The Undercover Bookshop

by Katherine Reay

"Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries mixed with historical fiction will love this book.” — Library Journal

"An origin story of the next generation’s Miss cozy, clever, canny, and grounded in history.” - Kirkus Reviews

During the winter of 1950 in the small Cotswold village of Great Rollright, amateur sleuth Gemma Brown starts to suspect that the town’s best baker, Ursula Beurton, is a Soviet spy, tumbling her headlong into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse that ends with a decision that will lead her to the Undercover Bookshop and change her life forever.

Recently moved to the English Cotswolds, Gemma Brown desperately wants to create the kind of idyllic life she’s read about in her favorite mystery novels, with herself as the leading lady. But fitting in proves difficult as Gemma is more adept at solving mysteries and setting up the village’s first bookstore than she is at baking cakes or grasping social niceties. Nevertheless, she finds a friend in Peggy, a young woman recently moved to town herself, and Ursula Beurton, who is not only the village’s best baker but an enigmatic figure who sparks controversy in the small-town gossip network.

As Gemma spends more time with Ursula, she begins to suspect all those novels are affecting her thinking. The oddities she starts to notice must be her imagination because, if not, they point to something far more dangerous than winning the local baking contest or being placed on the church committee. Could her neighbor be a real spy?

Following her instincts and a few skills learned through fiction, Gemma soon becomes embroiled in an international intrigue involving the village’s mysterious benefactor, Lady Marchmont, MI5, and the KGB. In an unexpected twist, however, Ursula asks Gemma for a favor which may endanger all their lives as their next chapter unfolds in Gemma’s new venture, the Undercover Bookshop.

 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Books About Books, Historical Mystery, Christian Fiction

315 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2026

About the author

Katherine Reay is the national bestselling and award-winning author of several novels and one full length non-fiction work. Her novels have been chosen as “One Book, One Community” reads and her writing has appeared in publications such as Criminal Reads, The Daily Beast, Redbook, and USA Today, among others. She holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University. She lives in Montana with her husband and too many dogs.

You can meet her at www.katherinereay.com or on Facebook: KatherineReayBooks, X: @katherine_reay or Instagram: @katherinereay.

Reviews

[Kate Quinn]

Read this one for a cover quote and loved it--feels like a warm, possibly arsenic-laced hug straight from Agatha Christie. Lonely Londoner Gemma Brown relocates to a Cotswolds village yearning for the community her WWII-ravaged childhood denied her, and quickly finds solace in her new general store job, a budding romance with the local PC, and a book club ravenous for Gemma's favorite mystery novels. But when the mysterious local neighbor who offers friendship and baking lessons starts to set off alarm bells (why is she leaving coded messages in tree knots? why does a village housewife need a two-way radio?) Gemma has to wonder if her mystery-loving imagination is running away from her...or if she's found a real-life Soviet spy. Katherine Reay's latest is cozy and yet still thrilling, a real page turner.

[Shelley's Book Nook]

My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Book Review Crew Blog


⭐⭐⭐1/2
Publication Date: October 6th, 2026
Harper Muse
315 Pages
Amazon | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction | Women's Fiction

This was a wonderful cozy mystery that takes place in the 1950s during the Cold War, based on true events in a village called Great Rollright.

Gemma’s childhood took place during WWII, so all she wants now is a quiet life. She loves mystery books starring detectives, often wishes she could be one, and wants to open the very first bookstore in the village. She also starts taking baking lessons from her neighbour, Ursula. That's when Gemma starts to notice odd things—shortwave radios and letters hidden in trees, to name a couple. Gemma doesn't know if her imagination from reading detective novels is getting the best of her, or if maybe Ursula is actually a spy.

Of course, Gemma gets herself into a heap of dangerous circumstances, and her sleuthing ways lead to espionage involving both the KGB and MI5. I loved the game of cat and mouse Gemma was involved in and how smart she was—it goes to show that reading fiction can teach you a thing or two!

In a word, this book was charming. I loved the setting and the timeline, and the author did a great job making both come to life. It was amazing to see two completely different atmospheres in the same village: the everyday life of going to church, baking contests, and visiting bookstores mingled nicely with the secret lives of spies. I found this made the story very engaging, even if it made the pacing a little unbalanced at times.

Many of the plot twists and turns were completely surprising to this seasoned reader, but I still found it fun and enjoyable. This was a pleasant way to read away the weekend, and I give the author props for her wonderful research of a real person from history.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.



Goodreads ratings reflect reader demographics and
popular enthusiasm rather than objective literary merit.

[Dab]

🎉Happy Pub Day!🎉

🚨If you live in Canada or the USA, there’s a giveaway on StoryGraph, open until 18 Oct🚨

Nobody writes Cold War fiction like Katherine Reay.
The suspense! The unputdownability!

The sleep deprivation!

I love the way this author brings characters and stories to life. The attention to detail, the depth, and the way the historical context is always captured so beautifully — it’s an absolute joy to read. You can tell each book is a well-loved project, refined to perfection.

It’s 1950, and Gemma is a young woman who has just moved to a small British village. Her keen eye for detail and love of mystery novels make her notice unusual things about one of her neighbors…

I love the premise of this book. We need more stories where women take the lead and are the force behind the things that matter. I realized only afterwards that the spy who inspired this story was actually a real person, so it feels like a fancy fanfic in a way. However, since I like fanfics, I very much approve of this creative way of bringing her story to life.

Another delightful thing about this book: the romance was a bigger part of it than in this author’s other books, and I can’t even express how happy that makes me 🥰🥹

Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Karen White]

In The Undercover Bookshop, Katherine Reay has created an unexpected heroine the reader can't help but fall in love with as well as a charming and idyllic post-war English village. Except in Great Rollright, all is not what it seems.
Torn from the pages of history books and inspired by real people and events, The Undercover Bookshop is both cold war thriller and sweet romance with a wistful undercurrent of searching for a place to call home.
Think Murder She Wrote meets Agatha Christie with a surprising twist that will make you question how well you think you really know your friends.
Highly recommend!

[theliterateleprechaun]

I enjoyed my trip back in time to late 1945 Great Rollright, a tiny village in the English Cotswolds, and an opportunity to examine a little-spotlighted time frame. While there's plenty of WW2 historical fiction available, not many highlight the days immediately following the end of the war when ordinary people were trying to get their lives back together and find a way to exist in a completely different world.

Readers will follow Gemma Brown, who works at the Hastings General Store, and see how she allows her suspicions to convince her that asking Ursula Beurton for baking lessons will help find an answer to more than one of her challenges.

Author Katherine Reay’s story was inspired by the real-life Ursula Kuczynski Beurton, who was much more than just a great scone baker. Reay asks us to consider that danger comes in all sorts and forms and that appearances can be deceiving. Gemma’s intuitiveness and her inquiring mind endeared her to me, and I hope that I have a measure of her determination when it comes to following my instinct.

One of the characters claims that books are like lobster shells and that we grow out of them! I was happy to see a rebuttal from another character that we don’t grow out of the stories; we merely grow through them. I’m not a fan of rereading or rewatching when I know the outcome, but I’ll consider what I learned from Reay’s characters: books we reread point us to our former selves and show us how much we’ve grown.

If you enjoy historical fiction, international intrigue, spy stories, a slower-paced investigation of post-war Europe, and uncovering secrets, this is one to add to your reading list.

I’d love to say more or add detail, but to do so wouldn’t be fair to readers.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Cara Putman]

This book was a wonderful read. I adored every page and wanted it to continue far past the last page. It was a wonderful story of found family set in the early days of the Cold War. The ending didn't neatly tie up with a bow, which I appreciated. Katherine Reay is masterful at this era.

[Eliza Hall]

Check out full review: https://youtu.be/LHE8msKhUtE

Thank you to BookSparks and Harper Muse for gifting me this ARC copy of The Undercover Bookshop by Katherin Reay.

I loved the historical aspect of this story, especially the focus on the Soviet War, the Red Scare and Soviet Spies. This was so intriguing that it motivated me to research Ursula Beuton myself. I love discovering historical information I've never know before, which is beneficial in reading diversely. The mystery and suspense also kept me invested, especially following Gemma as she investigates Ursula, engaging in dangerous situations. The house scene was way too intense.

However, the story started off very slow, and the plot really didn't pick up until around 45% into the book. The character introductions and interactions felt awkward at times, making it difficult to emotionally connect with anyone. Some scenes and conversations also felt unnecessary, and Charles and Gemma's relationship seems a little too insta-love for me. I couldn't feel the personal connection with them. On the other hand, the relationship with Peggy and Ursula felt the most genuine because we were able to see the author develop their friendship through meaningful moments such as Gemma learning to bake and Peggy investigating along with Gemma.

One of the most highlighted moments was when the author lets us understand the meaning behind the title of the book, The Undercover Bookshop.

Although this story wasn't quite for me, I think readers who enjoy slow-paced historical fiction, cozy mysteries and stories with factual historical elements may enjoy it.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews]

FULL REVIEW WILL BE ON OCTOBER 7.

From London to a small town is where we meet Gemma.

Gemma loves to solve mysteries, and she finds a dangerous, but fun one to solve.

She meets with Ursula for baking lessons, but wonders why she has a huge antennae on her house. It definitely isn't for watching the TV shows she loves.

What a fun, clever read even though there are some undesirable characters - you will love Emma and be entertained at her detective work as well as be happy she has found Charlie.

THE UNDERCOVER BOOKSHOP is a delightful read with characters you would love to meet.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

[Monica H (TeaandBooks)]

Do you enjoy a good mystery? The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay is set during 1950 and highlights how the World War left lingering issues and doubts among people. I have read several books by this author and I enjoy the way she weaves history into the story too.

The Undercover Bookshop is a mystery featuring amateur sleuth Gemma Brown as the main character. Gemma moved to a small Cotswold village of Great Rollright in England. She is a reader and loves a good mystery. However, she is not a good baker. After making some baking errors, Gemma spends time with Ursula Beurton, who is an award-winning baker in town. However, there is a lot more to her than baking. When Gemma visits Ursula, things don't always add up. Soon Gemma is embroiled in a mystery for real--not just one she is reading in her detective novels.

I enjoyed getting to know Gemma. I also enjoyed her boyfriend, Charlie, as well as the other characters in the novel. Ursula was also likeable for the most part, even though she wasn't entirely who the reader thought she was. This was an interesting book. It was a mix of drama, history, mystery and a dash of romance. I found the ending to be interesting. There was more going on than I expected and part of the ending was a surprise to me. The Undercover Bookshop was another good read by Katherine Reay.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Uplit Reads. All opinions are my own.

[Caitlin]

All-around wonderful read

[Lisa Goodmurphy]

3.5 stars
The Undercover Bookshop is the story of an observant young woman who loves detective novels and gets caught up in a real life spy drama in post World War II England. Recently moved from London to a small village in Oxfordshire, Gemma Brown settles into the community making friends and catching the eye of a handsome young constable while also using her love of mysteries to organize a small bookshop in the general store and a village book club. Gemma is also determined to learn how to bake and convinces Mrs. Beurton, the village's star baker and subject of much gossip, to give her lessons. As the lessons progress, however, Gemma starts to suspect that Mrs. Beurton might be up to no good. Is Ursula Beurton a spy or is Gemma's imagination getting away with her? With Peggy, her new best friend and faithful sidekick, Gemma is compelled to investigate and get to the bottom of this mystery herself.

The novel takes place primarily over the winter of 1950 in a small village in the English countryside (although there is a prologue and epilogue set decades later in 1991). I was drawn to this because it's set in that interesting time period post-World War II when recovery from the war was ongoing and the Cold War era and the perceived threat associated with the Red Scare was in its early stages. Before reading this book, I hadn't heard of Ursula Kuczynski Beurton who was an actual German woman who spied for the Soviet Union during the '30s and '40s before fleeing England for East Germany in 1950 where she later wrote about her espionage activities under the pen name Ruth Werner. I enjoyed this fictionalized account of the circumstances surrounding her escape to East Germany as I love reading historical fiction where I learn something and which inspires me to do some further reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth]

The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Thank You NetGalley and Harper Muse for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This is a historical fiction novel based off the real life of the main female character in the novel. Gemma Brown has no family left and has come to Cotswold Village of Great Rollright to start fresh. WW2 has just recently ended, but another war continues...the Cold War. Gemma begins to take baking lessons from the best baker in their small town, Ursula Beurton. Ursula, however, is not all she appears to be on the outside, especially after Gemma notices one day a tall antenna sticking up from atop her shed!

Gemma is a very bright and smart young woman and in no time, she begins to pick up more clues that Ursula is hiding something. Could she be a Soviet spy? With risk to her own life, Gemma works an amateur detective to discover her secrets. Who is Ursula really? Will Gemma get the answers she is looking for? And is Ursula a good or bad spy? Are there others? What ensues is a novel with a cat and mouse game, small town secrets, a sweet romance in between, found family, and a book about books!!!

I enjoyed this book so much! A solid 4 stars for me! I loved the pace – it was just right! No lull in the story. It kept my attentions throughout and personally I was very satisfied with the ending! Look for it when it comes out on October 6, 2026!!!

[Megan]

I liked this better after learning it was based on a real Soviet spy living in a real British village. The story was good in a quiet way, slow at times but interesting in a few ways. I liked that setting of post-war Britain where people were trying to get on with their lives. I liked the characters in the town. I just didn’t like the main character much. She was too bland, bordering on boring. There is nothing wrong with that kind of person, it’s just hard to make that kind of main character compelling. That said, something kept me reading so the author did something right. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

[Tamara]

During the winter of 1950 in the small Cotswold village of Great Rollright, amateur sleuth Gemma Brown starts to suspect that the town’s best baker, Ursula Beurton, is a Soviet Spy, tumbling headlong into a dangerous cat-and-mouse game that ends with a decision that will lead her to the Undercover Bookshop and change her life forever.

As usual, I have no complaints about The Undercover Bookshop; it was cleverly told. I liked Gemma Brown’s character and how she was convinced that the town’s best baker, Ursula, was a spy for the Soviets. Inventively told.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Harper Muse. All opinions expressed are honest and mine.

[Karen R]

A Cold War era story based on real-life spies, set in a quiet rural English village, with an intriguing mystery.

This well-written story would especially appeal to fans of classic mysteries--many titles are mentioned--with its bookshop theme, and a spy game at play. It is an engaging read told in retrospect back to the winter of 1949-1950, from the viewpoint of a woman whose life was changed by her friendship with a person living a double life.
The main characters were people who had lived through World War II, in a place that was still recovering and trying to find its way forward; people living seemingly normal lives but hiding secrets. It really pulled me in once the story got rolling, and held just enough tension to keep me wondering how it would end. The little bit of tender romance was sweet too.
An enjoyable clean read for fans of mysteries with some real history. Recommend! 4.5 stars

(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)

[Sharon]

Thank you to Uplit and Harper Muse for providing me with a gifted copy of this book and the opportunity to read and review it. I was not asked to write a positive review but simply to share my own thoughts about the book.

Gemma decides to move to a small town, Great Rollright after seeing an advertisement for a job in a local shop. The position comes with a small sitting room where she can stay while working there, and she thinks it will be a wonderful opportunity to get settled and move out of her rooming house.

In her new town, Gemma begins making friends while working at the local shop and slowly settles into life in the quiet small town. Gemma decides to share her passion for mystery books and convinces Mr. Hastings, the owner of the shop, to let her create a small section devoted to them. She also tries her hand at baking on a few occasions, but her attempts are absolute failures, and she struggles to understand the recipes. Her friend Peggy encourages her to reach out to Mrs. Beurton, who has won several local baking competitions, for some lessons.
Gemma approaches Mrs. Beurton, who agrees to help, and the two begin baking together. As Gemma spends more time at Mrs. Beurton’s home, she starts noticing some unusual things, including a large antenna outside the property. Mrs. Beurton tends to keep to herself, although she is always friendly and helpful when Gemma interacts with her. Still, Gemma’s suspicions begin to grow, and she starts to wonder if there is more to Mrs. Beurton than meets the eye.

I enjoy historical fiction that takes me into different time periods, and this book explores an interesting period in England during the 1950s, as the country settles into life after World War II and tensions surrounding the Cold War begin to grow.

I have really enjoyed the previous two books by this author and highly recommend her work if you enjoy historical fiction. I haven’t read many novels that focus on the Cold War, so I particularly enjoyed that aspect of the story. After finishing this book, I found myself wanting to read more about the real Ursula Kuczynski and learn more about her fascinating history.

If you enjoy historical fiction, mysteries, and stories with a touch of espionage, you’ll want to grab this one. It brings all of those elements together in an engaging story and might even leave you wanting to learn more about the real history behind it.

[Sheila The Reader]

Well, that's two Katherine Reay books and two five-star reads for me! After loving The English Masterpiece last summer, I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Undercover Bookshop, and now I'm convinced I need to work my way through her entire backlist.

There's something about Reay's writing that just works for me. She creates these wonderfully plucky female characters, surrounds them with people you genuinely enjoy getting to know, and somehow makes even Soviet espionage feel cozy! I loved Gemma, the charming Cotswolds setting, and the way this mystery unfolded. It had just the right amount of intrigue, humor, historical detail, and even a little romance.

What I especially appreciate about Reay is her attention to the smaller moments. She can make something as simple as a conversation, a bookshop, or a baking lesson feel meaningful. And tucked into this delightful mystery were some genuinely thoughtful observations about life, loss, and finding your way forward after WWII.

Fiona Hardingham's narration was wonderful. She also narrated The English Masterpiece, and I'm beginning to think these two are a perfect pairing. She made an already charming story feel even more comforting.

I finished this one wishing I could spend more time with these characters. It was clever, heartwarming, and exactly the kind of book I needed. Sometimes five stars simply means you loved every minute of the experience, and I absolutely did. And don't skip the author's note about the real-life Soviet spy Ursula Kuczynski. It's fascinating to learn about the history behind the fiction!

Thank you to Katherine Reay, Harper Muse, and Libro.fm for providing this advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.

[Crystal books_inthewild]

What a fun mix of everything I love in a story! This one has the charm of a cozy mystery, a little romance, plenty of suspense, a beautiful Cotswolds village setting, and historical intrigue involving Soviet spies, MI5, and the KGB.

Gemma Brown wants the idyllic village life she’s read about in her favourite mystery novels, complete with opening her own bookshop. But when she begins to suspect that one of her new neighbours may actually be a Soviet spy, her fictional mysteries suddenly start feeling a little too real.

I really loved the characters and the small-town atmosphere. Even though the beginning seems to reveal part of the mystery, I was still completely invested in watching Gemma follow the clues and figure everything out for herself.

And I especially loved learning at the end that this story was inspired by a real woman, Ursula Kuczynski Beurton, who was a colonel in the Red Army, a Soviet intelligence agent, and later a bestselling novelist. Knowing there was real history behind Ursula’s character made the story even more fascinating!

[Beth]

Main character Gemma is a mystery loving bookworm who finds herself at the center of a high stakes thrilling mystery in her small town. This book is perfect for fans of historical fiction and classic mysteries. The author’s note sheds light on the real spy the book’s events are based upon and it’s truly a fascinating time in our history. If you love books about books you’ll also find this one to be an enjoyable homage to the wonder of browsing in a bookstore.

I’m excited to see the author at an upcoming event at My Chapter House in Hickory, NC. 🎉

Thank you, Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication! All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Jeanne Alfveby Crea]

Excellent story, so compelling, I couldn't put it down! I was sucked into life in a small town, baking lessons, and spies! You don't want to miss this one.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

[Kimberly]

I settled in with my coffee and Katherine Reay’s The Undercover Bookshop and was quickly transported to a tiny Cotswold village in 1950, where apparently even baking lessons can lead to international espionage. Thank you to Harper Muse for the gifted copy. Have you ever read so many mysteries that you started thinking you could probably solve one yourself? Because Gemma Brown is about to test that theory.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gemma has moved to Great Rollright hoping for a fresh start and the sort of charming village life she’s read about in books. She gets a job at the local general store, convinces her boss to let her create a little book corner, makes a friend in Peggy, and even catches the attention of local police constable Charlie.

Basically, things are looking pretty good.

Except Gemma cannot bake to save her life.

That particular disaster leads her to Ursula Beurton, the village’s rather mysterious champion baker. Baking lessons turn into friendship, but Gemma starts noticing things. Ursula asks plenty of questions while answering very few. There’s an unusually large antenna at her house. Radios. Odd behavior. And suddenly Gemma is wondering whether all those Agatha Christie novels have gone to her head—or whether her new friend might actually be a Soviet spy.

I loved Gemma. She’s clever and incredibly observant while somehow also being completely capable of creating chaos over a cake. There were definitely moments when I wanted to tell her to trust herself already, but watching her slowly realize that the things that make her different are also strengths was one of my favorite parts.

And Charlie? Quietly supportive, sweet, and completely willing to believe in Gemma’s abilities. I was here for that little romance.

What surprised me most was discovering how much of Ursula’s story is rooted in actual history. She was a real woman who lived in the Cotswolds and spied for the Soviet Union, which sent me straight to the author’s note when I finished.

Add the village gossip, found family, classic mystery references, books about books, and Cold War secrets, and this was such an enjoyable blend of cozy and intrigue. It took me a little while to completely settle into the story, but once Gemma started connecting those suspicious little dots, I needed to know where they led.

Which classic mystery author would you trust to teach you how to solve a real-life mystery?

[The Calm Chapter Mandi Wiencek]

📚 The Undercover Bookshop 📚
((Spoiler-Free ARC Review))

Title- The Undercover Bookshop
Author- Katherine Reay
Genre- Historical Fiction, Mystery

Trope City-
📚 Amateur Sleuth
📚 Small Town Secrets
📚 Cat and Mouse Espionage
📚 Bookshop Setting
📚 Historical Fiction

Imagine winter in the 1950s in a small village. Gemma Brown (FMC) is a mystery loving reader who works at a general store in the village. She’s not your average human being. Gemma had a few quirky traits that keep her a topic in the “village drama.” Her lack of cooking and baking skills are also a big talk amongst the locals. Her only true friend Peggy mentions a woman (Urszula) who is rather elusive in town is a talented baker and that she should seek baking lessons from me. Surely, Peggy didn’t think Gemma would actually do it. Alas, she did- putting her in the inner circle of a very mysterious couple. While all of this is happening, Gemma finds herself in a budding new relationship with Charlie. Charlie gives Gemma the reassurance and confidence no one has ever given her… until Urszula. Urszula also reassures Gemma of her many gifts and special traits, but is she genuine? There are some major red flags that stick out to Gemma. Is that paranoia? Is it instincts hard at work?

Thank you to my BookSparks family for sharing this “Gem”ma with me 😉. I loved this story. What a sweet historical fiction adventure. The characters are grounded, the mystery keeps the reader thinking and questioning and the depth of the relationships fills the soul. 🫶🏻

[Kelly - readinginthe419]

I'm always thrilled when a new book from Katherine Reay appears, as if by magic, on my shelf! The Undercover Bookshop was no exception. With its blend of historical fiction, espionage, and cozy mystery, The Undercover Bookshop was a fun fall read to sink into.

During the winter of 1950 in the small Cotswold village of Great Rollright, amateur sleuth Gemma Brown starts to suspect that the town’s best baker, Ursula Beurton, is a Soviet spy, tumbling her headlong into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse that ends with a decision that will lead her to the Undercover Bookshop and change her life forever.

I adored lead character Gemma who struggles to fit in when she moves to a new town. She opens a small bookshop inside her employer's general store where everyone comes to chat and gossip. Gemma is a lover of mystery novels, especially British favorites such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. She doesn't expect to tumble into a mystery of her own as she navigates new friendships and possibly even love.

Gemma has a sharp eye for detail, an inquiring mind, and is full of determination that leads her discover a spy in the town's midst. But it can also lead to a bit of trouble. She is a fun character to follow as she evolves into the woman she always knew she could be. The romance is more of a sub-plot to the overall mystery.

I also loved reading about the real-life Ursula Beurton, a Russian spy following WWII, in Reay's author note. She also included a list of more than a dozen mysteries referenced throughout the book, so you don't need to keep track. Reay admits she fell a bit in love with Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey, making me more excited than ever to pick up the first two books in the series, one of which I purchased on a recent trip to London.

Fans of Katherine Reay, historical fiction and classic mysteries are certain to enjoy this one.

Many thanks to Harper Muse and UpLit Reads for my complimentary ARC.

[Elena]

There is a lot that works here. Post war Britain, small town charm, a quaint little grocery store and the cast of characters that comes with it: the bubbly best friend, the charming cop, the sweet boss and his wife, the town busybodies. I enjoyed being in that world and the atmosphere is genuinely friendly.

My issues are harder to get around though because they sit right at the center of the novel.

I could not get behind our MC. She is positioned as this remarkably keen observer, almost a Miss Marple type, sharp enough to crack a case that nobody else can see clearly. And yet she is constantly distracted, easily rattled, losing focus at the drop of a hat. She is the kind of person who swaps sugar for salt. Those two things just never reconciled for me no matter how far into the novel I got. I could not fully root for her even as the stakes got higher because I never quite believed she was the person the book needed her to be.

I also think the synopsis undersells the mystery element, which created a disconnect for me. When she started aggressively pursuing the case I kept thinking why is she doing this, because it did not feel like something that grew naturally out of who she was on the page.

I suspect I am in the minority on this one. The setting and the cast around her are genuinely charming. This one just did not fully come together for me.

[Sue - Recos and Reads]

A 4.5 Star rating for me

A historical fiction with a touch of mystery, plenty of atmosphere, and book references to look out for along the way.

I loved the slower build before the mystery really began, as it gave me time to get to know Gemma. With her clumsy, self-effacing nature, she’s the kind of character who is easily underestimated, which made watching her prove there was far more to her than people initially assumed all the more enjoyable.

Set in the Cotswolds in the 1950s, the story has that wonderfully idyllic village feel. Gemma cycles around the countryside, finds her place among an eclectic mix of locals some with aristocrtic pedigree, encounters plenty of gossip, and perhaps even finds a little romance along the way. And just when everything feels suitably quaint and English, there’s a little Cold War intrigue thrown into the mix and things get very interesting.

The author’s notes were such an interesting addition, especially as the story is loosely inspired by real people. And if you didn’t catch all the book references along the way, there’s even a handy list at the end to give you a recap.

I listened to the audiobook, thanks to Libro.fm, with Fiona Hardingham doing a wonderful job as narrator. Her narration was a perfect fit for the story.

[Chris]

An enjoyable historical fiction story with women taking charge and doing unexpected things. Set shortly after World War II in a small English village. It is a community with quirky characters that seem to know everything about each other. But Ursula Beurton is a mystery until Gemma comes to town. Gemma is looking for a place of her own and has come to town with hopes of putting down roots. She loves mysteries and she notices things that others don’t. As she begins to ask Ursula, who is teaching her to bake, questions, Gemma puts herself in danger. Could there be a Soviet spy in Great Rollright? What will happen to Gemma if she is right about Ursula?

Gemma is a very likeable character and I like the way books and mysteries are such an important part of her life. The residents of the village added a depth and sense of community to the story. The historical figure, Ursula Beurton, was unknown to me and I found her story fascinating. The time period is not one I am familiar with and I enjoyed reading about it.


I recommend this to readers that enjoy historical fiction stories about lesser known women.

Thanks to UpLit for the free, gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dawn Wagner]

📱(kindle) I absolutely adored this book! Katherine Reay is one of my favorite authors, and she has really blossomed these past few years in her shift to historical fiction. This one is a true gem. I loved that Gemma, a lover of mystery novels, found herself in a mystery of her own in her new hometown. I loved the characters, the mystery, the intrigue, the mishaps, the romance, and just all of it! This has moved to the top of my reads for 2026!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. It was a delight to be able to read it before its release. All thoughts are my own.

[Courtney Pityer]

I have to say that I was quite impressed with how The Undercover Bookshop played out! If you are someone who is looking for a story that takes place during the Cold War and want a heroine who isn't afraid to risk it all then this is definitely the story for you. Our main character Gemma has a deep love for literature so she is someone that everyone in the book community can relate to! Not to mention the spy storyline and action will keep a reader on their toes! If you get a chance to up this book you should do so because you might enjoy reading it in the long run!

[Sydney]

Gemma has moved to the sleepy village of Rollright. Trying to find her place has been difficult since she is terrible at baking, and a little bit scattered leading to chaos wherever she goes. When she hears that the recluse matriarch Ursula is a champion baker, Gemma begs for her help and to her surprise, Ursula agrees. But as Gemma gets to know Ursula more, she wonders if Ursula is distant on purpose, keeping more secrets than anyone could know.

Based on the real life story of the Soviet spy Ursula Kuczynski Beuton who lived in the Cotswolds in the 1940s-50s, this cozy mystery really worked for me. I loved how endearing Gemma was, even if she made some terrible decisions. I found this book easy to read and flew through it in a day as I didn’t want to put it down! Always a good sign for a great read.

[Mieke]

Thank you Harper Muse for the ARC copy
I had no idea what expect of this book but it was a fun read with interesting people some intrigue and a finished story