The Body at Rookery Barn

A Georgina Drake Mystery, Book 1

By: Kate Hardy

Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard

When murder rocks her peaceful retirement, one reluctant sleuth must clear her name or be next on the menu…

When Georgina Drake trades London for the tranquil Norfolk countryside, she has simple plans: master pilates, rent out her converted barn to holidaymakers, and slowly heal from a terrible loss. But when she discovers the body of her latest guest—arrogant Cambridge professor Roland Garnett—everything changes.

With the police eyeing Georgina as a suspect and the poisoned curry that killed Garnett somehow linked to her friend’s farm shop, she has no choice but to investigate for herself. Alongside her unlikely team—aristocratic garden enthusiast Sybbie, and no-nonsense friends Francesca and Jodie—can Georgina untangle a web of deadly secrets and poisonous plants, and solve the mystery before her sleuthing puts her next in the killer’s sights…?

The perfect treat for fans of Faith Martin, Midsomer Murders, and anyone who believes the most dangerous sleuths come armed with nothing but sharp wits and a good pair of gardening shears.

©2023 Kate Hardy (P)2023 Storm Publishing

Tamsin Kennard’s narrative always a delight!

I purchased “The Body at Rookery Barn” by Kate Hardy during a recent Audible sale for $1.82 and was thoroughly entertained. Tamsin Kennard's narration is exceptional, which is why I chose this audiobook. The story is well-paced and intriguing, making it an audictive treasure. The plot follows Georgina Drake, a widowed woman who moves to rural Norfolk and finds herself entangled in a murder mystery. As she is drawn into a complex web of relationships and motives, she tries to clear her own name and uncover the truth. Kennard's brilliant narration brings the characters to vivid life. I have accumulated quite a vast collection of her books and have listened a second time after a year or two. Hardy’s writing keeps the suspense engaging. I'm looking forward to listening to more in this series, having already purchased Book 2, “The Body in the Ice House.” Highly recommended. Epic, indeed!

💥✍️👏🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✍️👏💥

😀“Yes, Audible, I have enjoyed this program.” 😀

Five stars for enjoyment

I am not interested in books based on romantic themes so I have not read anything by Kate Hardy. I came across a review that mentioned she was writing a mystery and thought it would be worth a try. I liked it. My stars are based on total enjoyment of a book and this is a well written, light hearted cozy with a mild touch of romance. I liked the characters, and while I do not care for a constant diet of cozy mysteries, when I am in the mood for something carefree and happy this series will fit the bill.

5 Stars

I enjoyed The Body at Rookery Barn. The characters are engaging and the mystery is well developed. I look forward to the next book.

Fantastic Story Telling

I loved this story and the narrator. The characters had a fun quirkiness to them that was very likable and the story was very cute. A little predictable, but an enjoyable listen.

Description misleading by omission

I am conflicted about this book. It is a pleasant cozy and if I could ignore the ghost in the room, I would have enjoyed it.
But yes, there was a ghost and I do not like supernatural stories. So had I known it I wouldn't have purchased the book. This is not small thing and should have been included in the description. I went back and reread the description to ensure I didn't miss it, but no - it was not there, not in the description not even as a tag.
Strictly speaking, the book had two mysteries running in parallel, only one with the ghost. But instead of enjoying the characters and the storyline I kept wondering if the ghost will be a part of the solution to the non-ghost mystery and ruin the whole book. This bothered me so much that throughout I was preoccupied considering whether to exchange the credit. The fact that I didn't is a testament to the author, but still I did not really enjoy the book - definitely not as much as it deserved.
The ghost-related mystery could have been added in other ways, for instance a "find" of one sort or another which leads the characters on an historical investigation.
The mystery relating to the ghost was resolved, so I will consider reading the next book in the series, after making sure and double sure the ghost is there no more.