Joined in 2023 
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Even if I take down notes of the important characters (and clues) to help myself solve the mystery, the author's writing style has managed to make me engaged in the story as I follow the journey of the main characters to reach the revelation. When they decide to check on her, things go from bad to worse, and they find themselves caught been doing right by Topsy and solving the case, or getting far away from the whole situation. Sounds so interesting and exciting I can’t wait until it gets released 🙂 I love your mysteries, they are always so exciting! Every Thursday, three retired school teachers have their ‘coffee o’clock’ sessions at the Thirsk Garden Centre café.
The book was paced really well and certainly kept me glued to the pages so I could find out what happened next. So, what started out as being completely bedazzled by a lovely cover actually ended up in a couple of hours of truly entertaining reading. Having read an advance e-copy and listened to the excellent audiobook edition, I'll be purchasing a physical copy of the book for my own collection and to share with friends.
I’m looking forward to it very much: in the meantime I shall have to content myself with re-reading the books so far (yet again! All I will say before I go back to the moment when everything started – this journey, this crime – is that a terrible thing has happened, a thing that the Detective Society must investigate. And Pat worries about her grandson, obviously on the spectrum and not settled into primary school with the “5 star” teacher Mrs.
All three are engaging characters, and I especially loved Pat's no-nonsense approach to life and humorous self-deprecating asides. When three retired school teachers bump into an ex colleague, Topsy, and her daughter, KellyAnne, during their weekly coffee and catch up at the local garden centre, a chain of events is started that ends up with Thelma, Liz and Pat investigating Topsy’s unexpected death……. BOOK OF THE MONTH - the much awaited latest installment in this popular diary-style series for ages 7+. Thelma becomes concerned about one of her former pupils experiencing money problems, Pat is worried about her weight and her son and some unknown “internet problems”, while Liz is worried about her grandson’s tantrums in a highly regarded school. Robin was born in California and grew up in an Oxford college, across the road from the house where Alice in Wonderland lived.Liz, a seasoned gardener, anxious grandmother to Jacob, life-long worrier with a sweet and sensitive conscience, is the heart-and-soul of the group, most likely to be on hand when someone is needed “to dispense tissues, wipes, and make gentle conversation”. This ranges from the builder who offers to do jobs that don’t need doing for a lot of money, to the seemingly helpful voice on the phone from “your bank” who wants to help move your hard-earned money, to tons and tons of junk mail promising all sorts of things. There was something about the pace of this book that made me really appreciate it, not too fast or fancy or all.
It would have been nice to have them together occasionally and made it easier to follow and easier to remember who was who (the jumping was unhelpful at times). Grab yourself a cup of tea and a nice, warm blanket because if cosy crime is your thing, I think you will enjoy ‘A Spoonful of Murder‘ too.
It was also interesting how the author wove in so many issues into the story: caring for an ailing parent, people committing theft and fraud against seniors, broken families, financial woes, and intergenerational problems. Nuala and May are on their way to London, to do important work for the Ministry … but what and who will they find when they get there? I totally recommend this book, it is a contemporary murder mystery with 3 older protagonists who investigate murder while balancing their ordinary lives.
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