Reviews

A Village Fete Murder by Katie Gayle

beebliobibuli's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

 In "A village fete", Julia stumbles, yet again, on another body. This time, it's an unknown woman, found dead in the middle of a maze, at first it looks like a heart attack, but then, clues start telling otherwise, and where there's foul play,Julia has a job to do.
The theme of this book is pretty delicate, bullying that is, and the author showed brilliantly its consequences on both the bullied and their family.
The plot was, as usual well crafted, and the clues cleverly put here and there for the reader to pick.
I found out who did it pretty early in my reading but like in the previous books, this didn't alter my experience a bit!
Next one please! 

avaholic29's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Bland

addielou's review against another edition

5.0

another fantastic read

Love this series so descriptive you can paint the picture of the village, always keeps me guessing until the very end, looking forward to another book soon

mystery_jem's review against another edition

3.0

Julia Bird can’t wait to attend the annual village party at the local stately home, with its tea tents, cake stalls, and… a dead body in the maze?

The annual village celebration at Berrywick House is underway, complete with over-decorated cake stalls, fiercely contested flower competitions, and even a maze for the disappointed losers to hide in. Julia Bird, now a well-known – even notorious – member of the community, with her trusty Labrador Jake, has thrown herself headlong into the festivities. But her reputation for adding drama to any event stands up yet again when she discovers a dead body in the maze…

This was a nice lite read. But it had trouble keeping my interest. I found myself skimming.

the_sassy_bookworm's review against another edition

4.0

⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Cute cover on this one!

A Village Fete Murder by Katie Gayle is a charming cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end!

This book follows Julia Bird, a well-known member of the community who has a reputation for stumbling across dead bodies. When she discovers a dead body in the maze at the annual village celebration, she again becomes embroiled in another murder investigation.

The plot is well written and well paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged throughout. The characters are likable (mostly) and the setting is beautifully described. However, I found Julia to be more annoying in this book than in previous installments. She constantly throws accusations around on flimsy evidence and comes across as more of a busybody and know-it-all than before.

Overall, I enjoyed A Village Fete Murder just as I enjoyed the previous book I read in this series. It's a light, entertaining read that's perfect for fans of cozy mysteries. If you're looking for a fun whodunit to curl up with, then this book should be on your list!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

sabretooth's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

srivalli's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.0

 4 Stars

One Liner: A comfort read dealing with a serious topic

Julia Bird is excited about the village fair at Berrywick House. The day arrives, and Julia is enjoying the event with Sean on her side. However, the duo ends up discovering a dead body in a maze. The body belongs to none other than Ursula Benjamin, a math teacher at St. Martin’s and a prickly person to anyone who knows her. 

This time, Julia is more than happy to let DI Gibson handle the case. But she can’t help it when her mind refuses to ignore the missing links. After all, she found the body and is involved in the case. With another death occurring in the next few days, can Julia find the killer before murder number three? 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Julia Bird. 

My Thoughts:

This is the third book in the series, and as enjoyable as the previous two. Julia Bird has settled into her village life with a chicken coop, vegetable garden, a part-time job, and her mischievous chocolate Lab, Jake. 

This book blends the case and Julia's personal life. We see some developments in her interactions with her daughter, Jess. The reason for her resigning from her previous job is also revealed. 

The story is compact (200 pages) and has a decent pace. With recurring characters doing their bit and Julia playing sleuth against her wishes, the case is settled to satisfaction. 

What I particularly like in this one is the theme of bullying and its effects on people. Being bullied by schoolmates is one thing. But being bullied by a teacher? The damage can be severe. The book handles the topic with the right touch as required by the genre. It’s not surface level, but it is neither too deep.  

Julia and Sean’s relationship is in the background, pretty much established for what it is for the time being. The focus is much on the case, which is a good thing, given the theme. There’s a small action scene in the climax to make it more interesting.  

To summarize, A Village Fete Murder is a solid continuation of the series, and the characters are settling in real nice. There aren’t many laughs in this one, but Jake and Julia manage to bring out a couple of chuckles. And... do I sense the DI's story coming up? 

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #AVillageFeteMurder