Murder in the Winter Woods

Julia Bird Mysteries, Book 8

By: Katie Gayle

Narrated by: Lucy Scott

A totally binge-worthy and completely gripping cozy English murder mystery

Julia Bird adores a walk on a winter’s day. The crunch of fresh show under your feet and the promise of hot cocoa by a roaring fire afterwards… But she’s not expecting to find a body in the woods!

It’s Christmas in Berrywick, the busiest time of year for dashing taxi driver Lewis. But when he’s killed in a road accident, the entire village is shaken. Julia Bird, recently appointed to the Road Safety Committee, visits the site so that no other villager suffers the same fate. But when she spies a pendant left in the bushes, she feels certain Lewis’s death was no accident…

As the festive lights twinkle in the village square, Julia vows to uncover the truth. She soon learns not everyone found Lewis’s charm appealing. Sweetshop owner Dora says he had an eye for the ladies, much to his wife’s frustration. Lewis recently gave his life savings to a mysterious businessman who proves difficult to track down. But could these be reasons enough to want him dead?

Then, local beekeeper Matthew is struck by a car near the Christmas market. Julia believes the two deaths must be linked, but contrary to Lewis, Matthew was as sweet as the honey he sold. Who could possibly want to hurt Berrywick’s kindest man?

With no obvious leads, Julia stumbles upon an old picture that finally links Lewis and Matthew. Many years ago they were in a band poised for stardom, but when the bubble burst, their chance at fame vanished quicker than a glass of festive eggnog. Could someone be targeting the band members one by one? And can Julia track them down before the killer strikes again?

An utterly gripping and totally charming cozy mystery set in the English countryside. Fans of M.C. Beaton, Faith Martin and Betty Rowlands will love the Julia Bird Mysteries!

©2025 Katie Gayle (P)2025 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

5 stars

Murder in the Winter Woods is a fun and entertaining cozy mystery. I look forward to the next book.

Loved everything about it

Nothing like spending a wintery few weeks in Berrymoor with Julia and Jake and the whole gang

surprising conclusion

Well-written plot with excellent narration. Interesting characters in a cozy Cotswold village. One of the best in the series, so far!

Entertaining cozy mystery

The narration masterfully brought the story to life, adding a layer of suspense and intrigue.