A Pen Dipped in Poison: A witty and cozy mystery story, perfect for fans of Richard Osman

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Their school, St Barnabus Primary, is not what it once was, as it is now part of Lodestone Academy Trust. As it is still close to their hearts, it does not stop Liz, Pat and Thelma from caring about what goes on there. St Barnabus is now run by the enigmatic, confident and influential headmistress Kayleigh Brittain. A forward-thinking individual with lofty plans for St Barnabus. 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. 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. And as the story is partly about the relationship amongst the friends, which was painfully strained for much of the book, this made this entry in the series somewhat less enjoyable read. That said, I still liked this book. I really enjoyed A Spoonful of Murder and this book is the sequel (although both do stand alone as mysteries), featuring the same ex-school staff investigating mysterious goings on in their LEA. Only this time, instead of an unexpected death it is a series of threatening poison pen letters that are disturbing the peace at their local school, which is under new management.

So brilliant... I loved this so much! Perfect cosy crime - I am a big fan of this author!' NetGalley review I liked that this lead on well from the first book in the series, A Spoonful of Murder, but has a very different feel with a focus on education instead of aging parents and responsibilities while retaining the lovely warm characters. I am unsure if this subject would have worked as well in the first book though and at times it felt a little too forced through, overriding the plot a little. Extremely well-drawn characters... the plot is carefully assembled... the writing is so good... I loved this story!' NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I could not put this book down! A Pen Dipped in Poison is far less entertaining than A Spoonful of Murder was. The humour is missing, as is the tight friendship of the characters. Each of them is dealing with their own problems and, instead of sharing them as they usually do, they are keeping things close to their various chests, placing a strain on their relationships. There were lots of mini sub plots in this read that it took a while to get my head around, but they all connected and tied up nicely in the end. I didn’t predict the culprit who was sending the poison pen letters at all.Curious white envelopes have been delivered to friends and neighbours. Inside are letters revealing the deepest secrets they have tried to hide. 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 culprit wasn't really that hard to fathom, particularly with some of the clues dropped midway through the book. The reveal was satisfying, nonetheless. The ingredients for the perfect modern cosy crime: intrigue, characters you care about and a good dollop of humour' Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants

A Pen Dipped in Poison is an uncomplicated but highly entertaining dramatic mystery with likeable, and dare I say at a pinch, loveable protagonists. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have no qualms whatsoever in recommending it. Hall’s own knowledge of and experiences as a deputy head in a primary school seamlessly emanated throughout and this really added another level to this book. I also liked how he included topics such as schools turning into businesses, which made you really think. The ingredients for the perfect modern cosy crime: intrigue, characters you care about and a good dollop of humour‘ Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants

So brilliant… I loved this so much! Perfect cosy crime – I am a big fan of this author!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The search for the author of the letters is a long one as various people come under suspicion and are then eliminated. When the writer is revealed, the reasoning does make sense, the crime is more opportune than malicious intent, but even so people still find it hurtful. At its core is a sad story, an error of judgement and the impetuousness of youth, the sort of thing that shouldn’t happen but still does.I could not put this book down! What a perfect book…! I loved the three main characters… I highly recommend.’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I could not put this book down! What a perfect book...! I loved the three main characters... I highly recommend.' NetGalley review 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.