Another reviewer stated that having this be her first book in this eight-book (so far) series put her at a bit of a disadvantage with respect to knowing the character dynamics, and I'd have to agree with that. The characters are quite quirky and obviously have a reasonable amount of history between them, so leaping into the middle of them at this stage wrong-footed me a little bit.

Amy and her 'crew' have headed to Philadelphia for an opportunity to exhibit at the American Birding Expo. Before the Expo can even start, the keynote speaker, JJ Fuller, is found dead and Amy's 'assistant manager' (apparently self-appointed), Esther, is fingered as the murderer. This leads the group - minus Amy's hapless and non-birding boyfriend, Derek, who gets left manning their booth - chasing ex-spies all over Philly to try and resolve the murder and clear Esther's name.

There was a lot going on in this book over the course of the three-day expo (a tip of the hat to the Monkees reference!) and it got a bit convoluted towards the end. I think going back to the first book would help to clarify the characters and help set the scene in Ruby Lake much more. But a steady read over several days and I didn't guess the murderer, so the red herrings were well laid!

I like this series, This is book 8 in A Bird Lover's Mystery. Amy and the rest of the bird lovers are heading to Philadelphia when an unexpected table opens up at the American Birding Expo. Thinking of all the good advertising for Birds & Bees they all pack their bags and leave Ruby Lake for fun and new info. Even Amy the dour assistant goes along. Is someone willing to kill over pictures of a rare bird? The crew needs to work fast. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A Birder’s Guide to Murder
By: J. R. Ripley
Kensington Books
Publication Date: November 13, 2018
2 Stars

Amy Simms is the owner of Birds & Bees that is located in Ruby Lake, North Carolina. An unexpected opportunity arises for Amy to attend the American Birding Expo as a vendor. Amy thinks the publicity will drum up some business and extra cash flow. She takes along her “assistant manager”, Esther, and three other members of her close knit group: Karl, Floyd, and Derek. They all set out for Philadelphia, the location of the bird expo. Shortly after arriving at the expo, JJ Fueller, the guest speaker, is found dead. Esther was seen in the vicinity near the time of his death and becomes the prime suspect.

This is the 8th book in the Bird Lover’s Mystery series, but the first one I’ve read. I sense that really put me at a disadvantage because I feel like I didn’t know the gang or understand their group dynamics or individual personalities. Without knowing them better, some of their actions seemed unreasonable. After JJ Fueller is killed, is when the plot goes awry for me. Somehow we go from a murder at a birding expo to a spy themed plot. It just didn’t work for me. If you are a fan of the series, however, I suggest you read the reviews of those who’ve read through the series themselves. You might get a better idea if this book is your cup of tea.

Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Book for an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #ABirdersGuideToMurder

I received this ARC via Netgalley in return for an honest review. A Birder's Guide to Murder is the eighth installment in the A Bird Lover's Mystery series. This is the first I've read and I expected more, as I'm interested in both birding and cosy mysteries. Somehow, this one didn't do much for me. Perhaps if I'd started with the first book, I'd have been more engaged with the characters.

The protagonist is Birds & Bees owner, Amy Simms. Amy has been invited to have a booth at the annual American Birding Expo being held in Philadelphia, PA. She agrees and ends up with her assistant and several other people, including two senior citizens, Karl and Floyd, and her boyfriend, Derek. Amy's assistant, Esther, is discovered with a dead body of the Expo guest of honor on the first day of the Expo, after they've already encountered a poor booth situation and a bad beginning with the deceased.

I had a rough time getting through this one and, after about a third of the way through, I skipped to the last chapter. Since it is the 8th book, I expect the previous books in the series were more engaging and allowed a character development and appreciation to keep the author writing the series.

This is the 8th in series and one of only three books in the series I have read. I enjoy this series and highly recommend it for all cozy mystery lovers. Thank you for the ARC . My opinions are my own.
This is such a fun read as are the previous books in the series I have read. The author has all the perfect elements of a cozy mystery, a charming theme, great charcters, some humor and a great sleuth. The basis of this series is a great love and interest in birds and I appreciate how the author incorporates the birding information into all her books.
In this next in series our protagonist Amy Simms is taking a group to a American Birding Expo. When a famous bird photographer is found dead at the Expo Amy jumps into investigate with help from her bird friendly friends.

I love the characters who are all fun and add humor.. A Birder's Guide to Murder has a well crafted sleuth , great whodoneit action and lots of bird information throughout. A very enjoyable read ! that moves along at a nice speed. It's set in Philadelphia at a birding expo which is interesting to read about and fun.
I look forward to the next in series.

A Birder's Guide to Murder by J. R. Ripley is the 8th book in A Bird Lover's Mystery series, and they just keep getting better. I am not a bird enthusiast, but I really enjoyed this book/series. In this book Amy Simms, Esther the pester, (Amy's assistant) Derek, (Amy's boyfriend), Karl and Floyd (friends) take a trip to American Birding Expo in Philadelphia to represent Birds& Bees, (Amy's store). When Esther is seen arguing with the key note speaker, and he is found dead, Amy and friends must find the real killer. We learn a lot more about Esther in this book too. This book has more twists and turns, that kept me reading page after page. Just when I thought I was on the right track, I realize I wasn't. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. If you love cozy mysteries like I do, than I recommend this book/series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Bird Lover's Cozy Mystery
This is a cozy mystery involving bird watchers at an exposition. This is the 8th in a series, but the first one that I've read. It stands alone quite well. There are some very cute parts such as naming the crew from Back to Nature Tours with the last names of the 1960's band, The Monkees (Tork, Dolenz, Jones and Nesmith). There are too many parts that are so inane! It is like listening to 'Who's on First' 10 times in the book. As a bird watcher, I was expecting something entirely different and did not enjoy the book on that level. As a lover of cozy mysteries, it was okay. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.

A Birder’s Guide to Murder, the eighth book in JR Ripley’s Bird Lover Mysteries, takes Amy Simms, owner of the Birds & Bees shop in Ruby Lake, NC, her boyfriend, attorney Derek Harlan, her tenant and part owner in the shop, septuagenarian Esther Pilaster, and local retired friends Floyd Withers and Karl Vogel, to the American Birding Expo in Philadelphia. Road trip!
At almost the last minute, Amy receives a message from Phoebe Gates, who was in charge of this year’s ABE, offering a booth at the Expo that had been forfeited and telling Amy that there were rooms reserved at the Eagle Inn that were nonrefundable which her group was welcome to use. The only thing that struck Amy as a bit odd was Phoebe’s insistence that Esther Pilaster, septuagenarian, tenant, and Birds & Bees investor, accompany the group. At first, Esther isn’t interested, but when she learns there is an option for gambling, she is reluctantly in.

It seems they have been oversold. The hotel and reservations aren’t as expected, the booth is small. And the set up day at the Expo draws Amy and Esther into the murder of ornithologist JJ Fuller, keynote speaker of the Expo.

And thus the mystery begins, drawing the group in to decades old espionage in the guise of today’s murders. Crossing paths with double agents and faked dead men, Amy is introduced to an Esther she had not known existed as well as a world of people who are not what they seemed. Risking herself to help Esther, Amy escapes any number of dangers to end up pretty much unharmed while their friend Floyd ends up hospitalized for a gunshot wound to his leg.

In a twisty-turny tale of murder and revenge, Amy and her crew come out head side up and on just barely the right side of the law. This tale is very well written and has more switchbacks than a mountain road. Well done, Mr. Ridley! I did enjoy this book and do recommend it!

This is a charming and delightful series. We learn more about Esther. Most of the action takes place at an expo. A few exciting moments. Surprise ending. I look forward to reading the next one in this series.

When a vendor drops out of the American Birding Expo in Philadelphia, the organizer, Phoebe, asks Amy to step in. She doesn't think it's a good idea but it might be that she can spend some alone time with her boyfriend. Even if there are three other people going with them. Including a strangely reluctant Esther.
It starts off bad with their reserved rooms not being available and Amy insulting the VIP, but then it gets worse when said VIP is found dead by none other than Esther who immediately becomes a suspect in his murder.
I had only read one other book in this series and wasn't fully invested in Esther. With this book focusing so much on her, it made it a little less enjoyable for me.

Three stars
This book came out November 13
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley; Opinion is my own

I love this series and this was a great addictions. It was a fun read, enjoyable and entertaining.
The cast of characters is lovely as usually and the mystery kept me guessing till the end.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC

A Birder's Guide to Murder is the 8th book in the Bird Lover's Mystery series. I love the characters, background theme and humor in this series. Always an enjoyable cozy mystery experience!

This time, Amy Simms is taking her crew from Birds & Bees on the road to the American Birding Expo. It's a last minute trip....an exhibitor cancelled at the last minute, leaving open booth and hotel space. Amy snaps up the reservations and they hit the highway. The fun is a bit dampened when a main Expo VIP causes a scene. J.J. Fuller is a famous bird photographer.....and a huge jerk. Things get worse when Fuller is found dead by Amy and her business partner, Esther Pilaster. When Esther ends up being the number one suspect....Amy knows she needs to investigate fast to clear her. Who clonged the bird expert over the head with a pair of binoculars? The Birds & Bees crew is on the case!

My favorite character in this series has to be good ol' Esther the Pester. Her character has developed quite a bit from the start of the series. And I was happy to see her be more of a main character in this newest book....even if she was accused of murder. There is a little bit of everything in this book -- birding info, a murder, investigation, spy intrigue.....lots going on!

I love the background theme of this series. The characters are entertaining and quirky. It makes for a very entertaining cozy mystery each time. A Birder's Guide to Murder has an interesting plot that moves along at a nice speed. It's set in Philidelphia at a birding expo...so lots of new places and situations for the characters this time.

Will Esther the Pester be arrested for murder?? Did her curmudgeonly behavior morph into murderous intent? Read the book and find out!

J.R. Ripley also writes the Maggie Miller mysteries and Tony Kozol mystery series.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Amy can't seem to get away from murder, even when she goes to the Birding Expo in Philadelphia. This is a cozy so you know that JJ Fuller, the photographer victim, has an array of enemies and that one of Amy's friends will be a prime suspect. Esther didn't want to go to the Expo and now Amy not only has to find out why, she also has to clear her of the murder! It's got some twists, some turns, and while I wasn't a particular fan of the zombie stuff (there could have been more about birds), it did add a different slant to the story. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Two wings up.

A Birder’s Guide to Murder is the eighth book in J. R. Ripley’s Bird Lover’s Mysteries series. The quirky characters are well developed. The story flows at a choppy yet steady pace, with twists and turns, and no shortage of suspects.

Amy Simms and her friend, Kim Christy, are the owners of Birds & Bees in Ruby Lake, North Carolina. Due to a late minute cancellation, Amy has been invited to have a booth at the annual American Birding Expo being held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Initially, Esther doesn’t want to go, but when Floyd and Karl mention casinos, she relents. Amy, along with the store’s assistant manager, Esther, two of her senior citizen friends, Karl and Floyd, and her boyfriend, Derek, drive to Philadelphia to man the booth and promote Birds & Bees, while Amy’s mother, Barbara, and Kim volunteer to stay in Ruby Lake to take charge of the store. Esther argues with James Jules Fuller, a famed birding expert and bird photographer, who is the Expo’s guest of honor and keynote speaker. Esther, who has been acting suspiciously, leads Amy to Mr. Fuller’s dressing room, where she points out that he’s been murdered and nothing she says makes any sense to Amy. Besides being arrested for murder by Detective Simon Locke and then released, Esther disappears multiple times. Amy, Floyd, and Karl conduct an improbable investigation; and Derek, a non-birder, spends most of his time being neglected by Amy and manning the booth.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

A Bird Lover's Mystery #8

Amy and her gaggle of bird loving friends have unexpectedly been invited to participate in the American Birding Expo in Philadelphia. A last-minute invite and a trip with the entire gang, including Esther the Pester. This could be a very bad thing for Amy but a good thing for her shop Birds and Bees.

Things begin going badly as soon as they check in to the motel. Esther is acting oddly even for her. Frank, Karl and Derek must share a room which means Esther and Amy are bunking together. Oh Joy!

Amy manages to insult a famous bird photographer who is also the guest of honor. And Esther is disappearing every few minutes. When she drags Amy into a bathroom where said guest of honor is no longer in the land of the living, Amy is beginning to think she should have run a background check on her tenant a long time ago. Through cemeteries, Zombie Conventions and a whole lot of shady people, this story is the best so far. We found out a lot about Miss Esther and there may be some love in the air as well.

This series is one of my favorites. By now I am so invested in each of these wonderful characters I can't wait for the next one to come out!

Well Done!

Netgalley/ November 13th 2018 by Lyrical Underground

A Birder's Guide to Murder is the eighth installment in the A Bird Lover's Mystery series featuring Birds & Bees owner, Amy Simms. Amy has been invited to have a booth at the annual American Birding Expo being held in Philadelphia, PA, so along with assistant manager Esther "the Pester", her two Senior citizen friends Karl and Floyd and her boyfriend Derek the gang sets out for the show.

It's not even day one and the body of famed bird photographer and expo person of honor, JJ Fuller turns up dead in his dressing room. Esther has been acting suspiciously since they arrived in Philly, and when she's discovered at the scene of the murder, Amy begins to think there is a little more to her tenant than meets the eye.

A totally confusing plot that mixes birds with zombies. So many unbelievable actions on the part of Amy and her friends - absolutely nobody would do the things they do especially in a strange city. Amy supposedly loves Derek but she is constantly treating him as an after thought - he suffers a concussion so she drops him off alone at his hotel room? Hints of government spies and no real motive is revealed.

I usually enjoy spending time in Ruby Lake with Amy, her friends and family but there was really nothing about this book that I liked. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief and skipping over paragraphs just to reach the end.

I received an advanced copy of A Birder's Guide to Murder from NetGalley via Lyrical Underground, a division of Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

I liked learning more about Esther. Hopefully, her past will come into play more in future books. The story was engaging and different from other's in the series.

One thing that irked me: Amy is short on money. The hotel was supposed to have been paid for yet she doesn't follow up on it, instead spends a lot of funds on several rooms and parking and doesn't bring it up to the woman running the expo who invited her. When the woman actually brings it up later on, Amy doesn't follow up on it. Amy can hunt down murders, but can't take care of this issue which she really can't afford? My common sense and business savvy really chafed at that inconsistency.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. 3.5/5

Oh this was a good one! In my past I actually worked booths at expos. So I know how time can drag. Clearly I misused the down time since it seems I should have been looking for guilty people. LOL Now admit it, she was rarely at the booth. Tho I admit the story was entertaining and the end was surprising. I liked it!

A fast paced, funny cozy mystery with great characters, an unusual bird themed plot and an interesting Philadelphia setting that takes you inside the world of a birding convention with all that it entails. Amy Simms runs Birds & Bees, a bird enthusiasts shop in Ruby Lake, North Carolina. She is contacted by Phoebe Gates, an acquaintance, and offered the chance to participate as an exhibitor in the annual birding convention being held in Philadelphia. Amy sees it as a chance to get new ideas to improve her business and gets her usual crew to travel along with her, despite the fact that her assistant manager, the mysterious "Esther the Pester" complains that she doesn't do Philadelphia. Once there Esther finds the dead body of JJ, a star of the birding world and is arrested for his murder when her fingerprints are found on the knife used to kill him. Some of Esther's mysterious past comes to light as the group goes on the offensive to clear their friend. This was a most interesting and fun story, one that I totally enjoyed.

Who knew that a birding expo would cause so much drama!
Amy Simms and the gang are in Philadelphia, attending a bird expo when things explode.
Esther the Pester is involved and when she informs Amy that her friend is in trouble, Amy can't help but investigate.
There are plenty of twists and turns in A Birder's Guide To Murder, keeping cozy mystery readers at the edge of their seats.
I volunteered to read and review an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.