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Leafwood Falls #5
The Bookshop of Secrets
What happens when a simple bookshop project to help people face their fears goes viral, and reveals that someone in your small town is achingly, desperately invisible?
Charlie Whitmore thought she'd finally figured out life in Leafwood Falls. Two years after trading her Manhattan law career for the Oak & Ink Bookshop, she's settled into a rhythm of cozy fall mornings, community book clubs, and only occasional sabotage by Hemingway, the imperious orange bookshop cat who expresses his literary opinions through destruction and hairballs.
Then her assistant Mia has the perfect idea for Halloween.
The Fear Jar starts drop in your anonymous fear, take a personalized book recommendation. A small Halloween project for the bookshop. But this is Mia, purple-haired, endlessly enthusiastic, physically incapable of doing anything halfway, and within days the jar goes viral. Confessions flood in. Social media explodes. The whole town is suddenly writing down their deepest terrors and trusting Charlie to answer with the perfect story.
Until Charlie notices something heartbreaking. Someone in Leafwood Falls is drowning in invisibility, writing their loneliness over and over, hoping someone will notice.
Charlie wants to respect anonymity. Mia wants to solve the mystery, in a dramatic reveal at the Halloween masquerade party. And Hemingway has his own, feline opinions. And as October winds toward its witching hour, the cozy bookshop mystery becomes something more complicated, because in a small town where everyone knows everyone, discovering who's been writing those fears means unraveling secrets people have spent years keeping hidden.
Curl up with a pumpkin spice latte and let this Halloween bookshop mystery work its magic. You'll laugh at Mia's chaotic sleuthing, fall in love with fall in Leafwood Falls, and find yourself believing that bookshop cats know more than they're letting on. Perfect for readers who love their mysteries cozy, their small towns quirky, and their October evenings full of twinkle lights and possibility.
Return to the beloved town of Leafwood Falls, where a viral Fear Jar, one all-knowing bookshop cat, and a purple-haired investigator with boundary issues prove that October's best magic happens when someone finally sees you.
Charlie Whitmore thought she'd finally figured out life in Leafwood Falls. Two years after trading her Manhattan law career for the Oak & Ink Bookshop, she's settled into a rhythm of cozy fall mornings, community book clubs, and only occasional sabotage by Hemingway, the imperious orange bookshop cat who expresses his literary opinions through destruction and hairballs.
Then her assistant Mia has the perfect idea for Halloween.
The Fear Jar starts drop in your anonymous fear, take a personalized book recommendation. A small Halloween project for the bookshop. But this is Mia, purple-haired, endlessly enthusiastic, physically incapable of doing anything halfway, and within days the jar goes viral. Confessions flood in. Social media explodes. The whole town is suddenly writing down their deepest terrors and trusting Charlie to answer with the perfect story.
Until Charlie notices something heartbreaking. Someone in Leafwood Falls is drowning in invisibility, writing their loneliness over and over, hoping someone will notice.
Charlie wants to respect anonymity. Mia wants to solve the mystery, in a dramatic reveal at the Halloween masquerade party. And Hemingway has his own, feline opinions. And as October winds toward its witching hour, the cozy bookshop mystery becomes something more complicated, because in a small town where everyone knows everyone, discovering who's been writing those fears means unraveling secrets people have spent years keeping hidden.
Curl up with a pumpkin spice latte and let this Halloween bookshop mystery work its magic. You'll laugh at Mia's chaotic sleuthing, fall in love with fall in Leafwood Falls, and find yourself believing that bookshop cats know more than they're letting on. Perfect for readers who love their mysteries cozy, their small towns quirky, and their October evenings full of twinkle lights and possibility.
Return to the beloved town of Leafwood Falls, where a viral Fear Jar, one all-knowing bookshop cat, and a purple-haired investigator with boundary issues prove that October's best magic happens when someone finally sees you.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 19, 2025
52 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 26, 2025
I'm not completely sure what to think about this book. It kinda felt like therapy rather than Halloween. I just wanted more small town fall/Halloween and less about mental health.
I just wanted a fun, easy holiday read. I did like the investigative route, I just wish it had more mystery and unfortunately less Mia. The 1st book of the series made Mia sound really cool, but I kind of think each book makes her more and more crazy amd honestly too much.
I do love that each book introduces us to new characters though. We're slowly getting to know the community.
I just wanted a fun, easy holiday read. I did like the investigative route, I just wish it had more mystery and unfortunately less Mia. The 1st book of the series made Mia sound really cool, but I kind of think each book makes her more and more crazy amd honestly too much.
I do love that each book introduces us to new characters though. We're slowly getting to know the community.
January 2, 2026
Great idea
The idea of this book is great. The whole experiment gave such insight into many of the lesser characters, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Throughout the last book in the series and this one, though, I really came to be annoyed with the character of Mia. She was fun and quirky in the first books, but jeez, why doesn't anyone firmly tell her NO! Charlie tries and then wimps out. I get she has a soft heart, but to me, it's just way too much. I mean really - who owns that store? Maybe Charlie's own insecurity leads her to let Mia take control of everything?
On the other hand, the quiet wisdom of a few characters was very welcome.
Overall, the story is good and highlights that we really need to SEE people, not just notice them or take them for granted. As always I love the sense of the community coming together.
The idea of this book is great. The whole experiment gave such insight into many of the lesser characters, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Throughout the last book in the series and this one, though, I really came to be annoyed with the character of Mia. She was fun and quirky in the first books, but jeez, why doesn't anyone firmly tell her NO! Charlie tries and then wimps out. I get she has a soft heart, but to me, it's just way too much. I mean really - who owns that store? Maybe Charlie's own insecurity leads her to let Mia take control of everything?
On the other hand, the quiet wisdom of a few characters was very welcome.
Overall, the story is good and highlights that we really need to SEE people, not just notice them or take them for granted. As always I love the sense of the community coming together.
November 4, 2025
I didn’t like this book in the series nearly as well as I liked the other books in the series mainly because the idea of the secret fears being anonymous turned into an investigation that I felt was really anything but private and anonymous. Mia’s behavior and determination to figure out who dropped certain fears was extremely annoying and just rubbed me wrong. Mia definitely crossed a line in my opinion and no one called her back, they just seemed to humor her and go along with her invasive behavior.
October 27, 2025
The Bookshop of Secrets
This was a fun fall read, as well as all the other book in this series. A fantastic idea turns to chaos that gets slightly out of had but something beautiful come from within everyone's fears. The characters are likeable funny, supportive. I have enjoyed this series and I hope there will be more to read. Enjoy
This was a fun fall read, as well as all the other book in this series. A fantastic idea turns to chaos that gets slightly out of had but something beautiful come from within everyone's fears. The characters are likeable funny, supportive. I have enjoyed this series and I hope there will be more to read. Enjoy
December 23, 2025
Bookstore and a cat: two of my favorites
This story was an easy read with characters that you can easily relate to. The town and shops were re
Wmarkable and brought back memories from years ago! I highly recommend this story.
This story was an easy read with characters that you can easily relate to. The town and shops were re
Wmarkable and brought back memories from years ago! I highly recommend this story.
January 7, 2026
so Very Leafwood Falls!
I’d like to live in a town like Leafwood Falls so I could put my fears in a jar! Such a delightful concept and another great book in the series. Mia made me itchy in this one, though, a bit over the top!
I’d like to live in a town like Leafwood Falls so I could put my fears in a jar! Such a delightful concept and another great book in the series. Mia made me itchy in this one, though, a bit over the top!
November 2, 2025
Mystery without Murder
How refreshing to have a mystery to solve without it being about a murder. Compassion, caring, forgiveness. What an amazing stoey.
How refreshing to have a mystery to solve without it being about a murder. Compassion, caring, forgiveness. What an amazing stoey.
November 7, 2025
Cat
Loved the series. I hope there will be more.
Keep them coming. One of the best series I have read.
Loved the series. I hope there will be more.
Keep them coming. One of the best series I have read.
November 27, 2025
beautifully written
Nothing like being cozy inside, reading a book by Brooke Skie. Appreciate her style and this was another great story line!
Nothing like being cozy inside, reading a book by Brooke Skie. Appreciate her style and this was another great story line!
December 30, 2025
A Terrific Read
If you write down your fear and put it in a jar, does it go away? Do you overcome that fear? Or are you just getting some practice in handwriting?
In this book, a Fear Jar is placed in the book store. People are invited to write their fears down and put them in the jar. Later, recommended books appear for that particular fear. Anonymous. Helpful. Caring.
See what happens when someone goes overboard with this concept. (I think Mia Amazing is just that and am a bit surprised she isn’t looking for another job.) Do yourself a favor and read the book!
If you write down your fear and put it in a jar, does it go away? Do you overcome that fear? Or are you just getting some practice in handwriting?
In this book, a Fear Jar is placed in the book store. People are invited to write their fears down and put them in the jar. Later, recommended books appear for that particular fear. Anonymous. Helpful. Caring.
See what happens when someone goes overboard with this concept. (I think Mia Amazing is just that and am a bit surprised she isn’t looking for another job.) Do yourself a favor and read the book!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews