Three Miss Marples for the price of one! Extremely well-drawn characters... the plot is carefully assembled... the writing is so good... I loved this story!' NetGalley review I really liked Kayleigh Brittain, the new headmistress. She is wealthy, driven, enigmatic, confident and influential. She has a clear vision for the school and will stop at nothing to ensure it is achieved. She doesn’t care what others think of her, which may make her slightly callous, especially as a head teacher and she doesn’t endear herself to the children or parents, but I admired her determination and strength. A truly strong female lead character.

But as they work to uncover the truth, they begin to wonder just how far someone will go to silence this poison pen… After reading and listening to the brilliant A Spoonful of Murder by J.M. Hall, I just had to request A Pen Dipped in Poison. Thankfully the publishers, Avon Books UK, have allowed me to read the next in the series, so I thank them for that. If you are a fan of the Richard Osman books, this should be the ideal book for you. It has all the ingredients necessary for an excellent little cosy mystery. Suspense, drama and skulduggery are woven into a great storyline which features retired schoolteachers Liz, Pat and Thelma as they embark on another adventure. What makes A Pen Dipped in Poison so enjoyable? To begin with, the characters feel very real and relatable; their family relationships are explored in greater depth compared to the first book in the series, making them all the more likeable. The writing style is also much improved here; it is sharp and witty without being overly long-winded or dull. The plot is well-paced but keeps you guessing throughout – I did guess who the culprit was early on but not the reason why until the big reveal!The dynamic, highly efficient and seemingly Teflon-coated new headmistress is making an impact and upsetting people. Then the discovery of a poison pen letter at a school summer fair was something of a surprise, but hopefully an isolated incident. All in all though if you do like you’re cozy crime and don’t mind putting the work in to sit down and read in more than one sitting then I think you would enjoy this. O A charming read with a cast of characters you’ll really connect with’ Faith Martin, author of A Fatal End

And the theme of the poisoned pen letters and the reasons behind them just didn't quite work for me. Masterful storytelling and delightfully retro-style detective ladies make A Pen Dipped in Poison an imaginative and eventful read. Think Miss Marple with attitude coupled with a strong sense of togetherness, probably just about sums up Liz, Pat and Thelma. Like Jane Marple, these characters though quirky and slightly twee can think outside the box and around corners. I guess that is what comes of them being retired school teachers. Retired schoolteachers and amateur sleuths Liz, Pat and Thelma have a brand-new mystery to solve in this witty tale – perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman THE AUTHOR: J.M. Hall is a 20-something PR executive based in New York City. A Philadelphia native, he began writing fiction during his time at the University of Miami before embarking on a career in corporate communications. During the day, he can be found getting top-tier press for his clients in outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Fortune and USA Today.When Kayleigh Brittain, the new head teacher, receives the first of what will be a series of nasty letters targeting teachers at the school, Thelma thinks it’s an isolated and unpleasant incident. Then Liz finds out from Jan, a friend and teacher at the school, that Jan is struggling to meet Kayleigh's requirements for results in class. Then, not long after, nasty letters begin arriving at the school, causing much pain and a further decline in morale (after Brittain's appointment) amongst the recipients, and evoking Liz's concern. The others are not as close to the problem, so don't fully appreciate the severity of the situation, despite their concern, until two incidents cause the three to come together to investigate in earnest. A charming read with a cast of characters you'll really connect with' Faith Martin, author of A Fatal End The themes explored in A Pen Dipped in Poison are worth mentioning too; there are some great messages about education within this book. It covers how educational systems have become focused on money instead of children, which highlights how important it is for us all to remember that education should always be about helping children learn and grow rather than just making money off them or treating them as numbers on a spreadsheet. I especially enjoyed the epilogue; it brings everything full circle with a heart-warming message of what really matters when it comes to education. Malice and mayhem spur a school reunion of three modern Marples - and some of their Thirsk community learn a lesson they'll never forget!' Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, author of A Murder of Crows