Book Review: A Very Merry Murder by Kate Wells

It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Kate Wells back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, A Very Merry Murder.

Mistletoe, mince pies… and murder

When Jude Gray inherited Malvern Farm, she never thought she’d become so used to farm life, let alone be good at it! But now a beloved national TV show is coming to film their Christmas special on her land, celebrating the charm of rural living and all Jude’s achieved so far.

At least, that’s the plan… until one of the crew is found dead in suspicious circumstances.

At first, it looks like a tragic accident, but when alibis start to crack, it seems like anything but. With a growing list of suspects and enough behind-the-scenes drama to rival anything the cameras are capturing, Jude must dig deep to uncover the truth.

Because someone on her farm is hiding a deadly secret – and this year, the season of goodwill may come with a killer twist…

*****

Jude Gray is looking forward to the festive season, mostly due to her sister’s upcoming wedding. 

What she’s not looking forward to the presence of a TV crew taking over her farm. 

When one of her visitors is found dead, Jude finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation. Will the murderer be found before someone else turns up dead? 

I have become such a big fan of this author and series that I jumped at the chance to be a part of the blog tour for A Very Merry Murder. A crime mystery in December.. you had me at Merry. 

This is book six in the Malvern Mysteries series but you are able to read this as a standalone. Enough backstory is provided without holding the plot back. The story unfolds very well and at a great pace. 

Jude Gray is a great protagonist. With novels like this, it would be normal for it to be told from the point of view of the police as they investigate so to have the story from Jude’s perspective is interesting, even if her farm is starting to feel like it would be at home in Midsomer Murders. 

As usual, the supporting cast were wonderful. The usual suspects were all there – Granny Margot, Noah, Lucy, Binnie and Sebbie plus some new faces in the form of the Countryside Live cast and crew who add a new dynamic to the setting. 

Some of the newcomers are lovely, others not so much and Kate Wells does a great job at getting the reader to pretty much suspect everyone until you’re pulled completely into the story and it’s the early hours before you realise you’ve been reading for hours. There are plenty of twists and surprises. 

A Very Merry Murder was a terrific story with plenty of mystery that had me on the edge of my seat all the way through. I loved it. 

About Kate Wells –

Kate Wells is the author of a number of well-reviewed books for children, and is now writing cosy crime set in the Malvern hills, inspired by the farm where she grew up.

 Say hello to Kate on Facebook, Instagram and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to her newsletter. 

A Very Merry Murder is book six in The Malvern Mysteries series and was released by Boldwood Books on 3rd September 2025. Cick to buy on Amazon and Waterstones. 

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.