John Murray Press The Potting Shed Murder (4, 2025) | Paula Sutton

'Miss Marple for the 21st Century. Loved it. A must-read' S.J. BENNETT Welcome to the sleepy village of Pudding Corner, a quintessentially English haven of golden cornfields, winding cobbled lanes ... and murder. Daphne Brewster has left London behind and is settling into her family's new life in rural Norfolk, planting broad beans in raised beds and vintage hunting for their farmhouse. But when the local headmaster is found dead in his potting shed, amongst his allotment cabbages, the village is ablaze: Who would kill beloved Mr Papplewick, pillar of the community? Daphne soon comes to realise perhaps the countryside isn't so idyllic after all... When the headmaster's widow points her finger at Minnerva, Daphne's new friend, Daphne vows to clear her name. Sneaking into the crime scene and chasing down rumours gets her into hot water with the local inspector - until she comes across a faded photograph that unearths a secret buried for forty years... They say nothing bad ever happens in close-knit Pudding Corner, but Daphne is close to the truth - dangerously close... There's death amongst the dahlias... A truly unputdownable, twist-packed whodunnit that is perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett and Richard Coles. 'Reminiscent of Poirot . . . Daphne Brewster is easily the most interesting whodunnit sleuth in year' Paterson Joseph 'Blooming fabulous! The perfect book to get lost in . . . The cosiest of cosy crime' Veronica Henry 'A village of secrets, a cast of zany characters: this is a romp of a read that warms the heart' Orlando Murrin, author of Knife Skills for Beginners 'A really fun, fast-paced and atmospheric whodunnit. Perfect for fans of Agatha Raisin' Jessica Bull, author of Miss Austen Investigates 'Begs to be read in the cosiest of spaces' Tasha Coryell, author of Love Letters to a Serial Killer 'A great modern cosy' Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants ' Delightful . . . Charming and fresh' Kuchenga Shenjé, author of The Library Thief 'I absolutely loved it! Utterly absorbing. Daphne is such a brilliant protagonist, I couldn't help but love her. And that twist!' Lisa Hall, author of The Mysterious Double Death of Honey Black 'The most wholesome whodunit I've ever read . . . I loved it!' Stephanie Yeboah 'Such a fun cosy crime mystery with a really exciting ending! I hope that we're going to see Daphne solving more crimes in the future!' Kate Weston, author of You May Now Kill the Bride 'A quintessentially English murder mystery. Paula Sutton brings a new voice to the cosy genre with her fresh take and witty twist on modern village life. Vintage crime!' Jo Furniss, author of Dead Mile 'An utterly delightful whodunnit unfolds in this pitch-perfect cosy mystery. Absolutely glorious!' Victoria Dowd, author of The Smart Woman's Guide to Murder 'Beautiful, mesmerising and immensely satisfying, The Potting Shed Murder shows us how even the most idyllic places can hide secrets. Rich in detail and bursting with warmth, I read this book well into the night, finding myself unable to put it down. Sutton is a master storyteller' Awais Khan, author of No Honour and Someone Like Her