This book is under the cozy murder mystery/beach read genre and this was in my TBR list long before I realized that this genre is not for me. The book has good bones and a great plot. The main character is essentially broke at the beginning of the of the book and she inherits a great big chunk of money in the form of an apartment, a grand old bookstore with many expensive artifacts, and a deep savings account; all thanks to her beloved late uncle. The story then goes through many twists and turns that she has to go through to keep everything she got.
The story is set in an old town and it has some nice characters and plot points. It's a good beach read for those who like to read such books.

<i>*Thank you to the publishers; Crooked Lane Books, the author; Laura Gail Black, and Netgalley for my copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.</i>

A great start to a new series. Plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing up to the revealing of the murderer.

I liked the fact that the amateur sleuth has a questionable past. I am hoping we have a future book where she solves what really happened in Charlotte.

I only have two not really complaints but wish it was different. I did not like her being so weak in her relationship in Charlotte. Her boyfriend/fiance was a JERK! Good riddance. Her new romance was very quick. Too quick for my liking.

I am ready for book two and have high hopes this will become a "must-read" series for me.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, through NetGalley. Any opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

"It was almost like reading a romance novel ... except for the murder at the end."

Jenna Quinn has had a hard couple of months and is happy when her estranged uncle asks her to visit him and stay with him for a while. Before she can reconnect with him, she finds him murdered in his bookstore - and herself as the main suspect in the investigation.

I really enjoyed reading this cozy crime. I always love a good mystery set around bookstores and/or a book. And For Whom the Book Tolls delivers. I loved all the different characters and how everyone is a suspect at one time or another. I really enjoyed how everything seemed connected to not only the uncle’s past but to the past of the town itself.

All in all, a fun quick read.

I really enjoyed this new debut to what looks to be a fun new cozy series! The mystery was super good and I really like the characters in the story. They are a likable group that I look forward to solving more mysteries with. Can't wait for the next installment!!

For Whom the Books Tolls by Laura Gail Black is the debut of An Antique Bookshop Mystery series. I enjoyed this new cozy mystery. I thought it was well-written with steady pacing. I loved the descriptions of the historic district of Hokes Folly, North Carolina. There are charming shops with apartments above them. I was envious of the bookshop filled with regular and antique books. Jenna gets the glorious task of sorting through all the volumes and putting them into order. I liked Jenna’s neighbor, Rita. She is a lively character. The whodunit was intriguing. Jenna finding her uncle dead and becoming the prime suspect is a cliché, but I loved the bookshop so much that I overlooked it. I was not a fan of Detective Frank Sutter. I am tired of the truism of a nasty detective who becomes determined to pin the crime on the relative. Detective Sutter’s partner, Detective Keith Logan was much nicer, and he is easy on the eyes. There are a couple of suspects along with good clues and a red herring. Jenna turns out to be a decent amateur sleuth. I liked that there was a complete wrap-up of the crime with an unexpected revelation or two. We are not left with any lingering questions regarding the mystery. I am looking forward to reading the next An Antique Bookshop Mystery. For Whom the Books Tolls is an engaging cozy mystery with bibliophile lovers’ bookshop, a determined detective, a kindly neighbor, a dubious developer, and a resolute relative.

Jenna Quinn is desperate for a new start. After having been accused of a couple of crimes, and then acquitted, Jenna needs a do-over. She hasn’t seen her Uncle Paul since her teen years, but he has always kept a scrapbook of her goings-on. He has now reached out to her and offered her a landing spot at his bookshop in Hokes Folly. The morning after her arrival, she finds Paul Baxter’s body at the bottom of the stairs. She couldn’t speak to him the prior evening due to her late arrival, but now finds herself accused of murdering the man that she was just about to reacquaint with; a man that had offered her a lifeline and a second chance.

With one officer assuming that she is a murderer, a second that wants to follow the clues, a neighbor that has befriended her, and a pair of Hoke spinsters that are decedents of the man that built the town tag-teaming her, Jenna must solve a murder, clear her name, and decided if this town is where she wants to stay or if a man, who has suddenly appeared and wanted Jenna’s inheritance, is her uncle’s long lost son and is the rightful owner of the bookshop and a mystery find that her uncle kept hidden, or if he too, has ulterior motives. I know, a long-winded sentence, but that is what is facing Jenna with no time to spare or to even breath.

A great start to a series that will have readers coming back for more. With a steady pace that doesn’t let out too much too soon or lagging parts where you wish the author would get on with it already, For Whom the Book Tolls adds the right splash to a cozy mystery market that needs new blood and an author that can keep the attention of her audience.

“For Whom the Book Tolls" the first instalment in the "An Antique Bookshop” Mystery series by Laura Gail Black was a good start to a new cozy series. I really enjoyed this story, there was humor, history and murders. What’s not to like! I read almost in one sitting but finally succumbed to sleep with only a chapter left.

The mystery moved at a good pace, was interesting and I thought well plotted. I loved the characters living in Hokes Folly especially Rita who befriends Jenna. I did suspect whodunnit fairly early but was never 100% sure. Overall I found it to be a very entertaining read.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I’m looking forward to book two to find out what Jenna does with the bookstore.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In a new series, "An Antique Bookshop Mystery," Laura Gail Black has created characters that aren't your average cozy style. With a bookstore that is littered with books from top to bottom, books even in the sinks. In the first book of this series For Whom the Book Tolls, Jenna is as human as you can get with a fictional character. She isn't perfect, far from it, she has a bad attitude a lot of the time, trust issues, and seems to be mired in a pity party, and she has a past that ranks a ten for bad. Readers will either love or hate Jenna; there is no in-between.

Jenna needs a fresh start, and her uncle provides her with the opportunity to begin life again and shed the excess baggage. The problem is, her uncle ends up dead on the bookstore floor the first night Jenna is in town. Now she is a suspect in his killing, and she sets out to prove that she isn't a murderer, now or ever. Other suspects range in age and occupation; some are more prevalent than others. Motives can be elusive at times, but eventually, the killer is found.

Unfortunately, it was too easy to figure out the killer's identity, which is my biggest complaint about this book. Characters have plenty of room for growth, and hopefully, more background for Jenna will be forthcoming in the next addition. The evidence isn't hard to follow; the twists are few but meaningful. For Whom the Book Tolls is well written, easy to follow, and fast-paced. There is action, but it needed more. The bookstore was described well; I wouldn't mind spending time there as soon as it's cleaned up properly. I look forward to the next installment in this series and seeing how far Jenna has come since she found her uncle's body.

This one was a DNF for me but I think some of my customers would like it so I will for sure be recommending it!

Title: For a Whom the Book Tolls: An Antique Book Mystery, Book 1
Author: Laura Gail Black
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Release Date: Srptember 2020

What a great start to a new cozy mystery series. The author did a wonderful job of setting up the story arc for this book and the whole series. I really enjoyed the main character, Jenna, and the residents of Hokes Folly.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.

DNF at 20-ish %

I have very recently realised my love for mysteries and thrillers. And what better than a mystery set in a bookstore, right? W R O N G.

Jenna Something - I can't even remember her name, despite having read 20% of this book which is a good sign - has moved to her uncle's house to leave behind her ugly past in Charlotte. Unfortunately, her uncle was murdered before she even got there. Just before she finds that horrifying fact out, I found out she had put up her wavy blonde hair in a bun.

I have no idea how this book ends. I have no idea about the character. The murder felt washed out because I did not know Uncle Rick at all, and no matter how many times Jenna thinks about her caring, kind uncle, that's not going to change. Strike One: I did not care about any of the characters. In fact, I think I actively disliked Jenna.

Strike Two: The writing is lacking. Dialogue is stilted, and heavily based on cliches.

Strike Three: When one picks up a mystery, we expect twists and turns. At least I do. And I expect to be hooked onto the book at some point, if not for the entire book (though this is an unfairly high standard). This book however, was so slow and predictable and was putting me to sleep.

I'm not trying to sh*t on the author. Writing is hard, and not everyone will like what you write. I was just one of these people. I do not care for angry, self-obsesses, two-dimensional blonde girls. There's nothing wrong with them, except they have no personality. Which is unrealistic.
Not one for me.

It's always a pleasure to start a brand new cosy mystery series and this first instalment, For Whom the Book Tolls written by Laura Gail Black certainly lived up to my expectations!

The reader soon meets the star of the show, Jenna Quinn, who has waved goodbye to her hometown of Charlotte and has accepted an invitation to stay with her Uncle Paul in the small town of Hokes Folly, North Carolina. She will be helping him in his bookshop and hasn't been there long when she finds him dead at the foot of the stairs between his shop and flat. Jenna learns that Uncle Paul had made her the beneficiary to his estate worth over $1 million, a fact which is of great interest to Detective Sutter, who immediately decides she is the prime suspect, especially when another victim is found...

I thought this was a highly entertaining, really solid start to the series. I enjoyed Laura Gail Black's wonderful characterisation of Jenna who was fleeing from Charlotte because of trouble at the marketing firm where she worked. The author has also laid the foundations of a cast of others to whom the reader was gradually introduced, including Rita Wallace who was her next-door neighbour and a supportive close friend. This book was such a fun read and I was on a merry-go-round of doubt as I puzzled over the mystery. A bookshop, family secrets, and a spiral staircase are a few of the constituents of this special cozy, with a soupçon of romance as a cherry topping.

The writing was comfortably and smoothly paced, and the mystery itself was very well executed, with snippets of humour, some fascinating history about Hokes Folly, and abundant red herrings to sustain my interest. All in all, For Whom the Book Tolls is a top-notch opening instalment and an outstanding début. I will certainly be returning to see what Jenna is getting herself into next in the second 'An Antique Bookshop Mystery'. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I did not expect to be as enthralled with this cozy as I was. I love all books about bookstores and/or libraries, so this attracted me right away!

This book kept me reading all day long and into the night! I loved the story! The characters blew me away and the plot kept me guessing! This book is amazing, particularly for the first in a series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this new book!

What a fun start to a series! The author did a great job of setting up the series while not foresaking the first novel in the series. The characters in Hokes Folly were well fleshed out and piqued my interest. Excited to read the next one!

I do like a cozy mystery with a main character who is starting over and I don't think I've met one who is starting over quite as much as Jenna. Jenna has just had her entire life turned upside down. She lost her job, she lost her fiance (who she admits wasn't much of a loss), she lost her reputation, and she had just about lost hope when she received the email from Uncle Paul offering her safe haven. And she then finds herself right in the middle of a murder investigation.

The mystery wasn't the strongest and I did have some questions about how things happened in regards to Paul's estate. That said I feel like this is the setup for a strong cozy series. Jenna is a good heroine. She's got some serious baggage but she is also really wanting a place to settle in. I am hoping Rita, Craig, and Keith stick around because I thought they were all fantastic side characters and can't wait to see what they're going to add to the store.

This is a solid start to a series that has lots of potential. I enjoyed this read and getting to know Jenna and I can't wait to see what happens next!

For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black
Book #1: Antique Bookshop Mystery Series
Source: NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books
Rating: 4/5 stars

If it weren’t for bad luck, Jenna Quinn wouldn’t have any luck at all. She’s flat broke, her car is on its last leg, and she’s just found her beloved uncle lying dead at the foot of the stairs.

Jenna moved to the small town of Hokes Folly, North Carolina for a fresh start. Her uncle, a widower for many years, invited Jenna to live in his home and help him run his bookstore. With nothing left to lose, Jenna packed her bags, ready to start again. Unfortunately, Jenna’s fresh start is put on permanent hold when she finds her uncle dead in his own bookstore. What’s more, because of her past and the most unexpected inheritance from her uncle, Jenna becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

Though Jenna knows she had nothing to do with her uncle’s death, convincing local law enforcement is going to be difficult. Her lawyer, a very sharp and savvy litigator, is having none of the accusations and allegations and advises Jenna to go about her life as best she can until the real killer is caught. Going about her life isn’t going to be easy as her uncle left a right mess in the bookstore. First up for Jenna is to hire some help and get the store into some semblance of order. Next up, get to know the neighbors and learn the lay of the land. Finally, do her own investigating into her uncle’s murder since the police have no real interest in looking beyond Jenna as the culprit.

As Jenna begins to make a place for herself in Hokes Folly, she also begins to learn of the town’s crazy history. The inheritors of that history are two aged sisters who own the antique store next to Jenna and while one is polite, demure, and genuinely kind, the other is a bit banana pants crazy. As Jenna quickly finds out, banana pants is the way of the town and if she’s going to make her home in Hokes Folly, she’ll have to learn to accept a little crazy. To that end, Jenna hires a young man her uncle once fired for theft and the two whip the shop into shape. Just as Jenna begins to feel the smallest bit of comfort and accept the reality of her new life, yet another huge monkey wrench is thrown into her plans. This time, the monkey comes in the form of a formerly unknown heir to her uncle’s estate.

The Bottom Line: I do love a good underdog story and Jenna certainly qualifies as an underdog. I am also quite fond of quaint and quirky small towns, and Holes Folly certain meets the criteria. When you add in a good story with twists and turns aplenty, you have a recipe for a fine first-in-a-series book. With all the things I like about this series, I also have at least one big reservation, if this series is going to continue and be successful, there needs to be a larger cast of characters. In this first book, there are a limited number of secondary characters and in cozy mysteries, it is generally the crazy cast of characters that makes or breaks the series.

I really loved this new mystery! It's a great concept for a cozy and pretty much everything I want in a cozy mystery as well. Rita was such a great new friend for Jenna and so was Mason, the young guy she hired for the shop who used to work for her Uncle Paul. I can't even imagine how awful it would be to come to a new town all hopeful to reconnect with a fun and goofy uncle just to find him dead.

This of course put Jenna in the cross hairs of an ambitious detective who wanted to wrap up the murder in a nice neat package. His partner wasn't downright mean like this guy was, so that was a definite plus for Jenna. I loved how she and Rita got along together, and once Mason joined them, they made quite the trio of friends. I definitely hope Keith makes the trio a foursome!

I hadn't completely committed myself to guessing who did it, but it honestly didn't surprise me much. The showdown was pretty exciting, and if I was Jenna, I'd be thanking my guardian angel for the help that arrived! I really enjoyed how the book went on a little more after the showdown and explanation. At that point, it was important to me because it showed how Jenna had cemented her friendship with new people in this new town. I'm so anxious now to read the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

For Whom the Books Tolls: An Antique Book Mystery
By Laura Gail Black
Crooked Lane Books
September 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

After Jenna Quinn lost both her job and her fiancé, the offer by her Uncle Paul Baxter to stay at his home in Hokes Folly, North Carolina was the desperate lifeline she needed. So it was with horror that she discovered her uncle’s body in apartment, dead at the bottom of the stairs. The investigating Detective Frank Sutter is under pressure to close the case quickly, and being present and the only witness ensures that Jenna is an obvious suspect. It certainly doesn’t help when they learn that Uncle Paul’s will leaves all of his wealth - including both his apartment and his Baxter’s Book Emporium - to the niece whom he rarely saw. Even more damning is that Jenna was only recently released from three months in jail, spent there after being framed but finally acquitted of embezzlement and murder.

It shouldn’t be surprising then that Jenna’s doesn’t trust that she won’t be railroaded into prison, no matter how handsome the other investigating detective may be. At least Jenna has friendly hairstylist Rita Sue more than willing to lend a hand and dish the dirt on all of the secrets held by the closed-in, insular town. That Hokes Folly was named after a financial disaster only highlights the long-term reputations and family lines that have established the town, one that does not seem welcoming to a former jailbird suffering from so many losses.

This first in a new series introduces a unique heroine who is still reeling from the trauma of being so betrayed by those she trusted. Further exploration of this will be fascinating, especially in a traditionally cozy setting. A near-ex-con running a charming bookstore is such a dynamic proposal for this series, which includes the complications of lost heirs, hidden treasures, and of course valuable books. It will be fascinating to see Jenna transform herself and grow more secure in her new bookstore home, explores romance, and engages in further compelling mystery puzzles.

Jenna Quinn has arrived in Hoke’s Folly, North Carolina. It’s two o’clock in the morning in Hoke’s Folly, NC. Jenna Quinn quietly enters her Uncle Paul’s antique bookstore store. Jenna’s Uncle Paul gave her a chance to leave her hometown of Charlotte, NC. While in Charlotte, she was accused and cleared of murder and embezzlement charges. But the next morning, Jenna finds Paul’s body in the bookstore. Now, Detective Frank Sutter suspects Jenna of murder and he is determined to prove her guilty. Jenna, on the other hand, is equally determined to prove her innocence. Her cadre of new friends, including the handsome detective Keith Logan, are determined to help her.
Uncle Paul’s death makes Jenna an instant millionaire. Her inheritance also solidifies her position as the number one suspect in Paul’s murder. Jenna needs to clear her name. Rita Wallace, a friend of Uncle Paul and Jenna’s new next door neighbor, is Jenna’s first ally. During their investigation, Jenna discovers her uncle’s enemies as well as friends devastated by his death. As the investigation continues, the killer targets Jenna. Will she figure out the murderer’s identity in time? Or end up like her Uncle Paul before the killer is revealed?
At first, I wasn’t sure I would like this new cozy mystery. I gave it chance and ended up enjoying the book. The more I read, the it was harder to put down. I was a little frustrated that more details about what happened Charlotte weren’t forth coming in this book, so I hope more backstory will be revealed as the series continues.

I really tried to give this book a chance. Unfortunately I had to DNF at 60 percent. The story felt all over the place and most of the decisions by the main character made little sense to me, like hiring someone in the bookstore suspected of killing your uncle. I doubt I would continue with this series.