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Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries #1
Booked for Murder: An Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery
In this atmospheric southern cozy debut, Madeline Brimley returns to the bookstore she inherited, discovering that small towns hold deadly secrets.
Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she's left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately.
But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there's another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim.
Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she's left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately.
But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there's another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2024
444 people are currently reading
33194 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Nelson
3 books114 followersP.J. Nelson is the pseudonym of an award-winning actor, dramatist, professor, and novelist (among many other professions) who has done just about everything except run a bookstore. He lives in Decatur, Georgia.
source: Amazon
source: Amazon
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November 29, 2024
If you enjoy atmospheric southern cozy mysteries, then this debut and first novel in the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries may be the book for you.
Booked for Murder
by P. J. Nelson features Madeline Brimley returning to her hometown of Enigma, Georgia when she inherits the bookstore after her aunt Ruby dies.
Madeline left Enigma to go to college and then follow her stage acting dreams in New York and Atlanta. The bookstore is in an old Victorian mansion with living quarters on the second floor. But restarting her life isn’t going to be easy. A fire and a threatening phone call don’t deter her, but when a second fire, a murder, and another threatening call occurs, she knows she needs to find the killer.
Madeline is outgoing, tends to do foolhardy things, and doesn’t feel at home anywhere. The other characters have some depth and I would expect more in future books for the recurring characters.
The premise was great and I enjoyed meeting Gloria, the priest of the nearby church, Philomena, who was Aunt Roses’s friend and someone Madeline knew from her childhood, and David, the handyman. However, the pacing was a little slow for me. There are several sub-plots that impact the overall flow, but add another dimension to the narrative. I enjoyed the literary and movie references throughout the story. My biggest quibble is its predictability, including the identity of the murderer reasonably early in the novel, leading to a sparsity of suspense. However, there were plenty of conflicts, secrets, and humor to go with threads of murder, grief, forgiveness, resentment, gossip, amateur sleuthing, and self-reflection.
Overall, this enjoyable mystery was full of unique characters and was very atmospheric. It’s a good start to the series.
St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and P. J. Nelson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for December 10, 2024.
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My 3.21 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
Madeline left Enigma to go to college and then follow her stage acting dreams in New York and Atlanta. The bookstore is in an old Victorian mansion with living quarters on the second floor. But restarting her life isn’t going to be easy. A fire and a threatening phone call don’t deter her, but when a second fire, a murder, and another threatening call occurs, she knows she needs to find the killer.
Madeline is outgoing, tends to do foolhardy things, and doesn’t feel at home anywhere. The other characters have some depth and I would expect more in future books for the recurring characters.
The premise was great and I enjoyed meeting Gloria, the priest of the nearby church, Philomena, who was Aunt Roses’s friend and someone Madeline knew from her childhood, and David, the handyman. However, the pacing was a little slow for me. There are several sub-plots that impact the overall flow, but add another dimension to the narrative. I enjoyed the literary and movie references throughout the story. My biggest quibble is its predictability, including the identity of the murderer reasonably early in the novel, leading to a sparsity of suspense. However, there were plenty of conflicts, secrets, and humor to go with threads of murder, grief, forgiveness, resentment, gossip, amateur sleuthing, and self-reflection.
Overall, this enjoyable mystery was full of unique characters and was very atmospheric. It’s a good start to the series.
St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and P. J. Nelson provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for December 10, 2024.
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My 3.21 rounded to 3 stars review is coming soon.
August 26, 2025
Of course, I would be attracted to this book. Look at the book cover! It has a stack of books. And, its title presumes something mysterious and fun at the same time. Besides who wouldn’t be attracted to a book about a bookstore? I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I have had dreams of sleeping overnight in libraries and bookstores. Is it even possible? I am sure it is, but this would be my ultimate dream come true. So yes, this was a book I wanted to read based on that book cover and premise.
And, as readers get in to it, we learn that Madeline (Maddy), our main protagonist, has been gifted her Aunt Rose’s home which is also a bookstore. Can you see me swooning here?
“Inside, it was clear that the books owned the shop rather than the other way about.”
Maddy, just needs to live in this house/bookstore for six months. The only problem is that someone is threatening her on the first day. A fire has started in the gazebo the first night, and someone is leaving her threatening calls that they are going to burn down the house. Why? And, who? And, will this scare Maddy off before she receives her inheritance?
Well?
Not if Tandy can help it. Tandy. A wonderful and helpful college student who lives at a nearby farm, when she isn’t staying in her dorm. Tandy was a help to her Aunt Rose. And, now she is doing the same for Maddy. She offers to stay the night with Maddy and help at the bookstore. But when Maddy wakes up the next morning to the smell of smoke, she also finds there has been a murder. Oh no!
Should Maddy have listened to the threats?
Did Aunt Rose leave behind a mystery that is infuriating someone?
Readers will be as curious as Maddy as to the many secrets that lead her on a sleuthing mission. Alongside a cat named Cannonball, and an entertaining ensemble cast of characters.
The conclusion may be a bit lacking and anti-climactic, with not enough bookstore patronage action for this reader. Yet, it had some Georgia atmospheric charm that made it a relatively, quick and easy fun read. And, of course, there is the cat. 🐾 Apparently, this is the first in the series, but I think I will consider this book, one and done. But please don't stop because of me, there may be others who will continue on.
And, as readers get in to it, we learn that Madeline (Maddy), our main protagonist, has been gifted her Aunt Rose’s home which is also a bookstore. Can you see me swooning here?
“Inside, it was clear that the books owned the shop rather than the other way about.”
Maddy, just needs to live in this house/bookstore for six months. The only problem is that someone is threatening her on the first day. A fire has started in the gazebo the first night, and someone is leaving her threatening calls that they are going to burn down the house. Why? And, who? And, will this scare Maddy off before she receives her inheritance?
Well?
Not if Tandy can help it. Tandy. A wonderful and helpful college student who lives at a nearby farm, when she isn’t staying in her dorm. Tandy was a help to her Aunt Rose. And, now she is doing the same for Maddy. She offers to stay the night with Maddy and help at the bookstore. But when Maddy wakes up the next morning to the smell of smoke, she also finds there has been a murder. Oh no!
Should Maddy have listened to the threats?
Did Aunt Rose leave behind a mystery that is infuriating someone?
Readers will be as curious as Maddy as to the many secrets that lead her on a sleuthing mission. Alongside a cat named Cannonball, and an entertaining ensemble cast of characters.
The conclusion may be a bit lacking and anti-climactic, with not enough bookstore patronage action for this reader. Yet, it had some Georgia atmospheric charm that made it a relatively, quick and easy fun read. And, of course, there is the cat. 🐾 Apparently, this is the first in the series, but I think I will consider this book, one and done. But please don't stop because of me, there may be others who will continue on.
February 8, 2025
BOOKED FOR MURDER (Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries Book #1) by P.J. Nelson is the first book in a new cozy mystery series set in small-town Georgia. Madeline Brimley has returned to her hometown after a less than prosperous career on the stage to inherit her beloved Aunt Rose’s old Victorian mansion which contains a bookstore on the first floor, living quarters upstairs, and it was her childhood escape as she grew up. Immediately on her return the gazebo is burned down in her backyard, and she begins to get threatening phone calls telling her to leave. When she does not leave, another fire is set and a dead body is found in the bookstore.
There are several places that I felt like stopping, but I carried on to the end. The mystery plotline itself kept me reading and was well developed and had a good resolution. It was the characters that gave me the problems with this story. I never took to Madeline with her snap decisions, placing herself in danger unnecessarily more than once, and not involving the police because she felt they were not up to the job. The other characters felt more like caricatures that made questionable decisions and did not feel fully developed. Overall, this was just an O.K. read for me.
There are several places that I felt like stopping, but I carried on to the end. The mystery plotline itself kept me reading and was well developed and had a good resolution. It was the characters that gave me the problems with this story. I never took to Madeline with her snap decisions, placing herself in danger unnecessarily more than once, and not involving the police because she felt they were not up to the job. The other characters felt more like caricatures that made questionable decisions and did not feel fully developed. Overall, this was just an O.K. read for me.
July 19, 2024
NetGalley had a new author release last month with P.J. Nelson's Booked for Murder, an amateur sleuth series set in the south. Madeline, a mid 30s (with premature graying hair) returns to take over her late aunt's book store only to discover someone else wants to keep her away. Fires. Murder. Drugs. Lots of darkness for a cozy but handled well. I like Madeline a lot, and the story has been set up with a balanced supporting cast. I won't share much as its the first book, so you never know if one of them turns out to be the villain. I like how things are set up for a possible romantic triangle, a mentor relationship, and a connection to the local liberal arts college. For such a small town, there is a lot of drama, I will say, but that's what makes for a good read.
February 11, 2026
**3.5-stars rounded up**
📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚
Booked for Murder is the 1st-book in the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries series. This is a new Cozy Mystery series set in a small Georgia town.
In this, we meet Madeline Brimley, who has just returned to her hometown of Enigma, Georgia, after the passing of her Aunt Rose, her dearest remaining relative.
Maddy has mixed feelings about going back. She always dreamed of leaving Enigma and heading to NYC, as an actress, to follow in her Aunt Rose's footsteps, actually. Things in New York were tough though, and she actually ended up in the Theater circuit in Atlanta instead.
Even though Atlanta isn't quite what she dreamed, it's better than Enigma, and now she has to go back. Aunt Rose left Madeline her property, including her bookstore, the Old Juniper, which caters to the local college students.
Almost as soon as Madeline arrives back, though, things start going wrong. First, the long-standing and well-loved gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze, and then Madeline starts receiving disturbing calls from someone threatening her unless she leaves.
Madeline isn't one to be easily intimidated however, so the calls and fire end up having the opposite effect, making her dig in even more.
She befriends a local student, Tandy, who seems to have also been quite close with Aunt Rose. Tandy inserts herself into helping with the bookstore, for which Maddy is grateful. That is until the next fire, that ultimately ends in murder.
Not fully trusting the local authorities, and also feeling slightly guilty over the violent death which took place in the bookstore, Maddy begins an investigation of her own.
Will she be able to find out who is after her, or will they end up getting to her first? It seems they've tried to kill already. The next time, they may actually be successful.
This was a fun start to new Cozy Mystery series. I did enjoy the bookshop setting and the small town Georgia feels. I listened to the audibook, and the narrator did a great job channeling some accents that felt true to the story.
At first, I wasn't sure I was going to vibe with Maddy. She can be a little abrasive and off-putting at times. It almost felt at certain points that she was completely unreasonable and condescending to those around her, but I think it's all just an intentional part of her character journey.
She did become more likable over the course of the book and I started to understand where she was coming from the more I learned about her.
There was also a nice mix of side characters, Gloria, the reverend of a nearby church being my favorite, as well as a potential love interest for Maddy.
I feel like Nelson did a solid job setting up the small town atmosphere, as well as providing plenty of room for Maddy, as well as this series, to grow moving forward. I would definitely be interested in reading more mysteries centered around the Old Juniper Bookstore.
Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would def recommend the audio format if you are interested in picking this one up!
📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚♥️📚
Booked for Murder is the 1st-book in the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries series. This is a new Cozy Mystery series set in a small Georgia town.
In this, we meet Madeline Brimley, who has just returned to her hometown of Enigma, Georgia, after the passing of her Aunt Rose, her dearest remaining relative.
Maddy has mixed feelings about going back. She always dreamed of leaving Enigma and heading to NYC, as an actress, to follow in her Aunt Rose's footsteps, actually. Things in New York were tough though, and she actually ended up in the Theater circuit in Atlanta instead.
Even though Atlanta isn't quite what she dreamed, it's better than Enigma, and now she has to go back. Aunt Rose left Madeline her property, including her bookstore, the Old Juniper, which caters to the local college students.
Almost as soon as Madeline arrives back, though, things start going wrong. First, the long-standing and well-loved gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze, and then Madeline starts receiving disturbing calls from someone threatening her unless she leaves.
Madeline isn't one to be easily intimidated however, so the calls and fire end up having the opposite effect, making her dig in even more.
She befriends a local student, Tandy, who seems to have also been quite close with Aunt Rose. Tandy inserts herself into helping with the bookstore, for which Maddy is grateful. That is until the next fire, that ultimately ends in murder.
Not fully trusting the local authorities, and also feeling slightly guilty over the violent death which took place in the bookstore, Maddy begins an investigation of her own.
Will she be able to find out who is after her, or will they end up getting to her first? It seems they've tried to kill already. The next time, they may actually be successful.
This was a fun start to new Cozy Mystery series. I did enjoy the bookshop setting and the small town Georgia feels. I listened to the audibook, and the narrator did a great job channeling some accents that felt true to the story.
At first, I wasn't sure I was going to vibe with Maddy. She can be a little abrasive and off-putting at times. It almost felt at certain points that she was completely unreasonable and condescending to those around her, but I think it's all just an intentional part of her character journey.
She did become more likable over the course of the book and I started to understand where she was coming from the more I learned about her.
There was also a nice mix of side characters, Gloria, the reverend of a nearby church being my favorite, as well as a potential love interest for Maddy.
I feel like Nelson did a solid job setting up the small town atmosphere, as well as providing plenty of room for Maddy, as well as this series, to grow moving forward. I would definitely be interested in reading more mysteries centered around the Old Juniper Bookstore.
Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would def recommend the audio format if you are interested in picking this one up!
December 5, 2025
⭐️ Plot:
Madeline leaves Atlanta to come back to the small Georgia town of her birth because she has inherited the wild old house of her eccentric Aunt Rose ~ which is also a gigantic book store. She has practically just walked in the door when the gigantic gazebo in the backyard bursts into flames and she gets an anonymous threatening phone call telling her to leave or she will be burnt alive in her house. Aaaand we’re off! Mystery! Biscuits! Murder! BBQ!
⭐️ What I Thought:
There is some gorgeous writing in this book. I was not expecting it! Funny, because one of the themes of this book is that you shouldn’t assume.
This book is also very heavily about Enigma, Georgia and everything beautiful about it (and the South). Well done! The atmosphere is impeccable.
The mystery is also pretty amazing. The twists were very well done - believable AND surprising.
I highly recommend!
Madeline leaves Atlanta to come back to the small Georgia town of her birth because she has inherited the wild old house of her eccentric Aunt Rose ~ which is also a gigantic book store. She has practically just walked in the door when the gigantic gazebo in the backyard bursts into flames and she gets an anonymous threatening phone call telling her to leave or she will be burnt alive in her house. Aaaand we’re off! Mystery! Biscuits! Murder! BBQ!
⭐️ What I Thought:
There is some gorgeous writing in this book. I was not expecting it! Funny, because one of the themes of this book is that you shouldn’t assume.
This book is also very heavily about Enigma, Georgia and everything beautiful about it (and the South). Well done! The atmosphere is impeccable.
The mystery is also pretty amazing. The twists were very well done - believable AND surprising.
I highly recommend!
August 17, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
As a fan of cozy mystery genre, I’ll just have to say, this book is bad. I was hoping for it to at least be mediocre, but no, it is bad. Especially considering the other cozy mystery releases this year, which have been quite fun.
First things first, it did not start out well. No proper introduction aside from what we already know from the synopsis. This girl got to the house where her aunt left her bookshop after she died, and then there was a fire. A lot did not make sense here, because after the fire, the character did not even bother to inform anybody - I mean, seriously, do you have nobody in your life? Like at all? Not even to inform the lawyer who informed you that your aunt left all this for you? Fire is a serious thing, everybody takes this seriously even if the author wanted to paint this girl as some weird girl or whatever.
If we put all the beginnings that did not make sense aside, the pace and the writing got a little better. Another “big” thing happened next, where someone was actually murdered and there was another fire. Things still did not make sense after this and it was almost stupid. Someone was murdered! It doesn’t matter how small the town is, a detective and a medical examiner/coroner would come immediately and the next morning you do not just wake up and make coffee in the kitchen again. Someone will immediately start questioning you or - if you are severely injured or maybe mourning - they would at least start scheduling when they can talk to you. What were you doing when it happened? Did you hear anything? And tons of other questions. Just because the detective is someone you know, that does not mean you can just escape this process. You also don’t sit there and laugh with your friends afterwards. I feel like the author is trying too hard to make it “cozy” to the point it does not make sense and it is just stupid. I know it is fiction but please, have some common sense.
Also, if you are expecting a cozy mystery that would actually revolve around a bookshop and the books, you will be disappointed because the bookshop is mostly closed throughout the story to the point I am not sure why it is even titled “Booked for Murder”.
Overall, this was a very disappointing read. It had the potential to be good, and there were times when I actually enjoyed some dialogue, but if I were to look at the whole book, it’s just not good. There are so many cozy mystery books available, and I don’t see why anyone should pick this up unless you get it for free. Or if you have nothing else to read.
As a fan of cozy mystery genre, I’ll just have to say, this book is bad. I was hoping for it to at least be mediocre, but no, it is bad. Especially considering the other cozy mystery releases this year, which have been quite fun.
First things first, it did not start out well. No proper introduction aside from what we already know from the synopsis. This girl got to the house where her aunt left her bookshop after she died, and then there was a fire. A lot did not make sense here, because after the fire, the character did not even bother to inform anybody - I mean, seriously, do you have nobody in your life? Like at all? Not even to inform the lawyer who informed you that your aunt left all this for you? Fire is a serious thing, everybody takes this seriously even if the author wanted to paint this girl as some weird girl or whatever.
If we put all the beginnings that did not make sense aside, the pace and the writing got a little better. Another “big” thing happened next, where someone was actually murdered and there was another fire. Things still did not make sense after this and it was almost stupid. Someone was murdered! It doesn’t matter how small the town is, a detective and a medical examiner/coroner would come immediately and the next morning you do not just wake up and make coffee in the kitchen again. Someone will immediately start questioning you or - if you are severely injured or maybe mourning - they would at least start scheduling when they can talk to you. What were you doing when it happened? Did you hear anything? And tons of other questions. Just because the detective is someone you know, that does not mean you can just escape this process. You also don’t sit there and laugh with your friends afterwards. I feel like the author is trying too hard to make it “cozy” to the point it does not make sense and it is just stupid. I know it is fiction but please, have some common sense.
Also, if you are expecting a cozy mystery that would actually revolve around a bookshop and the books, you will be disappointed because the bookshop is mostly closed throughout the story to the point I am not sure why it is even titled “Booked for Murder”.
Overall, this was a very disappointing read. It had the potential to be good, and there were times when I actually enjoyed some dialogue, but if I were to look at the whole book, it’s just not good. There are so many cozy mystery books available, and I don’t see why anyone should pick this up unless you get it for free. Or if you have nothing else to read.
April 15, 2025
This was a new to me author and I’m delighted. Lighthearted, cozy murder mystery. The characters were all charming and memorable except the murderer, of course. Very light romance with two possibilities. I’m so happy there will be a second book in the series. I listened to the outstanding audio version. Highly recommend.
January 12, 2025
Exiting at 62%.
The book stated out strong, with much better character development and observations than is typical for a cozy mystery. I found this a pleasant surprise and intriguing.
However, my interest has flagged. Sadly, I just don’t care who killed Tandy at the bookstore or whether our heroine Madeleine was the intended target.
There is also a side story about an “evil land developer” type that is a threat to the bookstore (so cliche).
OF NOTE:
Two other characters help Madeleine track down the murdered, arsonist, and the person making threatening phone calls. One is a chubby, short, crew cut wearing first female priest at a local church, who some call, “Father”. The other is dead Aunt Rose’s best friend Philomenia who not only happens to be the one who
burned down the bookstore’s historic gazebo, but, oh, was (surprise to Madeleine) was also Aunt Rose’s decades-long lover.
CONCLUSION:
If you’re super into cozy mysteries, then this might be your jam. Otherwise, there’s nothing that interesting here, and the portrayal of the bookstore and the Georgia setting is lackluster at best.
The book stated out strong, with much better character development and observations than is typical for a cozy mystery. I found this a pleasant surprise and intriguing.
However, my interest has flagged. Sadly, I just don’t care who killed Tandy at the bookstore or whether our heroine Madeleine was the intended target.
There is also a side story about an “evil land developer” type that is a threat to the bookstore (so cliche).
OF NOTE:
Two other characters help Madeleine track down the murdered, arsonist, and the person making threatening phone calls. One is a chubby, short, crew cut wearing first female priest at a local church, who some call, “Father”. The other is dead Aunt Rose’s best friend Philomenia who not only happens to be the one who
burned down the bookstore’s historic gazebo, but, oh, was (surprise to Madeleine) was also Aunt Rose’s decades-long lover.
CONCLUSION:
If you’re super into cozy mysteries, then this might be your jam. Otherwise, there’s nothing that interesting here, and the portrayal of the bookstore and the Georgia setting is lackluster at best.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2024
4.5 ⭐️: Booked for Murder is an enjoyable, cozy mystery that is the perfect listen to curl up with for the winter months with a cup of tea that you can get through in a day! The narration on the audiobook is excellent and really easy to understand and enjoy at 2x speed. Madeline Brimley is an interesting protagonist with a cast of charming and well developed side characters who round out the story without becoming overwhelming. This is, at its core, a mystery which I think is really important to remember because the characters are so interesting that I did hope for a bit more side-plot development, but the mystery in the novel is resolved in a very satisfying way. I would absolutely read more by this author! Grateful to Dreamscape Media for the early copy.
November 19, 2024
I was attracted by the colourful, eye-catching cover and that it would be a cozy mystery set in a small southern town. I prefer complex mysteries that involve police procedurals, but I thought a charming, cozy mystery would be the break I needed. This was a darker read than I expected; the excitement arose at a slow pace, but overall, it was a quick, light read. Unfortunately, the small town had its secrets, and the townspeople and the southern atmosphere were not always shown in a positive light. The premise was intriguing, but the twists were predictable. Most characters were quirky, and I felt their personalities could be better developed.
Madeline Brimley returns to the small town of Enigma, Georgia, where she grew up and left at age seventeen to pursue an acting career. She was on the stage in Atlanta and NYC but never was a big-time success. Now in her mid-30s, Prospective acting roles are declining. She learns that she has inherited the Old Juniper Bookstore from her eccentric Aunt Rose back in her hometown. She has fond memories of visiting her aunt in the old Victorian mansion and enjoying the haphazard arrangement of books of every variety in each downstairs room. The living quarters were upstairs. Madeline feels this would be a great place to relax and plan her future.
As soon as Madeline arrives at the Enigma home, the gazebo in the backyard is set afire. Instead of calling the fire department, she tries to put it out herself. She receives a threatening phone call, warning her to leave immediately or the bookstore/house would be burned down with her inside. There is another call, but Madeline refuses to inform the police of the threats. She distrusts them and considers them inefficient. She considers the warnings to be a nasty prank. She cannot sell the property until she lives there for six months.
She is befriended by Philomena, an elderly friend of her late aunt. Phil is a psychology professor at the local college. From some of her comments, I wondered if the police would have a better understanding of the criminal mind. Another friend is Gloria, an Episcopal clergy and neighbour. They are ready with advice and help when the story takes a shocking turn.
The most likable person in the story is a sweet young woman, Tandy, who had worked in the bookstore and helped the aunt around the house. Madeline was amazed when she allowed Tandy to spend a couple of hours in the store; she attracted more sales and a higher profit than expected. The college students buy many books for their courses, and some older books sell for a hefty profit. Tandy pleads to stay the night, having been accustomed to doing so when the aunt was alive. When Tandy cooks gourmet meals for Madeline, plus her childhood favourites, she is very welcome to stay whenever she pleases.
The bookstore is set ablaze, and Tandy is found murdered inside. Madeline, Gloria and Philomena band together to solve the killing and arson. Madeline jumps to conclusions, makes risky decisions, and is brash and defensive. She appears to consider herself superior to the townspeople. She fails to see that the murder of Tandy was a mistake and that the death was meant for her. There are several suspects considered by the group, and it is learned that the solution lies in the dark secrets in the town, and Aunt Rose had hidden information unknown to Madeline and others. There is a touch of romance before the crimes are solved.
The ending leaves room for a future sequel that I would want to read. I would hope it would be set in the same location and with the return of the major characters. I would prefer that Madeline be less annoying.
Recommended for readers who enjoy a cozy mystery, especially one in a small town in the south, and would like a mystery involving amateur sleuths with little police involvement. 'Booked for Murder' is due to be published on December 10.
Madeline Brimley returns to the small town of Enigma, Georgia, where she grew up and left at age seventeen to pursue an acting career. She was on the stage in Atlanta and NYC but never was a big-time success. Now in her mid-30s, Prospective acting roles are declining. She learns that she has inherited the Old Juniper Bookstore from her eccentric Aunt Rose back in her hometown. She has fond memories of visiting her aunt in the old Victorian mansion and enjoying the haphazard arrangement of books of every variety in each downstairs room. The living quarters were upstairs. Madeline feels this would be a great place to relax and plan her future.
As soon as Madeline arrives at the Enigma home, the gazebo in the backyard is set afire. Instead of calling the fire department, she tries to put it out herself. She receives a threatening phone call, warning her to leave immediately or the bookstore/house would be burned down with her inside. There is another call, but Madeline refuses to inform the police of the threats. She distrusts them and considers them inefficient. She considers the warnings to be a nasty prank. She cannot sell the property until she lives there for six months.
She is befriended by Philomena, an elderly friend of her late aunt. Phil is a psychology professor at the local college. From some of her comments, I wondered if the police would have a better understanding of the criminal mind. Another friend is Gloria, an Episcopal clergy and neighbour. They are ready with advice and help when the story takes a shocking turn.
The most likable person in the story is a sweet young woman, Tandy, who had worked in the bookstore and helped the aunt around the house. Madeline was amazed when she allowed Tandy to spend a couple of hours in the store; she attracted more sales and a higher profit than expected. The college students buy many books for their courses, and some older books sell for a hefty profit. Tandy pleads to stay the night, having been accustomed to doing so when the aunt was alive. When Tandy cooks gourmet meals for Madeline, plus her childhood favourites, she is very welcome to stay whenever she pleases.
The bookstore is set ablaze, and Tandy is found murdered inside. Madeline, Gloria and Philomena band together to solve the killing and arson. Madeline jumps to conclusions, makes risky decisions, and is brash and defensive. She appears to consider herself superior to the townspeople. She fails to see that the murder of Tandy was a mistake and that the death was meant for her. There are several suspects considered by the group, and it is learned that the solution lies in the dark secrets in the town, and Aunt Rose had hidden information unknown to Madeline and others. There is a touch of romance before the crimes are solved.
The ending leaves room for a future sequel that I would want to read. I would hope it would be set in the same location and with the return of the major characters. I would prefer that Madeline be less annoying.
Recommended for readers who enjoy a cozy mystery, especially one in a small town in the south, and would like a mystery involving amateur sleuths with little police involvement. 'Booked for Murder' is due to be published on December 10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2025
(3.5 stars, rounded up)
Booked For Murder was a good start to a new cozy mystery series set in a small town in Georgia. Madeline Brimley’s career as an actress hadn’t really gone anywhere, so when she inherited a house and bookstore from her beloved aunt Rose, she moved back to her hometown. No sooner does she get there than the large gazebo out back is set on fire! On top of that, she received a couple of threats over the phone. Someone doesn’t want Madeline to take over that bookstore. A couple of nights later, the store is indeed set on fire and a young college student is stabbed. Madeline, after recovering from her shock, sets out to figure out who murdered her new young friend.
I didn’t find Madeline particularly lovable, but that’s not a requirement. She does need to get with the 21st century and get herself a cell phone, though! I did really enjoy the character of Gloria, the fairly new Episcopal priest in town. There are a couple of other interesting side characters who I hope will appear in further installments of this new series.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Booked For Murder was a good start to a new cozy mystery series set in a small town in Georgia. Madeline Brimley’s career as an actress hadn’t really gone anywhere, so when she inherited a house and bookstore from her beloved aunt Rose, she moved back to her hometown. No sooner does she get there than the large gazebo out back is set on fire! On top of that, she received a couple of threats over the phone. Someone doesn’t want Madeline to take over that bookstore. A couple of nights later, the store is indeed set on fire and a young college student is stabbed. Madeline, after recovering from her shock, sets out to figure out who murdered her new young friend.
I didn’t find Madeline particularly lovable, but that’s not a requirement. She does need to get with the 21st century and get herself a cell phone, though! I did really enjoy the character of Gloria, the fairly new Episcopal priest in town. There are a couple of other interesting side characters who I hope will appear in further installments of this new series.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
October 29, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Dec. 10, 2024
Madeleine Brimley left Enigma, Georgia years ago hoping to pursue her dream of being an actress. After time spent in New York City and then Atlanta doing just that, Madeleine is called back to Enigma when her Aunt Rose passes away, leaving Madeleine her beloved bookstore. Maddy returns, hoping to quickly sell the bookstore and move on, but stipulations in her aunt’s will make it so she has to stick around, at least for a short time. Reluctant, Madeleine reopens the bookstore but almost immediately she starts receiving threatening phone calls. Then, the gazebo on her property is burned down and a young woman who Maddy just hired to help out, is murdered. Madeleine can’t leave Enigma knowing that there is a murderer on the loose, and with the help of a few locals, and a giant cat, she sets out to solve the mystery.
P.J. Nelson’s, “Booked for Murder” is a small-town mystery with eccentric but likable characters and, at the centre of it all, an old Victorian house that has been turned into a bookstore, with books in nearly every room (or, as I call it, my idea of paradise). Madeleine is a woman in her thirties, struggling as an “aging” actress, until she is forced to return to the hometown she couldn’t wait to leave. Overall, Maddy was a decent character and easy to connect with.
There were some odd language structures in this novel and I don’t know if it was done to reinforce the fact that the characters were from the South, or if it was just strangely written. Some conversations were awkward and redundant but luckily, the whole novel didn’t read that way so it was easy to overlook. Maddy’s two adult female neighbours assist in the investigation (although no real investigating takes place, it’s more of a “jump in headfirst and see what happens” type of thing) but, by far, my favourite character was the chunky, furry bookstore cat.
There was one part of the story that I found very difficult to wrap my head around. One of Maddy’s investigative partners is a psychology professor at the local college and yet, she asks Maddy what a “behaviour pattern” is (to which Maddy replies how it relates to acting and the theatre). I don’t assume that people from the South are less intelligent than people anywhere else (obviously) but I would be getting my money back from that college, for sure.
The conclusion of the mystery was well-developed, with the right amount of surprise and suspense. Although this specific mystery plotline was concluded, “Murder” has some questions that remain unanswered, which makes me question if this novel is the first in a series. As long as it takes place in a bookstore, and has a giant fluffy cat, I’ll read it, as those were by far the most appealing parts of the story.
Expected publication date: Dec. 10, 2024
Madeleine Brimley left Enigma, Georgia years ago hoping to pursue her dream of being an actress. After time spent in New York City and then Atlanta doing just that, Madeleine is called back to Enigma when her Aunt Rose passes away, leaving Madeleine her beloved bookstore. Maddy returns, hoping to quickly sell the bookstore and move on, but stipulations in her aunt’s will make it so she has to stick around, at least for a short time. Reluctant, Madeleine reopens the bookstore but almost immediately she starts receiving threatening phone calls. Then, the gazebo on her property is burned down and a young woman who Maddy just hired to help out, is murdered. Madeleine can’t leave Enigma knowing that there is a murderer on the loose, and with the help of a few locals, and a giant cat, she sets out to solve the mystery.
P.J. Nelson’s, “Booked for Murder” is a small-town mystery with eccentric but likable characters and, at the centre of it all, an old Victorian house that has been turned into a bookstore, with books in nearly every room (or, as I call it, my idea of paradise). Madeleine is a woman in her thirties, struggling as an “aging” actress, until she is forced to return to the hometown she couldn’t wait to leave. Overall, Maddy was a decent character and easy to connect with.
There were some odd language structures in this novel and I don’t know if it was done to reinforce the fact that the characters were from the South, or if it was just strangely written. Some conversations were awkward and redundant but luckily, the whole novel didn’t read that way so it was easy to overlook. Maddy’s two adult female neighbours assist in the investigation (although no real investigating takes place, it’s more of a “jump in headfirst and see what happens” type of thing) but, by far, my favourite character was the chunky, furry bookstore cat.
There was one part of the story that I found very difficult to wrap my head around. One of Maddy’s investigative partners is a psychology professor at the local college and yet, she asks Maddy what a “behaviour pattern” is (to which Maddy replies how it relates to acting and the theatre). I don’t assume that people from the South are less intelligent than people anywhere else (obviously) but I would be getting my money back from that college, for sure.
The conclusion of the mystery was well-developed, with the right amount of surprise and suspense. Although this specific mystery plotline was concluded, “Murder” has some questions that remain unanswered, which makes me question if this novel is the first in a series. As long as it takes place in a bookstore, and has a giant fluffy cat, I’ll read it, as those were by far the most appealing parts of the story.
November 28, 2024
Booked for Murder is supposed to be a cozy mystery. But for some reason, it did not read like one. Maybe there were too many things in the story that distracted me from the real mystery. Like the purported existence of the ghost of Ruby; and the angry townspeople that wanted to burn down a rival church. And by the time I read through 36% there wasn't the "hook" that made me want to continue further. An unfortunate one star (I didn't like it) DNF.
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.
January 9, 2025
Wowwwwwww I found my first character of 2025 to despise. Madeline is not nice, she’s abrasive, rude, condescending, and all the things. I have no words for how much her character ruins this book. There’s no investigation, there’s fires, a murder and Madeline accusing everyone she speaks to of murder. 🙄🙄🙄🙄
August 29, 2024
Review coming soon.
December 15, 2024
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Like most young adults from Enigma, Georgia, Madeline Brimley left town for college and to follow her dreams of becoming an actress. While she had some minor success she still hadn’t gotten that big break. When she learns her dear Aunt Rose has passed away she is heartbroken, but her aunt has left her bookstore which is as eccentric as she was. The Old Juniper Bookstore is right in her aunt’s Victorian mansion so ready to kickstart her life Madeline loads her belongings in her old Fiat and heads to Enigma.
Not everyone is happy that Madeline has come to town. On her first night there, someone sets the gazebo in the backyard on fire, shortly followed by a phone call telling her to leave town or next time the whole house will be set ablaze. The calls continue but Madeline has to remain in Enigma.
Apparently, the caller wasn’t messing around, Madeline woke up to find the store on fire and a dead body on the floor. Upset and unsure what to do she decides to try to find the person who is dead serious about wanting her gone. Can she do that or will the killer catch her first?
The author jumped right into the action giving readers the bare minimum of details about the protagonist or the setting of Enigma, Georgia. I was just getting comfortable with how The Old Juniper Bookstore was set up and meeting a couple of characters when WHAM! One of those characters is murdered. A character Rose, Madeline, and I liked. I slammed the cover of my Kindle and put it down. After several minutes I talked myself into continuing the book and I am glad I did.
Madeline didn’t give me that warm and fuzzy feeling I sometimes get from a main character. She is stubborn and closed off and needs more development. I know her sleuthing skills will improve as the series continues and she finds herself facing more challenges. Rose’s closest friend Philomena Waldrop comes to welcome Madeline as soon as she arrives. The head of the psychology department of the nearby Barnsley College and long time resident she knows everybody and everything about them. She tries to take Madeline under her wing and visits her daily like she did her Aunt Rose. She introduces Madeline to Father Gloria Coleman. Like Madeline, she is relatively new to town. She also has a very interesting past. Madeline meets Fire Captain Mike Jordan when he arrives to take care of the gazebo fire. They get off to a bad start almost immediately. With the damage to the gazebo and other events, handyman David Madison enters the story. He is an intriguing individual. Madeline also reconnects with Officer Billy Sanders, she babysat him twice when he was nine. We meet some college students and other residents too. All the characters were interesting, some quirky, and most need more development which is common for the first book in a series.
The fire and murder investigations were handled differently than any I have read. Understanding that Enigma is a small town with a small police force I still would have expected that Madeline would have to leave the residence and the bookstore would be closed for at least a couple of days but that wasn’t the case. She answered some questions, went upstairs to bed, and opened the bookstore the next day, even after the murder. People came in to shop/see where the crime had been committed or stopped by for coffee. It just felt strange.
Madeline does try to investigate the crimes and sometimes takes Gloria along, but at one time or another, she thinks everyone she talks to is the killer. Then when she needs to follow-up she goes alone and that is never a good idea. But it is even worse when the murderer comes to you. After I got over my dismay over who the victim was I had a good idea who killed them but I did enjoy following along with the new amateur sleuth and her journey to find the truth. The takedown was dramatic, exhilarating, and satisfying.
Booked for Murder was an Enjoyable Getaway. It has good bones. Set in a unique small town, with a wonderful bookstore, and characters I want to know better makes me keen to know what the author has up their sleeve for the next installment of this series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Like most young adults from Enigma, Georgia, Madeline Brimley left town for college and to follow her dreams of becoming an actress. While she had some minor success she still hadn’t gotten that big break. When she learns her dear Aunt Rose has passed away she is heartbroken, but her aunt has left her bookstore which is as eccentric as she was. The Old Juniper Bookstore is right in her aunt’s Victorian mansion so ready to kickstart her life Madeline loads her belongings in her old Fiat and heads to Enigma.
Not everyone is happy that Madeline has come to town. On her first night there, someone sets the gazebo in the backyard on fire, shortly followed by a phone call telling her to leave town or next time the whole house will be set ablaze. The calls continue but Madeline has to remain in Enigma.
Apparently, the caller wasn’t messing around, Madeline woke up to find the store on fire and a dead body on the floor. Upset and unsure what to do she decides to try to find the person who is dead serious about wanting her gone. Can she do that or will the killer catch her first?
The author jumped right into the action giving readers the bare minimum of details about the protagonist or the setting of Enigma, Georgia. I was just getting comfortable with how The Old Juniper Bookstore was set up and meeting a couple of characters when WHAM! One of those characters is murdered. A character Rose, Madeline, and I liked. I slammed the cover of my Kindle and put it down. After several minutes I talked myself into continuing the book and I am glad I did.
Madeline didn’t give me that warm and fuzzy feeling I sometimes get from a main character. She is stubborn and closed off and needs more development. I know her sleuthing skills will improve as the series continues and she finds herself facing more challenges. Rose’s closest friend Philomena Waldrop comes to welcome Madeline as soon as she arrives. The head of the psychology department of the nearby Barnsley College and long time resident she knows everybody and everything about them. She tries to take Madeline under her wing and visits her daily like she did her Aunt Rose. She introduces Madeline to Father Gloria Coleman. Like Madeline, she is relatively new to town. She also has a very interesting past. Madeline meets Fire Captain Mike Jordan when he arrives to take care of the gazebo fire. They get off to a bad start almost immediately. With the damage to the gazebo and other events, handyman David Madison enters the story. He is an intriguing individual. Madeline also reconnects with Officer Billy Sanders, she babysat him twice when he was nine. We meet some college students and other residents too. All the characters were interesting, some quirky, and most need more development which is common for the first book in a series.
The fire and murder investigations were handled differently than any I have read. Understanding that Enigma is a small town with a small police force I still would have expected that Madeline would have to leave the residence and the bookstore would be closed for at least a couple of days but that wasn’t the case. She answered some questions, went upstairs to bed, and opened the bookstore the next day, even after the murder. People came in to shop/see where the crime had been committed or stopped by for coffee. It just felt strange.
Madeline does try to investigate the crimes and sometimes takes Gloria along, but at one time or another, she thinks everyone she talks to is the killer. Then when she needs to follow-up she goes alone and that is never a good idea. But it is even worse when the murderer comes to you. After I got over my dismay over who the victim was I had a good idea who killed them but I did enjoy following along with the new amateur sleuth and her journey to find the truth. The takedown was dramatic, exhilarating, and satisfying.
Booked for Murder was an Enjoyable Getaway. It has good bones. Set in a unique small town, with a wonderful bookstore, and characters I want to know better makes me keen to know what the author has up their sleeve for the next installment of this series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
January 4, 2025
Great thanks to Dreamscape Media, the American Library Association, and Libro.fm for the ALC.
The description from the publisher says this is a "atmospheric Southern cozy debut" novel. It is neither atmospheric nor cozy, though it does take place in Georgia and it is, apparently, a debut. So out of the gates we're getting something that's half-assed.
I don't remember the last time I read a book with such a massively unlikable protagonist. This whole thing read like the author got some kind of fill in the blanks "write your own cozy mystery" worksheet and called it a day. Protagonist returns to their small town because of "quirky" inheritance and/or failed career? Check and check. Our main character is a failed actor returning to her home town after her aunt dies, leaving her house that is also a bookstore. Small town full of "quirky" characters that all know everything about everyone in which every 'secret' is just unspoken... and yet somehow there's a murder and no one knows who to suspect? Check. Set in Enigma, Georgia; which sounds fake but is a real town with a population of 1,000 according to Wikipedia. "Quirky" character details sprinkled through out? Oh, so many "quirky" character details; none of which mean anything to anything.
This book is awful. Really and truly awful. The plot is simplistic. The prose has no momentum. The dialogue is wooden. The characters are one dimensional, with the noted exception of their "quirks" which are blatant attempts to flesh them out but instead comes across as ridiculous. The awfulness of this book can be distilled to one moment:
At one point about 65-75% of the way through the book, the main character (Madeline) is in a situation in which she should very obviously make a phone call for help. It is at this point that the author writes that Madeline is a "luddite" and doesn't own a cell phone. This character detail had no come up at any point before this pivotal moment and will never be mentioned again. The entire book is full of moments like these. A young girl is murdered the day after Madeline meets her and Madeline decides she has to solve the murder. Why? Because the plot says so. Madeline finds out that there's a "secret" codicil in her aunt's will that established the terms of her inheritance; Madeline was unaware of this until the moment when the lawyer informs her at the end of the book. Codicils are not and cannot be secrets; they're actionable pieces of the will. But the plot needed it to be a "secret" so it was.
A large part of the problem with this book is that Madeline is an asshole. There's no other way to describe her. She's an insufferable asshole. She thinks she knows better than everyone else, is regularly proven wrong, and yet she continues to be condescending, narcissistic, and cocky. She is an asshole. There are multiple chapters in which Madeline is sure she has solved the murder because a character "confessed" by saying "(he) never meant to hurt her." When multiple characters (INCLUDING THE POLICE) inform Madeline that this is not a confession and could mean any number of things... Madeline keeps on accusing this guy of murder, completely assured that she's right and everyone else is wrong. This is AFTER she had accused ANOTHER man of the murder and interrupted the police's interview with the man and very literally said "so by now you know that I told the police I suspect you of the murder." But because the plot doesn't say so, Madeline is not immediately arrested for obstruction.
About 90% of the way through the book I was hoping there would be a shocking twist; I was sincerely hoping that it would be revealed that Madeline was actually the killer and I'd have to recontextualize everything that happend to that point, Sixth Sense style. It was the only thing I could think of that would save this novel. That is not what happened. About 95% of the way through the book I was hoping someone would murder Madeline.
The rest of the characters are no better. The one cop only shows up when the plot needs him to and, of course, doesn't show up when the plot needs him to not show up. Madeline's dead aunt's best friend, Philomena, is an abrasive busy body and I guess the author thought no one remembers Fried Green Tomatoes because Philomena's "big reveal" that she and the aunt were in love was as obvious as anything else in the book.
There just no thought or care put into anything in this book. Things happen, none of it matters, the plot moves forward only because the author got to a point where he said "and now I write about the mystery for a few pages," and then the mystery means nothing for another few chapters. At one point I genuinely wondered if A.I wrote this because characters were having a conversation that felt completely inhuman. It's terrible. The entire book is just awful.
The description from the publisher says this is a "atmospheric Southern cozy debut" novel. It is neither atmospheric nor cozy, though it does take place in Georgia and it is, apparently, a debut. So out of the gates we're getting something that's half-assed.
I don't remember the last time I read a book with such a massively unlikable protagonist. This whole thing read like the author got some kind of fill in the blanks "write your own cozy mystery" worksheet and called it a day. Protagonist returns to their small town because of "quirky" inheritance and/or failed career? Check and check. Our main character is a failed actor returning to her home town after her aunt dies, leaving her house that is also a bookstore. Small town full of "quirky" characters that all know everything about everyone in which every 'secret' is just unspoken... and yet somehow there's a murder and no one knows who to suspect? Check. Set in Enigma, Georgia; which sounds fake but is a real town with a population of 1,000 according to Wikipedia. "Quirky" character details sprinkled through out? Oh, so many "quirky" character details; none of which mean anything to anything.
This book is awful. Really and truly awful. The plot is simplistic. The prose has no momentum. The dialogue is wooden. The characters are one dimensional, with the noted exception of their "quirks" which are blatant attempts to flesh them out but instead comes across as ridiculous. The awfulness of this book can be distilled to one moment:
At one point about 65-75% of the way through the book, the main character (Madeline) is in a situation in which she should very obviously make a phone call for help. It is at this point that the author writes that Madeline is a "luddite" and doesn't own a cell phone. This character detail had no come up at any point before this pivotal moment and will never be mentioned again. The entire book is full of moments like these. A young girl is murdered the day after Madeline meets her and Madeline decides she has to solve the murder. Why? Because the plot says so. Madeline finds out that there's a "secret" codicil in her aunt's will that established the terms of her inheritance; Madeline was unaware of this until the moment when the lawyer informs her at the end of the book. Codicils are not and cannot be secrets; they're actionable pieces of the will. But the plot needed it to be a "secret" so it was.
A large part of the problem with this book is that Madeline is an asshole. There's no other way to describe her. She's an insufferable asshole. She thinks she knows better than everyone else, is regularly proven wrong, and yet she continues to be condescending, narcissistic, and cocky. She is an asshole. There are multiple chapters in which Madeline is sure she has solved the murder because a character "confessed" by saying "(he) never meant to hurt her." When multiple characters (INCLUDING THE POLICE) inform Madeline that this is not a confession and could mean any number of things... Madeline keeps on accusing this guy of murder, completely assured that she's right and everyone else is wrong. This is AFTER she had accused ANOTHER man of the murder and interrupted the police's interview with the man and very literally said "so by now you know that I told the police I suspect you of the murder." But because the plot doesn't say so, Madeline is not immediately arrested for obstruction.
About 90% of the way through the book I was hoping there would be a shocking twist; I was sincerely hoping that it would be revealed that Madeline was actually the killer and I'd have to recontextualize everything that happend to that point, Sixth Sense style. It was the only thing I could think of that would save this novel. That is not what happened. About 95% of the way through the book I was hoping someone would murder Madeline.
The rest of the characters are no better. The one cop only shows up when the plot needs him to and, of course, doesn't show up when the plot needs him to not show up. Madeline's dead aunt's best friend, Philomena, is an abrasive busy body and I guess the author thought no one remembers Fried Green Tomatoes because Philomena's "big reveal" that she and the aunt were in love was as obvious as anything else in the book.
There just no thought or care put into anything in this book. Things happen, none of it matters, the plot moves forward only because the author got to a point where he said "and now I write about the mystery for a few pages," and then the mystery means nothing for another few chapters. At one point I genuinely wondered if A.I wrote this because characters were having a conversation that felt completely inhuman. It's terrible. The entire book is just awful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2025
This was a cute small town cozy mystery with a bookstore and an adorably fiesty store cat. I liked Madeline and her spunky personality. I found her cell phone ownership hard to believe, as an actor, but I decided to just roll with it. The audiobook's narrator was great and kept my interest in the story going. I loved meeting the town and the cast of them. I loved the stories about the gazebo and the memories everyone had. It was a cute read, I'd definitely look for Book 2 in the series to see where there next adventure takes them.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
June 19, 2024
This cozy mystery was a quick read. I just feel like the story fell flat.That said, fans of mystery thriller in should give this series a try.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2024
Booked for Murder is a cozy mystery featuring FMC Madeline Brimley, a failing stage actress in her 30’s. She retreats to her small Georgian home town when she inherits her beloved aunt’s bookstore, which is housed in a Victorian home. Madeline turns into an amateur sleuth when she immediately receives threatening phone calls, someone sets 2 fires, and then a murder occurs in the bookstore. The story is so cozy, that I found myself forgetting about the murder and the threat to Madeline at times.
I read that this book may be the first in a new series. The author introduces the reader to several eccentric side characters and lays groundwork for a love triangle. I would recommend this to fans of feel good murder mysteries. 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Available 12/10/24
I read that this book may be the first in a new series. The author introduces the reader to several eccentric side characters and lays groundwork for a love triangle. I would recommend this to fans of feel good murder mysteries. 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own. Available 12/10/24
November 19, 2024
Review: Man, where do I even start with this one? I guess first I should say that if I were a less stubborn person I would have DNF'd it. Actually, what I should say is that if the author hadn't been so heavy handed with their attempts to (maybe) throw you off of who did it, I would have DNF'd it. But I stuck around mostly to find out if it was a very heavy handed red herring or if it was really just that obvious who did it. And while I won't spoil it for you, I will tell you that it was not worth suffering through this book to find out. Overall, I had a lot of issues with this book. A lot. First, the writing itself was painful. It felt like reading a college freshman's paper when they're trying to get to minimum word count. There is, in fact, such a thing as too much detail. When it feels like the sentences are dragging me down, it's too much detail. In short, there were too many words for words sake. Second, the story was never especially interesting. And the way that the main character's previous career as an actor was randomly brought up felt like commercials at the climax of an action movie. Nonsensical and an e-brake on the momentum. Third, I HATED the way that some of the characters were portrayed. Specifically, I hated the way the like small town, clearly down on their luck characters were characterized by a complete lack of grammar and a whole lot of stupidity. All that was missing from the author's caricature of people in the south were overalls and a piece of straw in their mouth. Fourth, as other reviews have pointed out, at no point in time was it clear what age the main character was supposed to be or what age she thought she was. Don't get me wrong, we're told her age, and then we're forced to hobble along with someone about as capable as the 70 year old character she's hanging out with. It is possible to write a character that's an old soul without making them an old bag. Fifth, it was just bad. Like one of those books that makes you think "how many better books didn't get published so that this book could?" One of those books that makes you think "do I actually enjoy reading? did I suddenly start hating it over night? or is this book just so dreadful I wouldn't read it if it was the last book on earth?" So, yeah.
Synopsis: Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she's left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately.
But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there's another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim.
Synopsis: Madeline Brimley left small town Georgia many years ago to go to college and pursue her dreams on the stage. Her dramatic escapades are many but success has eluded her, leaving her at loose ends. But then she gets word that not only has her beloved, eccentric Aunt Rose passed, but she's left Madeline her equally eccentric bookstore housed in an old Victorian mansion in the small college town of Enigma. But when she arrives in her beat-up Fiat to claim The Old Juniper Bookstore, and restart her life, Madeline is faced with unexpected challenges. The gazebo in the back yard is set ablaze and a late night caller threatens to burn the whole store down if she doesn't leave immediately.
But Madeline Brimley, not one to be intimidated, ignores the threats and soldiers on. Until there's another fire and a murder in the store itself. Now with a cloud of suspicion falling over her, it's up to Madeline to untangle the skein of secrets and find the killer before she herself is the next victim.
September 16, 2024
In Booked For Murder Madeline returns to small town Enigma, Georgia after inheriting a bookstore/Victorian Mansion from her Aunt. Immediately upon her return the old gazebo in the backyard burns down. When threats and a dead body follow Madeline must figure out what's really going on.
This book started out pretty good. There was a bit of a feeling of melancholy going on but the atmosphere was promising with a hint of creepiness and danger. Madeline seemed to be an atypical heroine and I was interested in seeing more of the fire chief. The words flew by for the first 22%.
What changed? I got to know Madeline better for one thing. She continued to be different from other amateur sleuths but I also found less and less to like about her. Her behavior and the way she talks is off putting. The other characters aren't much better. Everyone has a weird way of talking and a little bit of oddness to them.
Madeline doesn't investigate so much as rush into things seemingly without much thought. I was put off by some characters' activities and the response/lack of response by Madeline and others. One of the activities is talked about quite a bit and is portrayed in a way it shouldn't be. The other thing is done by a couple other people and isn't a part of the story but is rather serious yet there is never any comment on it.
The pacing is off later in the book. At one point due to several things that had occurred I thought it was the end of the book.There was still over 20% left though. The pacing is also jerky in the last few chapters.
Overall there is an odd feeling to the book. Even Madeline comments on feeling weird while continuing to act out of it.
A couple positives are a cat and the bookstore sounds like a fun place to shop. I'd also like to see the backyard as it sounds lovely. Unfortunately the rest didn't work for me.
Thank you to Minotaur books for the chance to read!
This book started out pretty good. There was a bit of a feeling of melancholy going on but the atmosphere was promising with a hint of creepiness and danger. Madeline seemed to be an atypical heroine and I was interested in seeing more of the fire chief. The words flew by for the first 22%.
What changed? I got to know Madeline better for one thing. She continued to be different from other amateur sleuths but I also found less and less to like about her. Her behavior and the way she talks is off putting. The other characters aren't much better. Everyone has a weird way of talking and a little bit of oddness to them.
Madeline doesn't investigate so much as rush into things seemingly without much thought. I was put off by some characters' activities and the response/lack of response by Madeline and others. One of the activities is talked about quite a bit and is portrayed in a way it shouldn't be. The other thing is done by a couple other people and isn't a part of the story but is rather serious yet there is never any comment on it.
The pacing is off later in the book. At one point due to several things that had occurred I thought it was the end of the book.There was still over 20% left though. The pacing is also jerky in the last few chapters.
Overall there is an odd feeling to the book. Even Madeline comments on feeling weird while continuing to act out of it.
A couple positives are a cat and the bookstore sounds like a fun place to shop. I'd also like to see the backyard as it sounds lovely. Unfortunately the rest didn't work for me.
Thank you to Minotaur books for the chance to read!
December 19, 2024
This debut cosy murder book, was a great listen, with some very quirky characters.
When Madeline inherits her aunts house/bookshop, she has to move back to live there and run the bookshop, but then she starts getting threatening letters and someone tries to set the place on fire...
It has mystery and great characters who develop well throughout all in all a wonderful listen
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Threads || BSky || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon || Bookmarks
Happy to make friends on all socials
When Madeline inherits her aunts house/bookshop, she has to move back to live there and run the bookshop, but then she starts getting threatening letters and someone tries to set the place on fire...
It has mystery and great characters who develop well throughout all in all a wonderful listen
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
Reviews also published on:
Instagram || Threads || BSky || Coffee and Kindle Blog || The StoryGraph || Amazon || Bookmarks
Happy to make friends on all socials
June 25, 2024
It took me forever to finish it. I found this slow and somewhat boring. Nothing happens till about 30% of the way into the book. I almost DNF’d it. This book did not feel mysterious or cozy.
Random thoughts while reading:
Why couldn’t Bo keep the record?
Madeline claimed to love Tandy after knowing her two days
Madeline has no compassion for Phil, her rage over something she doesn’t even want and that holds seemingly less meaning to her than Phil is frustrating.
I can’t get over the fact that there is ZERO police investigation into an arson / murder. It’s a small town, you don’t call in the big guns? Instead a priest, professor, and actress spit conspiracy theories with no real backing?
Madeline acts like it’s the 1940s and she’s 70. The characters felt old and out of touch, not quaint.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
Random thoughts while reading:
Why couldn’t Bo keep the record?
Madeline claimed to love Tandy after knowing her two days
Madeline has no compassion for Phil, her rage over something she doesn’t even want and that holds seemingly less meaning to her than Phil is frustrating.
I can’t get over the fact that there is ZERO police investigation into an arson / murder. It’s a small town, you don’t call in the big guns? Instead a priest, professor, and actress spit conspiracy theories with no real backing?
Madeline acts like it’s the 1940s and she’s 70. The characters felt old and out of touch, not quaint.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2025
I am so happy starting a new cozy mystery series. I really picked a good one. This has a small town, a bookshop, wholesome people and a cat who loves music 😊. Maddy moves back to a small town down south after her eccentric aunt Rose passes away, leaving her a bookshop. Maddy starts getting threatening phone calls about giving up the shop and someone sets her gazebo on fire. After someone turns up dead on her property, Maddy starts second guessing her inheritance. This book has a lot of colorful characters who were fun getting to know. It has a small town feel and of course, books. There's one more book in the series so far and I hope the author writes more. I absolutely enjoyed it and definitely recommend. Happy reading! ☕️🐈📚
February 15, 2025
This was a fun, cute, cozy mystery that was an easy, quick and interesting read. I put this one off for too long and I’m so glad I picked it up! It has everything I look for in a mystery including a captivating female main character and an epic cliffhanger. I was left with questions about aspects that weren’t wrapped up by the end so fingers crossed those are threads leading to a sequel!
Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cozy mystery to pull them out of a reading slump!
Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cozy mystery to pull them out of a reading slump!
May 28, 2024
Thank you to P.J. Nelson as well as NetGalley for this arc read!
Booked For Murder is P.J Nelson’s debut novel. The story follows former star, Madeline Brimely back to her hometown in Enigma, GA. After Madeline’s aunt dies, she inherits her bookstore. Not too long after she arrives does she begin to receive death threats. Trouble and her seem to mix as small town secrets begin to unfold.
I really loved the concept of Booked for Murder. P.J. Nelson does a good job of hooking the reader in the beginning scenes of the book. The author truly nails the depiction of small town live when things such as crime and gossip start to arise.
There were a couple of slower spots in the book for me where I was expecting something bigger to happen, but it never came. I did enjoy the book but wish there was a little more suspense to the book. I know it is a cozy mystery, but some of the parts were a little predictable. I wish some of the characters were a developed a little more throughout the story as well. We got pieces of people’s story, but I was still left with some questions toward the end. I’m guessing there will be more as it says mystery #1, I hope so because I would love to see how the rest of the story develops.
Overall, this was a good book that I did enjoy reading and would recommend it if you enjoy mysteries.
Booked For Murder is P.J Nelson’s debut novel. The story follows former star, Madeline Brimely back to her hometown in Enigma, GA. After Madeline’s aunt dies, she inherits her bookstore. Not too long after she arrives does she begin to receive death threats. Trouble and her seem to mix as small town secrets begin to unfold.
I really loved the concept of Booked for Murder. P.J. Nelson does a good job of hooking the reader in the beginning scenes of the book. The author truly nails the depiction of small town live when things such as crime and gossip start to arise.
There were a couple of slower spots in the book for me where I was expecting something bigger to happen, but it never came. I did enjoy the book but wish there was a little more suspense to the book. I know it is a cozy mystery, but some of the parts were a little predictable. I wish some of the characters were a developed a little more throughout the story as well. We got pieces of people’s story, but I was still left with some questions toward the end. I’m guessing there will be more as it says mystery #1, I hope so because I would love to see how the rest of the story develops.
Overall, this was a good book that I did enjoy reading and would recommend it if you enjoy mysteries.
March 11, 2025
Cozy mysteries are one of my favorite things in the world, and I am so glad that Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson is the start of a new series! I loved the mix of romance, drama, crime, humor, and serious topics that were all packed into the story, and this could have easily been a one sitting read. Madeline was a great female lead, and she was not only relatable but a little sassy to boot. I also loved the supporting characters in the book, especially Philomena (Phil) and Gloria, and I was surprised by every single whodunnit reveal.
One of the best parts of the book for me besides the humor and fantastic characters ended up being the audiobook, and I would recommend listening over reading with the eyes here. Hallie Bee Bard was nothing but a pleasure to listen to, and I loved her Southern accent and the way she changed her voice for the various characters. There is a dash of romance (because why not), a cantankerous but calming cat, and plenty of small-town gossip and drama. The Victorian mansion and bookstore setting aren’t to be missed either!
Read this if you are a sucker for Southern cozies, mysterious plotlines, and amateur sleuthing.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
One of the best parts of the book for me besides the humor and fantastic characters ended up being the audiobook, and I would recommend listening over reading with the eyes here. Hallie Bee Bard was nothing but a pleasure to listen to, and I loved her Southern accent and the way she changed her voice for the various characters. There is a dash of romance (because why not), a cantankerous but calming cat, and plenty of small-town gossip and drama. The Victorian mansion and bookstore setting aren’t to be missed either!
Read this if you are a sucker for Southern cozies, mysterious plotlines, and amateur sleuthing.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
December 2, 2024
Booked for Murder is a cozy small town mystery, where we follow Madeline as she makes her way back to Enigma, Georgia. She has inherited her aunt's bookstore after her untimely passing, and as she makes the transition to her new life in Enigma, things aren't as simple as she thought they would be. Upon her arrival in Enigma, Madeline begins receiving threats - phone calls and even arson. When a young lady is murdered at the bookstore, Madeline has had enough. She has no idea who is targeting her or why, but she is determined to get to the bottom of it.
This read is a cozy mystery, with mild suspense and just enough drama. Although there are a few slower moments in the book, the overall story was well-developed, and the mystery of it all kept me invested enough to see it through. This book is the first book to the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries series, so I'm excited to see what happens in the next book!
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and P. J. Nelson for this ARC!
This read is a cozy mystery, with mild suspense and just enough drama. Although there are a few slower moments in the book, the overall story was well-developed, and the mystery of it all kept me invested enough to see it through. This book is the first book to the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries series, so I'm excited to see what happens in the next book!
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and P. J. Nelson for this ARC!
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