The Mystery in the Margins

Havenwood Cozy Mystery #1

by L.L. Gray

A quaint bookshop, a sprinkle of magic, and a dash of mystery.

Harper Sullivan yearns for a place to call home, preferably with a delightful bakery nearby. When news arrives that she's inherited her great-grandmother's bookshop in the charming town of Havenwood, Harper eagerly seizes the chance. Unbeknownst to her, the quaint bookshop carries more than just shelves of stories—it harbors inherited mysteries and a touch of magical mayhem.

But instead of the cozy haven she envisioned, Harper finds herself entangled in inheritance drama, a surprising cousin rivalry, and a daring book thief on the loose. Can she use her wits and witchy powers to untangle the mystery and safeguard her dreams from unraveling before they even begin?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fiction, Cozy, Magic

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 25, 2024

About the author

L.L. Gray writes captivating, fast-paced fantasy full of wit, warmth, and magic. Her books transport readers to charming, cozy worlds brimming with lovable characters and whimsical adventures. A lifelong enthusiast of fantasy and myths, L.L. Gray blends humor and heart, inviting readers to escape into her spellbinding stories that feel like home—cozy, magical, and impossible to put down.

Reviews

[Tiffany aka Chai Tea And Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohh I might have found a new favorite cozy mystery series! I loved everything about this one, to be honest. I read it in one sitting, because I was completely absorbed into the book. A magical town full of all sorts of magical creatures leads to a lot of suspects of who could possibly be behind a crime. The writing was great, with several lines that I loved.

“𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚢 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚓𝚞𝚍𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚠𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍’𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚢 𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚋𝚕𝚞𝚛𝚋𝚜.”

Harper’s great grandma passed away and Harper received a summons to meet with her attorney about the estate. Her Granny Bea’s bookshop was always a magical place for her to visit, and it didn’t just have to do with the magical town that she had lived in. Imagine her surprise when she shows up to find a long lost cousin and a week to convince the attorney that she is the best person to run the bookstore. Oh? And the bookstore was burglarized right before she got to town, so she can’t even go in right away.

Thank you to Love Book Tours for the copy, all thoughts are my own.

[Gail Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey there! I got an early copy of this book, and I really liked it. The story takes some unexpected turns, which is always a good thing in a mystery. The characters are relatable and easy to connect with. I felt like I was right there in Havenwood with them. As a fellow bookstore lover, I especially enjoyed that aspect of the book. There were a few moments that made me cringe, but hey, we've all been there, right? I'm excited to read the rest of the series, and I'm definitely going to check out this author's other books.

[Susan Reads Cozies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Havenwood reminds me of a magical Stars Hollow. A small town with all the charm! The dedication was perfect. This was a lot of fun to read. The characters were wonderful, especially Luna the rabbit who was her grandmother’s familiar. I cannot forget about Gideon, the gargoyle who comes to life at night to watch over the bookshop.
 
I love how resilient Harper is. It seemed like the cards were not in her favor but she didn’t let that stop her. Finn is a character I will definitely be keeping my eye on as the series continues. I was not sure about him at first since he seemed a little mysterious but he grew on me.
 
The ending was magical and also unexpected. You will be wanting more. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
 
Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for a review.

[Mel Mars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magical creatures everywhere! This is how how I would sum it up in 3 words 😊 But let me know expend on that.

There are definitely a lot of magic involved in the book. From the above mentioned magical creatures, to gifted individuals (included our FMC), this book has it all.
Added bonus: there is a mystery to solve... and it's book-related - see blurb below for more details.

For someone who only fairly recently - in my overall reading journey - started added fantasy to my TBR (I used to prefer watching it on TV), I really enjoyed it.
Each character was part of a different "species", so it was fun to read about all of them (and I wouldn't mind reading even more...How do they interact with each other? Is the vampire vs werewolf a thing here too?).
I enjoyed the writing style and the lightheartedness of the story. I definitely liked Harper, and wanted her to win. And the chapter were not too long, which makes it easier during breaks 😊

It did take me a while to reconcile mystery with the fantasy aspect, but then, I was in.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so lucky to have gotten an ARC of this book! It’s an adorable cozy mystery with magical elements. Luna is probably one of my favorite characters with her adorable quips, and Harper is a relatable main character. The town sounds charming and the twist at the end was unexpected and makes me even more excited for the next in the series!

[InsyVinsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 🌟

This book was supposed to be a cozy thriller and it delivered. It also had magical elements in it that I was not expecting but it was a nice surprise. There were fun characters throughout like talking animals and different mythical creatures, but nothing too deep. The plot got a bit messy as too many distractions were thrown in to keep you from guessing who the culprit it. However, I think that made the end a bit anti-climactic and I still had some questions that were unanswered.

The plot line also felt way too slow. Too many inner monologues and everything, every place, every character, every food, every dress etc. was described in way too much detail. This was also a prime example of way more “tell” than “show”, leading to a lot of repetition. I also felt our FMC was too hyper fixated on either getting fed or following too obvious suspects, which made her not as involved in the other storyline regarding her bookstore (not until the last 20% or so).

I was expecting a fast paced mystery with more action and clues but it fell a bit flat for me towards the end.

Thank you BookSiren for the ARC. My opinions are solely based on my reading experience.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in this brilliant new series (to me) The Havenwood Paranormal Cozy Mystery series.
Having now checked, there's actually 4 books written and honestly, I need them all!!

I was instantly drawn to this book from the second I saw the cover.
It looked magical with witchy vibes and sparkles and with a clear sign that this was going to be a mystery by the magnifying glass image.
I couldn't wait to dive in!

I love cosy mysteries (can't wait for spooky season) and with this story having that witchy twist too, made it all the more exciting.
Top that off with the brilliant setting of the bookshop and I was completely hooked from the start.

Harper's story introduces us to this cute small town and it's community really well.
I loved Harper as a character and it was great to learn along with her.
There are plenty of interesting side characters too that I really hope we'll meet more in the other books in the series.

I loved this storyline and the way it was presented. So many red herrings and twists and turns that I had no clue who I should be suspecting.

I just loved everything about this read. A great mix of my favourite genres, including a bit of romance too.
Brilliantly written and totally enticed me to grab the rest of the series already....loved it!

[Linda (ellsky) Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting beginning to a wonderful new series that will be sure to charm you! The characters and setting introduced in this series are definitely people and places I look forward to revisiting in future books. The mystery plot was well-conceived and had multiple viable suspects. It took right until the end for the reveal to satisfyingly surprise me. I loved the unique way the author had of there being a spell over the town that made any humans "believe" that whatever fantastical creatures they saw were actually completely normal. The details of the Renaissance Faire were also very spot on and fun. It made me look up my own local Ren-Faire details for the year! Overall, an excellent start to a series I will be following. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marian West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Harper returns to her great-grandmother's hometown after her death. The letter from the attorney stated that Harper inherited Granny Bea's bookshop... but neglected to mention that there was one other heir and there would be a winner-take-all competition for the inheritance. Harper tries to stay positive, but she was really looking forward to putting down roots in Havenwood and is now feeling discouraged and defeated.

No murder in this book, but valuable rare books were stolen from Granny Bea's shop. Harper thinks if she can find the thief, then she could win the competition.

This story includes friendship, being inclusive, and defines what living as part of a community means. I see why CozyMystery.com called this book one of the Top Ten first books of 2024. Well deserved.

[Bookish Venturess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This was such an amazing story. I loved this mystery and how she had to solve it. The characters were amazing, and let's be honest, who doesn't love a town full of magic and talking rabbits. If you are looking for a cozy mystery to read, I highly recommend this one. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Kate Wooddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never before having read any genre prefixed with "cozy," L. L. Gray's Mystery at the Margins was a delightful diversion for me. The cover illustration and fonts led me to begin reading this to my 3rd grade granddaughter who quickly lost interest, though, as the protagonist turned out to be neither a child nor a teenager, although Harper Sullivan proved to me to be an endearing and mischievous heroine, a barely grown up Harriet the Spy. My granddaughter also found the plethora of details -- the very elemental stuff of COZINESS -- to be too tedious for her action-oriented brain. I, however, more the intended audience, enjoyed the respite within this book that allowed me to savor coffee and baked goods, enjoy the sights and nonstop festivals of Havenwood-a quirky (fictional) Connecticut town, reflect on costumes, decor and best of all the multitude of beguiling local personalities.

The antagonists were not scary, just perfectly suspicious. No blood was spilled, other than notice of a bandaged scratch. The odds of solving the mystery within the story were not of the life or death nature, though part of the charm was watching the resolution grow in importance to Harper as she redefines herself in this new place. On that note, L. L. Gray's world-building here is solid. I would definitely love to visit, and maybe even live for a while in this lovingly populated, odd little town.

Harper was a well-developed character, though I fear too much of her story was told and not shown. One of the inanimate characters, which I noticed in other reviews was sometimes appreciated for adding humor, I found almost as jarring as Jar-Jar Binks. I did not appreciate the need for defining these creatures only to have them around as mini dei ex machina (check my Latin) to help resolve the story's main problem. And, although I'm sure author Gray intends to develop a romance as the series rolls out, I'd have enjoyed her turning up the temperature with one particular character just a notch or two.

Other than these structural concerns, Gray is a beautiful, florid writer. Coziness seems to be her genre, though these skills could be equally applied to romance or historical fiction. It just seemed to me like she was trying too hard to meet the requirements of mystery yet keep everything as soft as possible. While that may be a talent unto itself, sensing these tensions often threw me "out of the book."

The Mystery at the Margins debuts tomorrow ( August 28, 2024). I wish L.L. Gray great success with this initial work in the series she has planned. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mariaan Belinfante · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing, happy, relaxing read, super clean of spicy and dramatic action, which I love though, full of mysteries in Havenwood with it's different supernaturals. That said as I'm not a blabbering mouth with spoilers as I want to read it 1st, I'm totally impressed with your diversity here. This is a great relaxer between heavy books. Well done Liz
I received an advanced review copy and leave this review voluntary Thank you

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was certainly a fun start to the new Havenwood Cozy Mystery series. Harper Sullivan receives word that her dear great-grandmother, Granny Bea, a beloved and respected good witch of Havenwood, Connecticut, has recently passed away. Harper arrives in Havenwood to hear the reading of the will and imagines that Bea has left her Spellbooks, the bookshop where Harper had spent a summer vacation some many years ago. Instead, she is affronted by a ransacked bookstore and lots of broken panes of glass. What isn't there, are Granny Bea's highly valued antiquarian books, many of which are rare first editions or the only edition. To top that off, she discovers that she is vying for ownership of the bookshop with her heretofore unknown cousin, Thaddeus, who just happens to be a seasoned antiquarian bookseller himself. Perhaps all is lost for Harper but she really wants this. So she'll give it her best shot at a business plan presentation and hope for the best.

Author L.L. Gray has done a wonderful job of creating the magical town of Havenwood, where the police detective is a werewolf, the rabbit talks, as does the gargoyle, a wood nymph resides in the garden tree, and vampires are seasoned attorneys. The writing is solid, charming, and witty. The character development is good and fun and there's a hint of a budding romance. Ms. Gray is off to a great start with this series and I look forward to reading its future installments.

I am grateful to author L.L. Gray and her publisher, Heroic Rose Publishing for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher:‎ Heroic Rose Publishing
Publication Date:‎ August 25, 2024
Number of Pages:‎ 258
ISBN:‎ 978-1958873212

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Havenwood is a quaint little town with several fantasy themed tourist attractions. It is also a haven for the real creatures who wish to lead a quiet life. In her Havenwood Cozy Mystery series, L.L. Gray has built a world that abounds with witches, vampires, brownies, giants, wood nymphs, gargoyles and a talking rabbit. The town founder was a powerful mage and magic spells help keep the mundane tourists from seeing the real magic, letting them rationalize it with normal explanations. The town is delightful and full of fun characters.

In the first book, Harper Sullivan returns to Havenwood to takeover her inheritance from her great grandmother, only to discover that Sullivan Spellbooks has been broken into, several antique books have been stolen, and the inheritance is actually in question. Harper and a previously unknown second cousin both have to come up with a plan for the store that will align with the previous owners wishes. Harper was an army brat, never in one place for very long, and she aches to lay down roots and have a place of her own. As she makes friends she also comes up with plans to make the store special. But she also hopes that if she can solve the book theft, it will help prove that she is the one who should have the store. This paranormal cozy has a fun plot that is laid out for the reader with a prophesy which includes chosen kin, deceitful relatives and help from the unseen. Although the parts of the prophesy that Harper could connect with were also obvious to the reader, the unseen help was a completely unpredictable!

I loved this book so much that I immediately read the next book, "Chaos in the Chronicles" which is a free bonus novella available from the author's website. I loved both of these books and can't wait to visit Havenwood again.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

everyone love this but for me, it is too slow...

I read to about half and can't stand the suspense anymore and jump to the end to see what happened. after that I decided I had enough of the book and returned it to the library.

ok. I do like talking rabbit, tree nymph, gargoyle that comes alive at night and turn into stone in morning and serves as the night watcher. The books store is alive which was really cool but a bit creepy. A hot neighbor is always a plus.

Still, I find it slow moving and it didn't grab my attention at all.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start this review by thanking BookSirens, Heroic Rose Publishing, and L.L. Gray for giving me a digital copy of The Mystery In The Margins in exchange for an honest review. I am someone who absolutely loves a good cozy mystery, and when I learned that this was the first book in a series that takes place in a bookstore and involves a town full of magical people, I was sold. I am happy to say that this book did not disappoint. If any of these things sound good to you, then I highly recommend reading this book.

In this story, we follow Harper Sullivan, a young woman who desperately wants a home and a sense of community. Her father is in the military, so she has spent her life moving from place to place, and currently, they are stationed in Germany. Harper is saddened to hear about the passing of her great-grandmother Bea, but she is excited to learn that she has inherited her grams bookshop in Havenwood, Connecticut. Harper has fond memories of the bookstore, the town, and her grandmother. She is eager to get started in her new life. Things, however, are not as they seem when she arrives. When she arrives in town, she learns of the break-in at the store, and it turns out that she did not fully inherit the shop the way one would think. She has to earn the shop, which results in discovering a new family member, one she is not too fond of, and it means getting creative in what she wants the store to become. There might even be a bit of competition that needs to be dealt with.

Havenswood is a cute little town, think Stars Hollow, but instead, it is full of magical people, including witches, vampires, gargoyles, werewolves, and more. Harper, the main character, is, in fact, a witch herself. I loved how the author included a variety of people and created this town that I can only imagine any fantasy-loving person would want to live in—at least, I know I do. The small-town feel and the sense of community were absolutely perfect, and the setting, in my opinion, is ideal for the upcoming spooky season. This community hosts a number of different fairs throughout the year that I can only imagine would be wonderful to attend. I also enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing their little quirks. Oh, and did I mention there are a couple of cozy companions, and one of them is actually a talking rabbit? Seriously, how cute is that?

This story has a couple of different mysteries, each one involving the bookstore. I will admit I had no idea who the villain(s) were throughout the story, so I was guessing the whole time, which is always nice when it comes to a mystery. L.L. Gray did a great job of presenting a number of suspects, and Harper did a great job of explaining why they could have committed the crime(s). I enjoyed watching Harper as she got to know each resident and worked to piece together what really happened in the store and why. A few times throughout the story, I was worried for her, but I often find I worry for the sleuths I am reading about. I am sure that I am not the only one who worries that way. Reader, I also have to mention that the twist toward the end of the story surprised me. I very much enjoyed this book, and I look forward to continuing with the Havewood Cozy Mystery Series. If you are looking for a new cozy mystery series to dive into full of lovely magical characters, a Stars Hollow type of community but with magic, talking animals, amazing fairs, book clubs, and a cute bookshop, then please give this book a try because I do not think that you will be disappointed.

Trigger Warnings:
- Mentions of a Relative Passing Away
- Theft
- Break-Ins

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to start off immediately with this, I LOVED IT!!!! Harper Sullivan is a character I completely got behind, completely understood who she is, what she's about. After the passing of her great grandmother, she inherits her grandma's bookshop but a few things mar her enthusiasm, which she has, but she's sad at her loss, having spent many hours enjoying both grandma's company and the book store. As if that wasn't bad enough, a police tape greeted her at the entrance... and she's also greeted by Luna, her grandma's familiar, who had been waiting for her... what a comical little rabbit! I was already chuckling the moment she started talking. And then things got even more complicated, what she thought she was inheriting, Spellbooks bookshop, had a whole lot of strings attached, like a cousin she never knew of, like needing to come up with a business plan good enough to secure the shop, like suspecting everyone she comes across... The author did a magnificent job of keeping the perpetrator hidden, of presenting so many suspects, I confess to nodding at each one as Harper cottoned on to why it could be/was possibly them. But when it veered off to something other than a simple robbery, it was almost a eureka moment for me! So well hidden and so well played by the author! And I did not expect what happened at the end to happen! I can't tell you but geez was that an eye opening surprise! Awesome one!

Harper is so likeable, so genuine and kind hearted. I loved how she became a miniature sleuth, weighing all the pros and cons on her suspects, and heck did she accumulate a list! I loved her resourcefulness, and her desire to "win" what she thought was hers, namely the bookstore. Her inner musings are hilarious, as she notches up her list of suspects, discounts them and readds them. I loved the back and forth in her mind. And I really really REALLY disliked Thaddeus!! What a sleazeball! I was crossing my fingers and toes that the bookstore DIDN'T go to him! Oh, see, that's the twist in grandma's will... one you're going to want to find out first hand...

From witches to rabbits, to gargoyles, to vampires, to centaurs, can it get more fun than this? Yet it does, a whole lot more fun! So, there's this break-in, some books of value have been stolen and no one had seen a thing. Suspicious right? Then there's the sudden cousin, then there are the strange revelations, then there is Thistle, Antonio and Honey and Bella and Finn and a whole lot of cool characters to assess, to know, to wonder at their motives, to wonder IF they have any ulterior motives, all presented in the most awesome fun read. And I swear, the references to all the yummy food had me raiding my fridge and cupboard more than once! This author has given a delightfully cozy, delightfully easy read a sprinkle of magic! This magic translated into my smiling face almost throughout the book, the hidden sleuth in ME was awoken and although I didn't get the culprit, I got a wonderful few hours of enchanted pleasure. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this collection!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to think when I started reading The Mystery in the Margins. I don’t typically read books that are more fantasy than mystery. I was delighted to find out that the fantasy part is pretty minor all told, and the mystery is a good one with twists and turns and red herrings galore. That said, be prepared for talking rabbits and gargoyles as well as some other magical stuff going on as our protagonist, Harper, fights to earn her great-grandmother’s bookshop in Havenwood, a town where those with magical and mystical abilities feel safe to be who they are.

Granny Bea, as Harper called her, owned a bookstore called Sullivan’s Spellbooks, and Harper hoped to inherit it and live in Havenwood in the apartment above the shop. She is tired of moving around with her family, who are currently living in Germany. But as she arrives in Havenwood, she discovers police crime scene tape blocking her way. Someone has broken into the shop and stolen several rare books. Then she finds out she must compete with a cousin whom she knew nothing of (nor did he know she existed) for ownership of the shop. Her grannie’s lawyer, Nathaniel D. Ravenscroft, will listen to proposals for running the bookshop in one week’s time before awarding the shop to one of them. Oh, and did I mention that Nathaniel is a vampire? A vegetarian vampire, though. (Read the book. It makes sense when you read his explanation.)

Along the way Harper reconnects with a friend from her childhood days at the bookstore, finds a possible romantic interest in the tattoo artist whose shop is next door, and makes many more discoveries of magical folks in town as she tries to come up with a plan for the shop and find the stolen books. Did I mention that Harper is a witch? I’ll let you discover what her power is.

This is a fun book to read. It’s light hearted with plenty of humor, while also having plenty of drama and tension as Harper competes with her cousin and seeks out the robber of the rare books. Ms. Gray makes all this sound so plausible, including Luna the talking rabbit and the sheriff who is also a werewolf. There is no murder here (a nice change from most cozies) and lots of good people in town helping Harper. I like Harper, and I like books with strong female characters central to a story. The editing is excellent as is the prose and character development. I was very much drawn into life at Havenwood, wishing it were a real place to visit. The story is complete, and since it’s the first book in the series, you get all the backstory you need for future books. All in all, The Mystery in the Margins (and the title becomes clear by the end) is a fun and pleasant way to spend a few hours of your time.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book for free. I leave this review voluntarily and with pleasure.

[Amorina Carlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love cozy mysteries and paranormal stories, you do not want to miss this one! I tore through this one in like 24 hours and needed to know what was going on!

There was a time when I wouldn't read any romance - or really much of anything - if it didn't have a hint of paranormal/fantasy to it. Like, I'd read romance, but it needed vampires or witches or something. This was way before "romantasy" was big. In fact, if you list off the big names now, I haven't read a single one. My husband likes to pick on me and call me a very specific kind of hipster. More recently, like the past 5-8 years, cozy mysteries have been my comfort read. I did NOT know that you could find the two together. This author has brought me a whole new exciting world, and I don't even know what to do with myself.

All the glorious beauty of a cozy mystery. A whip-smart, delightfully charming heroine who has no business solving crimes, but gets involved for some wild reason. And, we know, she will keep getting involved for the weirdest and most arbitrary reasons. A town full of the sweetest, most wonderful people. This is one of the things I adore most about cozy mysteries. Getting to meet the quirky, random characters that populate the town. They always remind me of one of my favorite shows - Gilmore Girls. And I love meeting the countless iterations of that somehow end up being so unique to each little town. The different ways these small towns deal with the fact that there is a weirdly high spike in crime. Like, should we not get rid of this person that seems to be connected to all these crimes? That seems the easiest solution. Now, this series has taken all those beautiful, cozy mystery tropes and added witches, gargoyles (I'm loving the resurgence of gargoyles lately!!), hobbits, brownies, nymphs, talking bunnies, and so much more! It's like galloping through the entire fantasy section of your favorite bookstore with your favorite cozy mystery tucked in your pocket.

There were a few red herrings, and some huge twists in this one, just the way a fantastic cozy mystery should be. I loved the relationship between our main character Harper and the various townspeople, especially her handsome neighbor and her found family group at the inn. And, of course, Luna the bunny and Gideon the gargoyle are fantastic! Also, let's not forget Officer Johanna. It's almost easier to list the characters I didn't like, as there were much fewer of those!

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a side of paranormal charm, you will love this book. All the wonderful things you find in a cozy mystery smashed together with a cozy, low-stakes fantasy. With very few, mild content warnings, and just a gentle, mild vibe.

Content Warnings: Violence, Death, Racism/Discrimination, Betrayal, Crime, Adult Language/Situations

[Karen (BaronessBookTrove) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Mystery in the Margins by LL Gray is about an inheritance gone wrong!

Will Harper get the bookstore and get the book thief?

Harper Sullivan
Harper Sullivan is our sleuth and who we are in the mind of. She is a metal witch who has been using her magic primarily to unlock doors. Harper knows she wants the bookstore and to settle down in Havenwood but doesn't think her plans are all that great. She has to come up with a plan in one week while trying to solve the mystery as to who would steal some rare books from her grandma's bookstore.

I have to say that I love Harper and how she made up her mind that she would try her hardest to present the best plan that she could. Even if her cousin already owns a bookstore and probably has better knowledge than her for it.

The Mystery
Harper Sullivan gets into town to see that her great-grandma's bookstore has been burglarized and that she has a long-lost cousin that she had no clue existed until that moment. She realizes that she will have to fight her cousin in wits about bookstore running knowledge to be able to keep her inheritance of being able to stay in Havenwood. Harper ends up solving the case of who stole the rare books, and I have to say that I was totally wrong on who did it.

Five Stars
My rating for The Mystery in the Margins by LL Gray is five stars. Ms. Gray did a superb job of writing this series, and I recommend this first book. It's a great way to start a series and introduce how Ms. Gray worldbuild the story. I can't wait to read the next book, which is so great. I love Harper and all the inhabitants that Harper met in Havenwood when she was going around trying to figure out how she would run Spellbooks.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Mystery in the Margins by LL Gray.

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mystery in the Margins is the first book in Gray's new Havenwood series. I am familiar with her wonderful Smoke and Shadows series which is a completely different genre. This is quite the versatile author! Havenwood is a delightful cozy mystery series featuring Harper Sullivan. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for the next one to be released.

When Harper receives a letter informing her that her great grandmother, Granny Bea, passed away, she heads back to Havenwood, a charming town with a vibrant magical community. She hasn't been back in ages but has fond memories of the town, Granny Bea, and Spellbooks, her beloved granny's bookstore. The letter requests her presence with Granny Bea's lawyer, Nathaniel Ravenscraft, and she presumes it is to settle her great grandmother's estate. Harper is a recent college graduate, and the daughter of a career army man. She is more than ready to put down roots and stay in one place. She is excited about the prospect of inheriting Spellbooks, and making it her own. Unfortunately, things don't go exactly as expected.

When she arrives, she learns that there was a break in at Spellbooks and in addition to the destruction of property, the most valuable books were stolen. Then when she meets with the lawyer, she is shocked to learn that she has a cousin she never knew, Thaddeus Blackwell, and Granny Bea's instructions to her lawyer are that both great grandchildren have to prepare and present their plans for Spellbooks; the one most aligned with her wishes will inherit the shop. This is not at all what she expected. Harper now has a limited time to develop a business plan that she hopes will sway the lawyer to choosing her as the rightful heir, while at the same time trying to solve the mystery of who broke into Spellbooks and why.

This was an absolutely delightful read that keep me thoroughly engaged and amused. Gray's writing is both eloquent and entertaining. I appreciate the sprinkle alliteration The world she has created in Havenwood is enticing and makes me want to visit. The diverse array characters are endearingly eccentric, bewitching and for the most part quite delightful. I suspect this first book has laid the groundwork for future mysteries in Havenwood where some of these characters will come out to play. I cannot wait! I loved them all, but especially Luna and Thistle and Finn and Grimgor... and of course the DeLucas!

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, I highly encourage you to pick this one up. It does not disappoint!

[Bevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

{3.5/5}

CW: referenced loss of a family member

Thank you to the author and to Tales and Teacups for the digital copy!

This was a fun little mystery. It was low stakes and cozy but with a definite charm that made it enjoyable to read.

Following the death of her great grandmother, Harper Sullivan departs for Havenwood, a town full of mundane magic and humans alike. Upon arrival, she’s shocked to find out that not only has someone broken into Granny Bea’s beloved bookstore and stolen some of her rarest items, but Harper and a cousin she didn’t know existed must compete for ownership of the bookstore.

Cozy stories always leave me wanting snacks, and this one was no exception. Seriously, the food descriptions are peak deliciousness, and the variety of options left me craving all the things.

Mouth-watering depictions aside, this book was fun. It’s a different sort of ‘cozy’ than I’m used to— instead of a warm, fuzzy slice-of-life sort of story, this one has some actual plot to it. It’s low tension and calm, and the chosen family vibes are solid, so it still embodies all things cozy, but there’s an actual storyline to follow at the same time. It was a nice change of pace in the cozy realm, and I’d be up for reading something like this again.

Speaking of the plot, the mystery elements were just the right balance of fun and actually mysterious. Harper does her best to solve things, but is mostly left frustrated and confused (though no less determined). Some risks are taken, but none that were just blatantly foolish. There was even some balance from some of Harper’s friends, usually in the form of ‘hey, uh, that’s a terrible idea why aren’t we calling the police?’ A little bit of a buzzkill at times, but realistically executed. It’s the sort of story that was easy to put down and to pick right back up, and it worked well as a lighter, less involved read between some of the heavier books I’ve had lately.

Overall, a good read. I enjoyed the characters, the town of Havenwood sounds delightful, and the food sounded incredible. Your chances of solving the mystery before our FMC are probably 50/50, but if you’re looking for a chill read that has an actual plot, this is the perfect fit.

[Katreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE MYSTERY IN THE MARGINS by L. L. Gray
The First Havenwood Cozy Mystery

It's been a long time since Harper Sullivan has been in Havenwood, Connecticut, but she's ready to settle down in the magical town. As the sole heir, Harper is looking forward to running Spellbooks, her great-grandmother's bookshop, even as she regrets not spending much time with Granny Bea before her death. But her excitement starts to fizzle when she learns that someone broke into the shop and stole several rare books. Her dreams take another hit when she learns that she is not the sole heir. Granny Bea has set a competition between Harper and her cousin to determine who will inherit Spellbooks. Harper has a lot of great ideas, but will her desire to be Spellbooks' new owner be enough to beat out the cousin she never knew existed? Perhaps if she were to discover who stole Granny Bea's books she'd have a leg up in the competition. Gathering old and new friends together Harper is determined to find the books, inherit the bookshop, and make Havenwood her forever home.

Welcome to Havenwood! I am in love with this absolutely enchanting town and its residents...well, most of them. Harper is a charming protagonist. She's caring, but has gumption and is not afraid to bend the rules a bit. I like that her magick is more mundane-and imminently useful! I also appreciate that she doesn't automatically trust everyone, even if she likes them, especially that certain Druid. A more than competent group of law enforcement officers are investigating and I really like each of them. I also like Harper's friends, new and old. I think my favorite character has to be Luna. This feisty rabbit with her rabbity cursing had me in stitches!

There are no dead bodies in the first Havenwood Cozy Mystery, but there is a very well plotted intriguing mystery. Shadowy figures and a dastardly cousin, along with some shady activity bring angst. Action scenes provide excitement, but there are plenty of laughs too.

Witches, vampires, werewolves, and more mystical characters come together to create a delightful series debut in THE MYSTERY IN THE MARGINS. You'll be craving some of Honey's baked goods while enjoying the love and camaraderie of good friends who are like family. I truly enjoyed my first visit to Havenwood and I can't wait to go back!

[C.R. Comacchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Library Thing and Heroic Rose Books for an ARC of this novel. This is the first entry in a new series of cozy mysteries for L.L. Gray. It’s well-written, fast-paced, and has all the requisite elements that fans of the genre most look forward to. It’s set in a cute little Connecticut town whose very name—Havenwood—suggests both the cozy and the mysterious. Just to add to the fun, many of the townsfolk have a few magical powers of their own, but most are committed to using them only for the benefit of all—and to uphold a happy tourist business.At the centre of the story, there is a sweet otherworldly bookshop (Spellbooks) with upstairs living quarters to match. There is a genealogy of witchcraft of the gentle, helpful, truly ‘herbal’ kind. And there is a main character, Harper Sullivan, looking to start her adult life in a new place that she got to know and love in childhood. Freshly arrived on the scene, having inherited the house and—so she thinks—the bookstore from her great grandmother, who was one of those good witches and a respected town elder. There is also a host of magical animals who interact with the humans on their own terms. The rabbit Luna, Granny Bea’s familiar, has a vital role to play and her quick quips are funny and endearing. And we can’t forget the mythic creatures, like vampires, gargoyles and centaurs who also reside in this wonderful oddball fictional New England town. There are a number of intertwining small mysteries that coalesce around the central dilemma, which has to do with a twist in Granny Bea’s will. Having only just discovered that she has inherited Granny’s powers as well as her property, the undaunted Harper must quickly connect all the threads that lead to and from various suspects. Although it is sadly not developed here (next instalment ?) there is potential for romance, and lots of wonderful baking, not to mention local festivities. In short, if you like cozy mysteries, this once succeeds in all categories. If you’ve never read one, The Mystery in the Margins is a great initiation.

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snagged an ARC courtesy of LT's Early Reviewers program.
The Mystery in the Margins is a cozy mystery that manages to pull off both the cozy and the mystery aspects of the story while setting up a promising series.

After Harper's great grandmother passes away, she receives a letter that mentions what will happen to Spellbooks, the bookshop her grandmother owned, prompting Harper to head to Havenwood. The town is pretty much as idyllic as it sounds, though Harper quickly learns that she's not the only great grandchild. A long lost great grandson will be vying for new ownership of Spellbooks and whichever great grandchild produces the business plan for Spellbooks that most closely aligns with Bea's will win.

It's weird that Harper didn't know she had a cousin, as it wasn't like he was found after their great grandmother died. His relationship with the lawyer overseeing the will is also... odd. It's one of my few quibbles, really, as nothing comes of it even as it seems very likely they're in cahoots until surprise, they aren't. Maybe I blinked at the wrong time and missed the explanation as to why they were so chummy? In any case, there's a decent amount of tension as to the future of Spellbooks because while it's obvious to the reader that Harper is being set up as the best choice, there was still the small possibility we'd get a curveball, and honestly I was kinda hoping sometimes we would, since for awhile the whodunnit was taking more of Harper's focus and I worried she'd neglect the actual reason she was there and the only reason she'd be able to stay.

I didn't love the ending, as I already mentioned. I'd figured out the who part of the whodunnit but not exactly... why? And I'm still not sure why, even after finishing the book. The end felt oddly rushed and unfinished, but it's possible that I simply missed something and it'll be clear should I re-read the ending again.

I liked the supporting cast and I'm looking forward to the next book.

[ChasseReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mystery in the Margins by L.L. Gray is Book 1 in the Havenwood Paranormal Cozy Mysteries. I found the characters throughout the book to be very relatable - the one's I especially loved were Harper, Bella, and Luna. However, almost all of the characters throughout the book were likeable. Havenwood is a charming little town that has some magical parts to it.

I loved how the story unfolded and we learned more and more about Havenwood, the locals, and Spellbooks. I loved all of the twists the story and plot took.

It starts out with Harper returning to Havenwood after she received a summons from her great-grandmother's attorney about her estate. Harper is all in for making Havenwood and Spellbooks her own when a wrench gets thrown into her dream. There's 2 heirs to Granny Bea's estate - Harper and her long lost cousin. But that's just the cherry on the cake for Harper as she arrived in town to discover Spellbooks was an active crime scene. Someone broke into Spellbooks and stole the most valuable books Granny Bea had on display. With a town full of suspects and a looming deadline approaching to decide who would inherit Spellbooks, Harper has quite the adventure on her hands.

While reading I had my own list of suspects that I thought could be the culprit. As we started to check them off the list I started to wonder what I had missed and who else it could have been. I had a main suspect - The one who was so intrigued by the pirate and the treasure and was conveniently out of town. When we met the actual culprit though I wasn't expecting it. I had so many questions. Then when Harper discovered the little Bee's I, like Harper, had more questions. I think the book had a good way to end it as it leaves readers coming back for more.

Overall, The Mystery in the Margins was a wonderful read and I can't wait to read Book 2!

[Pippa Humphries · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mystery in the Margins is the first book in the Havenwood Paranormal Cozy Mysteries series.

We meet Harper Sullivan, who has returned to Havenwood after her great grandmother’s passing to settle her estate. Only when she arrives, she finds things are not all they seem: the bookshop has been broken into and trashed, and Harper discovers from Granny’s lawyer that there are some pretty large hoops to jump through in order to secure her inheritance and restore the bookshop to the hub of the town.

Harper isn’t your usual kick-ass FMC. She’s jumping for joy at the opportunity to put down roots in a place she loves and her adoration for her grandmother’s bookshop and Havenwood shines through.

Don’t get me wrong, Harper’s no pushover, and she’s not going to settle for anyone’s nonsense. Her integrity, ingenuity and determination in the face of the challenges she encounters in the story makes this a compelling read. The story is full of mystery and excitement as Harper reconnects with the town and some old friends and makes some new ones too.

With the support Luna, her granny’s familiar, the townsfolk she knew from when she was younger and a rather good-looking new potential neighbour, can Harper solve the mystery and win her beloved bookshop, and possibly more?

This is a very cozy small-town paranormal witchy mystery, although I’m still not quite sure why Harper is a witch? Hopefully that becomes clear in the next book, but it doesn’t detract from the overall story which I really enjoyed.

It’s a clean, minimally romantic, mystery with magical creatures, a talking rabbit familiar and a genuinely kind and thoughtful FMC. This is a wonderfully uplifting read and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Harper and her friends.

[Laurie J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best audience for this book are middle school kids and young adults who like books with fantastical talking creatures inter-mixed with humans and magical humans in a low angst mystery with life-changing rewards.

This book is the first in a new series (and the first I’ve read by this author) about Harper, raised as a military kid always moving, who now has an opportunity to settle roots in a magical town populated with humans, fantastical creatures, and mixed-race humans/fantastical creatures — where the magic ones keep the humans oblivious to the town’s magic. Harper arrives in town to settle her great-grandmother’s estate — a bookstore. But before she can, she finds the store had been broken into and the valuable books have been stolen. As Harper tries to figure out who stole them, she meets lots of fantastical creatures that can talk to her and help with insights about the town and her great-grandmother.

The *** rating is because I’m not the best audience for the book. I didn’t enjoy much of the first part of the book: the first chapter is primarily descriptive backstory that needed a good editor to help the author break it up and sprinkle it out when needed for the reader. The dialog is simple and cliched. I didn’t warm to the characters throughout much of the book as Harper rehashes questions, worries about flirting with the guy next door or dealing with a disagreeable relative, and has a growling stomach before every meal, followed by long descriptions of food options or eaten (I expected to see recipes at the end of the book with all the food talk).

I suspect the next books in the series will move at a better pace, now that the foundational world has been established.

Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC of this book. The review is left voluntarily.

[Mackenzie Grier · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute mystery!

In the beginning I was excited to come across multiple descriptions and references that made me instantly think of the movie Halloweentown. I laughed so hard when the author fit in an Abbott and Costello joke too!

I love how the author created so many magical creatures within the story and a background that fit them and their personality perfectly; jobs they were doing or where they lived, simple things, made complete sense for that magical being. It was great that within every new scene Harper would encounter new magical beings so we were constantly introduced to fun new characters.

Throughout the story I thought Harper would latch onto a townsperson as being the burglar of her Granny’s shop too fast; everyone was instantly a suspicious person to her. It was nice to see the townspeople be so welcoming to her. She knew some of them from when she was a child but now we got to see her create real relationships with them.

I thought it was going to be a cozy, little mystery about Harper finding the burglar of the bookshop, but it had a great side-quest too that I was not expecting. Thaddeus was a typical money-grubbing character; every time we saw him he was doing something suspicious and his attitude kept getting worse so I expected a big blow-up from him at some point when it turned out he wasn’t going to get his way. I really don’t think Harper had any competition from him, but the story was portrayed in a way where it showed Harper as being insecure and full of self-doubt, which we all feel at some point, but then we also got to share in her happiness when time-after-time she realized how many people supported her and wanted the best for her.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[CR1017 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy (ARC) & am leaving this voluntary, honest review.

The Mystery in the Margins is a story told from the point of view of Harper Sullivan.
Harper is a military brat & has spent most of her life traveling the world to whatever post her dad has been assigned, never really putting down roots or becoming used to being in one place for too long.
The only place Harper had felt at ease, or comfortable, was when she visited her Granny Bea, in the quaint little Connecticut town of Havenwood when she was 12.
Skip ahead several years and we find Harper now grown, a college grad and summoned back to Havenwood to deal with matters involving her departed Granny's estate, which includes the magical bookshop, Sullivan's Spellbooks. Oh and of course, there's the tiny little matter of Harper being a witch, and practically all of the residents of Havenwood being some form of magical, mythic creature.
Case in point, the lawyer handling the estate is a vampire, who informs Harper that she hasn't inherited the shop as she assumed, but in fact she has a cousin she hasn't met & they must each convince the lawyer to decide who has the best plans for the shop and that person will be awarded ownership after one week as per Granny Bea's will.
A break in and theft of some valuable rare books from Sullivan's Spellbooks sets Harper on a quest to find the thief.
The resulting story is filled with suspense and mystery and a sense of urgency, but never feels rushed. Time is taken to introduce several characters and allow for interaction.
A very pleasant introduction to the town of Havenwood & the charming Harper Sullivan.