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Beach Reads Mystery #3
A Killer Romance
Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.
When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.
As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.
As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.
When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.
As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.
As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.
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First published February 6, 2024
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February 4, 2024
The third book in the Beach Reads Mystery series and I have read all of them. Each one has been better than the one before and now the author seems really in her stride.
A Killer Romance begins with Summer tripping and doing serious damage to one of her ankles. Because of this she does not even get to meet the guest speaker for the Valentine's Day Festival before that poor lady is murdered. However despite the pain and the endless medications she seems to take, Summer manages to be involved in the investigation.
The mystery, the characters and the dialogue are all good although the parrot still steals the show! I found the ending unusual with an epilogue which jumps forward in time and lets the reader know some important events in the future. Does this mean the series is over already? If not why does the author gloss over in three pages what should be the focus of the next book? Time will tell.
A Killer Romance begins with Summer tripping and doing serious damage to one of her ankles. Because of this she does not even get to meet the guest speaker for the Valentine's Day Festival before that poor lady is murdered. However despite the pain and the endless medications she seems to take, Summer manages to be involved in the investigation.
The mystery, the characters and the dialogue are all good although the parrot still steals the show! I found the ending unusual with an epilogue which jumps forward in time and lets the reader know some important events in the future. Does this mean the series is over already? If not why does the author gloss over in three pages what should be the focus of the next book? Time will tell.
February 6, 2024
This Cozy Mystery grew on me as I read more into the book. I haven’t read the other books in this series. This was my first time reading anything by this Author. I thought this story was twisted and unpredictable. I thought some of the story line seemed to be unrealistic while other parts were realistic. I will say that I was completely blown away when the Whodunnit was revealed. There was some bad language but not a lot. All in all I would say that I rather enjoyed this cozy and I feel that if I had read book one and two I would have understood the characters better.
When Summer Merriweather invites Best Selling Author Lana Livingstone to be her Valentine Day guest at her BeachReads bookstore she isn’t prepared for what happens next. Summer has been going through some hard times lately and when Lana is found dead at the B&B where she’s been staying the police begin questioning the bookstore’s employees. Could one Of Summer’s employees have killed Lana and if so what would the motive have been? One thing is certain that someone who attended the Authors book signing wanted her dead.
Readers who enjoy cozy mystery would enjoy this book. I read it as a standalone and didn’t feel lost in the story. Since other characters from the other two books in A Beach Reads Mystery series are mentioned in this book I recommend that readers first read the other two books . This book is scheduled to be released on 2/6/24.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are my own.
#AKillerRomance #NetGalley
When Summer Merriweather invites Best Selling Author Lana Livingstone to be her Valentine Day guest at her BeachReads bookstore she isn’t prepared for what happens next. Summer has been going through some hard times lately and when Lana is found dead at the B&B where she’s been staying the police begin questioning the bookstore’s employees. Could one Of Summer’s employees have killed Lana and if so what would the motive have been? One thing is certain that someone who attended the Authors book signing wanted her dead.
Readers who enjoy cozy mystery would enjoy this book. I read it as a standalone and didn’t feel lost in the story. Since other characters from the other two books in A Beach Reads Mystery series are mentioned in this book I recommend that readers first read the other two books . This book is scheduled to be released on 2/6/24.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here in this review are my own.
#AKillerRomance #NetGalley
August 4, 2023
A Killer Romance is the third book in the Beach Read series. The story takes place on St. Brigid Island, North Carolina. Summer Merriweather is the main character. She owns the Beach Read bookstore which she inherited along with her cottage from her mother, Hildy who left it to her when she died. As this is the third book in the series there are characters from the first book, Little Bookshop of Murder, that make up the town. The new characters to the series add to the story.
Before inheriting her mother's store, Summer had been a professor at a university teaching about Shakespeare on line. She had also written two books on the subject. She retired from the university 37 years ago.
Summer is having her first instore author discussion since the pandemic. Her first author they are hosting is Lana Livingston. She wrote a modern-day book on Romero and Juliet. Her assistant, Poppy and her mother's old friends Glads and Marilyn. as well as her cousin, Piper are helping getting the store ready for the Valentine event As Summer is coming down the steps from the second floor she trips and falls spraining her ankle. She ends up going to the hospital and is told by the doctor that she is to stay off of her ankle for a week as it is badly sprained. Because of this her assistant and friends will have to host the event for her.
It was decided that Summer will stay home and her niece, Mia will stay with her and watch the book Valentine Day event on line. Her parrot, Mr. Darcy that she inherited from her mother also kept her company. While waiting to watch the event a Detective Liam Connor came to her house and asked about Lana. Wanted to know if she was staying at her house. He told them he was on a special assignment and was keeping his eye on Lana. She is a suspect in her husband's death.
The next day Summer got a phone call from her old boyfriend, Cash Singer, that Lana had been found dead in her bed at the B&B she was staying in. Mia, Glads and Marilyn were at Summer's house giving her lunch when Detective Connors came and spoke to them. He asked them questions and they believed it was murder by poison which was later verified.
Marilyn called Summer to tell her that Glads had been arrested for Lana's murder by Detective Connor. Cash , who is a lawyer was at the station and got Glads out on bail. He was concerned that she was not doing well. Apparently she had brought Lana some tea at the event and they found the poison in the cup. Glads arrives at Summer's house late at night saying she didn't want to stay at her house. Summer lets her stay with her.
For some reason, the boxes of Lana's clothes, etc. were sent to Summer's house. Tina, the owner of the B&B were told by the police to send them there. They went through the boxes but didn't find anything to tell them why she had been killed. When Glads is looking at one of Lana's books to read that were in the box she finds a bag of cocaine in the book. They call Ben Singer, Cash's father and chief of police to come and get it. Why did Lola have it in the book.
Gina Chocolates is a new store in town next to the bookstore. it is owned by Gina Giancarlo. She has an open house to introduce the town to her store. She later hires Mary Laura, Lola's step-daughter to work for her at her shop.
This is where the story takes the reader on an adventure and there is too much to relate to put on paper. I will leave this to the reader to enjoy. The ending is built up with such a surprise at the end. It is not what the reader thought.
Epilogue: One year later: Summer has established the Lana Livingston Scholarship for woman who wanted to become a writer. Summer is also pregnant with a baby boy and is about to marry Cash. They do get married on Mermaid Point.
I have read this series from the beginning and have loved Summer's family as well as her friends. I look forward to the next book to find out what the next adventure they will all be going on.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
Before inheriting her mother's store, Summer had been a professor at a university teaching about Shakespeare on line. She had also written two books on the subject. She retired from the university 37 years ago.
Summer is having her first instore author discussion since the pandemic. Her first author they are hosting is Lana Livingston. She wrote a modern-day book on Romero and Juliet. Her assistant, Poppy and her mother's old friends Glads and Marilyn. as well as her cousin, Piper are helping getting the store ready for the Valentine event As Summer is coming down the steps from the second floor she trips and falls spraining her ankle. She ends up going to the hospital and is told by the doctor that she is to stay off of her ankle for a week as it is badly sprained. Because of this her assistant and friends will have to host the event for her.
It was decided that Summer will stay home and her niece, Mia will stay with her and watch the book Valentine Day event on line. Her parrot, Mr. Darcy that she inherited from her mother also kept her company. While waiting to watch the event a Detective Liam Connor came to her house and asked about Lana. Wanted to know if she was staying at her house. He told them he was on a special assignment and was keeping his eye on Lana. She is a suspect in her husband's death.
The next day Summer got a phone call from her old boyfriend, Cash Singer, that Lana had been found dead in her bed at the B&B she was staying in. Mia, Glads and Marilyn were at Summer's house giving her lunch when Detective Connors came and spoke to them. He asked them questions and they believed it was murder by poison which was later verified.
Marilyn called Summer to tell her that Glads had been arrested for Lana's murder by Detective Connor. Cash , who is a lawyer was at the station and got Glads out on bail. He was concerned that she was not doing well. Apparently she had brought Lana some tea at the event and they found the poison in the cup. Glads arrives at Summer's house late at night saying she didn't want to stay at her house. Summer lets her stay with her.
For some reason, the boxes of Lana's clothes, etc. were sent to Summer's house. Tina, the owner of the B&B were told by the police to send them there. They went through the boxes but didn't find anything to tell them why she had been killed. When Glads is looking at one of Lana's books to read that were in the box she finds a bag of cocaine in the book. They call Ben Singer, Cash's father and chief of police to come and get it. Why did Lola have it in the book.
Gina Chocolates is a new store in town next to the bookstore. it is owned by Gina Giancarlo. She has an open house to introduce the town to her store. She later hires Mary Laura, Lola's step-daughter to work for her at her shop.
This is where the story takes the reader on an adventure and there is too much to relate to put on paper. I will leave this to the reader to enjoy. The ending is built up with such a surprise at the end. It is not what the reader thought.
Epilogue: One year later: Summer has established the Lana Livingston Scholarship for woman who wanted to become a writer. Summer is also pregnant with a baby boy and is about to marry Cash. They do get married on Mermaid Point.
I have read this series from the beginning and have loved Summer's family as well as her friends. I look forward to the next book to find out what the next adventure they will all be going on.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
January 23, 2024
I can honestly say I didn’t see any of what unfolded in this book coming. While I don’t read many cozy mysteries, I do try to read a few per year. And was I not going to choose on that takes place in a bookstore involving romance novels??
The storytelling wasn’t perfect, but it was good for a quick read. My main gripe was just when Summer was on the date with Liam and she was in the bathroom talking on the phone saying she hated him and then flipped like a switch?? It was very confusing and felt like it was bookmarked “to edit” and they just forgot to edit it. I also wasn’t a fan of the pandemic references, just please don’t! But for the most part I was invested and didn’t see the whodunnit coming!
I’m definitely interested in reading the other books in the series, as I’m assuming this is the final one? We got a few details of the previous murder-mysteries, but not enough to really spoil those books. There were even recipes at the end! I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator, and hope she’s the same throughout the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Thanks so much to the publisher for an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are honestly and my own.
The storytelling wasn’t perfect, but it was good for a quick read. My main gripe was just when Summer was on the date with Liam and she was in the bathroom talking on the phone saying she hated him and then flipped like a switch?? It was very confusing and felt like it was bookmarked “to edit” and they just forgot to edit it. I also wasn’t a fan of the pandemic references, just please don’t! But for the most part I was invested and didn’t see the whodunnit coming!
I’m definitely interested in reading the other books in the series, as I’m assuming this is the final one? We got a few details of the previous murder-mysteries, but not enough to really spoil those books. There were even recipes at the end! I really enjoyed the audiobook narrator, and hope she’s the same throughout the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Thanks so much to the publisher for an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are honestly and my own.
December 28, 2023
This is the third in the Beach Reads Mystery series and it was fun spending time with the characters of the Beach Reads bookstore and the Mermaid Book Club. Summer Merriweather, the owner of the shop - a Shakespeare professor who inherited the bookstore from her mother HIldy, and her Aunt Agatha, and cousins Poppy and Piper are all vibrant characters who exude love for each other and their friends and community. I enjoyed my time on St. Brigid island in North Carolina with these people. This is a good cozy mystery series.
Description:
Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.
When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.
As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.
As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.
My thoughts:
There is a murder that will keep you guessing until the end as there are a few red herrings thrown in that will easily lead you astray. Cash, the man Summer left at the altar is back and he and Summer are now good friends - but, is there something more? I really disliked the detective, Liam who seemed to rub everyone the wrong way. Love, love, love the parrot Mr. Darcy - he steals the show! I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication is February 6, 2024.
Description:
Love and murder are in the air this Valentine’s day in Maggie Blackburn’s third Beach Reads mystery, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Miranda James.
When Beach Reads bookshop hosts a Valentine’s Day event, “Romance by the Sea,” bookseller Summer Merriweather has no idea that the guest author is under investigation for her own husband’s murder. When that same author is found dead at the local bed and breakfast, nobody assumes it’s natural causes–there were plenty of people who wanted her dead.
As Summer searches for the truth about the author’s stranger-than-fiction life, Summer finds suspicious indications of shady behavior in the author’s belongings. But the casual sleuthing is quickly derailed when Summer’s friend Glads gets hauled in for the murder, and they launch a full-blown investigation to clear her name.
As Summer and company pick through the scant clues to solve the case, they may find more treachery and heartbreak than they bargained for.
My thoughts:
There is a murder that will keep you guessing until the end as there are a few red herrings thrown in that will easily lead you astray. Cash, the man Summer left at the altar is back and he and Summer are now good friends - but, is there something more? I really disliked the detective, Liam who seemed to rub everyone the wrong way. Love, love, love the parrot Mr. Darcy - he steals the show! I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication is February 6, 2024.
August 1, 2023
#AKillerRomance #NetGalley is a fun addition to this series and I found it to be my favorite book!
Summer is hosting a Valentine's celebration at her family bookstore, but when the visiting author's body is found, Summer feels she needs to get involved.
This is a great book,reading it is the perfect way to spend a weekend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
Summer is hosting a Valentine's celebration at her family bookstore, but when the visiting author's body is found, Summer feels she needs to get involved.
This is a great book,reading it is the perfect way to spend a weekend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
March 15, 2024
I'm giving this 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. This book didn't grab my attention. I hadn't read the other books in the series, so maybe if I had, I would have liked this one more.
The mystery was decent but not compelling, and the characters were a little annoying. My favorite part of the book ended up being Mr. Darcy the bird.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The mystery was decent but not compelling, and the characters were a little annoying. My favorite part of the book ended up being Mr. Darcy the bird.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 22, 2024
At the start of the book I was wondering if this was perhaps written by another author than the previous two books, the narrative flowed so well. But by the time the author (in the book) died, I changed my mind. Summer’s thoughts had become more than a little repetative.
Summer has invited romance author Lana Livingston to Beach Reads for a presentation on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, Summer can’t attend the presentation, because she sprained her ankle badly when she made a tumble down the stairs. A detective from Pittsburgh comes to her house to do a whereabouts check on Lana.
Like seriously, Pittsburgh police has the kind of resources they can send an officer out of state to check whether a suspect in a murder enquiry is staying at the place she said she’d be staying?
The detective makes Summer blush, because for some reason she gets a new love interest every story.
After the death of the author the detective returns to ask Summer some questions. And not even clever Mia says to him: “I thought you said you don’t have jurisdiction here.”
Well, lack of jurisdiction can be easily waved, as by the next day, the Pittsburgh detective seems to have become the lead detective in this North-Carolina murder case. He promptly arrests one of Summer’s friends.
It’s an odd murder mystery. For one, the victim didn’t appear on the page before she was killed. She was from out of town and there doesn’t seem to be anything or anyone that links her to St Brigid’s. Because people are most often killed by people that know them (in reality, but most definitely in cozies), this also makes for a distinct lack of suspects.
A good thing in this book is that Summer is a much nicer character. She’s far less a snob about good reading material and less judgemental in general. Strange thing, though she considers herself a feminist, she muses a few times that her mother was alone until the day she died. It seems Summer has forgotten about the heaps and heaps of friends Hildy had, but only focused on the fact her mother did not have a romantic partner.
Worse probably is that when Summer receives a box of roses both Agatha and Glads squeal. Squeal! Why does neither of them immediately bring up the fact that the sender stood in Summer’s kitchen and told her not to have her friend over while she was investigated for murder?
This book gives off the bad vibes that romantic interests should be prioritized over friends.
Not so good is that this book has many of the same flaws the previous books had, such as the already mentioned repetitiveness, scenes in which not much else happens than someone walks in says a few things and leaves again, inconsistancy of names Lana/Lena.
In all, I think this could have been a much tighter, if not shorter, story. I would have been much more invested in the story, and the reason for sleuthing, if we had been able to meet Lana before she was killed, if Gina and Tina had gotten more background rather than the walk-on parts they had. And maybe, just maybe, it would have been good to reveal what was troublesome about Glads’s past.
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
Summer has invited romance author Lana Livingston to Beach Reads for a presentation on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, Summer can’t attend the presentation, because she sprained her ankle badly when she made a tumble down the stairs. A detective from Pittsburgh comes to her house to do a whereabouts check on Lana.
Like seriously, Pittsburgh police has the kind of resources they can send an officer out of state to check whether a suspect in a murder enquiry is staying at the place she said she’d be staying?
The detective makes Summer blush, because for some reason she gets a new love interest every story.
After the death of the author the detective returns to ask Summer some questions. And not even clever Mia says to him: “I thought you said you don’t have jurisdiction here.”
Well, lack of jurisdiction can be easily waved, as by the next day, the Pittsburgh detective seems to have become the lead detective in this North-Carolina murder case. He promptly arrests one of Summer’s friends.
It’s an odd murder mystery. For one, the victim didn’t appear on the page before she was killed. She was from out of town and there doesn’t seem to be anything or anyone that links her to St Brigid’s. Because people are most often killed by people that know them (in reality, but most definitely in cozies), this also makes for a distinct lack of suspects.
A good thing in this book is that Summer is a much nicer character. She’s far less a snob about good reading material and less judgemental in general. Strange thing, though she considers herself a feminist, she muses a few times that her mother was alone until the day she died. It seems Summer has forgotten about the heaps and heaps of friends Hildy had, but only focused on the fact her mother did not have a romantic partner.
Worse probably is that when Summer receives a box of roses both Agatha and Glads squeal. Squeal! Why does neither of them immediately bring up the fact that the sender stood in Summer’s kitchen and told her not to have her friend over while she was investigated for murder?
This book gives off the bad vibes that romantic interests should be prioritized over friends.
Not so good is that this book has many of the same flaws the previous books had, such as the already mentioned repetitiveness, scenes in which not much else happens than someone walks in says a few things and leaves again, inconsistancy of names Lana/Lena.
In all, I think this could have been a much tighter, if not shorter, story. I would have been much more invested in the story, and the reason for sleuthing, if we had been able to meet Lana before she was killed, if Gina and Tina had gotten more background rather than the walk-on parts they had. And maybe, just maybe, it would have been good to reveal what was troublesome about Glads’s past.
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
October 17, 2023
I started in the wrong order. This is the third book in the series, but the first I read. A good story with a dose of dark secrets. I like it! Now I want to read it with the author’s other books. I requested and received an EARC from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
November 5, 2023
Summer Merriweather runs a bookstore called Beach Reads Bookstore in St. Brigid, a small island in North Carolina. She runs it with Poppy, her assistant manager.
Summer had moved to the island 🏝️ years ago after the unexpected death of her mother Hildy. She’d planned to sell it and carry on with her life as a Shakespearean professor in Staunton, Virginia. Yet here she was four years later, running the bookstore.
Beach Reads Bookstore is set to host its first Valentine’s Day event and Summer has agreed to host Lana Livingston—a *New York Times* bestselling author—for the Valentine’s Day signing.
A day before the book signing, Summer sprains her ankle and is unable to attend the event. The day of the event, a detective shows up at Summer’s house asking for Lana’s whereabouts. Apparently Lana is a murder suspect in her husband’s death and the police is keeping track of her.
The day after the event, Summer learns that Lana was found dead in her B & B room when she didn’t show up for breakfast. Apparently she was poisoned. Who poisoned her and why?
Soon after a woman named Glads, one of Summer’s mom’s best friends is arrested.
I enjoyed the book as well as the setting. Interesting characters and well crafted mystery. Definitely recommend
Thank you to Maggie Blackburn, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc of this book.
Summer had moved to the island 🏝️ years ago after the unexpected death of her mother Hildy. She’d planned to sell it and carry on with her life as a Shakespearean professor in Staunton, Virginia. Yet here she was four years later, running the bookstore.
Beach Reads Bookstore is set to host its first Valentine’s Day event and Summer has agreed to host Lana Livingston—a *New York Times* bestselling author—for the Valentine’s Day signing.
A day before the book signing, Summer sprains her ankle and is unable to attend the event. The day of the event, a detective shows up at Summer’s house asking for Lana’s whereabouts. Apparently Lana is a murder suspect in her husband’s death and the police is keeping track of her.
The day after the event, Summer learns that Lana was found dead in her B & B room when she didn’t show up for breakfast. Apparently she was poisoned. Who poisoned her and why?
Soon after a woman named Glads, one of Summer’s mom’s best friends is arrested.
I enjoyed the book as well as the setting. Interesting characters and well crafted mystery. Definitely recommend
Thank you to Maggie Blackburn, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc of this book.
September 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me going to the end, only took 2-3 hours to read. The story hooked me right away. The characters are complex and interesting, I kind of wish I could go to that island, it sounds wonderful. The plot is intriguing and has lots going on. I was really surprised by the capture of the killer. (although I did suspect her before the end). #AKillerRomance #NetGalley
November 28, 2023
If you are of a romantic persuasion, Valentine's Day is a big celebration at the start of the year. Summer Merriweather's late mother began the annual Romance by the Sea event at the Beach Reads bookstore, which she has continued, and this year, a well-known romance novelist with a big following will be her guest speaker. Unfortunately, by the following morning, there is, once again, a dead body connected to the bookstore with one of Summer's friends as the main suspect.
Determined to discover the real culprit Summer begins to investigate once again, but the involvement of desperate and ruthless out-of-towners makes finding the culprit even more vital. As she digs deeper and with the danger moving ever closer to her door, will Summer succeed or instead finally have to admit defeat?
Book three in the Beach Reads Mystery Series was a bit of a mixed bag for me, with some parts seeming unnecessary while others were both surprising and filled with tension in a good way. The ending contained the same contradictions but also tied everything up neatly and in an ultimately satisfying manner, which I think could signal the end to this series.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. On reflection, I enjoyed this and liked the sound of the recipes included at the end.
Determined to discover the real culprit Summer begins to investigate once again, but the involvement of desperate and ruthless out-of-towners makes finding the culprit even more vital. As she digs deeper and with the danger moving ever closer to her door, will Summer succeed or instead finally have to admit defeat?
Book three in the Beach Reads Mystery Series was a bit of a mixed bag for me, with some parts seeming unnecessary while others were both surprising and filled with tension in a good way. The ending contained the same contradictions but also tied everything up neatly and in an ultimately satisfying manner, which I think could signal the end to this series.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Crooked Lane Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. On reflection, I enjoyed this and liked the sound of the recipes included at the end.
September 8, 2023
"A Killer Romance" is a mixed bag, with some enjoyable elements but a few hiccups that left me with a 3-star rating. First off, Summer, the main character, and her family are the real gems of the story. Their warmth and relatability make them easy to root for, and I found myself invested in their lives. The cozy bookstore mystery setting is right up my alley, and it provides a comforting backdrop to the story. However, I did find it a bit odd that there was a sudden jump of 5 years between the last book in the series and this third installment. It left me feeling like I missed out on crucial character developments and storylines. The whodunit aspect did keep me guessing until the very end, which is a plus for a mystery novel. However, some of the clues felt a bit contrived, like the boxes of Lana's clothes being sent to Summer's house. It felt forced and strained my suspension of disbelief. In summary, "A Killer Romance" offers a cozy, family-centered mystery with some engaging characters. While it kept me guessing, the abrupt time jump and the occasional forced clue made it fall short of my expectations. If you're a fan of the series, it's worth a read, but be prepared for a few bumps along the way.
September 8, 2023
When the author at a Valentine’s event dies, Summer finds herself at a loss for how the woman died while she was her guest. As she digs into the mystery, Summer finds out some interesting things about her guest author and starts to follow the clues she’s managed to uncover. Family, friend or foe, wherever the clues lead, Summer just hopes they don’t lead her to her own end.
I’ve read this series from the beginning and have loved every single entry in this series! I’m hoping for many more mysteries to come…join me in slipping off to the beach for some mystery and mayhem. You’ll enjoy the characters and find yourself wrapped up in a great mystery every time you pick up a book in this series!
I’ve read this series from the beginning and have loved every single entry in this series! I’m hoping for many more mysteries to come…join me in slipping off to the beach for some mystery and mayhem. You’ll enjoy the characters and find yourself wrapped up in a great mystery every time you pick up a book in this series!
August 13, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of "A Killer Romance" in exchange for my honest review.
Summer Merriweather has taken over the Beach Reads Bookstore on St. Brigid Island off the North Carolina coast after her mother Hildy passed away. She had not been planning to run a bookstore, she was a Shakespearean professor in Staunton, Virginia but 4 years later she is still there. This is book #3 in the 'Beach Reads Mystery' series but if this is the first book you have picked up in the series, it is easy to follow along and enjoy.
When Summer falls down the stairs and sprains her ankle, she ends up on bed-rest and can't host the author event that was planned. Her friends and family pitch in and take over the shop for her. Then Detective Liam Connor shows up wanting the author's address because he needs to report her whereabouts. But why would he need to know where Lana is staying? He seems to be very shady for a detective.
When the author is poisoned her belongings show up at Summer's place, but why? Why was she using Summer's address and why where there drugs hidden in her books?
The best character in this book is Mr. Darcy - Hildy's bird. He walks around the house, he talks to everyone and he makes sounds like a rooster. He even dances! Best character ever!!
There are plenty of red herrings in this story, clue that will lead the reader away from the true killer. Many of the recipes that are mentioned in the book can be found at the end of the story for the reader to replicate at home.
Summer Merriweather has taken over the Beach Reads Bookstore on St. Brigid Island off the North Carolina coast after her mother Hildy passed away. She had not been planning to run a bookstore, she was a Shakespearean professor in Staunton, Virginia but 4 years later she is still there. This is book #3 in the 'Beach Reads Mystery' series but if this is the first book you have picked up in the series, it is easy to follow along and enjoy.
When Summer falls down the stairs and sprains her ankle, she ends up on bed-rest and can't host the author event that was planned. Her friends and family pitch in and take over the shop for her. Then Detective Liam Connor shows up wanting the author's address because he needs to report her whereabouts. But why would he need to know where Lana is staying? He seems to be very shady for a detective.
When the author is poisoned her belongings show up at Summer's place, but why? Why was she using Summer's address and why where there drugs hidden in her books?
The best character in this book is Mr. Darcy - Hildy's bird. He walks around the house, he talks to everyone and he makes sounds like a rooster. He even dances! Best character ever!!
There are plenty of red herrings in this story, clue that will lead the reader away from the true killer. Many of the recipes that are mentioned in the book can be found at the end of the story for the reader to replicate at home.
October 24, 2023
I love this series, but this installment wasn't as good as the earlier works. I missed the characters' interaction it was all about the mystery, not the family aspect, like the first 2 books in the series. I couldn't get into the mystery. We had no connection to the woman who was murdered. It also focused too much on Summers' sprained ankle. I get she sprained it, but every other page had a comment about how much pain she was in or how she couldn't do anything because of it. It got boring after a while. The book had a very negative vibe to it between the sorained ankle and Summers hatred of Valentines Day. I was very disappointed in it. I do hope for another book in the series and that it feel more like the first 2 books
August 25, 2023
This was a cozy I really, really enjoyed. Summer, the amateur sleuth trying to keep her friend from being convicted since the tea presented to Lana, the author was given to her by Glads. Summer, the owner , was not at the bookstore for the book signing as she had fallen and injured her ankle. I read this book in 2 sittings but you really had to pay close attention because as soon as you thought you had it figured out something else came up.
A VERY GOOD READ. I am giving this Cozy a 5 because it is one of the best I have read.
A VERY GOOD READ. I am giving this Cozy a 5 because it is one of the best I have read.
April 7, 2024
This book was just awful. It felt like a boomer that is acceptable of all the changed in the world yet criticize them at every corner. Example, she’s okay with people smelling pot cause it’s legal now but ew people who smoke pot.
February 11, 2024
I finished this yesterday [2.10.2024] and decided to wait on the review because I HAD FEELINGS. Woke up today [2.11.2024] and realized I just didn't have the bandwidth to go into all that bugged me about this book [unfortunately, this outweighed ALL the good that did happen at the beginning of the book] and have decided to just write this instead.
Full disclosure - I disliked book 1 for many reasons [judgy much?] and was just going to not read this, but I also know that book 2 and book 3 in a series are often MUCH better than the initial offering, so away we went. I skipped book 2 [and never felt I missed anything in book 3 because of it] and just went into book 3 and was pleasantly surprised at just how good it was, until it just...wasn't [after the murder]. It felt about 50 - 75 pages too long [I may or may not have yelled "JUST GET ON WITH IT ALREADY], there was SO. MUCH. REPETITION [full chapters of rehashing], and it took a really amazing premise and just threw it away so to speak. It had a very anticlimactic ending and the epilogue was just so....and I ended up being so disappointed. This could have been a great read and instead it left me knowing I will not read anymore and will skip the authors alter-ego as well.
I was also granted a audiobook ARC for this book and unfortunately, I was also disappointed by this. I am just not a fan of this narrator reading this book [I have listened to her before and had enjoyed her, hence the requesting of this one]. There were many times I just wanted her to READ THE BOOK instead of getting wrapped up in so many different voices [there were a ton of characters in this book - I cannot even imagine how difficult it was for her to even keep track, much less come up with voices for them all] I am afraid it added to my disappointment over this whole book experience. Like I said, I have listened to her before and enjoyed her, so I will continue to look for her narration, but in this case, the narration just did not work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Maggie Blackburn, Christa Lewis - Narrator, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure - I disliked book 1 for many reasons [judgy much?] and was just going to not read this, but I also know that book 2 and book 3 in a series are often MUCH better than the initial offering, so away we went. I skipped book 2 [and never felt I missed anything in book 3 because of it] and just went into book 3 and was pleasantly surprised at just how good it was, until it just...wasn't [after the murder]. It felt about 50 - 75 pages too long [I may or may not have yelled "JUST GET ON WITH IT ALREADY], there was SO. MUCH. REPETITION [full chapters of rehashing], and it took a really amazing premise and just threw it away so to speak. It had a very anticlimactic ending and the epilogue was just so....and I ended up being so disappointed. This could have been a great read and instead it left me knowing I will not read anymore and will skip the authors alter-ego as well.
I was also granted a audiobook ARC for this book and unfortunately, I was also disappointed by this. I am just not a fan of this narrator reading this book [I have listened to her before and had enjoyed her, hence the requesting of this one]. There were many times I just wanted her to READ THE BOOK instead of getting wrapped up in so many different voices [there were a ton of characters in this book - I cannot even imagine how difficult it was for her to even keep track, much less come up with voices for them all] I am afraid it added to my disappointment over this whole book experience. Like I said, I have listened to her before and enjoyed her, so I will continue to look for her narration, but in this case, the narration just did not work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Maggie Blackburn, Christa Lewis - Narrator, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2024
A Killer Romance is the third book in the Beach Reads series.
St. Brigid Island, North Carolina is the setting for this cozy/beach read. Summer Merriweather owns the Beach Read bookstore after her mother, Hildy died. Before her mother died Summer was a professor at a university teaching about Shakespeare.
Summer has scheduled her first author at the Beach Read. They are hosting is Lana Livingston who wrote a modern-day book on Romero and Juliet. As she is getting ready for the event, she falls and twists her ankle badly needing crutches and help at home as well as the bookstore. Her assistant, Poppy and her mother's old friends Glads and Marilyn. as well as her cousin, Piper rally around her by helping to get the store ready for the Valentine event Summer is very unhappy to be missing the event and the chance to talk to Lana. At the event Lana is poisoned and dies at the B&B she was staying at, which gives people something to talk about making Summer worry about her business.
Circumstantial evidence puts Glads as the suspect and the friends rush to sort out the mystery for themselves. Lana's belongings are sent to Summer's house which allows her to read Lana's journal and search for clues. Summer tries to stay out of it but ends up in danger while supporting her friend.
This was a fun cozy mystery. The characters are a good group of friends that jump at the chance to help each other. I really liked this book. I did not read the prior two books in the series, and I think this could be a stand-alone read.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
St. Brigid Island, North Carolina is the setting for this cozy/beach read. Summer Merriweather owns the Beach Read bookstore after her mother, Hildy died. Before her mother died Summer was a professor at a university teaching about Shakespeare.
Summer has scheduled her first author at the Beach Read. They are hosting is Lana Livingston who wrote a modern-day book on Romero and Juliet. As she is getting ready for the event, she falls and twists her ankle badly needing crutches and help at home as well as the bookstore. Her assistant, Poppy and her mother's old friends Glads and Marilyn. as well as her cousin, Piper rally around her by helping to get the store ready for the Valentine event Summer is very unhappy to be missing the event and the chance to talk to Lana. At the event Lana is poisoned and dies at the B&B she was staying at, which gives people something to talk about making Summer worry about her business.
Circumstantial evidence puts Glads as the suspect and the friends rush to sort out the mystery for themselves. Lana's belongings are sent to Summer's house which allows her to read Lana's journal and search for clues. Summer tries to stay out of it but ends up in danger while supporting her friend.
This was a fun cozy mystery. The characters are a good group of friends that jump at the chance to help each other. I really liked this book. I did not read the prior two books in the series, and I think this could be a stand-alone read.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review.
February 4, 2024
Wow! What a plot! This story will draw you and keep you turning pages or listening to the audio book late into the night as you try to untwist the mystery of who killed the author. I do highly recommend that you read the series in order as you will get to know the characters and the small town so much better and have a deeper connection to both. Our main character, Summer, has once again been thrust into the middle of the investigation when a dear friend is accused of the murder. The author has woven a twisted path from the murder to the capture of the guilty party and you will be thoroughly entertained and delighted to untwist the mystery as you read further into the story. It seems obvious who the guilty party is, but don't get to set on who you think it is as you just might fall into a red herring trap! This series is one of my favorites and not just because a bookstore is the central location for Summer and her friends, but because the author has graced us with truly unique characters and wonderfully, well-written plots! The audiobook is definitely highly recommended as the narrator does an eloquent job of bringing the characters to life! I definitely would recommend putting this series on you must read or listen list!
February 4, 2024
A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn is the third installment in the Beach Reads Mystery series. I have not yet read the previous two books in this series however I didn’t feel confused or completely lost whilst reading this book. There were mentions of things that I assume happened in the previous books and I do plan to read them. I liked the main character (Summer), the side characters, the small beach town, The Valentine’s Day festival, and of course Mr. Darcy! I absolutely love that Summer’s cozy companion is a bird. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept this an exciting read until the end.
I felt a little thrown off by the epilogue, it felt rushed and like it could be the focus of an entire book that the reader gets to experience rather than a quick epilogue. Does that mean that this is the last book in the series? Regardless, I am interested in reading the previous two books, and would definitely read any future books that are released in this series.
3.75 stars rounded up to 4!
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn. My comments are an independent, honest review.
I felt a little thrown off by the epilogue, it felt rushed and like it could be the focus of an entire book that the reader gets to experience rather than a quick epilogue. Does that mean that this is the last book in the series? Regardless, I am interested in reading the previous two books, and would definitely read any future books that are released in this series.
3.75 stars rounded up to 4!
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review A Killer Romance by Maggie Blackburn. My comments are an independent, honest review.
February 8, 2024
Once again, Summer has really improved personality-wise. She was definitely more enjoyable to read from in this book. The mystery was interesting and kept me engaged throughout. I really did enjoy this book and found it to be another great addition to this cozy mystery series.
I did find it funny how Summer really was just taken out for days by a sprained ankle... She was acting really woozy and sleepy, and to my knowledge, she only sprained her ankle and didn't hit her head. She even said the pain medicine they gave her was a glorified aspirin which shouldn't make her sleepy. It felt strange. I've badly sprained my ankle several times and have never been out of commission like this.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book and the series so far. I'd recommend this if you're just looking for a beachy weekend read.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the audio arc of this book!
I did find it funny how Summer really was just taken out for days by a sprained ankle... She was acting really woozy and sleepy, and to my knowledge, she only sprained her ankle and didn't hit her head. She even said the pain medicine they gave her was a glorified aspirin which shouldn't make her sleepy. It felt strange. I've badly sprained my ankle several times and have never been out of commission like this.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book and the series so far. I'd recommend this if you're just looking for a beachy weekend read.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the audio arc of this book!
July 17, 2024
A Killer Romance is the 3rd installment in Maggie Blackburn’s Beach Reads series.
It’s been several years since the last story (passing over the pandemic - can’t blame her for not wanting to write that into a story!) and we’re back to the fun goings-on at Beach Reads bookshop.
The story starts with preparation for an author event when Summer is injured. Fortunately nothing too serious but when a body is found…
I had trouble getting into the story this time around. We didn’t know the author who was killed which made it difficult to imagine whodunnit, as it were.
As for the characters… they’re likable enough but the story tended to drag a bit in parts. That said, Mr Darcy, the parrot, was always a delight!
I look forward to the next book in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
It’s been several years since the last story (passing over the pandemic - can’t blame her for not wanting to write that into a story!) and we’re back to the fun goings-on at Beach Reads bookshop.
The story starts with preparation for an author event when Summer is injured. Fortunately nothing too serious but when a body is found…
I had trouble getting into the story this time around. We didn’t know the author who was killed which made it difficult to imagine whodunnit, as it were.
As for the characters… they’re likable enough but the story tended to drag a bit in parts. That said, Mr Darcy, the parrot, was always a delight!
I look forward to the next book in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 22, 2024
A Killer Romance is the third book in Maggie Blackburn's A Beach Read's Mystery. A fun cozy mystery, the story is quite entertaining. I read this one as a standalone, which is fine, but I would have enjoyed it more had I read the first two novels. Nevertheless, Blackburn does a fine job of explaining the history and I caught up quick.
There are a number of twists and turns in the story, and the author keeps up a lively pace.
I listened to the audio version of A Killer Romance which is nicely performed by Christa Lewis.
an audiobook copy of A Killer Romance was provided by Dreamscape Media, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
There are a number of twists and turns in the story, and the author keeps up a lively pace.
I listened to the audio version of A Killer Romance which is nicely performed by Christa Lewis.
an audiobook copy of A Killer Romance was provided by Dreamscape Media, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
February 7, 2024
What's not to love in this adorable cozy mystery set at a seaside bookstore -and next door to a chocolate shop no less!
Summer has inherited her mother's bookstore and is settling into her old hometown -and her old fiancé no less- when a traveling author is killed. The main suspect is one of her mother's oldest friends!
The setting is great, the characters are fun, I love the bird. Great hijinks and a happy ending. Just like Scooby Doo for adults! I listened to this as a standalone without the previous books and had no trouble following.
I listened to this on audiobook and found the narrator excellent as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook.
Summer has inherited her mother's bookstore and is settling into her old hometown -and her old fiancé no less- when a traveling author is killed. The main suspect is one of her mother's oldest friends!
The setting is great, the characters are fun, I love the bird. Great hijinks and a happy ending. Just like Scooby Doo for adults! I listened to this as a standalone without the previous books and had no trouble following.
I listened to this on audiobook and found the narrator excellent as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook.
Read
January 4, 2025I really enjoyed the first two books of this series so I was excited to start this one but it felt different, like it was written by someone else. And maybe it was just the copy I had but it wasn’t proofread very well. Lana, one of the main characters, had the name spelled wrong in half the book. Completely threw me off at first. Besides that, there were some other errors that made me question the storyline, like maybe I had misunderstood an entire part. Anyways, like I mentioned earlier, I enjoyed the first 2 books in the series so I’d definitely give the author another read but if it anything like this one, I may end up passing.
December 3, 2025
This seems like a true attempt to move away from obvious culprits or no investigation, but they end up conflicting and the investigation is all for not and once again the culprit has to be given up by someone else and a lot explained after.
I think this is the end of the series, though, because the author has an awkward jump forward a year and the MC is pregnant and getting married, so I guess this is where we leave it.
I think this is the end of the series, though, because the author has an awkward jump forward a year and the MC is pregnant and getting married, so I guess this is where we leave it.
December 27, 2023
Entertaining and well written, a classic cozy mystery. It's entertaining and well plotted even if a bit predictable.
The characters are fleshed out and I liked the setting
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The characters are fleshed out and I liked the setting
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
September 13, 2023
Review to come
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