Can't Wait Wednesday: The Holly Village Murders by Benedict Brown (A Marius Quin Mystery Book Six)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday hosted by Tressa at the book blog, Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Holly Village Murders, by Benedict Brown. I have yet to start this series and this is the "cozy Christmas mystery" one. I really am enjoying the other series by Brown, Lord Edgington Investigates. I have no doubt this one is great too. 

Hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

Historical Mystery/Cozy Mystery

November 10, 2025

Book description courtesy of GoodReads

The snow falls, carolers sing, and a killer plots his next move.

London, 1928. Marius Quin and Lady Bella Montague are ready for a quiet Christmas when they learn that Bella’s beloved Aunt Adele has met a shocking end in her picture-perfect cottage. Immediately heading for Holly Village, the enclave of retired aristocrats and eccentric pensioners where Adele lived, they discover that her death was far from natural.

The dead woman’s priceless Manet painting has vanished, and a cryptic note she left hints at scandalous goings-on among her neighbors. When another resident is murdered during the village Christmas party, it’s clear that a devious killer is preying on the sleepy community. Marius and Bella must navigate a web of village intrigue, false identities, and long-buried scandals to stop this from being a Christmas to remember for all the wrong reasons.

Stacking the Shelves #72

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. 

Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Happy reading ya'll!

 

They Came To Baghdad by Agatha Christie 

Libby borrow: Free

This one looks great because of the location.  It just adds to the intrigue. In this one a spy dies in a young girl's hotel room and she is in for an adventure figuring out why. Add in a secret superpower summit and a shady underworld and I'm in! Should be a good one. If you've read it, no spoilers :) 

A Lady's Guide To Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman (Countess of Harleigh Mystery Book One)

Amazon Prime borrow: Free

Frances Wynn, Countess of Harleigh, is happy to be free of her unfaithful husband who has died and is looking forward to the future with her daughter in London. Then she is implicated in his death and along with her handsome neighbor, George, she has to find out the truth before it ruins her life and her daughter's social London season. This looks cute and is book one so I'm interested.

 Murder at Morrington Hall by Clara McKenna (Stella and Lyndy Mysteries Book One)

Amazon Prime borrow: Free

American heiress and horse trainer Stella Kendrick is called from Kentucky back to England by her Father who then announces he is giving her away in marriage to a stranger, the Earl of Atherly's son, who will benefit financially from the match.  She becomes involved in the murder of the vicar who is to marry them and also more interested than she planned in her new fiance. 

Virgins by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander 0.5)

 

Publication Date:

December 3, 2013

Genre:  

Historical Fiction

Length:   

 86 pages

Series: Outlander 

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

A young Jamie Fraser learns what it really means to become a man in this Outlander prequel novella. Featuring all the trademark suspense, adventure, and history of Diana Gabaldon’s #1 bestselling novels and the Starz original series, Virgins is now available for the first time as a standalone ebook.
 
Mourning the death of his father and gravely injured at the hands of the English, Jamie Fraser finds himself running with a band of mercenaries in the French countryside, where he reconnects with his old friend Ian Murray. Both are nursing wounds; both have good reason to stay out of Scotland; and both are still virgins, despite several opportunities to remedy that deplorable situation with ladies of easy virtue. 

But Jamie’s love life becomes infinitely more complicated, and dangerous, when fate brings the young men into the service of Dr. Hasdi, a Jewish gentleman who hires them to escort two priceless treasures to Paris. One is an old Torah; the other is the doctor’s beautiful daughter, Rebekah, destined for an arranged marriage. Both Jamie and Ian are instantly drawn to the bride-to-be, but they might be more cautious if they had any idea who they’re truly dealing with.

My Thoughts

I read Virgins years ago. But never reviewed it because it was long before I had my blog! It has always been a goal of mine to review all the books from favorite authors that I've read in the past. So a re-read was in order for this one. It is a novella, short and easily read when I'm busy. While not my favorite of her stories, it grew on me over time as I wanted to know more about the back story of Jamie and Ian.

The main story is not terribly relevant. Jamie is recovering from wounds inflicted on him back in Scotland and grieving the death of his beloved Father. Ian is working in France with dangerous mercenaries and Jamie decides to join him. The story follows their reconnection, and involvement with the devious Rebekah and throughout we are privy to things about Jamie that we might not have discovered in the main Outlander book. There are many thoughtful conversations to be read between him and Ian and I liked learning more about the relationship between them. It showcases their youth and innocence and feels like a great way to see them both before life hardens them.

The immediate story involving the Jewish man and his daughter is quick and not necessary to further Outlander plot lines. But as someone who loves mystery and intrigue I thought it was engaging enough to want to figure out what was happening. Gabaldon is such a great writer that she can turn 86 pages into something thoughtful and suspenseful with ease. 

I liked Virgins much better the second time around. Having invested more time and thought into the characters made it more personal. If you are a fan of the series get the novellas and read them as stand alone books. They will give you more insight into the people she's created.