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Fatal Sign-Off
When a loathed local podcaster signs off… for good, book blogger Winnie Lark finds herself tangled in the plot of a very real whodunnit—one that’s definitely not on her TBR list.
By day, Arwen “Winnie” Lark is a quiet, introverted bookworm. But online, she’s The Wren, a literary influencer known for her astute reviews and cozy charm. For Winnie, life in Copper Bay, Massachusetts, usually revolves around book club banter, new releases, and good food… until a notoriously nasty podcaster keels over at the local diner, poisoned mid-meal.
The victim made headlines—and enemies—by trashing Copper Bay’s beloved businesses one scathing episode at a time. With suspects as numerous as titles in a bargain bin, Winnie is stunned to find many of her friends in the hot seat. Determined to rewrite this narrative, she teams up with her movie-star brother and her tight-knit crew to crack the case.
As grudges fester and red herrings pile up, Winnie must read between the lines, highlight every clue, and dog-ear suspects as she goes. Because in a mystery this twisted, the killer has no intention of tying up loose plot threads, and the final chapter could end with someone else getting shelved… permanently.
Cozy mystery lovers this book includes real titles to add to your ever-growing TBR pile. You’ve been warned.
Praise for the Book Blogger
“Burr proves once again that she is an absolute master at writing twisty whodunnits” — J.C. Kenney, the Elmo Simpson Mysteries
"A layered and unique heroine, Winnie Lark is an amateur sleuth that’s easy to root for." — Leah Dobrinska, the Larkspur Library Mysteries
“Engaging story and wonderful characters.” — Carstairs Considers (5‑star review)
By day, Arwen “Winnie” Lark is a quiet, introverted bookworm. But online, she’s The Wren, a literary influencer known for her astute reviews and cozy charm. For Winnie, life in Copper Bay, Massachusetts, usually revolves around book club banter, new releases, and good food… until a notoriously nasty podcaster keels over at the local diner, poisoned mid-meal.
The victim made headlines—and enemies—by trashing Copper Bay’s beloved businesses one scathing episode at a time. With suspects as numerous as titles in a bargain bin, Winnie is stunned to find many of her friends in the hot seat. Determined to rewrite this narrative, she teams up with her movie-star brother and her tight-knit crew to crack the case.
As grudges fester and red herrings pile up, Winnie must read between the lines, highlight every clue, and dog-ear suspects as she goes. Because in a mystery this twisted, the killer has no intention of tying up loose plot threads, and the final chapter could end with someone else getting shelved… permanently.
Cozy mystery lovers this book includes real titles to add to your ever-growing TBR pile. You’ve been warned.
Praise for the Book Blogger
“Burr proves once again that she is an absolute master at writing twisty whodunnits” — J.C. Kenney, the Elmo Simpson Mysteries
"A layered and unique heroine, Winnie Lark is an amateur sleuth that’s easy to root for." — Leah Dobrinska, the Larkspur Library Mysteries
“Engaging story and wonderful characters.” — Carstairs Considers (5‑star review)
- GenresCozy MysteryCozyMystery
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2025
2 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Sarah E. Burr
28 books240 followersSarah E. Burr lives near New York City. Hailing from the small town of Appleton, Maine, she has been dreaming of being Nancy Drew since she was a little girl. After not finding any mysteries in corporate America, Sarah began creating some of her own.
She writes the award-winning Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, the Trending Topic Mysteries, the Book Blogger Mysteries, and the Court of Mystery series. "You Can’t Candle the Truth" was a 2022 NGIBA Best Mystery Finalist and a 2022 Silver Falchion Best Supernatural Mystery Finalist. "Too Much to Candle" was a 2023 NGIBA Best Paranormal Finalist, and "#TagMe for Murder" was a 2024 NGIBA Best Chick Lit Finalist.
Sarah is the co-host of "It's Bookish Time," a live-streamed web series featuring author interviews and book discussions. She writes on the Writers Who Kill blogging team and is a member of Sisters in Crime. When she’s not spinning up stories, Sarah sings Broadway show tunes, plays video games with her husband, and enjoys walks with her rescue dogs, Eevee and Itto.
Stay connected with Sarah and receive free stories, be the first to learn about book news, book deals, and more by signing up for her newsletter: https://bit.ly/saraheburrbookssignup.
She writes the award-winning Glenmyre Whim Mysteries, the Trending Topic Mysteries, the Book Blogger Mysteries, and the Court of Mystery series. "You Can’t Candle the Truth" was a 2022 NGIBA Best Mystery Finalist and a 2022 Silver Falchion Best Supernatural Mystery Finalist. "Too Much to Candle" was a 2023 NGIBA Best Paranormal Finalist, and "#TagMe for Murder" was a 2024 NGIBA Best Chick Lit Finalist.
Sarah is the co-host of "It's Bookish Time," a live-streamed web series featuring author interviews and book discussions. She writes on the Writers Who Kill blogging team and is a member of Sisters in Crime. When she’s not spinning up stories, Sarah sings Broadway show tunes, plays video games with her husband, and enjoys walks with her rescue dogs, Eevee and Itto.
Stay connected with Sarah and receive free stories, be the first to learn about book news, book deals, and more by signing up for her newsletter: https://bit.ly/saraheburrbookssignup.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 29, 2025
Another fun romp through Copper Bay with Winnie, Strider, and company. Things have certainly changed for Winnie when her movie star brother has moved in with her to take time to find himself, and her parents have relocated from California to Cambridge to work on their relationships. With her best buddies Bex and Owen, her boyfriend Teddy, and a growing friendship with the local police detective Rose, Winnie is finding her life fuller and happier than she's been in ages. Things are swimming along until a local podcaster, Milton Mulligan, starts taking potshots at a lot of local businesses and friends. Not only has her favorite bakery and coffee shop been called out he hits closer to home by trashing Strider's last movie, her Dad's latest children's book and even reviews by Winnie's secret identity the Wren! When he keels over and dies in a local restaurant, people wonder what is going on until it is discovered that he was poisoned! With all the ties to local friends and family, Winnie and company decide they must help Rose figure out who did him in. With all the people he has annoyed, this will not be an easy task. Come along as the group tries to find answers without getting into trouble, not an easy task, but definitely an entertaining one. Besides the fun, warmth, and developing relationships, I love all the bookish references in this book. Anyone who reads cozies and mystery will get a kick out of them! #FatalSign-Off #ABookBloggerMystery #SarahEBurr #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader
September 2, 2025
Based on the reviews, I am clearly in the minority here, but I didn’t appreciate this writer’s style of storytelling. For example, she relies too heavily on the constant name dropping of authors and titles of books by the narrator and main character, Winnie Lark, who is trying to solve real murders using what she has learned from reading mysteries and other fiction. Another problem for me is how many people know that Winnie is secretly The Wren! I have not read the two previous books in the series and won’t be reading any future ones.
October 12, 2025
I love visiting Copper Bay and seeing what Winnie and her friends are up to. When a local podcaster starts trashing local businesses, Winnie's father's children's books, and even the Wren herself (Winnie's secret book blogging identity), he upsets a lot of people. After he collapses in the diner, it's discovered he was poisoned. With many of the suspects being people Winnie cares about, she and her best friends, Bex and Owen, along with her boyfriend Teddy set out to find the truth. With an engaging plot, bookish references, red herrings, and loveable characters, Fatal Sign-Off is a fantastic addition to the Book Blogger Mystery series!
September 25, 2025
I am a huge fan of author Sarah E. Burr. If she writes it, I will read it. So I was very excited to obtain an eARC of her latest installment in the Book Blogger Mysteries, Fatal Sign-Off. It's been a couple of years since the second book, Dearly Deleted, was published. Was it worth the wait for Fatal Sign-Off? Yes, it was!
In this installment, set around Mother's Day, the mystery centers around the murder of a podcaster who made a living trash-talking various businesses. The suspect list is high, as he isn't well-liked in the community. Among the suspects are book blogger Winnie Lark's friends and family, so she is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery and figure out what really happened. Intertwined with the mystery is the development of several relationships between Winnie and her family, Winnie's friendship with Detective Rose, and a budding romantic relationship between two characters you may not have seen coming.
The mystery is well-crafted with lots of fun twists and turns. The action starts early in the book and continues at a fast pace until the end. The development of the relationships is seamlessly woven in throughout the story.
There is a good bit of humor in this installment that provides just the right amount of comic relief. One scene in particular made me laugh out loud. It was a turning point (in a positive way) for me regarding how I feel about one of the characters involved in the scene. The scene added depth to the character in a light-hearted way.
Throughout Fatal Sign-Off, there are a lot of references to other books that readers will want to add to their TBR list. I did at times find the number of references distracting. There was one reference to a newly released cozy mystery towards the end of the book that felt naturally woven into the flow of the story. It might have worked better for me if there were fewer references throughout the book, but that were woven more into the flow of the story like this one was. However, I do understand that being a book blogger, this is the way Winnie thinks. It is natural for her to reference books she has read and reviewed. It just needed to be tweaked a bit, for my taste.
This is just a minor detail, though. Overall, this is another wonderful installment in a great series. With another solid mystery and strong character development, I will definitely continue reading the Book Blogger Mysteries as they are released. Since there is such strong character development, I do recommend reading them in order, beginning with Over My Dead Blog. If you enjoy bookish cozy mysteries with quirky characters, you don't want to sleep on this series.
Thank you to Booksprout for providing me with an eARC of this book.
In this installment, set around Mother's Day, the mystery centers around the murder of a podcaster who made a living trash-talking various businesses. The suspect list is high, as he isn't well-liked in the community. Among the suspects are book blogger Winnie Lark's friends and family, so she is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery and figure out what really happened. Intertwined with the mystery is the development of several relationships between Winnie and her family, Winnie's friendship with Detective Rose, and a budding romantic relationship between two characters you may not have seen coming.
The mystery is well-crafted with lots of fun twists and turns. The action starts early in the book and continues at a fast pace until the end. The development of the relationships is seamlessly woven in throughout the story.
There is a good bit of humor in this installment that provides just the right amount of comic relief. One scene in particular made me laugh out loud. It was a turning point (in a positive way) for me regarding how I feel about one of the characters involved in the scene. The scene added depth to the character in a light-hearted way.
Throughout Fatal Sign-Off, there are a lot of references to other books that readers will want to add to their TBR list. I did at times find the number of references distracting. There was one reference to a newly released cozy mystery towards the end of the book that felt naturally woven into the flow of the story. It might have worked better for me if there were fewer references throughout the book, but that were woven more into the flow of the story like this one was. However, I do understand that being a book blogger, this is the way Winnie thinks. It is natural for her to reference books she has read and reviewed. It just needed to be tweaked a bit, for my taste.
This is just a minor detail, though. Overall, this is another wonderful installment in a great series. With another solid mystery and strong character development, I will definitely continue reading the Book Blogger Mysteries as they are released. Since there is such strong character development, I do recommend reading them in order, beginning with Over My Dead Blog. If you enjoy bookish cozy mysteries with quirky characters, you don't want to sleep on this series.
Thank you to Booksprout for providing me with an eARC of this book.
August 20, 2025
It’s been a mostly quiet few months for Winnie Lark in the small town of Copper Bay. The drama in town involves Milton Mulligan who has started a podcast that trashes local businesses. So, when he is poisoned, the question is who didn’t have a motive. With some of Winnie’s family and friends on the suspect list, she can’t help but investigate Milton’s death. Will she uncover the culprit?
I fell in love with these characters in the earlier books of the series, so I was anxious to revisit them again. It was like meeting up with old friends, and I enjoyed the growth we saw in many of their relationships. The mystery is well paced with plenty of red herrings and twists. But the climax left me impressed with how things had been planned out. I did have to roll my eyes at how some political issues were put into the book in a way that felt unnecessary and forced to me. On the other hand, I loved the references to other books, especially cozy mysteries. If you love cozy mysteries, you need to pick up this series.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I fell in love with these characters in the earlier books of the series, so I was anxious to revisit them again. It was like meeting up with old friends, and I enjoyed the growth we saw in many of their relationships. The mystery is well paced with plenty of red herrings and twists. But the climax left me impressed with how things had been planned out. I did have to roll my eyes at how some political issues were put into the book in a way that felt unnecessary and forced to me. On the other hand, I loved the references to other books, especially cozy mysteries. If you love cozy mysteries, you need to pick up this series.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
August 29, 2025
The Lark family is out for a Mother’s Day dinner when vicious podcaster, Milton Mulligan is seated by them. Milton has alienated nearly everyone with his brutal takedowns, including Winnie, her brother, Strider, and her dad. When Milton collapses into his meal, Winnie’s mom tries to revive him. Her expertise leads her to believe Milton was poisoned. With her friends and family on the suspect list, Winnie has no choice but to jump into the investigation. Will her interference damage her building friendship with Detective Rose?
In the tradition of the late, great Carolyn Hart’s Death on Demand series, Sarah E. Burr peppers her narrative with popular amateur sleuths and contemporary authors. With Winnie’s alter ego the book blogger Wren, these references build her credibility as an expert. I enjoyed seeing so many of my own favorites mentioned and jotted down a few names to follow up on as well. The family dynamics between Winnie and Strider as well as her parents added an emotional layer to the story as they navigated Winnie’s prior feelings of being overlooked. I loved how Strider’s attraction to Rose was described as well as Winnie realizing that he was showing more depth and maturity. Owen and Ben, as well as Teddy were wonderful supports as well. The mystery had plenty of twists as so many people had reason to hate Milton.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
In the tradition of the late, great Carolyn Hart’s Death on Demand series, Sarah E. Burr peppers her narrative with popular amateur sleuths and contemporary authors. With Winnie’s alter ego the book blogger Wren, these references build her credibility as an expert. I enjoyed seeing so many of my own favorites mentioned and jotted down a few names to follow up on as well. The family dynamics between Winnie and Strider as well as her parents added an emotional layer to the story as they navigated Winnie’s prior feelings of being overlooked. I loved how Strider’s attraction to Rose was described as well as Winnie realizing that he was showing more depth and maturity. Owen and Ben, as well as Teddy were wonderful supports as well. The mystery had plenty of twists as so many people had reason to hate Milton.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 26, 2025
It's time for a visit to Copper Bay with our favourite book blogger, Winnie Lark, and this time she's got herself and those around her into a whole heap of new trouble!!!
Winnie's family is in the line of fire for mean podcaster, Milton Mulligan, and when Milton ends up dead it could be one of her family members fingered for the crime.
I absolutely adore this series. I'm a book blogger, and this is a series about book bloggers. It is absolutely a match made in heaven! Winnie blogs as a secret identity called "The Wren" but that doesn't stop her from sharing her favourite cozies amongst the pages - and boy does she namedrop and I love recognizing some of my favourite cozy authors!!!
While I definitely come to this series for the cozy mystery goodness, I do stay for the mystery. This one had the sleuthing team all over the place trying to pick up clues and solve the mystery, and it was a tangle of lies and red herrings as I tried to solve it before them.
If you love cozy mysteries themed around books you can't go wrong with the Book Blogger Mysteries. They are super fun and it will definitely expand your tbr.
Winnie's family is in the line of fire for mean podcaster, Milton Mulligan, and when Milton ends up dead it could be one of her family members fingered for the crime.
I absolutely adore this series. I'm a book blogger, and this is a series about book bloggers. It is absolutely a match made in heaven! Winnie blogs as a secret identity called "The Wren" but that doesn't stop her from sharing her favourite cozies amongst the pages - and boy does she namedrop and I love recognizing some of my favourite cozy authors!!!
While I definitely come to this series for the cozy mystery goodness, I do stay for the mystery. This one had the sleuthing team all over the place trying to pick up clues and solve the mystery, and it was a tangle of lies and red herrings as I tried to solve it before them.
If you love cozy mysteries themed around books you can't go wrong with the Book Blogger Mysteries. They are super fun and it will definitely expand your tbr.
August 20, 2025
Fatal Sign-Off is the 3rd book in Sarah E Burr's Book Blogger Mysteries and it was an awesome addition to the series. The characters and their relationships are wonderful and the cozy mystery kept me guessing. Winnie Lark is a book blogger named The Wren but it's a secret to everyone but her inner circle. Her twin brother Strider is a famous actor who is currently living with her while he figures out what is next. They are very different but are caring and supportive of each other. They make a fun sleuthing duo along with friends Owen and Bex and Winnie's boyfriend Teddy. The local Police Detective Rose Fox is a friend and is letting them investigate. A local podcaster who is making enemies by criticizing local businesses ends up dead. Winnie and Strider's father is a children's author and he ended up on the suspect list. The mystery kept me guessing and the book was hard to put down. The characters and the relationships make it very enjoyable! #FatalSignOff #BookBloggerMystery #SarahEBurrBooks #BookSprout
August 21, 2025
Fatal Sign-Off is the 3rd book in Sarah E Burr's Book Blogger Mysteries and it was an awesome addition to the series. The characters and their relationships are wonderful and the cozy mystery kept me guessing. Winnie Lark is a book blogger named The Wren but it's a secret to everyone but her inner circle. Her twin brother Strider is a famous actor who is currently living with her while he figures out what is next. They are very different but are caring and supportive of each other. They make a fun sleuthing duo along with friends Owen and Bex and Winnie's boyfriend Teddy. The local Police Detective Rose Fox is a friend and is letting them investigate. A local podcaster who is making enemies by criticizing local businesses ends up dead. Winnie and Strider's father is a children's author and he ended up on the suspect list. The mystery kept me guessing and the book was hard to put down. The characters and the relationships make it very enjoyable! #FatalSignOff #BookBloggerMystery #SarahEBurrBooks #BookSprout
September 6, 2025
Sometimes it scares me that someone I knew (and still remember) as a smart, sweet young college student knows so much about poisons! But, it demonstrates the kind of meticulous attention she paid to her research as a student. Sarah Burr provides yet another mental vacation to small town New England, but one filled with intrigue and plot twists. She paints with words so that you feel comfortable in this little town and as though you know all the characters well. As you read this and her other stories about Copper Bay, you root for the characters not just to solve the mystery, but to have success in their lives. The town is as much a character as the fictional humans, and you root for its economic progress as well.
August 29, 2025
It is spring in Copper Bay and things take a serious turn when the town’s most hated man, a podcaster with a vengeance, dies during lunch on Mother’s Day. Lots of suspects this time around due to Milton’s scathing podcasts of local businesses. Even Winnie’s Dad is in the suspect pool this time around. I absolutely loved this. I hope there are many more adventures to come in this series. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by booksprout.
September 3, 2025
Winnie leads a very quiet life, mainly spending her time reading and eating, and spending time online as a literary influencer. Her world gets turned upside down when another Podcaster drops dead at the diner. Because he spent a lot of time online tearing down local businesses, there is a long list of enemies/suspects! Can Winnie sort through all the twists and turns to find the killer and protect her friends? An engaging story and some charming characters are sure to keep you reading!
August 30, 2025
When a cruel podcaster dies mid meal afyer trashing business afyer business in Copper Bay, Winnie and friends are once again on the trail. Awesome characters that are so realistic!! Once again Sarah E Burr shows why she is a rising star in the cozy genre!
I was given a copy in exchange for a honest review.
I was given a copy in exchange for a honest review.
August 19, 2025
Book blogger Winnie Lark finds herself tangled in the plot of a very real whodunnit. One that’s definitely not on her to be read list.Who killed the blogger?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 28, 2025
I enjoyed being back in Copper, MA with Winnie and her friends. This series is such fun! I enjoy the group sleuthing and the fact that Detective Fox, Rose has come to rely on Winnie and the gang for their help. There were a lot of suspects in this story. I did not guess correctly and was shocked when it was revealed. Love all the family dynamics. Can’t wait for the next one!
August 31, 2025
This book was a pleasure to read. I really enjoyed it. The story was at a good pace that kept me hooked. I guessed the wrong suspect.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews