inviting.

Overall, The Sticklepath Phantom is a cosy yet atmospheric historical mystery with just the right dash of the uncanny. Fans of gentle whodunnits with strong female leads will find plenty to enjoy, and I’m already looking forward to Kitty and Nora’s next adventure.

With thanks to Ali Simpson, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

3.5 stars generously rounded up - this is a nice instalment in the cosy historical mystery series (1930s Torquay, so very close to where I live). Possibly not as strong as some of the previous books, and the end two romantic threads feel a little suddenly “sprung” in without much lead up, but I do like them and where they will lead the next book to… so I’ve rounded up instead of down. We also see Jimmy begin as a detective here in his suit, and his new DC colleague, so hopefully the newly fledged detective team will be investigating more murders in the future!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.