A Mischief of Rats

Nell Ward Mystery #3

by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

When a driver dies during a glamourous classic car event at her family's estate, Dr Nell Ward is in a race against time to uncover the truth and prevent the killer from making a speedy getaway...

Back in her natural habitat, Dr Nell Ward heads to a woodland pond to survey local newt populations. She's shocked to discover a car submerged in the water - with the driver dead behind the wheel.

Nell recognises the dead man as professional racing driver, and tabloid love rat, Jack Rafferty, whose performance on (and off) Finchmere's racetrack had earned him enemies.

Suspecting this isn't the tragic accident it appears DI James Clark calls upon Nell and her ecological skills to help find the murderer. But she soon finds that more lurks under the surface than she could ever have imagined. Despite the danger, Nell is determined to dredge up the truth from the murky depths of this case, before it's too late...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Murder Mystery, British Literature, Cozy Mystery

420 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2023

About the author

After spending sixteen years as an ecologist, crawling through undergrowth and studying nocturnal habits of animals (and people), Dr Sarah Yarwood-Lovett naturally turned her mind to murder. She may have swapped badgers for bears when she emigrated from a quaint village in the South Downs to the wild mountains of the Pacific Northwest, but her books remain firmly rooted in the rolling downland she grew up in.

Forensically studying clues for animal activity has seen Sarah surveying sites all over the UK and around the world. She’s re-discovered a British species thought to be extinct during her PhD, with her record held in London’s Natural History Museum; debated that important question – do bats wee on their faces? – at school workshops; survived a hurricane on a coral atoll whilst scuba diving to conduct marine surveys; and given evidence as an expert witness.

Along the way, she’s discovered a noose in an abandoned warehouse and had a survey de-railed by the bomb squad. Her unusual career has provided the perfect inspiration for a series of murder mysteries with an ecological twist – so, these days, Sarah’s research includes consulting detectives, lawyers, judges and attending murder trials.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll admit to being drawn to the Nell Ward series for her unusual career as an ecologist. This time, Nell is managing a classic car race at her family’s estate. She also has a vested interest in a classic car that was made over using an electric engine. One of the racers is found dead, in an apparent car accident when his car goes off the road and ends up submerged in a pond. Nell is helping her friend Mai count newts at the woodlands pond when they discover the car. The dead driver, Jack Rafferty, had a reputation as a ladies man and a reckless racer. There were plenty of people with reasons for wanting him dead.
Nell is a well formed character. Yarwood-Lovett does a great job of giving the reader a feel for her career. The secondary characters are also well fleshed out. The story proceeds at a nice pace with a mix of police interviews mingled with the racing milieu and the ecology project Mai is working on. The story moves between Nell’s and DI James Clark’s POVs, which helps keep the pace up. There’s just enough of Nell’s personal life mixed in, as the race is meant as an opportunity for her to get to know her boyfriend’s parents. The writing is clear and it’s easy to envision each scene. I found the ending a bit overly dramatic and I’m not a fan of cliffhangers, which this has.
This is the third in the series and I have yet to read the first two. But it worked fine as a stand-alone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Embla Books for an advance copy of this book.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: ' . . . There is one other thing. We've found another crashed car this morning. Further along the road from the collapsed wall. And well down the bank, hidden from the road. A dog walker found it.'
'What?' Nell's mind reeled. 'Was it a classic BMW?'
'Er . . . yes -'
'Where? Exactly?' Nell headed for the Land Rover.
'Just before the junction.'
'Have you called the police?'
'Yes, apparently they're on their way.'
'Good. I am, too.'
'But . . . it's not just a car, Nell,' Astrid said, her voice shaky. 'Someone's in it. You know. Dead.'

ABOUT 'A MISCHIEF OF RATS': When a driver dies during a glamourous classic car event at her family's estate, Dr Nell Ward is in a race against time to uncover the truth and prevent the killer from making a speedy getaway...

Back in her natural habitat, Dr Nell Ward heads to a woodland pond to survey local newt populations. She's shocked to discover a car submerged in the water - with the driver dead behind the wheel.

Nell recognises the dead man as professional racing driver, and tabloid love rat, Jack Rafferty, whose performance on (and off) Finchmere's racetrack had earned him enemies.

Suspecting this isn't the tragic accident it appears DI James Clark calls upon Nell and her ecological skills to help find the murderer. But she soon finds that more lurks under the surface than she could ever have imagined. Despite the danger, Nell is determined to dredge up the truth from the murky depths of this case, before it's too late...

MY THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed A Murder of Crows, but A Mischief of Rats, although I love the title, has failed to provide the same level of enjoyment.

I really thought I would enjoy this much more than I did, having a passion for motor racing and enjoying learning more ecological facts. I don't feel that I learned anywhere near as much about newts as I did about bats. Even the motor racing aspect left me strangely unmoved. And there's an awful lot of dialogue. Lots and lots of dialogue. Far too much.

Again there's no shortage of suspects for the murders, but I felt the plot and motive were a bit thin on believability. Another thing that irritated me, and it's mentioned more than once, is that it's only two months since Nell last discovered bodies and was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Another thing that annoyed me was the cliffhanger ending. It was unnecessary and over the top. This book should have ended with the penultimate chapter.

A Mischief of Rats just didn't draw me in. It was an okay read for me, no more. And the only rats in evidence are human ones.

⭐⭐.5

#AMischiefofRats #NetGalley

: #sarahyarwood-lovett @emblabooks

T: @Sarah_Y_L @emblabooks

#contemporaryfiction #cosymystery #murdermystery #romance

THE AUTHOR: After spending sixteen years as an ecologist, crawling through undergrowth and studying nocturnal habits of animals (and people), Dr Sarah Yarwood-Lovett naturally turned her mind to murder. She may have swapped badgers for bears when she emigrated from a quaint village in the South Downs to the wild mountains of the Pacific Northwest, but her books remain firmly rooted in the rolling downland she grew up in.

Forensically studying clues for animal activity has seen Sarah surveying sites all over the UK and around the world. She’s re-discovered a British species thought to be extinct during her PhD, with her record held in London’s Natural History Museum; debated that important question – do bats wee on their faces? – at school workshops; survived a hurricane on a coral atoll whilst scuba diving to conduct marine surveys; and given evidence as an expert witness.

Along the way, she’s discovered a noose in an abandoned warehouse and had a survey de-railed by the bomb squad. Her unusual career has provided the perfect inspiration for a series of murder mysteries with an ecological twist – so, these days, Sarah’s research includes consulting detectives, lawyers, judges and attending murder trials. (Amazon)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Embla Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Mischief of Rats by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Mischief of Rats is the third book in the Nell Ward Mystery series by British-born ecologist and author, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett. Despite the stress of running a classic car racing weekend at Finchmere, Dr Nell Ward is up at dawn saving newts in glass jars. Except the newt pond has a car with a dead driver in it, the driver who’s meant to win the race that will publicise the environmentally -friendly Mercedes Benz 200SL Gullwing . Bad boy Jack Rafferty, aka Love Rat made a mess (intentionally?) of the qualifying race, but that did get the attention of the press.

What initially looks like an accident turns out to be murder, so Nel’s ex, DI James Clark is on the scene. There are plenty of twists and turns, lots of mini-dramas for several characters, and it gradually becomes apparent that plenty of those involved in the race and car auctions have a motive to eliminate Jack.

Nell does tend to spread herself too thin and then bemoans the fact that she is so busy and so tired. She’s too busy to spend planned time with Rav’s parents then wonders why they don’t like her. And after DI Clark’s behaviour in the previous book, seriously, who cares about his fate, romantic or otherwise.

This is a cosy mystery heavy on ecology and classic car racing, so may appeal to fans thereof, but the soup of plant and animal species names, and the models of cars, are likely to bore many readers. There is a cliff-hanger ending and there may be three more books in the series, but the ecologist/amateur detective trope has run its course for this reader.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Embla Books

[Maria V. Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying Kristin Atherton's narration of this series. She is phenomenal! This story was set with a classic car racing weekend and the author certainly does her research! I've one complaint THAT ENDING!! Why did she have Rav crash??? They were just getting some momentum as a couple - grrrr so frustrating!! Which is why I'm currently listening to book 4!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mischief of Rats is the third entertaining cosy mystery in Sarah Yarwood-Lovett's series featuring heiress-ecologist Dr. Nell Ward. The plot in this instalment revolves around the annual classic motor racing event held at Nell's family's estate, Finchmere.

As the book opens, Nell is helping her friend and colleague Mai with an ecological survey of greater crested newts in a woodland pond not far from Finchmere. They've barely started when they discover that a car has crashed into the pond - and not any car: a classic Mustang with a distinctive paint job. Nell's worst fears are confirmed when the body of bad boy racing driver Jack Rafferty is discovered still strapped into the front seat of the submerged vehicle. Jack had been scheduled to drive a converted classic Mercedes-Benz 300SL "gullwing" at the upcoming motor racing event and his sudden death exposes the conflict that existed between the different members of the team.

As Nell balances a heavy workload over the duration of the Finchmere event with her efforts to solve the mystery of Rafferty's death, she's also facing the stress of meeting her boyfriend Rav's parents for the first time. It doesn't go well, as Rav's younger sister goes missing after a night out and despite all her efforts to smooth things over, his parents are set on blaming every one of the succeeding series of unfortunate developments on Nell. Not only is her cultural background at odds with that of the Kashyap family, but they're automatically suspicious of Nell's family's wealth and aristocratic position.

Nell's ex, D.I. James Clark and his disgruntled colleague D.S. Ashley Hollis carry on the official investigation, under the orders of DCI Val Johnson, as Nell conducts her own covert inquiries in the background. As in previous books, Nell's work as an ecologist gives her a unique perspective on the evidence, which again proves pivotal in solving the mystery.

While I have to admit that motor racing leaves me cold, I found that that element of the narrative was well integrated into the character-based story and I remained interested throughout. I had the sense that A Mischief of Rats featured more ecological content than its series predecessor, and less of the aristocratic hi-jinks which I found quite irritating in the last book. This is proving to be an engrossing series, and I'm looking forward to reading book #4, A Generation of Vipers, scheduled for publication on 15 August 2023.

I'd recommend A Mischief of Rats to readers who enjoy action-packed cosy mysteries with a bit of a twist. Readers with an interest in ecology and natural sciences will find this a particularly stimulating read. [N.B. There are no actual rats in the story, the reference is an analogy for the behaviour of some of the human characters!]

My thanks to the author, ecologist-author Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, publisher Embla Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this and other titles in the series.

[Jeannine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked this the least of all that I read in this series. Don't know if it's the car racecourse setting, even if it is aristocratic and English, or the muddled romantic interactions of the main character or her superhuman ability to take on countless tasks and favors in one day. I actually couldn't wait for it to end.

[Annabel L · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a chore to finish. It’s an OK read but the characters are too stereotypical and the plot wasn’t great. Overall a very underwhelming mystery.

Also, I just take issue with the Nell and Rav love story. It feels totally manufactured and just a plot device to keep with the times. Lady Eleanor Beaumont dating an Indian working class guy … then the whole storyline with his mother absolutely hating Nell for no reason and the whole overprotective Indian mother. The fact that this is written by a white woman with a double barrelled surname was enough to make my eyes roll into the back of my head.

[Claire Cunningham · Rating 2 out of 5]

The symbiotic worlds of classic car racing and luxury auto dealing lend a bit of flair to the third Nell Ward mystery, but the characters fall flat.

I’ve tried to be patient with this trilogy — which is clearly being teased into a lengthy series, based on the churning out of cliffhanger endings. But for whatever reason, the protagonist and her love triangle/foils/secondary characters feel unfailingly bland and lifeless to me.

Dr. Ward is branded as a strange hybrid throughout this series — part-intellectual homebody, part-socialite ice queen, part-clueless manic pixie dream girl, part-Bruce Wayne. And frankly, the resulting character cocktail doesn’t make much sense. Since none of the other characters are given any depth or even a tinge of backstory, you’re left with a lurching storyline, no real investigative procedure beyond splashes of forensic ecology, and an inevitable cliffhanger ending.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gripping murder mystery involving the tenacious Dr Nell Ward. I loved the setting of the classic car event and meeting some favourite characters from previous books has made this a great ride. Her mix of botany expertise and detective skills make the perfect character needed to solve the mystery again.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Nell Ward has her usual ecological duties to deal with, but the big thing keeping her extremely busy is the annual Finchmere race.

In a bid to make this year’s race a proof of concept for a more environmentally friendly race, Nell has one team enter a rebuilt full wing Mercedes as an electric vehicle. The racing team is on board, but their superstar driver and crud human Jack is disruptive, both on the course and off, and turns up dead in his car in a pond in a nature preserve Nell was helping to check prior to a major assessment.

A big complicated event to run, some ecological work to complete, and a dead body. But that’s not all. Nell also has the added stress of meeting Rav’s parents, already predisposed to not like her because she was involved with murders recently.

The stress is only amped up when Aanya is revealed to have slept with Jack, bringing police notice onto the family, much to her parents' fear and disgust, which they wrongly direct at Nell as a likely unwholesome influence on Aanya and Rav.

DI James Clark is on the case, and there is some discomfort between Nell, Rav and James, and lots of conflict within James' investigative team because of the trajectory of his career, seemingly at the expense of others equally qualified.

So, there's a lot going on, with the Finchmere annual event's reputation, and more importantly, Nell's family's reputation, on the line, ratcheting up the tension.

We see a Nell run off her feet, and trying to find small moments to enjoy the event as well as make a good impression. I like how ecological clues are important for solving the case, which also includes possible fraud, including murder. Author Yarwood-Lovett switches between Nell and James again in this book, giving us a good picture of everything going on, and what the stakes are for Nell.

I enjoyed this third book in the series, but was surprised by the cliffhanger ending. Now I absolutely have to read book four!

Thank you to Netgalley and to Embla Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mischief of Rats by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett is the third book in the Nell Ward series that is a cross between cozy mystery and police procedural. The story is told from more than one point-of-view, including Nell's as well as DI James Clark. Dr. Ward is an ecologist whose work plays a large role in the mysteries she investigates. In this book, she is doing a survey of newts in a local woodland area when she discovers a submerged car and a dead body. Later her scientific skills come into play when she helps the authorities determine if the man, a well-known race car driver, drowned in the pond he was found in or someplace else. Things become complicated for Nell since James, the lead detective on the case, is her ex-boyfriend. There is also a possible tie to her family since the victim was going to be competing in a race on Nell's family estate.

I've read each of the books in the series and I love how Nell's job as an ecologist is woven into the mysteries. Nell is such a likable character, but there are plenty of characters in the books that aren't, such as Nell's cousin Shannon and Nell's boyfriend's mother. Sometimes Nell's family and relationship dramas play too large of a part in the stories. This book ended with an abrupt cliffhanger that I didn't care for, but it did make me want to find out what will happen in Book 4. I rated this book 3.5 stars, but rounded up.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Embla Books at no cost. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Karen W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less and less likeable

I'm not sure if it is intentional or not, but the main protagonist, Dr Nell Ward gets less and less likeable with each new story. She seems easily irritated by everyone, knows no limits as to her own abilities, and thinks taking evidence and not sharing it with police is ok because she wants to figure out things first. I can't even fathom what she sees in the drippy boyfriend besides his biceps as that is what is most often mentioned.

The sad part is, it is an interesting enough story, decently written, though the " who done it" doesn't seem all that plausible. Since they are easy reads I will probably give the next one a go.

[Cookie M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can not connect with the recurring characters in this series, I would call them the idle rich, but they are all very busy with very valuable projects, environmental, architectural preservation, art, etc. I don't care. They are still an entire universe away from anything I care about at this point in my life. Nell wants to save the environment because it's an important and noble thing to do. I am fighting this losing battle because we're screwed, and I am not going to face my maker and tell him I didn't compost because it was smelly and full of worms.

Now, about the book. Some race car driver got killed. He was a nasty playboy, and Nell's fiancé's teenage sister got drunk and mixed up with him that night and may have been involved somehow.She's a spoiled brat who continues to make poor decisions throughout the course of event, which complicates things further. Plenty of people could have wanted this guy dead, rivals, women he'd wronged, even his own teammates.

I do have to say, I was surprised by the actual murderer. That raised the rating up a star.

I listened to the audio book, narrated by Kristen Atherton. She has a rather disinterested that I am not fond of.

I have the next book in the series, but I probably will not read anymore after that.

See you in the next page,

Cookie

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr Nell Ward's family is hosting its annual classic car event at their stately home. Nell is more invested than usual as she has an interest in a vintage car which has been restored and fitted with an electric engine. Unfortunately, the driver, Jack Rafferty, seems to be less invested than the rest of the team and more interested in partying and drinking and tabloid attention with his model wife. Meanwhile, Nell has invited Rav's family to the classic car show, hoping to to dispel their fears that she is a racy socialite (to be fair the two previous murders she has been involved in do give credence to their fears) who will lead their son astray.

Whilst multi-tasking helping out a friend take samples from a local pond, Nell makes a grisly discovery, Jack's flashy car has veered off the road and plunged into the pond. In addition, Nell notices Rav's younger sister's distinctive earrings on Jack's dashboard - was she in the car? Or was she somehow involved in the crash?

Nell's ex, DI James Clark, is also at the weekend car event with Nell's cousin and gets roped into investigating jack's death. But it seems Jack was universally disliked - it's more like looking to see who didn't have a motive. Then James gets told that there is a separate investigation, centred around the car event, related to forgeries - do the two investigations overlap?

This series is growing on me, although I have some sympathy with the police suspecting Nell since she either finds the body or is closely connected with every case so far LOL. Also, Nell seems to be in mortal danger at least once (I think three times in this book) in every book which becomes a bit repetitious.

This series straddles the line between cosy mystery and police procedural. I will definitely look out for the next one.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Read on my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

1st book in series 4 stars; 2nd book 2 stars and I am giving book 3 just 1 star. The novelty value of Nell the ecological sleuth has vanished. In fact, her involvement with organising a classic car race has just about trashed any green credentials she might have had. The silly plot with its longing descriptions of high performance cars and high society soirées left me cold and desperate to get to the end of this turgid whodunnit. Agatha Christie would have had a field day pricking the pomposity of these entitled oafs, but Yarwood-Lovett seems to be in thrall to them trilling excitedly about their extravagances like a budgie with ADHD!

[Emily Seydell · Rating 2 out of 5]

to be honest, the ecologist / amateur detective trope has run its course for me. how many murders can this poor girl be accused of???

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Spoilers ahead ***

⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars (maybe 3.5 ⭐'s)

A Mischief of Rats is the third instalment of the Nell Ward mystery series, and follows Nell as murders begin happening surrounding her family's race car event at their estate. When Nell's partner's sister is dragged into it by association with the first murder victim, race car driver Jack Rafferty, Nell and Rav work together to solve the mystery.

This was my least favourite of the Nell Ward series to be honest, I think the murders were a bit repetitive, especially compared to later books. I always hoped this series would end with Nell being drafted by the police to help investigations because of her ecological knowledge, and how she's helped investigations before. I think that would have been a great way to merge James and Nell's worlds. The flower caught in Maxine's war very impressive, which just adds to reasons why Nell is a great murder mystery character.

The best part of this book was the ending, with the insane car chase and subsequent foot race through an ecological natural park. James full on legging it through the woods after a woman in heels sent me.

Overall, this was a fun book, and a good mystery, but it was my least favourite of all the Nell ward books.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mischief of Rats by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett is another in the series featuring Dr. Nell Ward, a scientist, and her alter ego, Lady Eleanor Ward-Beaumont, the daughter of an earl and the person trying to keep the family estate afloat. In this case, it’s a car race, a full weekend really, of classic cars. A race that has been a tradition for years. This year there will be a modified vehicle participating, an electric car. Everyone is excited about it until there is a murder and then a trusted car dealer is accused of fraud. Everything them becomes fraught, mostly will trepidation. Nell is also trying to navigate the meeting between herself and her boyfriend, Raj’s family, who are traditional and know of Nell only from newspaper articles featuring murders. Raj’s younger sister isn’t helping, either, by getting involved with a famous, married race driver.

This book took a minute to get involved in but when I did it was exciting. Nell is very sensible and sees things, enabling her to assist in the investigations. It really is an inconvenience that her ex-boyfriend is the detective in charge, but that is not her problem. It is an intriguing mystery, one I which Nell plays a part by analyzing the water (he drowned) and samples found in the body, which needed to match. She was very professional and did everything properly, important because most of the people involved weren’t local and speed was important. She was left running as her official duties were changing as the investigation progressed. The murderer was clever and didn’t make it easy, especially was there were multiple suspects. It was a well-done, enticing book that I totally enjoyed reading.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Mischief of Rats by Embla Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #EmblaBooks #SarahYarwoodLovett #AMischiefOfRats

[ghostly_bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

CAWPILE 5.86 3.5 STARS

3rd in the Dr Nell Ward mystery series and in my opinion the least interesting so far.
I liked the race car stuff and the murder mystery elements were good but I despised Rav's family- his parents were so judgemental and his sister for a doctor/student was a complete airhead. It just irritated the life out of me.
The cliffhanger ending was a bit cheesy but am I going to continue the series- probably but I don't feel the need to pick up the next book ASAP.

Re-Read March 2025
CAWPILE 5.43
3 STARS
Finally got through my re-reads to finish the series with three new to me books.
I didn't like this book, the car stuff was fun, the nature/ecology bit was great but I still hate Rav's family, what a bunch of prejudice idiots. Jumping into book #4 and hoping the series improves!

[Chantelle Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars (Kindle). These stories get better + better with every new release. And leaving us with a cliffhanger....WHAT?! Guess I have to read the next one (twist my arm)!

2025 re-read 4.0 🌟 (Audible)
Even though I knew the ending of this story, or because of it, I still question Nell + Rav's relationship. The cliffhanger is gut wrenching, nonetheless. Worse because I know how it plays out in the next book.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy these despite myself!

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook purchased on Chirp
B0BLSVB26J
11 hrs 17 mins
Narrator: Kristin Atherton
Bonnier Books UK
February 28, 2023

[Ritu Bhathal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm continuing to listen to the Nell Ward Series. I started Book 3, A Mischief of Rats, eagerly, and I was not disappointed!
This time, the investigation centres around a murder that occurs during a racing event held at Nell's family estate. A high-profile murder at a prestigious event, and many other secrets are uncovered as the investigation progresses.
One thing I really love is how each book is entwined with the others, and even though you can listen or read without having devoured the previous ones, if you have, you can jump right back into Nell's world.
And, yet again, Nell's unofficial sleuthing, combined with her ecological knowledge, helps to save the day.
Alongside the murder investigation, there is also Nell's relationship with Rav, her work partner-turned romantic partner, and the hurdles that a mixed heritage relationship sometimes has to jump.
Fantastic, with lots of twists and turns, and I was ready to jump straight into the next, A Generation of Vipers!

[Karen Hancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re into ecology and tree-hugging, as well as a “woke” agenda, then you’ll enjoy reading A Mischief of Rats. by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, the third novel in the Dr. Nell Ward Series. This murder mystery is set in the small village of Finchmere in the UK, and the protagonist, Dr. Nell Ward, a very wealthy heiress is in charge of the annual classic car event sponsored by her family. She is an ecologist, and her boyfriend, Rav, is also an ecologist and works closely with her. While checking on the newts in a local pond, Nell discovers a car submerged in the pond and inside is the body of a very arrogant, irritating and womanizing driver, Jack Rafferty who is kept on the racing team because of his famous father who broke dozens of racing records. There are several suspects including his new wife who is sick of his cheating, as well as the members of the racing team who all hate Jack Rafferty.

Yarwood-Lovett does a good job of developing the characters; they are believable and fit well in the story. The story goes back and forth in the different chapters from the ecology stuff (absolutely boring), and the racing which is fun to read. There are also family problems: Rav’s parents don’t approve of Nell even though she has done nothing wrong. As the story progresses to the dénouement there is some suspense that builds, but the suspense is lost during the ecology chapters. There is surprise ending, not only as to who the murderer is, but readers are left with a cliffhanger that will need to be resolved in the subsequent novel.

Readers who are into “saving the newts” will enjoy this novel, but those of us who aren’t into hugging trees should probably skip this one.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

[Janna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was pretty predictable and it had a lot less of the ecological excitement I fell in love with in the first book. This one was mostly a miss for me but I will still try the next book.

I just thought this one kind of felt pat and superficial. I would have to have spent more time with Mai or sloshing through ponds rather than deal with the kind of annoying drama of the racing cars.

Also the ending cliffhanger was more annoying than exciting to me. It felt a bit out of place and theatrical. What started as an intriguing series seems to be devolving into a lifetime television show :-/

[Wesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable murder mystery - however, sorely lacking the ecological focus like the last book, and I still think the first book was the peak in the series. The cliffhanger ending feels very cheap, and the resolution is a bit too tidy. I also didn’t care for the family drama with Nell and Rav; that plot was done much better in the last book. But overall, still good, though I’m not in a rush to continue the series.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just meh, this one didn’t really dive into science as much as the other books, almost all the characters came off as insufferable. This book also dragged and I just didn’t care about it

[Izzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cant believe she'd end the book like this. The vibes are slowly dying off.

[♡Maia♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ♡ this series

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, another fun (and not too serious) book filled with more ecological tidbits in the guise of cosy crime.

When will Nell learn not to tamper with evidence and insert herself into investigations!