Release Date: September 13 2022

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Marvey comes across a list at a library fundraising event that has four names on it. The first is a murder victim, the second recently passed away, the third lives in peach coast and the fourth is Spence! Marvey is determined to solve who is on a crime bucket list before they get to Spence!

This is the second book in a new series by hallmark. I was not a fan of the first one but I always like to give a new series a second try. This unfortunately did not grow on me. I liked the mystery and I love Marvey but it almost seems like she’s more well thought out and complex than the rest of the book.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#Murderoutofcharacter #bookstagram #cozymysteryseries #netgalleyreads #hallmark

Murder Out of Character is a great small-town mystery with a Hallmark feel. I enjoyed all the suspense and twists and turns.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hallmark for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Murder Out of Character is the second book of the Peach Coast Library Mystery Series. It follows Marvella Harris (or Marvey) settlement in Peach Coast after living in New York for 20 years. In this book, after the death of a beloved high school coach she finds a handwritten a list of names with one very special to her heart... At first she's unsure of the meaning of the list but after a second suspicious death she becomes determined to solve another mystery in the small town she's growing to love.
Honestly, I found he whole book a bit childish... almost like Nancy Drew grew up and become a librarian. I hate to say this about a book but I found it a bit boring and I did something I never do... I skipped to the end just to find out who the murderer was!

Murder Out of Character by Olivia Matthews is the second mystery in the Peach Coast Library Mystery series. In this mystery, Marvey, a librarian, finds a list of names left behind after a library function that turns out to be a hit list. With the help of her friends and fellow librarians, Marvey doesn’t stop searching until she uncovers the killer.

I haven’t read the first book in this series, but I do think this one can be read as a standalone, you just miss a little background info on characters. I really wanted to like this mystery, it seems like something that I would usually enjoy, but I just couldn’t get into this one. The mystery itself was good and it kept me guessing until the very end, but there were just a few things that bothered me along the way. The whole premise of finding a random list of names that turned out to be connected to a string of murders was a little far fetched for me. Also, a lot of the character names were odd to me, like Marvey, for example, and when reading them I got more distracted by the names that I should have making it a harder read than it should have been. The other thing that bothered me was the relationship between Marvey and her parents, she is a grown woman but because there is a murderer in town, her parents make it clear that they need to be there to protect her. She moved from Brooklyn, where crime is prevalent, but her parents need to protect her in small town Georgia. That whole way of thinking doesn’t make sense to me and bothered me the whole book.

I really wanted to like this book and overall it did keep me guessing on who the killer was, but there were a few things that made my interest in the story wane. This book wasn’t for me, but there are enough good reviews that I know it is for some people and it may be good for you.

This is the second book in this cozy mystery series, but it could be read as a stand alone. I enjoyed re-visiting this small town and its cast of characters.

“If Bruce Wayne expected his friends to protect his secrets, he’d have to do the same for them”
“But how do you ask friends and neighbours whether they they’re a serial killer?”
Librarians becoming detective … a list of victims where friends are involved and life is at risk … and a bit of romantic theme in between a really good mystery … THIS BOOK WAS REALLY GOOD!!
This is the second book in the Peach Coast Library Mystery series but you can read this one without the other !! Though I would recommend to read the first one too so that you can have an insight on the main character and how she turned out to be more a detective than a normal librarian !!!!
This one had secrets, different friendships dynamics and also an high school cold revenge that kept me going !!!
I really liked reading this book. I felt captured by the plot and the investigation kept me on my toes. I was always trying to figure out who was behind it all and I will say this … I didn’t get it … not once !!
And I’m glad about it too!! I’m happy I left all the hard work to this characters whom I hope I’ll have the chance to see again.
“Revenge is a dish best served cold … But how cold? Fifteen years seems like a Dee freeze”
“I’d much rather solve a murder mystery in the pages of a good book than in real life”

I enjoyed this one more than the first book in the series. Which seems to be the case with cozy mystery series the second one's always better and spends more time on the mystery than the first. As the first one spends most of the time sitting up the setting and the characters. But then I'm also a sucker for mysteries with a librarian main character.

Good old fashion mystery who dunnit – check; Smart and curious female with a great cast of supporting characters – check;
All the elements to make a good read that includes new connections in a small town and an underlying story about the heroine finding her way as she navigates her new job and changing dynamics with her family.

Are they connected or is it coincidence? Read along and draw your own conclusions. Fun, easy book, great for vacation.

Cozy mystery readers will enjoy this story. Protagonist, Marvey Harris, Director of Community Engagement at the Peach Coast Library is a delightful, strong female character. I like her friend, Spence, the editor of the local newspaper, and usually a voice of reason. Along with a great library staff and other friends, Marvey and Spence quickly make headway in this double murder mystery with clues dating back to their high school years. Could someone on the suspect list be set on avenging a past quarrel?

Great storytelling and a likeable cast highlight this cozy mystery. I feel a bond with the characters, and enjoy the small southern town in its Georgia setting. Clues are dropped throughout the story to help readers guess whodunnit. I can hardly wait for the next story to spend more time with these entertaining characters. The author includes delicious recipes.

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Hallmark Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Marvella (Marvey) works for a small-town Georgia library. At a special event, she finds a list of names; one is a friend of hers--Spence. Two of the other names belong to the 'recently deceased.' Feeling suspicious and alarmed, Marvey shows the list to Spence and the police, who think she's overreacting. But is she?

When the evidence starts to stack up, Marvey's theories look more and more plausible. Will anyone believe her in time to save lives? Can she convince her parents there isn't a dead body on every corner in town?

Solving one crime may have been a fluke. If Marvey can't prove her case this time, Spence could be hurt or killed. That's not a possibility she can live with!

This is a new series for me, although it's book two (#MurderByPageOne is book 1). The people are welcoming and friendly; at least those who don't hold a grudge, and there are some interesting pairings in the works. I enjoyed the typically odd collection of librarians, and the beginnings of new friendships. Marvey is a little bit high strung, but that may be from too much caffeine and not enough peach cobbler!

After the party (where the book begins), the story gets going and the characters develop some dimension.

[Oh, to have an abundance of peaches! Why aren't these people singing or dancing every day?]

4/5 Stars
-1 Star for beginning with a party and so many names.

Thanks to Hallmark Publishing and NetGalley for the free preview of this ebook; the review is voluntary.

#MurderOutofCharacter #NetGalley
#PeachCoastLibraryMysteriesBookTwo #CozyMystery
#Marvey
#HallmarkPublishing #MysteryandThrillers
#AmateurSleuths #AmateurSleuthMysteries
#MurderByPageOne

I really enjoyed revisiting with Jo, Spence and of course, Marvey, and the rest of the librarians. You do not have to read the first book to enjoy this one but why wouldn't you want to. There are parts that made me laugh, parts that were sad and parts you just wanted to help Marvey find out who was behind the murders. Marvey just can't help herself, she is always get herself involved in investigating the murders in the town to help her friends.

Then there is the local law enforcement. Jed and Errol. Check out the book I think you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I need HALLMARK to make this into a series ASAP. A Black woman cozy mystery on the coast of Georgia! It was so good. I wasnt familiar with Olivia Matthews but I am def going to get the first book in this series so I can catch up.

Pause For Thought…
The second of the Peach Coast Library mysteries finds Marvey still adjusting to her new surroundings when something she stumbles upon at a library fundraiser gives her pause for thought. A list of names. Four people who appear not to have much in common. At least, thats what she thinks at first. But, someone here may be looking for revenge and they may well kill to get it. Perhaps they’ve even killed before. Enjoyable and entertaining cosy style mystery with a well crafted cast. A worthy addition to the first in the series.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Hallmark Publishing and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A fun, entertaining lovely little cozy mystery series. The characters are quirky, whimsical, charming,

I struggled with this book, I had to set it down many times and come back to it. There seemed to be many more characters than necessary and I struggled to keep track of all of them. I haven't read the first book in the series and this may have helped but overall not one of the top books on my list.

I'm really liking this series, focused on Marvey, a New York City native who moves to small-town Georgia to work as a library fundraiser. In addition to learning all about Southern culture, she also seems to get involved in solving murders, assisted by a variety of friends and co-workers. In this episode, Marvey finds a list that contains the names of four people, two of them recently murdered. One of the others is her good friend (maybe more?) Spencer. What's the connection among these four people? I especially like the major characters, a nice mix of ethnicities and personalities. I look forward to reading the next book in the series..

I enjoyed reading this book. I like Marvey Harris's parents, Isaac Harris and Ciara Bennett-Harris. I like Peach Coast, Georgia.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Hallmark Publishing, in return for an honest review. While the second book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. In the first book, Marvella (Marvey) Harris moved, after 20 years of working in New York City, to Peach Coast, Georgia, for a job as the Director of Library Community Engagement. Co-hosting and organizing a cocktail party as the first event in their summer fund drive, Marvey’s evening ends with her finding a list of four names, including her best friend, the handsome Spence Holt. One of the people recently died and shortly after the party, a second person on the list dies. What’s going on? While the police don’t seem to find the list credible evidence of premeditated murder, Marvey is determined to keep Spence safe by finding out who poisoned the other two victims. She’s also dealing with the real plight of libraries and librarians everywhere by searching for the resources to keep libraries open and relevant to their populations. Add that Marvey’s parents are ‘helicopter hovering’ from back in New York and it’s enough to make any grown, independent woman frazzled!
This is a decent series. Marvey’s parents are unrealistic given her age and experience but that’s a minor quibble. She’s a good, well-written cozy character with a strong supporting cast.

Marvella Harris recently moved from New York City to Peach Coast, Georgia where she works as a librarian at the community library.

With her friends at the library plus Jo, the local bookstore owner and Spence, a newspaper publisher, Marvella solves a series of murders in their small town. This makes both her parents home in NY and the police anxious.

This is the second book in the series and while I was able to follow the story with some flashbacks, it may be better to start with book one Murder by Page One.

This book is a good example of a cozy mystery set in a small town, but some of the dialogue especially between Marvella and the local police felt unrealistic. I received a free copy on NetGalley in exchange from an honest review.