VBT# Death of the Eleven-Toed Man - Gaynor Torrance

 

VBT# Death of the Eleven-Toed Man - Book #2 Wye Valley Widows Cozy Mysteries - Gaynor Torrance - October 2025

There's something deeply satisfying about settling into a cozy mystery where the biggest dangers comes served with afternoon tea. Gaynor Torrance's second installment in the Wye Valley Widows series delivers exactly that comfort-read experience I've been craving.

When Barney decides to try a new hobby treasure hunting, he certainly doesn't expect to unearth a corpse with an extra toe on his own estate. But this is Monksworthy, where even the most mundane activities seem to lead to murder, and our trio of amateur sleuths—Sylvie, Liz, and Harriet—are never far from the action.

What I love most about Gaynor Torrance's writing is how she balances the dark premise of murder with genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. The villagers' immediate assumption that Barney is guilty had me shaking my head in recognition—we've all lived in communities where gossip spreads faster than wildfire and logic comes second to speculation. The author captures that small-town dynamic perfectly.

Sylvie, Liz, and Harriet continue to be a delightfully dysfunctional investigative team. Their method of "snooping, eavesdropping, and consuming excessive pastries" is exactly the kind of detection work I can get behind. Harriet's obsession with lists and routines provides wonderful comic relief, while Sylvie and Liz's tearoom serves as the perfect hub for gathering intelligence (and carbs).

The mystery itself is cleverly constructed. Just when you think you've got the killer figured out, Gaynor Torrance throws in a second body—someone the women actually know—raising the stakes considerably. That shift from curious puzzle-solving to genuine fear for their safety adds emotional weight to what could have been a purely lighthearted romp.

Monksworthy itself deserves recognition as a character. Gaynor Torrance paints the Wye Valley village with enough quaint details to make you want to book a cottage there immediately, while reminding us that picture-perfect facades often hide the messiest secrets. The Welsh border setting feels authentic and atmospheric without overwhelming the plot.

My only minor complaint is that some red herrings felt a bit obvious, though cozy mystery fans might argue that's part of the genre's charm. The pacing occasionally slows when we're treated to lengthy descriptions of village life, but honestly, I didn't mind—it's like being wrapped in a warm blanket.

If you're a Miss Marple devotee looking for modern successors to Agatha Christie's legacy, the Wye Valley Widows deliver that same blend of village intrigue and unlikely heroines. This series understands that the best amateur detectives are often the women everyone underestimates—the ones pouring tea while secretly cataloguing every suspicious glance and whispered conversation.

Death of the Eleven-Toed Man proves that curiosity might kill cats, but it makes for absolutely delicious reading.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4nzkcae