“Murder Wears a Little Black Dress” by Debra Sennefelder it's a solid four-star cozy mystery that offers an entertaining and engaging read. Sennefelder’s Writing style is light and breezy, making it easy to get lost in the story. The protagonist, Kelly Quinn, is a relatable and likable amateur sleuth who finds herself entangled in a web of murder and intrigue. The plot is well crafted, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, and the pacing is generally well maintained. The author’s attention to detail and describing the fashion elements that's a fun and unique touch to the narrative. While some of the character development could have been more nuanced, the overall mystery and the charming small-town setting make “Murder Wears a Little Black Dress” and enjoyable and satisfying cozy mystery for fans of the genre.

The premise of the book is great and the author really delivers. Great read. Highly recommended. .

Great start to a new series. Kelly leaves bustling Manhattan after her grandmother dies to revamp her consignment store in upstate New York. There were plenty of twists and turns and some secondary characters that I hope will rise up to the top in subsequent stories.

I enjoyed reading this first book in a new cozy series. Kelly has returned home to Long Island after losing her fashion job in NYC and inheriting her Grandmother's Consignment shop. A psychic tries on a little black dress and has a vision of a murder and her shop becomes known for the murder dress. When she discovers a real dead body and becomes the prime suspect she sets out to solve the crime. I really enjoyed the fashion background and the characters. The mystery was good and there was a twist at the end. The book is a quick fun read. I am looking for word to reading the next one. Enjoy

This was an interesting cozy mystery, with some good twists and turns. Kelly is re-designing a consignment shop she's inherited, and a series of murders leave her in the middle of the investigation. Good characters.

Interesting new series debut. NYC fashionista returns to Lucky Cove after inheriting her grandmother 's consignment shop, Kelly Quinn return is full of estranged family and friends, business difficulties and, of course, murder. Series has great potential and I'm looking forward to the next one.

I tried several times to get into this book but the story just wasn't for me. The author does a great job conveying the storyarc and the characters, but it just wasn't a book that could hold my interest. Started and stopped several times. Finished today. Thanks ro Netgalley for allowing me an arc

This is the first book in the Resale Boutique Mystery series. It was a fun paranormal cozy mystery that has potential. I didn't like all the name brand dropping, I thought it got a little old after a while.

Kelly Quinn's grandmother left her a consignment shop in her will, great timing since Kelly just lost her job as a fashion buyer. One of the first customers is a psychic who tries on a dress and screams that someone murdered somebody in it! That doesn't help the reputation of the shop, and it gets worse when the psychic's cousin is found murdered. Kelly needs to solve the crime to clear the reputation of her shop. The characters were fun and quirky and I'm interested in seeing how they develop in future books.

Thanks to Lyrical Underground and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, new cozy series, featuring fashion and murder, while introducing readers to Kelly Quinn and friends! After assuming ownership over her recently deceased grandmother's resale boutique, Kelly is haunted by townsfolk after a local psychic says the previous owner of the little black dress in her store was worn during a murder. Kelly is able to pinpoint the past owner of the dress all while she works on building business for her shop as locals aren't sure they want to participate in buying goods if the goods tell their own stories! Join this new and fun crew while they try to solve a local mystery while trying to stay out of the local detectives crosshairs as suspects themselves. This new series is sure to delight and entertain readers!

I received Murder Wears a Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder as an ARC from NetGalley. Kelly leaves Manhattan to come back to her small hometown after her grandmother dies. Kelly has a fashion job in Manhattan but come homes to run her grandmother's consignment store. This is a cozy mystery. Kelly discovers a murder victim who seems to be tied to a little black dress for sale in Kelly's store. Kelly takes it upon herself to try to solve the mystery. This was a fun read and I enjoyed the characters. This is book 1 in the series and I would enjoy reading more books with these characters.

What happens when a young women takes over her grandmother's consignment clothing store and then a psychic collapses after trying on a black lace dress and announcing that it had been worn by a murderer? It's not good. Not good for the book's protagonist Kelly Quinn. For those of us reading the book, it's absolutely fantastic.



Kelly had big plans for changing her inheritance into an upscale boutique, but talk of "the murder" dress isn't good for business. Neither is the group that comes in one day and sets up a seance in the home decor area, or the lawsuit filed by a customer who's afraid that Kelly sold her a haunted chair. Or the fact that she's discovered more than one dead body.



I'm not into fashion at all, but that didn't keep me from loving this book. I definitely want to read whatever else is coming up in the series.

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress by Debra Sennefelder takes readers on a journey to Lucky Cove, New York. Kelly Quinn has inherited her grandmother’s consignment shop, Lucky Cove consignment Shop much to her Uncle Ralph’s disappointment. Kelly has big plans to make the shop profitable and change it into an upscale boutique. She is having a three day sale to help clear out the unwanted items. Bernadette Rydell, the local psychic, comes in and tries on a little black dress. While wearing the dress, Bernadette has a vision of a man being murdered. The shop quickly clears of customers while rumors of the “haunted dress” swirl about town keeping shoppers at bay. Kelly needs to get her sale back on track and starts by visiting the dresses consignee. She then gets a call from Bernadette asking her to stop by right away. Kelly arrives at Bernadette’s cottage and finds her dead on the floor. She is shocked when Bernadette walks through the door. The victim is Maxine Lemoyne, Bernadette’s cousin, who could pass for her twin sister. Which cousin was the intended target? Detective Nora Wolman is on the case, and she has Kelly at the top of her suspect list. The situation at her shop deteriorates when Valerie Leigh holds an impromptu séance and claims a chair is haunted which results in a customer filing a lawsuit. Kelly is determined to clear her name and the shop’s. However, someone is not happy with her sleuthing and tries to discourage her. When a second person connected to the case is murdered, Kelly knows she must be getting close to the truth. Kelly needs to work quickly, or she could end up the subject of the séance.

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is the debut novel in A Resale Boutique Mystery series. Kelly Quinn has inherited her grandmother’s consignment boutique and she is determined to make it work. Kelly lost her job as an assistant buyer in New York and her old boss has had her blackballed in the fashion industry. She wants to make changes to the shop to feature clothing and accessories only (getting rid of furniture and tchotchkes). Pepper Donovan, her grandmother’s friend and employee does not like the changes Kelly plans to make to the shop (I want to know how a shop making no profit can afford an employee). I thought Murder Wears a Little Black Dress was a quick, easy to read cozy mystery. It is fashion oriented with detailed clothing descriptions. The mystery was straightforward and avid mystery readers will find it a piece of cake pinpointing the killer. I wish the author had provided more details on Kelly’s past. Some information is imparted throughout the book and details on how she lost her job is slowly revealed. Kelly has tension with Ariel Barnes over an incident that occurred back in high school. Again, the information is slowly provided as the story progresses (very drawn out). To me it should have been an emotional part of the story, but the feelings were not there. There is a smidgeon of paranormal in the story and a hint of romance. Murder Wears a Little Black Dress is a lively cozy mystery with fashionable clothes, personable characters, murder, mystical forces, and mayhem.

Princess Fuzzypants here: Kelly has returned home to take over the consignment shop that her late Grandmother left her. She left behind a career in tatters as a fashion buyer for a big store. While it is not what she envisaged herself doing, she can see the changes in tone she wants to make the store a high fashion destination.

Before she can do this, there are a number of incidentals she must handle. Firstly there is the challenge of winning over those who want things to remain the same and then there is the small matter of the psychic who claims a little black dress she tried on is haunted. When the woman calls Kelly to her home, they discover the psychic’s lookalike cousin murdered.

Quite naturally, both woman are suspects and Kelly decides that between dealing with eccentric customers, trying to salvage her inheritance and fending off not very helpful relatives, she might as well try to solve the murder to put matters back on an even keel. Sometimes she seems intelligent and well organized and other times she seems like a naive scatter brain. It is clear she is going to need allies.

Happily they come in the form of a friend who happens to be on the local police forces and a friend from school who is in a wheelchair. Many blame Kelly for her fate, including Kelly herself but not her friend Ariel. Their reconnection forms the basis for one of the highlights of the book. Another highlight is when her grandmother’s cat decides Kelly will make a suitable human.

There are some great twists and more than a few red herrings. It is a quick but satisfying read. I give it four purrs and two paws up.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Kelly Quinn has returned to Lucky Cove to take over the consignment store left to her by her grandmother. She hopes with her fashion education and experience she can take the shop in another direction. She is holding a 3-day sale to get rid of the old so she can reopen with her new ideas. Everything starts to fall apart when a customer claims to have a vision of a murder when she tries on a little black dress. Faster than you can say “consignment” the public assumes Kelly’s shop and merchandise is haunted.

When the cousin of the vision seeing customer is murdered, Kelly is ready to pack her bags and head back to the city. But she has so many questions. Questions that could end up with her being the next person knocking on the pearly gates. Is her shop doomed before she even starts or will catching the killer give her another chance at making her dreams come true?

What a great debut for this new series!

Debra Sennfelder has created some wonderful characters to kick off this series. Kelly Quinn has big ideas for her grandmother’s shop, but Pepper, her grandmother’s and now her employee, and also her grandmother’s best friend, isn’t on board with all the changes. Her uncle is just waiting for her to fail so he can sell the property and line his own pockets. Her friend, Liv, is behind her all the way. She even brings baked goods to the store from her family’s bakery every day and stays to help Kelly in any way she can. We meet for friend Ariel. Their relationship has been rocky due to a past event. Bernadette Rydel is a local psychic, the woman that tries on the LBD and starts all the commotion. Her life becomes entangled with Kelly’s when her cousin and doppelganger Maxine Lemoyne is killed.

The author has written a complex mystery with a lot of moving parts. The paranormal elements of the story are very light but play a big part. The character’s interactions drive the story with several twists and a surprising reveal. Humor is liberally sprinkled throughout making the story very entertaining.

I enjoyed the Ariel/Kelly subplot a lot. It hit me in a personal way. I love reading about characters I truly can identify with. I was so happy with the way the author presented their story and that is was not kept secret and dragged out over a number of books. Ariel surprised me, she gave me hope and warmed my heart.

The story ends with a happy ending and me with a smile on my face. I am looking forward to many books in this series and getting to know the characters in depth. This was a very enjoyable read.

Murder Wears a Little Black Dress
Resale Boutique Mystery, Book #1
Debra Sennefelder
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Every woman would kill for one . . .

Manhattan fashionista Kelly Quinn thought she’d left her upstate New York town far behind . . . until the Seventh Avenue expat returns home to revamp her grandmother’s consignment shop into an upscale boutique—and unwittingly sets a trend for murder . . .

After her rising career as a Manhattan buyer is derailed, Kelly has mixed feelings about relocating back to Lucky Cove, in spite of her big plans for the soon-to-be-renamed Curated by Kelly Resale Boutique. What’s left of her luck starts running out when a customer puts on a black lace dress that triggers visions of someone being murdered. As if the haunted “Murder Dress” isn’t enough to kill business, the psychic’s doppelganger cousin has just been found bludgeoned to death.

Was Maxine LeMoyne the real target or was it a case of mistaken murder? With some creepy pre-Halloween bargain hunters walking the night and Kelly suddenly a person of interest, a second murder rocks the close-knit town. Now Kelly could be the one who ends up talking to dead people when she’s stalked by a killer determined to take her out in high style . . . (Goodreads)

Review:

This is the first book in the series and I found it very entertaining. It had everything that I look for in a cozy: great characters, a charming setting, a complex mystery, a little paranormal and intrigue.

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Kelly is a smart, feisty woman who has had a lot of changes in her life. She is willing to make a go of keeping her grandmother’s resale shop, but she does not know if she can be successful. When she is accused of a murder, she know she has to figure out who the real killer is. It was great getting to know Kelly and her friends and I cannot wait to spend more time with them in future books.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. I thought that the mystery was well plotted and moved along at a nice pace. There were a lot of clues to sift through and suspects to consider and I did not figure out the culprit until it was revealed at the end. I really liked the ending, it totally took me by surprise.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the nest one in the series when it is released.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

I loved this book. Its a fun, light read with a satisfying mystery. I love the writing style, the the characters feel like friends. Hooefully there will be many more books in this series. I shall be waiting! Thank you netgalley for the arc, the opinion in this review is my own.

Kelly Quinn’s job as a fashion buyer in New York City comes to an abrupt nasty end. Then, her grandmother passes away, leaving Kelly a consignment shop in the suburbs of New York. Kelly isn’t thrilled to return to her hometown of Lucky Cove, but this could turn out to be a huge opportunity. She plans to renovate the store and make it her own.

Things immediately take a turn for the worst when a customer, who happens to be a psychic, tries on a black dress and has visions of a murder. It doesn’t take long for the town gossips to call it a “murder dress” and claim the shop is haunted. Kelly’s own visions for success take a nosedive and she fears she will have to sell her grandmother’s shop and return to the big city.

It gets worse when the psychic’s lookalike cousin is found murdered. Unfortunately, Kelly is the one who finds the body. The cops are convinced she killed the woman thinking it was her cousin the psychic. Kelly vows to find the real killer regardless of how many risks she has to take.

This is chick lit meets cozy mystery…I loved it. It’s a fun, lively, delightful cozy mystery and the first in a brand new series.

Kelly Quinn won me over immediately. Sure, she makes some risky decisions and I was often shaking my head at her choices, but she’s young and doing whatever she can to protect herself and her grandmother’s legacy.

She has a couple of good friends, but not much in the way of helpful family members. The characters are well-developed and not stiff, which sometimes happens with first books of a series. Not in this book…the characters jump right off the pages, filled with their own personalities.

The plot kept me on my toes and guessing until the end. I never saw the big finale coming and it really took me by surprise. I so enjoy when that happens. I’m looking forward to reading the next in this captivating series.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book - had a little bit of everything .... murder, family drama, quaint small town, someone coming home to the small town from the big city and a little romance. Excited that this is the first book in a new series, and I'm looking forward to reading the series!

I love getting in on Book 1 of a new series and one that promises a hint of paranormal with the cozy, girly stuff, even better. Kelly Quinn has been drummed out of her high-fashion, up and coming position in New York in humiliating circumstances about the time her grandmother passes away and leaves her the decades old and well-established resale/consignment shop in Lucky Cove.

The twenty-six-year-old protagonist tries to bring some of that New York sophistication to her granny's shop with a general make-over, creating a higher-level boutique experience catering to a younger crowd. The problem is that during an initial three-day event, the town psychic tries on a black lace dress that gives her the vision of a murder. And as it normally does in a small town, word gets around. Especially after Kelly discovers the body of the psychic's sister.

There are a number of support characters to get to know in Book 1, not all of whom are well-fleshed or likeable, but do exhibit engaging personalities, including Liv, Kelly's bestie. Then there is Pepper, her grandmother's contemporary, best friend, and co-worker who resists even the slightest change to the shop in which she'd worked so many years. Her uncle and aunt perform duties close to antagonists while twists and turns abound as Kelly is yanked first on one trail then another to discover the truth behind the "murder dress" and then proceeds to defend her own culpability in any crime.

Kelly is alternately at a loss to save the boutique while brain-storming new promotion ideas. In the meantime, we are given the down-low on designer labels, accessories, and fashion trends. It is well-paced but the conclusion leaves unanswered questions, assumed for further exploration in book 2. Book 1 leaves lots of room to grow and it's fun to start at the beginning and see where this one will take you.

I was given this ebook download by the publisher and NetGalley and greatly appreciated the opportunity to read and review. 3.5/5 stars

3.5 stars. I enjoyed the mystery in this one - kept me guessing all the way through. It took awhile, though, for me to connect with the characters. Kelly has a history with the town that wasn't 100% explained, and it felt incomplete for me. It's supposed to be a huge deal where "everyone" blamed her for something, but I didn't really see much blame except from herself and one estranged relationship. I would have liked either more information or less if it was supposed to be teased and drawn out on purpose. I feel like I have enough information to describe it, but not enough to explain the emotion that is supposed to go with it. I will likely try a future book to see if that is developed in a satisfying way in the future - the mystery part of the book was really quite good. There's a romance teased for the main character at the end, so that will also be developed in a future book.