Tractors, tea and trouble in an English country village… college she runs—getting it shut down and her shut out of the investigation—life doesn’t taste quite so sweet.
Determined to solve the murder before both she and the college are exiled from the village, Arrina swaps her smart suits for hiking boots and sets out to uncover just what’s going on.
This is book one of The Heathervale Mysteries, with more twists than a country lane and a cast of cozy characters you’ll be right at home with.
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As we once again visit the small village of Heathervale, we find Arrina Fenn, thriving as head of the new school, which opened five years earlier. Having met many of the characters in the prequel, it was interesting to see what they were up to.
At the start of the story, Arrina is finishing up an interview with her nemesis Gillian DeViers. Gillian opposed the opening of the school, and was one of the loudest complainers of all! Yet, here she was, five years later, asking for a teaching job as a business mentor at the school. Arrina had no intention of employing Gillian, but placated her until she was able to the end the interview. As a matter of fact, Arrina had already hired a business mentor, Hugo Hays, and was looking forward to having him as part of the school. Hugo was a well-known member of the village and, as successful farm owner and property developer, he would be the perfect business mentor! Lost in thought, Arrina was suddenly interrupted by Gillian’s scream. Rushing to her, she finds the woman in distress. Looking past her, Arrina discovers Hugo’s dead body! With her school closed until further notice, Arrina finds herself caught up in another murder!
I thoroughly enjoyed the prequel, Rotten to The Marrow, and looked forward to this release. Ms. Swift did not disappoint. Once again, the plot was well constructed, with the introduction of new characters. The victim, being well-liked, yet with secrets of his own. Arinna had difficulty narrowing down the suspect. Clue after clue led her from one person to another as additional secrets were revealed. The ending was surprising as the suspect was not one, I had on my radar. A delightful addition to this series as book one. I found it to be entertaining. and appreciated being transported back to the quaint village of Heathervale through Ms. Swift’s delightful descriptions. I received this copy as a gift and the opinion are my own.
This is even better than the prequel. Having lived in a village myself I could empathise with Arrina. Gossip thrives in a village so after the murder I knew what was coming …….poor Arrina! I was so hoping that DeViers woman would be the victim! But no, she lives to gossip and control another day. This is a well thought out story with twists that you don’t expect creating suspense and a need to read on and on. Strong main characters and emotions you can feel. Looking forward to the next book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am happily giving an honest review.
Arinna has been working hard to keepthe preparatory college she heads a success.
Seated in an expensive, traditional farming region, it is tough to balance long held family traditions about the passage and working of the land with needs of the community and the college.
And those differences can be lethal !
Intense action and strong women in a KU format!
Another great cozy mystery story!
Have you ever clicked on a book cover on a multi-author promotion and been directed to BookFunnel to receive a book in exchange for signing up for an author’s newsletter (which you can unsubscribe to at anytime in the future)? I admit that have done so. Occasionally I find new authors that are gifted storytellers that do not (usually) bombard you with emails. Rarely, I will receive an email offering and opportunity to apply to join an Advanced Readers Team as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) member. I did. I applied to become a member of the ARC Team. Matilda Swift chose me to be an ARC reader for this book. I read it. I liked the story. I was able to finish reading “The Slay of the Land” in one day (two sittings).
I read the prequel to the series (which takes place five years prior) so I am familiar with a few of the characters in this book. Arrina hasn’t lost her moxie. Julie has become a great best friend. Gillian is still… well let’s just say that, “Gillian is still Gillian”. I don’t like reviews with spoilers, so I will not be sharing any here. But I will say that this story kept my interest and was both intriguing and entertaining to boot. It was a clean, fun, and easy read. I highly recommend this book to any person of any age that enjoys a great little mystery read.