Mince Pies and Murder
Author: J.R. Leigh
Reviewer: Sophia Rose
Rating: B+
What I’m Talking About:
Christmas comes to a Cornwall seaside village and with it, a murder. Amateur sleuth, Morwenna Mutton, is on the spot and starts investigating, but soon other inexplicable dangerous events with a sinister Santa start happening, too. This is not my first experience with J.R. Leigh’s writing. I enjoyed one of her earlier Chick Lit titles writing as Judy Leigh.
Mince Pies and Murder is the fourth standalone cozy mystery in the Morwenna Mutton series. There is probably a series tie-in through each book, but I picked this one up out of order and had no trouble diving in since the author took the time to develop the local setting, the characters, and previous connections.
Morwenna lives in the small Cornish village, Seal Bay, near her mom, daughter, granddaughter, and her ex. She’s a gray-haired yet active librarian and yes, she has a cat.
Right now, it seems everyone in Seal Bay is gearing up for the Christmas holidays except her.
She misses the man she was seeing who sailed off to Barbados without her, but that kiss and moment of understanding she shared on the beach with her ex had her pulling back at the last moment. Now, things are awkward, but kind of nice around Ruan. Her flamboyant mom and everyone else wonders when she’ll make a move one way or the other, her daughter and granddaughter are struggling with her granddaughter’s growing need to know more about her birth dad.
But, her attention is caught outside her own worries when local author gets drunk and disrupts the library event with too much discussion local color with his naming names and things people would rather keep secret. It doesn’t help he gets fresh with a couple of the women and angers enough people that Morwenna is almost certain his later death at a local holiday party is no accident. She’s the only one that seems to suspect this so she prepares to do some detective work even though the police are on it, too.
Mince Pies and Murder was a satisfying holiday cozy mystery. I enjoyed the Cornish setting, the sixty-something main character, eccentric village character types, extended family connections, holiday activities, and yes, the mystery. Morwenna did bring me up short in the early pages when she swiped some evidence, essentially stealing someone’s camera. I’m not fond of an amateur hiding what they know from the police, but we got passed that. I even did all right with the apparent love triangle- mostly because it was obvious which way she was leaning, but she was too scared to acknowledge this.
The really big surprise pluses were the less than cozy moments of nail-biting suspense when something else seems to be going on besides the murder mystery. And, yes, this darker tone was balanced with the hilarious moments that had me giggling. Morwenna has a dry wit, but her mom is a hoot.
All in all, I was very satisfied with this British cozy holiday installment of the series and I would definitely like to go back to the beginning and get the first three books, too. I recommend Mince Pies and Murder for the holidays or any other time.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
Sophia Rose
About the Book:
The BRAND NEW installment in the Morwenna Mutton Mystery series from MILLION COPY BESTSELLER Judy Leigh, perfect for fans of Richard Osman.
As Christmas approaches in the Cornish town of Seal Bay, festive cheer fills the air. Twinkling lights, jingling bells, and sparkling trees adorn every corner, and Morwenna Mutton, the sharp-witted sexagenarian sleuth, is eagerly counting down the days. But when local author Pawly Yelland is discovered dead at a party, a champagne flute in one hand and a mince pie in the other, it seems this Christmas will be anything but merry.
Known for his grudges against several neighbours, Pawly had recently made no secret of his disdain for some of the local crowd ― and now, with his death, a long list of suspects emerges. As the police begin narrowing down those with a motive, Morwenna knows she’s the only one who can uncover the truth and restore some yuletide magic to Seal Bay.
But things take a darker turn. Mysterious Christmas cards begin arriving at doorsteps, and sightings of a sinister Santa-costumed figure at windows only add to the growing tension. Can Morwenna solve the murder before Christmas is ruined for good?
If you love The Thursday Murder Club, Agatha Christie and Richard Coles then you’ll love The Morwenna Mutton mysteries.
Release Date: August 23, 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Series: The Morwenna Mutton Mysteries #4
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Format(s): paperback (352 pages), e-book, audiobook
Book Source: NetGalley