Read time: 3 minutes
📱📖 Read on Kindle | 📃 356 pages
⏱ Duration: 5 hours | ARC provided by NetGalley
🏷️ Published by Hodder & Stoughton
Release date: 2 April 2026
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
There’s something fishy going on in the idyllic Cornish village of Mousehole. Maggie Tyson loves her quiet life, working at the only fish and chip shop, walking the coastal paths, and solving crossword puzzles. When Ryan Stepney, a newcomer in need of work, joins the shop, the pair form an unlikely partnership. But when a body is discovered by the harbour and Ryan becomes the prime suspect, Maggie swaps her apron for a magnifying glass. Can this amateur duo clear Ryan’s name and reel in the killer before the village faces another shocking crime?
Let’s talk … murder!!!
Jenny Kane’s new cozy mystery serves up everything you’d expect from the genre: a picture-postcard village, quirky characters, and a murder that ties the community in knots. Maggie and Ryan make an endearing, if slightly mismatched, team, and the premise of clearing Ryan’s name gives their partnership believable stakes, and the hook of Ryan being a suspect gives their sleuthing a believable tension.
That said, the story sometimes overstays its welcome. At 356 pages, it felt like a full plate when a half-portion would’ve satisfied. The flow of events occasionally felt unnatural. Mr. Robbins, the enigmatic shop owner, is so clearly teed up for future installments that his limited presence makes him more question mark than character. And while the village charm is delightful, the investigation’s flow strains logic: Maggie seems to appear wherever questions need asking, and townsfolk, including police, and the suspects readily defer to her, or let her ask any questions which didn’t feel plausible for someone with limited experience. Ryan, on the other hand, felt more grounded; his worry about crossing legal lines gave the story moments of tension and realism. The relationships and dynamic are enjoyable, but the believability wavered enough that I struggled to stay fully immersed.
For fans of slow, scenic mysteries with British small-town charm, this one will scratch the cozy itch, even if it sometimes forgets that less can be more. Overall, the story and relationships had potential, but I didn’t feel compelled to continue the series.
Would I recommend it?
Interesting characters and a charming Cornish setting, but the believability issues held me back. Unrealistic amateur detectives, and underutilized side characters gave a doozy. This was a pleasant but uneven read, engaging, yet not quite believable enough to hook me for book two. A decent cozy mystery, but I wouldn’t prioritize this one for an encore.
While you wait for this book:
- Murder Before Evensong by Richard Coles – For its village charm and reluctant sleuth.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy - A Spoonful of Murder by JM Hall – Features older amateur detectives and dry humor.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy - The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths – Smart, meta, and delightfully British in tone.
Goodreads | StoryGraph | Pagebound | Fable | Hardcover | OpenLibrary | Litsy
What Do You Say, Cornish Mystery Lovers?
Could you get behind an amateur detective duo at the local chip shop, or do you need a sleuth with a bit more experience? I’m curious if the next book will make Mr. Robbins more compelling!
Book Links:
Want to support local bookstores while grabbing your copy? Check these out:
- Indiebookstores.ca
- Bookshop.org
- Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Hardcover
- Follow Jenny Kane author page for more book information and latest book news
- Check out more books from Hodder & Stoughton
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