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Lighthouse Inn Mystery #1
Innkeeping with Murder
good condition
208 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2001
21 people are currently reading
643 people want to read
About the author
Tim Myers
114 books151 followersAlso writes under the pseudonyms Elizabeth Bright, Melissa Glazer, Chris Cavender, and Jessica Beck.
Tim Myers is the author of dozens of short stories published in mystery magazines and anthologies. He lives with his family near the Blue Ridge Mountains he loves and writes about. He is the award-winning author of the Agatha nominated Lighthouse Inn mystery series as well as over seventy short stories. Tim has been a stay-at-home dad for the last twelve years, finding time for murder and mayhem whenever he can.
Series:
* A Lighthouse Inn Mystery
* A Candlemaking Mystery
* A Soapmaking Mystery
Tim Myers is the author of dozens of short stories published in mystery magazines and anthologies. He lives with his family near the Blue Ridge Mountains he loves and writes about. He is the award-winning author of the Agatha nominated Lighthouse Inn mystery series as well as over seventy short stories. Tim has been a stay-at-home dad for the last twelve years, finding time for murder and mayhem whenever he can.
Series:
* A Lighthouse Inn Mystery
* A Candlemaking Mystery
* A Soapmaking Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 26, 2019
Innkeeping with Murder was far better than it had any right to be. This was comfort food. The author is one of my favorites. He sometimes moonlights as Jessica Beck, or, Chris Cavender. But though he has always been prolific, he used to write great stories.
Case in point, this book was an Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2001). These dizzy heights have not been replicated, with no awards, and a low average score on Goodreads. But I keep getting drawn to these books of this author.
This book revolves around a lighthouse propped near a mountain. This eccentricity attracts both the victim, and his would be murderer. Reading this was cathartic. There is something uncomplicated about the book. Anyway, I liked going back to my roots. Toodle oo for now.
Case in point, this book was an Agatha Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2001). These dizzy heights have not been replicated, with no awards, and a low average score on Goodreads. But I keep getting drawn to these books of this author.
This book revolves around a lighthouse propped near a mountain. This eccentricity attracts both the victim, and his would be murderer. Reading this was cathartic. There is something uncomplicated about the book. Anyway, I liked going back to my roots. Toodle oo for now.
April 22, 2015
Description: Tucked away in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the Hatteras West Inn and Lighthouse. Innkeeper Alex Winston watches over the cozy getaway, and guests count on him to take care of everything from basic repairs to breakfast. But he also has to take care of the occasional murder case, too.When a visitor is found dead at the top of the lighthouse, Alex must solve the mystery and capture the culprit before the next guest checks out.
Opening: "Alex, we've got a problem."At the sound of the maid's voice, Alex Winston jerked his head up, cracking his skull on the steel pipe placed treacherously just above the opening of the furnace he'd been working on. Alex had been crouched in an awkward position staring at the mysterious workings of the inn's antique boiler, trying unsuccessfully to figure out what was wrong with the blasted thing this time.
Very short and fluffy. Perfect as an inbetweenie, the lighthouse in the rockies is a fab setting. May or may not read another.
Opening: "Alex, we've got a problem."At the sound of the maid's voice, Alex Winston jerked his head up, cracking his skull on the steel pipe placed treacherously just above the opening of the furnace he'd been working on. Alex had been crouched in an awkward position staring at the mysterious workings of the inn's antique boiler, trying unsuccessfully to figure out what was wrong with the blasted thing this time.
Very short and fluffy. Perfect as an inbetweenie, the lighthouse in the rockies is a fab setting. May or may not read another.
February 11, 2024
I loathe ‘cozy mysteries’ but every genre has rock stars: Ellery Adams, Nancy Atherton, Kate Kingsbury, Kate Carlisle, Juliet Blackwell.... I found a volume 4 novel by Tim Myers for a bargain, when I used to enjoy this plastic genre. I love lighthouses and finally ordered the introduction so I could try this series. I hoped to be pleasantly surprised.
“Inkeeping With Murder” reproduced every weak scenario. I would not buy the others at a dime apiece. I persevered painfully through dreadful “have got” contractions. Authors, WRITE “HAVE”! The past tense “got” only belongs to the verb “to get”! That was my sole grammatical quibble. The rest, I am sure anyone would agree with.
Let’s gather a list of cringingly amateur tropes, especially for a story published in 2001.
People are drastically good or bad. Villains are characters we hated. Old girlfriends are all wrong, so that authors can match protagonists with über moral, hard working, female co-leads.
Inexperienced protagonists think the law lacks the budget to investigate a murder properly and that peace depends on them conjuring up justice.
A mystery at a lighthouse is not deemed exciting by itself. The inn (or library, bakery....) must be financially unstable, with a realtor harassing them to sell it. Just in time, gems might appear, that three generations of relatives did not encounter on their land.
Sheriffs insist on their investigations being taken seriously but keep having meals at the protagonists’ homes.
There is nonsensical, dramatic family lore: a woman is too weak, 1½ year after childbirth, to visit her parents! Her husband replicates her lighthouse inland. She died “9 days before it was finished”. So it only needed paint and the light? She certainly saw the tower built! You see why one star was as high as I could go.
“Inkeeping With Murder” reproduced every weak scenario. I would not buy the others at a dime apiece. I persevered painfully through dreadful “have got” contractions. Authors, WRITE “HAVE”! The past tense “got” only belongs to the verb “to get”! That was my sole grammatical quibble. The rest, I am sure anyone would agree with.
Let’s gather a list of cringingly amateur tropes, especially for a story published in 2001.
People are drastically good or bad. Villains are characters we hated. Old girlfriends are all wrong, so that authors can match protagonists with über moral, hard working, female co-leads.
Inexperienced protagonists think the law lacks the budget to investigate a murder properly and that peace depends on them conjuring up justice.
A mystery at a lighthouse is not deemed exciting by itself. The inn (or library, bakery....) must be financially unstable, with a realtor harassing them to sell it. Just in time, gems might appear, that three generations of relatives did not encounter on their land.
Sheriffs insist on their investigations being taken seriously but keep having meals at the protagonists’ homes.
There is nonsensical, dramatic family lore: a woman is too weak, 1½ year after childbirth, to visit her parents! Her husband replicates her lighthouse inland. She died “9 days before it was finished”. So it only needed paint and the light? She certainly saw the tower built! You see why one star was as high as I could go.
June 13, 2014
Innkeeping With Murder is the best kind of light and fluffy cozy mystery. The kind that has heart to go along with the fun.
The proprietor, Alex, runs an inn in the mountains of North Carolina that is an exact replica of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Finding the dead body of his most regular guest at the top of the lighthouse may not be particularly good for business, which isn’t all that good to begin with. While it seems that most people are willing to accept that the elderly gentleman died of natural causes, Alex doesn’t think so and determines to find out what happened.
The idea of a lighthouse in the mountains may seem an odd premise but it doesn’t get silly or outlandish. In fact, if it were a real inn, I’d be booking my next vacation there. The whole place sounds comfy and relaxing. It feels as if it belongs exactly where it is.
The strength of this book, however, is the characters. They felt like real, three-dimensional people from page one. And they feel like people I want to know. Alex the owner, Elise the housekeeper, Mor the fix-it man, the cast of characters in the village, all people you’d like to meet again. I felt like I had made a new circle of friends.
It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s easy to read, it won’t tax your brain. A great little escape when you need to get away from real life for a while.
The proprietor, Alex, runs an inn in the mountains of North Carolina that is an exact replica of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Finding the dead body of his most regular guest at the top of the lighthouse may not be particularly good for business, which isn’t all that good to begin with. While it seems that most people are willing to accept that the elderly gentleman died of natural causes, Alex doesn’t think so and determines to find out what happened.
The idea of a lighthouse in the mountains may seem an odd premise but it doesn’t get silly or outlandish. In fact, if it were a real inn, I’d be booking my next vacation there. The whole place sounds comfy and relaxing. It feels as if it belongs exactly where it is.
The strength of this book, however, is the characters. They felt like real, three-dimensional people from page one. And they feel like people I want to know. Alex the owner, Elise the housekeeper, Mor the fix-it man, the cast of characters in the village, all people you’d like to meet again. I felt like I had made a new circle of friends.
It’s light, it’s fluffy, it’s easy to read, it won’t tax your brain. A great little escape when you need to get away from real life for a while.
August 14, 2015
I was debating between giving this one or two stars, but the fact is that not only was the story itself not particularly compelling, but the writing was not very polished either. Ultimately though, the characters were what really turned me off; they were all just unlikable stereotypes. None of it added up to enjoyable reading.
Also, get over the whole "oh no, I can't prove what a gentleman I am because women won't let me open doors anymore" bullshit. If the only way women think you're nice is via door holding, you're doing something wrong. Christ.
Also, get over the whole "oh no, I can't prove what a gentleman I am because women won't let me open doors anymore" bullshit. If the only way women think you're nice is via door holding, you're doing something wrong. Christ.
September 1, 2012
This was a C-.
The characters were really flat and the story line was predictable. How did this get nominated for an Agatha Award?
In cleaning my shelves I found 5 books in this series, I will try to read another one to see if it can hold my interest. At least it was a quick read.
The characters were really flat and the story line was predictable. How did this get nominated for an Agatha Award?
In cleaning my shelves I found 5 books in this series, I will try to read another one to see if it can hold my interest. At least it was a quick read.
June 25, 2016
A nice little murder mystery. If you like cozies, this is a book for you.
April 9, 2011
It wasn't great, but any mystery that can keep ME guessing right to the end (and not have the killer be someone random) is worth a 3 star minimum. I can even overlook the typos that I seem to find in every Berkley book I've read. If it's at the library I'll read the 2nd book.
July 2, 2018
It's been a really long while since I've read this author. As before, it was a quick, easy read. And, as before, it could have done with more editing and polishing. It still had a good mystery with an upbeat ending, and I'm planning to try the next one to see if the relatively serious mood lightens up some based on that.
January 31, 2023
A nice mystery, with an excellent setting and good characters.
August 2, 2014
This is a cute, cozy mystery set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina at the West Hatteras Inn and Lighthouse. When a guest is found dead at the top of the lighthouse everyone wonders if it's just an accident. Before long more “accidents” start to happen and it doesn't look like local law enforcement seems capable of solving the crime. Owner of the Lighthouse, Alex Winston and his new maid, Elise, decide it's time to step in and try to solve the mystery themselves before all the guests leave and Alex loses his the business.
This is definitely not the book for everyone. The mystery is not difficult to solve. There is quite a variety of quirky characters that will probably be more developed in future books of the series. I doubt I continue with the series but fans of the cozy, proprietor style mystery will probably enjoy them.
This is definitely not the book for everyone. The mystery is not difficult to solve. There is quite a variety of quirky characters that will probably be more developed in future books of the series. I doubt I continue with the series but fans of the cozy, proprietor style mystery will probably enjoy them.
December 23, 2014
A seventy-something woman is found dead but everybody thinks she died of natural causes until her death ware ruled a murder. Her group of old friends are determined to find out the truth. A book that attempts to be funny (which isn't), and to make matters worse, ghosts are part of the plot. Absolutiely ridiculous! i gave it one star for the effort invested by the author in writing it.
August 19, 2014
Okay, so this series doesn't have the useful tips, but it does have a fun hero and they're an entertaining series.
July 14, 2014
did not finish. Thought it spent too much time on boring details.
November 14, 2017
Alex Winston grew up at the Hatteras West, an exact replica of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Accompanied by an Inn, the lighthouse is tucked away in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Alex inherited the inn and is determined to keep it running.
When one of Alex’s guests is found dead at the top of the lighthouse it appears he died of a heart attack. This was no ordinary quest. Reg has been visiting the inn since Alex was a young boy and the two had a close friendship. When the coroner arrives to examine the body it becomes less of a death inquiry and more of a murder investigation. It isn’t long before more unexplained events occur and Alex fears someone is bent on putting him out of business.
This is the first in the The Lighthouse Inn Mysteries series. I was hooked as soon as I began to read. Alex is the type of character who is extremely likable and you find yourself embracing him throughout the story. The additional characters are well-developed, even the minor characters. The plot moves at a steady pace and keeps you absorbed in the action. There are several read herrings that also have you puzzled. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I recommend you read this book if you are a cozy fan.
Alex inherited the inn and is determined to keep it running.
When one of Alex’s guests is found dead at the top of the lighthouse it appears he died of a heart attack. This was no ordinary quest. Reg has been visiting the inn since Alex was a young boy and the two had a close friendship. When the coroner arrives to examine the body it becomes less of a death inquiry and more of a murder investigation. It isn’t long before more unexplained events occur and Alex fears someone is bent on putting him out of business.
This is the first in the The Lighthouse Inn Mysteries series. I was hooked as soon as I began to read. Alex is the type of character who is extremely likable and you find yourself embracing him throughout the story. The additional characters are well-developed, even the minor characters. The plot moves at a steady pace and keeps you absorbed in the action. There are several read herrings that also have you puzzled. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I recommend you read this book if you are a cozy fan.
March 17, 2019
A nice, fast-paced cozy. I enjoy books set in my home state of NC. There was a lot of info about areas of the state, and I could usually pin down their location. The characters were okay, and the mystery was enough to keep me interested. I'll probably read another installment, but it's not high on my list.
August 9, 2019
Good start to the series. I liked Alex and his lighthouse setting. The mystery kept me guessing and I liked the other characters and want to see how thing develop. This was a quick, easy read.
February 11, 2014
"Alex, we've got a problem."
This book is written by the prolific author, Tim Myers, who also writes under several pseudonyms. The story is set in Elkton Falls, NC where a replica of the Hatteras Lighthouse was built by main character Alex Winston's great grandfather. Alex inherits the lighthouse from his father and attempts to keep it running as the bed and breakfast it has become despite its aging amenities and reduction of guests. Reg Wellington has been coming to the inn since Alex was a child. When his body is found at the top of the lighthouse Alex assumes he had a heart attack. Sheriff Calvin Armstrong discovers that the death is indeed murder and so begins Alex's need to find the killer.
This book is a quick read that seems to give more information about the lighthouse and surrounding property than the characters. I did enjoy reading it for its information about my home state although I have a hard time picturing exactly where in the mountains it is suppose to be. I much prefer the author's books written as Jessica Beck and recommend them. I am not sure that I will revisit Elkton Falls.
This book is written by the prolific author, Tim Myers, who also writes under several pseudonyms. The story is set in Elkton Falls, NC where a replica of the Hatteras Lighthouse was built by main character Alex Winston's great grandfather. Alex inherits the lighthouse from his father and attempts to keep it running as the bed and breakfast it has become despite its aging amenities and reduction of guests. Reg Wellington has been coming to the inn since Alex was a child. When his body is found at the top of the lighthouse Alex assumes he had a heart attack. Sheriff Calvin Armstrong discovers that the death is indeed murder and so begins Alex's need to find the killer.
This book is a quick read that seems to give more information about the lighthouse and surrounding property than the characters. I did enjoy reading it for its information about my home state although I have a hard time picturing exactly where in the mountains it is suppose to be. I much prefer the author's books written as Jessica Beck and recommend them. I am not sure that I will revisit Elkton Falls.
November 10, 2014
2.5 stars
Easy read...
Was able to finish it very fast.. But I didn't feel anything for the people who was murdered or for the inn keeper..
I didn't felt like stop reading the book.. but I am sure that I will forget completely about the book in one week...
Somehow I was not able to accept the murderer or I didn't like the way they sought to tell who the murderer was.
Suddenly, they came to a decision that this is the murderer and a short explanation from that person..
I just felt that another book is complete.. that's it..
Easy read...
Was able to finish it very fast.. But I didn't feel anything for the people who was murdered or for the inn keeper..
I didn't felt like stop reading the book.. but I am sure that I will forget completely about the book in one week...
Somehow I was not able to accept the murderer or I didn't like the way they sought to tell who the murderer was.
Suddenly, they came to a decision that this is the murderer and a short explanation from that person..
I just felt that another book is complete.. that's it..
January 20, 2014
This was a decent cozy mystery. At times I found it a bit boring, but at other times the story was pretty good, and I enjoyed the main character Alex. I liked the lighthouse/inn setting, and think I'd try another book in this series.
September 20, 2022
New series for me. I enjoyed this book.
June 10, 2022
I believe this was this author's first novel, which may account for some of the things that pulled me out of the story. The characters jump to conclusions that aren't supported by the story or knowledge that the characters possess. Sometimes the characters' actions are abrupt and unnatural. The killer's identity was apparent There's a lot of potential in this series. I liked the setting and some of the characters including the innkeeper Alex Winston and the new maid Elise. There were some good red herrings as to the culprit in the novel later in the story, which would have been more effective if the beginning of the book was crafted a little differently. The story was a bit rough around the edges though.
October 27, 2023
Shopping on my Mt Git'r'Read has become a pastime lately and I found this teeny gem on the second layer of books in my closet section of Mt Git'r'Read. This moved quickly and I highly enjoyed reading it. I want to at least visit this inn and this lighthouse, meet the characters, eat at the diner.
I really had no idea who the bad guy was and it was a complete pleasure to get there. Main character, Alex, had a definite need to get involved in the investigation as it involved his livelihood and his life. I like the red herrings thrown in the way, the dialogue, the wonderful setting.
I am going to be on the lookout for the rest of this series and other books by this author in all the guises he writes under.
I can definitely recommend this book and author, likely this series.
I really had no idea who the bad guy was and it was a complete pleasure to get there. Main character, Alex, had a definite need to get involved in the investigation as it involved his livelihood and his life. I like the red herrings thrown in the way, the dialogue, the wonderful setting.
I am going to be on the lookout for the rest of this series and other books by this author in all the guises he writes under.
I can definitely recommend this book and author, likely this series.
May 30, 2019
If you've never been able to work out the murderer is a book or TV Show
This book is the one to get you off the mark, That's how easy the murderer
is to spot. The book itself is a bit of a guilty pleasure, it won't overload the
brain, the murder isn't portrayed more the victims of the murder are found
This was the first of the series I've read another two over the last few years
& I believe there are others? Good enough story to kick back with, in the
garden, beach etc during a long summers day.
This book is the one to get you off the mark, That's how easy the murderer
is to spot. The book itself is a bit of a guilty pleasure, it won't overload the
brain, the murder isn't portrayed more the victims of the murder are found
This was the first of the series I've read another two over the last few years
& I believe there are others? Good enough story to kick back with, in the
garden, beach etc during a long summers day.
December 16, 2019
I think this book is set where I live sort of. I can see some similarities. Trying to guess what things were real and what were made up was fun.
I also really liked the characters. Several red herrings seemed like they were really guilty. I like being fooled a little. I did pick up on some of the clues to the real murderer.
Alex is very believable as an innkeeper. The amount of care he puts into his guests makes it easy to connect with him. Elise was way better than her cousin. And I am so glad a couple characters are going to be sticking around Elkton Falls.
I also really liked the characters. Several red herrings seemed like they were really guilty. I like being fooled a little. I did pick up on some of the clues to the real murderer.
Alex is very believable as an innkeeper. The amount of care he puts into his guests makes it easy to connect with him. Elise was way better than her cousin. And I am so glad a couple characters are going to be sticking around Elkton Falls.
December 31, 2020
For a short story, it was fairly difficult to get through. The writing was decent, but sometimes felt old-fashioned for the time period and for when I believe it was written. The characters are what made the story. Really good cast of suspects as well as potential recurring characters. I do intend to continue reading the series.
July 27, 2021
3 - as far as cozy mysteries go, this ticks all the boxed! I got confused by the cast of characters, but it was also because I took too long to read it. The plot was interesting and entertaining and I like Alex as a main character, even if character development is not the main priority of the book.
December 5, 2025
First in a series but underwhelming. The characters are undeveloped and stereotyped, the plot flimsy, no real detecting happening at all. The author has several series out under different pen names (some at a ridiculous multi-book per year rate) but I doubt I’ll be revisiting the Hatteras West Inn or its affiliates any time soon.
January 8, 2026
Innkeeping with Murder is a cozy mystery with a charming setting and an engaging protagonist, but it didn’t fully rise above familiar genre tropes for me. The small town inn atmosphere and quirky cast offer some fun moments, yet the mystery itself unfolds in a predictable way and the pacing feels uneven at times. Fans of light, easygoing cozy mysteries may still enjoy this read, but it left me wanting a bit more depth and surprise.
November 17, 2017
Too trite! Beautiful girl enters picture to work for main character, as a maid - turns up just as his first maid leaves. Murders all over the place, buildings burn down but “Surprise”, all is well since one of his finds is priceless gems right when he needs the money.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews