I have been a fan of Debbie and her work and have been for a while now. By no means have I read everything that she has written but that is something that I hope to rectify in the not too distant future. I must admit that I especially love Debbie's cozy mystery series featuring Sophie Sayers. I loved the first eight books in the series and when I heard that Debbie was due to release another book in the series, I knew that I had to grab a copy and read it at the earliest opportunity. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because the ninth book in the Sophie Sayers mystery series is called 'Driven To Murder' and it was released on 26th January 2024. It was a cracker of a read and then some. I ADORED reading 'Driven To Murder' but more about that in a bit. I was drawn to this book by the fact that I saw Debbie's name on the cover of a book that I knew I hadn't read yet. It didn't take long at all for me to get into the story itself. In fact as soon as I started reading, that was it for me - I knew that I wasn't going to be doing anything other than reading for the rest of the afternoon because I knew that I wouldn't be able to put the book down. I was spot on too. I picked the book up only intending to read a chapter or two but I was so wrapped up in the story that I didn't put the book down until after I had read the last word on the last page. Part of the reason why I enjoyed the book so much has to do with the fact that the story was certainly topical for me. The village where I live recently faced the prospect of losing their own bus service but thankfully didn't. Some of the arguments the residents were using to save the service in the book, were the same as the ones that we used to save our service. It actually felt as though the author was writing about my village. I was so wrapped up in the story, in the lives of the characters and in village life that I didn't realise just how quickly I was getting through the book. All too quickly I reached the end of 'Driven To Murder' and had to say goodbye to Sophie and the rest of the villagers. I found 'Driven To Murder' to be a gripping and ultimately fun read, which certainly kept me guessing. 'Driven To Murder' is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Debbie Young. Debbie has an easy going writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact, reading one of Debbie's books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Debbie certainly knows how to grab the reader's attention and draw them into what proves to be one heck of a story and then some. Debbie clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes her characters seem just as real as you and I. In fact I found myself comparing the villagers in the book to the villagers in my village. I love the way in which Debbie makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the heart of the action. That's how I felt anyway. In short, I ADORED reading 'Driven To Murder' and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Debbie's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This latest book in the series does not disappoint. A cosy murder mystery with a book shop central to the story, set in a pretty rural village- perfect ingredients for a delightful read. Readers familiar with Debbie Young’s St Brides series will enjoy seeing the two coming together at the end of this book - a nice touch. Sophie and Hector are great characters, and I particularly like the humour young Tommy adds to the tale. I’m looking forward to the next instalment of this series!

Given that the author is my namesake and we both live in The Cotswolds, I was compelled to read and review this book. It is what it says on the can, a cozy crime mystery and it’s a lovely read showing off Cotswold life as well as highlighting the difficulties of living in rural communities if you don’t drive. Despite being disguised I felt I recognised some of the places which made it feel familiar and comforting. A clever twist at the end, delightful characters with a bit of love interest means I will certainly read more