Journaled to Death is a good solid enjoyable cozy mystery. Not high literature, and not flawless writing, but interesting and engaging, in an appealing setting, with characters with whom I could relate and a mystery that kept me guessing. I am not a huge fan of cozy mysteries, but I actually did enjoy this one. I think it’s partly because it felt more probable/ less far-fetched than many cozy mysteries. For the most part, Mandy is a mature and responsible protagonist, who investigates the unfortunate murder using conversations and building relationships with friends, neighbors, and co-workers, not risky sleuthing and blatant violation of direct police instructions. And she does all this while being a working single mom with a time consuming side gig, who maintains (mostly healthy) relationships with friends and family in the free time she does have.

As mentioned, the setting and the characters are interesting. Seattle hasn’t been a common setting in books I’ve read before, but it makes for a diverse and appealing setting. Mandy has friends, colleagues, and neighbors of different ethnic and religious origins. Her frenemy Reese is Hindu Indian-American, as is her friend Linda’s ex-husband. Her boss Fannah is a gorgeous Ethiopian American who wears a head covering (I kept picturing Ilhan Omar, although I know she’s Somali.). Her cousin Ryan’s friends are Asian (Vietnamese?) and Russian. One of the characters is even eventually revealed to have been bisexual and in a menage relationship. The diversity felt organic, not forced, and helped create a sense of the multicultural setting of the book.

I also appreciated the subtle themes of girl power throughout the book. There are plenty of Bechdel test-passing conversations between Mandy and her friends and family members. Her relationship with teenage daughter Vellum is surprisingly strong and sweet, as is Mandy’s relationship with her own mother. Mandy makes a point of being able to live on her own financial terms, despite having been recently and unexpectedly divorced by her irresponsible ex, who can’t even be relied on for child support, much less alimony. Mandy certainly notices which men around her are attractive and to her taste, and enjoys flirting and looking attractive herself. But the focus of this book isn’t romance, refreshingly, but on Mandy’s day-to day-life and the solving of her cousin’s murder. Mandy even has to deal with some unwanted romantic attention, and what entitled men can be like when angry because their desires have been thwarted, all of which was handled in a light-handed way that never got preachy.

Mandy’s tight finances are another aspect of the story that I could identify with. I understand what it’s like to work in retail and/or food service. To work side gigs to try to make ends meet. Mandy is responsible and resourceful and doing what it takes to provide for her daughter and herself. Her tenant/ landlord relationship with her cousin Ryan is definitely an arrangement similar to what many of my friends and family have had to do to make ends meet. Sharing meals and household chores, splitting rent. It all felt familiar and real. Mandy’s investigations into the murder were constrained by her own work schedule, as well as her and Vellum’s journaling vlog business on the side. No wealthy dilettantes investigating murders for fun here.

Because even the murder felt real. Messy and sad and seemingly pointless at first. Tragic and personal. Something that leaves family with unsettling questions and dredges up dirty secrets. (and that leaves Mandy locked out of her own house for days, and needing to clean it up afterwards.) But Mandy’s cousin Ryan was a real character too, all the more fascinating as his secrets are revealed. We get to see Mandy grieve the loss of a loved family member as well as a roommate, as she tries to find out why he died. Since most of the suspects were in her own social orbit, the investigation consisted mostly of having conversations with those people, and listening to what they said and didn’t say, as well as keeping an ear out for relevant gossip. Mandy isn’t sneaking around in the dark doing breaking and entering, or violating the privacy of others, and I’m here for a believable investigation and a cordial relationship with the investigating officers.

I also found the gimmick of this book, the little niche field, of Mandy’s work with her journaling and art vlog, to be really fascinating. This is something about which I knew nothing prior to reading the book, and I was fascinated by all the work that goes into those videos (that I admittedly never watch) on YouTube. To read about the profit margins of successful vlogs, about the products Mandy and Vellum made, the ways they made their brand unique (like always making sure to have cute manicures to be featured in their journaling/ art demonstrations), and promoted their brand–it was all really interesting and gave me a lot more respect for, if not interest in, the work that online influencers have to do to earn their income.

There are honestly not many aspects of this book of which I felt critical. I don’t care for the cover–I get that it is meant to echo Mandy and Vellum’s journal art, but it looks tacky, cheap, and unattractive. I think Mandy’s version of this would have looked much nicer and more professional. I thought Mandy’s daughter’s name (Vellum) was pretty cheesy, and I doubted whether Mandy’s husband and uptight in-laws would have ever allowed her to name her daughter something that unconventional without a fight. Also, I occasionally rolled my eyes at Mandy’s relationship with her frenemy Reese, because I don’t understand the concept or appeal of frenemies in general. But their relationship grew on me, as I believe it is meant to do.

The biggest criticism I had was that there were a couple of descriptions of characters that seemed fat-phobic. A character can be both bad AND obese. Those two aren’t automatically connected, and using body shape as a way to insult someone makes me uncomfortable. For the most part, the book was relatively respectful of diversity and differences, so those negative comments (comparing someone to a beached whale, or describing their body as squishy, for example) were even more unappealing by contrast to the rest of the book.

But overall I found this book engaging and interesting, with enough original aspects to the story to keep me interested and guessing. I liked the protagonist and her family. I found the mystery challenging but believable. All in all, it was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to trying more books by the author in the future.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for sharing an #advancedcopy of #JournaledtoDeath with me. This is my honest opinion.

Journaled to Death by Heather Redmond is the debut of A Journaling Mystery series. Amanda “Mandy” Meadows is newly divorced, and she has custody of her fifteen year old daughter, Vellum. Her ex-husband has quit working (living off his rich parents) so he can pay minimal (i.e.—no) child support which means Mandy has gone from stay-at-home mom to working as a barista at the coffee bar at the University of Seattle Hospital. Mandy with help from her daughter posts vlogging tutorials online and sells related materials (stickers for example). She also rents out her basement apartment to her cousin, Randy who helped her obtain the position at the hospital. Vellum and Mandy are recording their April vlog when they hear a loud thumping noise. Mandy hurries to investigate, and she finds her cousin dead at the bottom of the stairs with one of her journals under his leg. Mandy is shocked when the police determine the death is a homicide. Mandy finds herself investigating when her daughter moves out because she does not feel safe at home. I thought Mandy was a likeable and realistic character. She is a divorced mother struggling to pay her bills. I like that she came up with a creative and unique solution with her bullet journal vlog and online sales. Her daughter, Vellum acts like a typical teenager (angst, food, money). Mandy is lucky to have her widowed mother living across the street and a good neighbor in Linda who bakes brownies daily. Linda helps Mandy with some of her sleuthing. I like the unusual topic of journaling for a cozy mystery. I have no clue about bullet journals or vlogging, but I can tell that the author does. I enjoyed finding out more about the process and I admire Mandy’s creativity. I did not like Reese and did not understand why Mandy would spend time with her. The woman is jealous of Mandy’s online success and her criticisms got on my nerves (I would avoid Reese instead of going out to eat with her). The mystery had several viable suspects along with red herrings. There are good clues to help the reader solve the crime. While I wished Mandy focused more on sleuthing, real life intervened. Mandy has a lot going on in her life and she does not have as much time to investigate as other amateur (fictional) sleuths. Just keeping up with her vlog and sales is a full-time job. I could certainly understand how she can be exhausted at the end of the day (making varieties of coffee, baking cookies for shop, planning vlog, recording vlog, preparing orders, plus her household chores). I enjoyed reading Journaled to Death, and I look forward to the next book in A Journaling Mystery series. Journaled to Death is a charming cozy with drafting drawings, selling stickers, creating a variety of videos, seeking suspects, daughter drama, a cousin killer, and a bounty of baked brownies.

Mandy is going through hard times and money is very tight. Keeping the mortgage paid up to date and taking care of her teenage daughter while working at the Seattle hospital cafe as a barista for not so great wages pushes her to find other ways to pay those bills. Two things make it possible - video blogging with her daughter about journaling and renting out the living space in their basement to her cousin. Life is manageable - until, that is, she and her daughter Vellum, hear noises from the basement and discover Ryan murdered. Yes, his past was a bit sketchy but what was so bad about it that it got him killed? Especially in an occupied house when discovery could happen at any moment?
Mandy has a very real stake in uncovering the killer and is feeling the loss of Ryan's rent money.
I enjoyed the setting, the pace of the mystery and, most of all, I liked the characters of Mandy and Vellum. They may be mother and daughter and Vellum is a teenager but they come across as two strong women in it together. That this tough time will pass and life will get better. The mystery is a good puzzle and the flow is slow and steady but not boring or tedious. The perfect read for a rainy weekend. I hope there will be a sequel - I'm holding a space on my TBR list for it.
My thanks to the publisher Severn House and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Even if it's a bit slow at times I found this cozy mystery an enjoyable and entertaining read.
I think it's a good start for a new series and was fascinating by the descriptions of journaling and Mandy web activities.
The mystery was solid, full of read herrings and twists, and the solution came as a surprise.
I look forward to reading other stories by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This was an interesting story. While as a mystery, I found it very easy to solve, I was surprised by the use of journaling as a way to make a living on social media.

Or not. Mandy Meadows and her daughter are becoming more highly ranked on a video social media platform (you can guess which one, though the author never said so.) For all the followers that they have, they are making only a few hundred dollars a month. Kind of puts making your fortune on social media in the right perspective.

There is a murder and Mandy is a suspect. She goes from doing her videos and selling stickers to her job as a barista at a hospital to trying to scrounge enough money to keep heart and home together.

Her has-been ex-husband has quit his job so he doesn’t have to pay child support. This forced Mandy to become a landlord to her cousin Ryan. As he is the one who becomes the murder victim, she is not only a suspect but also out the monthly rent.

Mandy makes a lot of emotional decisions that get her into trouble. Journaling as part of the mystery takes a backseat but it does make an appearance every now and then.

As a first in a series, it was a good read.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

I really like the character of Mandy, who is in a hard place, through no fault of her own. She is a mother struggling to hold things together, after her shiftless husband has cheated on her, by holding down two jobs and caring for a teenage daughter, Vellum.

If you are looking for a no-holds-barred, action-filled adventure, then this one isn’t for you. After the first shocking discovery of the murder victim, this is a slow, steady accretion of clues and facts with a number of possible suspects being examined before being ruled out. However, if, like me, you really do like your whodunnit’s to be something of a mystery, then I do recommend this one. I obviously had guessed who the perpetrator was, before I discovered that I had got it completely wrong.

Apart from the well-handled murder mystery aspect, I was also engrossed in Mandy’s everyday life as a barista in a coffee shop at a local hospital, while also working on her online business. Redmond vividly depicts the struggle of so many people who are working in low-paid jobs with precious little security and a constant fear of losing their earnings. I was impressed that this wasn’t shown with any huge flourish or self pitying drama, but as a day-to-day struggle that needed to be endured – so much more realistic. Despite Mandy’s struggles, this isn’t a gloomy book. She is largely a strong, determined and optimistic character. However, I was glad to see that the victim’s death exacted a real toll on those around them. This isn’t a mystery where we really don’t care, and it was interesting to learn about the character after he’d died.

Any niggles? While I felt Mandy was very well portrayed and I loved the characterisation of nearly all the characters, I did feel that Vellum was just a little too good to be true as a fifteen-year-old with parents who had recently split up. But perhaps that was because she was also fully involved in her mother’s business with part of the responsibility of its success, which gave her a sense of agency, enabling her to behave in such a mature way.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and was impressed with the quality of the writing and the murder. I will be looking out for more books from this author. Highly recommended for fans of engrossing murder mysteries where there really is a real mystery.
8/10

Initial twitter reaction: Reading Journalled to Death and oh no, the amateur sleuth has a journal design youtube channel and an etsy for stickers, this is the intersection of MANY of my interests.

Review on Read and Buried: <center><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568304254l/46347155.jpg" alt="Cover of Journaled to Death"></center>

<blockquote>Divorced single mom Mandy Meadows scrapes by working as a barista and receiving payments from her cousin, Ryan, who rents her basement apartment. At night, she and her teenage daughter Vellum run a successful home business creating journaling content on their popular social media channels.

But Mandy's carefully organized world is about to come crashing down. While filming their latest journaling tutorial, Mandy and Vellum hear a loud noise on the basement stairs, and Mandy is horrified to find Ryan dead on the landing. The police quickly start to treat the death as a murder - with Mandy and Vellum as chief suspects. Why would someone murder Ryan? Determined to clear their names and find Ryan's killer, Mandy soon discovers he wasn't the man she thought he was...</blockquote>

Heather Redmond's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46347155-journaled-to-death"><em>Journaled to Death</em></a> is the intersection of two of my most favourite interests: stationery and cozy crime novels. Underemployed single-mother Mandy has a lot on her plate; her job in the hospital café is under threat, her stationery channel is taking up more of her time – and her cousin has just been murdered.

Okay, I need to get this off my chest before I go further into this review: I WOULD REALLY LIKE A COZY MYSTERY WITH AN OPENLY BISEXUAL PROTAGONIST PLEASE. Like, sure, Mandy talks about how hot the men around her are, but she <em>also</em> talks about how hot her female neighbour who stress-bakes late night brownies is, <em>and</em> how proud she'd be to land her hot female frenemy as a date, so would it REALLY be that much of a stretch to make them an option in her dating pool? Especially in a book that acknowledges that bisexuality and polyamory exists, at least for minor characters!

(It might <em>also</em> mean that there was less of the "<em>I'm</em> not saying you're asking for trouble by dressing like that, <em>but</em>," stuff going on, which would be SPECTACULAR.)

Anyway, back to the actual book! <cut>I really enjoyed <em>Journaled to Death</em>. I liked the details about Mandy and Vellum's channel and the prep-work that they have to do, although as a person who is friends with youtubers I'm kinda squinting at some of the metrics they describe their channel and social media having, and that the author thinks it's possible to have a successful, monetised channel without even <em>hearing</em> about collaborations. And I <em>really</em> liked Mandy and Vellum's relationship – their mother and daughter bond is great, and I like that they're both treating their channel like <em>work</em>. As someone who makes content and has a part-time dayjob: yeah, the scramble is real, and I absolutely believe how the characters respond to their channels! I feel like Mandy's relationship with her cousin was less well-developed out of all of her connections, in that we didn't get a chance to know him as a character before he died, but I think that works thematically with Mandy realising how little she knew about her cousin.

As for the inevitable romance subplot... Eh. It was fairly obvious from page one that "Dr O'Hottie" was going to turn out to be a douche and the quiet doctor who's actually nice is going to be the one in the running for the love interest. The detective being the other side of the love triangle is fine, although I'm honestly surprised that the solution the author came up with to keep him in contact with the protagonist is <em>literally moving him into her house</em>. ... I still think that a) Mandy should stop policing the appearances of women of colour, because that's a thing that she does, and b) that her female friends should 100% be options for the romance chart.

There wasn't much detective work going on here – it's mainly accidents and encountering gossip rather than actively chasing down leads, but that's absolutely fine – maybe even preferred – for a cozy mystery. I did like the scene where she took out her bullet journal and pretty much described it as magic as she tried to use it to solve the crime though. The ending felt a little disjointed – a character who previously seemed to have their act together suddenly yelling their evil schemes like a supervillain is a disappointing ending, because it means that none of the detective work anyone had done up to that point actually mattered, but it <em>is</em> a tradition.

On the whole, I liked <em>Journaled to Death</em>! <a href="https://twitter.com/Spindilly/status/1216713024448421888">I livetweeted Journaled to Death as I was reading it</a> because there were parts that frustrated me and horrible realisations like "Oh god, I'm only six years younger than the protagonist" but that's fine! It's enjoyable, and I am <em>absolutely</em> here for more mysteries that hinge on notebooks and stationery.</cut>

One of the reasons I enjoy reading cozies is because it’s a great way to learn about new hobbies, cultures, or foods. I wanted to read Journaled to Death by Heather Redmond because I know journaling is really popular right now, if all the photos I see on Instagram is any indication. I’ve tried journaling my thoughts in the past but it only lasts for a month or two before I stop, but I’m in awe of all the great artwork and lettering people are doing.

Journaled to Death is the first book in The Journaling Mysteries, and one of the things that I think Redmond did a fantastic job writing was the relationships between the women in the book. Mandy and Vellum’s interactions feel so real, and I love the strong female vibe I feel between Mandy and her mom, and Mandy and her neighbor, Linda. Mandy also has a strange relationship with one of the nurses, Reese, who works at the hospital where Mandy is a barista. It starts off tense, but I’m interested to see it blossom in future books.

There are kind of two mysteries in this book, but they blend together. You have who killed Ryan, which I saw coming about half way through, but it was still enjoyable. And then you have one of the doctor’s being a jerk and weird things happening at the coffee house. I thought it was going to go one direction that way, but it went a different way and combined perfectly with the main mystery.

I was annoyed with Mandy at times in regards to her lack of backbone. She’s a single mother who gets income through her online journaling business, Mandy’s Plan, and she works in the coffee house at the hospital. Mandy’s job starts accusing her of stealing money, daring to disrespect of doctor (even though she really isn’t), trying to sabotage a doctor, and getting some nurses sick. I would have been looking for a new job after being accused of stealing! I hope after having solved a murder case and almost dying she has more moxy in future books. :)

And then, of course, we have the romantic aspect. I have a feeling there will be two different men via for her attention in future books. It might become really hot or really awkward since one of them is living with her by the end of the book!

If you enjoy cozies, journaling, or strong female relationships, you should give Journaled to Death a read.

Mandy's keeping it together for herself and her daughter Vellum; rent from her cousin Ryan helps pay their bills. They enjoy v-logging about journaling (I learned something as a result). They hear something loud while they're working one evening and find Ryan dead! Cozy readers know that there was more to Ryan than Mandy knew and that she will investigate to find the truth behind his murder. The interaction between Mandy and Vellum is nice, the setting is well done, and the mystery just twisty enough. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. A nice start to a new series.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review is my own.
I was so enchanted by this fun new cozy series. I loved the fact it is different from the usual cozy setting and features journaling. It was fun to read about how the journals are made and all the details that go into a journal making.
Newly single divorced single Mom Mandy is trying to make ends meet for her daughter and herself. She has her cousin Randy move in to help with the rent. Randy has a shady past but they have always been friends as well as close cousins. He even helped her get a part time job locally to help support herself. She also does vlogging with her daughters help. I like that Mandy is featured as a hard working independent woman right away and not dependent on family or a man. She is starting over on her own and standing on her own two feet. This is endearing as most cozy protagonist depend on men or family money. When Randy is found dead she decides she wants to investigate on her own to determine what was going on his life that led to his death. The plot gets very interesting the more she digs into his past with some help from her co workers and friends.

I like this new cozy series for the new subject of journaling , the likable charcters and the fun sleuth that was pleasing to conclusion. A very fun read !

There’s A Body In The Basement.....
When Mandy discovers a body in the basement - cousin Ryan - she becomes, along with daughter Vellum, suspect in chief. Mandy, barista by day and social media journaler by night, decides she must take it upon herself to solve the mystery surrounding Ryan’s demise. Entertaining and witty cosy mystery.

A well written murder mystery. Good plot with many twists and turns. Mystery fans will love this book. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Journaled to Death by Heather Redmond is entertaining enough for a couple of hours.

from description:

Journaling vlogger Mandy Meadows strives to preserve her hyper-organised life while searching for her cousin's killer in this twisty mystery: first in a brand-new series.

A light cozy mystery.

Read in October. Review scheduled for

NetGalley/Severn House
Cozy Mystery. Feb. 4, 2020. Print length: 224 pages.

Journaled to Death is a new cosy mystery that that centres around Mandy, a part-time coffee shop barista and, with her daughter Vellum, part-time bullet journal vlogger. To make ends meet after her divorce, Mandy has been renting out her basement to her cousin but when he is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, Mandy begins to look into who in their lives might be responsible.

I enjoyed Journaled to Death and I liked Mandy as a character. I thought as a protagonist she was pretty likeable and there were a good number of interesting and believable side characters to act as red-herrings, leads or back-up.

I really liked the unusual topic for this cosy. I think I've read one other cosy that centred around the stationery itself, but this Journaled to Death is the first I've read specifically about journaling and vlogging. On that front, I really felt Redmond knew her stuff. Personally, I know nothing about YouTube monetarization or vlogging, but it felt like Redmond either really did her research, or has first-hand knowledge of the bullet journaling and vlogging community. It really came through in the book that she knew what she was talking about. Journalling was a really nice change from the usual coffee shop, baking or library mystery. The fact that Mandy has her second job in the hospital coffee shop means that there are plenty of suspects and people to question so I thought there was a really good balance of the two jobs for needs of the plot.

The main thing that kept me from rating Journaled to Death higher was just that it felt like it dragged in places. I feel like it could have done with tightening up and focusing a little more on the mystery rather than are on other aspects of Mandy's life. She sort of starts investigating quite early on, then gets distracted and then comes back to it. It was just a little disjointed to me. I did think Mandy had real potential as a sleuth going forward. Some of the other characters that were only briefly touched on could definitely be developed in future books into really interesting side characters.

Journaled to Death was a solid start to a cosy mystery series, and I definitely think I would a pick up the next book in the series when it comes out.

Journaled to Death is a entertaining cozy mystery that is well written and has interesting characters.

Who knew blogging could lead to murder!
For the mother and daughter duo, it seems harmless enough until someone gets murdered.
When the duo becomes the top suspects it’s time for them to put on their sleuthing caps and find the answers.

It's great to find the first in a new series, if this is going to be a series. While the character development could have been better, I enjoyed the mystery and the setting. I'm not a journaler but this made me want to start. I would read any others that come out.

Mandy Meadows is barely making ends meet with her job as a barista on a hospital coffee shop, occasional help from her ex-husband, and rent payments from a cousin staying in her basement. But she -- along with her oddly-named daughter Vellum -- is working on a business venture using her artistic talents to make a sell stickers for journals.
It's hard work, but her attitude is brave and determined. She's a good neighbor, supportive to her family, and committed to giving her daughter the best possible start in life. Then her cousin/lodger dies. It turns out to be murder, not an accident. One secret after another comes out, and Mandy's delicately-balanced life is about to fall apart.
I like seeing a cozy heroine who's actually having to support herself with a regular job -- so many are girls from rich families running a boutique as a dilettante. Mandy has real challenges, even before she gets swept up in a murder. This is also the first novel I've seen that includes the planner lifestyle,
I look forward to seeing more in the series.

Mandy and Vellum Meadows are a vlogging duo, but while they are filming their latest tutorial they discover a body in the basement.
By day a hospital barista by night a successful journal vlogger but can Mandy solve this murder on time ?

A great cosy mystery to read on a cold dark dark evening, full of twist and turns and a long list of suspects.
It's wonderful to read a book that the main character has a modern and unusal job unlike a bookseller or a lawyer. But beware read with a delicious treat as all these muffins and cookies will have you drooling !

It's always fun to read about an occupation that is different than the standard bookseller/bed and breakfast owner/café owner. This was a very interesting story. A bit over my head sometimes as to how the stickers and journal layouts are made, but fun to read, and very enjoyable! There was a bit of choppiness to the flow of the scenes but that could just be getting used to a new author. Overall, this was really fun to read and hard to put down towards the end.