Murder at Briar House
A Poppy James Cozy Mystery #7
by Gemma Harper
Published: May 21, 2026
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Cozy Animal Mystery, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Blurb:
An
elegant estate sale. A body beneath the library ladder. And one
beagle who knows trouble when he sniffs it.
Café
owner Poppy James expects silver-polishing opinions and vintage
gossip when she brings coffee to Briar House, the grand old home of
the late Eleanor Vale Ashcroft. Then estate manager Simon Creel is
found dead in the library, and the room goes so still Poppy can hear
Midsip’s low growl from beneath the desk.
“Tell
me that was already broken,” Nadine whispers.
It
wasn’t.
The
sheriff sees a tragic fall. Poppy sees a staged scene, missing
auction tags, and guests who keep looking anywhere but at the truth.
Celia Ashcroft needs the sale to rescue what’s left of the family
fortune. Antiques dealer Daniel Voss is circling the wrong heirlooms.
And family attorney Andrew Pike seems a little too certain which
papers belong buried.
With
Theo chasing old property records and Midsip nosing out one clue too
many, Poppy follows Briar House’s secrets into a scandal someone
has protected for years.
Simon
wasn’t killed for what he stole.
He
was killed for what he found.
And
Poppy may be next.
My Review:
Murder at Briar House serves as an excellent sequel in Gemma Harper's Poppy James Cozy Mystery series. From the very first page, it evoked the essence of the library, in the film Clue, making me recall memorable lines like, “Colonel Mustard did it in the library with the candlestick.”
This feeling intensified when the estate manager, Simon Creel, was discovered dead in the library. While the sheriff considers Simon's demise a tragic accident, Poppy and Nadine suspect something far more nefarious.
In the room, numerous suspects avoid glancing at the man sprawled at the foot of the ladder. Poppy notices the expressions on their faces, fearful looks that suggest they are terrified of what Simon might have known and the secrets they wish to conceal.
As Poppy, Nadine, Theo, and Midsip dig deeper, they inch closer to the truth, putting Poppy in increasing peril. Someone is watching her closely, and she might become their next target before she unravels the mystery of Simon's death in the library.
The tension kept me on the edge of my seat, breathless with every twist and turn as I followed Poppy, Midsip, Nadine, and Theo in their quest to uncover what really happened in the library. I was eager to discover who killed Simon, with what weapon, and how it all unfolded.
A thrilling and enchanting read, Murder at Briar House captivates you from the opening line to the final page. I am eagerly anticipating the next installment in the Poppy James Cozy Mystery Series.
I wholeheartedly recommend picking up a copy of Murder at Briar House today for another enthralling mystery to unravel!
Check out all the books in the Poppy James Cozy Mystery Series I’ve read.
Caffeine and a Corpse
NightBlooms and a Burial #1
Killer Crust #2
Whistle Stop Murder #3
Murder at the Heritage Festival #4
Murder on the Bunny Slope #5
Death by Choreography #6
Murder at Briar House #7
