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A Secret Bookcase Mystery #1
The Body in the Bookstore: A Secret Bookcase Mystery, Book 1
Behind the shelves of The Secret Bookcase, where the sun slants through the windows onto rows of classic crime novels, a body lies…
Bookseller Annie Murray is thrilled when the mystery-themed book festival she sets up to revive the dwindling fortunes of her workplace and sanctuary seems poised for success. But events take a shocking turn when a body is discovered hidden behind the shelves, and it’s revealed that the victim is Annie's old college acquaintance.
Determined to ensure the festival’s success and save the small town of Redwood Grove from a killer, Annie begins piecing together clues with the help of her friends. But as the list of suspects grows longer—a local boutique owner, an envious old classmate, a bitter ex-boyfriend—Annie is drawn deeper into the case.
With the aid of her old criminology professor-turned-detective, can Annie unmask the murderer before they turn her festival into a real-life whodunit?
Full of lovable, quirky characters and small-town charm, The Body in the Bookstore serves up an irresistible blend of intrigue for fans of cozy crime including Lauren Elliott, Merryn Allingham and M.C. Beaton.
Bookseller Annie Murray is thrilled when the mystery-themed book festival she sets up to revive the dwindling fortunes of her workplace and sanctuary seems poised for success. But events take a shocking turn when a body is discovered hidden behind the shelves, and it’s revealed that the victim is Annie's old college acquaintance.
Determined to ensure the festival’s success and save the small town of Redwood Grove from a killer, Annie begins piecing together clues with the help of her friends. But as the list of suspects grows longer—a local boutique owner, an envious old classmate, a bitter ex-boyfriend—Annie is drawn deeper into the case.
With the aid of her old criminology professor-turned-detective, can Annie unmask the murderer before they turn her festival into a real-life whodunit?
Full of lovable, quirky characters and small-town charm, The Body in the Bookstore serves up an irresistible blend of intrigue for fans of cozy crime including Lauren Elliott, Merryn Allingham and M.C. Beaton.
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First published June 19, 2024
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About the author
Ellie Alexander
85 books3,072 followersEllie is a voracious storyteller and a lover of words and all things bookish. She believes that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over forty published novels and counting, her goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding.
She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.
Find out more about Ellie and her books by visiting her website at: http://www.elliealexander.co/ or following her on social media—
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexa...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliealexande...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/elliealexande...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexand...
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/elliealexan...
She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.
Find out more about Ellie and her books by visiting her website at: http://www.elliealexander.co/ or following her on social media—
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexa...
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliealexande...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/elliealexande...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexand...
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/elliealexan...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 767 reviews
June 19, 2024
Happy Publication Day
3.5 stars
One Liner: Decent series starter
Annie Murray has made the Secret Bookcase her home for the last eight years. Located in a small town in Northern California, the independent bookstore is struggling to attract enough customers. A chance comment sparks an idea in Annie’s mind. She plans an elaborate Mystery Festival weekend to bring people to her town. This is supposed to help every small business in the town.
The event starts on a high but Annie is shocked to find a dead body hidden behind the bookshelves in the Secret Bookcase bookstore. Annie knows the victim too! When her professor in criminology arrives as the detective on the case, Annie becomes a part of the investigation. She is back doing what she does best. But can Annie find the killer before it is too late?
The story comes in Annie’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
A new cozy mystery series for me to try!
The opening is quite a hook. It starts with the overarching mystery and provides us with an insight into the main character’s past. Her being a student of criminology certainly helps the arc.
There is some repetition, but it helps understand how much the past weighs on the MC’s mind and how it changed her life drastically.
The setting is beautiful. I love how cozy small towns are (at least in books). The descriptions of the bookstore make me want to go there. Such a lovely place!
The side characters like Priya, Fletcher, and Hal are also well-etched. Though we don’t get a lot of information about them, there’s enough to imagine their roles in the story. Dr. Caldwell is also likely to be a recurring character. She could be interesting.
The list of suspects is decent, making it an engaging read to guess who the killer could be. I did guess who it was but not the reason. It makes sense, though I wish we had more detail about the relevant events.
The investigation could have been stronger. It’s mostly done through conversations where people reveal details without persuasion. Though it makes a little sense given how everyone in the town has a good opinion of Annie, it doesn’t really show us her skills as a criminology student.
Mentioning spreadsheets is not enough. She needs to do more brain work. Since this is the first book in the series, I have hopes for some improvements.
There’s a possibility of a love track with a guy. I know it is bound to happen. Just not sure if the transition will be seamless based on how things are now. I hope it works out well. Let’s see. As long as we don’t have any triangles to make it even more messy!
To summarize, The Body in the Bookstore is a decent start to a new cozy mystery series. While it is not great, it has the potential to become better. I have a copy of book #2, so reading it right away.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBodyInTheBookstore
3.5 stars
One Liner: Decent series starter
Annie Murray has made the Secret Bookcase her home for the last eight years. Located in a small town in Northern California, the independent bookstore is struggling to attract enough customers. A chance comment sparks an idea in Annie’s mind. She plans an elaborate Mystery Festival weekend to bring people to her town. This is supposed to help every small business in the town.
The event starts on a high but Annie is shocked to find a dead body hidden behind the bookshelves in the Secret Bookcase bookstore. Annie knows the victim too! When her professor in criminology arrives as the detective on the case, Annie becomes a part of the investigation. She is back doing what she does best. But can Annie find the killer before it is too late?
The story comes in Annie’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
A new cozy mystery series for me to try!
The opening is quite a hook. It starts with the overarching mystery and provides us with an insight into the main character’s past. Her being a student of criminology certainly helps the arc.
There is some repetition, but it helps understand how much the past weighs on the MC’s mind and how it changed her life drastically.
The setting is beautiful. I love how cozy small towns are (at least in books). The descriptions of the bookstore make me want to go there. Such a lovely place!
The side characters like Priya, Fletcher, and Hal are also well-etched. Though we don’t get a lot of information about them, there’s enough to imagine their roles in the story. Dr. Caldwell is also likely to be a recurring character. She could be interesting.
The list of suspects is decent, making it an engaging read to guess who the killer could be. I did guess who it was but not the reason. It makes sense, though I wish we had more detail about the relevant events.
The investigation could have been stronger. It’s mostly done through conversations where people reveal details without persuasion. Though it makes a little sense given how everyone in the town has a good opinion of Annie, it doesn’t really show us her skills as a criminology student.
Mentioning spreadsheets is not enough. She needs to do more brain work. Since this is the first book in the series, I have hopes for some improvements.
There’s a possibility of a love track with a guy. I know it is bound to happen. Just not sure if the transition will be seamless based on how things are now. I hope it works out well. Let’s see. As long as we don’t have any triangles to make it even more messy!
To summarize, The Body in the Bookstore is a decent start to a new cozy mystery series. While it is not great, it has the potential to become better. I have a copy of book #2, so reading it right away.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheBodyInTheBookstore
June 14, 2024
A new series set in and around a bookshop and just look at that cover. Books, cakes and a cat. What more could you ask for?
I really enjoyed this first book where we meet Annie Murray and the bookshop where she works called A Secret Bookshelf. There really is a secret bookshelf which opens, when you pull out a particular book, to a small room behind it. This is important as it is very much involved in later events.
A good cosy mystery with many nice characters and a good story. Interestingly the second book in the series A Murder at the Movies is being released the same day as the first book and I found it fun to move straight into reading that one as well!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I really enjoyed this first book where we meet Annie Murray and the bookshop where she works called A Secret Bookshelf. There really is a secret bookshelf which opens, when you pull out a particular book, to a small room behind it. This is important as it is very much involved in later events.
A good cosy mystery with many nice characters and a good story. Interestingly the second book in the series A Murder at the Movies is being released the same day as the first book and I found it fun to move straight into reading that one as well!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 3, 2024
The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander - 3.5
Book 1 in A Secret Bookcase Mystery series
This is the start to a new bookish cozy mystery series. This had some really great bookish elements. We had a great bookstore and Agatha Christie vibes, details about publishing and author, events, and a fun mystery festival that the bookstore was going to start in an effort to get more business and help the bookstore financially. I thought this was an excellent way to portray support for local bookstores, I really enjoyed the details surrounding the book elements in the book vibes, however, the mystery itself was lackluster.
We start off with Bookseller Annie Murray, who is super excited to work on the mystery-themed book festival she sets up to help revive the bookstore financially and in its author events, marketing, etc. Things take a turn when a body is discovered hidden behind the shelves that wasn't meant to be a part of the festivities....even worse, it's Annie's old college friend. So, we continue on in this story of college friend drama with lots of jealousy, bitterness etc.
Things go on from here. While there were things about this I enjoyed, we have this cold case murder of their friend from many years ago, thrown in there as a mystery subplot and I didn’t really care for that. The characters were very dramatic throughout the story some were holding onto grudges or other traumatic things that felt a bit overdramatic for me personally. I will admit, I rolled my eyes several times. The ending ends on a cliffhanger also, and it wasn’t my favorite.
It’s not a bad cozy mystery, the more that I read the more difficult it is to become a new favorite cozy mystery for me. I have just become more picky when it comes to my cozy mystery books. 🤭💛 So I guess I am being a bit picky on this one, many of you would probably enjoy it if you can look past the character work here.
Book 1 in A Secret Bookcase Mystery series
This is the start to a new bookish cozy mystery series. This had some really great bookish elements. We had a great bookstore and Agatha Christie vibes, details about publishing and author, events, and a fun mystery festival that the bookstore was going to start in an effort to get more business and help the bookstore financially. I thought this was an excellent way to portray support for local bookstores, I really enjoyed the details surrounding the book elements in the book vibes, however, the mystery itself was lackluster.
We start off with Bookseller Annie Murray, who is super excited to work on the mystery-themed book festival she sets up to help revive the bookstore financially and in its author events, marketing, etc. Things take a turn when a body is discovered hidden behind the shelves that wasn't meant to be a part of the festivities....even worse, it's Annie's old college friend. So, we continue on in this story of college friend drama with lots of jealousy, bitterness etc.
Things go on from here. While there were things about this I enjoyed, we have this cold case murder of their friend from many years ago, thrown in there as a mystery subplot and I didn’t really care for that. The characters were very dramatic throughout the story some were holding onto grudges or other traumatic things that felt a bit overdramatic for me personally. I will admit, I rolled my eyes several times. The ending ends on a cliffhanger also, and it wasn’t my favorite.
It’s not a bad cozy mystery, the more that I read the more difficult it is to become a new favorite cozy mystery for me. I have just become more picky when it comes to my cozy mystery books. 🤭💛 So I guess I am being a bit picky on this one, many of you would probably enjoy it if you can look past the character work here.
June 29, 2024
This new cozy mystery series is off to a great start! Ellie Alexander knows what she’s doing. The setting is a small town in northern California. And we have book lovers and a mystery-centric bookstore housed in a lovely old mansion just outside the center of town - and it’s a bit down on its luck. Annie Murray has worked at the Secret Bookcase for over 8 years and she has the idea to hold a town-wide mystery weekend to help drum up not only book sales but to enliven the town’s fortunes. She has a background in criminology so she makes a very credible amateur sleuth once a body is discovered behind the actual secret bookcase in the store, during this mystery weekend festival.
(I loved that Ms. Alexander has written a book about a weekend-long mystery festival since she organized just such an event in her beloved Ashland, Oregon last fall and it looks to be an annual event so it must have been a success!)
There were suspects galore, as the dead person seems to have had a number of people with grudges against her/him (no spoilers!). I enjoyed the coincidence of having three of Annie’s college classmates descend on the town for the festival. The other town business owners form what I assume will be a group of returning characters, and they are a diverse bunch. I enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes-obsessed coworker Fletcher and her friend, Priya, proprietor of a coffee shop, to name two standouts.
It looks like there will be an overarching mystery that will continue into future books, the mystery of who killed Annie’s best friend and classmate, Scarlet, right before their graduation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
(I loved that Ms. Alexander has written a book about a weekend-long mystery festival since she organized just such an event in her beloved Ashland, Oregon last fall and it looks to be an annual event so it must have been a success!)
There were suspects galore, as the dead person seems to have had a number of people with grudges against her/him (no spoilers!). I enjoyed the coincidence of having three of Annie’s college classmates descend on the town for the festival. The other town business owners form what I assume will be a group of returning characters, and they are a diverse bunch. I enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes-obsessed coworker Fletcher and her friend, Priya, proprietor of a coffee shop, to name two standouts.
It looks like there will be an overarching mystery that will continue into future books, the mystery of who killed Annie’s best friend and classmate, Scarlet, right before their graduation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
September 14, 2024
3.5 stars
This was a fun and quick cozy mystery! I really did like how it took place during a crime book festival and how the heroine had to figure out who killed the person in the bookstore. I do wish it had more of a small town, everyday feel instead of solely focused on the even the heroine was putting on. I think I'm just spoiled by the Bakeshop Mystery series and how cute the town is! But I definitely didn't think the mystery was obvious and I had fun watching them trying to figure out how did it! I also really loved the heroine's background in criminology and I'm excited to see if she ends up helping out the official investigators in their future cases!
This was a fun and quick cozy mystery! I really did like how it took place during a crime book festival and how the heroine had to figure out who killed the person in the bookstore. I do wish it had more of a small town, everyday feel instead of solely focused on the even the heroine was putting on. I think I'm just spoiled by the Bakeshop Mystery series and how cute the town is! But I definitely didn't think the mystery was obvious and I had fun watching them trying to figure out how did it! I also really loved the heroine's background in criminology and I'm excited to see if she ends up helping out the official investigators in their future cases!
June 17, 2024
I received a free copy of, The Body in the Bookstore. by Ellie Alexander, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book one of the, A Secret Bookcase Mystery series. Annie Murray is a book shop owner, but funds are tight, and she decides to have a mystery themed festival, bud an old friend is found murdered! Will Annie be able to solve a murder and save her business? I delighted in this book, such a fun cozy mystery.
February 18, 2025
This is a fun start to a new series. Annie Murray works at the Secret Bookshelf Bookstore. She initiated a mystery-themed book festival to help their little town. It’s off to a great start, but then a dead body is discovered, and Annie is surprised to see people from her college days in town. Who could be the killer?
The first in a series is always introducing the reader to the main character, friends, town, etc. And I’d say this is off to a good start for this new-to-me cozy mystery. 3-1/2 stars rounded to 3, as I’m sure I’ll enjoy them even more as I read further.
The first in a series is always introducing the reader to the main character, friends, town, etc. And I’d say this is off to a good start for this new-to-me cozy mystery. 3-1/2 stars rounded to 3, as I’m sure I’ll enjoy them even more as I read further.
June 30, 2024
Ellie Alexander does it again! In this first installment of the new Secret Bookcase Mystery series, we are introduced to bookseller and mystery festival organizer, Annie Murray. As Annie plans the first book festival for the charming town of Redwood Grove, readers learn about her past as a criminology student and unsolved death of her best friend from college. Wait, what?!? A cozy mystery series that takes place in a bookstore, has an adorable cat named Professor Plum, AND includes a cold case in addition to a new murder to solve?!?! Perfection. Ellie Alexander is a master at painting beautifully descriptive scenery, creating endearing characters, and crafting a mystery that will have readers guessing until the final page. Book two in the series is on the way, and I can't wait to dive in! Highly recommend for fans of Ellie Alexander/Kate Dyer-Seeley's other series, and those who enjoy cozy mysteries. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 25, 2025
The Body in the Bookstore is the first book in A Secret Bookcase Mystery, a cozy mystery series by Ellie Alexander. This book delivered on everything I thought it would, I was entertained, the love for books was so fun, and I really enjoyed getting to know this small town and the characters!
In this book Annie is a bookseller and decides to put together a crime book festival in her small town of Redwood Grove and gets all of the other businesses involved. It’s a way to strum up business for everyone and get people involved in a fun crime game. All is going well until a dead body shows up in the bookstore midst-game! Annie went to college for criminology and decides to put her skills to use for the case.
I do think the first half of the story was stronger, it grabbed my attention right away. The mid to end started to slow down a bit entertainment-wise for me and I wasn’t as hooked. This was my first time reading this author and I’ve heard this series gets better and that people also enjoy the Bakeshop Mystery series more so I’m actually excited to get to even more of her books cause this one was cozy and fun already. I loved how quick this book was and how much love for books and classic mysteries there was…Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, her cat Professor Plum (Clue).
In this book Annie is a bookseller and decides to put together a crime book festival in her small town of Redwood Grove and gets all of the other businesses involved. It’s a way to strum up business for everyone and get people involved in a fun crime game. All is going well until a dead body shows up in the bookstore midst-game! Annie went to college for criminology and decides to put her skills to use for the case.
I do think the first half of the story was stronger, it grabbed my attention right away. The mid to end started to slow down a bit entertainment-wise for me and I wasn’t as hooked. This was my first time reading this author and I’ve heard this series gets better and that people also enjoy the Bakeshop Mystery series more so I’m actually excited to get to even more of her books cause this one was cozy and fun already. I loved how quick this book was and how much love for books and classic mysteries there was…Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, her cat Professor Plum (Clue).
June 5, 2024
Writers are supposed to write about what they know. I guess that's why this book sounds like the blueprint for the real Ashland, Oregon, Mystery Festival being organized by Ellie Alexander. I love the Bakeshop mysteries but this was not Ellie's best work.
January 16, 2026
3.5 ☕️
I think this series is taking some really fun creative license with the genre but still feels familiar and fun. I think my rating would have been higher if I hadn't taken so long to read but game of thrones took over my life.
I think this series is taking some really fun creative license with the genre but still feels familiar and fun. I think my rating would have been higher if I hadn't taken so long to read but game of thrones took over my life.
August 16, 2024
I am so glad Ellie Alexander is on my radar now and I adored The Body in the Bookstore! Annie along with the other characters in this book stole my heart, and I didn’t want my time with them to end. Apparently, Alexander has been around for a minute, but I never heard of her until now and I was excited to see she has a pretty extensive backlist of other cozy mysteries. Have I been living under a rock? Maybe. The setup for this book was super fun since it is set in a bookstore, and it being so small totally reminded me of another small bookstore named Once Upon a Crime in Minneapolis, MN. You could also tell Alexander is an Agatha Christie fan which I loved.
The audiobook was delightful as well, and I really enjoyed Ellen Quay as the narrator. Hopefully, the rest of the series doesn’t change on me because she made the book very fun and exciting to listen to! The friendships and Annie’s kind of partnership with her old criminology professor-turned-detective were a special part of the story, and there is plenty of humor as well! Was I blown away by the whodunnit? No, but I had a hell of a good time getting there. The Body in the Bookstore is book 1 of a new series and I am so excited to see where it will go next.
The audiobook was delightful as well, and I really enjoyed Ellen Quay as the narrator. Hopefully, the rest of the series doesn’t change on me because she made the book very fun and exciting to listen to! The friendships and Annie’s kind of partnership with her old criminology professor-turned-detective were a special part of the story, and there is plenty of humor as well! Was I blown away by the whodunnit? No, but I had a hell of a good time getting there. The Body in the Bookstore is book 1 of a new series and I am so excited to see where it will go next.
August 10, 2024
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this first Secret Bookcase Mystery, we meet Annie Murray. She and her best friend Scarlet planned to start a detective agency after graduation with their criminal justice degrees. Then Scarlet was murdered. Annie has spent the better part of a decade trying to find her killer. Whenever she opens her laptop and brings up her spreadsheets of information and theories she thinks it will be the day something will jump out at her to move the case forward.
Annie is working at The Secret Bookcase as a bookseller and events manager. The bookstore is a unique shop in a converted manor house with a thrilling crime fiction selection. Business has been slow and she knows to keep the place open it is going to take a major event. She comes up with the idea of a 3-day Mystery Fest that could involve all the local businesses and bring people from far and wide. The town is excited about the festival and most business owners are happy to be involved.
Mystery Fest was off to a great start until a body was discovered in the bookstore. Some customers think it’s fake and a prop for the festival, but Annie knows that is not the case. Soon she finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation. Can her criminology degree help her book the killer this time? or will it turn into another ice-cold case?
I love the theme of this new series from Ellie Alexander. A manor home repurposed into a really cool bookstore complete with themed rooms and a secret bookcase. The author’s descriptions made it easy to envision every room and nook. I want to go there now, please.
Annie Murray is a strong, smart, creative protagonist who has found her place in Redwood Grove. The quiet community gives her peace even though Scarlet’s death is always on her mind. The bookstore is a huge part of her life and it needed a boost to keep the doors open. She had a great idea and was able to run with it. She is an excellent multitasker and able to juggle everything thrown at her. I love that she adopted Scarlet’s tabby cat, Professor Plum. I had a very easy time getting invested in her life.
We also meet her co-worker Fletcher, shop owner Hal, and Annie’s friend Priya. Fletcher has “extensive knowledge and adoration” of Sherlock Holmes and has quite a knack for matching the right reader with the right canon followed by a dissertation on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hal curated the store into a mystery lover’s paradise but lately, book signing events were not bringing in people and foot traffic had been way down. Hal is a total Luddite though. He can barely turn on his phone so he needs help to save his store. Priya is a good friend and is there for Annie no matter what. I enjoyed how all the characters evolved throughout the book leaving room for growth as the series continues.
I found the mysteries in this book very captivating. I found it interesting that Annie’s (and Scarlet’s) former criminology professor, Dr. Caldwell was the detective in charge of the investigation. She knew Annie would be an excellent person to help her solve the case. Annie was happy to help, as was Pri. There were plenty of clues to follow and a growing list of suspects to investigate. I enjoyed the way everyone worked together to catch the killer.
Scarlet’s case is fluid again at the end of this story and the first two chapters of book two, Murder at the Movies are included at the end of the book. They may have enlightened me but I didn’t read them. I would never be able to stop at just two chapters. I hope to read and review the whole book soon.
The Body in the Bookstore has given this series a marvelous start. Diverse and engaging characters, wonderful world-building, and an enticing mystery come together for an entertaining escape.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
In this first Secret Bookcase Mystery, we meet Annie Murray. She and her best friend Scarlet planned to start a detective agency after graduation with their criminal justice degrees. Then Scarlet was murdered. Annie has spent the better part of a decade trying to find her killer. Whenever she opens her laptop and brings up her spreadsheets of information and theories she thinks it will be the day something will jump out at her to move the case forward.
Annie is working at The Secret Bookcase as a bookseller and events manager. The bookstore is a unique shop in a converted manor house with a thrilling crime fiction selection. Business has been slow and she knows to keep the place open it is going to take a major event. She comes up with the idea of a 3-day Mystery Fest that could involve all the local businesses and bring people from far and wide. The town is excited about the festival and most business owners are happy to be involved.
Mystery Fest was off to a great start until a body was discovered in the bookstore. Some customers think it’s fake and a prop for the festival, but Annie knows that is not the case. Soon she finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation. Can her criminology degree help her book the killer this time? or will it turn into another ice-cold case?
I love the theme of this new series from Ellie Alexander. A manor home repurposed into a really cool bookstore complete with themed rooms and a secret bookcase. The author’s descriptions made it easy to envision every room and nook. I want to go there now, please.
Annie Murray is a strong, smart, creative protagonist who has found her place in Redwood Grove. The quiet community gives her peace even though Scarlet’s death is always on her mind. The bookstore is a huge part of her life and it needed a boost to keep the doors open. She had a great idea and was able to run with it. She is an excellent multitasker and able to juggle everything thrown at her. I love that she adopted Scarlet’s tabby cat, Professor Plum. I had a very easy time getting invested in her life.
We also meet her co-worker Fletcher, shop owner Hal, and Annie’s friend Priya. Fletcher has “extensive knowledge and adoration” of Sherlock Holmes and has quite a knack for matching the right reader with the right canon followed by a dissertation on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hal curated the store into a mystery lover’s paradise but lately, book signing events were not bringing in people and foot traffic had been way down. Hal is a total Luddite though. He can barely turn on his phone so he needs help to save his store. Priya is a good friend and is there for Annie no matter what. I enjoyed how all the characters evolved throughout the book leaving room for growth as the series continues.
I found the mysteries in this book very captivating. I found it interesting that Annie’s (and Scarlet’s) former criminology professor, Dr. Caldwell was the detective in charge of the investigation. She knew Annie would be an excellent person to help her solve the case. Annie was happy to help, as was Pri. There were plenty of clues to follow and a growing list of suspects to investigate. I enjoyed the way everyone worked together to catch the killer.
Scarlet’s case is fluid again at the end of this story and the first two chapters of book two, Murder at the Movies are included at the end of the book. They may have enlightened me but I didn’t read them. I would never be able to stop at just two chapters. I hope to read and review the whole book soon.
The Body in the Bookstore has given this series a marvelous start. Diverse and engaging characters, wonderful world-building, and an enticing mystery come together for an entertaining escape.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
May 24, 2024
The Body In The Bookstore is a cute, cozy whodunit murder mystery and the first book of the new series, A Secret Bookcase Mystery. It has several elements that make a murder mystery good, including a quiet town setting and characters with motive. This book has several potential suspects, and I had fun piecing clues together with the main character to find out who committed the murder!
Annie Murray is a bookseller at The Secret Bookcase, and although her job makes her happy, she has been living with guilt for almost 10 years. Her best friend Scarlet was murdered back when they were in college. They were working on solving a murder mystery together when it took an unfortunate turn for the worst. Since that day, Annie has felt guilty for her friend's death and put all dreams she had of owning a private detective agency on hold.
The Secret Bookcase hasn't been doing well lately, and Annie comes up with a plan to save the bookstore. She pitches the idea of a mystery festival to her boss Hal, and he is completely on board! With the help of the neighboring businesses in Redwood Grove, Annie and her coworker Fletcher organize a mystery fest, with clues being hidden behind the secret bookcase (an actual bookcase) inside the bookstore. One afternoon during the festivities, a body is found inside the secret compartment. It is Kayla Mintner, one of Annie's former schoolmates. Annie instantly jumps back into detective mode and starts working on finding the murderer. It doesn't help that Kayla wasn't the most liked person. With her being conniving and malicious towards almost everyone she crossed paths with, several people seem to have had motive to kill her. But who really did it?
This book is a well-written and intriguing murder mystery that sucked me in from the very start! The setting is so cozy and perfect, who would think for something to happen in a little bookstore! The characters and plot were also great, and I loved the idea of a murder happening during such an event (mystery fest). There were several moments when I thought I knew who the killer was, but then more clues were found and revelations made that had me second-guessing myself! The ending was wonderful, and I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Hopefully we'll find out what exactly happened to Scarlet!
4 stars!
Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Ellie Alexander for this compelling mystery!
Annie Murray is a bookseller at The Secret Bookcase, and although her job makes her happy, she has been living with guilt for almost 10 years. Her best friend Scarlet was murdered back when they were in college. They were working on solving a murder mystery together when it took an unfortunate turn for the worst. Since that day, Annie has felt guilty for her friend's death and put all dreams she had of owning a private detective agency on hold.
The Secret Bookcase hasn't been doing well lately, and Annie comes up with a plan to save the bookstore. She pitches the idea of a mystery festival to her boss Hal, and he is completely on board! With the help of the neighboring businesses in Redwood Grove, Annie and her coworker Fletcher organize a mystery fest, with clues being hidden behind the secret bookcase (an actual bookcase) inside the bookstore. One afternoon during the festivities, a body is found inside the secret compartment. It is Kayla Mintner, one of Annie's former schoolmates. Annie instantly jumps back into detective mode and starts working on finding the murderer. It doesn't help that Kayla wasn't the most liked person. With her being conniving and malicious towards almost everyone she crossed paths with, several people seem to have had motive to kill her. But who really did it?
This book is a well-written and intriguing murder mystery that sucked me in from the very start! The setting is so cozy and perfect, who would think for something to happen in a little bookstore! The characters and plot were also great, and I loved the idea of a murder happening during such an event (mystery fest). There were several moments when I thought I knew who the killer was, but then more clues were found and revelations made that had me second-guessing myself! The ending was wonderful, and I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Hopefully we'll find out what exactly happened to Scarlet!
4 stars!
Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Ellie Alexander for this compelling mystery!
June 11, 2024
I love Ellie Alexander’s writing and will jump at the chance to read anything she writes so I was excited to get this first book in a new series. I enjoyed the story but I’m not sure what exactly it was that didn’t work for me in this one. I loved the setting and the festival seems like something I would love to visit one day. The subplot of Annie’s best friend’s murder is interesting and I’d like to know more about that. I think the characters in this one were just OK. They didn’t leap off the page for me as her other characters do so I never really felt a connection to Annie so maybe that’s where the issue was for me. I will still read the next in the series and hope that she grows on me.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for an honest review.
July 12, 2024
Such a good start to a cozy mystery series!! I love the setting, and the main sleuth, Annie, who studied to become a detective so she is just not a nosey sleuth but an educated one who is good friends with the main detective in the case. Not only do we have a “fresh” murder, but we also have an ongoing investigation on a previous murder, who happened to be Annie’s best friend. There’s also a sneak peak of two romances, that add a little ✨ to the story but it’s not overpowering the murder mystery of it! Also the Agatha Christie references in here and recreating a book festival around Agatha Christie’s work, was just the icing on the top!
February 26, 2025
Welcome to Redwood Grove - a tiny town in Northern California that is home to a mystery forward bookstore whose lovable, quirky staff loves the Edwardian/Victorian classics and all things bookish.
The Secret Bookcase, (and yes, there really is one inside the store, hence, the name), is on the verge of financial collapse. Manager, Annie, devises a plan to save not only the store but to bring business to the entire town - Let’s have a Mystery Festival and involve all the businesses. It’s wildly successful for a bunch of tragic reasons that make up the mystery(s) part of the book.
In true cozy style, all but one owner enthusiastically agrees and the story is off and running. Annie is the narrator. There are many characters to keep straight and as this is the premiere episode for an ongoing series, author Ellie Alexander, needs to introduce all her continuing players. On the positive side, there are no info dumps. On the negative side, there’s not much development. If you like these folks, you’ll need more installments to fill in the blanks. For me, I’m interested enough to read book two. I’d like to find out what happened to Annie’s college best friend, Scarlet.
If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, small town fiction, clean language tales and stories that are themed around books, reading and publishing, you will enjoy THE BODY IN THE BOOKSTORE 📚
The Secret Bookcase, (and yes, there really is one inside the store, hence, the name), is on the verge of financial collapse. Manager, Annie, devises a plan to save not only the store but to bring business to the entire town - Let’s have a Mystery Festival and involve all the businesses. It’s wildly successful for a bunch of tragic reasons that make up the mystery(s) part of the book.
In true cozy style, all but one owner enthusiastically agrees and the story is off and running. Annie is the narrator. There are many characters to keep straight and as this is the premiere episode for an ongoing series, author Ellie Alexander, needs to introduce all her continuing players. On the positive side, there are no info dumps. On the negative side, there’s not much development. If you like these folks, you’ll need more installments to fill in the blanks. For me, I’m interested enough to read book two. I’d like to find out what happened to Annie’s college best friend, Scarlet.
If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, small town fiction, clean language tales and stories that are themed around books, reading and publishing, you will enjoy THE BODY IN THE BOOKSTORE 📚
May 29, 2024
#TheBodyintheBookstore #NetGalley is the first in a new series by favorite author Ellie Alexander.
Annie Murray is struggling to find ways to increase revenue and foot traffic for the bookshop she works at.
An idea begins to form and before long, Annie is planning a mystery lovers weekend, which sounds amazing.
Annie is also trying to deal with the murder of her best friend, and Annie blames herself for her death.
I love this new book and I'm so excited to read the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
Annie Murray is struggling to find ways to increase revenue and foot traffic for the bookshop she works at.
An idea begins to form and before long, Annie is planning a mystery lovers weekend, which sounds amazing.
Annie is also trying to deal with the murder of her best friend, and Annie blames herself for her death.
I love this new book and I'm so excited to read the next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
December 31, 2024
I recently read my way through all of Ellie Alexander’s Sloane Krause cozy mystery series after vacationing in Bavarian village of Leavenworth, Washington, which serves as the setting for Sloan’s sleuthing adventures. I loved the characters, mysteries, and small-town setting quite a bit more than I expected, enjoying the nice Hallmark feeling of community and connection.
Having blitzed through those books with sheer fun and escapist pleasure, I noticed that Alexander has another new series that she kicked off earlier this year, one that is based in the small town of Redwood Grove, Northern California, where Annie Murray helps manage a bookstore – “Secret Bookcase” – specializing in mystery books of all kinds, from classics to cozies to thrillers. The store is a converted manor house and its motif is inspired and built upon Agatha Christie, whom the owner Hal Christie swears he is related to.
Annie arrived in Redwood Grove about eight years ago trying to outrun her past. Since then, she’s worked at the bookstore and the village has become her home and community. Annie’s also spent this time trying to let go of personal loss. In college, she and her roommate, Scarlet, were studying to be in law enforcement. Scarlet was also her best friend, like a sister, they dreamed of starting their own detective agency. However, when the two of them were working on a real unsolved case for a school assignment, Scarlet went out on her own to follow-up on some questions she had and was later found dead. Annie never recovered emotionally from losing Scarlett, dropped out of college, and ended up in Redwood Grove trying to restart her life while still trying to solve her friend’s death.
When the first book in this series – “The Body in the Bookstore” – starts, the bookstore has been struggling and Annie is worried that Hal will eventually need to sell or close it down. Annie not only helps run the store, she is also the events coordinator, and decides they need some kind of activity to reintroduce the store’s brand and rebuild sales momentum back into the black.
Then the idea of holding a mystery-themed book festival held over a weekend comes to her mind. It would include the local businesses – hotels, restaurants, pubs, coffeeshops, and more. The local business owners love it and all join in on the festivities knowing how the festival could be a boon for the entire village. Annie’s plans turn into the inaugural Redwood Grove Mystery Fest and everything looks good as the event kicks off.
However, Annie’s in for a surprise when she finds out that three former college students and associates of her and Scarlett have arrived for the Mystery Fest, ones that she doesn’t have positive memories of and would rather not deal with if possible. Then things take a turn for the worst when Annie discovers a dead body left in the bookstore’s secret bookcase which turns out to be one of those old college acquaintance.
The investigating detective turns out to be Annie’s former (and favorite) college criminology instructor Dr. Caldwell, who instructs her past student to dust off of her old investigation training skills and help catch a killer. Annie finds herself not only trying to ensure the festival’s success, but also saving Redwood Grove from another killing…
For the most part, this Annie Murray mystery series pretty much follows the same formula as the Sloan Krause Leavenworth series. The lead character is an empathetic amateur detective (actually Annie has a professional training background so she is technically more trained) living and working in a small-town community with connections with many other business owners, workers, and citizens. Sloan’s business practice was brewing beer and running a pub, while Annie’s is in bookselling and managing a bookstore. Although, both are interesting industries, there is something to be said about bookselling, publishing, and writing being an interesting setting for a cozy mystery series. Alexander does a good job of layering in history and anecdotal information on famous writers like Agatha Christie and classic fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes. We mystery readers find this to be very interesting and a nice touch.
Let’s touch on each of those elements.
First, the characters. For the most part Annie is endearing and easy to empathize with on a personal level. Her past casts a shadow throughout this book as she spends a lot of time being haunted about her best friend’s murder. However, like Sloane’s primary mystery that played out over four to five books, it appears that this bigger mystery will also go on for multiple books. It worked well in the Sloan series and we’ll see how it works out in this one. It was also interesting to see the potential love interest for Annie, in the character of the Stag pub owner, Liam Donovan, who mostly serves to provide Annie with conflict and argumentive exchanges.
Second, the supporting characters. Along with Annie, the author creates authentic characters that really drive this story more than the mystery in a lot of ways. Co-worker and Sherlock Holmes worshipper, Fletcher, provides nice support and carries a crush on Annie. Store owner, Hal, has a lot of heart and serves as the heart of the town, supporting his own staff, as well as other business owners. Caroline, business owner and close friend of Hal’s serves as the voice of honesty and sincerity. And my favorite butthead is Liam, who is obvious a love interest for Annie and carries his own secret past that will probably be revealed in a future book. I may like him mostly due to his rebellious and argumentative nature, but that will do for now.
Third, the mystery. I actually found this mystery in this one to be better than the first Sloan mystery. It was better constructed, layered, and drove more of the story in a stronger way. For me the characters, storylines, and relationships were really key to establishing this book and series, but the mystery really kept me reading and built to a well thought out ending that delivered in a solid manner.
Fourth, the setting. For me, I enjoyed the Southern California village setting and environment. It was nice seeing the community and comradery that takes place in small-town settings and Alexander really focuses in on this element in a good way. I also appreciated the whole bookstore, publishing, mystery genre, and readership elements as a backdrop for the mysteries and storylines. Readers love to peak behind the curtains to know more and Alexander sprinkles that information in well.
Overall, this was the kind of lite mystery reading that I was hoping for and it delivered for the most part. The author's writing style was smooth, fluid, and paced well. She made it easy to enjoy spending time with Annie Murray, the other characters, and the small-town mystery bookstore setting. As much as the similarities between Alexander’s Sloan Krause series and this one were many and interchangeable, it didn’t take away from the interest and potential storylines that Annie Murray presented. The good news is that it kept my interest enough that I will be reading the next book – “A Murder at the Movies” – to see how things develop with the Scarlett murder investigation as well as the various town related relationships. I just hope that Alexander changes up her formula a bit and creates some additional creative plot developments and outcomes.
My rating is 3.5 out of 5-stars (and yes, Goodreads doesn’t do half-stars in its ratings).
Having blitzed through those books with sheer fun and escapist pleasure, I noticed that Alexander has another new series that she kicked off earlier this year, one that is based in the small town of Redwood Grove, Northern California, where Annie Murray helps manage a bookstore – “Secret Bookcase” – specializing in mystery books of all kinds, from classics to cozies to thrillers. The store is a converted manor house and its motif is inspired and built upon Agatha Christie, whom the owner Hal Christie swears he is related to.
Annie arrived in Redwood Grove about eight years ago trying to outrun her past. Since then, she’s worked at the bookstore and the village has become her home and community. Annie’s also spent this time trying to let go of personal loss. In college, she and her roommate, Scarlet, were studying to be in law enforcement. Scarlet was also her best friend, like a sister, they dreamed of starting their own detective agency. However, when the two of them were working on a real unsolved case for a school assignment, Scarlet went out on her own to follow-up on some questions she had and was later found dead. Annie never recovered emotionally from losing Scarlett, dropped out of college, and ended up in Redwood Grove trying to restart her life while still trying to solve her friend’s death.
When the first book in this series – “The Body in the Bookstore” – starts, the bookstore has been struggling and Annie is worried that Hal will eventually need to sell or close it down. Annie not only helps run the store, she is also the events coordinator, and decides they need some kind of activity to reintroduce the store’s brand and rebuild sales momentum back into the black.
Then the idea of holding a mystery-themed book festival held over a weekend comes to her mind. It would include the local businesses – hotels, restaurants, pubs, coffeeshops, and more. The local business owners love it and all join in on the festivities knowing how the festival could be a boon for the entire village. Annie’s plans turn into the inaugural Redwood Grove Mystery Fest and everything looks good as the event kicks off.
However, Annie’s in for a surprise when she finds out that three former college students and associates of her and Scarlett have arrived for the Mystery Fest, ones that she doesn’t have positive memories of and would rather not deal with if possible. Then things take a turn for the worst when Annie discovers a dead body left in the bookstore’s secret bookcase which turns out to be one of those old college acquaintance.
The investigating detective turns out to be Annie’s former (and favorite) college criminology instructor Dr. Caldwell, who instructs her past student to dust off of her old investigation training skills and help catch a killer. Annie finds herself not only trying to ensure the festival’s success, but also saving Redwood Grove from another killing…
For the most part, this Annie Murray mystery series pretty much follows the same formula as the Sloan Krause Leavenworth series. The lead character is an empathetic amateur detective (actually Annie has a professional training background so she is technically more trained) living and working in a small-town community with connections with many other business owners, workers, and citizens. Sloan’s business practice was brewing beer and running a pub, while Annie’s is in bookselling and managing a bookstore. Although, both are interesting industries, there is something to be said about bookselling, publishing, and writing being an interesting setting for a cozy mystery series. Alexander does a good job of layering in history and anecdotal information on famous writers like Agatha Christie and classic fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes. We mystery readers find this to be very interesting and a nice touch.
Let’s touch on each of those elements.
First, the characters. For the most part Annie is endearing and easy to empathize with on a personal level. Her past casts a shadow throughout this book as she spends a lot of time being haunted about her best friend’s murder. However, like Sloane’s primary mystery that played out over four to five books, it appears that this bigger mystery will also go on for multiple books. It worked well in the Sloan series and we’ll see how it works out in this one. It was also interesting to see the potential love interest for Annie, in the character of the Stag pub owner, Liam Donovan, who mostly serves to provide Annie with conflict and argumentive exchanges.
Second, the supporting characters. Along with Annie, the author creates authentic characters that really drive this story more than the mystery in a lot of ways. Co-worker and Sherlock Holmes worshipper, Fletcher, provides nice support and carries a crush on Annie. Store owner, Hal, has a lot of heart and serves as the heart of the town, supporting his own staff, as well as other business owners. Caroline, business owner and close friend of Hal’s serves as the voice of honesty and sincerity. And my favorite butthead is Liam, who is obvious a love interest for Annie and carries his own secret past that will probably be revealed in a future book. I may like him mostly due to his rebellious and argumentative nature, but that will do for now.
Third, the mystery. I actually found this mystery in this one to be better than the first Sloan mystery. It was better constructed, layered, and drove more of the story in a stronger way. For me the characters, storylines, and relationships were really key to establishing this book and series, but the mystery really kept me reading and built to a well thought out ending that delivered in a solid manner.
Fourth, the setting. For me, I enjoyed the Southern California village setting and environment. It was nice seeing the community and comradery that takes place in small-town settings and Alexander really focuses in on this element in a good way. I also appreciated the whole bookstore, publishing, mystery genre, and readership elements as a backdrop for the mysteries and storylines. Readers love to peak behind the curtains to know more and Alexander sprinkles that information in well.
Overall, this was the kind of lite mystery reading that I was hoping for and it delivered for the most part. The author's writing style was smooth, fluid, and paced well. She made it easy to enjoy spending time with Annie Murray, the other characters, and the small-town mystery bookstore setting. As much as the similarities between Alexander’s Sloan Krause series and this one were many and interchangeable, it didn’t take away from the interest and potential storylines that Annie Murray presented. The good news is that it kept my interest enough that I will be reading the next book – “A Murder at the Movies” – to see how things develop with the Scarlett murder investigation as well as the various town related relationships. I just hope that Alexander changes up her formula a bit and creates some additional creative plot developments and outcomes.
My rating is 3.5 out of 5-stars (and yes, Goodreads doesn’t do half-stars in its ratings).
October 30, 2025
(O5/24) FIRST READ: I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Was kinda fun, kinda suspenseful, warm and friendly, and had a fun small town feeling. It was written by Ellie Alexander, narrated by Ellen Quay.
The main character in this book is Annie Murray, who works at the neatest bookstore in Redwood Grove, CA. Business has been running quite slow, in fact slow enough that the owner Hal was beginning to consider selling the store. Annie has a mega-brainstorm with some ideas to drum up new business. It is so quiet in there, that their traditional book signings and such just weren't cutting it. The town thought it was a great idea, until a body was found behind the secret Area in the bookstore. Annie, who in college pursued a criminal research degree, taught by her old criminology professor-turned into a crack detective. They were each other's favorite student/teacher.
About ten years earlier, Annie's best friend Scarlet was murdered while they were working on a project. Annie has grieved her loss near daily for ten years, and has used everything she learned in school to help solve Scarlet's case. Up to now, it isn't solved.
Some of the side cast members are Fletcher (a self-assigned Sherlockian scholar) and Hal (who is convinced he is Agatha Christie's grandson. Her life begins again when she moves to Redwood Grove. New life, new work, new friends, fun cat named Professor Plum. Annie best friend is Priya, and they are quite the gals when they worked to pick up clues and they try to solve the crime.
The town's mystery festival is on, and the planning for this weekend is phenomenal. I myself would have loved to be there. And the cash registers have never been so busy, had so much money, and patrons that are swearing they will be back as they had an absolute blast. This is a great story for Ellie Alexander, right out of the shoot. Thought it was fun, great writing, and I became quite involved with the characters. I've not listed all "…of them, as it could be classified as spoilers.” So enjoy, have fun, and put on your detective's hat. Recommend.
(09/25). SECOND READ: I enjoyed this equally well the second time. The characters are delightful, the writing is well done, the language is clean and uplifting. A lot of us may have drops of detective blood flowing through our veins. I enjoyed the clean language used in the book very much.
Recommend. Enjoy!!!
RATE: 5.0 *****
The main character in this book is Annie Murray, who works at the neatest bookstore in Redwood Grove, CA. Business has been running quite slow, in fact slow enough that the owner Hal was beginning to consider selling the store. Annie has a mega-brainstorm with some ideas to drum up new business. It is so quiet in there, that their traditional book signings and such just weren't cutting it. The town thought it was a great idea, until a body was found behind the secret Area in the bookstore. Annie, who in college pursued a criminal research degree, taught by her old criminology professor-turned into a crack detective. They were each other's favorite student/teacher.
About ten years earlier, Annie's best friend Scarlet was murdered while they were working on a project. Annie has grieved her loss near daily for ten years, and has used everything she learned in school to help solve Scarlet's case. Up to now, it isn't solved.
Some of the side cast members are Fletcher (a self-assigned Sherlockian scholar) and Hal (who is convinced he is Agatha Christie's grandson. Her life begins again when she moves to Redwood Grove. New life, new work, new friends, fun cat named Professor Plum. Annie best friend is Priya, and they are quite the gals when they worked to pick up clues and they try to solve the crime.
The town's mystery festival is on, and the planning for this weekend is phenomenal. I myself would have loved to be there. And the cash registers have never been so busy, had so much money, and patrons that are swearing they will be back as they had an absolute blast. This is a great story for Ellie Alexander, right out of the shoot. Thought it was fun, great writing, and I became quite involved with the characters. I've not listed all "…of them, as it could be classified as spoilers.” So enjoy, have fun, and put on your detective's hat. Recommend.
(09/25). SECOND READ: I enjoyed this equally well the second time. The characters are delightful, the writing is well done, the language is clean and uplifting. A lot of us may have drops of detective blood flowing through our veins. I enjoyed the clean language used in the book very much.
Recommend. Enjoy!!!
RATE: 5.0 *****
June 12, 2024
Book 1 in this engrossing series is set in my fav location--a bookstore--with a body found during the store's Mystery Fest. Oh no! Kept me glued to the page as I raced to find out whodunit. A winner!
November 25, 2024
I listened to this while I was working and traveling and I don't have a print copy to refresh my memory. The story starts out rather slow as most first books in a series do. It set up the story with Annie's past and the present misfortunes of the bookstore. Then the college mean girl shows up with a few other people from Annie's past and the story gets going. I didn't guess who killed Kayla or why and I didn't really care. I was thinking someone else entirely. I don't even remember who the actual murderer was and I finished the book on Friday afternoon! Oh wait I do and it was very obvious which was disappointing. I was expecting something more complex. I did not appreciate the hook at the end to keep you coming back for more. I really thought the murder from the past and the present were linked.
Annie is an OK character. I prefer my sleuths to be amateurs. Annie has a background in criminology and was on the verge of becoming a private investigator when her best friend was killed. Annie bears a lot of guilt from her friend's death. Annie feels it was her fault because she encouraged her friend to join with her in reopening a closed case. She can't see that her friend chose to go interview someone on her own when it was apparently a dangerous situation. It wasn't Annie's fault. Annie's new best friend, Pri, is a hoot. She's a traveling barista who dabbles in tattoo art. She seems determined to fix Annie up with a man and she's certain the cranky bar owner, Liam, has the hots for Annie. He's awful! He's sexist and snobby about history vs. literature yet his pub is decorated with faux stag heads! His personality changes 3/4 of the way through the book and his new personality seems at odds with how he was portrayed earlier in the book. History and literature go together just fine, thanks and there's plenty of Victorian things he could do to coincide with the book fest. Yeesh. The other two recurring characters are Annie's friend Fletcher, a fellow bookstore employee and her boss, Hal, who thinks he's a long lost grandson of Agatha Christie. Okaaayyy... That can be proven by DNA but he persists in his theory and everyone humors him. He seems like a sweet old man but needs to hire someone younger or let someone younger run the store. His resistance to technology got someone killed without anyone noticing. Fletcher is nice. He adores Sherlock Holmes mysteries and is something of an expert armchair detective but when he is confronted with a real life murder, he can't cope! He seems too nice to be a murderer and his reaction to the body pretty much tells me he didn't do it.
The victim, Kayla, was a classic mean girl. She was a narcissist who bullied, blackmailed, lied and cheated her way to get what she wanted. She was ruthless and it's no wonder someone wanted her dead. Yet, when the motive was revealed, I felt bad for her - a little anyway. It's hard to know for sure what happened in her past, what was real and what she made up for attention. Suspect #1 is Caroline, a local business owner who somehow knows Kayla. How do they know each other? Are they friends? What was their argument about? Justin, a bartender, was Kayla's cousin. He has a strong motive for wanting her dead but they were family. Would he really do that to his own cousin? Two other old classmates have arrived in town at the same time. Coincidence or did they come to kill Kayla? Why now? Why in a small town during a mystery festival? Well Monica is in town because she works in publishing and her new author, Eli, has written a book of short mystery stories she is eager to promote. A former jock who can't seem to grow up may or may not be dating Kayla or alternately stalking her. Their stories don't match or add up.
Eli, the author, is so strange. He wants to do publicity but not readings and he claims he doesn't write to sell books so why does he have a publishing deal? He's a wannabe beat poet generation who claims he doesn't care about money but you can tell he sure cares about fame. He's rude, pushy and totally egotistical. I suspect he has a secret and it's worth killing for. Another character I don't quite trust is the detective on the case and Annie's former professor. She seems eager to pin the murder on someone who is not actually the murderer and I'm not sure she's trustworthy.
The narrator's voice is pleasant and easy to understand but she sounds young and not like someone in their 30s. Her mean girl voice for Kayla is spot-on perfect and I could tell from her voice that Kayla was going to end up dead.
I found this book an enjoyable way to pass the time while I worked but my library doesn't have any of the other books in the series.
Annie is an OK character. I prefer my sleuths to be amateurs. Annie has a background in criminology and was on the verge of becoming a private investigator when her best friend was killed. Annie bears a lot of guilt from her friend's death. Annie feels it was her fault because she encouraged her friend to join with her in reopening a closed case. She can't see that her friend chose to go interview someone on her own when it was apparently a dangerous situation. It wasn't Annie's fault. Annie's new best friend, Pri, is a hoot. She's a traveling barista who dabbles in tattoo art. She seems determined to fix Annie up with a man and she's certain the cranky bar owner, Liam, has the hots for Annie. He's awful! He's sexist and snobby about history vs. literature yet his pub is decorated with faux stag heads! His personality changes 3/4 of the way through the book and his new personality seems at odds with how he was portrayed earlier in the book. History and literature go together just fine, thanks and there's plenty of Victorian things he could do to coincide with the book fest. Yeesh. The other two recurring characters are Annie's friend Fletcher, a fellow bookstore employee and her boss, Hal, who thinks he's a long lost grandson of Agatha Christie. Okaaayyy... That can be proven by DNA but he persists in his theory and everyone humors him. He seems like a sweet old man but needs to hire someone younger or let someone younger run the store. His resistance to technology got someone killed without anyone noticing. Fletcher is nice. He adores Sherlock Holmes mysteries and is something of an expert armchair detective but when he is confronted with a real life murder, he can't cope! He seems too nice to be a murderer and his reaction to the body pretty much tells me he didn't do it.
The victim, Kayla, was a classic mean girl. She was a narcissist who bullied, blackmailed, lied and cheated her way to get what she wanted. She was ruthless and it's no wonder someone wanted her dead. Yet, when the motive was revealed, I felt bad for her - a little anyway. It's hard to know for sure what happened in her past, what was real and what she made up for attention. Suspect #1 is Caroline, a local business owner who somehow knows Kayla. How do they know each other? Are they friends? What was their argument about? Justin, a bartender, was Kayla's cousin. He has a strong motive for wanting her dead but they were family. Would he really do that to his own cousin? Two other old classmates have arrived in town at the same time. Coincidence or did they come to kill Kayla? Why now? Why in a small town during a mystery festival? Well Monica is in town because she works in publishing and her new author, Eli, has written a book of short mystery stories she is eager to promote. A former jock who can't seem to grow up may or may not be dating Kayla or alternately stalking her. Their stories don't match or add up.
Eli, the author, is so strange. He wants to do publicity but not readings and he claims he doesn't write to sell books so why does he have a publishing deal? He's a wannabe beat poet generation who claims he doesn't care about money but you can tell he sure cares about fame. He's rude, pushy and totally egotistical. I suspect he has a secret and it's worth killing for. Another character I don't quite trust is the detective on the case and Annie's former professor. She seems eager to pin the murder on someone who is not actually the murderer and I'm not sure she's trustworthy.
The narrator's voice is pleasant and easy to understand but she sounds young and not like someone in their 30s. Her mean girl voice for Kayla is spot-on perfect and I could tell from her voice that Kayla was going to end up dead.
I found this book an enjoyable way to pass the time while I worked but my library doesn't have any of the other books in the series.
February 9, 2025
This was a lot of fun! I loved a bookstore with a secret room. The book festival they hosted sounded like a lot of fun and I’d love to attend one. Definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next.
June 15, 2024
It was exciting to receive this first book in a new series from Ellie Alexander since I love her writing. I enjoyed Annie, our amateur sleuth, her passion for the bookstore she works at and her organisation of the mystery festival to try to keep it going. The setting is picturesque and the mystery intriguing. Apart from Annie, the only character I connected with was Fletcher. I hope to see more of him in the series. My perception of the book and reality just didn't jibe. It was enjoyable, but not as great as I had hoped.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC of this book. This was an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC of this book. This was an honest review.
June 25, 2025
I had such a fun time with this cozy mystery! I found myself invested in these characters and their town, searching for answers to the mystery right alongside them.
I also think the idea of a townwide mystery fest is AMAZING and I want to be there right now.
I also think the idea of a townwide mystery fest is AMAZING and I want to be there right now.
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July 9, 2024I LOVED this mystery so much…but …there was a hold up for me with certain subject matters that I do not agree with. I really feel like authors are feeling pressure to “check boxes” now and it shows. Which is so unfortunate because it really pulls so many of us readers out of the story. I will say, it was casually mentioned in the beginning and wasn’t at all at the forefront of the story. So I chose to continue reading and I do think I want to continue on with the series. I’m just hoping this sub plot doesn’t consume the next books!
As for what I loved about this one: located in a super cozy bookstore with the BEST quirky side characters!! A potential romance in future books that I’m super on board with 🤭 many nods and mentions of Agatha Christie & Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allen Poe…I loved it all! I also really loved the setup of this sleuthing party…it was literally perfect! The old professor & the star student reuniting with this side plot of a previous murder of another student…brilliant!
As for what I loved about this one: located in a super cozy bookstore with the BEST quirky side characters!! A potential romance in future books that I’m super on board with 🤭 many nods and mentions of Agatha Christie & Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Allen Poe…I loved it all! I also really loved the setup of this sleuthing party…it was literally perfect! The old professor & the star student reuniting with this side plot of a previous murder of another student…brilliant!
June 19, 2024
Annie Murray is a bookseller and event coordinator at the Secret Bookcase and shares her cottage with feline Professor Plum in Redwood Grove, California. Annie loves working for the owner Hal and with colleague Fletcher in the mystery bookstore inspired by Agatha Christie, complete with a secret room in the reconverted old manor house. Sales have been dwindling over the years and a revival is needed as Annie wants to avoid Hal initiating a conversation of closure. An interactive mystery-themed book festival for booklovers involving the whole town might be an uplift in the revenue stream for the bookstore and all the businesses in town. Who knew the influx of visitors would include classmates Annie has not seen since college and even her favorite professor?
Cozy mysteries about bookstores immediately entice my attention, having moonlighted in a bookstore while working full-time as a librarian and attending grad school. This magical read, with its engaging plot, has quickly become my top favorite in the genre. The author's descriptive writing style immediately drew me in, painting picturesque scenes from the first chapter. My first 2 favorites are…
I saw the author's post, "Do you want to know a secret?" on Instagram, saying that "A Murder at the Movies" (Book 2 in the series) will be released on the same day! Exceptional News: 2 books will be Released in the Same Series on the Same Day - June 19, 2024!
Thank you to Ellie Alexander, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel.
Cozy mysteries about bookstores immediately entice my attention, having moonlighted in a bookstore while working full-time as a librarian and attending grad school. This magical read, with its engaging plot, has quickly become my top favorite in the genre. The author's descriptive writing style immediately drew me in, painting picturesque scenes from the first chapter. My first 2 favorites are…
"…blooming dogwoods, sherbet-colored roses, and the promise of everything to come."The business and restaurant names add to the atmosphere of the setting. Imagine the food and drink offerings at Salsa Street Grill (food truck), Stag Head (pub), Cryptic Coffee, State of Mind Public House (pub), and Grand Hotel. There's also shopping at Artifacts (vintage boutique) and nature delights in Oceanside Park. But beyond the names, let your imagination run wild with the architectural descriptions of the exterior and interior of the buildings. Don't imagine dry academic descriptions but colorful and charming visions of a small town you want to visit in person, except it's a fictional offering that offers the most pleasurable armchair travel.
"… hours evaporated like raindrops on a hot July afternoon."
I saw the author's post, "Do you want to know a secret?" on Instagram, saying that "A Murder at the Movies" (Book 2 in the series) will be released on the same day! Exceptional News: 2 books will be Released in the Same Series on the Same Day - June 19, 2024!
Thank you to Ellie Alexander, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this novel.
August 19, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my free arc of this novel.
I can tell I'm going to be obsessed with this new series by Ellie Alexander. I've read cozies where the characters are beyond over-the-top to the point where they aren't pleasant to read about, and the plot goes beyond the point of my already stretched belief. This book was NOT that. This story introduced a perfectly balanced blend of loveable side characters, a fun and relatable amateur sleuth main character, Annie, and one of the best small towns to read about. I really enjoyed every aspect of this story.
As much as I love the Shakespeare Festival in Alexander's Bakeshop Mystery series, I love the Mystery Festival more! Not to mention, the "enemies" to lovers, slowburn situation that could happen between Annie and Liam is something I'm all in for.
I can tell I'm going to be obsessed with this new series by Ellie Alexander. I've read cozies where the characters are beyond over-the-top to the point where they aren't pleasant to read about, and the plot goes beyond the point of my already stretched belief. This book was NOT that. This story introduced a perfectly balanced blend of loveable side characters, a fun and relatable amateur sleuth main character, Annie, and one of the best small towns to read about. I really enjoyed every aspect of this story.
As much as I love the Shakespeare Festival in Alexander's Bakeshop Mystery series, I love the Mystery Festival more! Not to mention, the "enemies" to lovers, slowburn situation that could happen between Annie and Liam is something I'm all in for.
September 23, 2024
I love Ellie's books because her characters and setting are FAB and this book LIVED UP TO THE HYPE! This new series has its own voice and was so very good. I'm so impressed that she was able to start another thrilling and cozy series that is already addicting. I already miss this town and these characters! I loved both the quiet small town bookstore and the book festival; both of which gave the best cozy vibes and had my itching to go to a book festival that involves an entire town and meeting other mystery lovers. I love the glimpses of Annie's past and the cliffhanger was so exciting. I was shocked by the ending and enjoyed how everything played out. I am already excited for the next one!
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was a perfect characterization of what I would visualize in my head for these characters.
Note: I listened to the audiobook and it was a perfect characterization of what I would visualize in my head for these characters.
April 10, 2025
[3.5]
Anddddd another smalltown fiction book, can you tell I like the trope? This time, we have a mystery to add to the collection AND it's Manpreet's first mystery book (via book club pick) 🥳 Somehow, this one was the perfect pick for our type of book club pick because of the underlying mystery that is possibly unfolded throughout the rest of the books, while still having a mystery that started and ended in this book. Definitely curious about the rest of the books in this series
Anddddd another smalltown fiction book, can you tell I like the trope? This time, we have a mystery to add to the collection AND it's Manpreet's first mystery book (via book club pick) 🥳 Somehow, this one was the perfect pick for our type of book club pick because of the underlying mystery that is possibly unfolded throughout the rest of the books, while still having a mystery that started and ended in this book. Definitely curious about the rest of the books in this series
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