Let Sleeping Murder Lie (Eve Holdsworth Cozy Mysteries Book 1)

Let Sleeping Murder Lie — A Cozy English Village Mystery with Romance

American Eve Holdsworth arrives in a picturesque English village hoping to finally live the countryside dream she’s only seen in books and television. Ivy Cottage, friendly locals, bird-watching walks, a loyal dog, and evenings at the cosy village pub make it feel like she’s stepped into the life she always wanted.

Then she meets Ben Dryden.

Ben is charming, guarded—and the most suspected man in the village. Five years ago his estranged wife Donna was murdered, and Ben was the only suspect. The case went cold, but the whispers never stopped. While the locals keep their distance, Eve is convinced there’s more to the story. Determined to uncover the truth, she begins quietly asking questions, despite Ben’s insistence that some things are better left alone.

As Eve digs deeper into the past, she discovers secrets Donna kept hidden, including multiple affairs and relationships that complicate the old case. What began as curiosity soon turns dangerous when someone tries to scare her off—and it becomes clear that the real killer would prefer the past to stay buried.

In a village where everyone knows everyone, Eve must untangle lies, loyalties, and long-held grudges before the truth disappears for good—and before her search for justice costs her everything.

Let Sleeping Murder Lie is the first book in the Eve Holdsworth Cozy Mysteries series by Carmen Radtke—a charming countryside mystery filled with small-village intrigue, slow-burn romance, and a determined amateur sleuth.

Start the series today and uncover the secrets hidden in this idyllic English village.

Excerpt from the book

The next day after lunch and a spontaneous shopping expedition, Eve set out in her newly bought walking shoes and with a backpack containing a thermos of hot tea and a pair of lightweight binoculars recommended for bird-watching. She’d noticed lately a largely sedentary lifestyle made her back ache sooner. Since the nearest gym was ten miles away and the evening classes in yoga and seated exercise sounded as enticing as watching paint dry, an outdoor hobby with a specific goal – to watch the owl – seemed the best solution.

She crossed her fingers for luck. She’d heard often enough it took a measly twenty-one days to form a habit, but in her case the theory proved wrong. What she could confirm after vigorous self-experimentation was that it took barely twenty-four hours to backslide. Repeatedly.

Perhaps this would be different. “Please,” she said under her breath. “And please let me stop talking to myself. It’s embarrassing.”

She should have marked the spot where she’d left the path, Eve thought as she ambled along the creek. The trees all looked the same. There should be two with low-hanging branches where she bumped her shoulder, but that was her only clear recollection. A smarter woman would have tied a piece of fabric to a tree or snapped a photo.

Her luck was in. The angler was back as well, reeling in the line.

Eve cleared her throat as she approached, in an effort to politely announce her presence. It failed, although she was barely a metre away.

“Excuse me?” she said.

The angler spun around at a speed that took her by surprise, because he didn’t look the nervous type. He watched her with wary eyes, another thing that surprised her. She might have disturbed his solitude, but for no more than a minute or two. Nevertheless, Eve felt at a disadvantage.

“I’m looking for a cabin?” Since when did her pitch change when addressing a stranger, and since when did she end a sentence with a dangling question mark?

The man righted himself. Eve sensed a subtle change in the atmosphere, from disinterest to annoyance.

“Why?” he asked. His voice and his appearance were a lot more attractive than his demeanour. She’d not be intimidated by his brusqueness.

Instead she opted for the same brand of friendliness she’d used with Hayley. She fished the binoculars out of her backpack. “I came across it yesterday, and I saw an owl sitting on the roof.”

A semblance of relief came into his eyes. He was probably an animal-lover, intent on keeping away anyone who’d disturb the bird, Eve hazarded a guess.

“I got these field glasses to watch it from afar. I wouldn’t go near it, I promise,” she said.

He touched the price tag stuck to the body. “Your first field trip?”

“We all start somewhere.” Eve hung the binoculars around her neck and held out her hand. “Eve Holdsworth. Before you ask, I only just moved to the area, so if I put a foot wrong, blame my ignorance of local affairs.”

“Ben Dryden.” He leant the rod against a tree. A faint smile crinkled the corners of his dark blue eyes which were set off by a light tan and dark blonde hair. His handshake was firm and lasted long enough to make up for his less than friendly welcome.