Saddled with Murder

Bertie & Harriet Murder Mysteries, Book 1

De: Philippa Lee Mors

Narrado por: Karen Cass

A middle-aged saddler. An unexpected corpse. A witty old horse with a nose for murder. Sometimes, the best detectives have hooves. Downton Abbey meets Dick Francis in this cozy historical murder mystery.

Somerset, England, 1903. As a saddler, Miss Harriet Cobb knows she needs to get her hands dirty to make a living. But she never thought her latest saddlery job would lead her to a corpse.

With a leaky cottage roof and dwindling savings, middle-aged Harriet is on the prowl for new clients. A few sensible clients would be nice—but her neighbors seem to have more money than sense. When asked to repair a saddle for a séance (a very silly project indeed), Harriet winds up at Lady Chedington's estate with her horse, Bertie, a witty old fellow with some decidedly un-horsey habits.

Everyone knows that horses can be dangerous, but when one of Lady Chedington's guests turns up dead, Harriet and Bertie suspect foul play. Was it a simple horse accident or something more sinister? And how does haughty young Lord Byerley know a little too much about Harriet's dubious past?

Taking the reins of the investigation, Harriet and Bertie must discover which of their new neighbors is a murderer—and protect their own secrets while they're at it.

Escape to the Edwardian era, when women's hats were large, motorcars were unreliable, and murder methods were very imaginative. If you like cozy mysteries with humor, history, and witty animal sidekicks, you'll love Saddled with Murder. It's perfect for fans of classic whodunnits by M.C. Beaton, T E Kinsey, Karen Baugh Menuhin, and Dick Francis. Saddled with Murder is the first book in the series.

Download Saddled with Murder for a rollicking ride that will keep you guessing—and galloping—to the finish line.

©2024, 2025 Philippa Lee Mors (P)2025 Philippa Lee Mors

enchanting and enduring mystery

This brilliant author gives us colorful characters, regal settings, an unconventional heroine, and a plot to keep everyone guessing to the end! Highly recommended!

As an avid reader who averages over 100 books a year, I thoroughly enjoyed Saddled with Murder. It’s a light and engaging novel with plot twists that keep the pages turning up to the surprise ending. The writing itself is superb, with enough details and dialogue to paint a clear picture. I truly loved the various historical sayings and references scattered throughout the book, they lend an air of authenticity to it.

The audio version is very well done! The performance is clear and perfectly aligned with the spirit and feel of Saddled with Murder. The narrator gives life to the characters through her voice.

Cozy mysteries are not my go-to genre, but I am so glad I branched out - I’m on the hunt for similar books now! Can’t wait for more adventures with these two.

Intriguing and enjoyable cozy mystery!

Saddled with Murder is a captivating cozy mystery that pulls you right in with a nice mix of suspense and humor. Karen Cass’ voice and accent bring the British setting to life, adding charm and authenticity that enhance the listening experience. The main character is witty and has plenty of her own secrets, which made following her through the twists and turns even more engaging. The pacing is spot-on, and the interactions between the characters feel natural, making the story both intriguing and enjoyable. The equestrian setting was a nice change of pace, adding something special to the story with its fresh and different vibe, while also leaving plenty of room for more mysteries to unfold down the line.

A delightful listen—brought a smile to my face! Highly recommend!

Saddled with Murder is a must read, but the audiobook takes it to another level entirely. Karen Cass’s narration is exceptional—her clever use of accents for each character added so much personality and charm. I found myself emotionally involved—laughing, being irritated, puzzled, etc. as I re-lived the book on audio. I thoroughly enjoyed the print version, but would highly recommend the audio experience. I’m part way done with the audio, but sense this is a perfect choice of narrator for this debut novel. I’m looking forward to the next several, as well as audio versions. Cozy mystery may not be my first choice in genre, but I’m hooked on this British mystery series.

Love the Detail

I really enjoy the authors detailed descriptions of each characters observations. Fine details one’s senses pick up but we really don’t think about them. This really brings life to the character. Can’t wait for the next book!

A fun mystery! Well narrated.

I read the book awhile ago and really loved it, so I was excited to see the Audible version, with Karen Cass narrating! And it does not disappoint. I really enjoy all the characters, especially Byerley, and--as a horse-person--Bertie, of course. 😃 The mystery itself had kept me guessing, straight up until the end. I sincerely hope Philippa continues writing more Bertie and Harriet adventures!

With all due respect to this author

Although this book started out promising, with an enjoyable premise and the always brilliant narration by Karen Cass, I had to stop listening a few chapters in. I do not find false accusations of the innocent entertaining. Even though it is not an uncommon feature of mystery stories, cozy's included, I became really angry at how the incidents began playing out in this book. However, once I have a few days to calm down I may attempt to listen further as I did really enjoy the first few chapters.