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How to Solve a Murder #1
How to Solve a Murder with a Grump
I am determined to make my best friend’s wedding weekend perfect. That includes editing the best man’s speech and making sure he doesn’t drink too much.
Except, he’s the worst kind of grump with a capital G.
Not only that but when this perfect wedding unravels, I find myself the object of his wrath.
He blames me.
So I run.
And I’m wearing the wedding dress. (Don’t ask.)
As I hide out in a small town, following my dreams, I stumble upon a decades-old murder mystery.
Turns out texting the grump might be my only lifeline. And I’m definitely not flirt-texting. Nope. Not me.
Because falling for a grump can only lead to a broken heart.
Right?
Except, he’s the worst kind of grump with a capital G.
Not only that but when this perfect wedding unravels, I find myself the object of his wrath.
He blames me.
So I run.
And I’m wearing the wedding dress. (Don’t ask.)
As I hide out in a small town, following my dreams, I stumble upon a decades-old murder mystery.
Turns out texting the grump might be my only lifeline. And I’m definitely not flirt-texting. Nope. Not me.
Because falling for a grump can only lead to a broken heart.
Right?
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2024
64 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Laura Pauling
49 books280 followersLaura writes about spies, murder, and mystery. She’s the author of the exciting Circle of Spies Series, the Prom Impossible Series, and the Heist time travel mystery series. She’s a former elementary teacher and currently lives in New England. After spending time reading books to her kids and loving a good plot turn, she put her fingers to the keyboard. Don’t ask her about the unfinished quilts and scrapbooks. Stories are way more exciting.
She writes to entertain and experience a great story…and to be able to work in her jammies and slippers.
The Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series releases starting in May 2015!
She writes to entertain and experience a great story…and to be able to work in her jammies and slippers.
The Holly Hart Cozy Mystery Series releases starting in May 2015!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 31, 2025
This book got extremely hard to not DNF it.
it sounded like another cute, cozy, murder mystery with comedy and it was irritating more than funny.
the characters talk like middle school teens, especially the main character Barrie. The amount of times she says Grump throughout the whole book gets very old and it's usually childish. She acts like a child most of the time, and she is extremely self absorbed.
She's mad about her first encounter with Miles and calls him a grump. Maybe the first time made sense, but she goes on and on like a child. She starts texting him not knowing it's him and she does the same thing with who she thinks is another guy.
She throws a hissy fit at dinner before the wedding. She helps her best friend and bride become a runaway bride to follow her dreams of traveling, but her and Jillian refuse to say anything about Jillian's whereabouts as if the groom did something wrong. Barrie then moves and refuses to say where she is, like she's involved too. If Miles insisted on finding her and asking where Jillian was, he can do the same thing in text.
Barrie finds a skeleton in her rental, just taking it upon herself to smash the walls of her new rental the hour she moved in. Why not call the landlord? Turns out, it was a cold case. Barrie looks up cold cases and finds three or four and has a process of elimination. She figures out who the skeleton is and the killer just happens to find out, leaves threatening gifts, and then shows up shortly after to kill her. Due to this, she's labeled as the one who solved the murder.
She's mad thinking Miles, who she has known for a week did not check on her. Only he had, but her phone was smashed by the killer and she never received the texts from him professing his undying love for her and how he broke up with his girlfriend of three years after meeting Barrie a few quick encounters and a week of texts. Instead of checking in with Miles at all, she pouts and doesn't say anything for six months and blames him for everything like a child, still calling him a grump all the time and to everyone.
They fall in love and marry. Michael takes Jillian back and they marry after a year after she up and ran and neither Barrie or Jillian stated their whereabouts like they were owed something instead.
Oh and let's not forget that Barrie conveniently ran away in Jillian's wedding dress (you'll get it if you read this) and moved into Miles' hometown and rented from his dad.
I have liked other books from Laura Pauling but this one was very hard to get through. Barrie is one of those self absorbed teen girls that drive you nuts. She's 28. I actually didn't state enough annoyances in this review.
So far people are enjoying the book and giving it better reviews. Maybe it's just me.
it sounded like another cute, cozy, murder mystery with comedy and it was irritating more than funny.
the characters talk like middle school teens, especially the main character Barrie. The amount of times she says Grump throughout the whole book gets very old and it's usually childish. She acts like a child most of the time, and she is extremely self absorbed.
She's mad about her first encounter with Miles and calls him a grump. Maybe the first time made sense, but she goes on and on like a child. She starts texting him not knowing it's him and she does the same thing with who she thinks is another guy.
She throws a hissy fit at dinner before the wedding. She helps her best friend and bride become a runaway bride to follow her dreams of traveling, but her and Jillian refuse to say anything about Jillian's whereabouts as if the groom did something wrong. Barrie then moves and refuses to say where she is, like she's involved too. If Miles insisted on finding her and asking where Jillian was, he can do the same thing in text.
Barrie finds a skeleton in her rental, just taking it upon herself to smash the walls of her new rental the hour she moved in. Why not call the landlord? Turns out, it was a cold case. Barrie looks up cold cases and finds three or four and has a process of elimination. She figures out who the skeleton is and the killer just happens to find out, leaves threatening gifts, and then shows up shortly after to kill her. Due to this, she's labeled as the one who solved the murder.
She's mad thinking Miles, who she has known for a week did not check on her. Only he had, but her phone was smashed by the killer and she never received the texts from him professing his undying love for her and how he broke up with his girlfriend of three years after meeting Barrie a few quick encounters and a week of texts. Instead of checking in with Miles at all, she pouts and doesn't say anything for six months and blames him for everything like a child, still calling him a grump all the time and to everyone.
They fall in love and marry. Michael takes Jillian back and they marry after a year after she up and ran and neither Barrie or Jillian stated their whereabouts like they were owed something instead.
Oh and let's not forget that Barrie conveniently ran away in Jillian's wedding dress (you'll get it if you read this) and moved into Miles' hometown and rented from his dad.
I have liked other books from Laura Pauling but this one was very hard to get through. Barrie is one of those self absorbed teen girls that drive you nuts. She's 28. I actually didn't state enough annoyances in this review.
So far people are enjoying the book and giving it better reviews. Maybe it's just me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2024
How to Solve a Murder with a Grump is a delightful new romantic comedy mystery
from Laura Pauling and a departure from her usual books.
In this story, Barrie is the maid of honor in her best friend Jillian’s wedding. Jillian and her fiance Michael are trying to set up Barrie and the best man Miles for a coffee date but he turns out to be a grump like the grump she met in the elevator when she arrived. He’s also quite attractive and she’s extremely beautiful.
On the day of the wedding Jillian decides to postpone the wedding for a year to follow her dreams and travel. And Barrie decides to leave town and follow her dreams and find a small town to move to and try to find a job there.
During the wedding weekend she starts texting the grump and when she moves to the small town she continues to do so.
She rents a cabin from a man she meets in a coffee shop and after knocking open a wall in a bedroom when she smells a bad smell behind it she finds a skeleton.
Because there’s a small police force that’s not going to try to solve the murder, Barrie decides to try. Enlisting the help of the Grump who she is still texting and the local library and the man whose house she’s renting who knows a detective agency and that detective’s sister, the detecting begins.
And because she hears noises and is scared and sees strange boats in the nearby lake , she sets out booby traps in her yard.
What happens next and what she does to solve the murder and if she does and whether she gets a job and stays in the small town and whether she finds love is all revealed when you read this wonderful book.
from Laura Pauling and a departure from her usual books.
In this story, Barrie is the maid of honor in her best friend Jillian’s wedding. Jillian and her fiance Michael are trying to set up Barrie and the best man Miles for a coffee date but he turns out to be a grump like the grump she met in the elevator when she arrived. He’s also quite attractive and she’s extremely beautiful.
On the day of the wedding Jillian decides to postpone the wedding for a year to follow her dreams and travel. And Barrie decides to leave town and follow her dreams and find a small town to move to and try to find a job there.
During the wedding weekend she starts texting the grump and when she moves to the small town she continues to do so.
She rents a cabin from a man she meets in a coffee shop and after knocking open a wall in a bedroom when she smells a bad smell behind it she finds a skeleton.
Because there’s a small police force that’s not going to try to solve the murder, Barrie decides to try. Enlisting the help of the Grump who she is still texting and the local library and the man whose house she’s renting who knows a detective agency and that detective’s sister, the detecting begins.
And because she hears noises and is scared and sees strange boats in the nearby lake , she sets out booby traps in her yard.
What happens next and what she does to solve the murder and if she does and whether she gets a job and stays in the small town and whether she finds love is all revealed when you read this wonderful book.
October 4, 2024
Barrie Croft gets in elevator with a grump. Before getting off she insults him.
Barrie’s friend Jillian is getting married. Barrie gets on an elevator with a man that did not help her with her many suitcases. She calls him a grump and insults him. Jillian then tells Barrie that the best man is a little grump so she sends message to him calling him a grump and insulting him some more. She finally realizes it is man in elevator that is best man. When Jillian runs away from wedding Barrie decides to follow her dream and move from city to small town. You think this is just a romance but at her new cabin she finds a dead body in the wall of her rented cabin. It has been there quite a while since it died but she is determined to find justice for the person. This is a good read, funny in places and a surprise ending. I really enjoyed it and recommend it
I received an advance review copy, ARC, for free, and I am leaving an honest opinion and voluntary review
Barrie’s friend Jillian is getting married. Barrie gets on an elevator with a man that did not help her with her many suitcases. She calls him a grump and insults him. Jillian then tells Barrie that the best man is a little grump so she sends message to him calling him a grump and insulting him some more. She finally realizes it is man in elevator that is best man. When Jillian runs away from wedding Barrie decides to follow her dream and move from city to small town. You think this is just a romance but at her new cabin she finds a dead body in the wall of her rented cabin. It has been there quite a while since it died but she is determined to find justice for the person. This is a good read, funny in places and a surprise ending. I really enjoyed it and recommend it
I received an advance review copy, ARC, for free, and I am leaving an honest opinion and voluntary review
April 26, 2025
Enjoyed!
This book was a lot of fun to read. It wasn’t exactly what I expected but cute all the same. There’s a couple things that kept it from 5 stars. A few spots that didn’t include backstory or a scene change. One minute Barrie would be one place and then the next sentence somewhere else. Not a big deal just got confusing. I was disappointed that Mikes and Barrie just text for most of the book. I would have enjoyed more interaction but I get why Laura Pauling didn’t go that route. Miles had a lot of growing to do. I would recommend this book. It was cute, fun, and humorous.
This book was a lot of fun to read. It wasn’t exactly what I expected but cute all the same. There’s a couple things that kept it from 5 stars. A few spots that didn’t include backstory or a scene change. One minute Barrie would be one place and then the next sentence somewhere else. Not a big deal just got confusing. I was disappointed that Mikes and Barrie just text for most of the book. I would have enjoyed more interaction but I get why Laura Pauling didn’t go that route. Miles had a lot of growing to do. I would recommend this book. It was cute, fun, and humorous.
September 29, 2025
I literally skipped forward and then DNF at 92%. Mmm. #1 you broke up a 3 year relationship and your friends tried so hard to do that at a wedding. #2 you literally can't get your clothes from a hotel or ANY OF YOUR THINGS FROM YOUR APARTMENT IN BOSTON. HOW RICH ARE YOU? I worked in marketing and no you can't afford the 3k in Boston and 1k in NH rent... #3 literally who are you ppl you just suddenly decide to blow up your life. I cannot get past the money. #4 sure its just magically some guy who you're texting with for a wk. 6 months later you suddenly find out you missed a text? I mean... no one was adult enough to call someone? I facepalm on this
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 I enjoyed this romantic comedy. Miles comes off as the Grump and Barrie is his laid back nemesis. I love how they feel in love through their text messages. My only real question was the logistics of how Barre got her friend to ship the necessary items from her apartment. Also Barrie was too trusting of people, which bit her in the end. I did like that both Miles and Barrie showed major character growth. It also seemed like the ending was rushed. I wanted more flushing o f Michael and Jillian getting back to the altar. It’s a good thing there were bonus scenes/chapters.
October 24, 2024
This is one of the best books that I have read in a long time. I thought the characters and storyline were awesome. I had a hard time putting it down. This is my opinion only & it's what stopped me from a five star review; the overuse of the word grump. If this bugs you during the first chapter, it does get better and I advise to power through it because the story is really good. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
October 4, 2024
Let me say first that romance is not my favorite genre, but I was intrigued by the comedy, murder mystery angle. I was completely captured by the story of Barrie and the Grump and a cold case!!! I laughed, I cried, I couldn’t put the book down. It was so much fun that I didn’t want it to end. This is a MUST read.
January 13, 2025
4.5 stars!! One of the highest ratings I've ever given a book. Mystery is my favorite genre, but I like a little (closed door) romance thrown in, too. Major bonus point for minimal cursing!
I can't wait to check out more books by this author!
I can't wait to check out more books by this author!
April 29, 2025
These are supposed to be adult characters and they speak like middle schoolers. The story also romanticizes cheating (at least emotionally) and I can’t get behind that. Also what renter breaks the walls of their rental??? This is honestly a silly and unbelievable story and was just a tough read
July 9, 2025
This was a cute storyline. It was fun to have a grump mixed with mystery. Somewhere it was listed as a clean read but I don’t believe it is. There was some bad language.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews