Bound for Murder: A Hardcover Homicide

A Juliet Page Cozy Mystery #1

by Audrey Shine, Caroline (Synthesized Voice) (Narrator)

Librarian Juliet Page needs a major change, and she travels to a small town in the UK to reimagine a fresh start when she finds herself caught in the middle of a murder scene—and all fingers pointing at her…Juliet has always loved mystery novels, but she never thought she’d be in the middle of one. With new friendships and a second chance at life on the line, Juliet must clear her name before it’s too late—and in the process, solve the crime.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Audiobook, Fiction, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller

Audiobook

Published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐
Genre ~ cozy mystery
Setting ~ California & UK
Publication date ~ April 25, 2024
Est page Count ~ 147 (25 chapters)
Audio length ~ 4 hours 4 minutes
Narrator ~ Caroline (synthesized voice)
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ small town

Juliet catches her hub with his pants down with his secretary, can you say cliche? Anyway, she's off to the UK for a fresh start.

Loved someone being murdered over a rare book and the clever title. Juliet did an okay job with her sleuthing.

Overall, I enjoyed this one well enough that I just might listen to more of the series since they're on hoopla, but probably only if they're a bonus borrow.

Narration notes:
The synthesized voice wasn't awful, but our main character is American, yes I know she's in England, but I think she should have been American.

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[Man · Rating 1 out of 5]

MC is dumb as rocks.

Edit: So I did some poking around because it was just SO bad and it appears this is AI trash. Save your time and money.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really simplistic and generic. Someone else said it’s AI generated, and I wouldn’t be surprised. It definitely feels unselfconsciously derivative.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent cozy mystery. Simple, predictable and rather easy to solve but that’s not always a bad thing. The author liked the plot so much she duplicated it in book two. I reasonably enjoyed this first in the series- enough to read the second. It is the same book so be sure you love this one before starting the second.

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable cozy mystery.

[A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol)]

A synthesized voice? Really? Did you also write it using AI? Gross.

[Marsha · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was poorly written; it definitely could have used an editor- someone who would have caught the chain in the name of the primary book that was auctioned, for instance. And someone who would have caught the overall feeling of it being written like a paper in high school where the teacher said “Make sure to use a lot of description” regardless of the importance of the setting. The overall feeling was unpolished and annoying. sigh.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finding her husband in a compromising position, Juliet Page takes a break from her everyday San Francisco life to vacation in the Cotswolds. As a librarian, a local auction of antique books and furniture takes her fancy as does a local man accompanying her. Things take a turn for the worse when she finds herself "first on scene" at a murder and becomes the prime suspect. With only two weeks to clear her name, Juliet will have to rely on her research skills to avoid being imprisoned as a murderer.

While this may sound like a typical life at a crossroads start to a cosy mystery, Juliet is a compelling character. A bonus is a beautifully written scene close to the end of the book that surprised a laugh out of me and further endeared this story to me. This cosy was a pleasant antidote to my previous reads. I will be happy to travel with Juliet on her future journeys.

I recommend this story to those who love a genuine cosy set in the English countryside.

[Danielle Farrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this a higher rating but there was a discrepancy that I felt should have been caught and by the looks of the reviews I’m the only one that caught it. Alfred won a bid on a Charles Dickens novel, A Tale of Two Cities. One of the characters even quoted the book a little later. Towards the end of the book the book that was stolen was Oliver Twist!! How did editing miss that but I didn’t?! I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator (apparently AI by reading other reviews) was terrible. This would have been a cute book if it wasn’t for basic editing not being done. I won’t continue the series because of it. I really enjoyed most of the story but can’t get past the book being switched at the end. I can’t fathom how the author or editor didn’t catch this!!

[Mariah Melecio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn in to the book, however a lot of it was very unrealistic. Juliet inserted herself in situations that a normal person in her shoes wouldn't have (being vague on purpose). I also found myself questioning Juliet and some of her mannerisms and phrasing: author is clearly English and wrote Juliet in an British way, not American as she is.

Plot and story wise, loved it. However, the pieces mentioned above distracted me at times.

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. I did Audiobook, and I'm pretty sure it was an AI narrator. The narrator was British, but the main character was American. It was weird, confusing, and annoyed me.

But I did enjoy the story and am looking forward to the other books.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to Bound for Murder by Audrey Shine, and this one falls squarely into my "it was fine, but I won’t be recommending it" category.

The premise itself was decent enough. A woman discovers her husband is cheating, gets divorced, and decides to follow her dreams. Along the way, because this is a mystery after all, there’s a murder. It’s a familiar setup, but sometimes familiar works. This time it worked almost just enough.

The story kept me mildly interested, but I was never fully invested. It leaned much more toward cozy mystery than thriller, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I kept waiting for more tension, more urgency, more anything. Instead, the pacing stayed comfortable, predictable, and slow. Honestly, though, the audiobook narration may have hurt this one more than anything else.

This version was read by Caroline, a synthesized voice. And while I’m open-minded about new technology, this one didn’t quite land. There were mispronunciations. The inflection for different characters was sometimes off… and sometimes completely absent. Conversations occasionally blurred together, and emotional moments didn’t quite feel emotional. And then there was the moment that completely took me out of the story. The narration literally read:

"asterisk… asterisk… asterisk…"

Yeah. That’s when I realized I was no longer listening to a story. I was listening to software.

Would the story have worked better with a human reader? I suspect yes. A skilled narrator can add nuance, pacing, and personality, all things this artificial reader struggled with.

Using my rather snarky rating system, this one lands at a 3 out of 5. It kept me mildly interested, but I won’t be recommending it, and I probably won’t remember much about it in a few weeks. It wasn’t terrible. It just never rose above “okay.”

And for the record, as much as I love technology, I think authors might want to stick with human readers… at least for now.

[Cidney · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't a long book and I think I would have enjoyed it if it had gone into more depth with the main characters, but that said it was a cozy. Juliet Page was a young librarian living in California and picked up a first edition of a book in a charity shop which she thought her husband might like. He had been a bit out of sorts lately and working late. Hmm. So she went to his workplace and no receptionist and his door ajar and went in, to find them both disarrayed and on the couch. She gave him short shrift and walked out. Her older sister Sarah was calling her and she told her what she had witnessed and she was going to divorce him. She then went online and found out the times of flights to london and on chosing a village in the cotswolds to escape to for the next 2 wks, she left that night.

Once there she checked into her twee guest house with a resident cat which liked to sleep on her bed and she didn't mind at all. Then went to an auction where some rare books were being auctioned and the very next day the man who bought the books was found dead in his study by Juliet. She had been invited by the man to come and see him and he would be able to tell her how to spot a fake rare edition from a non-fake one. It's amazing how she managed to find the killer and find friends and rent a small shop with a living space overhead as she wanted to open a rare book shop in the village all in about 3 days. Oh and a promising boyfriend! This woman didn't hang about!

[Ainee Beland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I like about this reading?
I like that this librarian can travel to a small English town in search of herself and whilst there, she ends up at the scene of a murder — and with her name at the top of the suspect list can she rely on her beloved mystery novels and new friends to help find the killer and clear her name?
Juliet did manage to clear her name and began this new life that she’d only dream about and used as a means for her detection into what happened to this old philanthropist book collector that was mean to just about everyone.

Having read this book, made me think of what if I wanted to write a book; the scenes and events in this read certainly jive with a newbie writer. The plot is light, airy, with a hint of romance perhaps for Juliet, as her name hints at this, but no tragedy lurking in this reading perhaps in book II.

This was a fun reading; Juliet had money to travel to England to start this new life, and whilst there less than a week, she had found the shop and residence where she could begin this new life. And back in San Francisco, her sister Sarah, who is an inspiring want-to-be author, promises to write a book and finish it this time so that her sister can have something else to read besides classical literature and mysteries.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok story I feel.

Juliet Page being the shy timid person breaking out of her comfort zone.

When she caught her hubby doing the secretary in his office sofa, she announced that she is divorcing him and going to vacation alone.

The whole time I was like move money out of that shared account into your own account so you have money to use when you are out of the country. seriously, I was all worried. But it was ok it turns out.

Also, the police confiscated her old collectible book and think she is the killer, why? only collectors can have old books? she should have sue the police for damaging her valuable 1st edition.

Alas, it is only a story.....no need to get worked up. haha

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juliet, a librarian who loves old books goes into a local charity shop when she notices some books in the window. She finds a first edition & is very happy & goes to see her husband at his work place & discovers him cheating on her with his latest assistant! She immediately packs up & heads off on a holiday, going to a little village in England called Whistling Willow. She very quickly gets caught up in old books as there is an auction the evening she arrived from USA. Not that she can afford any of them. But, one of the lucky bidders invites her to come to his house the next day to talk about forgeries. When she gets there she discovers he’s been murdered. Herself a suspect, she becomes a sleuth. A very interesting read.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new cozy mystery series with a librarian as the main character. While on a two-week vacation in Great Britain, Juliet stumbles into a murder mystery in which she is the main suspect. Juliet, who loves mysteries, starts looking for clues because she is nervous the police will stop looking (since she is the one who found the body). Juliet is relatable, and the other characters help move the story along. I enjoyed it. 

Juliet Page Cozy Mystery
**  1. Bound for Murder: A Hardcover Homicide(2024)   
2. Bound for Murder: A Lethal Lexicon (2024)  
3. Bound for Murder: A Volume in Vengeance (2024)  
4. Bound for Murder: A Typeset Tragedy (2024)  
5. Bound for Murder: A Fatal Footnote (2024)

[Kristin · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/2 a star - By the end of this book, I felt like I was watching a cheesy, old school, amateur detective TV show. The writing style was so over-written, and characters, setting, and scenes were overly described. There were so also many timeline and detail inconsistencies (like the sister has a job as a receptionist in chapter 3 but then is a hot shot book editor half way through the book, just to name one of many). I felt like I was reading something a middle school or high school kid wrote.

I finished this book simply because it was January 1st, and I didn't want to start the new year with a DNF, but the book was atrocious to read.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books and Murder

A very interesting story which had me hooked! I enjoyed the plot which revolved around rare books and the extreme lengths people go to in order to get their hands on them. Juliet Page is a an unusual, strong, but caring American character, who has found herself involved in the tensions of British village life following the discovery of her unfaithful husband back in America. I look forward to reading more about Juliet as she becomes more involved in the world of books!

[Natelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juliet Page loves books and her husband. Upon locating a first edition, she seeks out her husband to celebrate. She finds him more interested in other affairs. To console herself, she allows her sister to convince her to take a trip to England. Her interest in rare books lands her in the middle of a murder investigation—as a suspect.

This book perfectly fits the cozy mystery genre—complete with an adorable animal, a hint of romance, and an unexpected hero. Just the fluff I needed between thrillers and classics to clean out the old mental circuit board.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure why the only other rating this book got in Amazon was 1 star and it would not surprise me if it were a fake rating, because I enjoyed this book quite a lot! The characters are quite interesting, the plot is straightforward and easily followed, and the premise is finding out who killed the cantankerous book collector and why. I most definitely recommend this book!!!

[Alayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF I read the first 12 chapters, and I was mostly enjoying it, until the murder happened and it seemed to go downhill from there. The police were caricatures, totally clueless, and the main character was also a bit useless, but had to solve the murder herself. So I went to the end, read that and didn't need to read the rest.

[Lana. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even by suspending disbelief, didn't help me with this cozy mystery. Instead, once I confirmed its AI nature (https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2...), it became rather amusing: spot the inconsistencies! And gosh, those ridiculous reactions/interactions.

[Jule DeJager · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juliet makes an appealing protagonist as the unwary and innocent American who wanders into a seemingly peaceful English village only to find murder and mahem. The cast of characters is colorful and the plot plays out in true who-done-it fashion, leading Juliet into danger but letting her solve the mystery just in time. An easy, light read for those times your brain is at five o'clock.

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Point Five Stars
Nice, simple, cosy mystery as Juliet Page, a librarian, finds her boyfriend cheating on her and decides to go on her vacation all by herself and after attending a book auction, she finds herself as the prime suspect of the murder of the pompous man who deals with old books.
Fast quick paced cozy mystery.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy to follow first in series that I enjoyed listening to. I don’t think I’ll necessarily continue with the series, as it wasn’t super captivating, or had something with the main characters that made me want more.

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fun, easy-to-read, murder mystery. It reads smoothly from start to finish and even adds in a cute little stray cat to the mix. Of course, it's absolutely unfathomable this would ever take place, but then again, it's only a book.

👍
📚📚📚

[M M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay.

This book was just okay. I had been hoping for something better. I do own the second one in the series so I will continue it, but I am not sure if I will do anything beyond book 2.

[Susan Spraker · Rating 5 out of 5]

good story, didn’t guess the ending

This book had interesting characters and a different venue. It leaves you wanting to know how the friendship goes or if it develops into something else.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book, but…

I enjoyed the book but I really wish whomever proofreads the book when converted to a Kindle book paid better attention to the details. Like the book in the auction was A Tale of Two Cities, but later referred to as Oliver Twist. Just a pet peeve.