Murder at the Class Reunion

by Nina A. Wells

Murder, Mayhem, and a Librarian with a Nose for Trouble…

The Broad Hollow University Reunion was meant for reminiscing, not murder. But when the widely disliked Professor Reilly is found dead, librarian Barbara Stitch stumbles into a mystery more tangled than any novel on her shelves.

Barbara prefers books over gossip, but a cryptic note left in a returned book pulls her into Reilly’s past—one riddled with family secrets, bitter rivalries, and coded messages hinting at scandal. With her loyal golden retriever, Suga by her side, she begins unraveling the truth.

Quirky shop owners Greta and Delia each have their own suspicious ties to Reilly, but as Barbara digs deeper, it’s clear someone wants the past to stay buried. Mysterious threats, a close call in the library stacks, and a town full of secrets push her closer to the truth—and danger.

With a Killer on the loose and time running out, Barbara must crack the case before she becomes the next chapter in a deadly tale. Because in Broad Hollow, some stories end in murder….

Why Readers Love Nina A.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A fast-paced, page-turning mystery that keeps you guessing.
“With so many twists and turns, this story takes you on a real roller-coaster ride to the end.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A spellbinding mystery filled with great characters and clever twists.
“Every clue leads somewhere unexpected—and yes, the dog doesn’t die!”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A good, exciting read with suspects, suspense—and a cute dog helping solve the mystery!
“The perfect length for a fun day of reading.”

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 6, 2025

Reviews

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well what a reunion! The professor no one likes has now been spiked . Sent on his way the suspicious death way…Professor Reilly met his demise but nobody was in the least surprised because he was so despised…Oh dear ! Good job super sleuth and librarian Barbara Stitch is here to sew it all up. With her loyal doggo Suga by her side she decides to get to the bottom of this mystery. So what of this fellow killed in Broad Hollow,she intends to find out. When she finds a cryptic letter left in a returned book and other clues in the shape of coded messages inside one of the library books. She of course sets out to find what they are all about. Who stands to inherit ,is that a clue to pursue. Well her quirky friends fall under suspicion too so she knows what she must do. There’s Nora ,cafe owner ,have you seen her ? Greta and Delia too . But these are friends and true. …Aren’t they? Well this book is wonderfully written and of Nina A. Wells character filled and driven books I am smitten. Such a breath of fresh air and so delightful ,the descriptions are immersive ,the prose never cursive . An awesome cosy read . I enjoyed reading with greed and a smile . I get quite immersed for a while.

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is a charming, cozy mystery.

What unfolds is a slow-burning story that peels back layers of small-town secrets, family legacies, and long-buried truths.

Wells’s greatest strength lies in her characters—Barbara is a refreshing protagonist: introspective, intelligent, and courageous.

Her golden retriever, Suga, adds warmth and lightness, while the supporting cast—the wary Greta, the guarded Delia, and the nervous café owner Nora—are well-drawn and memorable.

The writing style is gentle and atmospheric. Broad Hollow feels alive with whispered gossip and creaking floorboards, and the mystery builds with tension rather than shock.

It’s a cozy for readers who enjoy thoughtful sleuthing and a touch of historical intrigue.

The book’s only minor flaw is its extensive use of narration, telling rather than showing.

A tighter edit and a more dramatic climax would elevate the story further.

Still, Murder at the Class Reunion is an enjoyable, intelligent mystery, a promising start to a potential series.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Reilly is the guest speaker at the Broad Hollow University Reunion. The only problem is he is found dead when Barbara Stitch, college librarian was walking her dog, Suga. It appears he was researching the town's history and how it may have been related to his family. When shop owners Greta and Delia and Nora seem to have a connection to Reilly and are potential suspects and when Barbara finds a cryptic letter left in a returned book with coded messages inside one of the library books she knows she has to investigate only to keep the suspicion off of her friends. What secrets are they keeping? Can Barbara solve this case or will she be the next victim silenced to keep the secrets in tact? With so many twists and turns, you are taken on a real roller coaster ride to the end. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barb gets involved when a professor gets murdered that was researching a founding family in town. It can be amazing as to what some families will do to cover up a problem within their immediate family when the person who is supposed to inherit suddenly has a fatal accident. It took Barbara a lot of looking in the archives before she found what she was looking for. Good story. I received an arc for this story and this is my review.

[Marietta]

The is was verywell written book that keep you interested right up till the end. The main character is very believable and I love that she has a dog with her all the time it seem strange to see that so many of the retautrant allow dog inside. The story had lots of twist and turn that you were not sure who was the enemy and who to trust. But it was worth reading and I think that anyone who enjoys clean cozy mysteries will enjoy this series as well.

[Jean Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting plot set at a class reunion, where a disliked professor is found murdered. Barbara and her dog Suga are drawn into the mystery when she finds the professor's notes and figures out that it wasn't a natural death. Different plot with an unusual manner of death. I enjoyed reading the story although it was a little tiresome that Suga needed to go for a walk and potty break way too often. I received an ARC copy of the book and this is my honest review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining cozy mystery about a professor who was murdered during a class reunion. Speculation about the reason for his murder lead to Barbara Stitch (and her dog Suga) investigating his research to get to the bottom of it. There are plenty of quirky characters and pieces of information that all fit together nicely in the end.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nina A. Wells makes me glad I haven’t attended any class reunions. Are these real clues, threats, or a wild goose chase that has Barbara and Suga running around? We are kept questioning all the way to the end. I really like stories where the answer isn’t obvious to the reader. I look forward to returning to Broad Hollow.

[fred jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written cozy mystery

A well written cozy mystery with great characters and the usual cute dog. The mystery is good if a little confusing at times, I liked this one a lot. I originally received an advanced copy and then bought it when it become available, and I have already bought the next onr.

[Sharmani Jayaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Stitch a librarian at Broad Hollow Library hears about the murder of Professor Reilly and there after it takes her on a strange journey dealing with secrets. Lots of suspense in this intriguing read. I received this ARC copy and recommend this book to other readers.

[Diane Ploussard · Rating 5 out of 5]

held my interest.

This story was a great cozy story. Nothing graphic in the deaths, a dog was present, and the most incapable sleuth was the star. She was determined to solve the mystery and didn’t give up.
I feel like anyone who enjoys Cozy mysteries will enjoy this one also.

[Deborah Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barb is going to her reunion and while there the guest speaker never makes an appearance. He is found later behind the College dead. Barb decides to investigate she works at the library and has access to the historical records and to the Professor's office. This was a fun story and I recommend it.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The widely disliked Professor Reilly is found dead by librarian Barbara Stitch .She stumbles into a mystery more tangled than any novel on her shelves. This is a very good mystery novel. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

[Linda Whitenight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbara and her golden retriever Suga investigate the death of a Professor who was about to release buried secrets about the elites of their small college town. Barbara starts following the trail that the professor had been following. Many twist and turns in this story.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author to me and a good read. The book kept me drawn in and interested. It was a little bothersome with all the potty breaks Suga took. Characters were interesting and fun to get to know.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read. Good characters,pace and plot. The story holds your attention. Great ending not one you would expect.

[Sylvia Swanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very confusing, hard to keep all the characters straight.

[Marion Moxhay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little story. Great summer reading. Love Suga, can't beat a dog in the story.

[Tracy Snell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder at the Class Reunion had the bones of a good story, but there were an awful lot of little things that really left me wanting more with this book.

The title of the book was really a bit misleading. While the murder did take place while a Class Reunion was happening, the class reunion itself was barely mentioned. After the murder occurred, no one mentioned the class reunion, none of the suspects seemed to have been there because of the class reunion, and it played no substantial part in the murder or the plot of the book other than a device to have the murder victim on site so that he could be murdered.

I typically do not let issues of poor editing bother me, especially when reading an ARC version, but there were so many in this book, that it really distracted from the story. There was a repetitive use of phrases describing the nonverbal reactions of characters. And there was quite a bit of redundacy of entire sentences. The exact same sentence would appear a few paragraphs after it had been used the first time, as though someone had intended to edit the passage, but forgot to remove the sentence from the original location. This sometimes created a bit of confusion for me because it seemed like a character had just left a location but then suddenly they were back there again...almost like there was a time warp. And please quit telling me all the time about Suga taking a potty break. This too was overused and really didn't add anything to the story and, after awhile, it became kind of irritating.