Murder at the Magical Bookshop

Story Keeper #1

by Emory Keller

Destiny comes knocking on your door eventually. You can either say 'hello' or spend the rest of your life running. Let's just say, I've never been much for exercising.

‘Welcome to the beautiful town of Elkin, Washington,’ I read the sign silently to myself as I stepped off the ferry and onto my pacific northwest island home.

I just inherited the family bookshop from my grandma. The Grandma was murdered, and I think I’m next.

With the killer hot on my trail, I have to stay sharp to stay one step ahead. Thank God, I have Vardon. He would rather die than let me go it alone. And it feels so good to see Charlie again, though I would never say it. I can see him looking at me the way he did in high school.

When a second body is found, it's not just human friends who show up to help. A mysterious stranger, a protective cat-shifter, and even the powerful secrets hidden within the bookshop all rally around me.

As the clouds gather and reality begins to fray at the edges, I have a choice to retreat back into my old life or embrace my destiny. With the fate of my home hanging in the balance, I know in my heart that there's only one path forward. But can I find the courage to take it?

One thing's for Grandma would be proud. If I could just see her one more time. She'd know exactly what to do.

Hold onto your hats, my friends! I can feel a storm in the air, and this one's a doozy.

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Fantasy, Cozy Mystery, Cozy

116 pages, ebook

Published March 19, 2023

About the author

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Hello, Magic Makers!

Emory Keller is an independent all-women writers' collaborative.

We put connection at the center of everything we do because Cozy Mystery is about community.

After all, relationships are magic. Life was meant to be shared, and playing as a team increases the value of everything we offer.

Join us on the journey and become part of the Emory Keller world.

Live the mystery and be the magic, together.

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sophie’s grandmother was murdered, so she inherits her grandmother’s bookshop. She quickly finds out her grandmother had a magical secret. And that secret was probably what got her grandmother killed. So now the killer might be coming after Sophie too.


The fantasy world building and the premise show potential. The mystery plot is good enough, considering the length of this story. There’s quite a bit of telling instead of showing in the beginning. But this does not overstay its welcome and helps get us toward the core of the story quicker. The characters all have potential but the story could have benefitted from fleshing them out a bit more, especially in the more character-driven scenes.


It’s quite straight forward in terms of plot, but solid. The characters show enough potential. And it’s a light and easy read, which is exactly what I was craving for. It’s quite short but it’s a solid cozy fantasy mystery story.

[Emmalynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Badly in need of an editor, the story switches between first and third person perspectives in the same sentence 😒😒. It’s an intriguing storyline but the follow through left much to be desired.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Murder at the Magical Bookshop sounded great, but I was disappointed by the repitition of certain plot points in quick succession and the flat characters. I couldn't identify with any of them and I felt the plot in the synopsis wasn't reflected in the book itself.I felt myself taken out of the story and finished it with a lot of difficulty as I wanted to know how it ended.

I just didn't really get into this book. I'll try the second book to see if it's more gripping.

It has a simple plot and some magic. There's a cat, so all good components for the tween age group. But as an adult looking for a fun cozy mystery, it fell short.

I think it could be made better by having better character development and not have parts of the plot repeated. The pace was rushed.

2 stars

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie Solace returns to her hometown of Elkin, Washington. Her grandmother has just died and she inherits her bookshop. Sophie quickly learns that her grandmother was murdered and she fears for her own life, as well.

Not only does she plan to find the killer, but she also must decide if she’s going to keep the bookshop or sell it. When another dead body turns up, Sophie is surrounded by friends who want to help her, including a cat-shifter.

This is an intriguing tale with some unique characters. It’s a fast read with an interesting premise. The book is filled with magic and mystery. It’s a nice way to spend an afternoon. This is the first book in the series and I’ll be sure to check out the next one.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy read, very enjoyable

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of potential marred by atrocious editing. The story itself has good bones and could have been a good introduction to the series were it not for a serious lack of editing. I dislike focusing reviews on editing issues, but errors were so prevalent that it was difficult to focus on the actual story.

[Meike de Dooij · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kind of feel bad, but it just wasn’t for me. It felt super rushed, and I understand that its a short book, but still. It does have a lot of potential though, so I think i’ll read part two some day as well.

[Yvonne Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not knowing you are magical and coming home to a murder is confusing. Finding your magic and solving the murder is rewarding.

[Kirsten Steele-Gonzalez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I liked the story and the characters, but several things felt rushed and some editing needed to happen. There were several places where the narration switched from first person to third person, like the story was originally written in third and then edited but not fully. Also, some of the emotional growth of the main character Sophie needed fleshing out. All in all, a nice quick read with likable characters and a good storyline.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy books with magical realism. This was a stretch for me. Magical characters appear, disappear, and it seems some of the townspeople have been aware for generations. Storykeepers who own bookstores. Pages going blank. Characters dropping in and out of stories. The energy pulling color out of the earth. I just had to let my mind not be analytical and just go with the flow. Familiars, ghosts, and shape shifters are part of a regular day. Traveling through portals and seeing the world through stories is not unusual! I think it was a fun book to escape into! I received this copy from BookSprout for my honest review.

[Vicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun story needs serious editing

This was a fun story, but… it is in need of serious editing. The characters are quirky and fun and I can see this becoming a cute series, but… there are slips of POV, tense, pronouns, etc. It’s more like a first draft than a finished story. The author has a good imagination, and knows *what* to write, but needs to learn *how* to write.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming cozey paranormal cozey mystery to investigate if you enjoy shapeshifters, women that sustain magic within men whom also carry a portion of their own magic and a deadly schemer wanting it all. The array of characters in this story live within a small island town they will each draw you in with their own unique stories while being enticed further through intrigue surrounding the murder of a beloved member of their community not long after is another mysterious death and three individual characters connected to the towns bookstore a magical bookstore will race against time trying to figure out what and who is behind these tragedies. The characters are bold, colorful and a little quirky the intriguing mystery adventurous and bringing it all together is the plot full of magical mayhem, wonder and a slowly unraveling history of the delightful bookstore and a group of magicals known
as the story keepers having you turning page after page until you reach the unexpected and climatic conclusion. Acquire " Murder at the Magical Bookshop " today so you yourself can enjoy this magical tale. Kat

[Larisa Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to this new series. I am excited to see what other adventures Sophie and her gang will have. As a book lover and anything magical I am always interested in reading books about magic and book stores and this one did not disappoint. Sophie is our heroine. She is an average human just living her life, then unexpectantly everything in her life turns upside. She need to decide if she will pull up her big girl panties and face the challenges head on or crawl away. Sadie, a cat she inherited with the book shop is a sweet surprise. When you read "Murder at the Magical Bookshop" you will be pulled into a world filled with magic, a mystery, murder, thievery, friendship, maybe a bit of romance and much more. Grab this book right away and be transported to a world full of adventure. Hang on tight we're in for a wild ride.

[NurseyByNature · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book overall with engaging characters, a decent murder mystery and quite a few twists. I liked Sophie and thought her interactions with Sadie and Ezra were humorous and witty.

The book starts up immediately and doesn't slow down for a moment and that's a good and a bad thing in a way. The good is that it was a fast-paced page turner. The not so good was that there were so many ideas and world-building thrown in so quickly that it could get a bit overwhelming.

Ultimately this is a first book by an author who clearly has done a lot of thinking about the world she's creating and is full of creative ideas. I think as the series goes on this will really benefit it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Liss Holley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute. It's definitely the kind of book that is just a quick, fun, cozy read, and it took almost no time at all to get through. I'd like to continue the series because it is so short that the characters lack depth. I think with more books as the series continues they can become more developed. My biggest problem with this was that it shifts from first person to third person a LOT, and it became a little bit confusing because I wasn't sure what was going on. I had to go back and reread parts where it did that so that I understood who we were talking about. It was a fun story, though, and it was definitely what I was looking for.

[Kay Cobbold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon Florence Solace’s death, Sophie Solace returns to her hometown for her grandmother’s funeral, wondering whether to keep her grandmother‘s bookshop or to sell it. before she can make the decision, she is drawn into a magical life, which she never knew existed, as she tries to solve her grandmother’s murder. I thoroughly enjoyed how Sophie became aware of her role as a Story Keeper and faced dangers from which she’d been protected all her life; investigating alongside Ezra and her familiar Sadie. If you love fantasy and magic, along with a fast, moving plot, this one’s for you.

['S just my opinion · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s a very quick read. The characters are few, very simply developed, and stereotypical. The plot was not unique.The premise was okay.

The writing is poor. One example: the majority of the book is first person point of view, yet there are instances of third person popping in randomly.
“None of them broke into a sweat as they tromped over the sand, which was a relief because I wasn’t a fan of heatstroke …” ??? This is very jarring. Why isn’t the group the main character is in being referred to as “us/we”? Where was the editor for this novel???

[Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid cozy fantasy/mystery to get in the mood for spooky season in a chill, non-scary way.

I love how the centre of all magic in this story is books. All the descriptions of the world building around it make it feel very wholesome.

There isn’t much character development, considering the shortness of the story, though I would still consider it adequate.

Sure, there are many clichés and plot holes, plus the writing is quite redundant at times, but it didn’t take from my enjoyment. I was craving a low stakes, October-worthy story, and I’m content with what this book delivered.

[Linda "Lilybug's Library" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie inherited a magical book store from her Grandmother who was murdered. It's not until she arrives there does she realize all of her grandmother's secrets and how they relate to magic. Sophie's character was very sweet, but strong and persistent. She had a great friendship with Vernon ad the coffee shop where she used to spend her time and he's like a Grandfather to her. I thought the plot was good as she tried to embrace and figure out her magic and I can see a love story maybe developing between her and the town's detective in future stories.

[Jennifer, Just beyond normal ♑ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seems to have good reviews, but for me, I had such a hard time reading it. Maybe it was my version of the kindle story, but there were so many errors in it. I spent so much time going back and re-reading just to make it make sense. It seemed to be written from different point of views in same paragraph. I am sure there is a more scholarly way of describing that and for the life of me I can't find the word. Like first person, then third person or whatever. Anyway, I wish I would have liked it more.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a good mystery and magic then you'll love this. I got a free copy from Booksprout and thoroughly enjoyed it and am happy to review it.
Sophie inherits a bookstore from her Gran when she realises it might be more than an thought, and then there's a dead body to contend with. She needs to solve the mystery to save the town and possibly herself too. I look forward to reading more about Sophie and her exploits.

[Lcr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder at the Magical Bookshop is an interesting and quirky paranormal story. It is a stand-alone book as well as the first book in a new series.

The characters are great and I particularly like Sadie in all her forms. This book will appeal to all paranormal and cozy fans as well as anyone looking for a quick, easy read. I definitely recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going home for the funeral of her grandmother Sophie finds out that she is actually magical. It was a definite shock and the fact that her grandmother's assistant is a shape shifter doesn't help. Ezra the agent from the Storykeeper's Guild is also here to help. There is a theft from the bookstore that causes the brightness to be drained from the world and Sophie finds out that there are bunches of magical people around her to help. Fun story.

[monacia williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Magic of the stories

For me this was a different kind of magical story. The magic comes about in a different way, very different from the usually, although the surprise re not knowing of its existence remained the same. There was not much excitement in the book, as a matter of fact if the murders were omitted, the story would be a suitable tale for a child.
The switching of the he/she, they/them/their pronouns was irritating.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is essentially a short story. At 116 pages, does it qualify as a novella? It barely gets going before it's over. It wasn't really long enough for any character development. But, it seems like the magic system is going to work with our current real world. It's a decent beginning to a new series, I definitely see some promise. If you're a fan of short, easy, cozy mysteries, give this one a try.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

terrible editing - should be written as a child’s book

I managed to make it through even with the terrible shifting from first to third person throughout the entire book. There were some adult themes, but I think this could be written as a children’s type story and be more satisfying. Character development was a bit weak, and the plot jumped a bit. I wanted to like this more but it had some flaws.

[L KQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic and Murder

Story books meets magic! Wow what a premise imbued with murder, mystery and danger. Great world building and character development that made this story highly entertaining and exciting to read. I really enjoyed the little nuances within the story that Sophie came across as she accepts her destiny.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Federica De dominicis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved how the magic works!

I absolutely loved the world the Author has created and how magic works in it. The characters need a bit more of love but for a series starter the premises are more than good. Can't wait to read the next book and see how things are going to develop.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lizz Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun novella that I wish had existed when I was a teenager (not that it is written for a younger audience specifically). I can't wait for more adventures with Sophie, Sadie and Ezra. I also am looking to more back story of Sadie and Ezra which this short story didn't have room for. And I look forward to Sophie learning more about what it means to be Story Keeper. The opportunities for adventure seem endless!

[Frances Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Very interesting story. Seriously needs editing for wrong words eg. "rouge keepers" should be rogue keepers. Frequent misuse of first person and third person for the same person in the same sentence. The story line is very good. I look forward to more from this author. by