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The Bookstore Mystery #1
Murder at the Bookstore
She can write the perfect murder mystery… But can she solve one in real life?
Meet Jen Dawson, mystery writer, coffee lover, and amateur detective?
Crime writer Jen returns to her small hometown with a bestselling book behind her and a bad case of writer’s block. Finding sanctuary in the local bookstore, with an endless supply of coffee, Jen waits impatiently for inspiration to strike.
But when the owner of the bookstore dies suddenly in mysterious circumstances, Jen has a real-life murder to solve.
The stakes are suddenly higher when evidence places Jen at the scene of the crime and the reading of the will names her as the new owner of the bookstore …
Can she crack the case and clear her name, before the killer strikes again?
Meet Jen Dawson, mystery writer, coffee lover, and amateur detective?
Crime writer Jen returns to her small hometown with a bestselling book behind her and a bad case of writer’s block. Finding sanctuary in the local bookstore, with an endless supply of coffee, Jen waits impatiently for inspiration to strike.
But when the owner of the bookstore dies suddenly in mysterious circumstances, Jen has a real-life murder to solve.
The stakes are suddenly higher when evidence places Jen at the scene of the crime and the reading of the will names her as the new owner of the bookstore …
Can she crack the case and clear her name, before the killer strikes again?
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 19, 2023
1569 people are currently reading
8362 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,045 reviews
March 5, 2023
This was…not good. There were so many problems with this book, I don’t even know where to start. The main character is an author who’s struggling with writer’s block. Nothing wrong with that. She tries many things to solve it, while trying to solve a real murder as well. The book includes bits of what she’s writing, and let’s just say, I get why she’s struggling Besides constantly complaining about everything, she’s obnoxious and whiny and has the tendency to make stupid decisions all the time. Decisions that don’t even make sense. The plot is all over the place, includes so many things that are just not relevant to the story and it’s very clear from the start who the murderer is. Most of the dialogue comes out of the blue and oftentimes I could not figure out where it was going and why the hell they were discussing what they were discussing. I have a whiplash from how often this woman switches from arguing with someone and making up with them on the same frigging page, and everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, has to have a reason. Trying to solve writer’s block? Try running. Running not going well? Well, it’s because of your bad posture. Get some tips for your posture? Yes but also overanalyse WHY you have bad posture. And don’t get me started on the completely unnecessary references to a troubled childhood that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the story and just makes it even more all over the place. In short, would not recommend.
November 14, 2023
The best thing about this book is the cover 🫠 and even that is lame because guess what? There’s no cat anywhere to be found in this story 😂 nor is there murder “at” the bookstore because no one gets killed in the actual store. None of the characters have any personality or depth to them and the writing is SO choppy. The MC makes weird choices for no apparent reason and at times just acts plain stupid. Had someone waved 10 red flags in her face at the same time she still wouldn’t have seen them. And she’s supposed to be a mystery writer? I know whose book I don’t wanna read 🫣
⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️
January 20, 2023
This is the first in a new mystery series featuring author Jen Dawson, who is trying to write her second mystery novel when her friend Aletha, owner of the Ravenous Readers bookshop, is murdered. Suspicion falls on her, so using her amateur sleuthing skills, she sets off to solve the mystery.
I had high hopes for this novel as it was a cozy mystery, featuring both an author and a bookshop, but it sadly didn't live up to my expectations.
It started off well, introducing a cast of interesting characters in a small town setting, then it just went downhill for me from there.
I didn't warm to the main character Jen at all. She was slightly annoying and was constantly making poor decisions that made little sense to me.
Also, to me, it didn't have the feel of a cozy mystery. There's usually some light-heartedness along the way, but there were some parts that I thought were a bit intense for this sort of mystery, especially when it came to the relationship between Jen and her mother and stepfather.
Then there was the actual whodunnit. I guessed it pretty much from the beginning and, I'll be honest, I only read to the end, hoping for some sort of twist which didn't happen.
Sadly not for me, but if you like a murder mystery with a small town setting, then you might like this.
I had high hopes for this novel as it was a cozy mystery, featuring both an author and a bookshop, but it sadly didn't live up to my expectations.
It started off well, introducing a cast of interesting characters in a small town setting, then it just went downhill for me from there.
I didn't warm to the main character Jen at all. She was slightly annoying and was constantly making poor decisions that made little sense to me.
Also, to me, it didn't have the feel of a cozy mystery. There's usually some light-heartedness along the way, but there were some parts that I thought were a bit intense for this sort of mystery, especially when it came to the relationship between Jen and her mother and stepfather.
Then there was the actual whodunnit. I guessed it pretty much from the beginning and, I'll be honest, I only read to the end, hoping for some sort of twist which didn't happen.
Sadly not for me, but if you like a murder mystery with a small town setting, then you might like this.
October 10, 2023
if oilinski says “keep out of it” one more time i’m gonna throw this book at his head.
March 10, 2023
I had high expectations for this book but unfortunately I was very disappointed…. You can guess who the killer is before the murder even happens and I didn’t like the main character at all. She made very poor decisions that didn’t make any sense at all. At times I was seriously wondering if I skipped a chapter or something because it really felt like I missed parts of the story.
I did love the setting of the book and there were some nice characters but I expected more.
I did love the setting of the book and there were some nice characters but I expected more.
February 14, 2023
I really didn’t enjoy the story. The violence made me uneasy. I call it a mystery; not so cozy. JMO.
May 28, 2024
Bastante entretenido,
November 16, 2024
Nothing too special, but I did enjoy it!
September 12, 2023
that was surprisingly entertaining.
May 17, 2025
No ha estado mal este libro, pero no me ha llegado a enganchar... creo que le ha faltado un poco de todo
January 18, 2025
I figured out who the murderer was gonna be in chapter 2, before the murder even happened. The main character is insufferable, judgy, and has an extremely negative outlook on every aspect of the world around her. She can be unnecessarily mean and I don’t really understand how the people around her can stand her. The writing style felt uncomfortable and there were too many mistakes. I didn’t want to keep reading and really had to force myself - around 70% the story actually started flowing a bit, which is why I finally finished it. But I won’t pick up another book in this series.
Some “live tweets” I typed out whilst reading (spoilers ahead, but they’re without context so I doubt it’s actually spoiling anything):
“It took three tries to lock the door behind me. My heart raced in a constricted chest.
Forget this.”
- you’re going on a date, not jumping out of a plane
“A mantra Dr Margolis had taught me dropped into my mind. Deep breath in, slow breath out.”
- really, that’s the mantra he had to _teach_ you?
“Besides, as my grandmother used to say, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.”
- ah yes such a specific saying, only Jen Dawson’s grandma could’ve figured it out
everything is SO exaggerated STOP IT. a man stands up quickly and smoothly and suddenly he’s a threat for mf usain bolt????
“I unloaded the tray. A grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. Seriously? How about a hot fudge brownie sundae? Whatever. My stomach would take it, either way.”
- ungrateful ass
“I’m fine, and I was there for you when Frankie disappeared in Afghanistan.”
Tears pooled in Brittany’s eyes. “Aletha was your friend, and you cared for her, but I don’t see the comparison. Frankie was going to be my husband. He disappeared two weeks before he was due to come home. Three weeks before the wedding.” She stood. “I’ll be here whenever you need me.”
I’d stepped over the line. What’s wrong with me? “Britt, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I’m an—”
“Ass. Yes, I know.” She opened the door. “I’ll stop by when I get off work.”
- fucking bitch????
“Wow! Best sweet tea I’ve ever tasted.”
Vangie beamed. “It’s my mama’s secret recipe. All I can say is, two different kinds of tea all mixed up with lots of sugar.”
And a warning label: for best results serve with insulin.”
- what a rude unnecessary comment
the “tour” at the Your Life contest was like two rooms and two short questions??????
“His gentle finger under my chin turned my head back toward him.”
- SO. MUCH. PHYSICAL CONTACT. WITHOUT CONSENT.
“Tim kept an eye on Marcus and Russell as they strolled toward the Mustang. “He claims he’s had no contact with Aletha since he went to prison, but I don’t believe him. I can’t prove it, but I’m positive he’s seen or at least talked to her since then. Since the contest, even.”
- tim literally talked about marcus’ letter and now suddenly he has no proof?
“Only a newbie reporter could come up with something that lame.”
- 99% of the time this woman is awake she’s busy judging
“In fact, I still didn’t know why she beat up Timmy Hardwick when he stole my finger paints the first day of kindergarten.”
- … you’re literally stating the reason?
“I fiddled with the radio, but found nothing but pitchmen, preachers, and top forty playlists. Having my fingernails pulled out with pliers would offer more entertainment value.”
- why so RUDE
“Russell groaned and I turned toward him. His hands and eyes twitched. Was it a nightmare about me?”
- NOT. EVERYTHING. IS. ABOUT. YOU.
“How had he hidden this arrogant side so well?”
- he literally didn’t
“Brittany stood and stretched. “I think I’ll go down to the cafeteria for some coffee. Anyone else want any?”
Every hand rose, so Eric sent Leonard along to help carry the cups back. A polite thing to do, but I suspected his true motive involved privacy.”
- literally where is this suddenly coming from??
Some “live tweets” I typed out whilst reading (spoilers ahead, but they’re without context so I doubt it’s actually spoiling anything):
“It took three tries to lock the door behind me. My heart raced in a constricted chest.
Forget this.”
- you’re going on a date, not jumping out of a plane
“A mantra Dr Margolis had taught me dropped into my mind. Deep breath in, slow breath out.”
- really, that’s the mantra he had to _teach_ you?
“Besides, as my grandmother used to say, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.”
- ah yes such a specific saying, only Jen Dawson’s grandma could’ve figured it out
everything is SO exaggerated STOP IT. a man stands up quickly and smoothly and suddenly he’s a threat for mf usain bolt????
“I unloaded the tray. A grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup. Seriously? How about a hot fudge brownie sundae? Whatever. My stomach would take it, either way.”
- ungrateful ass
“I’m fine, and I was there for you when Frankie disappeared in Afghanistan.”
Tears pooled in Brittany’s eyes. “Aletha was your friend, and you cared for her, but I don’t see the comparison. Frankie was going to be my husband. He disappeared two weeks before he was due to come home. Three weeks before the wedding.” She stood. “I’ll be here whenever you need me.”
I’d stepped over the line. What’s wrong with me? “Britt, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I’m an—”
“Ass. Yes, I know.” She opened the door. “I’ll stop by when I get off work.”
- fucking bitch????
“Wow! Best sweet tea I’ve ever tasted.”
Vangie beamed. “It’s my mama’s secret recipe. All I can say is, two different kinds of tea all mixed up with lots of sugar.”
And a warning label: for best results serve with insulin.”
- what a rude unnecessary comment
the “tour” at the Your Life contest was like two rooms and two short questions??????
“His gentle finger under my chin turned my head back toward him.”
- SO. MUCH. PHYSICAL CONTACT. WITHOUT CONSENT.
“Tim kept an eye on Marcus and Russell as they strolled toward the Mustang. “He claims he’s had no contact with Aletha since he went to prison, but I don’t believe him. I can’t prove it, but I’m positive he’s seen or at least talked to her since then. Since the contest, even.”
- tim literally talked about marcus’ letter and now suddenly he has no proof?
“Only a newbie reporter could come up with something that lame.”
- 99% of the time this woman is awake she’s busy judging
“In fact, I still didn’t know why she beat up Timmy Hardwick when he stole my finger paints the first day of kindergarten.”
- … you’re literally stating the reason?
“I fiddled with the radio, but found nothing but pitchmen, preachers, and top forty playlists. Having my fingernails pulled out with pliers would offer more entertainment value.”
- why so RUDE
“Russell groaned and I turned toward him. His hands and eyes twitched. Was it a nightmare about me?”
- NOT. EVERYTHING. IS. ABOUT. YOU.
“How had he hidden this arrogant side so well?”
- he literally didn’t
“Brittany stood and stretched. “I think I’ll go down to the cafeteria for some coffee. Anyone else want any?”
Every hand rose, so Eric sent Leonard along to help carry the cups back. A polite thing to do, but I suspected his true motive involved privacy.”
- literally where is this suddenly coming from??
April 26, 2023
Naur. MC is TSTL, all of the Black characters speak in offensively stereotypical english, and the plot is pointless. Big yikes.
October 4, 2024
3⭐️
Audioboek was leuk ingesproken maar het verhaal was erg voor de hand liggend..
Audioboek was leuk ingesproken maar het verhaal was erg voor de hand liggend..
April 6, 2025
Este é o primeiro de uma série com a personagem Jennifer, uma escritora de mistérios que se vê de perto o assassinato de Aletha, uma amiga. Neste livro Jen está a atravessar um bloqueio criativo e vai tentar resolver a morte da amiga, como se fosse uma das personagens do seu anterior sucesso. Gostei da personagem, principalmente do seu humor.
November 22, 2023
Opinión personal: Asesinato en la librería por Sue Minix
Puntuación: 3,3 ⭐️
📚 Editorial: HarperCollins 📖 336 págs. ✍️ Cozy Misterio 🗓️ 15/11/2023
Saga:
1. Asesinato en la librería
2. The Murderous Type (Inglés)
3. A chapter on Murder (Inglés)
4. A cover for murder (Inglés)
3. Sentenced to Murder (Inglés. Publicación estimada: 2024)
🗣️ Jen Dawson regresa a su pequeña ciudad natal, Riddleton, para escribir la segunda entrega de su best seller de misterio. Pero por mucho que mira a su pantalla, sus dedos son incapaces de continuar la historia. A este bloqueo creativo se le suma que Aletha, dueña de la librería en la que pasa los días Jen y amiga de ésta, es asesinada y Jen es sospechosa de haber cometido el crimen.
❤️ El libro empezó muy bien, una ciudad pequeña, una librería, pocos personajes (interesantes y todos parecen ser el asesino) y un crimen. Ingredientes esenciales para un cozy que disfrutar enormemente. El problema es que, con el paso de las hojas, me faltaba un poco más de ironía/humor/gracia tan característico de otros cozy.
💥 Una trama amena con varios giros y que se lee muy fácilmente sin tener que pensar mucho ya que la autora va dejándote migas para que no hagas trabajar al cerebro y solo te ocupes de divertirte unas horas entre capítulo y capítulo.
🫥 Me ha parecido muy previsible él/la asesino pero aún así, las circustancias que rodean al desenlace no son tan obvias.
Lo mejor: La ambientación y algún personaje secundario.
Lo peor: para mi, ha sido muy obvio el/la culpable.
Recomendaciones: Si te gusta el cozy mistery te va a gustar el libro ya que es entretenido y se lee muy bien. Tiene un poco más de violencia de lo que es habitual en este género pero no es excesivo.
¿Me leeré los siguientes libros de la saga? Si, cuando los publiquen en español.
Ojalá mis palabras estuvieran colgadas de un anzuelo para poder enrollar el carrete y recuperarlas. Porque lo único que había pescado en lo que iba de día era morralla.
Puntuación: 3,3 ⭐️
📚 Editorial: HarperCollins 📖 336 págs. ✍️ Cozy Misterio 🗓️ 15/11/2023
Saga:
1. Asesinato en la librería
2. The Murderous Type (Inglés)
3. A chapter on Murder (Inglés)
4. A cover for murder (Inglés)
3. Sentenced to Murder (Inglés. Publicación estimada: 2024)
🗣️ Jen Dawson regresa a su pequeña ciudad natal, Riddleton, para escribir la segunda entrega de su best seller de misterio. Pero por mucho que mira a su pantalla, sus dedos son incapaces de continuar la historia. A este bloqueo creativo se le suma que Aletha, dueña de la librería en la que pasa los días Jen y amiga de ésta, es asesinada y Jen es sospechosa de haber cometido el crimen.
❤️ El libro empezó muy bien, una ciudad pequeña, una librería, pocos personajes (interesantes y todos parecen ser el asesino) y un crimen. Ingredientes esenciales para un cozy que disfrutar enormemente. El problema es que, con el paso de las hojas, me faltaba un poco más de ironía/humor/gracia tan característico de otros cozy.
💥 Una trama amena con varios giros y que se lee muy fácilmente sin tener que pensar mucho ya que la autora va dejándote migas para que no hagas trabajar al cerebro y solo te ocupes de divertirte unas horas entre capítulo y capítulo.
🫥 Me ha parecido muy previsible él/la asesino pero aún así, las circustancias que rodean al desenlace no son tan obvias.
Lo mejor: La ambientación y algún personaje secundario.
Lo peor: para mi, ha sido muy obvio el/la culpable.
Recomendaciones: Si te gusta el cozy mistery te va a gustar el libro ya que es entretenido y se lee muy bien. Tiene un poco más de violencia de lo que es habitual en este género pero no es excesivo.
¿Me leeré los siguientes libros de la saga? Si, cuando los publiquen en español.
Ojalá mis palabras estuvieran colgadas de un anzuelo para poder enrollar el carrete y recuperarlas. Porque lo único que había pescado en lo que iba de día era morralla.
February 24, 2025
Messy and very detailed writing style trying to metaphorise the main character’s mess of a life and thoughts, I think? Also, not really surprised by the whodunit - 1.5 ⭐️
January 28, 2023
Jen Dawson is back in her hometown of Riddleton and finds herself heavily involved in a murder investigation. Her friend, Aletha died in a boat explosion. Jen has friends to aid her; Brittany and individuals from the police. This, the first in a new series, shows potential. There are some dark moments in the tale. I am onboard for the next instalment.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Avon Books UK via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Avon Books UK via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
April 11, 2025
3,5 ⭐
🎧📚 10 horas 27 minutos
----
Para la lectura cozy mistery del mes de abril, elegí esta novela que da inicio a una saga protagonizada por Jennifer Dawson, escritora de misterio que se ve envuelta en la investigación de asesinato de su amiga, dueña de El lector voraz, la librería del pueblo.
Una historia con toques de humor, narrada en primera persona, que te va envolviendo en una trama salpicada de secretos en donde cualquiera de los personajes, incluso la propia Jen, puede convertirse en el sospechoso perfecto.
Es entretenida, sin demasiadas pretensiones. Me cayó muy bien el personaje de Jen, que mientras trata de descubrir quién mató a su amiga, lucha por escribir su segunda novela. Como escritora, hay algunos momentos en los cuales me sentí muy identificada y eso hizo que la lectura fuera no solo amena, sino cercana.
🎧📚 10 horas 27 minutos
----
Para la lectura cozy mistery del mes de abril, elegí esta novela que da inicio a una saga protagonizada por Jennifer Dawson, escritora de misterio que se ve envuelta en la investigación de asesinato de su amiga, dueña de El lector voraz, la librería del pueblo.
Una historia con toques de humor, narrada en primera persona, que te va envolviendo en una trama salpicada de secretos en donde cualquiera de los personajes, incluso la propia Jen, puede convertirse en el sospechoso perfecto.
Es entretenida, sin demasiadas pretensiones. Me cayó muy bien el personaje de Jen, que mientras trata de descubrir quién mató a su amiga, lucha por escribir su segunda novela. Como escritora, hay algunos momentos en los cuales me sentí muy identificada y eso hizo que la lectura fuera no solo amena, sino cercana.
September 30, 2024
Well at least the cover is pretty!
This was all over the place! The writing style was very chaotic and sometimes I was completely lost and didn't know where we were (location wise).
The main character Jen was annoying and she kept on making poor decisions that made no sense to me. The side characters all were very forgetable and didn't stick with me. And sometimes I was reading a name and it felt like they just came into the scene out of knowhere?
I guessed who did it very earliy on and I hoped for a twist at the end, but nope wasn't there.
Also to me this didn't feel as a cozy mystery at all. And I honestly still don't understand why it's called murder 'AT' the bookstore?!
Next time I'm thinking of DNFing a book, I just should
This was all over the place! The writing style was very chaotic and sometimes I was completely lost and didn't know where we were (location wise).
The main character Jen was annoying and she kept on making poor decisions that made no sense to me. The side characters all were very forgetable and didn't stick with me. And sometimes I was reading a name and it felt like they just came into the scene out of knowhere?
I guessed who did it very earliy on and I hoped for a twist at the end, but nope wasn't there.
Also to me this didn't feel as a cozy mystery at all. And I honestly still don't understand why it's called murder 'AT' the bookstore?!
Next time I'm thinking of DNFing a book, I just should
October 20, 2024
This was so nice! I think cozy mystery will be my new favourite fall/winter genre to read. It was lovely to read and the story was easy to follow but it wasn’t predictable like some cosy mysteries are. While reading this book I have bought all others of this series so I’ll start reading the next book soon❤️
August 31, 2023
This was an okay book.
The murder mystery wasn‘t that good and it was easy to guess who had done it from the beginning.
It was also very brutal.
I liked the vibe and the cover but it had nothing to do with a Miss Agatha Christie novel like the description said!
The murder mystery wasn‘t that good and it was easy to guess who had done it from the beginning.
It was also very brutal.
I liked the vibe and the cover but it had nothing to do with a Miss Agatha Christie novel like the description said!
April 20, 2023
Jennifer Marie Dawson is the author of the bestseller, "Double Trouble," which was terrific until everyone clamored for the sequel. Jen hopes the atmosphere at "Ravenous Readers" in her hometown of Riddleton, South Carolina, will inspire her writing. Jen loves it at the bookstore as she’s become good friends with Aletha Cunningham, and endless cups of coffee are a plus. Writing mysteries is better than being the lead suspect in the bookstore owner’s death.
An amateur sleuth frequently begins investigating due to the loss of a friend and/or becoming the lead suspect. The setting of the bookstore in a cozy often begins with a new inheritance. I loved the creative twist in the bookstore setting, becoming the motive as the designated inheritance to Jen after the cosycrime. The description of the bookstore with a cozy interior similar to a private home library, including a coffee bar, is a joy to imagine visiting as a customer and a treasure chest as a gift of inheritance.
I am, however, very disappointed in the description of Brittany Dunlop (Jen’s best friend since Kindergarten) in a ©2023 opening of a new series.
An amateur sleuth frequently begins investigating due to the loss of a friend and/or becoming the lead suspect. The setting of the bookstore in a cozy often begins with a new inheritance. I loved the creative twist in the bookstore setting, becoming the motive as the designated inheritance to Jen after the cosycrime. The description of the bookstore with a cozy interior similar to a private home library, including a coffee bar, is a joy to imagine visiting as a customer and a treasure chest as a gift of inheritance.
I am, however, very disappointed in the description of Brittany Dunlop (Jen’s best friend since Kindergarten) in a ©2023 opening of a new series.
"Brittany Dunlop came out of her apartment on her way to work, decked out in her favorite blue librarian frock, sensible shoes, and oversized glasses."It is beyond time to stop the stereotyping of every profession for women and men by their clothes and/or accessories. It takes a team to bring a book to publication, so it is incumbent on everyone to speak up and raise voices for this type of description and/or physical appearance to STOP in new releases!
"Brittany locked up and settled into the car, every bit a librarian in her white blouse, black skirt, and flat shoes."
May 3, 2023
This literally had one of the most anticlimactic endings I've ever read. So, the bottom line is that Jen can't solve a mystery, right? All apart from being an annoying character throughout the book and involving herself in a murder case rather than working on her sequel which too is literally a detective novel. One of the laziest, most self-centred characters I've ever had the displeasure of getting to know. The writing itself is fine, quite basic save for some creative metaphors here and there, but nothing to be proud of either and the idea is far from original. SPOILER ALERT, Jen gets the answers to all her questions by following the instructions on notes sent to her or left behind for her by the perpetrators. She does jack shit save for wear a faulty wire which the police gave her.
Too much waffling and not any work done, I almost wish she drowned when she was at it, not of her own volition of course lol Too many characters introduced and not developed well or hardly, such as that of her mother for instance, or that of Aletha. I wanted to learn more about Aletha before her demise and her death was hardly tackled at all, it was just something that happened, no details about the boat itself, whether there were any clues there, same thing with the competition. It was a frustrating read over all and to be compared with Agatha Christie is an insult tbh Inheriting a bookshop is very cool regardless but she should not have involved herself in the case and put herself through so much trouble and in so much danger to begin with, she should have been smarter than that. Curiosity kills the cat but here she was the one who ended up a murderer.
Too much waffling and not any work done, I almost wish she drowned when she was at it, not of her own volition of course lol Too many characters introduced and not developed well or hardly, such as that of her mother for instance, or that of Aletha. I wanted to learn more about Aletha before her demise and her death was hardly tackled at all, it was just something that happened, no details about the boat itself, whether there were any clues there, same thing with the competition. It was a frustrating read over all and to be compared with Agatha Christie is an insult tbh Inheriting a bookshop is very cool regardless but she should not have involved herself in the case and put herself through so much trouble and in so much danger to begin with, she should have been smarter than that. Curiosity kills the cat but here she was the one who ended up a murderer.
January 9, 2023
Rating 3.5 stars
Murder at the Bookstore by Sue Minix the 1st instalment in the "A Bookstore Mystery" series. What a great start to a new series, I enjoyed this book and look forward to book 2. She can write the perfect murder mystery… But can she solve one in real life?
It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I did guess whodunnit but that did not distract from the story. I’m sure in the next 2 books character development and plot will improve and I won’t be able to guess.
I recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!
I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Harper Collins/Avon and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
Murder at the Bookstore by Sue Minix the 1st instalment in the "A Bookstore Mystery" series. What a great start to a new series, I enjoyed this book and look forward to book 2. She can write the perfect murder mystery… But can she solve one in real life?
It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I did guess whodunnit but that did not distract from the story. I’m sure in the next 2 books character development and plot will improve and I won’t be able to guess.
I recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!
I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Harper Collins/Avon and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
January 29, 2023
I came across this book on Facebook and couldn't understand why I hadn't read it.
I immediately purchased it and spent my Saturday getting to know Jen and the other characters in Murder at the Bookstore.
This book is fun, filled with fresh new characters, and a mystery so devious, even the most seasoned arm chair detective won't figure it out.
I'm pre ordering the next book immediately.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!
I immediately purchased it and spent my Saturday getting to know Jen and the other characters in Murder at the Bookstore.
This book is fun, filled with fresh new characters, and a mystery so devious, even the most seasoned arm chair detective won't figure it out.
I'm pre ordering the next book immediately.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!
June 1, 2023
The murder still had to take place and I already knew who did it. Also: the murder ain’t at the bookstore! And no, this ain’t Agatha Christie. Ze zou zich omdraaien in haar graf als ze deze referentie kreeg.
February 4, 2023
Not over impressed.
February 17, 2024
Spännande och snabbläst om en kämpande deckarförfattare som hamnar i ett eget mysterium när hennes vän blir mördad.
March 3, 2026
Jen Dawson, a mystery writer, has returned to her hometown she swore she'd never set foot in again, to write a follow-up to her bestselling mystery. Her favorite place to write is the Ravenous Readers bookstore where owner Althea plies Jen with endless cups of coffee to get through writers block. Jen and Althea are friends and Althea is eager to set Jen up with bookstore employee Russell Jeffcoat. Jen is warm for his form but anxious about dating because her dating history is less than stellar. After their first date, a drunk Jen thinks she sees Althea and her husband Tim arguing in the bookstore but dismisses her concerns and returns home to nurse a hangover. The next morning, the police, including Jen's ex, arrive to inform her Althea is dead and Jen is a suspect. Jen is determined to figure out who killed her friend and clear her own name. When she learns Althea was blown up on Tim's boat and Tim fears the murderer was after him, she is even more concerned and eager to solve the crime. Her search takes her to Althea's past and the contest that gave her the money to open the bookstore in the first place. Will it be so easy to follow the money back to those who had their hands out?
UGH No! DNF. I skimmed about half of this book because I wasn't into it and it was getting late. This feels long and dark for a cozy mystery. It's not very cozy. There's not much humor and the cover and title are misleading. There's no cat. A cat is mentioned once and dropped. Then the murder doesn't even happen at the bookstore. A good person is killed and no one really seems to care other than how her death benefits them or doesn't. The Black characters are stereotypes and the larger societal problems that shaped them are ignored in spite of being a big part of Althea's backstory. I figured out who the murderer was right away but then the story got convoluted and more suspects popped up. I wasn't sure how/if they all connected and the reveal was bizarre. The finale is dark, very dark and there are kidnapped children involved. That is NOT a subject for a cozy mystery. Also we never get answers as to Althea and Tim's relationship or who told the police
Jen is TSTL. She is a taker but not a giver. She's a terrible friend. While she knows Althea's middle name, her husband's name and how Althea got the money for the bookstore, she knows very little about her supposed friend and her friend's private life. She doesn't ask questions or express concern for her friend in any way. Jen is a terrible writer. Her book features teenage twin sleuths and her current draft is so poorly written, it's a wonder she wrote ONE successful book. Everyone in this town seems to have read her book and recognizes her from her author photo. Weird. Jen is also super judgmental and is mean to all the men in her life. Her most recent ex seems like he was a decent guy but thankfully escaped her and moved to another country. Jen is determined not to be controlled by any man and this apparently includes gestures of affection. She finds Russell attractive and agrees to a date with him. Then she rightfully rejects his non-consensual advances and is kind of cold to him. To be fair, Jen is messed up because she didn't grow up in a loving household. Her real father died in a plane crash when she was little and her stepdad, Gary, was abusive. Her narcissistic mother ignored the abuse and never misses an opportunity to criticize Jen and make everything all about her.
Althea sounds like she was a wonderful lady. She was raised by a single mother and grew up poor. Everyone seems to have missed this and wonders why she won't set foot on her husband's boat and was afraid of the water. HELLO! Did she have the opportunity for swimming lessons? Her mother couldn't afford a boat and in my city, an organization tries to teach Black kids how to swim to decrease drowning. Like the characters, we live by the ocean and I have heard water safety is a privilege taught to those who can afford it. Literally no one even cared about Althea's hopes and dreams. Oh she opened this bookstore, that's nice but it won't work because the local yokels are too dumb to read. (Which proves not to be true. They've all read Jen's book). Althea never had access to a library growing up and owning a bookstore was her dream. She entered a contest with an essay about what she would do with the money (open a bookstore). When she won, the money was supposed to be used for her store but apparently there were no legal restrictions and her husband spent some of Althea's money on a house and a boat. Um no. Red flags all around thank you bye. Yet Althea stayed with Tim and loved him- maybe? Or maybe she was about to file for divorce? A lot of details about her personal life come from Tim and also from Russell. What the heck? How does her employee know so much about her personal life when Tim rarely comes into the store?
Jen's BFF Brittany is a ride or die friend. I don't know why. She has to tag along on the investigation just to keep Jen safe and when she doesn't, Jen gets into trouble, which was obvious. Eric, a police officer and former high school classmate, is friendly and kind yet waaayy too obsessed with running. He thinks running will cure Jen's writer's block and tries to get her to run with him. He doesn't tell her what to wear or do before running but then critiques her shoes. She sees that as controlling but he's being honest! If she's going to run, she needs good running shoes, not her Nikes from the 90s that have seen better days. Jen is antagonistic with the detectives investigating the murder. Detective Olinski was Jen's high school boyfriend. They dated all four years and he expected her to give up her dreams and stay put, marry him and be Suzy Homemaker. HELL NO! She hates him because he didn't listen to her and he hates her because she didn't do what he wanted. That's no reason to accuse her of murder and he ought to be recused from the case but in a small town, it would be hard to find someone else to investigate. I don't know what bug crawled up Det. Havermayer's butt. She illegally searches Jen's apartment for... something? HELLO you need a warrant for that! She seems to be anatagonistic towards Jen for no good reason. Jen's neighbor, Charlie, seems to be a gender non-conforming individual who enjoys flirting with Jen/harassing Jen/annoying Jen. Jen appears to be homophobic and won't even look at this person because of their flamboyant clothes or really speak to this person. Yes NO means NO so Charlie should back off.
Tim, Althea's husband, seems nice enough but everyone else thinks he was controlling. It seems like he may have been gaslighting Althea but we only get other people's stories. She never confided in Jen. He reveals Althea was contacted by her ex, Marcus, who did time for robbery. Surely he must have wanted money. Marcus shared a prison cell with a guy who made bombs and Althea was bombed to death on Tim's boat. A-ha 2+2=4 and Jen thinks... MARCUS is her suspect. He seems like a nice guy who was raised right by his Mama but didn't have any opportunities to do anything productive in his teen years (he wasn't great at basketball) so he was on the streets doing and dealing drugs. He's clean now and did his time. He has two adorable daughters his mother is raising. Marcus's Mama, Vangie, fangirls Jen and seems to be pushing Jen and Marcus to get together. Um they only just met, Marcus hasn't been out of prison long and may be a murderer. His alibi seems fishy, or the timing of it anyway.
The store takes a bizarre turn once Jen learns another contest winner died in unusual circumstances. I started skimming there. Albert Sikazian runs the company that holds the "Your Life" contest. He may look like Santa Claus but he's a shady Santa. In spite of being perpetually drunk, Albert still reveals little but he seems super shady to me. Something is going on at this company and he surely is involved. His executive assistant, Edna, is creepy and seems protective of Albert. She doesn't want Jen and Brittany to meet him for some reason. She's surely involved in whatever is going on. Craig, the auditor, is about to discover what it is so wait for him to do his job and stop being lame and nosy. Who was Kingsley Franklin and why is Jen searching for the mystery man? Like he's going to tell her what she wants to know! She spends too much time fantasizing about what her characters would do and not enough time realizing there are real dangerous criminals out there who might want her dead.
Poor Althea is all I have to say. Needless to say I won't be reading more of this series.
UGH No! DNF. I skimmed about half of this book because I wasn't into it and it was getting late. This feels long and dark for a cozy mystery. It's not very cozy. There's not much humor and the cover and title are misleading. There's no cat. A cat is mentioned once and dropped. Then the murder doesn't even happen at the bookstore. A good person is killed and no one really seems to care other than how her death benefits them or doesn't. The Black characters are stereotypes and the larger societal problems that shaped them are ignored in spite of being a big part of Althea's backstory. I figured out who the murderer was right away but then the story got convoluted and more suspects popped up. I wasn't sure how/if they all connected and the reveal was bizarre. The finale is dark, very dark and there are kidnapped children involved. That is NOT a subject for a cozy mystery. Also we never get answers as to Althea and Tim's relationship or who told the police
Jen is TSTL. She is a taker but not a giver. She's a terrible friend. While she knows Althea's middle name, her husband's name and how Althea got the money for the bookstore, she knows very little about her supposed friend and her friend's private life. She doesn't ask questions or express concern for her friend in any way. Jen is a terrible writer. Her book features teenage twin sleuths and her current draft is so poorly written, it's a wonder she wrote ONE successful book. Everyone in this town seems to have read her book and recognizes her from her author photo. Weird. Jen is also super judgmental and is mean to all the men in her life. Her most recent ex seems like he was a decent guy but thankfully escaped her and moved to another country. Jen is determined not to be controlled by any man and this apparently includes gestures of affection. She finds Russell attractive and agrees to a date with him. Then she rightfully rejects his non-consensual advances and is kind of cold to him. To be fair, Jen is messed up because she didn't grow up in a loving household. Her real father died in a plane crash when she was little and her stepdad, Gary, was abusive. Her narcissistic mother ignored the abuse and never misses an opportunity to criticize Jen and make everything all about her.
Althea sounds like she was a wonderful lady. She was raised by a single mother and grew up poor. Everyone seems to have missed this and wonders why she won't set foot on her husband's boat and was afraid of the water. HELLO! Did she have the opportunity for swimming lessons? Her mother couldn't afford a boat and in my city, an organization tries to teach Black kids how to swim to decrease drowning. Like the characters, we live by the ocean and I have heard water safety is a privilege taught to those who can afford it. Literally no one even cared about Althea's hopes and dreams. Oh she opened this bookstore, that's nice but it won't work because the local yokels are too dumb to read. (Which proves not to be true. They've all read Jen's book). Althea never had access to a library growing up and owning a bookstore was her dream. She entered a contest with an essay about what she would do with the money (open a bookstore). When she won, the money was supposed to be used for her store but apparently there were no legal restrictions and her husband spent some of Althea's money on a house and a boat. Um no. Red flags all around thank you bye. Yet Althea stayed with Tim and loved him- maybe? Or maybe she was about to file for divorce? A lot of details about her personal life come from Tim and also from Russell. What the heck? How does her employee know so much about her personal life when Tim rarely comes into the store?
Jen's BFF Brittany is a ride or die friend. I don't know why. She has to tag along on the investigation just to keep Jen safe and when she doesn't, Jen gets into trouble, which was obvious. Eric, a police officer and former high school classmate, is friendly and kind yet waaayy too obsessed with running. He thinks running will cure Jen's writer's block and tries to get her to run with him. He doesn't tell her what to wear or do before running but then critiques her shoes. She sees that as controlling but he's being honest! If she's going to run, she needs good running shoes, not her Nikes from the 90s that have seen better days. Jen is antagonistic with the detectives investigating the murder. Detective Olinski was Jen's high school boyfriend. They dated all four years and he expected her to give up her dreams and stay put, marry him and be Suzy Homemaker. HELL NO! She hates him because he didn't listen to her and he hates her because she didn't do what he wanted. That's no reason to accuse her of murder and he ought to be recused from the case but in a small town, it would be hard to find someone else to investigate. I don't know what bug crawled up Det. Havermayer's butt. She illegally searches Jen's apartment for... something? HELLO you need a warrant for that! She seems to be anatagonistic towards Jen for no good reason. Jen's neighbor, Charlie, seems to be a gender non-conforming individual who enjoys flirting with Jen/harassing Jen/annoying Jen. Jen appears to be homophobic and won't even look at this person because of their flamboyant clothes or really speak to this person. Yes NO means NO so Charlie should back off.
Tim, Althea's husband, seems nice enough but everyone else thinks he was controlling. It seems like he may have been gaslighting Althea but we only get other people's stories. She never confided in Jen. He reveals Althea was contacted by her ex, Marcus, who did time for robbery. Surely he must have wanted money. Marcus shared a prison cell with a guy who made bombs and Althea was bombed to death on Tim's boat. A-ha 2+2=4 and Jen thinks... MARCUS is her suspect. He seems like a nice guy who was raised right by his Mama but didn't have any opportunities to do anything productive in his teen years (he wasn't great at basketball) so he was on the streets doing and dealing drugs. He's clean now and did his time. He has two adorable daughters his mother is raising. Marcus's Mama, Vangie, fangirls Jen and seems to be pushing Jen and Marcus to get together. Um they only just met, Marcus hasn't been out of prison long and may be a murderer. His alibi seems fishy, or the timing of it anyway.
The store takes a bizarre turn once Jen learns another contest winner died in unusual circumstances. I started skimming there. Albert Sikazian runs the company that holds the "Your Life" contest. He may look like Santa Claus but he's a shady Santa. In spite of being perpetually drunk, Albert still reveals little but he seems super shady to me. Something is going on at this company and he surely is involved. His executive assistant, Edna, is creepy and seems protective of Albert. She doesn't want Jen and Brittany to meet him for some reason. She's surely involved in whatever is going on. Craig, the auditor, is about to discover what it is so wait for him to do his job and stop being lame and nosy. Who was Kingsley Franklin and why is Jen searching for the mystery man? Like he's going to tell her what she wants to know! She spends too much time fantasizing about what her characters would do and not enough time realizing there are real dangerous criminals out there who might want her dead.
Poor Althea is all I have to say. Needless to say I won't be reading more of this series.
August 26, 2023
het idee was echt super leuk, een cozy boekenwinkel waar murder mysteries wordt geschreven, maaaaar de hoofdpersoon was ondragelijk irritant
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