The Coffee Shop Detectives

By: Louise Mumford

Narrated by: Alison Steadman

In the quaint streets of South-West London, four female pensioners are about to embark on the heist of a lifetime. Meet the Crones:

Delilah, the impulsive mastermind

Orla, the razor-sharp retired teacher

Maz, the anxious caterer riddled with self-doubt.

and Beth, battling a deadly brain tumour

United by forty years of friendship, and desperate to raise funds for Beth’s healthcare, the Crones set about a daring plan to steal a priceless brooch from Hawling House.

But this is no ordinary theft. It's a mission to right a decades-old wrong – the ‘death’ of their friend Ronnie at the hand of the mansion's enigmatic owner, Edgar Hawling.

As the crones navigate secret passages, outsmart security, and showcase some of the most cunning catering skills Twickenham has ever seen, they quickly find themselves in a race against time and tugging at the threads of a far more treacherous tapestry than they ever imagined.

Brought to life by legendary Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey, Abigail's Party), The Coffee Shop Detectives is a hilarious and heart-warming celebration of female friendship and the unbreakable spirit of women who refuse to go quietly into their golden years.

©2026 Louise Thorn (P)2026 Audible Ltd.

Delightful in every way

Aside from the fact that I fell in love with the characters and their emotional lives, and the wonderful humor throughout, there was one surprising thing about this narrative. Around every corner, I was predicting what would happen, and every time it did, I was cheering with my hands in the air for the women and their adventure. This was a thoroughly satisfying story.

I loved this!

I really enjoy cozy mysteries, especially with all the darkness and chaos in the world right now. This was cozy, not quite a mystery, but it definitely falls in that genre. This story was so well done. The characters were delightful, the story interesting. It was actually suspenseful at different times. It was also humorous at times, and sentimental at times. I felt different real emotions as I listened. I appreciate female characters who are experiencing real issues women face as we age. The narration was unbelievable. The characters each had their own voice, and the timing was perfect. I can only think that any less positive reviews are from people who don’t appreciate, or aren’t used to the cozy mystery genre. They are a little silly, but they wrap you up in a cozy, safe feeling world. They are a safe mental space, when you need an escape. I hope this becomes a series with many stories to come!

Fun read!

I don’t think I’d read anything that would’ve pushed this into my algorithm so I took a chance wanting something different. This was such a fun listen with awesome characters and distinct, vividly captured personalities. Very entertaining with a little bit of everything in the mix. A fun twist, a soft dark undertone, told with comedic relief and good character development.

This woman knows how to write!

This is a very dense mystery as many divergent threads are fully explored and woven in over time. The characters are real and I thoroughly empathized with them. The last several hours are as wild a ride as any action movie car chase, but without cars. The narrator has a pleasant voice and manages different characters well. Wow!

Thoroughly enjoyable!

Loved all of it! The women were so relatable and funny! At 62, I really could relate. I highly recommend this book for an enjoyable read. A lighthearted story.