“Booked For Death” by Victoria Gilbert is an exceptional cozy mystery that will captivate readers from beginning to end. Set in the quaint town of Beaufort, North Carolina, this book introduces us to the intelligent and resourceful protagonist, Amy, a librarian with a knack for solving crimes. Gilbert’s Writing style is engaging and immersive, bringing the charming coastal town in its vibrant community to life. The intricate plot is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers guessing and on the edge of their seats. The author's attention to detail and her ability to create well-rounded, relatable characters make this book a joy to read. With its seamless blend of mystery, small-town charm, and a touch of romance, “Booked For Death” is a must-read for cozy mystery enthusiasts, leaving them eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.

What a great start to the series! I really like Charlotte and what I assuming is going to be the regular cast of characters. The mystery of the murder was a good one, but the mystery of great-aunt Isabella was even better. Looking forward to a return trip to Beaufort soon.

Charlotte Reid has inherited her great-aunt's b & b and she has kept up with the literary theme weeks (as well as running the local book club). this particular week is based around the works of Josephine Tey, it appears to be going smoothly until one of the guests tries a touch of blackmail, only to wind up dead later that night!

Now with everyone under suspicion Charlotte joins forces with her neighbour in the hope of finding out the truth.

This was a 3.5 read for me. I like the author's Blue Ridge Library Series better. Charlotte has inherited her great aunt's Bed and Breakfast. The BB has biblio theme and she is hosting a classic mystery author Josephine Tey. When a guest is found dead she sets out to solve the crime. I enjoyed the BB setting and the classic mystery setting. I also enjoyed the supporting characters. I did not warm to the main character. Her great aunt and her best friend living next door would have made more likable sleuths. The mystery was good but I was able to figure it out. I enjoy biblio cozies so I will probably read the next one.

Booked for Murder is the first in a cozy series by Victoria Gilbert. I love her Blue Ridge Library series, so I was eager to read this. The mystery itself was good as I did not immediately guess who the murderer was. The story did drag in parts, but I’m hoping that is because this is just the first in a series. I really liked Ellen, the next door neighbor. Charlotte was a bit intense, but she was also still grieving the death of her husband, so I’ll give her a pass. Overall, I did enjoy the mystery and I will certainly read book #2. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

The first book in the Booklover’s B&B Mysteries is a fantastic start to a great new series. Charlotte Reed has inherited her great aunt’s home and business, Chapters Bed and Breakfast. At an event celebrating one of the great authors of the Golden Age of Mysteries, a rare book dealer turns up dead. The dealer had accused Charlotte’s great aunt of stealing many of the books she had amassed in her collection, and Charlotte ends up as a suspect in the murder. So it’s up to her, and a rag-tag team of helpers, to prove that both she and her great aunt are innocent.

I’m a big fan of Victoria Gilbert’s Blue Ridge Library Mysteries, and this book is equally well-written and thrilling as the books in that series. The characters are wonderfully eccentric and descriptions of the North Carolina setting are vibrant and lush. You just want to visit the B&B and help Charlotte solve mysteries. I am very much looking forward to reading all future books in this series!

Charlotte Reed inherited Chapters, a literary themed B&B, from her great-aunt Isabella and it was just the right time for a move and change. The unexpected death of her husband has left her a widow in a town that is very invasive so moving to a new location is just perfect for her to maintain her privacy and grief. However, the B&B is a bit more than she expected and Charlotte is constantly telling herself that she needs to be more communicative with her guests. When a not so nice quest is murdered during one of the Chapters' events, and Charlotte seems to be a suspect, she is determined to clear her name and find the real murderer.

This was a great start for a new series with characters that are multi-dimensional and well-written.

When widowed Charlotte Reed finds herself the beneficiary of her late great-aunt's charming B&B, Chapters, she throws herself into keeping it running just as Aunt Isabella would have liked. That means continuing the literary theme Isabella began, including special events such as a week-long celebration of the famed mystery author, Josephine Tey. Trouble soon comes knocking, though, when a guest is found murdered in the B&B's guest house during one of the planned events. Now Charlotte has a houseful of suspects which includes not only her guests, but also her housekeeper, her occasional cook, the dead man's wife and daughter, and locals such as her enigmatic next-door neighbor, Ellen. But when the victim's daughter points the finger directly at Charlotte and Charlotte in turn discovers her friend Julie's unfortunate connection to the dead man, she makes it her mission to clear their names and locate the real killer...

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, given that I wasn't a huge fan of the previous book by Victoria Gilbert that I read, but I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. Between the current mystery and Charlotte's digging into her late aunt's past, this book kept my interest despite figuring out pretty quickly who the killer was. Charlotte and Ellen are intriguing characters that I look forward to getting to know better in the future books in this series.

This wasn't bad....but it wasn't great either. Mostly I found myself not being grabbed by either the characters or the mystery although technically it was well done.

Escaping personal tragedy, former school teacher Charlotte Reed takes over her great-aunt’s book-themed Bed and Breakfast, Chapters, in the historic seaside town of Beaufort, North Carolina. Business is going well, especially due to the literary-themed events – that is, until an obnoxious rare book dealer turns up dead on the premises. Who would have motive to murder the man? Lots of people, it turns out – including Charlotte herself, when it’s revealed that the deceased had incriminating evidence of where the B&B’s investment money first came from…

Charlotte is of course determined to clear her name, and that of her great-aunt – and that of a few other suspects, friends and colleagues both. Can she do so without putting herself at more risk from the killer still at large?

I enjoyed Victoria Gilbert’s previous library-set cosy mystery series, so it was a no-brainer to give this one a go, too. And I’m so glad I did! The genre has certain boxes to tick, which this does, but the balance of elements suited my tastes perfectly. It’s high on mystery and a bit of danger, low on the soppy romance (there is a bit, but cleverly it’s a supporting character and doesn’t take over the main plot). And I absolutely love the idea of the book-themed B&B, it’s described wonderfully enough that I’d want to stay there!

The cast is done well, with even the secondary and background characters feeling real-but-appropriately-sketched rather than 2-dimensial. I liked the main character a lot, she’s quietly competent and down to earth.

The plot is done well, too, meaning this was a perfect blend of intrigue and cosy. The second in the series is due out next month (June 2021), so perfect time to give this a go if it’s your kind of thing :)

I really enjoyed this book and never figured out who done it until the end. The perfect cozy mystery.

Booked for Death

by Victoria Gilbert

Victoria Gilbert, a retired librarian, has started a second series for those who love all things bookish. In Booked for Death, Charlotte, a widow, has inherited a large home from her Great Aunt Isabella whose life was a mystery to her family. Already an established B&B, the inn is called Chapters because of the extensive library it houses which includes many rare books. In keeping with the various themes, Charlotte hosts special events centered on authors and books.

In Booked for Death, the week’s focus is British writer Josephine Tey. As the participants dive into one of her mysteries, there is a murder at the B&B. There are many suspects with legitimately plausible motivations for killing bookseller Lincoln Delamont as he was not a very nice man. Charlotte tries to find out as much as she can about all the people who were at the B& B at the time of the murder. Information comes out gradually as to backgrounds and alibis. Charlotte, who has a reason to wish Lincoln dead, is one of the suspects but soon finds her own life in danger.

There are many interesting characters. Some of those will clearly appear in future books in the series—her friend Julie, housekeeper and cook Alicia, and neighbor Ellen. Others may or may not make a reappearance. Charlotte’s investigations take her to the dusty, cluttered attic to try to understand her great aunt’s complicated past.

Most of the book is well-written. There is a small portion that has stilted dialogue between Ellen and Charlotte, but most of the book, which is written in first person, flows smoothly. I did not guess who the murderer is, but the reveal is both surprising and nicely disclosed. The conclusion is very satisfying and so well played that I read the last few pages twice just to enjoy both the implications for future books and the written words themselves. It is easy to see how this book can segue into even bigger mysteries in future books with legitimate, not contrived, investigations.

I would like to extend my thanks to Netgalley and to Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: 1. #1 in the Booklovers B&B Mystery Series
2. The second book in the series, Reserved for Murder, is scheduled for release on June 8, 2021.
3. I have one criticism of the book (in its ARC form) which may well have been altered for publication. The author overused the term “narrowed/narrowing his/her eye” (15 times) and “side-eyed” (8 times). I’m sure with a little creativity, the author can find other ways to explain the character’s expressions. This issue was overshadowed for me by the intricacies of the plot, some beautifully written passages, and the excellent ending which left me looking forward to the next book in the series.

Publication: June 9, 2020—Crooked Lane Books

Memorable Lines:

Her vivacious beauty, undimmed even in her later years, had seemed far too exotic for our rather unexceptional family. Like a butterfly among the moths, I thought, as I laid down the photo and picked up another.

“I was hungry,” Tara said, fixing me with a glare that would’ve frozen the blood of most adults. But I’d taught high school for far too long to be intimidated by such tactics.

“…she wasn’t believed when she told the truth as a child. And honestly, it’s not always easy to share our deepest pain, even with the ones we love.”

Shortly after inheriting the Chapters Bed-and-Breakfast from her Great-Aunt Isabella, new owner Charlotte Reed is hosting a weeklong literary retreat celebrating Golden Age of Mysteries author Josephine Tey. During one of the first events of the week, a War of the Roses themed dinner Charlotte is served her very own mystery when one of her guests is found stabbed to death in the carriage house. Charlotte soon realizes that the murder isn’t the only problem she needs to get to the bottom of after accusations are made regarding just how Isabella could afford the lavish lifestyle which allowed her to purchase the home that is now Chapters when she never married and was unemployed for most of her adult life.
Author Victoria Gilbert sets the stage with a great cast of characters in a charming waterfront village, unfortunately for me the story never seemed to pull me in. I did not find myself invested in solving the murder but instead was more curious to unearth the truth about Isabella’s past. That truth became clear by mid-way through the book by which point I had decided I rather enjoyed the best friend, the two older and zany sisters, and Charlottes neighbor more than I liked Charlotte. Her character seems flat and as a protagonist just seemed to be a bit of a bore. I know others have rated this book highly, and there were parts I did enjoy, but overall for me it was simply not compelling enough to get me to read future books in the series, and in all honesty I probably wouldn’t have finished it at all if it weren’t for the fact that I did want to leave a review on NetGalley since I originally received it as a free advanced reader copy. It took me several attempts before I was finally able to complete the book, listening to the audiobook made it possible but in all honesty the narrator didn’t help my impressions of Charlotte’s dull and someone pretentious character.
Clearly others have enjoyed it, but it just wasn’t for me. 2 Stars

I have read several books by Victoria Gilbert and enjoyed all of them. This is a new series for her and I am happy to say that for me, this was a hit. I will absolutely continue with this series and I look forward to see what happens next in this series.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

1 out of 5 stars, it wasn't for me.
Book 1 in a series.

I wanted to like it. Once again, the premise of a booklover's vacation excited me, but failed to live up to the idea for me. I didn't really connect with the main character, Charlotte, or her pack of zany associates. Add in, without spoiling too much, the outlandish background of Charlotte's deceased aunt and next door neighbor and this book is a pale shadow of the Book Retreat cozy series, (which ended up utterly out there, but at least the characters were likeable.)

This series is a "One and done," for me.

I enjoy this author's Blue Ridge Mountain Library series, so wanted to give her latest series a try. A woman, Charlotte Reed, who has inherited a B&B from a relative? Running book-themed events? It all sounds great, except that there's no way to predict the murder of one of the guests, which throws a bit of a damper on the first event, despite the murdered guest not being very well-liked by even his own family!

When his daughter accuses Charlotte of having committed the murder, she is obviously surprised and unhappy by this, so takes it upon herself to try and solve it with the help of her neighbour Ellen, who herself is a little bit of a mystery.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The story moved along well, but I found Charlotte to be a bit bland. She's a young widow (her husband having died several years before) and ex-teacher, who realised this inheritance, although from an aunt she'd never really known, was just what she needed to make a few changes in her life. Everything felt very moderated and thought out, and even when she was annoyed with someone, she was careful to be polite and courteous (I understand she has a business to run, but even so, the implication that 'the customer is always right' is simply not true). With Ellen's help, a spy thread unravelling, and the guests doing a bit to help out, Charlotte does figure out who the murderer is.

It's likely 'first book-itis', while the series and characters find their feet and place. I enjoyed it enough to keep an eye out for the second one but would like to see a slightly more dynamic MC. It's hard to root for someone that you're not that invested in.

I love a good cozy mystery and the author is a favorite of mine. I loved the setting and really enjoyed the mystery. I highly recommend.

This is the first book in the B&B Book lovers mystery. It is written by Victoria Gilbert who also writes the Blue Ridge Library mysteries.

Chapters is located in Beaufort, North Carolina. Charlotte Reed who inherited it from her great-aunt Isabella, who is pretty much a mystery to her, owns it. She runs the place with the help of Alicia Simpson, who came with the house, and does much of the cooking. This week they are in the midst of a Josephine Tey celebration for both guests and locals.

During the event one of the guests is murdered. Charlotte turns to her neighbor, Ellen, to try to figure out who the murderer is. As the investigation progresses family secrets are uncovered.

I enjoyed the writing style and the well developed characters in the book. I look forward to reading the next book.

I am a huge fan of this author and was excited there is a new series to follow. The author's writing style is what I like best. The main character of this series will probably take time to develop into a more likeable character. But, I guess that is like real life. I like the setting and the secondary characters. I look forward to the next in the series. I will read anything by this author - love her writing style.

An enjoyable start to a new series. I liked the twist of the past of Charlotte's Aunt and the neighbor. Truthfully that is what pulled me into the story.

I am anxious to see if Charlotte warms to the idea of being a B & B owner. A few times I felt a little put off by her backhanded whining and it made her appear a tad ungrateful. Then I would remind myself she has been through a lot of changes and needs time to work them out and find herself again.

Currently, book two is scheduled to be released Summer of 2021 and I will definitely be reading it.

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