ARC Review: And Then There Was The One by Martha Waters

And Then There Was The One
Author: Martha Waters
Publication: Atria Books (October 14, 2025)

Description: From Martha Waters, the author of the “enchanting” (Entertainment Weekly) Regency Vows series, a new historical romance set in 1930s England with a murder mystery twist.

In a quaint village in the Cotswolds, Georgiana Radcliffe has accidentally become an amateur detective after helping solve four murders in a single year. When the chairman of the village council turns up dead, everyone agrees with the official ruling of a heart attack, but Georgie can’t help but suspect that the council chairman is a fifth victim. Now, murder tourists are flocking from around the country, in hopes of becoming sleuths themselves.

Along with her reporter friend, she reaches out to a famous London detective for assistance in ascertaining why they have become a magnet for murder. But the fancy detective is simply too busy—or can’t be bothered—to help, and instead dispatches his secretary, Sebastian Fletcher-Ford—a posh womanizer who, truthfully, is just trying to get out of his hair, much to practical, no-nonsense Georgie’s dismay. But as they investigate in the charming Buncombe-upon-Woolly—with plentiful scones, sheep on the village green, and murder tourists at every turn—Georgie finds that her previous assessment of Sebastian may have been wrong, and rather than solving a murder, she may be solving for love instead.

My Thoughts: Buncombe-Upon-Wooly has become a mecca for murder and Georgie Radcliffe is tired of it. Georgie has solved the first four mysteries but would prefer working in her garden and running the lives of her father and sister. 

When the chairman of the village council dies of an apparent heart attack, Georgie doesn't believe it and writes to a famous London detective for help. 

Instead of coming himself, he sends his secretary Sebastian Fletcher-Ford as his replacement. In Georgie's opinion, Sebastian is a handsome, womanizing fribble. To say Georgie was disappointed is a vast understatement. But she soon learns that Sebastian has hidden depths and finds herself falling in love with him as they unravel the mysteries.

A quaint village complete with murder tourists is the setting for this mystery/romance. It starts off silly but gradually gains depth as the story moves on. I liked the setting and the banter between Georgie and Sebastian. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.