Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

This is book 2 in The Widows' Detective Club series and I would really recommend to read them in order though you don't have to.

Seven months ago, Ginny Cole, 60, recently widowed, moved to Middle Cottage, Little Shaw for a fresh start and got herself a part-time job in the local library. Then she discovered a body, met three other widows, solved some murders with their help, adopted a stray cat and was promoted to library manager. Grumpy DI James Wallace who also happens to be her neighbour, was not happy about her interference.

And now she is doing it again! Haberdasher Timothy Harlow has been stabbed in the back with dressmaking scissors and as he "had been a bad-tempered eccentric shop owner who’d gone out of his way to make enemies", the suspect list is long. There is daughter Megan, her lover Milos Petrovic, his father Vanja Petrovic, rival shop owner Ants Mancini and artist Juliana Melville, not to mention many disgruntled customers.

The cast is enormous  but most of them are just there in the background to round out the community. I had so many theories and changed my mind countless times - if the widows were convinced of the murderer's identity I was too, and we were all wrong every time. The reveal came a bit out of left field in what turned out to be quite a complicated story involving several unsavoury characters.

I'm giving this such a high score because I felt extremely entertained by this motley crew of community characters, and I love feisty, elderly women just doing what they want, although unfortunately the other widows Hen, JM and Tuppence still feel a little underdeveloped. The preparations for the Little Shaw Spring Fete with its 65 categories of arts, craft, produce and baking provide huge entertainment, especially if you are a crafter or baker.

The plot this time is a bit muddled (the murderer's motive was ridiculous) and there are several community members like PC Singh and pathologist Imogen Smith who don't really get to shine but at least cat Edgar and his thieving tendencies were actively helping with the sleuthing and the book is full of female friendship and village life.

I wish DI Wallace would thaw a bit and I hope we get to see more of his taciturn but good at DIY Dad Ted. The travelling murder board with Velcroed felt miniatures is genius and will hopefully be used again because it's clear that those four aren't done interfering with police business yet! Recommended as this incredibly warmhearted cosy mystery with great characters is cracking good fun.