My Rating: 3.5
In this book we follow Ellery page that just recently moved to Pirate's Cove after great-great-great aunt Eudora passed away and left him her bookshop and house as an inheritance. When suddenly one day Trevor Maples is found dead in his shop and all the clues point to him as a prime suspect.
I loved the cozy mystery vibe of the book but after figuring out who the murderer was and what their reason was I just felt kinda meh about it. I was also promised M/M romance and if I'm being honest is barely there, it's very on the side. All we get is banter and some flirtation.
All in all it was a good mystery book but nothing over the top.

This book was a very enjoyable and swift read! I had reservations if I would like this book despite it being a Josh Lanyon book since I gravitate to mysteries with onscreen violence and sex. But Ellery was a such a delightful, relatable main character who was down-to-earth despite his past career as an actor. Usually the MC's make roll my eyes because of their reckless decision making but, I agreed with Ellery's reasoning for his decisions even when said decisions led to a B&E, haha. (I think my favorite aspect of Ellery is that he is a terrible liar which explained his failure of a career as an actor.) Scenes involving Ellery and his romantic interest Chief Carson sizzled in a will-they-won't-they manner and I am settled in for a slow burn of a relationship between these two as the series continues. The mystery itself was easy to get into and was an excellent vehicle for getting to know the colorful people of Pirate's Cove whom I hope get more screen time in the next book.

I look forward to returning to Pirate's Cove in Secret at Skull House.

Josh Lanyon is a hit or miss for me ; and Murder at the Pirate's Cove was a hit.

It gives you, exactly what it promises, a perfect cozy mystery.

I just reviewed Murder at Pirate's Cove: An M/M Cozy Mystery by Josh Lanyon. #MurderatPiratesCoveAnMMCozyMystery #NetGalley

I went into this with completely wrong expectations (entirely my fault) but was still pleasantly surprised. Murder at Pirate’s Cove is a cozy mystery first and a m/m romance (very) second. I thought I knew what a cozy mystery was (I’ve watched LOTS of Miss Marple and basically every other quaint UK village murder show), but this novel genre has very specific rules and Josh Lanyon is dedicated to following them.

And, surprisingly, it was just what I needed. I started reading this while self isolating at home during the pandemic and the comfort of a book that guarantees everything gets wrapped up neatly in the end was a welcome break from my anxiety. The cast of characters was fun and funny, and although I like a little more attention spent on my romance, I loved the romantic interest and all the chemistry they had (when they were actually on the page together).

Other than some anal editing opinions in the first two chapters, my main complaint is that this is the start of a series and now I have to wait!

Murder at Pirate's Cove is first cosy mystery I've read, but it will not be the last. Ellery Page is a newcomer at Pirate's Cove, where he inherited a failing bookstore and mansion in near ruins from his distant relative. He aims to turn the business around and repair his new home, when a body is found at the bookstore and he becomes the number one suspect in the murder case. It seems that the quaint village has secrets and complicated relationships, and Ellery wants to untangle them to prove himself innocent, especially since the police chief is someone he'd rather be closer with.

This is a cute and fun quick read. The mystery is engaging and the cast of characters are interesting, and it is fun to find out about Pirate's Cove and its residents. There's twists and turns, and the fast pace is a good fit for the story. A great introduction to a new series, I certainly want to read more about Ellery and Jack, and see what happens next at Pirate's Cove. Definitely recommend for anyone who wants to read something quick, fun, and mysterious.

MURDER AT PIRATE'S COVE is the first in a new series of gay cozy mysteries. I consider myself a mystery aficionado, but I admit to not having read many cozies. Honestly, I'm not sure I'll be back for more. The suspense is almost non-existent, and the plot seems like something from MURDER SHE WROTE but with a young male protagonist.

Ellery has just inherited a bookstore and decrepit mansion from his eccentric aunt. He hasn't been in Pirate's Cove (yes, that's really the name of the town) for very long when one of his bookstore patrons is murdered. Ellery becomes a suspect in the investigation, and he spends the remainder of this short book fumbling through the mystery. Along the way, he develops an attraction to the lead investigator--a plot point that I'm sure will be followed up in future installments. The town is full of quirky, if broadly drawn, characters. The romantic angle is barely present. That's not really a complaint, though, because too often in m/m books, the romance is forced. It will be nice to watch this relationship develop over the long-term. I can't say that I'll be back for the next book, though, because I didn't feel invested in the storyline or the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I could say I enjoyed the book, but it was just okay. The storyline was fairly decent, but unfortunately, most characters (save Tommy and Nora) were flat and not interesting enough to keep me invested. Personally, I did not like the writing style in the beginning. It felt a bit of a drag before I got used to it.

The thing that bothered me the most was the more-than-enough speculations on people’s sexualities by Ellery. I think those instances were just written to prove that he had a working gaydar, but the rather excessive typecasting is not to be encouraged.

If you are only looking for a very light suspense read without much romance, "Murder at Pirate's Cove" is still a good choice.

When Ellery Page inherits his great, great, great aunt’s house and bookstore in the small town of Pirate’s Cove, Rhode Island, a murder victim found in his bookshop makes him the infamous talk of the town. When the handsome, possibly bi-sexual local sheriff doesn’t solve the crime, Ellery becomes an amateur sleuth in the hopes of clearing his name.

An enjoyable, typical Josh Lanyon tale.

If you like the usual Josh Lanyon recipe of one bumbling out and proud man, some murder mystery, and one not-out law enforcement officer, then you’ll be pleased with this start to a new series. If you were hoping for something a little different than a standard Lanyon story, you aren’t going to find that here.

Josh Lanyon is one of my favorite M/M writers. I loved the Adrien English series, the Art of Murder series and so many of her novellas and stand-alone books, but lately they are all starting to blend together. The all follow the same formula again and again. I hate to say this, but it’s starting to feel a little tired.

I am not saying I didn’t enjoy this. I did. It was a quick, cute read, but nothing in it was unpredictable, nothing surprised me.

3.5 Stars

Quick Summary
Ellery Page, fresh from a break-up, moves to Pirate's Cove from New York to take over his great great great-aunt's book store. Despite its poor financial situation, Ellery refuses to sell the store and is determined to make it a success. When local real-estate mogul and mayoral candidate Trevor Maples is murdered, Ellery finds himself as the primary suspect. Even as the pull between Ellery and Chief of Police Jack Carson gets stronger, Ellery cannot help but investigate who is trying to frame him and why.

Review
It's been a while since I've read a cozy mystery, so the change of pace definitely took some getting used to. I enjoyed the mystery, which Josh Lanyon always writes really well. It wasn't anything completely unique, but honestly, those are few and far between when you read enough mysteries, so I didn't feel like the book was lacking there. However, I really had trouble connecting with the characters this time. I felt like I only superficially knew Ellery and I didn't know Jack at all. I like to feel connected to the characters I read about, so this really detracted from the experience for me. From what I gather, this was an intro of sorts to the series, and I've been a huge JL fan, so I will definitely read the next one. Hopefully, I'll feel more connected as the series progresses. All in all, this was a fun, light read, that was relaxing in the way only a cozy can be.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read a lot of cozy mysteries, but it's Josh Lanyon, so of course I was going to read it! It's a different genre than I'm used to, but I enjoyed it enough to read it in one sitting because I just had to find out what happened!

I loved both of the main characters. At first, Ellery was a little timid, but he soon proved just how much of a busybody he was. He was all up in everyone's business trying to investigate the murder on the sly. And Jack seemed like a nice, manly fella with terrific policing instincts. Ellery and Jack's paths crossed frequently, and I really enjoyed their interactions.

The mystery plot went along nicely, becoming more and more complicated with each turn of the page. A whole slew of suspects were introduced, and numerous secrets were revealed. There was certainly lot of nefarious activity for such a small seaside village!

Overall, this was a very entertaining cozy mystery, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Great cosy style mystery wherein our hero, a recent transplant to the quaint village of Pirate's Cove is suspected of murder after a dead body is found in his shop.
A great cast of characters including the stoic and very attractive police chief. First book in the series with a hint of a gay relationship between the main characters in the future.

Murder at Pirate’s Cove is the first book in a new series of cozy mysteries by Josh Lanyon – a kind of Adrien English meets Jessica Fletcher if you will! All the ingredients of the genre are there – a small village community, eccentric characters, dastardly doings and an intrepid hero; in this case one who ends up at the wrong end of a murder investigation!

Screenwriter Ellery Page left New York and his cheating boyfriend for the small Rhode Island resort town of Pirate’s Cove when he inherited a bequest from his great-great-great aunt Eudora. That bequest consisted of the town’s mystery bookshop, Crow’s Nest, and a rambling (and ramshackle) late-Victorian era house just outside town, and Ellery, feeling the need to make a change, has thrown himself into running the shop and renovating the house. He likes Pirate’s Cove, although he’s still something of an outsider, and is determined to make a go of things there… although three months in, he’s not sure how much longer he’ll be able to afford to stay if business doesn’t start to pick up soon.

Walking back to the shop from the pub late one evening, Ellery is surprised to see the lights are on – and even more surprised to find a dead body – dressed in a pirate costume – lying on the floor. Trevor Maples – a local property developer who was pressuring Ellery to sell Crow’s Nest – was a nasty piece of work, and the fact that he and Ellery were overheard in an altercation on the day Maples died means things don’t look too good for our hero. When the chief of police, Jack Carson (a former LAPD Homicide detective) makes it clear that Ellery is currently the number one suspect, Ellery decides that if the police aren’t looking for the real killer, then he’ll have to find something to persuade them to look elsewhere – and maybe even prove his own innocence. As the body count rises, it becomes clear that someone is actively trying to frame Ellery for the murders – but who, and why?

I’m not really the biggest fan of cozy mysteries – I tend to prefer my mysteries a bit grittier – but I do generally enjoy Josh Lanyon’s work and was keen to see what she’d do with the tropes. Like most genres, there are certain rules to be followed – the stories are usually fairly short with lighter plots, they’re set in a small town or village and the sleuth is often a reluctant amateur who gets him or herself into sticky situations because they’re actually investigating and snooping around rather than just interviewing people! – to name but a few. Ms. Lanyon sticks pretty closely to those rules and turns in a charming story that hooked me in, principally, I think, because Ellery is so completely loveable! Sweet, clever, funny and utterly relatable, he’s a delightful character, and his gentle wit had me smiling often:

The pup yawned in his ear and tucked his head more comfortably beneath Ellery’s chin. “Isn’t he adorable?” the mayor said in the polite tone of a cat person.

Or:

“I’d hate to think I’d moved to Cabot Cove by mistake.”

He’s the reader’s route into the community of Pirate’s Cove, with its aptly named shops and fun, colourful characters, but unlike many amateur sleuths, he’s practically clueless about crime shows and mystery novels. He doesn’t let that stop him, however; with someone going all out to frame him – and worse? – he can’t afford to just sit back and wait to be arrested.

The mystery is intriguing and well done, with deft application of red herrings and plenty of clues for the reader to follow, and the author has introduced an intriguing – and sometimes irritating – secondary cast I’m (mostly) looking forward to meeting again. There’s no romance as such in the book, but there’s a definite spark of interest between Ellery and the handsome, widowed police chief Jack Carson and I’m looking forward to watching their relationship develop in future books.

I honestly didn’t expect to find myself enjoying Murder at Pirate’s Cove as much as I did, but it turned out to be fast-paced and fun story – and even a non-fan of cozies like me found plenty to enjoy.

A cozy mystery with all the right ingredients! Quirky protagonist - check, slow burn love interest - check, well developed setting with side characters who are far from the norm - check, a who-done-it mystery with fun twists and turns - double check!

Ellery decides to leave the crazy life of living in NYC behind him when his many-times-great aunt leaves him her failing mystery bookshop and crumbling manor in the small town of Pirates Cove. The opportunity came just as he reached a painful crossroad in his life, and the chance at a fresh start seemed like a godsend. He knows that the LBGTQ community is tiny, but that doesn't stop him from a bit of wishful thinking. However, despite long hours and all the money he inherited that has been invested in refurbishing the bookshop, it is still failing -- and unwanted offers to purchase it from him keep pestering him. And then the biggest pest, the wealthy one that refuses to take no for an answer, is found dead in the shop. Killed by the cutlass that prominently hangs above the shop's door. Discovered by none other than Ellery. Even the Bobsy Twins could tell you that the circumstances don't look good for him. Especially since his secret crush, Police Chief Jack Carson, has had to move Ellery to the top of the suspects list.

This was a wonderful reality escape for me. No gratuitous blood, politics, or language. There were wonderful pop culture references of the past and present that add to the humor. And who could resist a puppy sidekick named Watson?

Highly recommended for fans of "Murder She Wrote" and books by Joanne Fluke, Laura Childs, and Stephen E. Stanley.

* Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of the book in return for an honest review. *

This is the start of the Secrets and Scrabble Series. This was a wonderful cozy mystery. I really enjoyed the quirky town it was set in. The characters were interesting and the pace was great. I can’t wait for the next installment of the series.

Ellery has inherited a whole lot more than he bargained for. Yes, it appears to be a failing bookshop the Crow's Nest and a dilapidated mansion nestled in a lovely seaside village. Why would anyone want to pressure poor Ellery to sell his somewhat sad Inheritance from Great-great-great Aunt Endora? The bookshop is floundering and Ellery cannot keep up with repairs to his new home. Trevor Maples is offering way more than they are worth and is rather nasty and secretive as to why he wants what appears to be a ridiculous investment. Ellery is a stubborn man and won't consider the offer. Now add Trevor getting murdered in Ellery's book store and we are off to an interesting start.

This book is a cozy mystery that delivers in spades. The author did a fabulous job in describing the quaint countryside and it's quirky residents. The mystery component was excellent and had me guessing right up until the end. This book does not have the strong romantic undertones Ms. Lanyon's other series usually contain but the plot was so well constructed, it really wasn't missed. You still feel the gentle pull between the widowed Police Chief Jack Carson and the harrassed book seller. You just know something will develop between this two hopefully in the near future.

More murders and additional attemps to frame Ellery had me riveted to the pages. I highly recommend this amazing mystery and eagerly await the next installment. Happy Reading.

CHARMING. That's the word that keeps popping to mind in reading this first book in Josh Lanyon's new cozy mystery series. We meet Ellery Page, brought to a small seaside town due to an unexpected inheritance he received from his great-great-great aunt Eudora. He's now the opener of a dilipated house and bookstore, the Crow's Nest, in Pirate's Cove, Rhode Island.

When a body is found in the Crow's Nest, Ellery is understandably horrified to learn he is Police Chief Jack Carson's prime suspect. This is a cozy mystery - so by definition there is no gore and no sex - but Lanyon gives us a wonderfully tantalizing character in Police Chief Jack Carson:

"a ruggedly handsome six foot, one hundred and ninety-plus pounds of gainfully employed eligible male ... [Ellery] had been pretty sure Carson had a secret that would deeply disappoint the ladies of Pirate's Cove."

We are introduced to the community and its residents on the way to solving the crimes, along with some well-crafted red herrings, and I did not figure out the murderer until near the end, so it definitely held my interest. Ellery is an interesting character and I relish learning more about him and also really like how Lanyon teases the possibility of a romance between Jack Carson and Ellery.

I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series, "Secret at Skull House", due at the end of March. 4.5 stars.

Loved it... and I'm definitely going to read the sequel.

Cozies are interesting as a genre. They are a great pleasure to read, and this one certainly was, but they don't stick in the mind much afterwards! I loved the light tone of this and even though it was a "slight" book, I'm sure it took much effort on the author's part.

A few jarring things: I thought the "great-great-great aunt Eudora" concept was kind of hard to swallow; I just don't see how the narrator could have been alive at the same time as his third great aunt. I also didn't like that one character got killed off-stage; that wasn't very satisfying. And there were some scene breaks missing in my ARC.

But I loved the verve of the prose, Ellery's charm, the gossipy bookstore assistant Nora, and police chief Jack Carson's mixture warmth and gruffness. The series holds a lot of promise. And for a book that must have been written quickly, it was done with a lot of skill. Thanks for the ARC!

I am a huge fan of Josh Lanyon’s work and a fan of cozy mysteries, though I’ve never read one with a gay protagonist. As a result, I was interested to see what Lanyon entering this genre would be like. No surprise, it’s an unqualified success!

Cozy mysteries, like most genres have specific requirements in order to qualify for the label. As such, there is no on-page violence or sex. And while there may be romance it is a distant second place to the main purpose, the murder mystery. That may be a bit of a shock for Lanyon’s regular fans but rest assured, her usual character driven storytelling works well in this genre and you will appreciate the storytelling. (Unless a lack of violence and sex doesn’t do it for you…then you may want to move along!)

The protagonist of this first book in a series is Ellery Page, who has inherited a failing mystery bookstore and a dilapidated mansion in the small town of Pirate’s Cove, RI from a great-great-great aunt that he knew nothing about. He discovers the body of a town resident, who has been harassing him to sell the bookstore to him, and of course becomes a suspect. Enter the hunky widowed police chief Jack Carson who of course considers Ellery a prime suspect. There is a subtle undertone of potential romance here, but it appears we are destined for a truly slow burn.

The secondary characters are at turns irritating and amusing and Lanyon is establishing an interesting cast of characters for her series. The mystery is intriguing, and the red herrings are deftly done. Like any good cozy the hints are there to the resolution and I did figure it out prior to the on-page reveal…which it seems to me most cozy mysteries want the reader to be able to do. It lends a bit more tension to the read as you anticipate what is going to happen to the protagonist before all is revealed.

I really enjoyed the creation of the setting, the use of the Scrabble device, the spunky Nora, and of course the cute puppy! Looking forward to the next book in the series!

*I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my objective review *

I loved this! Cozy mysteries are some of my favorite stories, stemming back to reading Nancy Drew when I was young. They are so comforting for me. I actually have considered a few of Lanyon’s stories to be cozy mysteries prior to this story. She is one of my favorite writers because of how well she writes these mysteries that wrap me up and take me away. These types of stories are the reason why I enjoy reading so much to this day.

This was a fast paced story that takes place in the charming town of Pirate’s Cove. Ellery has inherited his great great great great (is that enough greats?) Aunt Eudora’s old mansion and book store. He has never run a book store before and doesn’t even read mysteries, which is what the Crow’s Nest sells. He needed a change and this opportunity presented itself at the perfect time. After about 3 months he is feeling a bit despondent since the mansion is going to need a ton of work and the bookstore is on the verge of bankruptcy. One of the towns residents wants to buy the bookstore but Ellery does not want to sell it. Trouble ensues for Ellery when this resident is found murdered in the bookstore.

Being a cozy mystery there is no romance or sex but Chief Carson intrigues Ellery and there may be a mutual attraction there, except for the fact that Carson thinks Ellery is the main suspect in the murder. Ellery decides he needs to do a bit of sleuthing himself before he is wrongly arrested for this murder.

I am happy there will be another book in this series. There is so much potential for more trouble to find Ellery and it seems as though the town of Pirate’s Cove will have a few more mysteries to solve!

Mystery is one of my favorite genres, and I enjoyed some of Josh Lanyon's works before, so I looked forward to reading this. However it felt like nothing was really happening for most of the book. The story felt flat and I wasn't connecting to the characters. This was a miss for me.