Book Review: Murder at Raven’s Hollow by Louise Marley

It’s great to be welcoming Louise Marley to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, Murder at Raven’s Hollow, book three in the English Village Mystery series. 

Beneath the ruins of a Victorian greenhouse, a skeleton is unearthed – and with it, years of buried secrets in Raven’s Edge…

When decades-old human bones are discovered beneath the old glasshouse behind Foxglove & Hemlock, the local florist, DS Harriet March and DI Ben Taylor find themselves digging into Raven’s Edge’s murky past. As a frosty wind whips down the cobblestoned lanes of the village, the two detectives feel an ominous chill that has nothing to do with the weather…
The discovery coincides with the arrival of enigmatic novelist Iris Evergreen at Raven’s Hollow, a gothic monstrosity of a mansion that’s been sitting empty for years. Harriet is shocked to uncover a web of hidden secrets connecting the skeleton, Raven’s Hollow and, most alarmingly, her own family history.

Just as Harriet begins to piece together the puzzle, a heavy snowfall blankets the village. And there, half-buried in a snowdrift outside Raven’s Hollow, lies another body – this one still warm. As sirens wail in the distance, Harriet realises with a shiver that this killer is anything but history. The past and present have collided in Raven’s Edge, will DS Harriet March be the one to pay the price?

Filled with buried plots, tangled romances and deadly intrigue, this cosy village mystery will keep readers guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Fiona Leitch, Agatha Christie, and anyone who loves their murders with a side of charm!

*****

DS Harriet March is keen to make the most of a rare day off. It’s going well until humans remains are found in her garden.

DI Ben Taylor wants to get his current case wrapped up, but he soon realises that things are not what they seem.

Iris has returned to Raven’s Edge to resolve questions from her past. It’s not long before she is dragged into secrets that have long been buried.

This was not only the first book I’ve had the opportunity to read from the English Village Mystery series, but also my introduction to this author. As the premise for Murder at Raven’s Hollow intrigued me, I was excited to be invited onto the blog tour and couldn’t wait to get started. 

Told from the point of view of multiple characters, the plot starts strong and moves at a great pace. Tension and suspense steadily builds and it’s hard to work out how everything fits together which for me makes a great mystery – something that has you guessing until the end like this novel did. 

The characters are a good mixture and complement each other well. I especially liked Harriet and Ben as a team. 

This book is the third instalment and can be read first if, like me, you’re new to the series. I do feel like the story would have been enriched if I’d read the first two before reading this one due to the recurring characters but I don’t feel my enjoyment of this novel was damaged by not having done so if that makes sense. 

This is cozy crime at its best. Murder at Raven’s Hollow is a gripping, well developed mystery that’s set in a place full of myths and fables. I want to visit the setting in this book. 

This is perfect if you fancy escaping into a puzzle for a while. I loved it and eagerly await the next in the series. Please say one is coming. 

About Louise Marley –

Most of my stories are set in small villages filled with quirky characters. These are partly inspired by the places I’ve lived in over the years, although the characters are straight out of my imagination! I currently live in Wales, close to a famous library and two ruined castles. My husband thinks we moved here by accident.

My first published novel was Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, which was a finalist in Poolbeg’s Write a Bestseller competition. As well as nine novels, I’ve written short stories for women’s magazines such as Take a Break and My Weekly. Before becoming a full-time writer, I worked as an administrative officer for the police.

When I’m not writing, I enjoy visiting big old houses, which I use as inspiration for the houses in my novels, and reading other people’s books when I ought to be writing my own…

Say hello via my website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky and Threads. Click here for LinkTree. 

Murder at Raven’s Hollow is book three in the English Village Mystery series and was released on 3rd January 2025. Click to buy on Amazon UK, Waterstones and Amazon US. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.