I thoroughly enjoyed this visit to Texas and the Book Barn. All kinds of princesses too--whether a childhood nickname or a semi-rare pink (?) armadillo, there was a lot of humor in this mystery. I found the wonderful charity event and crafts they made for the rodeo occasion were interesting and details about rodeos were interspersed in the story. Charli and her dad are great characters, and with many other caring townspeople, make up a great cast of characters. I look forward to visiting again.

I confess, I totally got this book for the cover. I don't think I even bothered reading the blurb, lol. The cover, and the fact it was a mystery, sold me. Of course, being me, I got busy and it fell down the TBR pile. Then I requested the third book, having completely forgotten about this book, and I read number three first. Cuz that's how I roll, lol. Anyway, that review is down below, after this one. Once I realized that "Oh hey, I have book two and should read it", I dove into this one. And now, I'm waiting for book four, coming next year. And I still need the first book.

So, Charli Rae Warren, or Princess as most people call her, is back home after 17 years and helping her dad run the town bookstore and helping out at the annual rodeo event to raise funds for retired rodeo riders. Some big name riders have come to town and it doesn't take long before there's all kinds of public drama, and some private drama too. Since I read the books out of order, I already knew the fate of some of the characters but that didn't lessen the story's impact; I still wanted to know what happened and the whys.

One of the riders, Dalton Hibbs, is involved with Princess's good friend, Scarlet. He's a top bull rider and a player. His brother Wyatt, also a top bull rider, went missing years ago. And then Dalton goes missing. At first, people think it's a publicity stunt but then several graves are found, one of which has his brother Wyatt's belt buckle. There are attacks on Princess (the woman, not the armadillo who's also named Princess) and other mysteries. And there's some romance, a triangle actually. It was in book three also and I'm really hoping it gets resolved in book four or I'll be done with the series. Princess needs to make a decision and move on.

"A Reference to Murder" had romance, mystery, danger, action, intrigue, and humor. The plot got overly complicated at times but it kept me reading. All of the characters were engaging though Princess's attraction to Cade was incomprehensible to me; he regularly blew her off and played games with her. I've never been to Texas but the depiction of small town life seemed a mix of real (I've lived in several small towns in New England) and cliches. The armadillo was cute and had lots of personality. The various mysteries had twists and turns and kept me guessing. Princess's relationship with her father is still healing after her long absence (she ran away 17years ago for reasons that still aren't clear to me) and the depiction was well done, sweet but cautious, fragile and yet deep. And of course, parts of the story were set in a bookstore. Roberts made good use of the setting and it even helped Princess figure out a clue. I enjoyed the story and I'm looking forward book four.

eing late to write this review is no reflection on the quality of this story (actually I love this series so much I have already taken the opportunity to read the third book which I'm going to be far more prompt to comment on.)

Charli Rae Warren is well truly settling back into Hazel Rock, Texas - she is hard at work in the family bookstore, The Book Barn, she is taking care of her alter-ego Princess the pink armadillo and she is working on good relationships with everyone from her father to her past love interest. Life is pretty good and cowboys are coming to town. Every year a rodeo event is held to raise money to help fund a retirement home for old cowboys and this year's event is going to be huge. However in no time at all Charli finds herself in the centre of chaos as one of the cowboys (a key attraction - Dalton Hibbs, a man with a big ego and a thing for Scarlett) goes missing, bodies get found and someone seems to want to put an end to Charli. Yep, situation pretty normal as Charli tries to help out and get to the bottom of what is going on.

I love Charli and the cast of characters around her. There is a degree of frustration that is actually quite delicious about who she might end up with romantically - I have my fingers crossed for Mateo (the local sheriff) but every so often Cade (her childhood sweetheart and town mayor) does something that makes me go 'gee shucks you ain't all bad'. Scarlett is back more glamorous than before but in a world of hurt - it's okay though cause Charli's got her back. And of course there is Princess, the extraordinary armadillo who is the icing on the story.

As a mystery adventure, this story works well and it certainly provides a few smiles along the way.

I journeyed back to Hazel Rock Texas and checked in with Princess (Charli) and the gang. This time they were getting ready for a fundraising rodeo and auction.

I enjoy this series on many levels - Charli's business is the Book Barn - hello, books! The book is also set in Texas...I think there are references to North Texas but not 100% sure on the location within the state. But that is ok because this is a great big state and anywhere would be a good setting.

There are actually a couple of mysteries to solve in this book - who killed Wyatt 7 years ago, whose body is in the grave next to Wyatt, and who was attacking Charli? While I never really figured out all of the details, I suspected one of the characters but couldn't tell you why. There are several people involved in everything that was going on in Hazel Rock, so don't just stop at suspecting one person.

There is some humor in the book as well and I really like Daisy and Jessie. Daisy keeps saying that Jessie is her husband - basically warning off any other woman that even hints at flirting with him.

And of course it wouldn't be this series without Princess the armadillo. I never would have expected an armadillo to be someone's pet, but I suppose if you raise any animal from an early age it can become a pet. The quirks of Princess are comical and definitely add to the story.

Overall an enjoyable book and series, one worth checking out.

A huge barn full of books, wonderfully written and drawn out characters, intriguing mystery, lots of humour and Princess, the albino Armadillo, the pet I want but am unable to have as I live in Nottingham, our garden is not big enough and I think they'll be better off in the wild than sitting listening to me read to it.

Anywho, I love this series so far and am eagerly awaiting book 3 to see what other shenanigans they get up to.

2 Armadillos for this!!!

This is book #2 in the Book Barn mysteries. I missed the first book, but I didn't feel lost when I read this story. The mystery revolves around rodeo and a missing cowboy. Charli is asked by her friend Scarlet to help find the missing rider, Dalton. She has a knack for solving problems, but that doesn't mean that there is no danger involved for her. It seems Dalton's brother disappeared years ago too. The story is good and the pace even with a lot of quirky characters including Charli's pet armadillo,Princess. I liked Charli and will continue with the series!

I received a review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Surprisingly funny and hilarious mystery set in Texas with great characters. The plot is silly, but that's the best part of this book. I absolutely laughed out loud.

This is a cute mystery but not my favorite. I did love the Book Barn theme and Princess, the pet armadillo. The armadillo's antics are hilarious and made this more entertaining. Charli was just ok for me, and I wasn't a big fan of the bull riding circuit. Sorry, I'm on the fence as to whether I would read another one of these.

This was even better than book one and that was hilarious and entertaining. This was even better the writing excellent and you have someone that everyone can relate too

A Reference to Murder by Kym Roberts
Book #2: Book Barn Mystery Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:

For a small town, Hazel Rock, Texas sure does have its fair share of drama and no matter how hard she tries to avoid it, Charli Rae Warren keeps finding herself right in the middle of it all! To be sure, when Charli signed on to help with the annual fundraising rodeo, she didn’t expect to find herself smack in the middle of a double murder investigation and she sure as hell didn’t expect to find her best friend as the main suspect. Really, what does a girl have to do to stay out of trouble in Hazel Rock???

When Charli signed on to help with the annual rodeo, she had no idea she would bust wide open a cold case involving the disappearance of a rodeo star. All Charli wants to do is run her silent auction, complete her volunteer hours at the rodeo, and see a lot of money go to a good cause. Unfortunately, her best-friend is involved with one of the rodeo stars, the rodeo star, Dalton Hibbs who has a huge ego and propensity for causing trouble. Though Charli wants to support her best-friend and the happiness she’s clearly found with her rodeo man, Charli is distrustful and has real issues with his treatment of her friend.

As it happens, Charli has reason to be distrustful when Dalton goes missing just days before the rodeo is due to start. What’s more, as Charli begins asking questions, she once again finds herself in hot water. Her questions seem to be right on point if the man with the branding iron hell bent on hurting her can be used as proof. Her best friend’s home is broken into and when Charli and her friend track Dalton’s cell phone, they find the unthinkable, not one, but two graves and one of them is fresh. As you might well expect, the local law (the super-hot Mateo!) isn’t at all pleased with Charli’s meddling. Though she promises Mateo to stay out of the investigation, Charli is far too curious for her own good and finds herself even deeper in the mess than ever before. Before it’s all said and done, Charli finds herself in more danger than she’s ever been in before and with a new best-friend, the inflatable donut!

The Bottom Line: This series has found its feet for me and I liked this book even better than the first, Fatal Fiction. Charli is officially welcomed back to town and has worked tirelessly to make the Book Barn Princess an even larger and more successful part of the community. She’s on good terms with her dad, has accepted the fact she has a pink armadillo as a pet, and is eternally frustrated by two sexy men who can’t seem to figure out precisely what they want. One of my favorite parts of this book, and a quality I hope to see in later installments of the series, is Charli’s marked determination to stay out of trouble and then landing in the thick of it. She exasperates the cops, worries her father to no end, and pushes the limits of her health insurance. I’m sort of smitten with Charli Rae Warren and look forward to her next adventure 😊

This is the second book in the Book Barn Mystery series. While I did read the first book, and looked forward to this one, I think it works well as a standalone. There is enough information in the book that you wont feel like you’ve been left out-of-the loop because hints of actions from previous books keep popping up; however, since there are only two books, why not start at the beginning?

This book has two mysteries; The disappearance of a rodeo star in the present and the disappearance of his brother 7 years before. There is lots of activity in town due to the upcoming rodeo, and the author, Kym Roberts, does a wonderful job of showing plenty of activity around town and the mystery-solving skills of a local sheriff as well as the main character, Charli. The story has an interesting collection of characters from the kind and helpful to the overly egotistic, and the author brings out the little details in each person that shows what they are really made of. Adding an armadillo as a pet was an interesting choice; while I get a kick out of the mannerisms of Princess (the armadillo) , I also find myself cringing because of the books she destroys. While a few necessary clues, needed to easily solve the murders, were withheld until the grand finale, the mystery is neatly tied up with a believable ending

If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, this another good series to pick up.

Sorry I could not get to read this one due to college exams.

A Reference to Murder by Kym Roberts is book two in the Book Barn Mystery series. Charli runs The Book Barn along with her dad. This book takes place during a fundraising auction and rodeo. I had not read the first book, but I had no problem following this one. I am not a big fan of bull riding, but my main problem with this book is all of the time spent on Charli's love life. The mystery did not occur until I was well into the book. My favorite character was Princess, the pet armadillo. I did like the writing style and will give the next book a chance.

My biggest star has to go to the idea of a book barn. Seriously, a barn full of books (my mind went wild), with the ability to shelve all the pretty books. This was a huge selling point to me, not only for the book idea but because it gave purpose to a building that others didn’t see a future for.

Charli is a cool character. She flows from page to page with ease. Obviously, it isn’t her first rodeo (bad joke) being in a book. She had a refreshing personality, and wasn’t seeming typical to being an amateur sleuth. I really loved her thinking process. I guess that would mean that this author has a great ability to make her character stand out as a sleuth in a world of sleuths. It was the perfect read for a spring day.

Readers that enjoy bibliophile related mysteries, and characters that have their own unique way of solving crimes. This book is part of a series, and I need to read the series. Look for more my friends!

This is the second book in the Book Barn mystery series by Kym Roberts. This book does stand alone for a new to the series reader but I do recommend the first in series .
Charlie Rae is managing her families bookshop which is a integral part of the small Texas town where she lives. As a rodeo comes to town she is preparing for a book auction to raise funds with her best friend Scarlett. Scarlett is interested in a bullrider who suddenly disappears and our sleuth begins.
The author has a masterful style of describing small town Texas characters. The sleuth is multi faceted and has the right amount of twist and turns for any mystery fan. I enjoy this series and look forward to the next in series. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this for review.

A REFERENCE TO MURDER was my first book by author Kym Roberts, but I look forward to reading more. It was an entertaining story. Certainly one mystery fans will enjoy.

This is a great book; this is the second book in the Book Barn Mystery series written by Kym Roberts. Charli Rae Warren is back home in Hazel Rock, Texas, spending her time reading, collecting, and selling books—at least, the ones that don’t get eaten first by her father’s pet armadillo. Running the family bookstore is a demanding job, but solving murders on the side can be flat out dangerous. The Book Barn is more than just a shop, it’s a part of the community—and Charli is keeping busy with a fundraising auction and the big rodeo event that’s come to town. That includes dealing with the Texas-sized egos of some celebrity cowboys, including Dalton Hibbs, a blond, blue-eyed bull rider who gets overly rowdy one night with the local hairdresser . . . and soon afterward, disappears into thin air. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Hazel Rock Texas is hosting a fundraising rodeo and apparently a murderer. Charli Rae Warren is determined to make sure her best friend, Scarlet, doesn't get hurt by Dalton Hibbs. He's a bull rider with a big ego and lots of emotional baggage. When he goes missing, Scarlet becomes a person of interest. Is Dalton alive or dead? Charli is glad to be home and working at the family book shop. She missed her dad and the pace of life here. I liked Charli. She has spunk and nose for trouble. She plans to help the Sheriff find out what's going on even if it puts her in danger. Mateo with his protective attitude is a hero. I fell for him. I'm hoping that a romance will develop between these two. I enjoyed this suspenseful mystery. It is a rolling coaster ride that kept me guessing. A Reference To Murder has great dialogue and characters. I loved the touch of romance and the surprising twists. The Book Barn Mystery series pulled me in. I couldn't stop reading.
I received a copy of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. My comments are my honest opinion.

A Reference to Murder, the second book in the Book Barn Mystery series, is just as much a nail biter as the first. This time there are two murders to solve but still get solved with only a moderate amount of physical wear and tear on Charli/Princess. Princess the pink armadillo agrees...