Much Ado About Murder

Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries #7

by Steffanie Holmes

All’s fair in love and murder.

The Shakespeare Festival has come to the village, and all of Argleton has gone bard-crazy. Mina’s excited about Nevermore being the festival’s official bookstore, but a rival bookshop opens up across the green and completely cramps her style.

When the bookshop’s owner is found clobbered to death by his own First Folio, Mina and Quoth are determined to stick their nose (and beak) in to solve the case. But with a real Shakespearean fairy running around the village and Morrie determined to curse the performance, Mina and her men already have their hands full.

With help from a troublesome Puck – and absolutely no help from Mina’s mother’s latest scheme – will they solve the crime and save the festival, or is it the final curtain call for Nevermore Bookshop?

The Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries are what you get when all your book boyfriends come to life. Join a brooding antihero, a master criminal, a cheeky raven, and a heroine with a big heart (and an even bigger book collection) in this fun and steamy reverse harem paranormal mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Why Choose, Audiobook

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 2022

About the author

Steffanie Holmes is the author of steamy historical and paranormal romance. Her books feature clever, witty heroines, wild shifters, cunning witches and alpha males who get what they want.

Before becoming a writer, Steffanie worked as an archaeologist and museum curator. She loves to explore historical settings and ancient conceptions of love and possession. From Dark Age Europe to crumbling gothic estates, Steffanie is fascinated with how love can blossom between the most unlikely characters.

Steffanie lives in New Zealand with her husband and a horde of cantankerous cats. Learn more about Steffanie at her website: www.steffanieholmes.com. She also writes dark science fiction under the name S C Green.

Want to be informed when the next Steffanie Holmes paranormal romance story goes live? Sign up for the mailing list! http://eepurl.com/ZrowD

Reviews

[Alyson Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these characters, I love their little village, and I love SH for writing them! At this point, I have her whole catalogue downloaded on KU and will read them all.
Mina and her men are on a mission to solve the murder of the new book seller in town, with the not too shabby side quest of helping Quoth to understand he is not to blame for his actions whilst under the influence of Dracula, which occurred in the previous book. A nice little visit from Bree, a MFC in another series, and a buttload of Shakespeare quotes. Just amazing 👏

[Ashley Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I love the storyline and relationship/character development. I've given most of this series 4 stars, but the author makes kind of a habit out of mentioning themself as a popular author and while I agree she's got an amazing murder mystery series going, it takes away from the immersive experience for me.

[Book Life With Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Steffanie Holmes takes us on another fun adventure in the Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries series and I absolutely loved this one! I love the premise of this series, because who wouldn’t want some of their favorite fictional characters to come to life and help run a bookstore, and Holmes does an amazing job of having it all unfold right before your eyes.

Mina is a fun loving book loving character that just calls to your inner book nerd loving soul and i absolutely adore every quirky thing about her! Excited about the upcoming Shakespeare Festival, Mina works hard to keep everything running smoothly at Nevermore—especially with some competition in the form of a new bookstore that’s in possession of a Shakespeare First Folio. However, when the new bookstore owner is murdered, things get a little dicey for our heroine and her men, and for the upcoming Festival jeopardy, as they all work together to try and solve the mystery and murder in hopes of saving the Festival.

Mina’s men, Quoth, Morrie and Heathcliff, are all so different and equally intriguing you can’t help but fall in love with them all—especially with tons of hilarious fun moments,, off the charts chemistry and several hot, spicy, steamy scenes that leave you wanting more! Having a mystery to solve is just icing on the cake!

Overall, Much Ado About Murder was an action packed, suspenseful and steam filled Rh Shakespearean twist romance story book that will please any RH book loving fan!

[Chey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much Ado About Murder

I adored Mina's character in this story. She's quirky, loving and just fun to read about. Her relationships with Quoth, Heathcliff and Morrie are interesting and entertaining. I loved that everyone in the relationship interacted well together and no one person stood out above the rest. The scenes were fun and steamy, and left me wanting more of them!

I didn't care for the way the plot was written. It was supposed to be old English, but it just caused the story to suffer and brought me out of it several times.

[Valeria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love me some Shakespeare shenanigans and especially with a focus on Macbeth which I am kinda obsessed with since I saw the opera featuring 80km of paper streamers and awesome creepy witches.
Also the relationships get better with each installment of the series. They get much more life and dynamics and depth.
Meeting Bree was great especially since the series featuring her got teased at the end of at least the last 4 books. Guess I read the series about her too since she seems sweet and I'm way to obsessed with Steffanie Holmes books right now to stop reading them.

[Deborah Gutteridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mina and her guys solve the murders and save the village…again

Steffanie does it again. She weaves her magic and can’t help but laugh at the antics of Mina, Heathcliff, Morris and Quoth. And we get to meet Bree in this book too. Love this series. Love the sex swing… lol

“what a wonderful thing it was to live in our bookshop over the magical spring and to love and be loved by a grumpy gothic antihero, a master criminal, and a sweet bird of woe.”

— Much Ado About Murder: a reverse harem murder mystery (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries Book 7) by Steffanie Holmes

[Dcharmreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star book
A fast paced fantasy rh book that follows Mina and the boys had they solve yet another murder. Quoth takes the lead this time to help him after the events of the last book. Mina and the boys help him solve the murder and along the way meet new people. This book has some spice however has more of a plotline than just spice.

[M.C. Chronister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quoth, Quoth, Quoth you sweet tortured soul. This entire book I wanted to just wrap him up in a warm blanket and snuggle him until the bad feelings went away. I love all of these characters so much and each book just keeps getting better and better. I fear I may never recover from this series!!!!

[Sara Emme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ho preferito i volumi precedenti della serie, ma è comunque sempre una lettura piacevole

[Melissa Drespling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, REALLY enjoy these characters. More so than the Grimdale folks. Mina, Heathcliff, Morrie, and Quoth are just so fleshed out. And FUNNY! Heathcliff is legend.

[Shelby E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book and mystery! In this book, a Shakespear festival was in town, and Quoth was having a very hard time forgiving himself after the whole Dracula situation. You could really read his shame and guilt, how Mina, Morrie, and Heathcliff were trying to help him.

Another murder happened in this town, and it was solved. Another secondary has popped up, Bree, who can see ghosts.

Mina was accepted into a prestigious author convention and the gang has decided to take a two-week vacation to go with Mina. So, looking forward to this book!

I will have to say, I'm a little confused about Mina and her eyesight...She is nearly blind, basically can only see under light and extremely close, but it was described through her POV of certain events that does not match up with her ability to see...

Harem: Morrie, Heathcliff, and Quoth

Sexiness: 4 out 5 and there is MM

This review is of my own opinion.

[Angela Denny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mina and the boys are crime solving again. This time the murder is during a Shakespeare festival and they have more suspects than clues. Lots of fun, steamy scences and great puns.

[Gee Rothvoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventh installment in the Nevermore Bookshop series, this time with Shakespearean vibes! In this book we see Mina and the boys try to move on after the Dracula ordeal, which might be a lot more challenging than they expected. Quoth in particular is finding it impossible to move on from what happened, whereas Morrie and Heathcliff have come to realise how easily what they've built with Mina could be shattered beyond repair. As each of them tries to overcome the trauma from what went down, a crime involving a very Bard-esque festival and prime main suspect Puck will test their resilience beyond telling. This was quite a lovely new addition to the series, and although I did feel like it perhaps lacked the thrill of the first books, it was nonetheless an excellent murder mystery!

[Hermioneginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

* «La gente in Texas beve il tè con ghiaccio e limone a fette.» Cynthia arricciò il naso tenendo ben stretta in mano la sua tazza da tè come se fosse un gioiello prezioso. «Non si può sapere di cosa sarebbe capace qualcuno che tratta così male il tè.»
* Gli amici, la famiglia, il modo in cui trattiamo gli altri, la capacità di non piegarsi di fronte alla sfortuna e di ridere quando la fortuna ci sputa in faccia: quelle sono le cose che ci rendono ciò che siamo.

[savage_book_review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars

I needed this one. Our favourite foursome are back at what they do best; trying to run a bookshop and solving the latest murder in a village which makes Midsomer look positively normal by comparison! Except this time around, everything's a bit more 'normal', which warmed the cockles of my heart.

Although each of our familiar characters retain their distinctive personalities, domestic bliss has smoothed out the rough edges a little bit. Heatcliff is still a grumpy bugger, but watching him spend the majority of the book talking in Shakespearean insults give him a lightness which we haven't experienced before. I think this is the first time I've really and truly connected with him as a character, and the first time I've fully bought into him being an enthusiastic part of the polycule rather than just being into Mina and accepting that she comes with two other guys.

Once again though, Quoth steals the show for me. From the quiet desperation to "make up" for his actions in the previous book to the contentment he finds in helping with the sets and props for the Argleton Shakespeare Festival, I just feel every nuance of him in my heart. And there's a moment at the end of the book that utterly beautiful to me, where you see him finally start to believe he belongs. It just made me melt!

I like that the plot manages to balance the murder-mystery with the domesticity too. The investigation is obviously the point on which the book hinges, but somehow it also feels like something of a background element. I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this mystery, but it just doesn't carry quite the same weight as some of the previous books. That being said, it's cleverly done and there's enough there for you to get your teeth into while still being able to immerse yourself in this slightly odd English village.

The setting and elimination of suspects also acts as a way for us to see the change in the village and villagers since the Dracula debacle and the development of Mina's relationship with her mother and her boys. Hell, I actually LIKED Helen Wilde in this book! Weirdly, I kind of like the fact that they don't have to worry about more fictional characters coming to life now, but equally the mischeviousness of Puck is still quite funny! The only character I wasn't entirely convinced by was our Texan oil baron... stick out like a sore thumb (which was the point), but he just didn't feel as big a part of the story as his personality would have you believe.

I love the positive representation of Mina's disability, and the continuing illustration that it's not necessarily her blindness that makes her disabled, but the lack of understanding and accommodations made by others. Watching her overcome her fear of her deteriorating eyesight and finding a way to still enjoy her fashion, and become more confident in standing up for herself is truly a joy. I have to say, I love the image of Oscar trundling around the shop with his little cart of books, helping her stack the shelves!

And I'm also very happy to get an introduction to another of Steffanie Holmes' FMCs in this book, and to learn that there's likely to be more of a crossover than I anticipated.

On with the next!

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so great! I wasn’t really sure how I felt about another book because everything got summed up so well at the end of the last book, but really, shame on me. Of course it was great!! Everything I’ve read of Steffanie’s has been, I shouldn’t have doubted this would be just as good. She writes with passion and love for her characters, and it shows. She never fails to teach us new things within her stories and it always makes for such an interesting read. It’s quirky, funny, mysterious, and intriguing.

This go round the village is putting on a Shakespearian Festival. The biggest problem? Someone has opened a new bookstore in the village, causing plenty of tension between the two shops. Morrie is back home where he belongs; back to being his charming self. Heathcliff is distancing himself from the others and has become even more surly and broody than usual. Quoth is feeling the fall out of what happened with Dracula. He’s filled with grief and guilt. It’s hard to see him so sad, he usually brings such light to the trio. Mina’s eyesight is failing her more and more, but she’s finally accepted her fate, and doesn’t let it stop or define her. She still gets up to all the same crazy antics with Morrie, she’s just a bit clumsier now. Oscar is now a permanent team member; It’s very entertaining.

The usual murder mystery antics are at play yet again, and I enjoy watching them run around the village trying to solve the newest murder. They already solved the mystery of the characters coming to life out of the classics, so this time around it’s just the ones we know and love. However, there are some fun side characters. Mina meets Bree, who can see ghosts, and I see a future friendship evolving there. There’s humor, steam, angst, relationship struggles and more. This series never stops giving and I love every chance to explore Nevermore. I hope we get another book soon! 🖤

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I have said a million times...This is my most favorite series ever!!!
Steffanie writes with passion about her fictional characters come to life running the Nevermore Bookshop (my dream job). Quoth, Morrie and Heathcliff are all so different yet work so well together in running the bookshop and .....Mina :)

You get a bit mystery/ who done it, humor and heat between thus characters and some very interesting secondary characters to help the story along. From start to finish the author draws you in as you start to pick apart all the clues that Mina and her men discover and I promise you learn something new from each book she publishes. It seems the author likes to spread her knowledge without you realizing your learning. Plus if you are a fan of hers you will love the little self indulgence you'll spot in one of the chapters. I will never get enough of this series even though it must end eventually and that is coming soon. But don't despair because at the end of this book, the author shares an upcoming announcement that made my frown turn upside down. Oh, don't judge ...I never said I was a writer. I am thrilled with the announcement and look forward to what I think will be my next favorite series by Steffanie Holmes. Till then, pick up a copy and if you haven't read any of this series, please begin at the beginning to reap the full effects.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this entire series! I binge read the first six books and then twiddled my thumbs very impatiently as the next two came out. The Nevermore bookshop has by far been the best series I just happened to stumble on. Mina, Morrie, Heathcliff, and Quoth are a functioning, yet dysfunctional, family which makes reading about them so fun. Not only them, but the recurring characters like Mina's mom and Mrs. Ellis just add to the feeling like the entire village is actually family.

In this book the village is putting on Shakespeare plays in a newly built theater and of course someone gets murdered. The Nevermore crew initially wanted to let the police solve the murder but Quoth tells Mina he feels like he needs to be the one helping. If you read the previous book (please read them in order because it will make so much more sense), you will know why he feels a need to atone.

Steffanie Holmes can keep writing these forever as far as I am concerned. Her characters are not hollow but fully fleshed out. It is obvious she has put thought into each book and it made me love each character. I read a lot but can easily forget what I have just read if an author doesn't make me believe in what they have written. I do not have that problem here.. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deborah Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much Ado About Murder is a quirky little murder mystery with some elements of the paranormal thrown in to make it even more fun to read. The characters are so whimsical and fun loving. Steffanie Holmes has taken well known characters from classical literature and turned them into the best boyfriends a seeing impaired woman could ever hope for.

Wilhelmina, or Mina to her literary loves and friends, ends up in the middle of murder and mayhem yet again. The little village of Argleton is having a Shakespeare Festival and the Nevermore Bookshop is to be the official seller of all the Bard's literature. That is until a new bookshop opens across the common claiming to be the official bookshop. Now, a little rivalry is good for business but murder cramps the style when the other owner is found dead in his shop by Mina, Quoth, Heathcliff and Morrie when they approach him about working in tandem. What ensues is amateur sleuthing at its best by our intrepid aspiring writer and her three boyfriends.

This series has been exactly what I didn't know I was looking for. A reverse harem, paranormal, murder mystery. Where else can you get so many tropes in one place? Why in a Steffanie Holmes book of course.

[Lene Blackthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nevermore Bookshop and all its strange inhabitants are preparing for the Shakespeare Festival, but their plans and preparations as the official festival bookstore are in tatters the moment Mr. Rasmussen comes to the village. A man with insufferable ego, ruthless attitude covered in honey politeness to mask it, and.. Shakespeare's First Folio. The Folio attracts a lot of attention, but maybe more attention attracts the fact that one day into the festival and he is found dead. And there are many suspects with motives to get rid of him. Now it's the time for Mina, Heathcliff, Morrie, and Quoth to return to sleuthing and solve the mystery before someone else suffers.
Yet another story in this series that is completely captivating, emotional, and holds a lot of suspense. I love the way they are investigating the mystery, with all the hilarious moments and mischief that follows in Mina's tracks everywhere she goes. New characters pop up in every new installment, each more interesting than the previous one, and I am actually hopeful we will see more of Bree soon, too. I am also very much looking forward to next Mina's story, as the retreat she is planning will be definitely a change of scenery... but not of habits, obviously.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this eagerly awaited addition to the Nevermore Bookshop series. Mina is settling in with her guide dog, Oscar, and everyone in Argleton is excited about the upcoming Shakespeare Festival. Well, everyone except maybe Heathcliff. It is a real downer when the group finds out that there is a new bookshop in the village and, due to the owner's possession of a Shakespeare First Folio, it has replaced Nevermore as the official Festival bookstore. Mina had worked so hard to come up with just the right stock to attract out-of-town book lovers and now it seemed they were going to be in fierce competition with a shop that didn't even sell affordable books.

Fortunately, there are still the plays at the New New Globe pop-up theater. Mina has found a way to satisfy her love of fashion by doing costumes, Morrie is doing special effects and playing the part of Macbeth, and Quoth is doing scenery and stage settings. But when the new bookstore owner is murdered, the Festival is in jeopardy and it looks like Mina and the guys are the only real hope of solving the murder and saving the Festival.

I was given an advanced copy of this book by the author. My review is voluntary.

[Ronel Janse van Vuuren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A weeklong Shakespeare festival in a small town known for odd murders – what can go wrong? Of course Puck is front and centre with his mischief, and the chief suspect in the murder because he’s drawn to mischief. A rival bookstore opens and draws all the attention from Nevermore – for good and ill. And Mina’s mum, besides playing one of the witches in Macbeth in the theatre set up specially for the Shakespeare festival, is predicting the deaths of authors on social media so their books will sell out in the Nevermore Bookshop and the buyers can later cash in with collectors. Yeah, that won’t eventually blow up in her face…

I had a problem with the italics as it messes with my eyes and head, making it difficult to read and enjoy the book. Authors and publishers: please consider the neurodivergent when making decisions about italics so books are accessible to all.

A fun murder mystery with Shakespearean larks, loads of lava hot scenes, odd people visiting Argleton, Mina and her boys growing even closer, and even a weird new friend for Mina.

Trigger warnings: murder, coarse language, Mina’s disease progressing, death, blood.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. First the mystery is well done. It’s properly Shakespearean even. There’s a good amount of heat in the romance department which I don’t mind it is integrated well and not gratuitous. The characters are odd. While the thought of all your book boyfriends coming to life and then becoming actual boyfriends is kinda cool, in practice I’m not sure it is completely cohesive on the page. This might be because this is book seven and I’ve not read any of the previous books in the series. I didn’t realize it was a book seven until after I started reading. There’s a ton of background that’s hinted at that I am missing and I think it’s important to have read in order. Also it kinda feels like the author couldn’t decide between a modern or a historical mystery with all the boyfriends being famous historical characters. So big points for the actual mystery, so so for everything else. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bookiechick Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book.

This has been a journey. I love the mystery, the angst, tension, suspense. These characters hook and draw you in and you just get consumed by their story.

The characters have so much going with them. They’re complex yet written in a simple way I feel. You can’t help but either relate to them or or connect to them in some way no matter how small and you just feel connected with them throughout the story. Their growth is awesome and I love their dynamic as it grows and develops.

This world was interesting. Shrouded in mystery I just wanted to stay here to discover every little thing I could. Such detail and imagination went into this and yet it felt so tangible. I have enjoyed exploring and I can’t wait to see what the other books will have in store.

Such a great read that will leave you at the edge of your seat and hungry for more.

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

[Shawna Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌶️ Another fun mystery for the Nevermore crew- this time when a rival bookseller steals the spot for the official bookseller at the local Shakespeare festival, Mina and her boys have no choice but to grin and bear it- especially when that means they are stuck sitting on a huge stock of the Bard’s work purchased solely for the event.

When their rival is found brutally murdered, one of their own is blamed for the dastardly deed when Puck’s fingerprints are found on the murder weapon. It is all hands on deck to clear the willful sprite’s name as well as the reputation of the store, but with Puck failing to stay in hiding it’s a race against time before the killer can strike again and for Puck’s true identity to be discovered.

Loads of fun, and most of it at the Bard’s expense, but I don’t think he’ll complain about it. This is also where we first meet Bree- a gal from the next village over, who, along with her three companions, has her own spin-off series.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Village of Argleton is planning a Shakespeare Festival and Nevermore is named the official festival book store. Mina is thrilled until the bottom drops out of her plans when a new book shop opens. The owner has a rare copy of the First Folio and takes the title of official book shop away from them when they are struggling to make ends meet. When their rival is murdered, Mina and Quoth are determined to find the murderer and save the festival.
I love these characters! They are all well written, hysterically funny at times, sometimes a little bizarre, but they are always entertaining. Mayhem, murder, mystery, curses, fairy magic, and a surprising twist or two in the plot make this a must read book. I absolutely adore this series and can hardly wait for the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mina, Heathcliff, Morrie, and Quoth are back at it again! Another wonderful festival, this time celebrating Shakespeare, more murders and mayhem abound.One victim a not so well loved bookseller and one a beloved member of the town. Quoth still feeling the weight of the consequences of his time with Dracula is withdrawing more and more and Mina wants her birdie back. After having sworn to let the police handle this one (surely they can handle one... right?) Quoth is determined to bring down this killer and bring some balance to the karmic scale. When their Mischevious fae friend Puck finds himself wanted for murder, its a race to find out who is killing these lovers of the Bard. With wonderful characters as always, kindle melting love scenes (Sorry Heathcliff, blame my eyesight) and twists and turns, this book does not disappoint!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mina and her men are entangled in a mystery and the reproduction of Shakespears plays in the New new Globe Theater. Competition in the form of another book store has popped up, but what is most interesting is this bookstore Owner is even more stingy than Heathcliff when it comes to selling books, go figure.

Quoth still holds guilt for his part with Dracula, the sprite that loves to change people into donkeys, and the strange girl that talks to herself is just the beginning of the new adventure in this quaint town that never is short on dead bodies.

I love the characters, the stories always pull me in, I never miss a book about the Nevermore Bookshop.. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 7th book in this series that I have read. I am not sure what it was about it but I really liked it. Maybe because one of the big threats was gone which was a bit of a relief and the quad-relationship was balancing out.

We meet Bree from You're Dead to Me (looking forward to reading her story) with her non-serial killing stalk and got to explore the swinging heights of drama on the stage (fanning self).

I hope Puck finds his happy place in future books where he can get a group hug and community.

I really enjoyed the names given to Heathcliff by his family this time plus his review of Ulysses. (snicker)

Onward to the next adventure.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Festival to Honour Shakespeare is upon their town (Argleton), and their bookstore Nevermore is slated to help supply Shakespeare books for the festival goers. Although that might have changed, and now there is another case for Mina, Heathcliff, Morrie and Quoth to solve. Can they figure out what happened? I enjoyed the drama, suspense and magic in this tale, the steam between Mina and her men, all the familiar characters and I felt for the poor tortured artist Quoth.
I am voluntarily reviewing a copy I received, and giving my thoughts and opinions on it.