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A Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery #1
A Bookshop to Die For
Ditching her fiancé at the altar, Alice Hartford bolts to her childhood hometown to reconnect with the last, happy remnant of her her mom's old bookstore.
But the bookstore is falling apart. And when a handyman working there falls to his death, the local chief of police insists it's an accident. Alice knows better and must put her detective skills to the test — before a determined developer destroys her last chance at a new beginning.
Join Alice in book 1 of the Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery Series for a twisty, feel-good cozy mystery that celebrates books, friendship, and the courage to start anew.
But the bookstore is falling apart. And when a handyman working there falls to his death, the local chief of police insists it's an accident. Alice knows better and must put her detective skills to the test — before a determined developer destroys her last chance at a new beginning.
Join Alice in book 1 of the Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery Series for a twisty, feel-good cozy mystery that celebrates books, friendship, and the courage to start anew.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2023
892 people are currently reading
1175 people want to read
About the author
M.P. Black
17 books30 followersHey there — I’m M.P. Black, and I write fun cozies with an emphasis on food, books, and travel. And, of course, a good old murder mystery.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
December 26, 2024
If you are looking for a heartwarming, cozy mystery that has lots of twists and turns, look no further!! This book is about friendships, second chances, love of reading books, a community coming together in a small town named Blithedale, helping Alice, aka the runaway bride, save her mothers bookshop because it's falling apart. Alice thinks that she is running away from love but actually falls right into it!! She has created a network of lovely friends and I really enjoyed watching these friendships blossom into strong bonds. It's also full of faith.
Alice is a witness to the murder of Vince, the local handyman fall to his death. She is consumed with trying to solve his murder. Have fun trying to guess who killed Vince in a long line of suspects!! I narrowed it down to two people and I was half right!! Yay!!!
I really loved this one!! It's just fun and exciting!! 💛 A nice, light read.
I highly recommend this one to everyone who loves to read! It's the first of a series, but can be read as a stand alone 😄.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨📚
Alice is a witness to the murder of Vince, the local handyman fall to his death. She is consumed with trying to solve his murder. Have fun trying to guess who killed Vince in a long line of suspects!! I narrowed it down to two people and I was half right!! Yay!!!
I really loved this one!! It's just fun and exciting!! 💛 A nice, light read.
I highly recommend this one to everyone who loves to read! It's the first of a series, but can be read as a stand alone 😄.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨📚
January 5, 2024
Maybe 2.5 stars?
I really wanted to like this. Cozy mystery? Bookstore in a small town? Group of women working together to support and help each other? It sounded like the perfect formula for a cozy, easy read. Unfortunately, the characters felt like flat, 2D caricatures, and it all felt so unbelievable, it was hard to stay engaged in the story or care about what happened to the characters. I could not picture the police chief as anything other than a cartoon character. The story had so much promise but sadly fell flat for me.
I really wanted to like this. Cozy mystery? Bookstore in a small town? Group of women working together to support and help each other? It sounded like the perfect formula for a cozy, easy read. Unfortunately, the characters felt like flat, 2D caricatures, and it all felt so unbelievable, it was hard to stay engaged in the story or care about what happened to the characters. I could not picture the police chief as anything other than a cartoon character. The story had so much promise but sadly fell flat for me.
December 27, 2023
I loved this.
Jam packed with a good mystery, themes of friendship, self love and looking out for yourself and community. It was a nice low stress read, the mystery kept me engrossed but without any anxiety some mysteries can entail, which was exactly what this tired healthcare worker needed!
I read this in one sitting! Immediately brought book No. 2. Can’t wait to spend more time with the characters.
Jam packed with a good mystery, themes of friendship, self love and looking out for yourself and community. It was a nice low stress read, the mystery kept me engrossed but without any anxiety some mysteries can entail, which was exactly what this tired healthcare worker needed!
I read this in one sitting! Immediately brought book No. 2. Can’t wait to spend more time with the characters.
December 7, 2024
Cute, but the chapters being so short was incredibly distracting.
January 1, 2024
Love how light of a read it is. Definitely worth reading the rest of the series.
February 4, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ Cute story about a woman returning to the town she lived in as a child. I liked her friends Ona and Becca as well as the small town charm. The book seemed similar to a cheesy hallmark movie for me. Light and easy to read on a rainy day.
April 15, 2024
Cute, cozy and uncomplicated.
June 17, 2025
5⭐
this was such a sweet and heart-warming cozy mystery! i love how our main character, alice, ran back to her hometown and befriended the inn owner, ona, and diner owner, becca, to help her solve the death of someone who died in the town's bookstore. most of the townspeople were so nice and i really connected with them, especially with alice, ona, and becca. i really loved the book and would love to read the others in the series!
°˖✧ fave quotes: ✧˖°
• ""a bookstore holds treasures that look different to every person," her mom had said. "what you find, won't be what i find, because the magic will make sure you find precisely what you need."" [page 14 • chapter 4]
• ""...and remember what charles dickens wrote, 'the most important thing in life is to stop saying "i wish" and start saying "i will.'"" [page 38 • chapter 10]
• ""you read widely." "to me, it's like travel. the whole point is to go from where you began."" [page 196 • chapter 53]
°˖✧ 📖 ✧˖°
this was such a sweet and heart-warming cozy mystery! i love how our main character, alice, ran back to her hometown and befriended the inn owner, ona, and diner owner, becca, to help her solve the death of someone who died in the town's bookstore. most of the townspeople were so nice and i really connected with them, especially with alice, ona, and becca. i really loved the book and would love to read the others in the series!
°˖✧ fave quotes: ✧˖°
• ""a bookstore holds treasures that look different to every person," her mom had said. "what you find, won't be what i find, because the magic will make sure you find precisely what you need."" [page 14 • chapter 4]
• ""...and remember what charles dickens wrote, 'the most important thing in life is to stop saying "i wish" and start saying "i will.'"" [page 38 • chapter 10]
• ""you read widely." "to me, it's like travel. the whole point is to go from where you began."" [page 196 • chapter 53]
°˖✧ 📖 ✧˖°
December 16, 2024
*DNF*
Pros: no profanity.
Cons: a lot going on without drawing this reader’s interest.
Overall: A runaway bride leaves the altar to return to her hometown and the bookstore her mother once owned. A murder takes place. After nine chapters, we don’t know much about her almost-wedding, the murder, or the fate of the bookstore. This reader felt like we were covering a lot of characters and situations without really getting anywhere in any of the three major aforementioned subjects, while also failing to draw interest into any part of the narrative.
Summary: This book has potential. I felt like there could be a fun story here, but I wasn’t interested enough to read chapters ten and beyond. I received a free copy and I thank the author for the opportunity to read their work.
Pros: no profanity.
Cons: a lot going on without drawing this reader’s interest.
Overall: A runaway bride leaves the altar to return to her hometown and the bookstore her mother once owned. A murder takes place. After nine chapters, we don’t know much about her almost-wedding, the murder, or the fate of the bookstore. This reader felt like we were covering a lot of characters and situations without really getting anywhere in any of the three major aforementioned subjects, while also failing to draw interest into any part of the narrative.
Summary: This book has potential. I felt like there could be a fun story here, but I wasn’t interested enough to read chapters ten and beyond. I received a free copy and I thank the author for the opportunity to read their work.
April 30, 2025
Dit boek was zo verrassend leuk.
Ik had een kort boekje nodig die ik in 3,5 dag uit zou kunnen lezen. Ik zat naast mijn nicht en heb haar laten kiezen uit mijn Kindle bibliotheek.
Ik ging blind dit boek in, wist niet waar het over ging want deze is gratis op Amazon voor de kindle en de cover zag er cute uit.
In dit boek volg je Alice, die weg gerend is van haar bruiloft, ze beland in het stadje Blithedale, als ze haar moeders boekenwinkel bezoekt, gebeurt er een tragisch ongeval met de Klusjesman Vince als Alice in de boekenwinkel is.
Alice is vastbesloten de dader te vinden en de boekenwinkel te redden.
Dit boek was super leuk, ik was echt goed verrast door wat er gebeurde. Ik zag ook het einde totaal niet aankomen! Echt zeker een aanrader als je van Cozy Mystery houd!
Ik had een kort boekje nodig die ik in 3,5 dag uit zou kunnen lezen. Ik zat naast mijn nicht en heb haar laten kiezen uit mijn Kindle bibliotheek.
Ik ging blind dit boek in, wist niet waar het over ging want deze is gratis op Amazon voor de kindle en de cover zag er cute uit.
In dit boek volg je Alice, die weg gerend is van haar bruiloft, ze beland in het stadje Blithedale, als ze haar moeders boekenwinkel bezoekt, gebeurt er een tragisch ongeval met de Klusjesman Vince als Alice in de boekenwinkel is.
Alice is vastbesloten de dader te vinden en de boekenwinkel te redden.
Dit boek was super leuk, ik was echt goed verrast door wat er gebeurde. Ik zag ook het einde totaal niet aankomen! Echt zeker een aanrader als je van Cozy Mystery houd!
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November 20, 2024I think there is a reason I don't normally go into cozy mysteries. I always find my eyes rolling into the back of my head more times than not.
Nothing against this author's writing but I found somethings quite ridiculous. I didn't like the story or the characters. About 20% through I took a guess who the killer was then skipped to the end. I was wrong in a sense but the guy I guessed
I am just going to count this as a loss and move on.
Nothing against this author's writing but I found somethings quite ridiculous. I didn't like the story or the characters. About 20% through I took a guess who the killer was then skipped to the end. I was wrong in a sense but the guy I guessed
I am just going to count this as a loss and move on.
June 4, 2025
To be honest, Alice is one of the stupidest and selfish character I’ve read so far. As a detective-wannebe she got caught a lot and act on impulsivity. I’m not a detective myself, but as someone who wants to solve a crime or whatnot, you have to have a thorough plan, but I guess this is what the authors intention — to build a character that clearly shows how imperfect a human can be. There’s actually no character development, as the story progresses, the character’s development went downhill. Anyways, I like how Alice portray at the end that love cannot always be found in romantic relationship, but with friendship, and the place that you are in.
March 13, 2025
Cute murder mystery
I enjoyed this cozy small town murder mystery. The characters are fun and loveable. The small town is peaceful. The plot kept you guessing, but if you pay attention at the beginning you can figure out who the killer is really quickly.
I enjoyed this cozy small town murder mystery. The characters are fun and loveable. The small town is peaceful. The plot kept you guessing, but if you pay attention at the beginning you can figure out who the killer is really quickly.
February 25, 2024
This was a cute little kind of cozy mystery.
August 6, 2024
Nice palette cleanser read, not much depth and kind of predictable. Cute feelgood story about finding your own hapiness while solving a murder mystery at the same time.
August 30, 2024
Het boek is simpel geschreven, dus perfect voor tussendoor. erg cute en cozy. zie het al helemaal voor me :)
November 19, 2024
A cute, quirky cozy mystery.
March 10, 2025
3,75⭐️
A bit predictable but still a fun read
A bit predictable but still a fun read
January 25, 2024
Cute short read
July 18, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
February 29, 2024
This book was a very quick and easy read. It wasn't a bad book but it was very predictable and just overall wasn't my favorite.
It was set in a cozy town and had a nice family story however that is where the levels ended for me. I didn't necessarily care about the protagonist and for me that is a big thing for me when I read a book. I would give this author another read but probably not in this series.
It was set in a cozy town and had a nice family story however that is where the levels ended for me. I didn't necessarily care about the protagonist and for me that is a big thing for me when I read a book. I would give this author another read but probably not in this series.
December 30, 2023
I got this book on stuff-your-kindle-day for free and honestly I wouldn’t have paid for it. The story is not bad but the execution is poorly done. It’s very hard to connect with the characters and the whole story doesn’t feel believable at all.
February 9, 2024
If Virgin River (Netflix series) and Hallmark Christmas movies had a love child, it would be this book - just with a murder.
Easy read but rushed character development and felt more like the author was telling us the story rather than showing us how it unfolds.
Easy read but rushed character development and felt more like the author was telling us the story rather than showing us how it unfolds.
February 7, 2024
2.5⭐️
really wanted to love this book because it sounded right up my street but it was just a little meh for me sadly
really wanted to love this book because it sounded right up my street but it was just a little meh for me sadly
March 10, 2024
A bride runs into a bookshop, finds the magic cupboard, sees and book, sees a murderer running away, meets the owners of a diner and an inn, solvers a murder while falling in love with a town.
Back in the city, Alice was working as a bookshop manager and about to marry the owner, Richard. She calls him Rich, probably because that’s what he’s there to be, the rich boyfriend, but he’s awfully clingy, one of the over attentive type that would drive me nuts. And apparently, Alice finally work up to the same reaction, so she ran. She ran all the way back to the bookshop her late mother used to own, where she goes and hides in the ‘magic cupboard’ her mother built her to read in as a child.
Then she hears the hunky handyman fall from the scaffolding, and sees a figure running past as she tries to get back out of the cupboard, something quite difficult given that it was built for a child not a full-grown adult, and she’s wearing a massive-skirted wedding dress.
Kind of sounds like a joke, but it’s not. It’s a cosy mystery, and quite a sweet little one at that. There is some falling in love, but it’s falling in love with both oneself and with friends.
There are a surprising number of characters in the novel, but they are all distinguishable, and fun. They all have a purpose in the prose. The bad guys are a touch on the stereotypical, but they work in this scenario. The Major is described as Mark Twain but read a little Colonel Saunders.
One of the things that made me smile is that there’s a book shop in this book and a lot of the places are book themed, from the diner called “What the Dickens Dinner” to the “Pemberly Inn”. So, Austen and Dicken fans can have fun with the references. Then there are the books in the books store which are referenced and it’s a bit of a crowd pleaser here, because writers from all over the world are mentioned, a fair few of whom I’ve read and one I’ve actually met!
I read this in a day, it’s sweet, it’s easy to read, and the mystery has enough substance and sufficient suspects to keep it interesting. It wasn’t the most difficult crime in the world to solve, but it wasn’t patently obvious from the start either, which some cosies fall into the trap of. Not to hard and not to easy, so just right as Goldilocks might say.
This is the first of five in the series, and I might read some more of them in the future, but not in a rush, you know? I would recommend this as a holiday read or a palate cleanser, or just a brain wipe. It’s a bit of fun and readers should enjoy it as such.
Back in the city, Alice was working as a bookshop manager and about to marry the owner, Richard. She calls him Rich, probably because that’s what he’s there to be, the rich boyfriend, but he’s awfully clingy, one of the over attentive type that would drive me nuts. And apparently, Alice finally work up to the same reaction, so she ran. She ran all the way back to the bookshop her late mother used to own, where she goes and hides in the ‘magic cupboard’ her mother built her to read in as a child.
Then she hears the hunky handyman fall from the scaffolding, and sees a figure running past as she tries to get back out of the cupboard, something quite difficult given that it was built for a child not a full-grown adult, and she’s wearing a massive-skirted wedding dress.
Kind of sounds like a joke, but it’s not. It’s a cosy mystery, and quite a sweet little one at that. There is some falling in love, but it’s falling in love with both oneself and with friends.
There are a surprising number of characters in the novel, but they are all distinguishable, and fun. They all have a purpose in the prose. The bad guys are a touch on the stereotypical, but they work in this scenario. The Major is described as Mark Twain but read a little Colonel Saunders.
One of the things that made me smile is that there’s a book shop in this book and a lot of the places are book themed, from the diner called “What the Dickens Dinner” to the “Pemberly Inn”. So, Austen and Dicken fans can have fun with the references. Then there are the books in the books store which are referenced and it’s a bit of a crowd pleaser here, because writers from all over the world are mentioned, a fair few of whom I’ve read and one I’ve actually met!
I read this in a day, it’s sweet, it’s easy to read, and the mystery has enough substance and sufficient suspects to keep it interesting. It wasn’t the most difficult crime in the world to solve, but it wasn’t patently obvious from the start either, which some cosies fall into the trap of. Not to hard and not to easy, so just right as Goldilocks might say.
This is the first of five in the series, and I might read some more of them in the future, but not in a rush, you know? I would recommend this as a holiday read or a palate cleanser, or just a brain wipe. It’s a bit of fun and readers should enjoy it as such.
September 2, 2024
If you are looking for an easy, fun, mystery that is a light one-day read, then look no further than A bookshop to Die For by M.P. Black. This is the perfect book to dive into while sitting in a waiting room or spending time in your favorite coffee shop or wine cafe. While billed as a mystery, the plot is so uncomplicated that you can easily be interrupted while reading and not worry that you’ve missed a key point or subtle foreshadowing.
A Bookshop to Die For is the first book in the Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery series. Cozy and charming are the perfect words to describe this initial introduction to the small town of Blithedale. Immediately upon arrival, we are thrust into a mystery regarding the death of the local handyman, Vince Malone. We join runaway bride, Alice Hartford, as she attempts to discover whether his death was a tragic accident or something far more sinister.
As Alice hides from her jilted groom, she searches for clues taking up the mantle of amateur detective once worn by her late mother. During her search, Alice learns more about herself while pondering themes of contentment, friendship, home and love. As she does so, she meets a variety of Blithedale residents along the way. As she explores her past while pondering her future, Alice must beware as there could be a killer within this idyllic town.
While the book contains mature subjects such as a possible murder and adultery, the writing contains no profanity, explicit violence nor sexual scenes. The book is appropriate for young adults as well as older readers.
I received this book for free during a Stuff Your Kindle day on Amazon. A quick check, finds that the e-version of the book can be purchased on Amazon for .99 cents. Whereas, the paperback version will cost you $9.99.
Readers on Amazon give this book 4.2 stars. There have been almost 1000 readers leaving ratings on Goodreads resulting in a composite score of 3.92 stars.
A Bookshop to Die For is the first book in the Wonderland Books Cozy Mystery series. Cozy and charming are the perfect words to describe this initial introduction to the small town of Blithedale. Immediately upon arrival, we are thrust into a mystery regarding the death of the local handyman, Vince Malone. We join runaway bride, Alice Hartford, as she attempts to discover whether his death was a tragic accident or something far more sinister.
As Alice hides from her jilted groom, she searches for clues taking up the mantle of amateur detective once worn by her late mother. During her search, Alice learns more about herself while pondering themes of contentment, friendship, home and love. As she does so, she meets a variety of Blithedale residents along the way. As she explores her past while pondering her future, Alice must beware as there could be a killer within this idyllic town.
While the book contains mature subjects such as a possible murder and adultery, the writing contains no profanity, explicit violence nor sexual scenes. The book is appropriate for young adults as well as older readers.
I received this book for free during a Stuff Your Kindle day on Amazon. A quick check, finds that the e-version of the book can be purchased on Amazon for .99 cents. Whereas, the paperback version will cost you $9.99.
Readers on Amazon give this book 4.2 stars. There have been almost 1000 readers leaving ratings on Goodreads resulting in a composite score of 3.92 stars.
January 6, 2025
“The most important thing in life is to stop saying 'I wish' and start saying 'I will.'”
This was a wonderfully cosy, murder mystery book. The perfect way to start the new year!
The story follows Alice, who has fled back to her hometown of Blithedaleto where her mother owned a old bookstore. This bookstore holds many memories for Alice, so it gives her comfort knowing it's still there. But then a murder happens in her cosy little store. Unfortunately, this means the bookstore is under threat to be torn down. It's up to Alice to find out what happened and who the murderer is before her memories are lost forever.
I really did enjoy reading this book. It felt like a nice warm hug. Making friends, learning to stand up for yourself, in a cosy little town. Yes, this was the exact kind of story I needed to start my 2025.
Alice as a character was pretty sporadic overall. I mean, she left the altar and decided to start looking into a murder. But I could tell she has a heart of gold. She wanted to keep the memories that she made as a child in her mum's bookstore. I can get behind that. And I loved how she became friends with various people in the town, such as Becca, and Ona.
Overall, this was a lovely little book. Friendship, mystery, second chances, memories. And it has me curious for the other books in this series!
“You're the hero of your own story,” her mom had once told her. “But a story is only a story if the hero takes action.”
This was a wonderfully cosy, murder mystery book. The perfect way to start the new year!
The story follows Alice, who has fled back to her hometown of Blithedaleto where her mother owned a old bookstore. This bookstore holds many memories for Alice, so it gives her comfort knowing it's still there. But then a murder happens in her cosy little store. Unfortunately, this means the bookstore is under threat to be torn down. It's up to Alice to find out what happened and who the murderer is before her memories are lost forever.
I really did enjoy reading this book. It felt like a nice warm hug. Making friends, learning to stand up for yourself, in a cosy little town. Yes, this was the exact kind of story I needed to start my 2025.
Alice as a character was pretty sporadic overall. I mean, she left the altar and decided to start looking into a murder. But I could tell she has a heart of gold. She wanted to keep the memories that she made as a child in her mum's bookstore. I can get behind that. And I loved how she became friends with various people in the town, such as Becca, and Ona.
Overall, this was a lovely little book. Friendship, mystery, second chances, memories. And it has me curious for the other books in this series!
“You're the hero of your own story,” her mom had once told her. “But a story is only a story if the hero takes action.”
January 4, 2024
This is the first time I have read anything by this author but it won't be my last. This cozy mystery was a fast and easy read. The reader can't help but fall in love with Alice.
We first meet Alice as she arrives in town wearing a dirty wedding dress. She is a runaway bride who shows up in her hometown that she hasn't been back to since she was a child. She first visits the bookstore her mom used to own just to find that it is falling apart and a developer is trying to buy it to destroy it. When the contractor at the bookstore falls to his death, the authorities brush it off as an accident but Alice thinks it is murder and she is deterimined to prove it. Her Sleuthing takes her through several possible suspects and motives until the surprise ending.
This has the small town community feel that I love. Even though Alice hasn't been to town since she was a child, some members of the community embraced her as one of their own. Then it has the drama of why did Alice show up in town wearing a wedding dress and a murder that she feels compelled to solve so she can save the bookstore from being demolished. I really thought I had this one figured out but i was wrong. There was a twist that I didn't see coming.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.
We first meet Alice as she arrives in town wearing a dirty wedding dress. She is a runaway bride who shows up in her hometown that she hasn't been back to since she was a child. She first visits the bookstore her mom used to own just to find that it is falling apart and a developer is trying to buy it to destroy it. When the contractor at the bookstore falls to his death, the authorities brush it off as an accident but Alice thinks it is murder and she is deterimined to prove it. Her Sleuthing takes her through several possible suspects and motives until the surprise ending.
This has the small town community feel that I love. Even though Alice hasn't been to town since she was a child, some members of the community embraced her as one of their own. Then it has the drama of why did Alice show up in town wearing a wedding dress and a murder that she feels compelled to solve so she can save the bookstore from being demolished. I really thought I had this one figured out but i was wrong. There was a twist that I didn't see coming.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.
December 31, 2023
Alice flees her wedding and returns to her hometown, still wearing her bridal gown. Seeking the comfort and sanctuary of her mother's old bookstore, she's heartbroken that it's on the market and possibly at risk for demolition. When the contractor responsible for repairing the building falls to his death, the structure is placed off-limits. Alice knows that the man was murdered, but who was responsible? And can she save the bookshop before it's turned into a pile of rubble?
At first, I feared this story would be a modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland, but the writing settled into a very decent cosy. Alice bumbled about, trying to detect (as you would expect from someone who had never investigated a murder (or anything, for that matter)). The fact that she was so out of her depth was endearing, and I quickly started to root for her. I also found soft spots for her friends, who swiftly bonded with Alice (and me). There were some unexpected turns to this story, which honestly shocked me.
The book outright charmed me. I'm so looking forward to more in this series.
At first, I feared this story would be a modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland, but the writing settled into a very decent cosy. Alice bumbled about, trying to detect (as you would expect from someone who had never investigated a murder (or anything, for that matter)). The fact that she was so out of her depth was endearing, and I quickly started to root for her. I also found soft spots for her friends, who swiftly bonded with Alice (and me). There were some unexpected turns to this story, which honestly shocked me.
The book outright charmed me. I'm so looking forward to more in this series.
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