A Poisonous Page

Sweet Fiction Bookshop #2

by Kitt Crowe

Kitt Crowe's second Sweet Fiction Bookshop mystery whips up an array of intriguing suspects and motives into a diabolically deft read, perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Joanne Fluke.

It’s summer festival time in Confection, Oregon, and that means a barrage of tourists making cash registers ring at Sweet Fiction Bookshop. But what should be bookseller Lexi’s most lucrative time of year turns disturbing when a member of the chamber of commerce suddenly dies of a heart attack. Not entirely unexpected—considering her family history—but it’s a different story when another chamber member dies just one week later…also, presumably, of natural causes.

Something about this doesn’t read right to Lexi. And it gets more unfathomable when her friend Dash—who dated both women—stands accused of murder! With Cookie, her lovable border collie mix, at her side and countless volumes of inspiration on her shelves, Lexi opens the book on another perplexing case. Who could have murdered two prominent townspeople without leaving even a hint of evidence on the scene? And why is an irksome-but-intriguing detective always seeming to catch her and Cookie working the case?

Lexi’s Confection Rose-colored glasses come off when she learns of thorny discussions among the council members, involving a string of secretive real estate transactions. Enlisting her faithful fellow members of the Macaroon Book Club, Lexi sets out to bind the clues together and clear Dash’s name. But if she can’t devise a clever trap for the real killer, she may soon end up with a very unhappily ever after of her own.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 12, 2022

About the author

aka Marie Harte

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was very happy to read the second. It was equally as good.

Lexi is the manager of the Sweet Fiction Bookshop in Confection, Oregon. She has a great group of friends who all fancy themselves as amateur detectives, so when people start dying in the town they get together to try and solve the mystery. Lexi's nemesis, Detective Chad Berg, is of course firmly against any of them being involved at all.

I really enjoyed all the developments in this story. Chad shows another side of himself which involves kittens. Lexie nearly gets herself killed (again). And Cookie the wonder dog displays an amazing understanding of spoken English. Crazy but great fun! I am definitely up for book 3!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexi and her devoted and beloved dog Cookie were deep in customers in her bookshop - Sweet Fiction - in Confection, Oregon when Lexi heard of a woman dying of a heart attack. Lexi couldn't help her suspicious nature, but Marilyn's death by natural causes didn't sit right. And then another woman died - definitely murder - and was connected through the real estate office they both worked in. Lexi's antennae were on high alert. She got her book club people together - the Macaroons - to discuss the two cases, using a white board to list their suspects.

Detective Chad Berg was on the case and kept telling Lexi to butt out. But, although she agreed to do so, she lied. When Lexi's best friend Teri's brother was arrested for murder, they were devastated, knowing they needed to work harder, now to prove his innocence. With the book club questioning everyone they could they were slowly coming up with interesting information. But could they discover who the murderer was? And would Cookie save the day?

A Poisonous Page is the 2nd in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop series by Kitt Crowe and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Laugh out loud funny in places, Cookie was the star of the show. Great characters - Teri, Cat, Roger, Dash, and of course Chad and Lexi - made this cosy mystery a fun and entertaining read. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Britta · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Poisonous Page" is the second book in the "A Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mystery" series by Kitt Crowe. I haven't read the first book in the series, but I had no problem following the story and didn't have the feeling I was missing out on something.

This was a really entertaining cozy mystery with three-dimensional, likeable and quirky characters. I loved the relationship between Lexi and her dog Cookie, her lovely uncles and the banter between her and Detective Berg.

The plot was well crafted with twists and red herrings to keep the mystery interesting.

I will definitely read the first book in the series and I hope there are more adventures to come.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the second in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop series, and I have not read the first. It didn't matter, the book could easily be read as a stand alone. This was a cozy mystery involving the murder of two chamber members and the search for the killer.

Lexi's friend, Dash has been accused of the murders, since he dated both women who were killed. He seemed the most likely suspect. But Lexi is determined to prove her friend is not the murderer so she sets out, secretly, to follow clues and investigate for herself - despite that cute policeman who keeps telling her not to get involved. She can feel him watching her.

This was a cute mystery with a little romance as well. There were several possible suspects, so it was fun to watch the investigation progress.

Thanks. to Crooked Lane Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 12, 2022.

[BonnieM☂️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Poisonous Page was a fun read. It takes place in Confectjion, Oregon. Lexi Jones is the main character who works as the manager of her parent's book store, Sweet Fiction. The supporting characters add to the story. Detective Chad Berg and Lexi have a strained relationship. He is always looking for reasons to give her a ticket for her dog, Cookie. While in the book store he gets a call for a 10-54 (dead body) and leaves. Marilyn Freeman, a realtor has passed away. from a heart attack. She owns Sunsweet Realty. Lexi and her friends, Cat and Terri go to Ripe Raison a bar and pub owned by Terri's brother, Dash, Everyone is talking about Marilyn's passing. She has a bad reputation of having affairs with many of the men who live in town as well as some shady real estate dealings. Dash mentions that he had once dated her for a short time last year. Terri calls Lexi early in the morning that a body has been found in Dash's backyard. The person who is found there is Rachael Nevis who worked for Marilyn. She also had dated Dash. Lexi promises Terri that she will find out who killed Rachael when Dash is arrested. Lexi calls an emergency meeting of the Macaroons Book Club (also known as Macaroons Mystery Club), They find out that Marilyn had a deal with Gary and Clint, real estate developers for ownership of Strawberry Fields land. but died before it was finalized. Rachael closed the deal. It is later discovered that both Marilyn and Rachael had been poisoned by Ketamine, The reader is taken on an exciting adventure of finding out who killed them. and the exciting ending. Throughout the story, the relationship between Chad and Lexi is developing with some funny episodes.

I enjoyed this book and found it quite entertaining.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane for this ARC.

[Tahera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the series and I think I will be throughly enjoying this series if the author Kitt Crowe continues to come up with good mystery plotlines filled with equal dosage of fun, sass, wit, humour and danger. Cookie, Lexi Jones's adorable and clever dog is the star once again but it looks like she will be having competition soon in the form of two kittens whom Detective Berg (a likely romantic interest for Lexi after their not so friendly start in book 1) decides to foster. The mystery is once again a good one and all the characters' arcs are developing and moving forward nicely. It is rare for me to find a book where I don't dislike any character and this series is full of entertaining ones with their own unique quirks. Very keen to know more about Detective Berg's past and I feel there is something very special about Cookie that still needs to come to light. I love everything about the town of Confection from the way it is described to its delectable sounding buildings, monuments, roads, businesses, etc.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Kitt Crowe for the e-Arc of the book.

The book publishes today!

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Poisonous Page is an intriguing cozy mystery that kept this reader on the edge of her seat.
Lexi and her canine companion Cookie find themselves wrapped up in another murder investigation, and this time, its her friend Dash that's in the hit seat.
As the investigation advances, there seems to be something fishy going on in the chamber of commerce, and when Lexi finds herself in harm's way, she is sure this might be the end for her.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
#APoisonousPage #NetGalley

[Apoorva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a delightful read! It's from the POV of our female protagonist, a bookstore owner, Lexi. Multiple personalities in the novel carry their own different flavor, creating an absorbing account.

A mystery fiction that has one on the edge while also cracking at marks is a rare blend. Now picture mystery plus romance genres in a single narrative. Ain't that like a cherry on the cake! The plot is mesmerizing & the mystery-solving is impressive, something that I haven't come across earlier. The book is addictive & leaves one desiring for more. So there's no surprise that I just devoured it in one sitting.

I, for some reason, couldn't connect to the title & its tale. The cover is attractive but could actually do considerably more suitable. Overall, I sensed the book is a great read & mystery fans are in for a delight.

Thank you, NetGalley, author Kitt Crowe & publisher Crooked Lane Books, for supplying me with an advanced e-copy. I'm writing this review voluntarily in exchange for the book.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a fun cosy mystery fiction to read!

Thank you, Crooked Lane Books, for the advance reading copy.

The plotline is so refreshing and the way the mystery solving process has been dealt is calming and so definitely cool which I would never expect from a murder mystery story. So I am quite surprised here!

The writing is fun and entertaining. The characters are convincing. You won't take much time in reading the entire book. Each chapter carries a part which will propel you to go to the next chapter without delay. And that's the best part.

Short chapters, good character development, a fun plot and a satisfying ending. Just go for this book for a fun weekend reading.

[Anna Tilisky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book and exchange for an honest review. This book is about Lexi and her book club group which seemingly gets tangled up in solving murders. There are three murders in the book that are all on the surface seemingly unrelated but Lexi and her group of macaroons crack the code. This book also focuses on Lexi’s new potential love interest. It was a good book overall but I felt the author repeated things a lot and there were a couple too many characters to really get to know each character. Overall I would recommend but it was not my favorite book I’ve read.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Poisonous Page by Kitt Crowe is the second novel in A Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mysteries. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. In Confection, Oregon two chamber of commerce members are killed. When one of Lexi’s frenemies is accused of the crime, Lexi and the Macaroons (the book club at the bookstore Lexi manages for her parents) set out to discover the identity of the killer. There are quite a few characters to keep track of in this series. It can be hard to keep everyone straight especially those who are friends and those who are not (nasty neighbors, frenemies, and adversaries). I love Lexi’s dog, Cookie. She is indeed a smart cookie. It seems like she understands what people are saying. I am not a fan of Detective Chad Berg who feels the need to constantly issue tickets, fines, and warning to Lexi (it’s like he needs to prove he follows the letter of the law). I do not understand why there is a budding romance between these two characters (I would want to stay as far away from Chad as I could—or, since it is a cozy mystery series, hope that he will be the next victim). The death of the two chamber of commerce members is straightforward. I identified the killer long before the second body turned up. Lexi and her book group were hoping the first death was a murder so they could investigate since they enjoyed solving the last murder. Lexi and her friends speculate on which person they know could have done the deeds. They are a direct bunch. I would have liked more investigating (little sleuthing by Lexi). I found the dialogue to be off and there is a lot of repetition. I would have preferred less romance and a more complex mystery. I did not like the scene where women were slapping each other. I felt that many of the characters were not realistic (nor is their dialogue) and more than a few are unlikeable. While I liked Cookie, she does dominate the book (a scene stealer). Lexi walks the dog, talks to the dog, feeds the dog, etc. I wanted to give this series a second chance (which I did), but I learned that it is not for me. A Poisonous Page is a lighthearted whodunit with a clever Cookie, fun festivals, a busy bar, a deceased chamber of commerce member, a ticket happy detective, the meddling Macaroons, and a sleuthing Lexi.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Kitt Crowe continues her new Sweet Fiction Bookshop series in this instalment, A Poisonous Page in style! Set in a small touristy town called Confection, in Oregon, it features Lexi Jones along with her doggy, Cookie, a border collie. Twenty-odd-year-old Lexi is a former book editor who is looking after her parents' business while they are away; they are bookshop proprietors. Lexi also facilitates a book club known as the Macaroons and they get involved when Lexi hears of a woman dying of a heart attack. Lexi can't help her suspicious nature.

I found A Poisonous Page a fun, thoroughly enjoyable and humorous read with the situation between Detective Chad Berg, and Lexi developing, although he was dead against her being a part of his investigation. I'm already hotly anticipating a return to Confection. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[The Cozy Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not read the first book in the “A Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mystery” series, but I had no problem following the story and the characters. A Poisonous Page can stand on its own. Chamber of Commerce members are dropping like flies during the summer festival, and Lexi's book club, the Macaroons, jump at the chance to solve another mystery. Is someone killing off the chamber members because of politics, or is it more personal? No matter what the answer is, Lexi is going to find out!

The characters in this series are easy to like; even the chamber members are memorable. When two members die unexpectedly, there is little doubt that it is murder. The real question is, what’s the motive, and did one of Lexi’s employees, or even one of the Macaroons, kill two people? Is it just a coincidence that Dash, Lexi’s employee, dated both victims, or is he a killer? Lexi investigates and discovers secrets and lies, jealousy and greed, and a sinister plot that she finds hard to accept. The suspects are everywhere, from friends to business owners, to family. It seems that many people had a reason to want the chamber members dead. The killer, once revealed, is obvious but was not easy to uncover.

The motives are reasonable, the suspects have good motives, and all had the means and opportunity. There are plenty of red herrings to send readers on a wild goose chase but not enough to send them over the edge. The investigation is developed quickly, and the Macaroons play a large part in solving the murder of two chamber members, but in the end, it comes down to Lexi, and she does not disappoint. A Poisonous Page is a delightful read with wonderful characters and enough action to keep readers happy. I look forward to the next book in the series.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the cuter ones I’ve read and appreciate that the canine involved is an actual intelligent breed capable of her deeds. A few too many characters to keep track of, but that was to keep you guessing. The reveal scene was quite funny, bravo!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexi manages the family bookstore called Sweet Fiction Bookshop. As she is not the owner despite being family, she never joined the Chamber of Commerce. Little did she know they would be the focus of her attention in this, the second book of the series set in Confection, OR. The first death of a chamber member, a prominent real estate agent, is ruled natural causes - a heart attack. Not long after that a second member dies -again called natural causes. A coincidence or is there a very crafty killer in town? Not being privy to the closely guarded secrets involving some not so legit real estate dealings, Lexi wants to snoop but it's only when her friend, Dash, becomes the prime suspect that she is bound and determined to get answers. Turns out he dated both women and that's enough for the police to utter those dreaded words - case closed. Nope, Lexi and her friends aren't going to let that happen so the investigating begins. After all, Lexi has done this before (once) so why not try to unmask another killer? She had better watch her step because the oh so cute cop from the previous case is on this one and he has already had his eye on her, citing her for such crimes as jaywalking and walking Cookie, her sweet pooch, off leash.
This is a light confection of a cozy mystery and just the right escape from the real world. The mystery is well developed and the characters and the setting are delightful. My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I hate to give a cozy a low rating, especially when I actually enjoyed a lot about the story, but I think there's enough off or missing from this that 2 stars is a fair score.
I read this as an e-book ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lexi Jones runs her parents' bookstore, Sweet Fiction, in the tourist friendly town of Confection, Oregon, where everyone has capitalized off the name and made desserts their gimmick. At Sweet Fiction, she hosts a book club called the Macaroons that has somehwhat recently morphed into an amateur sleuths league.
When a local business woman with a bit of a reputation is found dead under mysterious circumstances, the Macaroons don't hesitate to open up their own investigation.
Lexi and her dog, Cookie, go fishing for information around for town and she frequently butts heads with a new policeman named Chad Berg, who transferred to Confection from Portland. (I have many questions about this.)
She's also supported by her closest friends, Teri and Cat, as well as her two uncles Jimmy and Elvis, who live down the road from her with their son, Collin.
So that is the brief and quite spoiler-free summary...

And here is a poorly organized listed of my opinions!
(That is sort of spoiler-free)

- The Ripe Raisin is a terrible name for a bar, even if it is an oxymoron... especially when RUM RAISIN is sitting right in front of you. But in general, nothing about the word "raisin" is gonna compel me to visit that pub.

- The way people converse in this book is reasonable at times... but the interactions in the book often range from sounding like a Disney channel sitcom to just being kinda bizarre and unbelievable. A lot is overdramatized, and a lot of people are weirdly forward and direct. The conversation with Nadine at the beginning sounded like 2 eleven year olds who have been watching soap operas, not 2 adult women! And I still don't even know what the beef with them is.
Conversely, despite the melodrama from a lot of side characters, there's really not that much emotion in the places you'd expect to see the book get serious for a moment. Part of that is just how cozies are; no one's reading them to reflect on the grieving process, they're reading them to figure out who put arsenic in the postmaster's milkshake and they aren't too broken up about losing him, But, that tendency stood out a little too strong here and it made the interactions in the book that much less believable.
I also know a bit of rom-commy fluff isn't uncommon in cozies, but the way the women talk about some of the guys is very weird to me. Maybe that's cause I was always just extremely, extremely reserved about that kinda thing and gravitated towards friends who were too, but I don't know.

-The main characters also postulate that several people they know very well could have done it without missing a beat... I would hope, if I found myself coincididentally in suspicious circumstances, that my friends would try to talk themselves out of that a bit harder.

- Why must a genre I've grown so fond of come with so much police simpery?
I get that logistically, they make convenient staple characters... but nobody made you put "protect and serve" multiple times in the same book. I know it was mentioned at one point that Chad left Portland because of an incident he wasn't ethically comfortable with, but I have a feeling if we find out more about that later it's gonna be some minor episode of corruption. If you're going to have a main character that came from one of the most notoriously brutal and corrupt police departments in America, I need that addressed up front. I don't like wondering if the protagonist is spending half the book flirting with someone who spent the last summer shooting rubber bullets at teenagers protesting for civil rights.
I'm not saying you can't have a main character be a cop ever, but the ones I keep reading seem to exist in an alternate reality.
You don't have to go full ACAB to acknowledge that police violence are systemic racism are very real, serious issues and be a litte mindful of that when you're writing these stories. I don't get the impression that the author is actually a thin blue line type; she seems fairly progressive in other areas... I think in a lot of these, they're just really tone deaf. But tone deaf is still bad, and I expected better out of something set to hit the press almost 2 years after George Floyd was murdered at the hands of the state.

- There's several instances of women hitting/slapping men in the book. While I'd applaud that if it was in response to sexual harassment, these were, frankly, domestic violence. The book seems to frame them more as amusing and somehwat justified, though, and I do not like that.

Well, that got kinda grim.
Back to the lighter stuff.

In spite of all I listed above, I thought the mystery portion itself was decent. It might have been a little better if it had kept a more narrow focus leading up to the reveal, but it DIDN"T take the lazy route I see pretty often where the author explcitly misleads you and never actually gives you a fair shot at guessing who's guilty.

The main characters are likeable enough, the setting is cute, and I think the bones of the book has potential for a solid series if it's all brought back a bit closer to reality. The one major change that would instantly improve the book a LOT is making the dialogue and interactions more natural everywhere and to really dial down those exchanges that sounded like they came from a sitcom for children. It'd also really strengthen the high points of this world if we got to see more internal conflict and personal quirks from Lexi.
This was already a long-winded review, and that's all I have for now!

[Aanya Sachdeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, so mysterious and action filled with a touch of romance........
I LOVED IT!
And the writing style was absolutely wonderful.
Such an enthralling book (plus the catchy name and the cover)
Perfection in every single way!
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an arc.

[✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

This is my first read in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop series, and it was a fun read.

In fact, it gave me vibes of my favourite cosy mystery series, the Cozy Corgi series by Mildred Abbott.

I mean, a book shop, vibing with the local law enforcement, a store pet, investigating murders. Guess they know my jam.

I loved the townspeople throwing themselves into investigating crimes, there are some absolutely wonderful characters.

Many red herrings will have you guessing whodunnit right to the end.

Enjoyable, and will read more of the series in the future.

[Barb Reinhold · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop series featuring Lexi Jones, the lead character who works at her parents’ bookstore, Sweet Fiction. Marilyn Freeman, a local real estate saleswoman, has just died of a presumed heart attack. Town gossip has it Marilyn was one to have affairs with married men and to engage in shady real estate deals. Lexi’s friend Terri’s brother, Dash, admits to Lexi that he had previously dated Marilyn for a short time.

Next, the body of another woman, Rachel Nevis, one of Marilyn’s employees who had also dated Dash is found in Dash’s backyard. It turns out that both Marilyn and Rachel had bern poisoned with ketamine. The question is by whom. Lexi and the Macaroons Book Club are soon investigating, much to the chagrin of Detective Chad Berg.

This book has a well-written plot that moves at a good pace. The characters are multidimensional and almost all are delightfully quirky. At times the book got a bit too cutesy for my taste, as did the first book in the series, with all of the emphasis on sugary names: the “Sweet Fiction Bookshop,” the Macaroons Book Club,” and Lexi’s dog being named “Cookie,” for example. Still, it’s a great book overall.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was an okay cozy mystery. The mystery kept me guessing until the end, and I did enjoy following the clues to the murderer. I just didn't really enjoy the interactions between Lexi and the detective (I can't remember his name at the moment), as I felt they were too antagonistic to suddenly become lovers. I thought that their book "murder" club was just a little too overboard to be realistic.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun cozy mystery. The story kept me glue to the page to find out who was really behind the murder. Lexi and her dog Cookie are my favorite characters. Lexi is smart, relatable, and interesting while Cookie is an inquisitive, lovable fur baby. The mystery is an entertaining roller coaster filled with twists and turns in find the real murderer. I am looking forward to more in this series.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and in no way have I been influenced by anyone.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐+ stars!
This is Book #2 in Kitt Crowe's ~e Sweet Fiction Bookshop series

Lexi Jones is the owner of the “Sweet Fiction Bookshop and a member of the ‘Macaroon Book Club’ in Confection, Oregon. Confection is a typical small ‘cozy’ town approximately 1,000 residence. Main economy is tourism in the summer as well as ski season. Confection is also known for the cutesy names of both businesses and streets e.g. Peppermint Way, Nutmeg Avenue, the shops are Sweet Fiction, Cookie Crumbles, Eats ‘n’ Treats, and Taffy Toys.
Residence all know each other and at the beginning there seems to be irritation between Lexi and Detective Chad Berg ~ all coming from Lexi who says she doesn’t like him but finds herself thinking about him often.

Any of us who are cozy mystery fans knows a ‘Cozy’ follows a formula.
• Fun entertaining - character based
• The crime-solver is usually a woman who is well liked, had a dog or a cat, and of course, is an amateur sleuth
• Love Interest ~ usually they don’t like each other at first.
• All the residence know each other and are likeable
• Mystery but no blood and gore
• Little to no profanity.

Yep this story pretty much followed the formula and yep! Fun to read!

Want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lance Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 12, 2022

[Sizarifalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love to read a cosy mystery once awhile. (binged watched only Murders in the building) In between psychological thrillers, contemporary fiction and Young Adult . Not only that, I have a soft spots for books that has a bookstore , about cats and book clubs. So this is a book that I really looked forward to reading (no cats though 😅)

To be honest, it took me awhile to get into the book. It was draggy at first but I did enjoy the storyline. Since I did not read the first book, this gives me the pleasure of getting to know the community. So it can be a stand alone too.
I like the chemistry between all the characters in the book. I felt like I was one of them too. Very inquisitive and eager to find out more about the case and the people who were involved . It is so exciting to read start each chapter as each chapter end with a cliffhanger.

Deaths and a good mystery do bring a community together . Well in a good and also in a bad way ( rumours everywhere 😅)

I am definitely going to read the first book in this series - Digging up trouble. The author did insert a few details from the first book that got me so curious to know what it is all about!

❤️ the cute-love-hate-relationship between Lexi & Chad ❤️

[Ppcfransen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many unlikeable characters.

It’s a couple of months after the events of the first book. Lexi Jones has only just recovered from the injuries she sustained when she tried to catch a killer that time. When Lexi hears of the death of real estate agent Marilyn she is a little disappointed it is not a suspicious death; she wants to sleuth again! Though a 37 year old woman that suddenly dies of heart failure, that doesn’t sound entirely natural to me either. The coroner rules it such though.

A few days later another woman is found dead. This time it is considered a suspicious death by the police - something to do with finding the body in an unusual place.

Shortly after, Lexi’s friend Dash is arrested for the murder of the second woman, Rachel. And while I do get why the police like to question him thoroughly (the body was found in his garden and he was dating the woman), I don’t get why Lexi and her friends find anything of the following suspicious:
- Rachel was at Dash’s bar the night before she died;
- Rachel’s underwear was found in Dash’s hamper.

Dash’s owns a bar, lot’s of people hang out there. Rachel and Dash used to date. The fact that Rachel was at the bar, or her underwear in his hamper are the least incriminating elements.

Lexi enlists her book club, the Macaroons, to help investigate this case. Which they all have time for, or are willing to throw their busy schedules around. Lexi gives them tasks to investigate possible suspects and they all come back with interesting ‘juice’. When the Macaroons compile a list of suspects half the town is on it. All the women wanted to kill Marilyn because she slept with their husbands. All the men wanted to kill Marilyn because they could not have her all to themselves.

Meanwhile, Lexi is striking up some kind of rapport with detective Berg, after he’s stopped give her tickets for minor infringements of local code.

I just couldn’t get into this book. There are too many characters, their dialogue is all a bit hyped up, and most of the characters don’t sound like actual likeable people. I wouldn’t want to spend time in a waiting room with them, let alone in a conversation. I also didn’t care for the dog that dominated every scene it was in.

And I very much don’t like the ‘romance’ part of this book (note the quote marks). It wasn’t cute when Berg picked up Lexi at the police station. That was assault. As was banging on her door in the middle of the night to apologise and definitely when he came round to prove a point.

Oh, and if the sleuth doesn’t figure out who the killer is, until after the killer tries to kill them too, the sleuth did not solve the murder. The killer solved it for them.

Don't think I will pick up this series again in the future.

I read an ARC through NetGalley.

[Bobbie Kirkland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of A POISONOUS PAGE (Book 2 of the Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mysteries), by Kitt Crowe, in exchange for an honest review. Lexi and the Macaroon Book Club are on the case in this second installment of the Sweet Fiction Bookshop Mysteries. When an elderly member of the community passes away of seemingly natural causes, that seems normal. When a youngish member of the chamber of commerce dies of a heart attack, it seems suspicious, but there’s a family history that mitigates the suspicion. When another youngish member of the chamber dies shortly thereafter of seemingly natural causes, it strains credulity. Soon, Lexi’s friend Dash is singled out as suspect number one for the simple fact that he dated both the second and third deceased. Lexi and the Macaroons, with a little help from one smart puppy and with possibly even some assistance from “Mt. Bachelor,” work together to clear Dash’s name.

I enjoyed this book. I recommend it as well as the first book in the series.

#APoisonousPage #NetGalley

[Anita (Hearts and Whodunits) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s summer festival time in Confection, Oregon, and Lexi, bookseller at the Sweet Fiction Bookshop is making the sales. When a member of the chamber of commerce suddenly dies of a heart attack, and another chamber member dies just one week later, Lexi is concerned. Then, her friend Dash becomes a suspect in the murders. With the help of her friends, can Lexi find the truth and help Dash before he’s sent to prison?
This was a great cozy mystery. I loved Lexi and her sleuthing skills. The setting was one I would like to visit. The plot and suspects confused me a little. There seemed to be an abundance of suspects and motives. By the end of the story, I understood what had happened. The conclusion was satisfying. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this advanced reader’s copy.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

Book 2 of The Sweet Fiction Bookshop turned out to be more exciting and adventurous, with 3 succeeding deaths in 3 weeks. Is it of natural causes or murder, and in a small town? This time, our main character has settled down at home and is more confident in herself and her decisions. I still love the Macaroons - the hometown book club and the red herrings here were more believable. The budding triangle, however, seems to have ended with a solid contender for Lexi's feelings but it's too soon to settle unless this is a short series. Reading both of Ms. Crowe's novels back to back thankfully showed no patterns except their process of solving the mystery, and happy to note that I am 2 for 2 with Ms. Crowe so far.

[Esmay · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I have received this copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

3,5 stars.

This was such a cozy mystery. While it did take me a while to actually finish this book, I did feel really relaxed when I did sit down to read this book. Our main protagonist Lexi's mind works in interesting ways and being able to try and figure this out alongside her was really rewarding in my opinion. While it is not the best I've ever read, it definitely did not disappoint. I won't be saying too much about the plot, considering I would recommend going into this knowing as little as possible.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lexi manages a small bookstore in a placid Oregon community. Easy life right? Except two chamber of commerce members have died within days of each other and Lexie has to nose around.
I liked the community. I like the constant friction with her police nemesis.
I thought the mystery was a little light, but overall it kept me entertained.
I wouldn’t volunteer to serve on the chamber In this town, just quite yet….
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Press for the early copy.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series just isn't for me. I enjoyed the setting; it's very cozy and the townspeople are interesting. But that's where my enjoyment ends. I don't like Lexi; I find her annoying and childish. Her friends are the same. And in this particular book, with all the women hitting and slapping men, I felt like I was reading about an episode of Jerry Springer. The mystery itself was slow, with Lexi, again, accusing everyone with even less flimsy evidence than the police department had. There was one funny scene, the big reveal, but that was it. I will not continue with this series.

I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.