Meet Julia Bird: recently single, reluctantly retired, and... an amateur sleuth?

Julia Bird has left London for a fresh start in a picturesque Cotswolds village, and the rustic charm and cosy fireplaces of her little cottage are everything she'd hoped for. But when she tears down the old garden shed to make way for a chicken coop, she unearths much more than she'd bargained for... the body of a young woman, apparently buried for decades, thrusting Julia into a baffling mystery.

With only one copper on the case in Berrywick, Julia decides to solve the who and whodunnit herself, taking her wayward puppy Jake along for the ride. And so begins a whirlwind tour of the village - from the dotty 90-year-old to the delightful doctor and the village gardener, it seems everyone has something to hide.

Soon, Julia is convinced she has discovered the killer's identity, until Jake, a true Labrador, finds a new love of the local lake's waterfowl and instead ends up catching her chief suspect... drowned. Back at square one, with potential culprits galore, Julia - newly nicknamed the Grim Reaper - despairs at ever solving the murders.

But as Julia ruffles feathers village-wide, the clock is ticking. There is someone in the village who has killed twice already. Will they be prepared to make it third time lucky to keep their secret safe?

This totally addictive page-turning cozy mystery is perfect for fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands.

Readers love Katie Gayle:

'Wow! I need to get my breath back after that... A lie down in a darkened room is also definitely required to recover!... Moves along at a break-neck pace.' Fiction Books Blog

'Katie Gayle never fails to keep me laughing, entertained, and trying to figure out the mystery til the very end. I absolutely adore this book... 10/10... This book is absolutely perfect!' Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

'Fantastic... I can't say enough good things about this book. I just loved every minute of reading it.' Fireflies & Freekicks

'Undoubtedly rollicking good fun. If the need to escape reality for a few hours presents itself, I can highly recommend this hilarious hullabaloo of a read.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'There is so much I adored about this book!... The perfect mixture of humour and mystery makes this book an absolute page turner that I would highly recommend to everyone!' Victoria Wilks Blog

'Thrilling and immensely enjoyable... An absolute joy to read... Will have readers laughing out loud and keep them glued to the pages from beginning to end.' Bookish Jottings

'A hilarious romp of a mystery.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'Compelling and compulsive... An uplifting, endlessly charming and highly original cosy mystery series... Filled with drama, action, twists... A fabulous, and much-needed, piece of escapism in these times.' Readers Retreat