Your essential guide to not getting murdered in a quaint English village, where danger lurks around each cobblestoned corner and every bite of scone or sip of tea may be your last.

If you insist on visiting, do yourself a favour and bring along a copy of this guide book. It may just keep you alive

Brought to life with dozens of Edward Gorey-esque drawings and peppered with allusions to classic crime fiction, Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village gives you the tools you need to stay alive.

Repeat after us: don't look in the pond, keep away from the maze and never trust the vicar.

Good luck. You're going to need it.

Maureen Johnson is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including Death at Morning House and the Stevie Bell mysteries: Truly Devious, The Vanishing Stair, The Hand on the Wall, The Box in the Woods, and Nine Liars. Her books have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. For safety's sake, she lives in New York City; the vicar cannot reach her there. If you or a loved one plan on visiting a Murder Village, please reach out to her on Instagram or TikTok at @maureenjohnsonbooks, on X at @maureenjohnson, or at maureenjohnson.com. She will talk you out of it.


Jay Cooper's books don't normally include grisly murders, nefarious deeds, or corpses of any sort. He is the illustrator of more than twenty-five books for young people, including The New York Times and USA Today best-selling graphic novel series The Last Comics on Earth, The Last Kids on Earth: Thrilling Tales from the Tree House, the Bots series and the Styx and Scones books. Also a Clio award-winning creative director of theatrical advertising, Jay has crafted art and advertising for more than 150 Broadway shows (which have heaps of deaths). He can be found on Twitter @jaycooperart, on Instagram @jaycooperbooks, or at jaycooperbooks.com.