Poison at Penshaw Hall
Addison Harper is back, and with another dead body at his feet. Only this time, the entire town saw it happen.
Milverton is in the running for the Terrific Town Award, so a dramatic death at the opening ceremony is far from ideal. Addison had only been lending a hand, but now finds himself much more involved than he’d ever hoped. To think his biggest worry before had been his upcoming date with Sergeant Jake Murphy.
As for the sergeant, he can hardly ignore a hall full of witnesses even if he wanted to. And they’re all pointing the finger at his date, Milverton’s newest arrival, Addison Harper.
Poison at Penshaw Hall is the latest in a wonderful cosy mystery series set in an enchanting small town nestled amongst stunning New Zealand scenery. Investigate The Milverton Mysteries for a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course… murder!
Buy Poison at Penshaw Hall
Kindle / ebook
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon AU (NZ)
Also available in Kindle Unlimited.
Paperback
Order online:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon AU (NZ)
Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Waterstones | Foyles | Blackwell’s | Alibris | Powell’s | BAM! (Books-A-Million) | Dymocks | Mighty Ape | Fishpond
Order online or browse in store:
Bruce McKenzie Booksellers (Palmerston North, NZ)
Hedley’s Books (Masterton, NZ)
Wardini Books (Hawke’s Bay, NZ)
Huck & Puck Books (Los Angeles, USA)
Can’t find your preferred store? Ask your local bookseller to order a copy for you.
Audiobook
Audible US | Audible UK | Audible CA | Audible DE | Audible AU (NZ)
Spotify | Audiobooks.com | Kobo | Google Play | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Everand | Libro.fm | Chirp | OverDrive | Hoopla
Publisher: Tantor Audio (RBmedia)
Narrator: Philip Battley
What you’ll find inside…
| 💀 Murder | 🔍 Mystery | 😵 Poison |
| 🕵️♂️ Amateur sleuth | 👵💬 Sly sidekick | 👮♂️ Appealing policeman |
| 🏡 Terrific small town | 🌈👬 Slow-burn romance | 🗿 Sculpture competition |
| ✅ Public voting | 🐐 Cheeky goats | 🧶🎨 Craft fair |
The numbers…
| 📃 Print pages: 305 | 📂 Chapters: 37 | ✍ Word count: 72,000 |
| ⏳ Reading time: ~6 hours | 📚 The Milverton Mysteries Book 2 | ✅ Published: October 2023 |
📋 ISBN-13
Paperback POD: 9781991182937
Ebook EPUB: 9781991182951
Audiobook: 9798350873665
Book description / blurb
What readers are saying…
![Poison at Penshaw Hall (A Milverton Mystery) by G. B. Ralph. Goodreads review by Lisa. 5 stars. I am really liking this series set in a 'quiet' New Zealand town. Addison is still there trying to sort out Herbert's estate and is roped in to help with the Terrific Town Award he is caught up in yet another murder. The town's characters are great and the fact there is no [minor spoiler redacted] is great as it allows the reader to concentrate on the mystery. Only problem is its nearly another year until book 3.](https://gbralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231027-lisa-goodreads-review-square.png)
![Poison at Penshaw Hall (A Milverton Mystery) by G. B. Ralph. Goodreads review by Marsha L Respess. 5 stars. I liked this story even more than the first one. I love Addison so much and his attraction to Jake is so sweet and hilarious at the same time. And who wouldn't love Mrs Zhou-Mabel to her friends who has the power to manipulate him into doing things outside of his comfort zone without making him mad. The competing events that lead to disaster were unbelievable and funny and made you want to visit Milverton. Of course when there is a murder [minor spoilers redacted] looking impatiently for the next book.](https://gbralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231029-marsha-l-respess-goodreads-review-square.png)
![Poison at Penshaw Hall (A Milverton Mystery) by G. B. Ralph. Goodreads review by Melanie.
Beautifully written story from a author who understands what a cozy mystery is.
Rating: 4.75🌈
“With nothing else for it, Addison took a deep breath and dove in, hoping to traverse the carnage and reach the cafe without being trampled under the masses of Milvertonians. He may not have known what was going on, but he did know he’d kill for a coffee.”
— Poison at Penshaw Hall (The Milverton Mysteries Book 2) by G B Ralph
Ahhhhh, the masses of Milvertonians! So lovely to be back in the cozy mysteries of G B Ralph! He’s returned with his second in The Milverton Mysteries series, Poison at Penshaw Hall. Addison Harper, still getting acquainted to the town and looking forward to his first date with Sergeant Jake Murphy, is in the thick of it all. We are right beside him.
So happy to see all the quirky people and places that Ralph has created for Milverton, New Zealand , his location for this cozy mystery series.
Ralph gets exactly what a cozy is all about, so his small township vividly reflects that weird and wonderful intimacy that only a small population of longtime residents can bring to a community. It’s in the names of the businesses, like Lynne’s Cafe, or in the believable dynamics that play out on the town square between the local septuagenarian and craft fair organizer.
A reader needs to have the foundation of the first novel, Murder on Milverton Square, to understand why Addison Harper has ended up in Milverton (a will from a long lost relative), has gotten a reputation as a amateur sleuth (a murder solved), and began getting a tenuous relationship with romantic overtones with the local Sergeant. I mean they are just inching towards anything approximating romance here. That’s the facts. But the charm, the mystery, and all the fabulous depth of detail are in the reading.
Poison at Penshaw picks up shortly after the events of the first book, the timeline being very close between the two novels. Addison is still weighing the possibility of staying in Milverton versus returning home to the life he left behind in Wellington, such as it was. Milverton is swaying away with its small town beauty and welcoming mix of personalities and culture. I was swayed too.
[Part 1 of 2] Review continues...](https://gbralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231030-melanie-melaniescatteredthoughtsrw-goodreads-review-part-1-of-2-square-1.png)
![Poison at Penshaw Hall (A Milverton Mystery) by G. B. Ralph. Goodreads review by Melanie.
[Part 2 of 2] Review continues...
In fact, Ralph plunges the reader into the craziness that’s Milverton getting ready for a Terrific Town Award contest/ceremony. There’s statues to be judged, arguments among organizers, and goats on the lawn. Perfect cozy atmosphere for murder and mystery.
Things start to go awry immediately and some of our favorite characters are pulled into the murderous proceedings. In addition to Addison, there’s the wonderfully funny septuagenarian Mabel Zhou , town library and visitor center’s volunteer. I love this character and can’t get enough of her. Vibrant, gossipy, and dedicated to Addison, Mabel is lively woman who’s into everything. Constable Sean McGiffert and Constable Manaia Edwards are welcome sights but have limited roles here. But the author expands our knowledge of Milverton’s citizens and introduces new interesting people into the narrative. And does it in such a way that we get further insight into the history of the town and Addison’s great uncle.
The murder and investigations proceed as we expect. One official and one not so much. It’s the later that’s Addison’s involved in.0
At the end Ralph has moved everything forward incrementally, case solved so Addison and Jake can continue to work on their relationship. And a decision about staying in Milverton. Yes, they progress past heart eyes but not much.
If you’re looking for a sexy story, this isn’t it. Slow slow burn it is.
It’s also charming, funny, interesting, endlessly entertaining, and with characters I find endearing in that quirky small town way.
I can’t wait to see how Addison’s life there and his relationships progress.
If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, slow burn romances, and just fun, well written stories, this series and book is a wonderful place to explore. Read the series in the order they are written in:
The Milverton Mysteries :
- [x] Murder on Milverton Square #1
- [x] Poison at Penshaw Hall #2
- [ ] Death in Douglas Glade #3- Oct 2, 2024](https://gbralph.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/20231030-melanie-melaniescatteredthoughtsrw-goodreads-review-part-2-of-2-square-1.png)
Buy Poison at Penshaw Hall
Kindle / ebook
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon AU (NZ)
Also available in Kindle Unlimited.
Paperback
Order online:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon AU (NZ)
Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Waterstones | Foyles | Blackwell’s | Alibris | Powell’s | BAM! (Books-A-Million) | Dymocks | Mighty Ape | Fishpond
Order online or browse in store:
Bruce McKenzie Booksellers (Palmerston North, NZ)
Hedley’s Books (Masterton, NZ)
Wardini Books (Hawke’s Bay, NZ)
Huck & Puck Books (Los Angeles, USA)
Can’t find your preferred store? Ask your local bookseller to order a copy for you.
Audiobook
Audible US | Audible UK | Audible CA | Audible DE | Audible AU (NZ)
Spotify | Audiobooks.com | Kobo | Google Play | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Everand | Libro.fm | Chirp | OverDrive | Hoopla
Publisher: Tantor Audio (RBmedia)
Narrator: Philip Battley
G. B. Ralph 