Last Updated on April 22, 2026
In the cozy crime genre, there are definitely some authors who get a lot more exposure than others.
That’s why I’m always on the look out for hidden gems or at least those I am not already familiar with.
Case in point is The Cornish Wedding Murder by Fiona Leith, which I only discovered when I was browsing through Kindle Unlimited.
That isn’t to say that she isn’t already very well known, it’s just that I had hadn’t read her books up to that point.
Previously known as Murder on the Menu, I happily downloaded the book, the first in eight books from Leitch.
All of her novels in the series are titled with some variation of a Cornish murder so expect to see The Cornish Village Murder, Castle Murder, Campsite Murder…you get the drift.
Our amateur sleuth is an ex-Met Police Officer named Jodie Parker, aka Nosey Parker, who has recently left London with her 12-year-old daughter and returned to her hometown, Penstowan, in Cornwall.
Doing what all good books do, it lays the groundwork for Jodie’s life, why she has gone back home, her family and of course a murder!
The Plot
Attempting to settle back into a much slower pace of life, Jodie Parker has set up a catering business and her first client also happens to be a life long friend who is getting married.
Tony, who owns a furniture store, is marrying Cheryl, and Jodie is going to cater their wedding at a local hotel.
However, things take a turn when Tony’s ex-wife shows up at the hotel the night before the wedding and claims that Cheryl is only marrying him for his money.
A fight ensues, and the following morning, when his ex turns up dead and his bride-to-be ups and vanishes, DCI Withers decides that Tony must be the one responsible.
But Jodie believes differently and knows Tony could never have killed anyone, so she sets out to prove his innocence.
The deeper she dives, the more secrets she uncovers, and soon, Jodie’s life is in danger as she finally discovers the truth about what happened.
Oh, and DCI Withers also happens to be a bit of a dish, so sparks fly as the will-they-wont-they develops throughout the book!
The Fun Factor
The Cornish Wedding Murder is most definitely a light-hearted affair. There’s nothing even mildly offensive in it, and it’s one of those books with genuinely normal and relatable characters.
Jodie Parker isn’t some king of sleuthing genius, she’s just a good friend, with police experience who can follow a clue and get to the truth.
The fact that she is trying to start a new life in Cornwall, is 40 years old, is a single mother, and is quite witty only adds to her charm.
Throw in a lot of humour, a hilarious dog called Germaine, her underestimated mother, and a blossoming romance, and you have all the makings of a sweet, cozy crime novel that really does want to make you dive straight into book number two to see how her life develops.
Which is exactly what I plan to do!
Who Is The Book For?
If you’re reading this, it’s because you’re either a fan of cozy crime or you’re at least trying to find your next book.
This book will appeal to you if you love easy-going reads that don’t require you to get too deeply involved in solving the crime.
Unlike say, Anthony Horowitz who peppers his books with clues (if you can spot them) because solving the murder is the central plot, this is more about Jodie’s life of which solving a murder only happens to be one part of it – if you get what I mean.
So they’re more character, rather than murder, driven, and you know that nothing dark or deadly is ever going to happen to Jodie. And that, by the end, everything will be wrapped up in a nice neat bow.
If you want to be transported to the Cornish countryside for a fun and easy read that even comes with a recipe at the end (she is a caterer after all!), then you won’t be disappointed by Fiona Leitch.
Other Fiona Leitch Books
The Cornish murder series isn’t Fiona Leitch‘s only dive into cozy crime. She has also written three in the Bella Tyson series, which are:
- Dead in Venice
- Murder at the Grotto
- Murder Ahoy
So, if you miss the Cornish murder series after you’ve read all eight, you can always turn to Bella Tyson for more fun.
