This is the 2nd book in the wonderful mystery series "Keepsake Cove". I have read the first in series and highly recommend the series. This book can be read as a stand alone for new readers. Do yourself a favor and read the first in series as it is a most enjoyable mystery to start off the series. This is a utterly charming cozy series.

I received a ARC for review . Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley . My review opinions are my own.

In this next in series we return to Callie Reed in Keepsake Cove. Callie is a likable protagonist to this series and very approachable to the reader. Callie is very intuitive and reads people very well. These traits help her as a detective . She also like to help people and is drawn to help where she can.
Callie Reed runs House of Melody, a collectible music box shop that she inherited from her aunt. The descriptions of the shop by the author are very charming. I adore how the author describes so vividly the music boxes and the music. They are of a time gone by and many readers like me had music boxes as part of our childhood.
Callie has volunteered to plan the autumn decorations for the town as well as manage a book signing event for author Lyssa Hammond. Callie takes a welcome basket to her at the Foxwood Inn which is owned by Clifford Ashby. Clifford is not popular and he makes many people uncomfortable. Callie is surprised to hear that Clifford was found dead in the park by stabbing with scissors . Soon the owner of the vintage sewing shop is determined to be the murderer. Callie knows her and feels she is innocent and is out to find the real suspect with help from her friends. Many clues and twist and turns to the plot wind to a satisfying conclusion.
I loved this next in series and look forward to the next book . The author has given her readers a gift with her exquisite details of the shop and the music boxes. The sleuth was excellent and I enjoy the supporting charcters of this very charming cozy series.

Callie Reed is a new I.er to Keepsake Cove and she's fiercely protective of her fellow shopowners, newly made friends and the businesses that give the town its name. When a man is found with scissors stuck in his chest and her neighbor is unfairly named for killing her ex husband , Callie tries to help clear her name. Along the way, they host an author and a book signing with a scary theme, and there's another murder!! Callie doubles down in her efforts to get to the bottom of the mystery, where anyone is suspect, even the author.
I really enjoyed the music box theme and how the music randomly starts playing....the climax of the book when Callie was stuck inside the walls of the bed and breakfast inn, thanks to the real murderer was pretty cool too. I didn't figure out who had done it, and luckily Callie could restore her friendship she was suspect of.
I was provided an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series about a little Maryland town filled with curio shops of all different times. I really loved catching up with Callie, Tabitha, and Brian. Callie has really come into her own since the beginning of her first book and it's nice to see her have a bit more backbone when it comes to dealing with her ex. Her relationship with Brian is also really sweet and I'm glad to see them together. I loved the addition of thriller writer, Lyssa Hammond. She and Callie really made a fun team as they tried to solve the murder and I liked the added depth we got for her character. Never have more people had reason to kill a murder victim than Clifford Ashby. He's such an awful little man and as we learn more and more about him that impression doesn't get better. The mystery was one that really kept me guessing and it could have gone so many ways! I would have liked a little more backstory when the reveal itself actually happens. I had a clear understanding as to the whos, whats, and whys but I just wanted a little more.

This is a really fun series with characters I really enjoy getting to know and a solid mystery. I really enjoy the music box store setting and Tabitha's ever changing costumes.

Ohhh this was so good, and I didn't want it to end! I was wishing I could just hang around a bit longer in Keepsake Cove after the really awesome ending this book had.

It was fall in Keepsake Cove, and all the business owners were decorating and getting ready for all the extra business they hoped that author Lyssa Hammond's book event would bring them. When a local B&B owner was found stabbed with a pair of antique scissors, his estranged wife Dorothy was the major person of interest. Callie was determined that her friend wasn't going to go to jail, because she knew Dorothy wouldn't do something like that.

Callie and Lyssa had become fast friends and did a lot of sleuthing together, which I thought was awesome, since up till now, Callie hadn't really had a girlfriend close to her age. The showdown was really exciting and the ending was super satisfying. I had read the first book, which I really enjoyed as well, but this could work as a standalone. The main characters are the type that you meet and feel like they're good friends. This book makes me want to go back and read over the first one, just so I can spend more time in Keepsake Cove while waiting for the next book.

A Vintage Death by Mary Ellen Hughes book 2 in the Keepsake Cove Mystery series, and I loved it. Callie Reed owns the Keepsake Cove music box store, which she inherited. Working hard to fit in with the community, Callie volunteers to plan the street fall decorations. Unfortunately when someone turns up dead, and her friend Dorothy, who owns the Vintage Sewing shop, scissors are found in the victim, Callie is determined to find the real killer. Callie teams up with a visiting author to solve the case. I really enjoy this series, I am not into music boxes or sewing, but it doesn't really matter, the characters and plot is well developed. I strongly recommend this book for all cozy mystery lovers like me.

I was given a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

A Vintage Death by Mary Ellen Hughes is a really good cozy mystery. It's only the second book in this series, but I'm already hooked on the characters and the setting. Callie is a really likeable character and so are the others. I do think it's good that the author isn't moving the relationship between Callie and Brian too quickly. It's happening at a realistic pace considering she had ended a long-term relationship not that long ago. As far as the mystery itself goes, I honestly didn't see that revelation coming. I was very surprised, which makes it a really good murder mystery. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in this series to see what happens in Keepsake Cove next.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.

With the annual fall festival quickly approaching and Callie Reed, the new owner of House of Melody in quaint Keepsake Cover, Maryland, feeling a need to pay back her community for her warm welcome, she agrees to help where she can and to make the arrival of popular author and guest for the book signing, Lyssa Hammond, comfortable during her visit.

Staying at the Foxwood Inn while her home is being renovated, Lyssa learns more about the area, and owner Clifford Ashby, then she would like. Especially when Clifford is found murdered with a pair of scissors sticking out of him. Scissors that had come from his estranged wife’s shop and more than enough reason to believe that Dorothy had put them there.

Dorothy Ashby nearly has everyone believing that she is innocent, that is until Renata Moore, is also found stabbed to death with scissors that could have come from Dorothy’s shop. There was no love lost between these two women, but was the ongoing feud enough to make the leap to murder.

With Callie and Lyssa forming their own investigative team, interesting back histories comes to the forefront and old wounds are laid bare. Turns out that there was more going on in this little cove then originally thought and as stories come to light, there is more than enough to keep a reader engaged.

Callie Reed comes to the aid of her fellow Keepsake Cove shop-owner Dorothy Ashby who is suspected of killing her estranged husband, Clifford. Clifford was an obnoxious boor who owned and operated an upscale B&B, the Foxwood Inn. When he is found stabbed with a pair of antique scissors from Dorothy's shop, police suspect her as his killer. Callie investigates the killing with the aid of a successful mystery writer who is in town for a book signing event. They turn up several people with sufficient motive to harm Clifford, and their sleuthing puts Callie in jeopardy.

In the background is the Keepsake Cove community with its quaint shops, and several eccentric characters some of them with shady pasts.

It's a clever whodunit mystery story, told at a brisk pace without the usual conflict with the local police. Recommended as an entertaining read with a satisfying conclusion. It's the sequel to the series debut but can be read as a standalone without difficulty.

Thanks to Murder Ink Books and Netgalley for my copy of this eBook. The views expressed are my own.

This is the second book in the series about a touristy town that has a lot of specialty shops and our protagonist, Callie, runs a music box shop. It is interesting to read about various types of music boxes and the music that is within the box or other housing. And her aunt seems to haunt a heirloom music box that they keep in the shop. I think it is her aunt's way of looking out for her and warning her when something bad might happen.

The mystery kept me guessing about who the killer was and let me tell you I didn't get it right at all! I was very surprised at how things turned out and perhaps those that died got what they deserved because they were not nice people at all. The author does a great job of weaving in past events into the present that makes different characters seem guilty even if they are not.

There is an author that is visiting the town to do a book signing, Lyssa, that has her own secrets too but nothing as bad as others! It looks like Lyssa might become a regular character since she has bought a home close to Keepsake Cove. She is quite quirky and I think she will add some dimension to the books and helps round out a trio of friends which includes Tabitha. Tabitha is another fun characters because she likes to dress as various characters/people and keeps people guessing. I always wonder who she will portray next.

On the romance side, Hank is still trying to keep his hooks in Callie despite the fact that she has told him goodbye. At least he doesn't live in town! Her friendship with Brian is developing and I wouldn't be surprised if this turned into a romance down the road. Even if it doesn't, they have a great friendship which needs to be treasured.

This was an entertaining read. I read the first in the series and this one was just as enjoyable. Keepsake Cove sounds like a wonderful place to live. Even if the neighbors aren't all nice, it still have some wonderful people in the town. A local B&B owner has been murdered and Callie is hot on the trail of the killer. First her friend Dorothy is the main suspected because she is the victim's estranged wife. Then there is the guest author in town who is gung ho to solve the murder. Why her interest? The story is engaging and kept me turning the pages. I was surprised at the end and the reveal of the murderer.

A Vintage Death by Mary Ellen Hughes returns readers to Keepsake Cove, Maryland. Callie Reed runs House of Melody, a collectible music box shop that she inherited from her aunt. Callie has volunteered to plan the autumn decorations for the town as well as the book signing event for Lyssa Hammond. She has the able assistance from her friend, Dorothy Ashby who owns Stitches Thru Time. After Lyssa arrives in town, Callie takes a welcome basket to her at the Foxwood Inn which is owned by Clifford Ashby. Clifford is a chatty fellow, but he makes people uncomfortable. On Monday, while the townspeople are decorating their shops with autumn décor, Callie is surprised to hear that Clifford was found dead in the park with a pair of vintage scissors sticking out of his chest. Dorothy, Clifford’s estranged wife, becomes the prime suspect since the scissors came from her shop. Callie knows her friend did not commit the crime and, with the aid of an eager Lyssa, starts searching for clues. Several local townspeople had reason to harm Clifford who had developed a scheme to earn extra money. Which suspect committed the wicked deed? Before Callie and Lyssa can zero in on the killer another body is found in the park and, once again, the weapon is a pair of scissors. Can Callie solve this whodunit and save Dorothy from a life in prison?

A Vintage Death is the second tale in A Keepsake Cove Mystery series, but it can be read alone. The author provides Callie’s backstory to bring readers up to date. We get to know more about Keepsake Cove, its adorable shops and its amiable characters. Each shop features a different type of collectible item which I find very unique. Callie has become friends with several of the locals and has begun dating Brian Greer who owns the Keepsake Cove Café. Lyssa was a nice addition to the book, and I hope we see her again in future installments. We get to know more about Callie in this story (good character development). Tabitha, Callie’s shop assistant, is a off-beat character with her unconventional style of dress. She dresses up as a different character each day and her clothing is described in detail. I liked the author’s conversational writing style (what I call easy breezy) which makes the book easy to read and enjoy. The mystery was intriguing with an unusual murder weapon and several suspects. I was not surprised by the killer’s identity, but I appreciated how the mystery played out. The crime is actively investigated by our amateur sleuths. It has a dramatic ending and a twist that will surprise you. Grandpa Reed’s music box is the paranormal element in the story. It will play out at times to aid Callie in her investigation. I am a fan of paranormal, but the music box is not working in this story. We do not know what the music box means when it plays out a tune (too vague). I hope it becomes clearer in future books in this series. A Vintage death a pleasing cozy mystery with its quaint town, charming shops and friendly characters.

extortion, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, friendship

A truly nice shopkeeper is suspected of the murder of her nasty estranged husband who, among other things, owns the nearby Bed and Breakfast. He was a nasty piece of work who cheated his employees and was pretty much running a protection racket on the shop owners.
Callie recently inherited the music box shop from her aunt, is new to small business ownership, seems to be making many new friends, and is highly motivated to use her talents to investigate the murder with an eye to clearing the prime suspect. It is a big help that one of her new friends is a mystery author who was staying at the B&B.
The characters are all interesting and engaging, the locale is lovely, and the plot works very well. I really enjoyed it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Midnight Ink via NetGalley. Thank you!

A Vintage Death is the second book in the Keepsake Cove Mystery series.

Callie Reed owns a music box store which she has recently inherited from her aunt Melody in Keepsake Cove. Keepsake Cove is a quaint town on the East coast of Maryland and is well known for its beautiful holiday decorations which attract tourists and collectors who come to browse these quaint shops looking for curios or just do some sightseeing. This year, Callie has volunteered to do the fall street decorations and also host a book signing event for a visiting author.

Few days before the book event, a man is found dead in the park, stabbed with a pair of antique scissors. The scissors come from a vintage sewing shop which the victim's estranged wife, Dorothy owns. She’s now become a suspect. Callie does not think her friend and neighbour is capable of committing such a crime and decides to investigate. The visiting author, Lyssa offers to help Callie solve this mystery and bring the killer to justice.

I enjoyed this book very much and thought the mystery was well crafted. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed watching Callie and Lyssa solve the mystery. I liked Tabitha, Callie’s assistant and admired her quirky dress sense. Hank, on the other hand, was just a funny character and reading about him made me chuckle. I couldn’t guess who the killers were until they were revealed, and this made it an enjoyable read.
This is my first book by the author and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. Highly recommend to lovers of a cozy mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Midnight Ink for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I am so happy to return to Keepsake Cove and just in time for a big event too. Callie is starting to feel at home and is getting involved. She has volunteered to head up the committee decorating the town for Fall and helping with a big book signing for author Lyssa Hammond. Lyssa and Callie become fast friends after Callie delivers a welcome basket to the B&B where the author is staying. She also meets the owner of the B&B, Clifford Ashby. He is a strange individual who makes both Callie and Lyssa uncomfortable so Lyssa is happy to spend time away from the place with Callie. They can both understand why he and his wife, Dorothy, are living apart.

But when the creepy man is found dead the focus turns directly to his wife. She owns the vintage sewing shop and the murder weapon was a pair of vintage sheers. Callie knows Dorothy couldn’t kill anyone and decides to prove it. Lyssa is by her side as they start to uncover secrets that may have sealed Clifford’s fate. When another person is killed, the choice of weapon connects the cases and also proves even more clearly Dorothy is not the murderer. Now they just need to find the real killer and get them to sing a melody that lands them in the slammer.

Keepsake Cove is my kind of place, a collector shopper’s dream come true. Ms. Hughes brings the place to life with her words. All the unique shops, the town square, the music boxes that fill the shelves of Callie’s shop and more. The set up for the author signing was fun and Halloween themed right down to the author’s arrival. I loved it!

The characters were already well developed in the first book, A Fatal Collection, but they continue to grow and evolve through this story. I really like Tabitha, Callie’s assistant at the shop. Each day is a surprise because the way she dresses always has a theme. She and Callie work so well together, but the woman is more than capable at running the place while Callie is off solving crimes. I also enjoy that her new relationship with cafe owner Brian Greer is moving at a slow comfortable pace. There is also a special character that is quiet most of the time, a little supernatural element, a beloved music box that only plays to help Callie stay on track.

Secrets are the keys to this mystery and the author draws readers in with an expert hand. She opens the door to a much longer suspect list than I had imagined and she twists things up in a way that I was just following along without doing my normal thing of trying to solve the mystery before the protagonist. The ending was suspenseful and surprised me. I really enjoyed the way this story was written and played out. I would have finished the book all in one sitting but my eyes just would not cooperate.

Another wonderful read from this author for this series. I truly can’t wait for the next installment, my fingers and toes are crossed hoping for another visit to Keepsake Cove.

3.5 stars

Callie Reed has moved to Keepsake Cove after inheriting her late aunt's music box shop. The community of small shop owners has arranged a promotional author appearance for Halloween with a thriller writer. But real life drama in the form of murder interrupts their local events.

Unfortunately, Callie's neighbor and friend Dorothy stands accused. Soon Callie and the author team up to find out what really happened. But Callie is leery since the writer clearly also has secrets that she is shielding.

Callie is a good character to spend time with. There is your typical eccentric group of townspeople and, of course, a possible romance with a local cafe owner (one of the more slow-developing romances in recorded history). Readable if not memorable cozy in an enjoyable setting.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A VINTAGE DEATH by Mary Ellen Hughes
The Second Keepsake Cove Mystery

Callie Reed is delighted to meet Lyssa Hammond, the popular author of supernatural stories giving a book signing as part of Keepsake Cove's fall festivities.The two become fast friends, and become even closer when the overbearing B&B owner is murdered. Lyssa persuades Callie to work together to prove that the victim's estranged wife, Callie's friend Dorothy, is innocent. As evidence mounts against Dorothy and several people start badmouthing her, that task gets progressively more difficult. But, more than one person has motive to see the innkeeper dead, and several people are harbouring secrets...including Lyssa. With hints from her grandpa's music box Callie will risk her own safety to see that justice prevails.

This second Keepsake Cove mystery begs the question, how well do you really know people? Could someone you like really be a murderer? Can someone truly start over? Does everyone have a secret?

I was pleased to return to this small Maryland town. I love shopping for collectibles so a town devoted to them is just my cup of tea. The variety of stores is as appealing as the various characters who reside there. Tabitha's costumes bring a unique bit of playfulness to the House Of Melody while the Jekyll and Hyde aspects of both proprietors of The Collectable Cook raise suspicion and a wish to not need their goods. My favorite new character has to be Lyssa Hammond. The author brilliantly plays up the unique aspects of writers into this fun character. I especially love how the music box chimes in to let Callie know she's on the right track. I could have used it myself as I was certain I knew the murderer, only to find I was wrong, although my theory had nuggets of truth.

A VINTAGE DEATH is an entertaining mystery with an engaging cast of characters and a hint of the otherworldly.

A Vintage Death is the second Keepsake Cove Mystery. Mary Ellen Hughes has written a terrific follow up to A Fatal Collection! Callie Reed is settling into life as a shop owner in Keepsake Cove - she has made good friends, has a steady date, and is involved in planning the annual fall festival, which will feature a talk and book signing by the popular author, Lyssa Hammond.
The smooth transition to life in Keepsake Cove is marred by the murder of the local Bed and Breakfast owner, Cliff Ashby. When his estranged wife, Dorothy, is accused of the crime, Callie steps in to investigate and prove her friend is innocent. In the course of the investigation, Callie and Lyssa become good friends and join forces to find the real murderer.
I love the way this series is shaping up. The characters are fantastic - Lyssa is a terrific addition, and I hope she will be back in book three. The setting is great - there is still so much of the town to explore. Most of all, Mary Ellen Hughes writes really engaging mysteries. I am a fan of this series and can't wait for the next book to be published!

This was an entertaining cozy mystery. I enjoyed Ms. Hughes characters and how well she described each one. They all seemed like real people, not just something on paper. My only complaint about this book is that the action takes place just prior to Halloween. If a book talks a lot about a holiday, I like to read books close to that time as it helps with the mood of the book. Sadly, this book was published in early November, so a Thanksgiving setting would have made more sense right now. I wish Midnight Ink had made it available in October.

I do admit that I was happy she would make periodic references to the setting being in Maryland as I had a hard time remembering that. I would think some parts of the story seemed to be out of place or far-fetched until I remembered where Keepsake Cove is located.

This is the first book I have read by this author but I will look for more of her works.

A Vintage Death by Mary Ellen Hughes is the second book in Keepsake Cove Mystery series but can be read as a standalone.
This being the first book I have read I had no problem following the story and getting to know the characters.
I particularly liked that readers get to know characters well before mystery begins and that way they become more real.

Callie being new to the town has offered to help with holiday decorations and welcoming the visiting author, but when local store owner is found killed with vintage scissors, and his wife becomes prime suspect it's up to Callie and her new friend to find out the truth.

Beautiful setting, cleverly told story and lovable characters are the perfect ingredients for a successful cozy.
Steady paced with enough possible suspects and twists and turns it keep reader guessing till the end.
Well presented with and easy style of writing it makes an extremely pleasurable read.

Small Town Cozy Mystery
This wonderful cozy mystery takes place in a small coastal town. The town is old, filled with specialty shops and attracts lots of tourists. That in itself makes a great backdrop for a series. The plot is very well done with many suspects and few obvious motives. The final reveal is very surprising and makes total sense. I never would have guessed! This author is new to me. After reading this book, I want to read the entire series and all of her work. I received this ARC book for free and this is my honest review.