A Page of Murder

Seabreeze Bookshop #1

by Penny Brooke

A sleepy seaside town in Massachusetts. A quaint bookshop. And a murder.

Returning to Somerset Harbor, Rue Collier looks after her gran’s bookstore while she’s kicking off her retirement with a dream trip to Paris. As Rue settles in, she reunites with old friends and is excited to start a new chapter in her life.

But not long after she rings up her first customer, the town is in an uproar over the murder of a local bakery owner. It doesn’t take long until Rue finds herself smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation that threatens to upend life in her new home.

Will Rue unmask the killer before it’s too late? Or will she unwittingly become their next victim?

This fun-filled and clean bookshop cozy mystery will have you guessing until the very end.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Books About Books, Cozy, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2021

About the author

Penny Brooke has been reading mysteries for as long as she can remember. When not penning her own stories, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, crocheting, and cozying up with her pups and a good novel.

Reviews

[Deborah Almada · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I have been reading some really wonderful books lately because I can't remember the last time I was this unimpressed with a book. I am sorry, I wanted to like it, love bookstores, the New England setting, dogs and a kitten but it was just a no go. No background, no introduction to the Main Character, no transitions of any kind. The "friendships" sounded like distant acquaintances, the police were hacks, the MC held evidence from the police. I am sorry, it was just a jumble of sentences to me, just could not get into any kind of story. Maybe I was just having a bad day but I don't think so!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good beginning to a new to me series.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series and I loved it!
Rue is overseeing her grandmother's book store while she's on a much earned vacation, and when a friend and business owner is killed, Rue will do whatever it takes to bring the killer to justice. I was kept guessing until the end, and I was surprised when it all came together.

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recipes and Revenge...

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery, lots of twists, and shady things going on. A good plot, with all kinds of characters in this quaint Massachusetts town.

[Lady Galaxy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one got off to a rocky start for me. I didn't like the way she withheld the information about the phone from the police. It got a little better as it went along. I get really tired of the stereotypical trope that the local police are so incompetent that civilians have to solve the crimes to keep themselves from going to jail. There has to be a more inventive way to explain amateur involvement in crime solving. I like the setting and the cat and dog enough to give the next book in the series a try.

[Dallass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light and fluffy cosy.

I liked the synopsis, and this was a short cosy to fill in a bit of time. There was some pretty basic character development, and due to the short length of the story there was not a lot of time to have complex characters, which was a shame as I’d have loved this as a 350+ page cosy that delved deeper into that intriguing side mystery. Oh well, still a quick fun read.

3 stars ⭐️

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hasty mystery

While not a bad book, my issue with A Page of Murder is that the characters were not very developed before the murder happened. I had no reason to care or like any of the characters. And the mystery was rather predictable unfortunately.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun cozy

What I liked most about this short cozy mystery, was that there were two murders solved. I also enjoyed the little side story of how Rue ended up with a bookstore cat. I just adore cats!

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first novel in the series and my first introduction to the author's writing. I love to find new bookshop cozy mysteries and especially by series name suggesting a location by the ocean that in itself is irresistible to me.

With a grandmother beginning her retirement with a dream trip to Paris, Rue Collier is lucky to have the opportunity to live in her grandmother's home and become the manager of her grandmother's bookstore. Rue has friends in Somerset Harbor, south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts from the many summers she spent with her grandmother and helping at the bookstore so she believes the transition will be an easy one. At the very least Rue thought it was a better offer than her failing real estate career and living in her condo in Vermont.

The case involves the mysterious behavior of a friend and popular shop owner of a local bakery and a missing cake recipe that may have ties to royalty with the murder occurring within the first hours of Rue's arrival back in town. It's very predictable that Rue becomes the lead amateur sleuth of this series but I enjoyed her interactions with a private investigator that sometimes collaborates on cases as he's retired from the local police force. Still there are so many amateur sleuths that automatically become romantically partnered with the local detective this was a welcome twist.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The protagonist in the story sets about trying to solve a local murder because she is afraid of being accused herself, and stumbles upon another mystery during her sleuthing. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

[Liz Cohen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cozy indeed, almost too cozy

[Lori Guerrieri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent mystery.

I love the strong female characters in this book. Rue, Elizabeth, and Andy are wonderful characters. And their friendship is endearing. Gatsby and Oliver are delightful furry characters. In this story you get a twofer in the mystery, which just adds to a great story. Looking forward to reading more mysteries from this author. Penny really knows how to craft a great story.

[Katheyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

„A Page of Murder“ by Penny Brooke is a delightful cozy mystery, whose heroine (Rue Collier) remind us of a slightly younger version on that unforgettable Jessica Fletcher character (Murder She Wrote). Rue has left the city and her unsuccessful enterprise as realtor to take over her aunt’s bookshop in Seabreeze, Somerset Harbor, a quintessential laidback town in Massachusetts.

Rue is eager to begin her new life, she loves books and considers the old-fashioned bookshop her home of choice, her aunt’s partner (Elizabeth) family and the town the embodiment of her childhood’s dreams. The first day begins – after dealing with her aunt stuffy aid – promising, and as her old friend Anna comes in to buy some books all seems to be falling into place, even if Anna has just forgotten her purse at the store. But as she is killed just some moments afterwards in an alley nearby, things rapidly turn south and Rue finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, collecting clues that lead to some old mystery and link the town resident bestseller author into the plot.

This is a clean, fun, bookshop cozy mystery that invites the reader to guess along while enjoying a comfy evening with a good cup of tea (or beverage of choice). Hygge for the literate, without any extra fuss or effort 😉

[Jerry Jares · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rue's grandmother had left her bookshop in her granddaughter, Rue's, hands while she went on her dream trip to Paris. While Rue is getting used to things, the baker in the business next to hers is murdered. Before long, Rue is up to her eyeballs in murder concerns.

My concern was the fact that Andy (ex Police Detective now Private Investigator who helps the local Police when they need it) even exists. He gabs with Rue about confidential things, etc. I volunteer with the police and we are never insiders on a police investigation. The fact that he keeps the baker's phone a secret is outside of belief. As a former policeman, he is still bound by the rules of confidentiality. Overall Score = G+

Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery
** 1. A Page of Murder (2021)
2. A Letter of Murder (2021)

[Tess Ailshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad mystery, but somewhat formulaic and predictable. In the first couple of chapters, I kept thinking perhaps I had already read this, then realized it is simply the close conformity to the genre.

Newcomer, though associated with a relative with deep ties.
Shopkeepers who are "friends" though they haven't spoken since the last visit.
Trustworthy old friend of said relative.
Small-business owner who can afford to hire help and to take off at a moment's notice.

Yep. Checks all the boxes.

But a quick read, better than most but I sense it will take reading more of the series to know anything about the characters. Not sure I;ll read that far.

[Sharen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Main character just silly! A friend of hers is murdered…..does she do anything to help the Police catch the murderer? No….she keeps the victim’s purse and her phone, a phone which contains texts that might actually help find the murderer. Why? I’m not sure….she just keeps saying it would incriminate her…..but, she doesn’t elaborate on why she thinks that. I liked the dog and the kitten. I just couldn’t get past the third chapter and don’t understand the glowing reviews. But, every book is not for everybody.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a favorite

I was annoyed by Rue. She withholds evidence from the police for a flimsy, self-centered reason that was so inexcusable to me that I just couldn't take the book seriously. The other characters helped her in this endeavor and knew better. I just couldn't get past that nonsense.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more like 2.5 stars for me. I have to agree with a few other reviews that said there really wasn't much character development and I wasn't impressed with the fact that Rue withheld important information. And despite the fact that it was barely over 150 pages I felt like it dragged on and was relieved when I finally finished it. Unfortunately, this is not a series I will continue.

[Lynn Leach · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a cozy mystery, I enjoyed this though it rankled having the MC keep evidence from police. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Cath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of A Seabreeze BookShop Cozy Mystery series and the main character is Rue Collier, who has returned to Somerset Harbor to look after her gran’s bookshop and stay in her home, whilst she is off on a grand retirement trip to Paris, France, a place her gran has dreamed of visiting for years. Rue is familiar with the town and the bookshop itself, having stayed with her gran every holiday and helping out in the Seabreeze BookShop. She gets to reunite with lots of old friends in town, while starting a fresh page in life. She gets straight to work on her first day in the shop, with her dog Gatsby, but with monosyllabic responses from her part time member of staff Ellen. There aren’t many customers, but she does get to see Anna, who owns Anna’s Sweet Dreams Bakery next door, towards the end of the day. Anna seems a bit upset or nervous, definitely not herself, but she doesn’t want to admit anything is wrong to Rue. She leaves in a hurry and a wee bit later, a pair of teens find Anna’s purse and phone under the counter near the till. Rue reckons she will come back for it, when she realises she has left it behind, but she doesn’t By the time Rue locks up, there are no lights on next door, where Anna lives above her shop, so she leaves it for the next day.

The next day brings about some bad news, with the shocking news of the death of the local bakery owner! When Rue checks Anna’s phone she finds a worrying message that seems to say Anna was scared of something when in the shop the previous night. That could put Rue smack bang in the middle of the murder investigation and having only just arrived, be found to be the main suspect if the local police chief has anything to do with it. If she hands in Anna’s phone, she will probably get arrested, which won’t help matters! Even the local and famous mystery writer is acting a bit oddly in the shop and both seemed to have been interested in some old photos another of Rue’s old friend’s got from an estate sale. It seems the items bought at this estate sale may well have details of an old mystery and possibly a murder thought to have been an accident. Add in the history of a commune in the area some decades before and this is all mixed together with a photo of a striking looking woman, who seems to be the key to the past.

There are lots of possible suspects for Anna’s murder, maybe it is linked to something she found in the bookshop, or it could be to do with a recipe for her lemon cake, that was handed down to her by a famous baker in Paris, who created the recipe for royals. It was given to Anna with the strict instruction that she never sell it, but both her new hire Jules and her sister had been pushing Anna to sell it. Jules for the prestige and future prospects he can wrangle if he has the recipe, and her sister for expensive medical treatment she needs. Rue and her friend Elizabeth have to use former police officer and now P.I. Andy, to help find out who the killer is, before they can kill anyone else. But she may well have made herself and Elizabeth targets for the killer, whether it be to do with the recipe or ancient history. Justice will be found for the dead, especially with Rue on the case wanting to ensure she saves her gran’s bookshop. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Linda Galella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Somerset HarborSeabreeze Book Shop!

Rue has gone to the seaside hamlet in Massachusetts to take care of her grandmother’s bookshop and reconnect with good friends from her youth. She and her golden retriever, Gadsby, are renewing relationships and getting comfy at the shop for just a few days when tragedy strikes; a good friend is murdered. Rue, along with 2 other friends, make sure their friend’s killer is brought to justice; cozy style.

“A Page of Murder”, by Penny Brooke, is book 1 in a series of cozy mysteries anchored around the Seabreeze Bookshop and its manager, Rue & friends. As this is the introduction to an ongoing series, there are townspeople to introduce and history to lay out. Author, Brooke, does a good job of laying that foundation and not getting the reader bogged down in cement or a dreaded info dump.

Thankfully, the characters are pleasantly quirky rather than being Twilight Zone escapees. Dialogue flows naturally and it’s devoid of expletives. Even tho’ this is a murder/mystery, the baddie won’t give you nightmares and there is no violence beyond a soft PG level. This particular story has no romantic thread but there is a hint of possibility with Rue and…

A great escape for those who like cozy mysteries, small town fiction or visiting full service book stores, including their literary inspired pets📚

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

In book one of the Seabreeze Bookshop series Rue has moved to Somerset Harbor to take care of her Gran's bookshop while Gran is traveling in Paris.

Rue is getting settled into her new role as manager of the bookshop, when an old friend comes in. Her friend Anna (who owns the bakery next door) buys a few books but seems uneasy and nervous about something. As Rue is closing up shop and Leaving she sees cop cars parked next door. To her shock, Anna is found murdered shortly after leaving the store. She was stabbed to death.

Could Rue be withholding some evidence as to who may have killed Anna? Could a killing from the past have anything to do with this murder? Could a special recipe be a motive for murder? 

I wish there had been a little bit more of character development. I just didn't get that cozy feeling that I usually get from a book that makes me want to live in that small town. There are a few suspects for this murder, but I did feel like the killer was obvious from the start. I was hoping I was wrong since it was so obvious. There was an additional twist at the end but it still wasn't a huge surprise. I liked this book, but I do wish there had been a few more surprises with twists & turns.

[Plants Rants and Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rue Collier returns to Somerset Harbor to run her grandmother’s seaside bookstore while Grandma enjoys retirement in Paris. It seems like the perfect fresh start—until Rue’s friend, the local bakery owner, is found murdered. As the last person to see her alive, Rue suddenly finds herself tangled in suspicion, a mysterious old photograph, and the chilling possibility of being the next victim.

✨ What I Loved
This was a quick, cozy read (just under 200 pages!) that blended a present-day murder mystery with an intriguing historical thread. Rue, as an “older” main character, was such a refreshing change from the usual twenty-something sleuth, and I adored the seaside bookstore setting and small-town charm.

😬 What Didn’t Work For Me
I wanted more—more depth, more time with Rue, and more room for the mystery to breathe. The wrap-up felt a little too quick, and parts of the storyline were familiar compared to other cozy mysteries.

💭 Final Thoughts
A Page of Murder is a light and enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series. It sets the stage nicely, and I’ll definitely be continuing—I’m hoping future installments give us more time to dig into Rue’s past and the charm of Somerset Harbor.

[Kay Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Secret Recipe For Murder

Rue Collier is filling in at her grandmother’s bookstore, getting familiar with her surrounding, and reacquainted with old friends as they stroll into the store looking for books. One of the first to visit was Anna, owner of Sweet Dreams Bakery, who seemed a bit out of sorts. No one ever saw Anna alive again, except for her murderer that is. Anna had left her purse behind in the store and what Rue found inside gave her goosebumps. Afraid to share the information with the sheriff, Rue sets out to help find the murderer.

A Page of Murder is the first in a new series by author Penny Brooke. The beginning chapters of the book seemed a bit stilted to me, like the plot was being set but not really getting into the story, just stating facts and circumstances to set the stage. Once the storyline was settled, the warmth and feeling of the characters took over and the cozy feeling was there.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me

The style, it’s written in such a way that I had to read certain sentences twice to understand. And she kept saying things like “Although I didn’t know it, the worst part of my story was just about to start.” That is just fine if you say that once, to build suspense, but three or four times within the first three pages? But pretty soon I found myself enjoying the story anyway. The cozy vibe felt good. But there kept being these little things that annoyed me, little inconsistencies (like sending Ellie for her lunch break and then the next moment it’s already almost 8PM), me not liking Rue much, and of course Rue hiding so much evidence from the police, and the PI Andy, former cop, even helping her with that! I’m all for amateur sleuthing, I love cozies, but this was just too much important evidence that was being held back. I believe that is a criminal offense and I really don’t like my main characters to be criminals themselves. I have to conclude that this is not the series for me.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 1st book in a new to me series, set in a bookshop in Seabreeze. Rue has come to live in the town to run her Granmothers bookshop as she has decided to retire and travel.

Rue and Gatsby, her dog, arrive and settle into her Grandmother's house and run the shop. However, soon after she arrives, her friend, Anna, from the bakery next door is found murdered just after visiting Rue's shop.

Rue and her friend Elizabeth, who operates a small vintage second hand stall inside Rue's shop, try to find out who did this to their friend; and along with Andy, ex Police Detective now Private Investigator who helps the local Police when they need it, they all work together to find the murderer.

Short, enjoyable, standalone cozy mysteries, which I suspect will be best read in order of publication to preserve continuity of the characters.

I've just downloaded the 2nd book in the series and can't wait to start it.

[WILMA from the Netherlands · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful and funny cozy mystery.
This is the first book I have read by this author and what a great story to read. The plot of the story was astonishing. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. I can hardly wait for another story. Rue tries to make a fresh start in the small town of Somerset Harbor to look after her grandmother's bookshop. When one of her friends is murdered, she is involved in the investigation. With the help of her assistant, Rue tries to puzzle all the pieces together and the surprise is not one but two murders. However, the perpetrators were even more surprising. Read this book, you will be surprised. In any case, I enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun start for a new series, and if it's about books, I'm there! I love the setting and how Rue had the talent of matching people to just the perfect book. When one of the shop owners was murdered, Rue and her bestie Elizabeth along with their police officer friend Andy set out to solve it. I loved Andy's character being a kind of father figure to Rue.

The side mystery was really cool, a death a long time ago with a possible connection with the current victim, both of which got solved. I liked that any arrests were made off-scene, since it kept Rue and Elizabeth safe. They were pretty good about keeping Andy filled in on what they found out, and the three made an excellent sleuthing team. I'm definitely going to borrow the next in this series with KU too!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rue has just moved and took over running her grandmother's bookstore and her grandma is on her dream trip to Paris. Rue's friend Anna comes into the store but is not herself and then the next day Rue finds out she has been murdered but not before Anna figured out another murder but she was not murdered because of that murder but for her lemon cake recipe. The other murder is based on a book that her other friend Rachel wrote about but the book was supposed to be a mystery and fiction but it was actually a murder perpetrated by Rachel the writer. Really good book I can't wait to read the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Valorie Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book!!!!

I love the start of this series!! It kept me reading well into the early morning.
Rue is a very special person. She comes to Somerset Harbor to help her Gran at her Seabreeze Bookshop and she is in for a surprise at the events that starting happening.
Elizabeth, her long time friend is her part timer at the shop. Rue has another worker Ellen a single mother.
Elizabeth and Rue put their heads together to fit pieces to solve two crimes.
There is so many twists and turns to this book.
I love the people, i felt like i was right there with them.
You won't be disappointed!!!!