Book Review: The Murders in Great Diddling

The Murders in Great Diddling

• Series: Berit Gardner (Book One)

• Written by: Katarina Bivald

• Published by Poisoned Pen Press

• Publication date: August 13, 2024

• Mystery type: English cozy mystery

Berit Gardner is a curmudgeonly writer who is on deadline and struggling to write, so she heads to a rundown Cornwall village full of eccentric characters and more intrigue than she could ever make up. When a man mysteriously dies in a library explosion, Berit searches for answers and uncovers surprising secrets in Great Diddling.

The Murders in Great Diddling is the first book in a new mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Katarina Bivald.

The author grew up working part-time in a bookshop and clearly loves books as much as the readers who will pick this up. The Murders in Great Diddling has a bookish theme, a murder mystery book festival, and many super fun book references.

The setting was also fun. Most cozy English villages are postcard-perfect, but not Great Diddling. It is slightly crustier than the norm, and the deviation made it deliciously unique!

The inhabitants of Great Diddling were well-drawn and delightful. They view newcomers with plenty of suspicion, so the amateur sleuth had her work cut out for her.

As with any good English village cozy, there was a healthy dose of village intrigue and lots to uncover as the book went on.

The mystery was a slow burn. In the end, everything tied up quite nicely thanks to the author's deft writing.

Katarina Bivald is a great storyteller who knows books, and that's just lovely to see. The Murders in Great Diddling reads like a love letter to traditional and cozy English mysteries. I hope to see more books like this from Katarina Bivald and Poisoned Pen Press.

Disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of The Murders in Great Diddling from Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions are my own.