Kate Wells

Jude has agreed to allow a film crew to use Malvern farm to film three weeks of a popular live tv show, leading up to Christmas. On tv, the married couple who host the show looked like they’re very happy and very much in love but it quickly becomes evident that things are definitely not what they seem. And it’s not just the couple who seem less enamoured of each other. The crew seem to dislike each other intensely, the director is a lech, and Jude learns to her dismay, she has a show more contractual obligation to appear on the show at least once. Things quickly start falling apart. First the leading lady has an allergic reaction to peanuts on air despite them being banned from the show. And not long after, a crew member is murdered. Jude is determined to discover who the culprit is before another murder but with so many suspects and secrets, she may be in way over her head.

A Very Merry Murder is an enjoyable cozy mystery by Kate Wells with a compelling mystery and interesting characters including Jude who makes for a very strong and resilient protagonist. There are plenty of twists and turns and red herrings to keep even the most jaded mystery reader satisfied. And as much as I enjoyed the mystery, I found the glimpses of the scenery, the animals, and Jude’s family just as interesting.This is the sixth book in the series and the first I read but I didn’t find that interfered with my reading of the story except perhaps to make me want to add the others to my ever growing tbr pile.

I received an aARC of the novel from Netgalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review show less

A well constructed cozy mystery with a number of plot strands. I thoroughly enjoyed it and liked the central character Jude Gray. Life has not been easy for Jude since her husband Adam died of cancer but she is making a go of her sheep farm with the help of a shepherd Noah.

But now her best friend Sarah is in trouble with problems that Jude had not even guessed existed. And then the bodies start to pile up, and the perpetrator is someone Jude has always trusted.

widow, sheep farming, rural, Herefordshire, family-dynamics, friends, friendship, frustration, gossip, small-town, local-law-enforcement, relatives, relationships, sisters, amateur-sleuth, family, grief, grieving, unpleasant-neighbors, investigation, diary*****

A nice rambling whodunit filled with life on the farm. But there is a murderer afoot, even if the senior constabulary thinks that the death of Jude's dear friend is a suicide. Jude doesn't believe it and neither does DS Khatri. There's show more just too much that doesn't add up. Then there's the cryptic diary, the gambling debts and the burgling loan shark. And into the mix Jude's younger sister invites herself to stay bringing her toddler along! I really liked all the sneaky clues and the entwining members of a close-knit group. A good read for a lazy day.
I requested and received an EARC from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you! show less

3.75 Stars. A Very Merry Murder is my first experience of Kate Wells’ writing. Yes, I did dive into her bestselling Malvern Mysteries series at book 6, but to the author’s credit this contemporary cozy mystery stood up just fine as a standalone read also.

In a straight forward, linear story narrative Wells depicts the Malvern Hills’ beauty and mother nature’s influence on the farm and village life, and provides ample background and context for first-time readers. But what this show more author’s prose lacks in literary flair, is more than made up for by her relatable and endearing characters.

Jude Gray is a strong, down-to-earth series lead who, while tackling the various challenges life has thrown in her path, has drawn into her orbit a multi-generational cast of kind-hearted supporting characters. From the disarming innocence of youth to the plucky spirit of senior citizens and a dash of romance, this cozy drama A Very Merry Murder has it all. Continue reading: https://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/2025/12/festive-crime-a-very-merry-murder-t... show less