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Seabreeze Bookshop #8
A Club of Murder
A group of four old friends visits Somerset Harbor and stays in a row of up-scale rental houses on the beach. Known in their youth as the Magical Mischief Makers, they are now retired from highly esteemed careers. At her Seabreeze Bookshop, Rue Collier plans to continue a tradition her gran had set with the group she liked so a book discussion.
But when one of the four is found face-down in a tide pool, Rue finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. Desperate for a distraction, the remaining three friends insist that the book club must go on—which gives Rue the opportunity to design “book discussion questions” as a way to fish for clues.
Will Rue dig through the group’s sullied past as carnival workers in order to find the motive—and the killer? Or will she unwittingly end up as the next target?
This fun-filled and clean bookshop cozy mystery will have you guessing until the very end.
But when one of the four is found face-down in a tide pool, Rue finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. Desperate for a distraction, the remaining three friends insist that the book club must go on—which gives Rue the opportunity to design “book discussion questions” as a way to fish for clues.
Will Rue dig through the group’s sullied past as carnival workers in order to find the motive—and the killer? Or will she unwittingly end up as the next target?
This fun-filled and clean bookshop cozy mystery will have you guessing until the very end.
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2023
137 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Penny Brooke
46 books67 followersPenny Brooke has been reading mysteries for as long as she can remember. When not penning her own stories, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, crocheting, and cozying up with her pups and a good novel.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 18, 2023
This series is one of my comfort cozy mystery series. I really enjoy spending time with Rue, Elizabeth, and Andy. Saw the ending of this one coming pretty quickly, not the biggest mystery of the series. Just an easy, enjoyable story.
May 11, 2023
This is the 8th book in a cozy mystery series set in Somerset Harbor, and centers on the Seabreeze Bookshop run by Rue, for her Grandmother who is off travelling. Rue spent her summers in the small town and feels like she's come home. Rue has a habit of getting involved in solving the murders which happen in the town, much to the consternation of her friend Andy, an ex policeman now Private Investigator who is called in now and again to help the local Sheriffs department.
The bookshop is also home to Rue's menagerie of pets, Gatsby the gorgeous dog, Ollie and Beasley the cats and Zeke the Parrot who typically repeats things he's heard in the bookshop.
This book is about a group of friends who have spent a week or so each Summer in the holiday rental houses on the beach. They grew up nearby and have done very well for themselves and now they've retired, or nearly retired, from high powered careers, they are talking time for themselves. Rue's Grandmother used to run a book club for them during their stay, so Rue does the same. When one of them is found murdered, Rue tries to find out what happened and why, but she unknowingly puts herself in harm's way, could she be next?
This is a really good cozy mystery series, all the books are standalone stories, no cliffhangers. I've read all the books as they've been released, they're all great reads which kept me guessing til the end. The books are best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters and series.
If you're a fan of cozy mystery, then give this series a try; this author has other cozy mystery series as well, which are equally as good, The Word Travels Mobile Bookshop and The Garden Cove Library Cozy Mystery Series; there's another, the Castle Tours of Ireland cozy mystery series but I've not read those yet. Penny has also written paranormal mystery series, they are on my To Be Read list.
The bookshop is also home to Rue's menagerie of pets, Gatsby the gorgeous dog, Ollie and Beasley the cats and Zeke the Parrot who typically repeats things he's heard in the bookshop.
This book is about a group of friends who have spent a week or so each Summer in the holiday rental houses on the beach. They grew up nearby and have done very well for themselves and now they've retired, or nearly retired, from high powered careers, they are talking time for themselves. Rue's Grandmother used to run a book club for them during their stay, so Rue does the same. When one of them is found murdered, Rue tries to find out what happened and why, but she unknowingly puts herself in harm's way, could she be next?
This is a really good cozy mystery series, all the books are standalone stories, no cliffhangers. I've read all the books as they've been released, they're all great reads which kept me guessing til the end. The books are best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters and series.
If you're a fan of cozy mystery, then give this series a try; this author has other cozy mystery series as well, which are equally as good, The Word Travels Mobile Bookshop and The Garden Cove Library Cozy Mystery Series; there's another, the Castle Tours of Ireland cozy mystery series but I've not read those yet. Penny has also written paranormal mystery series, they are on my To Be Read list.
May 14, 2023
The Magical Mischief Makers are coming to town, do I need to say more 😉. If you are acquainted with the “Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery Series” you already know what to expect, if you aren’t be assured to get your fill of mystery, coziness, and entertainment.
Rue is very excited to be able to host the MMM (Magical Mischief Makers) following the tradition of her late Grandma, thus as one of the members ended up dead (following Rue’s own tradition 😊), she decided that the book club must go on at all costs, with a specially designed “discussion questionary” to catch the killer.
„A Club of Murder“ is the eight instalment in Penny Brooke’s “A Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery”, a delightful mystery delightful series, whose heroine (Rue Collier) loosely resembles a slightly younger version of that unforgettable Jessica Fletcher character (Murder She Wrote). Rue left the big city to take over her aunt’s bookshop at Seabreeze four murder cases ago, and by know she has cemented her reputation as a successful town sleuth. Another clean, fun, bookshop cozy mystery series that invites the reader to guess along while enjoying a comfy evening with a good cup of tea (or beverage of choice). Hygge for the literate, without any extra fuss or effort 😉
Rue is very excited to be able to host the MMM (Magical Mischief Makers) following the tradition of her late Grandma, thus as one of the members ended up dead (following Rue’s own tradition 😊), she decided that the book club must go on at all costs, with a specially designed “discussion questionary” to catch the killer.
„A Club of Murder“ is the eight instalment in Penny Brooke’s “A Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery”, a delightful mystery delightful series, whose heroine (Rue Collier) loosely resembles a slightly younger version of that unforgettable Jessica Fletcher character (Murder She Wrote). Rue left the big city to take over her aunt’s bookshop at Seabreeze four murder cases ago, and by know she has cemented her reputation as a successful town sleuth. Another clean, fun, bookshop cozy mystery series that invites the reader to guess along while enjoying a comfy evening with a good cup of tea (or beverage of choice). Hygge for the literate, without any extra fuss or effort 😉
February 6, 2025
Excellent book!!!!
I really love this series!!!!
Rue and Jan are discussing the group coming to Sea breeze at the Beachside Rentals Jan has bought and fixed up. The group is a book club Rue's grandmother started and they are returning to have Rue lead the book club.
Jan planned a cookout for the group and Rue was helping. The guests arrive and get settled, as they have arrived at the cookout and relaxing around the fire pit they are telling Rue and Jan about what has been going on in their lives. One of the guests believe in spirit warning is telling the group there is danger around them, but the group won't explain a part of their lives when they were teens.
Rue felt something was very wrong, when one of the guests had said "Darkest of the Dark."
And that is when the groups emotions changed and so did the events after.
Murder, attempted murder, and poisoning.
Who could it be someone in the group and why? Rue has to figure out when she called Andy and filled him in.
Now all you have to do is get this book to find out what happened!!!!!
You won't be disappointed but SHOCKED!!!!
I really love this series!!!!
Rue and Jan are discussing the group coming to Sea breeze at the Beachside Rentals Jan has bought and fixed up. The group is a book club Rue's grandmother started and they are returning to have Rue lead the book club.
Jan planned a cookout for the group and Rue was helping. The guests arrive and get settled, as they have arrived at the cookout and relaxing around the fire pit they are telling Rue and Jan about what has been going on in their lives. One of the guests believe in spirit warning is telling the group there is danger around them, but the group won't explain a part of their lives when they were teens.
Rue felt something was very wrong, when one of the guests had said "Darkest of the Dark."
And that is when the groups emotions changed and so did the events after.
Murder, attempted murder, and poisoning.
Who could it be someone in the group and why? Rue has to figure out when she called Andy and filled him in.
Now all you have to do is get this book to find out what happened!!!!!
You won't be disappointed but SHOCKED!!!!
May 13, 2023
It was fun to visit Somerset Harbor again while Rue was being book club host to a group of friends her Gran made. She felt she was just carrying on Gran's job while her sweet grandma did some much-deserved traveling. Unfortunately one of the book club friends was murdered so of course Rue felt close to the group because of her grandma and couldn't not investigate.
Gran cracked me up when she told Rue she wanted to basically do a video call but the names she had for service were pretty funny! You gotta read it in context for the full effect though. I had a feeling partway through the book as to whodunit but wasn't really sure why, although it was great how Rue managed to get the perp to where they had to spill all--it was almost accidental, lol. I'm sure it was hard to tell her group of new friends goodbye, but they had a fun solution for that! It'll be interesting to see if the next book gets devoted to that or not, and I'll be borrowing it in KU as soon as it's available!
Gran cracked me up when she told Rue she wanted to basically do a video call but the names she had for service were pretty funny! You gotta read it in context for the full effect though. I had a feeling partway through the book as to whodunit but wasn't really sure why, although it was great how Rue managed to get the perp to where they had to spill all--it was almost accidental, lol. I'm sure it was hard to tell her group of new friends goodbye, but they had a fun solution for that! It'll be interesting to see if the next book gets devoted to that or not, and I'll be borrowing it in KU as soon as it's available!
May 25, 2023
Seven out of ten
This series had been on my wish list for a while now, and when I saw this could be read as a standalone, I jumped on it. A bookstore, a cat, fun-filled combined with a mystery? Sign me up! But then I started and I didn’t take to Rue. I didn’t take to the style of writing. The way the story is built, the way the mystery is set up, was not quite to my liking. I didn’t see the fun that I was promised. Yes, it was a clean story and a twisty mystery, that much was true. And I did see how the setting was cozy and the case itself intriguing. And I definitely enjoyed certain parts of it. It was a fast read,and it wasn’t bad, not at all, but I have to say that it’s not one of my favorite cozies out there.
This series had been on my wish list for a while now, and when I saw this could be read as a standalone, I jumped on it. A bookstore, a cat, fun-filled combined with a mystery? Sign me up! But then I started and I didn’t take to Rue. I didn’t take to the style of writing. The way the story is built, the way the mystery is set up, was not quite to my liking. I didn’t see the fun that I was promised. Yes, it was a clean story and a twisty mystery, that much was true. And I did see how the setting was cozy and the case itself intriguing. And I definitely enjoyed certain parts of it. It was a fast read,and it wasn’t bad, not at all, but I have to say that it’s not one of my favorite cozies out there.
May 19, 2023
A Club of Murder is the 8th book in the Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery series set in Somerset Harbor, and centers on the Seabreeze Bookshop run by Rue, the main character who is a book store owner and amateur sleuth. This is a really good cozy mystery series, all the books are standalone stories, no cliffhangers. I've read all the books as they've been released, they're all great reads which kept me guessing til the end. The books are best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters and series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 16, 2023
Rue is back, this time with the Magical Mischief Makers, a group of now retired friends her grandmother was known to hold a book discussion for.
However, when one turns up dead, Rue starts to wonder what kind of mischief they got into to have warranted such an end. Not a stranger to real life murder mysteries herself, she tries to discover the killer especially when she almost becomes a victim herself.
Another clean cozy mystery for a book lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
However, when one turns up dead, Rue starts to wonder what kind of mischief they got into to have warranted such an end. Not a stranger to real life murder mysteries herself, she tries to discover the killer especially when she almost becomes a victim herself.
Another clean cozy mystery for a book lover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 18, 2023
You will love following the characters and getting to know them as they work to solve this mystery of who dun it. An entertaining story that holds your attention from the first page to the last page. A great addition to a great series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 2, 2024
Magic and mystery
I really hate to give a 5 when the people that die are people I think should live forever. Great story and always with a twist and a turn. On to the next in the series. I’ve read the first 7 in the series in the past week. Indication it’s well worth the purchase.
I really hate to give a 5 when the people that die are people I think should live forever. Great story and always with a twist and a turn. On to the next in the series. I’ve read the first 7 in the series in the past week. Indication it’s well worth the purchase.
May 13, 2023
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. The culprit is a complete surprise and I liked how the capture came about. Unfortunately Rue's curiosity gets her poisoned but luckily not enough to be deadly.
May 15, 2023
Rue has her hands full of mystery and the past of guests at the beach. Between running the book store and having book discussions. This is a good read with some twists to it. I would recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 18, 2023
Wonderful characters to follow as they try to solve the mystery. Hooks you from the beginning and keeps you guessing until the end. There are lots of twists and turns in this story. Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 20, 2023
FANTASTIC
This was a Fantastic Series. I hope there will be more books coming in this Series. Excellent Writing. I read these 8 Books in 3 Days. They were hard to put down. Ms. Penny Brooke, please add more books on to this Series.
This was a Fantastic Series. I hope there will be more books coming in this Series. Excellent Writing. I read these 8 Books in 3 Days. They were hard to put down. Ms. Penny Brooke, please add more books on to this Series.
May 30, 2023
A Club of Murder is the eighth book in the Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery series. I am enjoying this series. Stories about Rue and the Magical Mischief Makers are fun to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 7, 2025
Another excellent addition to the series
In the latest book Rue herself is in danger among others. Lots of suspects that all appear to possibly be the culprit. Not until the end does the guilty party appear. A fun read looking forward to the next book.
In the latest book Rue herself is in danger among others. Lots of suspects that all appear to possibly be the culprit. Not until the end does the guilty party appear. A fun read looking forward to the next book.
May 15, 2023
lethal vengeance against terrors and hidden consequences for near forgotten sins of the past
action packed intense drama and suspense
action packed intense drama and suspense
May 17, 2023
This was an enjoyable story. I like Rue. I liked the story line. It was an interesting murder mystery.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 31, 2023
A very good series
Good clean mystery with interesting characters. I have enjoyed all of these I have read and look forward to more. I highly recommend this series and author!
Good clean mystery with interesting characters. I have enjoyed all of these I have read and look forward to more. I highly recommend this series and author!
September 5, 2023
Enjoying this series!!
A good story! I enjoyed the interactions of the “ongoing” characters and the new characters that were introduced and how the mystery was solved
A good story! I enjoyed the interactions of the “ongoing” characters and the new characters that were introduced and how the mystery was solved
December 28, 2025
good book
Yet another interesting book in this series. Rue always seems involved somehow in these stories which also includes Andy as her police contact.
Yet another interesting book in this series. Rue always seems involved somehow in these stories which also includes Andy as her police contact.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews