Skip to main content
Listen-and-Read x-book®
The Art of Murder by Fiona Walker x-book

Listen to a sample

00:00
00:00

What to expect

Don't miss this brilliantly gripping cozy mystery from MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Fiona Walker 🔍 A must-read for fans of Richard Osman, Janet Evanovich and the Reverend Richard Coles!

Former stand-up comic Juno Mulligan has been suffering a serious sense-of-humour failure. Not only has she lost the love of her life, but she’s having to relocate to the (admittedly idyllic) village of Inkbury to watch out for her elderly mother, who she’s genuinely worried might be marrying a wife-killer.

She hopes that her old friend, disgraced-journalist-turned-novelist Phoebe Fredericks can help her crack the case of whether her mother’s perma-tanned, iceberg-smiled, three-times-a-widower fiancé is hiding a murderous past.

But before they have a chance, the local art dealer washes up distinctly dead in the village’s famous river. His lover is in the frame, but Juno and Phoebe suspect that there is a deeper secret… One that relates to Phoebe’s own past and Juno’s present.

Will the unofficial Village Detective Agency solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? In sleepy Inkbury, as they soon discover, living one’s best midlife can be murder.

Readers love Fiona Walker:

‘Loved it!!!! Couldn’t put it down… Keeps you on the edge of your seat.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Witty, addictive, and with plenty of drama to sink your teeth into… Entertaining from beginning to end… Fantastic.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘There were times when I belly laughed so loudly I had to put my hand in front of my mouth to stifle it. (This would be during a binge read until 2 a.m.)!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I stayed up WAY too late gulping down the last few hundred pages. I simply could not put it down!… I thoroughly enjoyed the sparkling wit… Pure escapism, pages and pages of thrilling relationships, turmoil and love.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my all-time favourite authors… Love the characters, the plot, everything about it.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THE WAY THIS UNFOLDS!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Walker writes with such vitality that all the characters are instantly brought to life. She’s funny, moving and not too OTT in her interpretation of life’s little eccentricities!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Laugh out loud funny!!!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I loved this so strongly and with such enthusiasm that I became devoted to Fiona Walker for life.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I love, love, love this book.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my all time favourites. Laugh-out-loud funny in places, poignant and touching in others. This book really has it all. Incredibly well written’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

User Reviews

Book 4.8

Narration 5.0

  • 5.0 5.0

    If you like the Thursday Murder Club series and Agatha Raisin then give this a try. Well narrated with an easy to follow story & more than a smattering of humour.

    cornishbird 2026-08-03
  • 5.0 5.0

    A most entertaining amateur detective story! Villagers, art and antique dealers, declutterers, novelists and more make up the cast. With the story flitting between high society, decaying country piles, woods and transatlantic relationships it could have been easy to lose the plot but the main characters all held it together with charm and a dash of cleverness too. I look forward to the next one!

    dizzydyslexic 2025-09-19

Details

Author
Fiona Walker
Narrator
Christine Mackie
Duration
10 hours 15 minutes
Release Date
20 May 2024
ISBN
9781835619223
Format
x-book®
Publisher
Boldwood Books
Genre
Crime and mystery: private investigator / amateur detectives, Crime and mystery: cosy mystery, Crime and mystery: women sleuths, Fiction: general and literary, Comic (humorous) crime and mystery, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Interior life, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Fiction: mashup
Rating
4.8(5 reviews)
Narration
5.0(5 reviews)

Synopsis

Don't miss this brilliantly gripping cozy mystery from MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Fiona Walker 🔍 A must-read for fans of Richard Osman, Janet Evanovich and the Reverend Richard Coles!Former stand-up comic Juno Mulligan has been suffering a serious sense-of-humour failure. Not only has she lost the love of her life, but she’s having to relocate to the (admittedly idyllic) village of Inkbury to watch out for her elderly mother, who she’s genuinely worried might be marrying a wife-killer.She hopes that her old friend, disgraced-journalist-turned-novelist Phoebe Fredericks can help her crack the case of whether her mother’s perma-tanned, iceberg-smiled, three-times-a-widower fiancé is hiding a murderous past.But before they have a chance, the local art dealer washes up distinctly dead in the village’s famous river. His lover is in the frame, but Juno and Phoebe suspect that there is a deeper secret… One that relates to Phoebe’s own past and Juno’s present.Will the unofficial Village Detective Agency solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? In sleepy Inkbury, as they soon discover, living one’s best midlife can be murder.Readers love Fiona Walker:‘Loved it!!!! Couldn’t put it down… Keeps you on the edge of your seat.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Witty, addictive, and with plenty of drama to sink your teeth into… Entertaining from beginning to end… Fantastic.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘There were times when I belly laughed so loudly I had to put my hand in front of my mouth to stifle it. (This would be during a binge read until 2 a.m.)!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I stayed up WAY too late gulping down the last few hundred pages. I simply could not put it down!… I thoroughly enjoyed the sparkling wit… Pure escapism, pages and pages of thrilling relationships, turmoil and love.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘One of my all-time favourite authors… Love the characters, the plot, everything about it.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THE WAY THIS UNFOLDS!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Walker writes with such vitality that all the characters are instantly brought to life. She’s funny, moving and not too OTT in her interpretation of life’s little eccentricities!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Laugh out loud funny!!!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I loved this so strongly and with such enthusiasm that I became devoted to Fiona Walker for life.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I love, love, love this book.’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘One of my all time favourites. Laugh-out-loud funny in places, poignant and touching in others. This book really has it all. Incredibly well written’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About xigxag and the x-book®

xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.

Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.

There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.

Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.

Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.