A fabulous, cozy, mystery story... Wonderful... Absolutely perfect for fans of Richard Osman!' NetGalley Review Three retired school teachers; Pat, Liz and Thelma meet every week at the cafe of their local garden centre for a cuppa and a catch up. At one such meeting, they happen to bump into an old colleague of their’s called Topsy. By the following week, Topsy is dead. Given that the school remains close to their hearts, Thelma, Pat, and Liz still care a lot about the happenings at St. Barnabus. I really loved this book, it’s was so well-written, with good use of language, and a smattering of humour. I smiled at some of the names that were used, like ‘Mandy Pinder-that-was’ for an ex-pupil from their school and a son’s girlfriend the ‘Celtic Poet’. Just two examples that made this book stand out to me. If you are looking for a crime adventure without those dark disturbing violence, this could be a good read for you.

I’ve actually been enjoying all the ‘cosy crime’ amateur sleuth types of books which have been released of late, particularly those where the protagonists are possible the least likely Detectives you might hope to meet. That’s certainly the case when it comes to Liz, Thelma and Pat, the three women who, in true Miss Marple style, find themselves in the midst of a case of murder. Or maybe not … It’s not entirely clear, especially given that the alleged victim, Topsy, a former colleague of the three women was in her dotage and suffering declining health. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Topsy was, in her day, a somewhat formidable character, they might have thought little of her sudden death. Well … that and her declaration that someone wanted her dead. I really enjoyed reading along as the three friends and retired school teachers work their way through an unintentional post-retirement position: amateur sleuths solving a murder/mystery plot involving an ex coworker. Not what they had planned…but stumbled into nevertheless.

Customer reviews

Though fairly slow-moving, I did enjoy this mystery, watching the trio puzzle their way to the not-that-hard to figure out solution. 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. It makes for an engrossing cozy mystery as it raised some pertinent questions on social issues. Some of these include the treatment of elderly people, especially ones that may be abused while suffering from conditions such as dementia. What a fantastic read! It gave me all the cosy... Really enjoyable characters that you feel like you've known for years once you finish the book. It was the perfect pace, and easy to follow. Love, love, loved this book’ NetGalley review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Spoonful of Murder by J.M. Hall is a great cozy mystery that takes a trio of retired educators and turns them into amateur sleuths…a murder/mystery novel that was quite the enjoyable ride.

What I liked most was the juxtaposition of the absolute mundane routines of these ladies lives such as watching garden rescue, planning for the families dinner, making lists for a shopping trip with the extraordinary - trying to solve the murder.. life goes on even when murder is involved

I enjoyed as they weeded through the suspects and solved the mystery. Maybe they will be able to solve additional crimes in future books? I would be interested in reading those as well. Recently there has been an upsurge in cosy mysteries featuring more mature amateur detectives, a modern take on Miss Marple. Certainly as an older reader, I appreciate this trend. In between seeking answers we learn more about the friends’ lives. At first it looks like a accidental death caused by the dementia that Topsy is suffering from but something is not sitting right with the 3 ladies and they start to making enquiries into Topsys life and her nearest and dearest. I loved the gradual uncovering of a part of Thelma’s past and think all the characters have huge potential for future stories. The three retired ladies, Thelma, Pat, and Liz, who all taught at the same Primary school together, met weekly for a coffee and chat. One week they saw an ex-colleague and friend who appeared to be in trouble and set them on the path of trying to find out what was going on, especially when she was found dead the following week.The women decide to help their old friend and keep an eye on her. Within two weeks, Topsy is found dead and according to police sources, she had messed up her medication while her daughter was away. Kellyanne was apparently on a mini vacation in Portugal when this happened. On one of their meetings, they stumbled upon Topsy their once-redoubtable former colleague who is with KellyAnne her daughter. It soon becomes apparent that she is no longer the strong and bold woman she once was as she is afflicted with a dementia-like illness. J.M. Hall is the writing pseudonym of Jon Hall that is best known for his debut novel “A Spoonful of Murder.” These three ladies had no idea they were about to become involved in a murder, but it is important to them to find out what happened to their friend. They are certain that a crime was committed and it is up to them to solve it.