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Love Is Murder #1
Death of a Red-Hot Rancher
Love meets murder in this new cozy mystery series set in a quirky romance bookstore, with a heroine to die for.
Lizzie Hale may be the lucky owner of a successful romance bookshop, Love Under the Covers, but she's decidedly un-lucky in love. Though she's read almost every famous romance novelist, from Jane Austen to Nora Roberts, none have helped her figure out how to get--and keep--a man.
But Lizzie has bigger problems to worry about. Like murder.
When Brody Pierce, swoon-worthy ranch owner and resident bachelor, is found stabbed through the chest, hearts were heard breaking all over idyllic Tinker's Creek. But when Lizzie's aunt is implicated in the murder, she's determined to clear her name. Lizzie quickly realizes that Brody was a hunk with many hidden secrets, and she's soon leafing through a stack of suspects longer than Brody's list of lovers.
With the killer still on the loose, Lizzie will have to find the truth before this act of passion ignites a fire she can't put out.
Lizzie Hale may be the lucky owner of a successful romance bookshop, Love Under the Covers, but she's decidedly un-lucky in love. Though she's read almost every famous romance novelist, from Jane Austen to Nora Roberts, none have helped her figure out how to get--and keep--a man.
But Lizzie has bigger problems to worry about. Like murder.
When Brody Pierce, swoon-worthy ranch owner and resident bachelor, is found stabbed through the chest, hearts were heard breaking all over idyllic Tinker's Creek. But when Lizzie's aunt is implicated in the murder, she's determined to clear her name. Lizzie quickly realizes that Brody was a hunk with many hidden secrets, and she's soon leafing through a stack of suspects longer than Brody's list of lovers.
With the killer still on the loose, Lizzie will have to find the truth before this act of passion ignites a fire she can't put out.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2021
40 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Mimi Granger
2 books21 followersAlso writes as Miranda Bliss, Casey Daniels, Zoe Daniels, Connie Deka, Anastasia Hastings, Connie Lane, Connie Laux, Constance Laux, Kylie Logan, Lucy Ness.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 11, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
In this new series by Mimi Granger, we meet Lizzie Hale. Lizzie owns Love Under the Covers, a well-known romance bookshop in Tinker’s Creek Ohio. Lizzie may excel at recommending romance novels but she definitely does not excel in her own romantic relationships, And there is a handsome hunk in town that has all the ladies swooning. Even Lizzie thinks he is pretty easy on the eyes. Brody Pierce is a tall drink of water who gained his fame and fortune in Hollywood starring in a truck commercial and now owns a bison ranch just outside of town. Brodie stopped by Love Under The Covers for a special purchase and was surrounded by women the entire time he was in the store. Distracted he left his credit card behind when he exited the store.
Since Brodie hadn’t returned for his card a few days later Lizzie makes the trek to his home to return it and oh! my! what a magnificent home it is. The barn is spectacular too. When Brody didn’t answer the door she wandered over to the barn and found Brody . . . dead on the floor . . . stabbed in the chest . . . with his loyal dog Violet howling by his side.
But Brody was a man with many secrets and a good lineup of suspects that could have wanted the man dead. Even Lizzie’s Aunt Charmaine is on the list. Lizzie can’t stand for that so she starts her own quest to clear her aunt and find the real killer knowing she could be their next victim.
Lizzie was such a fun new protagonist and I was really taken with her bookshop, an old home she has set up with different sub-genres of romance novels each having its own room. Each is unique in its furnishings with places for people to relax and escape right into a new story. She is a smart savvy businesswoman who has definitely found her niche. She has a great sense of humor which is handy when working with her aunt Charmaine. Ms. Granger has surrounded these ladies with a great supporting cast including “a large dog of questionable parentage”, and a delightful park ranger that is assisting in the murder investigation.
I knew from the title that the red-hot rancher was going to die, but when Brody was killed I was sad. He was an interesting character that I would have liked to have gotten to know better. We did learn a lot of things about him while trying to catch his killer. He was clearly a man with a checkered past.
Because Lizzie read more into one incident she was scared her aunt had something to do with the man’s death. That was my only drawback in this book. An honest conversation would have cleared that matter up quickly and Lizzie could have still been caught up in the case. Other than that I really enjoyed following along as clues came together to create a very exciting ending.
Death of a Red-Hot Rancher has set this series off to a wonderful start. I love the small-town atmosphere and Lizzie’s place in the community. Mimi Granger is a seasoned author that has written under many pen names so she knows her stuff. I am excited for this series to continue so I can visit Tinker’s Creek and its residents again soon.
In this new series by Mimi Granger, we meet Lizzie Hale. Lizzie owns Love Under the Covers, a well-known romance bookshop in Tinker’s Creek Ohio. Lizzie may excel at recommending romance novels but she definitely does not excel in her own romantic relationships, And there is a handsome hunk in town that has all the ladies swooning. Even Lizzie thinks he is pretty easy on the eyes. Brody Pierce is a tall drink of water who gained his fame and fortune in Hollywood starring in a truck commercial and now owns a bison ranch just outside of town. Brodie stopped by Love Under The Covers for a special purchase and was surrounded by women the entire time he was in the store. Distracted he left his credit card behind when he exited the store.
Since Brodie hadn’t returned for his card a few days later Lizzie makes the trek to his home to return it and oh! my! what a magnificent home it is. The barn is spectacular too. When Brody didn’t answer the door she wandered over to the barn and found Brody . . . dead on the floor . . . stabbed in the chest . . . with his loyal dog Violet howling by his side.
But Brody was a man with many secrets and a good lineup of suspects that could have wanted the man dead. Even Lizzie’s Aunt Charmaine is on the list. Lizzie can’t stand for that so she starts her own quest to clear her aunt and find the real killer knowing she could be their next victim.
Lizzie was such a fun new protagonist and I was really taken with her bookshop, an old home she has set up with different sub-genres of romance novels each having its own room. Each is unique in its furnishings with places for people to relax and escape right into a new story. She is a smart savvy businesswoman who has definitely found her niche. She has a great sense of humor which is handy when working with her aunt Charmaine. Ms. Granger has surrounded these ladies with a great supporting cast including “a large dog of questionable parentage”, and a delightful park ranger that is assisting in the murder investigation.
I knew from the title that the red-hot rancher was going to die, but when Brody was killed I was sad. He was an interesting character that I would have liked to have gotten to know better. We did learn a lot of things about him while trying to catch his killer. He was clearly a man with a checkered past.
Because Lizzie read more into one incident she was scared her aunt had something to do with the man’s death. That was my only drawback in this book. An honest conversation would have cleared that matter up quickly and Lizzie could have still been caught up in the case. Other than that I really enjoyed following along as clues came together to create a very exciting ending.
Death of a Red-Hot Rancher has set this series off to a wonderful start. I love the small-town atmosphere and Lizzie’s place in the community. Mimi Granger is a seasoned author that has written under many pen names so she knows her stuff. I am excited for this series to continue so I can visit Tinker’s Creek and its residents again soon.
April 15, 2023
In Mimi Granger’s (a pseudonym of Constance Laux) Death of a Red-Hot Rancher, Lizzie Hale peddles in romance. Well, romance novels anyway. As the proprietor of Love Under the Covers bookshop, she’s all about getting the right swoony reads in readers’ hands—even if her own love life has a less-than-stellar record. And Granger isn’t content letting Lizzie wind up in a romance novel of her own.
Instead, she sprinkles in a dead body, an aunt with more than a few secrets, and plenty of over-the-top sleuthing. It’s the perfect setup for a cozy mystery. And—though I’m sure Lizzie would rather stay away from a murder investigation—the result is a genuinely fun start to a series.
A large part of its success stems from Granger populating it with such rounded characters. Lizzie, funny and mildly frazzled, bounces into the book, unafraid to be assertive whether she’s banding out books or searching for clues. She’s backed up by her aunt Charmaine, who’s charming, even if she’s obviously hiding something in relation to the death of the town’s most-wanted bachelor Brody Pierce. And most fortunately for Lizzie, working at a bookshop provides a great backdrop for chasing leads—people just can’t stop gossiping around those shelves.
Of course, Granger gives them plenty to gossip about. Flirts, flings, and everything in-between abound, and Granger finds multiple moments to pepper in suspects and motives. As the investigation twists and turns, Lizzie takes a few over-the-top risks, but Granger has a way of making them so charming they end up being funny.
Ultimately, Death of a Red-Hot Rancher sizzles with humor, heart, and even a little romance.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
Instead, she sprinkles in a dead body, an aunt with more than a few secrets, and plenty of over-the-top sleuthing. It’s the perfect setup for a cozy mystery. And—though I’m sure Lizzie would rather stay away from a murder investigation—the result is a genuinely fun start to a series.
A large part of its success stems from Granger populating it with such rounded characters. Lizzie, funny and mildly frazzled, bounces into the book, unafraid to be assertive whether she’s banding out books or searching for clues. She’s backed up by her aunt Charmaine, who’s charming, even if she’s obviously hiding something in relation to the death of the town’s most-wanted bachelor Brody Pierce. And most fortunately for Lizzie, working at a bookshop provides a great backdrop for chasing leads—people just can’t stop gossiping around those shelves.
Of course, Granger gives them plenty to gossip about. Flirts, flings, and everything in-between abound, and Granger finds multiple moments to pepper in suspects and motives. As the investigation twists and turns, Lizzie takes a few over-the-top risks, but Granger has a way of making them so charming they end up being funny.
Ultimately, Death of a Red-Hot Rancher sizzles with humor, heart, and even a little romance.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
September 10, 2021
Lizzie Hale is enjoying running her romance bookstore. So what if her love life is a little non-existent, she loves getting to spend her days around books and interacting with her customers. Life gets much more complicated, however, when Brody Pierce dies. Brody owned the buffalo ranch outside of town, and Lizzie keeps finding evidence that her aunt may have been his secret lover. Lizzie worries that, if true, this secret will lead to her aunt being arrested for murder. Lizzie jumps in to the investigation to try to clear her aunt, but what does it mean when all the evidence she finds seems to point to her aunt?
There are plenty of book themed cozies, but this is the first one I’m aware of to feature romance novels as the specific bookish hook. I’m not a fan of the genre, but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this book. Lizzie is a great main character, and she is surrounded by charming family and friends I hope will be regulars. Part of the plot was driven by misunderstandings, which drove me crazy, but on the whole the plot was good with plenty of secrets to be uncovered before we reached the logical climax. I had lots of fun along the way and even laughed a few times. If you are looking for a lighter mystery, this is a debut to pick up.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
There are plenty of book themed cozies, but this is the first one I’m aware of to feature romance novels as the specific bookish hook. I’m not a fan of the genre, but that didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this book. Lizzie is a great main character, and she is surrounded by charming family and friends I hope will be regulars. Part of the plot was driven by misunderstandings, which drove me crazy, but on the whole the plot was good with plenty of secrets to be uncovered before we reached the logical climax. I had lots of fun along the way and even laughed a few times. If you are looking for a lighter mystery, this is a debut to pick up.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
June 26, 2022
Good solid start to a new cozy mystery series. I absolutely love the romance bookstore setting! And it looks like each mystery is going to feature a romantic trope, so that should be fun.
Lizzie's foray into amateur sleuthing goes from bad to worse as she starts asking questions and begins suspecting nearly everybody of the murder. lol I did find one aspect of her sleuthing that irked me because I felt that it crossed lines as far as withholding evidence from the police and there's a TSTL moment when she clearly should have called 911 when she couldn't reach her law officer cousin during a crisis. But, hey, she's new at crime solving so I'll give her a break. :-)
Lizzie is a bit klutzy and a whole lot tongue-tied around eligible men which makes her stand out from the usual cozy mystery heroines. Funny, with a bit of an internal sarcastic wit. And I love Violet, the dog!!!! In all her floofy wonderfulness! Love me a good cozy critter. Anxiously awaiting the release of the second book in the series this summer -- Love is Murder Mystery.
Lizzie's foray into amateur sleuthing goes from bad to worse as she starts asking questions and begins suspecting nearly everybody of the murder. lol I did find one aspect of her sleuthing that irked me because I felt that it crossed lines as far as withholding evidence from the police and there's a TSTL moment when she clearly should have called 911 when she couldn't reach her law officer cousin during a crisis. But, hey, she's new at crime solving so I'll give her a break. :-)
Lizzie is a bit klutzy and a whole lot tongue-tied around eligible men which makes her stand out from the usual cozy mystery heroines. Funny, with a bit of an internal sarcastic wit. And I love Violet, the dog!!!! In all her floofy wonderfulness! Love me a good cozy critter. Anxiously awaiting the release of the second book in the series this summer -- Love is Murder Mystery.
February 11, 2022
4 stelle e mezza
Una libreria che vende solo romance? Non potevo farmela scappare! Magari ne avessi una sotto casa...
Scherzi a parte, il libro non mi ha delusa sebbene in un paio di occasioni non mi ha del tutto convinta. Il finale, però, è stato un colpo di scena dietro l'altro, coinvolgendo tutti e tre i miei sospettati. Sì, decisamente una lettura davvero bella.
Una libreria che vende solo romance? Non potevo farmela scappare! Magari ne avessi una sotto casa...
Scherzi a parte, il libro non mi ha delusa sebbene in un paio di occasioni non mi ha del tutto convinta. Il finale, però, è stato un colpo di scena dietro l'altro, coinvolgendo tutti e tre i miei sospettati. Sì, decisamente una lettura davvero bella.
February 17, 2022
I got this book at the Buckeye book fair mainly because it was a cozy and the first in the series. It became a bonus that Mimi Granger turned out to be Kylie Logan. I still didn't have a clue what this was going to be about until I started reading it. We've all seen the MC in cozies that owns the mystery bookstore so the twist was that she owns a romance bookstore. I really liked the MC, Lizzie, she was very likeable and real. I enjoyed the other characters, especially Max and Violet. The story was good and there were some nice twists at the end. I'm also glad to know that the author is from Ohio because the most unbelievable part of the book is the bison ranch and I would love to know if there really is one anywhere in the state because that I just don't see.
January 21, 2024
4 stars
It's not everyday I read cozy mystery set in ROMANCE NOVEL bookstore, since bookstore that I visit in the books usually sell many genres. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is the first book of Love is Murder Mystery written by Mimi Granger. While this author seems like a new author, actually Mimi Granger is one of many pen names of Connie Laux and I already read her other pen names books when she write under the name Lucy Ness (her books is Haunted Mansion series). I don't know why the reason behind so many pen names. Maybe to differs genre of the book she writes? I did notice since Lucy Ness write supernatural cozy mysteries, while Mimi Granger write a romcom cozy mysteries.
True to the book description, the story is quirky. The citizens of Tinker Creeks love to gossips. The opening is over the top since I don't get the hotness that the most eligible bachelor in the town, Brody Pierce, has that make many ladies swoon. Yes, I get that he's the small town hero since he also star in the truck commercials but decide to get back home to own a bison ranch. But really, is he that hot to trot? Lel, not likely and I think this is just the way of Granger poke fun to the western kind of hero. Brody is not the hero tho, he's the victim. It's up to our heroine, Lizzie Hale, the owner of the sole romance novel bookstore in Tinker Creeks named Love under the Covers, to solve the mystery of Brody murder since she also want to protect her aunt, Charmaine, because Brody was seen last time with Charmaine.
I did like Lizzie Hale. This book is told entirely from Lizzie's first PoV and I liked that despite her sleuthing, she have some flaws. Sure she love romance novel and ready to defend said genres from book snobs such as the town local librarian that prefer literature over fiction. But in the real life romance, Lizzie is not sure and her reaction when she fumbling and loss at words while talk with handsome men is kinda adorable. I get it since I once like that, lol. Lizzie is also not tough cookie or badass, she just determined to prove that her aunt is not the culprit. Actually, this part is also the weakness of this book because Granger seems to prolonged with the way Lizzie tip toed around Charmaine. Is Charmaine really have relationship with Brody despite Brody is a ladies man? What Brody did in Charmaine house at night and why they seems so cozy to each other? This is the part that drive me nuts since I want Lizzie just to ask since Charmaine herself also didn't seems like that shocked when knowing news about Brody's death.
Anyway, despite the book have your standard cozy when its come to romance department in which usually the heroine get entangled with the hero whom is part of law enforcement, I like the dynamic between Lizzie and her love interest, Max Alvarez. Usually, in cozy I read, the police/detective/etc will shoo away the heroine of their sleuthing, to mind her own business and stop their investigating. Max is different. He welcome Lizzie's help in investigation. Maybe because while Max is a ranger, he's also outsider and the local cop that happen to be Lizzie cousin is also busy. I liked that Max and Lizzie go together in their investigation and enjoy their interactions. That's why even in the last Max still ask Lizzie to go away, I still can accept it since Max rarely antagonize Lizzie while investigating and he also accept her helps.
The mystery is solid and the culprit is can be predicted though the whydunnit is still belieavable. Aside of the mystery, I liked that this book have so many bookish elements and I recognize some of author names. Even the authors is the old ones such as Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Georgette Heyer and some recents ones like Julia Quinn and Tessa Dare. The romance theme ofc will not complete without one or two paragraph mention Pride and Prejudice, lol. I have a blast reading Death of Red-Hot Rancher because Mimi Granger can balanced the mystery, romance, humor and the dynamic of the small town citizens.
Also, the doggo, Violet is freakin adorable! 🥰
It's not everyday I read cozy mystery set in ROMANCE NOVEL bookstore, since bookstore that I visit in the books usually sell many genres. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is the first book of Love is Murder Mystery written by Mimi Granger. While this author seems like a new author, actually Mimi Granger is one of many pen names of Connie Laux and I already read her other pen names books when she write under the name Lucy Ness (her books is Haunted Mansion series). I don't know why the reason behind so many pen names. Maybe to differs genre of the book she writes? I did notice since Lucy Ness write supernatural cozy mysteries, while Mimi Granger write a romcom cozy mysteries.
True to the book description, the story is quirky. The citizens of Tinker Creeks love to gossips. The opening is over the top since I don't get the hotness that the most eligible bachelor in the town, Brody Pierce, has that make many ladies swoon. Yes, I get that he's the small town hero since he also star in the truck commercials but decide to get back home to own a bison ranch. But really, is he that hot to trot? Lel, not likely and I think this is just the way of Granger poke fun to the western kind of hero. Brody is not the hero tho, he's the victim. It's up to our heroine, Lizzie Hale, the owner of the sole romance novel bookstore in Tinker Creeks named Love under the Covers, to solve the mystery of Brody murder since she also want to protect her aunt, Charmaine, because Brody was seen last time with Charmaine.
I did like Lizzie Hale. This book is told entirely from Lizzie's first PoV and I liked that despite her sleuthing, she have some flaws. Sure she love romance novel and ready to defend said genres from book snobs such as the town local librarian that prefer literature over fiction. But in the real life romance, Lizzie is not sure and her reaction when she fumbling and loss at words while talk with handsome men is kinda adorable. I get it since I once like that, lol. Lizzie is also not tough cookie or badass, she just determined to prove that her aunt is not the culprit. Actually, this part is also the weakness of this book because Granger seems to prolonged with the way Lizzie tip toed around Charmaine. Is Charmaine really have relationship with Brody despite Brody is a ladies man? What Brody did in Charmaine house at night and why they seems so cozy to each other? This is the part that drive me nuts since I want Lizzie just to ask since Charmaine herself also didn't seems like that shocked when knowing news about Brody's death.
Anyway, despite the book have your standard cozy when its come to romance department in which usually the heroine get entangled with the hero whom is part of law enforcement, I like the dynamic between Lizzie and her love interest, Max Alvarez. Usually, in cozy I read, the police/detective/etc will shoo away the heroine of their sleuthing, to mind her own business and stop their investigating. Max is different. He welcome Lizzie's help in investigation. Maybe because while Max is a ranger, he's also outsider and the local cop that happen to be Lizzie cousin is also busy. I liked that Max and Lizzie go together in their investigation and enjoy their interactions. That's why even in the last Max still ask Lizzie to go away, I still can accept it since Max rarely antagonize Lizzie while investigating and he also accept her helps.
The mystery is solid and the culprit is can be predicted though the whydunnit is still belieavable. Aside of the mystery, I liked that this book have so many bookish elements and I recognize some of author names. Even the authors is the old ones such as Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Georgette Heyer and some recents ones like Julia Quinn and Tessa Dare. The romance theme ofc will not complete without one or two paragraph mention Pride and Prejudice, lol. I have a blast reading Death of Red-Hot Rancher because Mimi Granger can balanced the mystery, romance, humor and the dynamic of the small town citizens.
Also, the doggo, Violet is freakin adorable! 🥰
October 9, 2021
A cozy romance AND a ranch owner? Call me interested. When you throw in a dog...then I am sold. Although I did enjoy one half of the couple more than the other.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
Want to read
November 30, 2021Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
First off, nothings beats reading "first in a new series" in any cozy mystery description. Second, anything that involves a cozy mystery with a bookstore setting is an A+ in my book. Throw in a ranch owner for extra credit and you have a major winner in my eyes.
Anyways, looking forward to the next installment and learning more about this community. I really enjoyed the character development between Lizzie and the Tinder Creek gang! Was slow at times, but really picked up.
Would recommend.
First off, nothings beats reading "first in a new series" in any cozy mystery description. Second, anything that involves a cozy mystery with a bookstore setting is an A+ in my book. Throw in a ranch owner for extra credit and you have a major winner in my eyes.
Anyways, looking forward to the next installment and learning more about this community. I really enjoyed the character development between Lizzie and the Tinder Creek gang! Was slow at times, but really picked up.
Would recommend.
October 4, 2021
Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is the first book in the new Love is Murder mystery series by author Mimi Granger. I have to say that I enjoyed the premise for this series. The main character, Lizzie Hale, owns and runs a romance bookstore called Love Under the Covers. The store also sells some extra items that go along with romance, like cards and candles. Brody Pierce, the red-hot rancher mentioned in the book’s title comes into her bookstore one day to buy a card and accidentally leaves his credit card at the store. When he doesn’t come back in a couple of days to retrieve the card, Lizzie decides to take it out to his ranch and return it to him. Once she arrives, she discovers Brody’s body in the barn.
Brody was a serial dater and seems to go through all the women in the town of Tinker’s Creek, Ohio. Any number of them could have had a reason to kill him, but Lizzie fears (because of a misunderstanding) that her aunt may have had something to do with Brody’s death and sets out to investigate so she can offer the police an alternative suspect, other then her aunt. This was my one big issue with this book. I thought Lizzie’s whole reason for investigating was pretty weak and could have been cleared up pretty easily with an honest conversation between the two.
All that said, I thought the characters in this series were great. I also enjoyed watching the relationship begin to develop between Lizzie and park ranger Max Alvarez. There were a couple of smaller mysteries to solve as well as figuring out who the killer was. I thought the mysteries were well done and I was not correct in guessing who the killer was, although when the reveal occurred everything made sense and wrapped up well.
Lizzie is a character that I really liked and I am now deeply invested in seeing what’s next for her and the Love Under the Covers bookstore. I will definitely be reading book 2 when it releases next year!
Brody was a serial dater and seems to go through all the women in the town of Tinker’s Creek, Ohio. Any number of them could have had a reason to kill him, but Lizzie fears (because of a misunderstanding) that her aunt may have had something to do with Brody’s death and sets out to investigate so she can offer the police an alternative suspect, other then her aunt. This was my one big issue with this book. I thought Lizzie’s whole reason for investigating was pretty weak and could have been cleared up pretty easily with an honest conversation between the two.
All that said, I thought the characters in this series were great. I also enjoyed watching the relationship begin to develop between Lizzie and park ranger Max Alvarez. There were a couple of smaller mysteries to solve as well as figuring out who the killer was. I thought the mysteries were well done and I was not correct in guessing who the killer was, although when the reveal occurred everything made sense and wrapped up well.
Lizzie is a character that I really liked and I am now deeply invested in seeing what’s next for her and the Love Under the Covers bookstore. I will definitely be reading book 2 when it releases next year!
September 16, 2021
2.5 stars
I so wanted to love this debut cozy mystery, but the main character's assumptions without evidence and communication with her aunt really bothered me. Once protagonist Lizzie finally clears the air with Charmaine, the story gets much, much better. Just like the romances that Lizzie loves, there are copious references to how "hot" the victim and Lizzie's potential love interest are, and this annoyed me. Complaints aside, the mystery is interesting, and the series has potential. I just hope the freshman hiccups are smoothed out going forward.
I so wanted to love this debut cozy mystery, but the main character's assumptions without evidence and communication with her aunt really bothered me. Once protagonist Lizzie finally clears the air with Charmaine, the story gets much, much better. Just like the romances that Lizzie loves, there are copious references to how "hot" the victim and Lizzie's potential love interest are, and this annoyed me. Complaints aside, the mystery is interesting, and the series has potential. I just hope the freshman hiccups are smoothed out going forward.
October 15, 2022
Did Berkley Publisher's editors quit or were they all on holiday when this book was supposed to have crossed their desks? Besides the bad sentence structures and poor wording, there are quite a few spelling errors. Also some contradictory lines within a few pages.
The protagonist is an idiot who turns into a babbling barely coherent mess whenever any reasonably attractive man is nearby.
The protagonist is an idiot who turns into a babbling barely coherent mess whenever any reasonably attractive man is nearby.
Read
May 24, 2021DNF at 35%. Eh, this was kinda flat for me. It didn't interest me all that much and I found the MC to be kinda dim.
January 25, 2022
Synopsis:
Love meets murder in this new cozy mystery series set in a quirky romance bookstore, with a heroine to die for.
Lizzie Hale may be the lucky owner of a successful romance bookshop, Love Under the Covers, but she’s decidedly un-lucky in love. Though she’s read almost every famous romance novelist, from Jane Austen to Nora Roberts, none have helped her figure out how to get–and keep–a man.
But Lizzie has bigger problems to worry about. Like murder.
When Brody Pierce, swoon-worthy ranch owner and resident bachelor, is found stabbed through the chest, hearts were heard breaking all over idyllic Tinker’s Creek. But when Lizzie’s aunt is implicated in the murder, she’s determined to clear her name. Lizzie quickly realizes that Brody was a hunk with many hidden secrets, and she’s soon leafing through a stack of suspects longer than Brody’s list of lovers.
With the killer still on the loose, Lizzie will have to find the truth before this act of passion ignites a fire she can’t put out. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Lizzie and
her Aunt Charmaine run a bookstore called Love Under The Covers and life is pretty good. That is until someone is found murdered and that someone is a ranch owner and handsome bachelor. When Lizzie’s aunt is a person of interest Lizzie has to figure out who did the deed. She will have some help from her friends to find the culprit.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the story I was right there watching all the action take place. The writing flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and the book was an easy read. I was not totally sure of the killer until it was revealed at the end.
This was the first book in the series and I thought it was good. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the
series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Berkeley Publishing Company, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Love meets murder in this new cozy mystery series set in a quirky romance bookstore, with a heroine to die for.
Lizzie Hale may be the lucky owner of a successful romance bookshop, Love Under the Covers, but she’s decidedly un-lucky in love. Though she’s read almost every famous romance novelist, from Jane Austen to Nora Roberts, none have helped her figure out how to get–and keep–a man.
But Lizzie has bigger problems to worry about. Like murder.
When Brody Pierce, swoon-worthy ranch owner and resident bachelor, is found stabbed through the chest, hearts were heard breaking all over idyllic Tinker’s Creek. But when Lizzie’s aunt is implicated in the murder, she’s determined to clear her name. Lizzie quickly realizes that Brody was a hunk with many hidden secrets, and she’s soon leafing through a stack of suspects longer than Brody’s list of lovers.
With the killer still on the loose, Lizzie will have to find the truth before this act of passion ignites a fire she can’t put out. (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters are well rounded and well developed. Lizzie and
her Aunt Charmaine run a bookstore called Love Under The Covers and life is pretty good. That is until someone is found murdered and that someone is a ranch owner and handsome bachelor. When Lizzie’s aunt is a person of interest Lizzie has to figure out who did the deed. She will have some help from her friends to find the culprit.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the story I was right there watching all the action take place. The writing flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The mystery was well plotted and the book was an easy read. I was not totally sure of the killer until it was revealed at the end.
This was the first book in the series and I thought it was good. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the
series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Berkeley Publishing Company, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
September 7, 2021
Lizzie Hale owns Love Under the Covers, a romance bookstore, in Tinker’s Creek, Ohio. Lizzie finds local hot shot bison rancher, Brody Pierce stabbed to death in his barn. She worries that her free-spirited aunt will be accused of the crime, so Lizzie sets out to find Brody’s killer. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher by Mimi Granger is the beginning of A Love is Murder Mystery series. Lizzie Hale loves to read romance novels, but they do not help her with her own love life. Lizzie’s mouth has a way of saying the wrong thing when she is with a handsome man. Men seldom want a second date after enduring her babbling commentary or when Lizzie begins talking about romance novels. Lizzie’s aunt, Charmaine is a quirky, free-spirited woman. I am a fan of the aunt. She is fun, outgoing, and friendly. We are introduced to a host of secondary characters. It can be difficult to keep them all straight. I enjoyed the descriptions of Tinker’s Creek, Ohio. It sounds like a cozy small town that reminds me of Upper Sandusky (from when I was a kid). The whodunit is straightforward. I thought it was obvious who would die right from the beginning. The killer can be discerned before Lizzie finds the victim dead (my mother says I have read too many mysteries). I did enjoy the slight twist before the reveal. Lizzie uncovers a variety of secrets while (some humorous) investigating Brody’s death. One secret reminded me of my favorite CSI episode. The clues are there for readers to find in order to solve the crime. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is easy to read, and the story moves along at a steady pace. At times, though, it felt more like a romance novel than a cozy mystery. I loved Violet, Brody’s shedding dog. She is a smart, sweet pooch. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a departed rancher, funny money problem, big bison, a desolate dog, a quirky relative, a loving letter, and a sleuthing bookstore owner.
August 4, 2024
How do I hate the main character. Let me count the ways:
1) When she finds a card with a mushy love poem in her aunt’s room she immediately assumes the guy who sent it is the love of her aunt’s life. Even though her aunt has been married multiple times and never has shown the least bit of interest in the guy.
2) On the flimsiest bits of evidence she speculates wildly about possible scenarios. And despite learning all the time that her wild imagination has taken her way off base she does not change her ways; she does not learn from her mistakes.
3) She thinks Meghan must be the murderer, while admitting there is little evidence that points her way. So she decides they must trap Meghan in a lie.
4) Being present where the police is investigating for no good reason. An author must not use a shoe horn to make an amateur sleuth learn interesting things.
I also hate the police and park rangers for their incompetence in running this investigation. It takes them a week (!) to go to the neighbour of the crime scene and secure copies of his surveillance cameras. The neighbour had to call the police himself and offer these. Then it takes them another three days (!) to
Still, Max the ranger, has the audacity to tell a witness: “We would have had a better idea of the time he died if you’d have let us know what really happened before now.” Uhm, yeah, if you’d’ve bothered to do your job and run a proper investigation, you’d’ve had a chat with this person on Thursday, the day the victim was found.
I like cozy mysteries. I really do. But I prefer it if the sleuth investigates things the police can’t or won’t due to protocol or whatever. I don’t like cozies where the police is blatantly incompetent and the sleuth has to take over to do their job.
1) When she finds a card with a mushy love poem in her aunt’s room she immediately assumes the guy who sent it is the love of her aunt’s life. Even though her aunt has been married multiple times and never has shown the least bit of interest in the guy.
2) On the flimsiest bits of evidence she speculates wildly about possible scenarios. And despite learning all the time that her wild imagination has taken her way off base she does not change her ways; she does not learn from her mistakes.
3) She thinks Meghan must be the murderer, while admitting there is little evidence that points her way. So she decides they must trap Meghan in a lie.
4) Being present where the police is investigating for no good reason. An author must not use a shoe horn to make an amateur sleuth learn interesting things.
I also hate the police and park rangers for their incompetence in running this investigation. It takes them a week (!) to go to the neighbour of the crime scene and secure copies of his surveillance cameras. The neighbour had to call the police himself and offer these. Then it takes them another three days (!) to
Still, Max the ranger, has the audacity to tell a witness: “We would have had a better idea of the time he died if you’d have let us know what really happened before now.” Uhm, yeah, if you’d’ve bothered to do your job and run a proper investigation, you’d’ve had a chat with this person on Thursday, the day the victim was found.
I like cozy mysteries. I really do. But I prefer it if the sleuth investigates things the police can’t or won’t due to protocol or whatever. I don’t like cozies where the police is blatantly incompetent and the sleuth has to take over to do their job.
August 10, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.5/5 stars
First off, the title of this book, Death of a Red-Hot Rancher, is amazing and I love it so. It never failed to make me laugh. Luckily the book lives up to that title. I have always enjoyed Hallmark Mysteries, many of which have been based on cozy mystery series, as well as Murder, She Wrote, but have never found a cozy mystery book that I have loved..until now. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is hilarious with lovable characters and the perfect setting.
The book centers around Lizzie Hale, the owner of my dream romance book store. When she stumbles upon the body of Brody Pierce, the town crush, she decides she must solve the mystery before her beloved aunt is accused of the murder. She uses her knowledge from hundreds of romantic suspense novels and the help from the new Park Ranger to answer the question of: Who killed the hot rancher?
This was amazing and I read it in a day. Lizzie is sweet and funny and I loved all of the references to famous romance authors and tropes. Her bookstore, Love Under the Covers, sounds AMAZING and I need it to exist. Basically, I loved this book so much that I will now fall into a Cozy Mystery hole trying to find one that I love as much as this. I need the sequel.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full review to be posted closer to release date.
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.5/5 stars
First off, the title of this book, Death of a Red-Hot Rancher, is amazing and I love it so. It never failed to make me laugh. Luckily the book lives up to that title. I have always enjoyed Hallmark Mysteries, many of which have been based on cozy mystery series, as well as Murder, She Wrote, but have never found a cozy mystery book that I have loved..until now. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is hilarious with lovable characters and the perfect setting.
The book centers around Lizzie Hale, the owner of my dream romance book store. When she stumbles upon the body of Brody Pierce, the town crush, she decides she must solve the mystery before her beloved aunt is accused of the murder. She uses her knowledge from hundreds of romantic suspense novels and the help from the new Park Ranger to answer the question of: Who killed the hot rancher?
This was amazing and I read it in a day. Lizzie is sweet and funny and I loved all of the references to famous romance authors and tropes. Her bookstore, Love Under the Covers, sounds AMAZING and I need it to exist. Basically, I loved this book so much that I will now fall into a Cozy Mystery hole trying to find one that I love as much as this. I need the sequel.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full review to be posted closer to release date.
April 24, 2025
Just another typical cozy mystery, but I still enjoyed it. The beginning moved a touch slow, however, it definitely got better as the book went on.
Basically, what you have is a small town in Ohio called Tinker’s Creek (cute and cozy, right?) and Lizzie Hale, who owns a romance bookstore called “Love Under the Covers.” Cute enough that I think someone should actually open one with that name.
Anyhoo, the first chapter opens with Lizzie and the rest of the women in the store watching the big, handsome cowboy, Brody Pierce, walk around the store like it’s a normal thing to do. It’s hilarious, but you definitely, based on the book’s title, that our dear Brody is our victim … sadly.
So, yep, he ends up skewered, Lizzie finds his dead body on his ranch, and the typical chaos ensues in a small town. Right down to Lizzie ending up with Brody’s pet dog Violet, who hitched a ride in her car when she left the crime scene.
Overall it was a fun story, with a lot of “interesting” characters. I mean it wasn’t genius work, but it was entertaining. Even if I did guess almost immediately who I figured snafued dear Brody!!!
I know the author has another follow-up with the same characters, including a potential love interest for Lizzie, so I’ll be continuing on in the series.
Basically, what you have is a small town in Ohio called Tinker’s Creek (cute and cozy, right?) and Lizzie Hale, who owns a romance bookstore called “Love Under the Covers.” Cute enough that I think someone should actually open one with that name.
Anyhoo, the first chapter opens with Lizzie and the rest of the women in the store watching the big, handsome cowboy, Brody Pierce, walk around the store like it’s a normal thing to do. It’s hilarious, but you definitely, based on the book’s title, that our dear Brody is our victim … sadly.
So, yep, he ends up skewered, Lizzie finds his dead body on his ranch, and the typical chaos ensues in a small town. Right down to Lizzie ending up with Brody’s pet dog Violet, who hitched a ride in her car when she left the crime scene.
Overall it was a fun story, with a lot of “interesting” characters. I mean it wasn’t genius work, but it was entertaining. Even if I did guess almost immediately who I figured snafued dear Brody!!!
I know the author has another follow-up with the same characters, including a potential love interest for Lizzie, so I’ll be continuing on in the series.
March 18, 2025
I've been a big fan of Kylie Logan's other book series [especially Ethnic Eats] and I was thrilled to discover she had another series, written as Mimi Granger.
Lizzie Hale owns and runs a romance-themed bookstore in her small town. When a local rancher is killed, and the clues point to her aunt Charmaine, Lizzy sets to investigate with the help of a sexy, new park ranger.
I ate this one right up!!!!! A romance bookstore, with each room being different sub-genre themed? Yes please!!! Our amateur sleuth, Lizzie, appears to shun romance except amongst the pages. In fact the idea of romance causes her to start scratching. Enter a sexy park ranger, who used to be a baseball star, and well my toes were curling and my romance-loving heart was leaping for joy!!
The mystery was dynamite. It kept me guessing right until the end, and I didn't put all the pieces together before Lizzie. I'm rarely stumped, so I loved this!!
If you like book-themed cozy mysteries definitely add this series to your list. I will be reading the second one, Death of a Mail Order Bride, very soon!
Lizzie Hale owns and runs a romance-themed bookstore in her small town. When a local rancher is killed, and the clues point to her aunt Charmaine, Lizzy sets to investigate with the help of a sexy, new park ranger.
I ate this one right up!!!!! A romance bookstore, with each room being different sub-genre themed? Yes please!!! Our amateur sleuth, Lizzie, appears to shun romance except amongst the pages. In fact the idea of romance causes her to start scratching. Enter a sexy park ranger, who used to be a baseball star, and well my toes were curling and my romance-loving heart was leaping for joy!!
The mystery was dynamite. It kept me guessing right until the end, and I didn't put all the pieces together before Lizzie. I'm rarely stumped, so I loved this!!
If you like book-themed cozy mysteries definitely add this series to your list. I will be reading the second one, Death of a Mail Order Bride, very soon!
January 12, 2023
Romance book store owner, Lizzie, enjoys the success of her business, but has not been so lucky in love. Nerves and awkwardness have made for few second dates. When a local lady's man, celebrity and rancher is murdered (found by Lizzie of course), she finds herself in the position of assisting in the investigation.
The handsome, ex-professional baseball catcher-turned-park ranger who assists the local police certainly catches her eye, but how long can she use her endless knowledge of baseball, or the murder case, to keep his interest before the nerves rear their head?
Spoiler? She doesn't need to worry...and the case gets solved. Blossoming love and murder make for the best easy reading.
The handsome, ex-professional baseball catcher-turned-park ranger who assists the local police certainly catches her eye, but how long can she use her endless knowledge of baseball, or the murder case, to keep his interest before the nerves rear their head?
Spoiler? She doesn't need to worry...and the case gets solved. Blossoming love and murder make for the best easy reading.
September 20, 2021
https://openbooksociety.com/article/d...
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is the debut entry in the Love is Murder Mystery Series by Mimi Granger (aka Kylie Logan). It meets all of the requirements for the cozy mystery genre, and the hook of a romance bookseller who is unlucky in love drew me in.
Bookstore owner Lizzie Hale runs the Love Under the Covers romance book shop with her over-the-top Aunt Charmaine, and she is quite successful, at least as a businesswoman but not so much in her personal life. When she finds local celebrity hottie Brody Pierce stabbed to death in his barn, Lizzie is afraid her aunt played a role and does all she can to find the murderer before the police hone in on Charmaine.
I love the premise of this series. The small-town Ohio backdrop is great – the gossip is strong. Even though I am not a huge romance reader, Lizzie’s Victorian house-turned-shop sounds like the perfect place to hang out for the day browsing the shelves and chatting with other book lovers. That said Lizzie really bugs me. She claims to be “smart, logical, and pragmatic”, but for a good seventy percent of the book, she makes tons of assumptions and spins countless theories without many facts to back them up. She is awkward and comes across as weak. Most of the book relies on her theories about her aunt’s relationship with Brody, and it is not until she finally clears the air with Charmaine that Lizzie becomes much more confident and appealing. I was so frustrated waiting for her to talk to Charmaine about what really was going on, and I knocked a star off of the rating as a result. There are quite a few interesting characters introduced here, but none are fully fleshed out. Charmaine is a little too much for my taste, but I really want to get to know Lizzie’s potential love interest baseball player turned park ranger Max.
As much as I grew weary of reading how handsome and sexy the victim was (and Max, too, for that matter), I do feel it was important to the investigation. He was quite the ladies’ man so former girlfriends provide lots of suspects. Add a disgruntled neighbor, a cousin who has always been in Brody’s shadow, and an obsessed librarian, and Lizzie has plenty to investigate. There are sufficient clues and misdirection, but questions that nagged me throughout the book kept me from being too surprised by how the mystery played out. Seriously, the last quarter of the book saved it.
The Love as Murder series has potential; I just do not know if Death of a Red-Hot Rancher convinces me to read more. I will probably give the next book in the series a go before passing final judgment. Recommended to cozy fans that also enjoy heavy talk of romance.
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is the debut entry in the Love is Murder Mystery Series by Mimi Granger (aka Kylie Logan). It meets all of the requirements for the cozy mystery genre, and the hook of a romance bookseller who is unlucky in love drew me in.
Bookstore owner Lizzie Hale runs the Love Under the Covers romance book shop with her over-the-top Aunt Charmaine, and she is quite successful, at least as a businesswoman but not so much in her personal life. When she finds local celebrity hottie Brody Pierce stabbed to death in his barn, Lizzie is afraid her aunt played a role and does all she can to find the murderer before the police hone in on Charmaine.
I love the premise of this series. The small-town Ohio backdrop is great – the gossip is strong. Even though I am not a huge romance reader, Lizzie’s Victorian house-turned-shop sounds like the perfect place to hang out for the day browsing the shelves and chatting with other book lovers. That said Lizzie really bugs me. She claims to be “smart, logical, and pragmatic”, but for a good seventy percent of the book, she makes tons of assumptions and spins countless theories without many facts to back them up. She is awkward and comes across as weak. Most of the book relies on her theories about her aunt’s relationship with Brody, and it is not until she finally clears the air with Charmaine that Lizzie becomes much more confident and appealing. I was so frustrated waiting for her to talk to Charmaine about what really was going on, and I knocked a star off of the rating as a result. There are quite a few interesting characters introduced here, but none are fully fleshed out. Charmaine is a little too much for my taste, but I really want to get to know Lizzie’s potential love interest baseball player turned park ranger Max.
As much as I grew weary of reading how handsome and sexy the victim was (and Max, too, for that matter), I do feel it was important to the investigation. He was quite the ladies’ man so former girlfriends provide lots of suspects. Add a disgruntled neighbor, a cousin who has always been in Brody’s shadow, and an obsessed librarian, and Lizzie has plenty to investigate. There are sufficient clues and misdirection, but questions that nagged me throughout the book kept me from being too surprised by how the mystery played out. Seriously, the last quarter of the book saved it.
The Love as Murder series has potential; I just do not know if Death of a Red-Hot Rancher convinces me to read more. I will probably give the next book in the series a go before passing final judgment. Recommended to cozy fans that also enjoy heavy talk of romance.
September 29, 2021
Its always great to read a cozy mystery where the protagonist is surrounding by books. Even though in this one, she runs a romance bookstore. The amateur sleuth is Lizzie Hale, a woman in her late twenties that owns a successful bookstore specializing in romance novels called Love Under The Covers. A local rancher and womanizer is found dead on his ranch and Lizzie is the one to discover the body.
June 4, 2025
I enjoyed this book after I was able to fully get into it. I think because of the print. Lizzie and her staff and friends were a hoot and I loved the bookstore. I’m hoping that there is a number three in the works because I really wanna see what becomes of Lizzie and Max, they seem like a cute couple
August 29, 2021
Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
A cozy mystery featuring the owner of a romance bookstore? This was made for me, and I really enjoyed it. Fortunately, the story inside lived up to the promise of the premise, and there was an interesting mystery with great suspects and clues, as well as the introduction to the community and characters that readers will expect in a cozy series starter. I'm looking forward to this series continuing!
A cozy mystery featuring the owner of a romance bookstore? This was made for me, and I really enjoyed it. Fortunately, the story inside lived up to the promise of the premise, and there was an interesting mystery with great suspects and clues, as well as the introduction to the community and characters that readers will expect in a cozy series starter. I'm looking forward to this series continuing!
October 10, 2022
A murder mystery with well developed characters. Interesting story with intriguing set. I love the cover!
July 14, 2021
The best part of the book is that the main character, Lizzie, owns a bookstore! I am a sucker for books that feature a bookstore. She is living the dream. When the town dreamboat, Brody, is murdered, Lizzie becomes worried that her Aunt may have had something to do with the murder. So she decides to solve the case and save her Aunt.
I didn't like how Lizzie made so many assumptions about her Aunt. Things could have been easily cleared up if she had just talked openly to her. I don't understand why she was so quick to suspect her. There are many other suspects too. Brody has dated almost every woman in the town and jealousy could be a motive.
This book has a solid mystery with a satisfying ending. Lizzie has a potential love interest in the new Park Ranger in town. It was a quick, entertaining read. This has potential to be a great new cozy mystery series.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
I didn't like how Lizzie made so many assumptions about her Aunt. Things could have been easily cleared up if she had just talked openly to her. I don't understand why she was so quick to suspect her. There are many other suspects too. Brody has dated almost every woman in the town and jealousy could be a motive.
This book has a solid mystery with a satisfying ending. Lizzie has a potential love interest in the new Park Ranger in town. It was a quick, entertaining read. This has potential to be a great new cozy mystery series.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 23, 2021
*I received a copy of this via the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Just because Lizzie Hale owns a popular romance book store doesn't mean love comes naturally to her. Everything she knows about that particular emotion came from the books that line the walls of Love Under the Covers. But she has bigger problems than not being able to find a man, and that's murder. When the eligible bachelor, Brody Pierce, is found stabbed to death, everyone in the small town of Tinker's Creek is on edge. No one knows what happened, but that doesn't stop fingers from pointing at Lizzie's aunt as the prime suspect. Determined to clear her aunt's name, Lizzie starts her investigation and soon uncovers that Brody had his fair share of secrets, and the list of people who loved and hated him is pretty equal. With time running out and a killer still on the loose, will Lizzie be able to get to the bottom of this crime of passion before it's too late?
I've only recently gotten into the cozy mystery genre, but I'm having so much fun with it, and this one was no exception! I was taken with the characters and the small-town vibe straight away. Lizzie was such a joy to follow. She's funny and a little awkward which made her seem realistic, and made you root for her to get to the bottom of this mystery. I loved how she used her knowledge of romance books and their tropes to aid her investigation. There were times when she came across aa a little judgmental, but for the most part, I liked her. Plot-wise, I thought it was fast-paced and kept my attention the whole time. It's not the most complicated mystery, and there were a few points I was able to guess, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment, and I still found the ending satisfying. Overall, if you enjoy cozy mysteries or are looking to start getting into them, I think this is a delightful one to pick up.
Just because Lizzie Hale owns a popular romance book store doesn't mean love comes naturally to her. Everything she knows about that particular emotion came from the books that line the walls of Love Under the Covers. But she has bigger problems than not being able to find a man, and that's murder. When the eligible bachelor, Brody Pierce, is found stabbed to death, everyone in the small town of Tinker's Creek is on edge. No one knows what happened, but that doesn't stop fingers from pointing at Lizzie's aunt as the prime suspect. Determined to clear her aunt's name, Lizzie starts her investigation and soon uncovers that Brody had his fair share of secrets, and the list of people who loved and hated him is pretty equal. With time running out and a killer still on the loose, will Lizzie be able to get to the bottom of this crime of passion before it's too late?
I've only recently gotten into the cozy mystery genre, but I'm having so much fun with it, and this one was no exception! I was taken with the characters and the small-town vibe straight away. Lizzie was such a joy to follow. She's funny and a little awkward which made her seem realistic, and made you root for her to get to the bottom of this mystery. I loved how she used her knowledge of romance books and their tropes to aid her investigation. There were times when she came across aa a little judgmental, but for the most part, I liked her. Plot-wise, I thought it was fast-paced and kept my attention the whole time. It's not the most complicated mystery, and there were a few points I was able to guess, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment, and I still found the ending satisfying. Overall, if you enjoy cozy mysteries or are looking to start getting into them, I think this is a delightful one to pick up.
July 24, 2022
Excellent Introduction!
The charm in this book was off the charts. Lizzie was an adorable lead, and I love her passion for romance novels. I love that Mimi Granger incorporated how empowering romance novels could be and that she tackled every sub-genre in the category.
I loved the descriptions in this book. From the bookshop to the cottage, the town, and the bison- it was all so vivid and easy to imagine. I also enjoyed meeting the various citizens of this town.
There is so much personality and wit within these pages. I loved Violet! This was similar to Amy Pershing’s Foodies Series, with the awkward Sam and her sweet mountain of a pup Diogi.
I was approved for an arc for the second book in this series and wanted to do the series justice, and I knew I had to start with book one. And I am so glad I did.
Mimi Granger painted a fantastic mystery filled with so many suspects. I thought I knew who was guilty, but I was wrong. I loved the journey of following the evidence and the twists along the way.
This is going to be such a great series, and I am so excited to keep following Lizzie. Initially drawn to the cover with the picture of a cute pup, but when I learned the main character was called Lizzie Hale, I knew I had to read this book.
I am quite a fan of Halestorm, led by the incredibly talented Lzzy Hale. The pup drew me in, but the name sealed the deal. And the plot, writing, and character development kept me hooked. This is a must-read series for cozy mystery fans!
The charm in this book was off the charts. Lizzie was an adorable lead, and I love her passion for romance novels. I love that Mimi Granger incorporated how empowering romance novels could be and that she tackled every sub-genre in the category.
I loved the descriptions in this book. From the bookshop to the cottage, the town, and the bison- it was all so vivid and easy to imagine. I also enjoyed meeting the various citizens of this town.
There is so much personality and wit within these pages. I loved Violet! This was similar to Amy Pershing’s Foodies Series, with the awkward Sam and her sweet mountain of a pup Diogi.
I was approved for an arc for the second book in this series and wanted to do the series justice, and I knew I had to start with book one. And I am so glad I did.
Mimi Granger painted a fantastic mystery filled with so many suspects. I thought I knew who was guilty, but I was wrong. I loved the journey of following the evidence and the twists along the way.
This is going to be such a great series, and I am so excited to keep following Lizzie. Initially drawn to the cover with the picture of a cute pup, but when I learned the main character was called Lizzie Hale, I knew I had to read this book.
I am quite a fan of Halestorm, led by the incredibly talented Lzzy Hale. The pup drew me in, but the name sealed the deal. And the plot, writing, and character development kept me hooked. This is a must-read series for cozy mystery fans!
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September 14, 2021Death of a Red-Hot Ranger was such a fun start to a new cozy mystery series that I will definitely be continuing with.
I think every bookworm can agree that there's something so enjoyable about reading books about books. Our protagonist, Lizzie, owns a romance bookstore and finds herself investigating the death of the local lady's man. I didn't find myself connecting to the town/side characters as much as I'd like to in this one however I really enjoyed the bookstore setting. I loved the descriptions of how the store was organized using different romance genre tropes and the many references to real romance authors.
Mimi Granger did a great job crafting the mystery. I found the cast of characters to be manageable and not overwhelming to keep track of who's who which is something I do find I tend to struggle with occasionally in mysteries like this.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, romance novels, smart animal companions, or books that involve books, I think you'll really like Death of a Red-Hot Rancher.
Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Mimi Granger for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is out TODAY, September 14th, 2021.
I think every bookworm can agree that there's something so enjoyable about reading books about books. Our protagonist, Lizzie, owns a romance bookstore and finds herself investigating the death of the local lady's man. I didn't find myself connecting to the town/side characters as much as I'd like to in this one however I really enjoyed the bookstore setting. I loved the descriptions of how the store was organized using different romance genre tropes and the many references to real romance authors.
Mimi Granger did a great job crafting the mystery. I found the cast of characters to be manageable and not overwhelming to keep track of who's who which is something I do find I tend to struggle with occasionally in mysteries like this.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries, romance novels, smart animal companions, or books that involve books, I think you'll really like Death of a Red-Hot Rancher.
Thank you to Berkley, NetGalley, and Mimi Granger for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Death of a Red-Hot Rancher is out TODAY, September 14th, 2021.
August 3, 2021
Brody Pierce is a sight to behold. Every female in the small town of Tinker’s Creek, Ohio takes notice of this tall piece of eye-candy when he comes to town. He made his fame and fortune in Hollywood as the hunky, rough and tumble actor in a truck commercial. This allowed him to purchase a ranch in Tinker’s Creek where he raises bison.
Lizzie Hale, the owner of the most successful romance bookstore in the Midwest, is not immune to Pierce’s rugged good looks, but tries to remain calm when he enters her store. All of her female customers, including her aunt, Charmaine, practically swooned at his feet. Yes, everyone loved and admired him – with the exception of at least one person. The one that killed him.
Unfortunately, Lizzie is the one that finds his body. She is obviously upset, but it is evident this is a murder and now she is in the thick of it. Quietly tallying up the clues she has observed, Lizzie begins to do a bit of sleuthing. Unfortunately, the clues start to point at one of the people in town she knows and cares for.
The setting of this small town and the bookstore Lizzie owns enhances the depth of characters and plot. It was quite enjoyable picturing the rooms in the bookstore as well as the bison ranch. The extra touch of Lizzie taking care of Brody’s orphan dog was heartwarming. Even though he left dog hair every place they traveled together. The requisite touch of romance is present in this cozy and I am looking forward to see how the characters develop in future books in this series.
This fast-paced cozy mystery is full of twists and turns. Usually, the killer is easy to spot, but there are so many people that had it out for Pierce, it was impossible to figure out who the killer was until the final chapters.
Mimi Granger aka Connie Laux is a new author to me as this is the first book of hers that I have read. She is an established mystery writer, and Murder of a Red-Hot Rancher is the first book she has written as Mimi Granger, one of her many pen names. This is the first cozy mystery she has written, previously focused on romance novels. If you love cozies, you will love this book. I’m looking forward to more books in this series.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Copyright © 2021 Laura Hartman
Lizzie Hale, the owner of the most successful romance bookstore in the Midwest, is not immune to Pierce’s rugged good looks, but tries to remain calm when he enters her store. All of her female customers, including her aunt, Charmaine, practically swooned at his feet. Yes, everyone loved and admired him – with the exception of at least one person. The one that killed him.
Unfortunately, Lizzie is the one that finds his body. She is obviously upset, but it is evident this is a murder and now she is in the thick of it. Quietly tallying up the clues she has observed, Lizzie begins to do a bit of sleuthing. Unfortunately, the clues start to point at one of the people in town she knows and cares for.
The setting of this small town and the bookstore Lizzie owns enhances the depth of characters and plot. It was quite enjoyable picturing the rooms in the bookstore as well as the bison ranch. The extra touch of Lizzie taking care of Brody’s orphan dog was heartwarming. Even though he left dog hair every place they traveled together. The requisite touch of romance is present in this cozy and I am looking forward to see how the characters develop in future books in this series.
This fast-paced cozy mystery is full of twists and turns. Usually, the killer is easy to spot, but there are so many people that had it out for Pierce, it was impossible to figure out who the killer was until the final chapters.
Mimi Granger aka Connie Laux is a new author to me as this is the first book of hers that I have read. She is an established mystery writer, and Murder of a Red-Hot Rancher is the first book she has written as Mimi Granger, one of her many pen names. This is the first cozy mystery she has written, previously focused on romance novels. If you love cozies, you will love this book. I’m looking forward to more books in this series.
DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a review copy for free from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Copyright © 2021 Laura Hartman
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