At this brewery, the last orders are to die for…
When handsome, former-rugby-playing, pub landlord Mil asks Juno Mulligan for a favour, she immediately says yes.
Although she’s initially disappointed that the favour doesn’t involve any sort of romantic shenanigans, Juno is reminded that she does love investigating mysteries. And perhaps it is just her destiny to choose crime-fighting over afternoon-delighting?
It’s an interesting case. Mil needs Juno and their fellow Village Detective, Phoebe Fredericks, to investigate a targeted campaign against the local Wyche Craft Brewery, now run by his friend, Ashleigh Wyche, a former-Lioness. A series of recent near-misses and attempts at sabotaging her property are surely no coincidence?
Then a body is discovered in the tap room, which quickly proves they were right to suspect there’s more than just a vendetta brewing… And if they’re to prevent another murder, they need to find out whether they’ve got the bottle to hunt down another killer…
Readers love The Village Detective series:
Engrossing… Reminds me of a cross between the Agatha Raisin TV series and Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books, both of which I love. This is the perfect, light-hearted summer read for anyone looking for some fun escapism.’ Reader Review
‘A crossover between a witty romcom and a cosy crime.’ Reader Review
‘I woke up early to read it and I struggled to put it down. The best book I’ve read this year. The characters were great, I got really invested in them and the storyline was gripping. Please write more!’ Reader Review
Review
Having read three of the other books in this series, I dove into this book, feeling a comfortable familiarity with the main characters. That said, the author does a wonderful job of ensuring the story is self-contained; it works perfectly well as an entertaining standalone mystery for newcomers.
The plot kicks off when our familiar village detectives find themselves looking into a routine case that takes a sudden, dark turn into a murder investigation. While the premise is engaging, I did find myself wishing for a bit more growth from our core detective characters. Having followed them from the beginning, their dynamics felt a bit static compared to the first book, which was a slight disappointment for a long-time reader.
The story introduces a fun, lighthearted element when the police enter the scene, humorously likening our amateur sleuths to the Scooby-Doo gang. It injects a great sense of playfulness into the story and me wondering if this cozy team can truly defy the odds and solve a major crime.
If there was one hurdle for me, it was keeping track of the extensive Wyche family. As owners of the local brewery, their family tree spans multiple generations, spouses, and partners. At times, the sheer volume of characters made it a little difficult to maintain momentum with the plot.
Ultimately, this is a fun, lighthearted piece of escapism that cozy mystery fans will appreciate. While I feel my personal journey with this specific series has come to a natural end, it remains a solid choice for readers looking for an easy, entertaining getaway.
I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.
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