Don't Mask, Don't Tell

by Jessica Brimer

Garnet Stone needs a breather. Between working at the bookstore and her secret quest to uncover the truth about her birth mom, she welcomes a break.

The solution? Dryden Mansion's annual murder mystery party. The evening promises to be a blast with her boyfriend, friends, and Grandpa Stone as one of the actors.

The party takes a dark turn from Mardi Gras to Mardi Murder when a woman is found dead, and Stone becomes the prime suspect. To complicate things further, Aoife, the woman Garnet thought was her mom, pays a surprise visit, forcing Garnet to confront her deepest fears.

Running out of time and clues, can Garnet catch the killer, and will Aoife's secrets shatter her life like broken beads?

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2026

About the author

Jessica Brimer is a Tennessee native who spends most of her time writing and far more time browsing the bookshelves at her local library. Growing up, Jessica was fascinated with the mystery genre, which sparked her desire to write them. If she isn't spending time with her two kids and husband, you can almost always find her dabbling with essential oils while reading something mysterious.

Reviews

[dnsyl57]

"Don't Mask, Don't Tell" is book #4 in the "Messy Bookshop Mysteries" series by Jessica Brimer.

A Mardi Gras Murder Mystery party turns deadly as a body is discovered while Garnet Stone, her friends and the rest of the guests are impatiently waiting for the winners to be announced. So much for a fun evening - especially when it seems that her grandfather, Stone, is a prime suspect.

With the actors and plotline of the mystery game mixed in with the actual murder at the party, one could be forgiven if it took a bit to separate the two early in the book. Yes, we wanted to know the game solution (which was good!) but digging into the actual murder took the story and it's characters on a far more complicated journey. Family dynamics, secrets and hidden agendas led to a number of potential suspects and motives. Even the history of the mansion where the party was held played a big part of the plot.

I had figured out part of the plot well before Garnet did, but Ms. Brimer threw in some very interesting background on some characters that I hadn't expected. Well done!

Along with the murder mystery, Garnet nervously awaited some real answers about her mothers side of the family. Jane is her usual quirky self but keeps things interesting even when it drives Garnet a bit crazy! The Stone family and their friends work together to find the truth and ensure that justice is served.

I really enjoy the core characters of this series. They may have a bit of drama from time to time but when it really matters, they work together. The dialogue feels realistic with some southern charm and wit.

A thoroughly enjoyable cozy mystery!

[Cheryl Gilmore]

This was such a great book! I am a big fan of this author's books and this fourth in the Messy Bookshop series did not let me down. The characters and their personal stories get wrapped up in this book in a very satisfying way. I highly suggest you read the books in order because of the over-arching mystery throughout the series. The characters are well developed and I laughed out loud several times while reading this book. The mystery had fun twists and turns that kept me trying to guess who the killer was until the reveal that shook me to the core. Did not expect that person to be the killer! The action scenes are my favorite and Jessica Brimer does an awesome job with them. I recommend this series to anyone who loves cozy mysteries with cute cats, fun characters, twisty mysteries, dynamic family relationships, romance with no love triangle, and a mannequin named Stiffanie (who arguably is the best character in the whole book!).

[Ann Campbell]

an excellent series

Loved all 4 books. Can’t wait for the next one to be written. You never know who the killer is until the very end.

[Penny Perse]

Don’t Mask, Don’t Tell

This was a wills story with lots Of ups and downs and ins outs. Exciting all the way through. Fun