Delta and Hazel are hired to run a 3D card making table at a birthday party for a former supermodel. Jonas has been hired by the woman's husband to provide security since the couple believe someone is after her. During the party, the husband's sister is found murdered. Since the murder victim is wearing a nearly identical outfit to her sister-in-law, the question is who was the intended victim. One of my biggest problems is Delta spent too much time help Jonas with the investigation and not enough time running her business. Things I did like was the identity of the murderer and the introduction of a new character to the series.

This is a solid, 3 star cozy mystery. There are quite a few fun elements in this story [though not nearly enough about the store "Wanted" in this one - I want MUCH more of the stationary store and all its goodies. And yes, it is because I have a serious "problem" in the stationary department! LOL], but unfortunately, there are some issues as well. And that is what kept it from being a 4 star read for me.

1. NO ONE who has a job [meaning Delta in this book, but a lot of MC's in other books] seems to have to actually <b>WORK</b> at said job. Hazel is a much nicer and much more accommodating boss and friend than I have ever had in my entire working life. Jonas is both able to do several jobs AND sleuth, so it is possible. Delta needs to learn that and stop leaving her friend in the lurch. She might as well have stayed in Cheyenne since she is not really going to be in at the business she bought into. I do hope this changes in the next book.

2. It is ICED TEA, not ice tea. I was hoping this was just a simple mistype, but it is in the book + times, so I believe it is the author. One can hope that they caught that before publishing the book.
[Yes, I know that this seems trivial, but in reality it isn't. If you are going to write books, you need to use proper spelling, pronunciation, and idioms of language].

3. They were doing a lot of "diving" into places; the car, a shop, the shower. Apparently, "diving" is the new "ran into" or "got into quickly" etc. There were times it seemed rather dangerous to be "diving in", and I wonder at the overuse of the word [also see "springing into action"] [Again, I realize this seems nitpicky, but if it is affecting the reading of the book, it becomes important. When it is said over and over and the reader starts rolling their eyes at every mention of said word and how it is being used, it absolutely becomes important].

4. Is it just me, or are the criminals in cozies becoming easier to disarm and capture? Where is the former excitement of the reveal? It used to be, you'd get to 80% and your pulse would start racing and you'd be on the edge of your seat, wondering who it was and would everyone be safe.
Now it is just boomboomboom and everyone is caught and there is no drama at all. It is all rather tepid to be honest.
**When I wrote this note while I was reading it, I didn't realize it was really a faux reveal [to throw us off I guess. The real reveal was later, and unfortunately, this was also rather tepid, as I had guessed who the killer was early on, so this was anticlimactic to me]. It was still very fast, and very tepid.

5. <spoiler> This part really bugged me [and in discussing it with a friend that read this book as well, found out it bothered her as well]. Would you [Jonas], as a former cop, after "getting the bad guy", leave the girl to "wrap up the statue, put it back in the box and follow behind"? I think no. What if this guy hadn't been working alone? WHY would he leave Delta alone in the aftermath of a dangerous situation is beyond me. There are so many variables there and even though Delta was safe, he put her in danger by having her do his job. NOT. COOL. JONAS. </spoiler>

6. Why are pantsuits "crisp"? <--This isn't a complaint. I am genuinely interesting in knowing why they are referred this way.

Overall, this was a decent read. And the things that bugged me are not enough to make me NOT want to read another one. I like Hazel very much and I like all of the other side characters. and the introduction of Gran [Delta's grandmother] and the adorable historian [who's name escapes me at this moment], both whom I hope become regulars in this series. I even like Delta for the most part. She is creative and effusive and seems like a nice person, aside from that whole "I own a business that I don't really need to work in" business. This is a pretty decent series and I am glad to have read this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An entertaining and well written cozy mystery. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

For Letter or Worse by Vivian Conroy is the 2nd book in the Stationery Shop Mystery series. Delta Douglas is excited to be a co-owner of a stationery shop with her best friend Hazel. Delta and Hazel are giving a 3D cardmaking workshop at an elite birthday party,when someone turns up dead. The mystery was full of twists and turns, and is fast paced and has well developed characters and plot. I must admit that I enjoyed the 1st book better, but I'm look forward to reading more books by this author, and can't wait for the next one in the series. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys cozy mystery books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

For Letter or Worse by Vivian Conroy 3.5 stars (Stationary Shop Mystery #2)

This is the second book following 2019's Last Pen Standing. The main characters are Delta Douglas co-owner of Wanted, a stationary store, Hazel, the other co-owner and long time friend and the members of the Paper Posse - individuals that own or work in local businesses and hear everything that can be heard. This book opens with Delta and Hazel being invited to hold a workshop at the birthday party of Lena Laroy, the wife of wealthy Calvin Drake. Also at the party is Jonas Nord, a former K-9 handler that helps former K-9 dogs back into mainstream life.

A body is found in the woods, it is Sally Drake, the sister of Calvin Drake and the investigation is on. Who killed Sally Drake? Was it a case of mistaken identity, because Sally and Lena wore similar outfits or did Sally have an enemy?

I didn't read "Last Pen Standing", so this was my first introduction into the Stationary Shop Mysteries. I found the mystery interesting, but I couldn't get engrossed in the characters. Delta appears to have a curious streak that gets her into situations and most of the time local law enforcement is not kind. I was surprised at who the villain was and that is this book saving grace. I think that if I had read the first book I might have enjoyed this book more.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

Book 2 takes us back to Tundish, “the town with a heart of gold,” to see how Delta is settling in. The shop has been invited to provide a card-making workshop as an activity at a high-profile birthday party, where many characters, both old and new are gathered when the crime occurs.

Conroy manages a large cast in this one and still succeeds in developing the relationships and personalities of the central few. Speculation about the crime becomes a bit tedious after a while as plot development, but otherwise, the pacing and reveal feel comfortable. I very much like the ending; it absolutely does its job of convincing me to read book 3 as soon as it drops.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Geez- Hazel and Delta are happy to get a gig at a birthday party for local celeb Lena and then....Lena's sister in law Sally is murdered! At the party! Delta opened her paper store in Montana along with Hazel in the hopes of starting a new life but what she's found is that in addition to selling stationery, she's become a pretty good sleuth. This is the second outing in the series and fine as a standalone. We're all getting to know the characters together and while Hazel and Delta are pretty well formed there's still others who would benefit from more rounding. It's a classic cozy with a few good twists that will keep you guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Crafting cozy fans should give this a try.

4.5 stars

For Letter or Worse is the second book in Vivian Conroy's Stationery Shop Mystery series. Delta Douglas and her best friend Hazel are co-owners of a stationery shop in Tundish, Montana. They have been hired to do a 3D cardmaking workshop at the birthday party of former model and celebrity, Lena Laroy. During the party, Lena finds a threatening message on one of the gifts. Shortly after that, her sister-in-law is found dead outside. Delta can't help herself, and with the help of her friend Jonas, decides to do some sleuthing.

This was an enjoyable mystery, with lots of twists and turns and several suspects to keep you guessing. The descriptions of the store and town were charming and rich in detail. Most of the characters are developing nicely and I feel like I'm really starting to get to know them better, particularly Delta, Hazel, Jonas, and Ray. However, I cannot say the same for the Paper Posse ladies. They still feel very one dimensional to me, which is such a shame because I think they would add so much more to the story if they were more fleshed out. I'm hoping to see more character development for them in the third book.
All in all, I thought this was a wonderful addition to the Stationery Shop Mystery series. I look forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Delta Douglas and her best friend and business partner Hazel are hired to put on a special card-making workshop at the home of a former model and television star. Delta and Hazel are disappointed that none of the wealthy guests at the birthday party of their client, Lena Laroy, seem interested in crafting. The party gets interesting, however, when Lena begins opening presents and one of the gifts contains a threat. Soon after that, Lena’s sister-in-law who was dressed similar to the guest of honor, is found murdered outside. Delta finds herself in the middle of an investigation to discover if it was Lena or her sister-in-law who was the actual target and who wanted one of these women dead.

This is the second book in the Stationery Shop Mystery series, but I missed the debut in the series. Reading that book may have helped me in connecting with the characters. For the first third of the book, I kept getting Delta and Hazel mixed up because nothing stood out between their personalities until that far into the book. Their friends, members of the “Paper Posse” who all enjoy paper crafting and gossip, really blur together even though they help Delta gather clues to help solve the murder.

The murder mystery itself is interesting as Delta helps her friend Jonas solve the case. Delta isn’t sure if she wants to keep her relationship with Jonas as strictly friends and sleuthing partners or if she would be interested in romance. Her back and forth became a little tedious to me as the book went on. Hazel has the same situation with a man she finds attractive. The way they acted, it was hard to figure out their ages because they seemed immature in this aspect of their lives. I like the way Delta is protective of Hazel, whose past experiences make her hesitant to assist in the murder investigation. Delta also shows her concern for her grandmother who comes to town later in the book and I like that side of her.

If the main characters in the book were fleshed out more to make them come alive, I think the series has a lot of potential. The plot is great and the Montana setting is interesting. Another thing that the series needs is more about the actual crafting. Perhaps the first book had more of this, but in this book the workshop is talked about but since nobody participated, no information about making the cards is shared. I then assumed there would be some kind of project, tips, or something at the end of the book but there wasn’t. This was very disappointing. Since the plot kept my interest, I would rate the book 3.5 stars, but I think there was a lot of missed potential to the book.

I received this ebook from NetGalley through the courtesy of Poisoned Pen Press. An advance copy was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Wish there were more crafty mysteries this one was very enjoyable with the stationery shop in the old sheriff's office and the cardmaking. Really keeps you interesting and guessing along the way.

This is the 2nd in the Stationary Shop mystery series. Delta Douglas and her business partner Hazel are co-owners in a stationary business Wanted. They have been invited to do a 3D card workshop at the birthday party of Lena Laroy. Lena is a former model and celebrity and both Hazel and Delta are excited to see how the other half lives on the beautiful lake. As they are getting ready Delta runs into Jonas who is at the birthday party at the request of Calvin Drake Lena’s husband. As Lena is opening her birthday presents she is being fawned over by her nephew by marriage Randall and being glared at by her sister in law Sally. Lena freaks out as a bottle of her perfume is marked with a death sign. Jonas calls the police and Hazel and Delta have basically no one at the cardmaking class since there are tents with manicures etc.. As Delta leaves their tent, the dogwalker Zara comes running and screaming that there is a dead body in the forest area. Delta cannot determine if the body is that of Lena or Sally as they were both dressed in very similar outfits. The body is Sally but the concern is was the murderer after Sally or after Lena. Jonas feels bad that the murder happened while the police were there investigating the perfume bottle so he asks Delta for her help to do some investigating. Delta wants to spend more time with Jonas and since she was at the house when the murder happens she is more than willing to do a little digging and get some help with the ladies from the paper posse. One surprise istors Delta’s Grandmother arrives in town and Delta is hoping she can get her to stay for good. This was a good mystery and the story moves at a good pace. Lots of suspects as Sally had secrets as does Lena. Enjoyed this installment and looking forward to the next in the series.

Delta and Hazel are back in the second book in the series set in Montana. Helping to throw a rich wife's birthday party, they have their tent set up for stationary demonstrations. When the sister-in-law is found dead, Delta and the Paper Posse step up to help solve another mystery. A fun and easy cozy mystery to read, and love it when Spud shows up. Highly recommend this book, series and author.

I enjoyed the mystery and it kept me guessing. I like the small town and glad Gran has come for a visit. I like the posse. I look forward to more.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest reveiw.

FOR LETTER OR WORSE by Vivian Conroy is a cozy mystery and the second book in the Stationery Shop series. Delta Douglas was gifted some money by her grandmother which allowed her to quit her job as a graphic designer and pursue her dream job. She invests the money in a partnership business that her college friend Hazel runs in Tundish, Montana. The business is a stationery shop and Delta plans to create a line of products for the store using designs from sketches she has done. While Delta will focus on the creative side of the business, she also needs to learn a lot about the running of a business from Hazel. This book takes place about one month after book one in the series. Delta and Hazel have been asked to do a 3-D card-making workshop at a birthday party at one of the wealthy estates on Lake Geneva. When a threatening present is opened and a body is found at the edge of the grounds, Delta can’t help getting involved trying to solve the cases.

Delta is a likeable character who is definitely someone you can root for. The main secondary characters enhanced the story but their depth is still lacking. Hopefully, this will improve with the next book in the series. The world-building enhanced the setting and gave me a clear sense of place. There were plenty of twists and turns and several potential suspects. Themes include murder, greed, family relationships, secrets, friendship and much more.

Overall, this was an enjoyable mystery, but the intensity that I expected wasn’t there. There are some unusual plot twists. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, then you may want to check this one out. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as checking out other books by this author.

Poisoned Pen Press and Vivian Conroy provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review and opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

4.5 stars

This is the second book in the Stationery Shop mystery series by Vivian Conroy.

I have a thing for stationery and so this cozy concept really appeals to the pen/paper hoarder in me. Delta Douglas and her friend, Hazel are back in this exciting mystery surrounding a card making workshop.

The dead body ends up being dressed nearly exactly like the woman who asked Delta and Hazel to bring their workshop to her birthday extravaganza. This fact makes the reader waffle back and forth wondering who was really the intended victim. Great mystery and character development in this one.

Delta’s grandmother was a great addition to this series. Her worries are the worries of many elderly people. She lost her house due to a road being paved through her neighborhood. I hope Conroy brings her in as a recurring character.

Looking forward to more books in this series.

If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Delta and Hazel are back again in this cozy mystery by Vivian Conroy.

When a death turns out to be murder, Delta finds herself wrapped up in another murder investigation.
I found parts of this book to be quite good, but I also found some parts really dragged on.
I really didn’t enjoy it until Delta’s grandma showed up, I like her a lot.

This book was ok to me. I really didn't like the main characters or any of the characters too much and couldn't get to into the mystery of who killed Sally. There just didn't seem to be an spark to it. #For Letter or Worse #Netgalley
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I love the idea of a stationary shop being the setting of a cozy mystery - it was fun and different from the norm so I was excited to read this book even though I didn’t read the first in the series. Plus Vivian Conroy never disappoints with her historical mysteries so I thought it was be a good read.

Delta owns the stationary store and when they’re doing a party, there’s a murder and Delta starts her sleuthing. There’s many possible suspects and the mystery behind it all turns more complex as Delta starts questioning things.

Delta was likable with an awesome supporting cast of characters. The small town cozy vibe was nicely described with some historical tidbits added to give it a nice visualization of the town. I’m definitely going back to read the first book!

An enjoyable cozy mystery, with the right kind of small town vibe, quirky characters, and a crime (or two) to solve. I like Delta, the main character, her Gran, and the other people in her life.

The sister of a rich man is murdered at his party. There are several suspects. Was the sister such a quite and innocent woman after all? What’s the story behind the new dog walker? What is the rich man’s wife hiding? Why did she argue with a waiter? So many questions to be answered, but people are not willing to tell the truth. Mr Richy Rich hired a man to look after his wife at the party, because someone has been threatening her. There is also an old mystery to be solved. This is not the first murder at this house...

I definitely want to read more books in this series! A perfect read for a lazy weekend morning.

Book 2 in a Stationary shop mystery.
I love that the Stationary shop is set in an old sheriff's office. They leave most of office the same.
They get hired to teach a 3d card making event at a birthday party for town elite.
Stumble upon a body, colorful characters, try to help solving murder.
3.85