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Booklover's B&B Mysteries #1
Booked for Death
From the critically acclaimed author of SIBA Okra Pick A Murder for the Books, Victoria Gilbert embarks with a new series for perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Juliet Blackwell.
A book lover's B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder--and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.
Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader's paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat--until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.
The victim's daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.
Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt's name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer's death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer--or end up writing her own final chapter.
A book lover's B&B in an idyllic waterfront village becomes the scene of a grisly murder--and a ruthless battle between treachery and the truth.
Nestled in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast is a reader's paradise. Built in 1770, the newly renovated inn hosts a roster of special events celebrating books, genres, and authors. It's the perfect literary retreat--until a rare book dealer turns up dead in the carriage house during a celebration of Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey.
The victim's daughter points the finger at forty-two-year-old widow and former schoolteacher Charlotte Reed, who inherited the B&B from her great-aunt Isabella. Charlotte is shocked to discover that the book dealer suspected Isabella of being a thief who founded Chapters on her ill-gotten gains. Charlotte has successfully learned the B&B business in a year, but nothing has prepared her to handle a death on the premises.
Armed with intelligence and courage and assisted by her vibrant older neighbor, a visiting author, and members of a local book club, Charlotte is determined to prove her innocence and to clear her great-aunt's name. But the murderer is still at large, and equally determined to silence anyone who might discover the truth behind the book dealer's death. Now, Charlotte must outwit an unknown killer--or end up writing her own final chapter.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2020
303 people are currently reading
2344 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Gilbert
22 books859 followersVictoria Gilbert, raised in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountain, turned her early obsession with reading into a dual career as an author and librarian.
When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.
Victoria is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and is represented by Frances Black of Literary Counsel, NY, NY.
When not writing or reading, she likes to spend her time watching films, gardening, or traveling. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and some very spoiled cats.
Victoria is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and is represented by Frances Black of Literary Counsel, NY, NY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 429 reviews
August 16, 2020
Widow and former school teacher Charlotte Reed inherited a B&B called Chapters, from her great aunt. Located in the historic waterfront town of Beaufort, North Carolina, Chapters is a book-themed B&B, where guests and locals can enjoy book clubs and special events celebrating books and authors. When one of her guests is murdered during an event, Charlotte, her staff, and her other guests all become suspects. She teams up with her next-door neighbor to solve the murder.
Booked for Death is the first book in Victoria Gilbert's Booklovers B&B Mysteries. I absolutely love her Blue Ridge Library Mystery series so I was really excited to read this book, and I have to say, it did not disappoint. This is an enjoyable and entertaining read, with a charming setting, fun characters, and a mystery that will keep you on your toes. The plot moves along nicely, and the author provides plenty of red herrings in a bid to throw readers off the scent. But in the end, I stuck to my theory and was completely right about the killer's identity and motive. There's also a fun second mystery about Charlotte's aunt that really adds to the story. The protagonist, Charlotte, is believable, easy to like, confident. I look forward to solving more mysteries with her and Ellen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Booked for Death is the first book in Victoria Gilbert's Booklovers B&B Mysteries. I absolutely love her Blue Ridge Library Mystery series so I was really excited to read this book, and I have to say, it did not disappoint. This is an enjoyable and entertaining read, with a charming setting, fun characters, and a mystery that will keep you on your toes. The plot moves along nicely, and the author provides plenty of red herrings in a bid to throw readers off the scent. But in the end, I stuck to my theory and was completely right about the killer's identity and motive. There's also a fun second mystery about Charlotte's aunt that really adds to the story. The protagonist, Charlotte, is believable, easy to like, confident. I look forward to solving more mysteries with her and Ellen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2020
I have already enjoyed two of this author's Blue Ridge Library series and plan to read the rest, so I was happy to try the first book in this new series.
I liked the setting of a bed and breakfast where guests stay for a week of themed literary entertainment. The main character, Charlotte, is new to the job but has several old hands on board to help her. Since I only recently read a book about Josephine Tey it was fun to discover that the featured week was based on her books.
The book follows the normal cosy mystery pattern except for the introduction of a retired spy as the next door neighbour. I assume she will continue to pair up with Charlotte to solve future cases.
I was interested and entertained through the whole book and read it in one day. I am looking forward to more in his series.
My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I liked the setting of a bed and breakfast where guests stay for a week of themed literary entertainment. The main character, Charlotte, is new to the job but has several old hands on board to help her. Since I only recently read a book about Josephine Tey it was fun to discover that the featured week was based on her books.
The book follows the normal cosy mystery pattern except for the introduction of a retired spy as the next door neighbour. I assume she will continue to pair up with Charlotte to solve future cases.
I was interested and entertained through the whole book and read it in one day. I am looking forward to more in his series.
My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 19, 2020
When Charlotte Reed inherited Chapters, her Great Aunt Isabella's 18th century B&B in Beaufort North Carolina a year ago, she decided to leave her job as an English teacher and continue running the guest house and book events. Her current event is focusing on the works of mystery writer Josephine Tey and all is going well during a period costume dinner until one of the guests, Lincoln Delamont, a most unlikable book dealer, is found stabbed to death in the carriage house.
A week's stay in a literary themed B&B with accompanying events focusing on a popular author sounds like the perfect vacation for book lovers and forms a great setting for a cosy murder mystery. Alongside the police investigation, Charlotte and her next door neighbour, Ellen, do a bit of sleuthing of there own and discover several guests, including Charlotte herself, who had reason to dispatch Mr Delamont. This is a nicely paced mystery in a great setting with characters who are developing well. In a side plot, Charlotte is also trying to uncover more about her Aunt Isabella's past and discovers she led a more interesting life than her family knew. With Charlotte and Ellen teaming up as amateur sleuths, I can see this turning into an enjoyable series of cosy mysteries.
With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for a copy to read
A week's stay in a literary themed B&B with accompanying events focusing on a popular author sounds like the perfect vacation for book lovers and forms a great setting for a cosy murder mystery. Alongside the police investigation, Charlotte and her next door neighbour, Ellen, do a bit of sleuthing of there own and discover several guests, including Charlotte herself, who had reason to dispatch Mr Delamont. This is a nicely paced mystery in a great setting with characters who are developing well. In a side plot, Charlotte is also trying to uncover more about her Aunt Isabella's past and discovers she led a more interesting life than her family knew. With Charlotte and Ellen teaming up as amateur sleuths, I can see this turning into an enjoyable series of cosy mysteries.
With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for a copy to read
May 25, 2020
"Chapters", the Beaufort, North Carolina B&B which Charlotte Reed had inherited from her great aunt Isabella was about to head into a week of celebrations of mystery author Josephine Tey. Charlotte loved hosting these events and this one was looking good. But early in the week, as one of the events was coming to a close, a body was found in the carriage house beside the B&B. And so began intense investigations into all the guests, including Charlotte and her staff.
Charlotte could see that she needed to check things out herself – firstly to prove her own innocence, but also to find the killer as most of the guests were still residing in Chapters after the police had told them they had to stay. So having a killer under the same roof was giving Charlotte some sleepless nights. She and her good friend and neighbour, Ellen, kept running theories and clues by one another. But would they find the person they were looking for? Or was it putting the women in danger?
Booked For Death is the 1st in the Booklovers B&B Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert and I thoroughly enjoyed it. With many suspects, the weeding out of each one proved difficult – I found Charlotte to be a great character and loved her neighbour’s participation as well. A great cozy mystery, plus excellent start to a new series, and a book about books, I’ll be keen to read on. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
Charlotte could see that she needed to check things out herself – firstly to prove her own innocence, but also to find the killer as most of the guests were still residing in Chapters after the police had told them they had to stay. So having a killer under the same roof was giving Charlotte some sleepless nights. She and her good friend and neighbour, Ellen, kept running theories and clues by one another. But would they find the person they were looking for? Or was it putting the women in danger?
Booked For Death is the 1st in the Booklovers B&B Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert and I thoroughly enjoyed it. With many suspects, the weeding out of each one proved difficult – I found Charlotte to be a great character and loved her neighbour’s participation as well. A great cozy mystery, plus excellent start to a new series, and a book about books, I’ll be keen to read on. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
May 14, 2020
Newest assignment details:
Where: Beaufort, North Carolina
Who: Charlotte Reed
When I first arrived and saw the bed and breakfast known as Chapters...I was thrilled. I love b&b’s and a book themed b&b...well duh. I was also excited to meet Charlotte and see her Aunts book collection. Charlotte gave me the grand tour including the library...yippee!! She is filling me on her guests, and the celebration event for author Josephine Tey she is hosting. I could tell one guest in particular rubbed her wrong after she found him on the ladder in the library (which is a guest no-no), and he practically all but accused her aunt of stealing the antique books in her collection. We talked about how he would only be here through the author festivities, and how she could play the gracious host. We went our separate ways to get ready for the event...it was a costume party after all...which required much prepping.
The party was going smoothly until a guest turned up dead...that usually kills the party doesn’t it? To make matters worse the dead man is the guest that Charlotte was complaining about earlier, and according to some make her the perfect suspect. Believe me this man was universal disliked, and who stabbed him is anybody's ball game...
My thoughts:
I really loved the concept of this book...a small town...a small-town b&B, a small-town book themed b&b....yep love it! It was well written, the mystery was pretty good (maybe a little far-fetched), and she had me pointing my finger at several people before the killer was revealed. I like to have to work at figuring out the murder...or even better...be stumped. This book did that.
Despite all these great things...I had a hard time with this book. I needed more cozy!! The main character is kind of mean and bitter...she is not the hostess I would want at my next weekend getaway. I also needed more fun quirky secondary characters. I did love her neighbor Ellen, but it just needed more warm and fuzzy. I would still recommend this book to cozy fans, and I will be checking out book #2. This series has a lot of great potential!
For more book fun check out my blog @: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley, the author Victoria Gilbert, and the publisher for this opportunity
Where: Beaufort, North Carolina
Who: Charlotte Reed
When I first arrived and saw the bed and breakfast known as Chapters...I was thrilled. I love b&b’s and a book themed b&b...well duh. I was also excited to meet Charlotte and see her Aunts book collection. Charlotte gave me the grand tour including the library...yippee!! She is filling me on her guests, and the celebration event for author Josephine Tey she is hosting. I could tell one guest in particular rubbed her wrong after she found him on the ladder in the library (which is a guest no-no), and he practically all but accused her aunt of stealing the antique books in her collection. We talked about how he would only be here through the author festivities, and how she could play the gracious host. We went our separate ways to get ready for the event...it was a costume party after all...which required much prepping.
The party was going smoothly until a guest turned up dead...that usually kills the party doesn’t it? To make matters worse the dead man is the guest that Charlotte was complaining about earlier, and according to some make her the perfect suspect. Believe me this man was universal disliked, and who stabbed him is anybody's ball game...
My thoughts:
I really loved the concept of this book...a small town...a small-town b&B, a small-town book themed b&b....yep love it! It was well written, the mystery was pretty good (maybe a little far-fetched), and she had me pointing my finger at several people before the killer was revealed. I like to have to work at figuring out the murder...or even better...be stumped. This book did that.
Despite all these great things...I had a hard time with this book. I needed more cozy!! The main character is kind of mean and bitter...she is not the hostess I would want at my next weekend getaway. I also needed more fun quirky secondary characters. I did love her neighbor Ellen, but it just needed more warm and fuzzy. I would still recommend this book to cozy fans, and I will be checking out book #2. This series has a lot of great potential!
For more book fun check out my blog @: http://beachbumbookworm.com/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Netgalley, the author Victoria Gilbert, and the publisher for this opportunity
June 13, 2020
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Charlotte Reed’s life has changed this past year. She recently lost her husband and then inherited Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast when her great-aunt Isabella passed away. Death crosses her path again when one of her guests, a rare book dealer is killed during a week-long event celebrating Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey. Charlotte is taken aback when the daughter of the victim tries to pin the murder on her. Having no idea what the young woman is talking about Charlotte vows to vows to clear her name. Her elderly neighbor and close friend of her great aunt lends her a hand before the book on Charlotte’s new life ends abruptly short.
This series is off to an awesome start. It is so much more than first meets the eye!
First, Charlotte Reed is a very strong protagonist and we have just scratched her surface. Along with neighbor Ellen Montgomery, they make a great team. We also meet Alicia Simpson, housekeeper and cook that came with the place, she and Charlotte are still finding their way working and living together. Damian Carr is a chef that helps out while guests are in residence. The guests for the week include the newly deceased book dealer Lincoln Delamont who bought his wife Jennifer and daughter Tara, businessman Todd Rowley and his younger wife Kelly. Also taking part in the events are elderly sisters Bernadette and Ophelia Sandberg and Pete Nelson and his wife Sandra who run a local cafe. Bookstore owner Julie Rivera rounds out the group. All the characters develop nicely for the first book in a series. The author has left plenty of room for growth for the recurring characters.
For me, this book had a slow build which is a good thing. I was able to get to know the characters and their interactions helped me with my own amateur sleuthing. I liked that some special events continued to take place so that Charlotte had a chance to see her suspects together to gauge their actions and reactions and that in the end even the police got involved and thought this was a good idea. Of course, they really had no choice.
I love the theme of literary B&B and I believe the author has given this one a nice twist that sets this series apart from similar ones in this genre.
Booked for Death was well-written, well-plotted, and excellently executed. As a big fan of Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, I can’t say I am surprised. She is an incredible storyteller. I can’t wait to see what she dreams up for Charlotte and Ellen next!
Charlotte Reed’s life has changed this past year. She recently lost her husband and then inherited Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast when her great-aunt Isabella passed away. Death crosses her path again when one of her guests, a rare book dealer is killed during a week-long event celebrating Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey. Charlotte is taken aback when the daughter of the victim tries to pin the murder on her. Having no idea what the young woman is talking about Charlotte vows to vows to clear her name. Her elderly neighbor and close friend of her great aunt lends her a hand before the book on Charlotte’s new life ends abruptly short.
This series is off to an awesome start. It is so much more than first meets the eye!
First, Charlotte Reed is a very strong protagonist and we have just scratched her surface. Along with neighbor Ellen Montgomery, they make a great team. We also meet Alicia Simpson, housekeeper and cook that came with the place, she and Charlotte are still finding their way working and living together. Damian Carr is a chef that helps out while guests are in residence. The guests for the week include the newly deceased book dealer Lincoln Delamont who bought his wife Jennifer and daughter Tara, businessman Todd Rowley and his younger wife Kelly. Also taking part in the events are elderly sisters Bernadette and Ophelia Sandberg and Pete Nelson and his wife Sandra who run a local cafe. Bookstore owner Julie Rivera rounds out the group. All the characters develop nicely for the first book in a series. The author has left plenty of room for growth for the recurring characters.
For me, this book had a slow build which is a good thing. I was able to get to know the characters and their interactions helped me with my own amateur sleuthing. I liked that some special events continued to take place so that Charlotte had a chance to see her suspects together to gauge their actions and reactions and that in the end even the police got involved and thought this was a good idea. Of course, they really had no choice.
I love the theme of literary B&B and I believe the author has given this one a nice twist that sets this series apart from similar ones in this genre.
Booked for Death was well-written, well-plotted, and excellently executed. As a big fan of Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, I can’t say I am surprised. She is an incredible storyteller. I can’t wait to see what she dreams up for Charlotte and Ellen next!
July 14, 2024
Catching up…
This is the first in the Booklover’s B&B Mystery series. And, as it so happens, I was gifted the first two books in the series for my Little Free Library Shed. (I chose to just read this one. Both will go into the LFL after this posting.)
Charlotte Reed has inherited a B&B that isn’t quite the moneymaking business, even though it is located in beautiful coastal, Beaufort, North Carolina. So, one way Charlotte feels might attract people is to host special events celebrating books. One such event puts the spotlight on mystery author, Josephine Tey. Only Charlotte never expected that this event would turn up a real-life murder that would also turn her in to a crime-solving sleuth, especially when people think she is the murderer!
Now, even though it had a cute premise and a stunning setting, the characters weren’t exactly likable. So, much of the story was rather predictable and typical cozy mystery. But having said that, it did follow a format that may turn it into a fun little series that may please readers looking for a simple escape. And, hopefully the author will tone down Charlotte a bit as the series grows over time, since she is the one readers are supposed to connect to the most.
This is the first in the Booklover’s B&B Mystery series. And, as it so happens, I was gifted the first two books in the series for my Little Free Library Shed. (I chose to just read this one. Both will go into the LFL after this posting.)
Charlotte Reed has inherited a B&B that isn’t quite the moneymaking business, even though it is located in beautiful coastal, Beaufort, North Carolina. So, one way Charlotte feels might attract people is to host special events celebrating books. One such event puts the spotlight on mystery author, Josephine Tey. Only Charlotte never expected that this event would turn up a real-life murder that would also turn her in to a crime-solving sleuth, especially when people think she is the murderer!
Now, even though it had a cute premise and a stunning setting, the characters weren’t exactly likable. So, much of the story was rather predictable and typical cozy mystery. But having said that, it did follow a format that may turn it into a fun little series that may please readers looking for a simple escape. And, hopefully the author will tone down Charlotte a bit as the series grows over time, since she is the one readers are supposed to connect to the most.
August 19, 2020
This is the first book in a new series by seasoned author Victoria Gilbert. It hit all the right criteria for me when I considered reading it. It is set in a charming town and it's a book-themed bed and breakfast. I found it to be well written with an even pace. I had a hard time getting into this book. It didn't grab me from the start, but I kept plugging along. The problem for me was that I couldn't connect with the main character Charlotte. She fell flat for me. When I pick up a cozy mystery, I like my stories to be character-driven, so when I don't or can't connect with the characters I am left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied.
This was not a bad book. As I said, it was well written and the mystery was fairly solid. I'm sure fans of this author will find this book to be just right for them. That just wasn't the case for me.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
This was not a bad book. As I said, it was well written and the mystery was fairly solid. I'm sure fans of this author will find this book to be just right for them. That just wasn't the case for me.
I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
July 1, 2020
Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert is my first foray into the cozy mysteries genre.
I have seen that this genre of mystery is very popular with a lot of readers and so when I stumbled across this book on NetGalley, which incidentally is the first book in a new series by the author, I decided to give it a go. Definitely wasn't disappointed! I will try to indulge more in this genre in the future; it seems to have all the trappings of a good mystery without too much gore, violence and raised stress levels (though I do love those as well 😅)! What's more, this book introduced me to some more mystery authors and titles 😉.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Victoria Gilbert for an e-Arc of the book.
I have seen that this genre of mystery is very popular with a lot of readers and so when I stumbled across this book on NetGalley, which incidentally is the first book in a new series by the author, I decided to give it a go. Definitely wasn't disappointed! I will try to indulge more in this genre in the future; it seems to have all the trappings of a good mystery without too much gore, violence and raised stress levels (though I do love those as well 😅)! What's more, this book introduced me to some more mystery authors and titles 😉.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Victoria Gilbert for an e-Arc of the book.
March 22, 2020
Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert is a new cozy mystery series by Ms. Gilbert set in Beaufort, North Carolina at Chapters, a book themed Bed & Breakfast. I've enjoyed every one of Ms. Gilbert's Blue Ridge Library series and was eager to read this book.
The lead character, Charlotte, has inherited Chapters from her great aunt Isabella and has been learning the bed and breakfast business for a year. I confess that I had a hard time connecting with Charlotte at the beginning of the book; but as I continued to read I began to like her more. My favorite character in this one is Charlotte's neighbor, Ellen. For me Ellen stood out on the page from her first appearance.
The plot is smoothly paced, the characters are beginning to develop, there were only a few suspects regarding the murder and the secondary mystery regarding Charlotte's great aunt Isabella was intriguing.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
The lead character, Charlotte, has inherited Chapters from her great aunt Isabella and has been learning the bed and breakfast business for a year. I confess that I had a hard time connecting with Charlotte at the beginning of the book; but as I continued to read I began to like her more. My favorite character in this one is Charlotte's neighbor, Ellen. For me Ellen stood out on the page from her first appearance.
The plot is smoothly paced, the characters are beginning to develop, there were only a few suspects regarding the murder and the secondary mystery regarding Charlotte's great aunt Isabella was intriguing.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
March 12, 2020
Booked for Death is beautifully written. With a charming setting,where id love to be even with a killer on the loose.
Charlotte,the owner of Chapters B and B and the amateur sleuths is a likable character.
The author made me hate the murder victim. The variety of characters all had their reasons for wanting him dead. Just when I thought I mailed down the killer the author threw in an exciting twist that had me guessing until the end. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received this book from netgalley for a honest review.
Charlotte,the owner of Chapters B and B and the amateur sleuths is a likable character.
The author made me hate the murder victim. The variety of characters all had their reasons for wanting him dead. Just when I thought I mailed down the killer the author threw in an exciting twist that had me guessing until the end. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received this book from netgalley for a honest review.
March 31, 2020
Lovely Beaufort, North Carolina makes a quaint setting for a new bed and breakfast cozy. The story contains many surprise twists which I didn’t expect and really added to my enjoyment of the plot. Cozy readers, like myself, will embrace the Booklovers B&B Mystery series.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc for NetGalley and Crooked Lane. Thank you.
I honestly reviewed a digital arc for NetGalley and Crooked Lane. Thank you.
July 24, 2020
Booked for Death is a great start of a new series set in the coastal town of Beaufort, North Carolina. Charlotte Reed inherited her aunt's B&B, Chapters, a year ago and is enjoying the new experience. Her husband passed away three years ago and a new start for her was what she needed. Filled with cases of books in each room, as the name suggests, the inn revolves around a literary theme. Events are occasionally held for week long retreats based on work by different authors. Josephine Tey, a mystery author, is the author whose work is focused on during the current week. With out of town guests and locals involved, it is sure to be a great time. But then when a guest is murdered during one of the night events, things take a drastic turn. The victim was not liked and was not nice to his wife and not a good role model for his daughter. No one can leave town so it is a stressful and distrustful time while the police investigate the murder. Charlotte along with Ellen, her next door neighbor and an old friend of her aunt, work together to figure out who could have committed the crime and no one is above suspect, including the B&B staff or in some minds, Charlotte.
The setting is fun and full of lots of history that the author brings out and the characters are well developed and realistic. The suspect pool is big and many have reason to wish the man dead. There is also a side mystery about Charlotte's aunt that adds a little extra interest. I enjoyed the story and look forward to future books in the series.
I received a complimentary copy from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine only.
The setting is fun and full of lots of history that the author brings out and the characters are well developed and realistic. The suspect pool is big and many have reason to wish the man dead. There is also a side mystery about Charlotte's aunt that adds a little extra interest. I enjoyed the story and look forward to future books in the series.
I received a complimentary copy from Crooked Lane Books through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine only.
May 8, 2020
Victoria Gilbert is a new author to me, so I was very excited to read BOOKED FOR DEATH. I enjoyed this mystery and the way the author kept keep me guessing through the twists and turns. Just when I thought I had the answers, I realized I took a wrong turn. In the end, I was surprised with the outcome. I would love to read the next book in the series and see what mystery author Gilbert will take me through next.
June 12, 2020
This was a good cozy mystery, with a mystery within a mystery. There were a lot of suspects with good motives and I kept changing my guess as to who the murderer was. Which is why, the final reveal was not quite shocking. This book had a few similarities with Ellery Adams Murder in the Mystery Suite. The story of Charlotte's husband was sad, made me tear up a bit, probably because I was listened to the audio book and the narrator did a good job with the voices and emotions.
June 4, 2020
This was an excellent book, well-written and researched. Main character Charlotte Reed, young widow and proprietror and the B&B in Beaufort, North Carolina is strong and will do what it takes to protect her late Aunt Isabelle's property and legacy. Her friendship with her aunt's neighbor Ellen and trustee of the estate proves to be deeper and more complex than at first. The author provides a number of suspects who could have killed one of the guests during a mystery-themed dinner. I didn't feel overwhelmed like I do in some other books. While I was surprised at the killer's identity, it was a "fair" mystery--meaning that the author gave the reader clues instead of instances where the author throws a bunch of new information at the end of the book to tie up everything into a neat little bow and identify the killer.
As a former and future resident of N.Carolina and frequent visitor to Beaufort, I was very impressed with the author's vivid description of this lovely town. From the historic boardwalk to quaint houses and shops to Carrot Island and Ft. Macon; I have never heard of such a detailed description of the Fort! I was saving this book to read while on my annual spring trip to the area but due to the virus, it was postponed. But, thanks to Ms. Gilbert, I was able to "travel" to Beaufort in my mind and enjoy such a lovely series debut. I look forward to enjoying the next book in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book. My review is voluntary,
As a former and future resident of N.Carolina and frequent visitor to Beaufort, I was very impressed with the author's vivid description of this lovely town. From the historic boardwalk to quaint houses and shops to Carrot Island and Ft. Macon; I have never heard of such a detailed description of the Fort! I was saving this book to read while on my annual spring trip to the area but due to the virus, it was postponed. But, thanks to Ms. Gilbert, I was able to "travel" to Beaufort in my mind and enjoy such a lovely series debut. I look forward to enjoying the next book in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this book. My review is voluntary,
November 5, 2020
I like all cozy mysteries typically, but this one is especially intriguing as the characters emotional states, personalities and interactions seemed so realistic. I especially liked the main character who is an intelligent woman with an education and an analytical mind to solve problems and is also dealing with the loss of her late husband as well as late Aunt while dealing with a petulant assistant, enigmatic next door neighbor, a moody and dramatic chef and a house full of high maintenance guests staying at her B&B. Of course, the emotions run even higher when one of them ends up dead and everyone is eyeballing everyone else as the killer! An excellent plot with a deep field of suspect to keep the reader intrigued and turning pages or listening as this book is also on audio. I really liked the narrator and look forward to more in this series!
July 26, 2020
This was an okay book. Nothing really drew me in, while the main character investigated the murder, I didn't have a real reason to be invested in the conclusion. As a reader, I had no real emotional connection to any character including the victim and the suspects. In the end, I found I didn't really care who the killer was, I just wanted to know for the book to end.
April 16, 2020
Unfortunately, I had to DNF this title at 51%. For me it took to long for the murder to happen. There are a lot of characters - none of them likable and there was just so much information given about them when they were introduced. It seemed as though tidbits of who they were/are should have been revealed over time. Also, at times there was an absurd amount of detail provided. There's a lot of information/detail about how people are dressed - particularly the women.
I also found it really unrealistic. Especially when the detective said no one at the party was a suspect. The fact that Charlotte didn't know her friend's bookstore was closed on Mondays was really the straw that broke the camel's back. How could you not know?
I really wanted to like this because it seemed interesting, but sadly I did not.
I also found it really unrealistic. Especially when the detective said no one at the party was a suspect. The fact that Charlotte didn't know her friend's bookstore was closed on Mondays was really the straw that broke the camel's back. How could you not know?
I really wanted to like this because it seemed interesting, but sadly I did not.
June 21, 2020
Charlotte Reed inherits a Bed & Breakfast, called Chapters, from her great aunt Isabella. It’s a different type of B&B that is dedicated to books and authors. I would imagine a B&B like this would be a dream come true for readers of all genres.
As Charlotte is ready to host a special event to honor a Golden Age mystery author, a book dealer accuses Isabella of theft and insists Chapters used illegal funds to renovate it. Charlotte is stunned and doesn’t believe the accusations.
When the book dealer turns up dead, all eyes turn to Charlotte as the number one suspect. With the help of friends, Charlotte is determined to find the real killer and prove, not only her own innocence, but Isabella’s as well.
This is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery - a B&B dedicated to the literary world. It took me a little time to get involved in the story, but I found both the premise and the characters interesting. The plot is intriguing and there were many potential possibilities that the storyline could have taken. It kept me guessing until the end.
I’m looking forward to my next trip to Beaufort, North Carolina.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
As Charlotte is ready to host a special event to honor a Golden Age mystery author, a book dealer accuses Isabella of theft and insists Chapters used illegal funds to renovate it. Charlotte is stunned and doesn’t believe the accusations.
When the book dealer turns up dead, all eyes turn to Charlotte as the number one suspect. With the help of friends, Charlotte is determined to find the real killer and prove, not only her own innocence, but Isabella’s as well.
This is the perfect setting for a cozy mystery - a B&B dedicated to the literary world. It took me a little time to get involved in the story, but I found both the premise and the characters interesting. The plot is intriguing and there were many potential possibilities that the storyline could have taken. It kept me guessing until the end.
I’m looking forward to my next trip to Beaufort, North Carolina.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 11, 2020
When rare book dealer Lincoln Delamont is stabbed to death at a book event in Chapters B&B, fingers are pointed at owner Charlotte Reed, accusing her of the murder. With the help of her neighbor Charlotte sets out to find the real killer and clear her name, whilst trying to stay out of danger.
Booked for Death is #1 in the Booklovers B&B Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert. It is about Charlotte Reid whose great-aunt Isabella left her Chapters B&B, which is set in a converted stately waterfront home. A mystery seems to be connected to how she acquired the very large sum of money to buy it. Some of this information has made it into the hands of rare book’s dealer and shady business man Lincoln Delamont who threatens to use it to ruin Chapter’s reputation. Charlotte now has motive for murder. This twist becomes an important part of the plot which I enjoyed a lot.
Main character Charlotte Reed is the ex high school teacher, now B&B owner. I’m quite impressed by the way she handles situations where tempers get heated in a large group of people. Her socially confident manner and no-nonsense attitude comes in handy when her establishment suddenly becomes a crime scene. She is easily my favorite character of this story.
Ellen Montgomery is ex film location scout, neighbor and friend who is assisting with the amateur sleuthing as well as helping with business matters. I find her a very important secondary character that seems very well developed and true to life. She stands out positively and I think the plot would not function without her.
Damien Carr is part time cook at Chapters who has a volatile temper which leads to difficult relationships to other people. He seems a rather unsympathetic character with plenty of tantrums that plenty of people can imagine capable of murder. He is my least favorite character of this story. However, he seems to function a bit better as the story progresses.
The part of the plot concerning the mystery of great-aunt Isabella’s life was my favorite part of this plot. Throughout the story there were interesting clues, but no definite answers until the end, so I kept wondering and waiting to know more. The mystery part definitely added extra excitement to the story for me.
When it came to solving the murder, quite a number of guests seemed to have motives, so it seemed hard for Charlotte to sift through it all to solve the case. I really enjoyed that the identity of the killer and the motive took me so completely by surprise.
Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) is the first work I have read by Victoria Gilbert. I look forward to installment #2 in the series.
Reading Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert was a new plot setting for me which made for an entertaining and thrilling as well as quick reading experience.
Fans of Victoria Gilbert will love this work, as will readers of crime fiction.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eARC, which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
Booked for Death is #1 in the Booklovers B&B Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert. It is about Charlotte Reid whose great-aunt Isabella left her Chapters B&B, which is set in a converted stately waterfront home. A mystery seems to be connected to how she acquired the very large sum of money to buy it. Some of this information has made it into the hands of rare book’s dealer and shady business man Lincoln Delamont who threatens to use it to ruin Chapter’s reputation. Charlotte now has motive for murder. This twist becomes an important part of the plot which I enjoyed a lot.
Main character Charlotte Reed is the ex high school teacher, now B&B owner. I’m quite impressed by the way she handles situations where tempers get heated in a large group of people. Her socially confident manner and no-nonsense attitude comes in handy when her establishment suddenly becomes a crime scene. She is easily my favorite character of this story.
Ellen Montgomery is ex film location scout, neighbor and friend who is assisting with the amateur sleuthing as well as helping with business matters. I find her a very important secondary character that seems very well developed and true to life. She stands out positively and I think the plot would not function without her.
Damien Carr is part time cook at Chapters who has a volatile temper which leads to difficult relationships to other people. He seems a rather unsympathetic character with plenty of tantrums that plenty of people can imagine capable of murder. He is my least favorite character of this story. However, he seems to function a bit better as the story progresses.
The part of the plot concerning the mystery of great-aunt Isabella’s life was my favorite part of this plot. Throughout the story there were interesting clues, but no definite answers until the end, so I kept wondering and waiting to know more. The mystery part definitely added extra excitement to the story for me.
When it came to solving the murder, quite a number of guests seemed to have motives, so it seemed hard for Charlotte to sift through it all to solve the case. I really enjoyed that the identity of the killer and the motive took me so completely by surprise.
Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) is the first work I have read by Victoria Gilbert. I look forward to installment #2 in the series.
Reading Booked for Death (Booklovers B&B Mysteries #1) by Victoria Gilbert was a new plot setting for me which made for an entertaining and thrilling as well as quick reading experience.
Fans of Victoria Gilbert will love this work, as will readers of crime fiction.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eARC, which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.
June 22, 2020
This was an awesome theme for a B&B setting. I really enjoyed meeting these characters and have decided that Ellen is my favorite. When you read the book, you'll see why! The aunt that Charlotte had inherited her B&B from was kind of a mysterious lady, and Ellen helped Charlotte discover the truth about her after a guest who ended up dead in the carriage house had threatened to reveal certain truths...although we eventually find out that the guy's version of the truth was way off.
The killer's identity definitely caught me by surprise. I liked how Charlotte had gathered all her suspects just like in her favorite classic detective books. The police were in on the showdown, but it still could have gone sideways. I'm anxious to keep reading this series and see what other adventures Charlotte and Ellen get into. I'm sure Julie is a good bestie to Charlotte, but for some reason, I just couldn't warm up to her like I do the sleuth's usual sidekick. Probably because in this case, the sidekick turned out to be the very cool 70-something Ellen.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own. The book is scheduled for release on August 11.
The killer's identity definitely caught me by surprise. I liked how Charlotte had gathered all her suspects just like in her favorite classic detective books. The police were in on the showdown, but it still could have gone sideways. I'm anxious to keep reading this series and see what other adventures Charlotte and Ellen get into. I'm sure Julie is a good bestie to Charlotte, but for some reason, I just couldn't warm up to her like I do the sleuth's usual sidekick. Probably because in this case, the sidekick turned out to be the very cool 70-something Ellen.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own. The book is scheduled for release on August 11.
November 9, 2021
Following the death of her own husband, Charlotte Reed inherits a book-themed bed-and-breakfast from her great aunt Isabella. The family knew little about Isabella, but Charlotte will learn much more about her as she investigates a homicide that took place on her property. Most persons present possessed a motive--some stronger than others. Charlotte, with the help of an interesting neighbor, discovers she has a knack for investigating. Unfortunately too many things screamed "implausible" to me. We barely saw the police, although they were present. The book got off to a slow start but the pace began picking up after the half-way mark. Mystery lovers will love the way the plot is peppered with mentions of other authors and books. One of my favorite lines in the book was, "I wasn't Miss Marple, or Inspector Gamache, or even Nancy Drew." (page 53) I loved that Gamache was given equal footing with these classic sleuths. I'm hoping the next in the series works a little better for me. I love the locale and book-themed bed-and-breakfast premise. I have not yet fallen in love with the amateur sleuth. I hope future installments will include more interaction with the real detectives working the case.
May 3, 2020
I had trouble getting into this book. For the first in a series, it doesn't spend enough time introducing the main characters or setting. Then I got overwhelmed by the number of names and wasn't sure who would be a recurring character and who wouldn't. I didn't particularly care for the main character either. The book starts with her thinking about how busy she is and tired, but she has someone who does all the cooking and cleaning and was planning to take a mid-day nap. She also walked into the kitchen and stood there talking instead of helping. I don't think I will read more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
November 29, 2020
A fun first in series! Lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end!
August 10, 2020
I was so excited when i saw author Victoria Gilbert had a new release! I adore her Blue Ridge Library series so I couldn’t wait to find out what she’d do next. Wow! Just wow! This book was awesome i simply can’t believe how quickly she drew me into her latest endeavor and frankly I thank her and can’t wait to return. This is nothing like her library mysteries outside of the genre and bookish theme. The main characters are more mature (yes, read older!) The book starts off softly, building steam quickly, until it ends with a deep rumble of a not quite filled stomach. I wanted more, I still had questions. I wasn’t ready for the book to end! Questions about her aunt, the friends, her future. Yeah, 5 stars all the way when a book leaves you clamoring for more and re-reading the arc three time in one week! You know you’ve read something amazing and I can’t wait for book two! Ms. Gilbert, I thank you, in a time when so much is going on and we seem to be pulled in so many different directions for a time your story picked me up and whisked me away to a not so quiet waterfront town In Beaufort, North Carolina. I loved my vacation and can’t wait to return!
5*Stars
5*Stars
October 25, 2020
Booked for Death is number one in the Booklovers B&B Mysteries by Victoria Gilbert. Beaufort a historic waterfront town in North Carolina, one of the resident's InnKeeper Charlotte Reed organised a literary retreat to celebrate Golden Age mystery author Josephine Tey. However, during the proceedings, one of the participants died. The owner of the B&B Charlotte Reed became the prime suspect after the victim's daughter told the police that she was a thief. Charlotte Reed decided to investigate to clear her name. The readers of Booked for Death will continue to follow Charlotte investigations to find out what happens.
Booked for Death is the first book I read of Victoria Gilbert. At first, I found this book a little slow and not what I expected. However, about after way through, I started to enjoy this book. I did like the way Victoria Gilbert portrayed her characters and their interaction with each other throughout the book. Booked for Death is well written and researched by Victoria Gilbert. The description of the settings of Booked for Death was done excellently by Victoria Gilbert.
The readers of Booked for Death will learn about the role of an innkeeper in a small waterfront community. Also, the readers of Booked For Death will understand the consequences of a con.
I recommend this book.
Booked for Death is the first book I read of Victoria Gilbert. At first, I found this book a little slow and not what I expected. However, about after way through, I started to enjoy this book. I did like the way Victoria Gilbert portrayed her characters and their interaction with each other throughout the book. Booked for Death is well written and researched by Victoria Gilbert. The description of the settings of Booked for Death was done excellently by Victoria Gilbert.
The readers of Booked for Death will learn about the role of an innkeeper in a small waterfront community. Also, the readers of Booked For Death will understand the consequences of a con.
I recommend this book.
July 1, 2023
You know when the world is falling apart around you and you just feel like you need to shut down and escape into something a little less dramatic and doomsday-ish. Yeah, you know the feeling. Reading a cozy mystery about a murder at a book-themed inn dutifully named “Chapters Bed and Breakfast” was exactly what I needed this last week.
This delightful series starter reads like a locked-room Agatha Christie novel and I was here for it. When a painfully rich but very much disliked party-goer is murdered at Chapters, innkeeper Charlotte was determined to narrow down the suspect list and unmask the deceitful killer.
I loved this cozy little read and am eager to continue the series. So many suspects all with their own reasons to be considered the murderer kept the plot moving and kept me very much invested.
This was a fun, cozy read that very much reminded me of a Hallmark mystery series and I was here for it. Recommended for those of us who need a little bit of whimsical murder in our reading lives without the guts and gore.
This delightful series starter reads like a locked-room Agatha Christie novel and I was here for it. When a painfully rich but very much disliked party-goer is murdered at Chapters, innkeeper Charlotte was determined to narrow down the suspect list and unmask the deceitful killer.
I loved this cozy little read and am eager to continue the series. So many suspects all with their own reasons to be considered the murderer kept the plot moving and kept me very much invested.
This was a fun, cozy read that very much reminded me of a Hallmark mystery series and I was here for it. Recommended for those of us who need a little bit of whimsical murder in our reading lives without the guts and gore.
July 4, 2020
This is a strong start to a new series. The setting of a book lover’s bed and breakfast is a dream vacation for a bookworm like me. The main character, Charlotte, is a likable, realistic, strong female. I look forward to seeing how her character develops over the series. The mystery is full of twists and turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing whodunit until the big reveal. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way, I have been influenced by anyone.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way, I have been influenced by anyone.
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