This new cozy mystery series is off to a great start. The action takes place in a small town outside Austin, Texas, and the author has done a great job of making you feel the local color, from the ever-present cowboy hats to the lively live music scene. I enjoyed the focus on the three sisters, all with “flower names”: Juni (Juniper), Maggie (Magnolia) and Tansy. Their relationship is wonderful and realistic. Juni is the youngest and has just moved home from Oregon, where her tech job fizzled, to help open and run a record shop/coffee bar. The sisters are restarting this family business in the same location as the record shop run by their parents and grandparents years ago. Of course, there’s a dead body or this wouldn’t be a cozy mystery! The sisters’ uncle was arrested and then disappeared, endangering their new store, since they had put it up for bail collateral. Juni works hard to find their uncle, which effort forms the core of the story. There’s a hint of possible romance between Juni and her ex-beau, Beau (ha!), the local detective and her old friend, Ted. I’m rooting for Ted, personally. There were some great flashes of humor throughout, including the punny names for some of their coffee and tea drinks, such as Friends in Mocha Places, All The Single Lattes, and You Shook Me All Night Oolong. The mystery was solid and I look forward to seeing how the author extends this series.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook was narrated well by Nicol Zanzarella.

Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook and to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Featuring another group of sisters, this time the Juniper sisters, this book is set in a record store/coffee shop, and is the first in the series. When someone is murdered during their opening night party, the Juniper sisters, especially Juni, set out to discover who among the townspeople could possibly have committed this crime.

The Juniper sisters are all strong women with unique personalities, and like many other successful cozy mysteries, they are surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Juni has a past romance and a possibly future romance to sweetly juggle, and the setting of the record store is a fun one. The ending was a real surprise as well. I would like to read the next book in the series when it comes out.

Well this was a fun read! This is the first book in a new cozy series featuring Juni (short for Juniper) Jessup and her two sisters who are reopening the family record store. The grand opening ends on a bit of a sour note when Juni discovers a dead body in a supply closet and the sisters' Uncle Calvin is the prime suspect.

Juni is still adjusting to being back in her hometown, running her own business, and working with her sisters. Now she's thrown into regular contact with her ex-boyfriend who happens to be the detective in charge of the investigation and desperately trying to save the store.

The mystery and the characters kept me engaged from start to finish. The author did good a job of balancing character development with plot advancement as well as having a convincing reason to bring Juni and her sisters into the investigation.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this series develops and to seeing Juni getting a bit more comfortable in her new life.

Good start to a new series. Interesting family. Coffee and music. Love triangle and a cat add to the fun. Clever mystery that kept me guessing. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

I was totally in the mood for a cozy mystery, and this one 100% scratched my itch 🥹🥹

three sisters find their opening day of their new record store, sip and spin, abruptly halted when they find a dead body in the supply closet 🫠 I mean, I would 100% question my entire life too at that point

I loved every single one of the characters omg! june, maggie, and tansy were so fleshed out among their family - and the fact that they were so wildly unique from each other was so wonderful!

I had a suspicion and guessed the killer correctly from the beginning, but since I wasn’t expecting a huge plot twist, I was happy to go along for the ride!

this one kept me up way past my bedtime as I frantically tried to finish and see if my theories were correct! you won’t want to put this one down!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! this one’s out after christmas!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: finger lakes cabernet franc

I adored Vinyl Resting Place! This is a unique cozy mystery that I devoured in a day! I'm looking forward to the next one when it releases! I know this is going to be a new favorite series of mine.

I found the writing stilted and repetitive in a way that suggested it could benefit from more thorough editing, and a couple of the characters annoyed me. (The glitter bombs that Samuel and Calvin send not only seem annoying, but also dangerous if the glitter can literally cut people's skin.) I also thought the whodunnit could have been executed better. Still, I enjoyed the sense of place Olivia Blacke instills, and Juni's relationships with her family and her potential love interests are fleshed out well. (I appreciate that Blacke doesn't have Juni leap back into her ex-boyfriend Beau's arms, mostly because he seems like a cocky jerk--for the record, I'm Team Teddy Garza.)

This was a fun new offering by a a newer cozy mystery author, and it looks super promising. I love the idea of three sisters working together. Their teasing banter is lotsa fun, but you can still tell they'd each do anything for the other sisters. After the murder, most of the book was spent chasing or trying to locate rascally Uncle Calvin. Having a record store with a coffee shop in it was a fun place to center the action what with the renewed interest in records with the younger crowd and some of the boomers and older who loved it--and pretty much everyone loves a good cuppa something. The names of the coffee or tea offerings were too much fun! And Juni was just an overall fun character! We could be mother/daughter with how I totally am all about her comfortable way of wanting to dress and not dress up, lol.

After a well-placed clue, I was pretty sure I knew whodunit, and I was right! The showdown was a good one with plenty of incriminations going on, but at the very end, I loved what definitively nailed the perp! Calvin and his ex-business partner/buddy Samuel were two old curmudgeons, but I could tell the girls loved them a lot, so it'll be interesting to see what this sleuthing bunch gets into next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers e-copy!

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. As someone who enjoys cozy mysteries I enjoy reading a novel filled with mystery but not high tension stakes and this book appeared to have fit into this category. First, the cover is just amazing. Beyond aesthetics, the summary sounded so promising. Where did it go wrong for me?

The pacing of this book was too irregular to keep up with. I skimmed the last three chapters because of it. The writing was confusing to follow as a result. Because this book is very action based, this only complicated things more. The writing was very repetitive and I found certain facts and stories being shared over and over. Coupled with the telling and not showing and it felt juvenile and this is coming from a twenty something who loves to read a good YA novel.

With a cozy, I love to see other elements. With this said, it would have been really fun to see more of the business side being shown. Each sister felt very surface level and it didn't always make sense. It again felt very young, giving each sister a very one dimensional personality. It was a disjointed narrative for each sister and overall lagged along with the plot. I read cozies for the other plot devices and the mystery element and when the book lacks both it's tough!

This book did not bring me joy as a reader however I am certain there is a type of reader who would enjoy this book as other reviewers seemed to really love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a new cozy mystery based in Texas. Juni moves home to open a record shop with her sisters. On opening night a body is discovered in the shop and the sisters' uncle is the main suspect. We are introduced to many characters throughout the book; hopefully setting up for future books in the series.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good cozy mystery. This one didn't disappoint.

Juni loses her job in IT and decides to move back to Texas and open a record store with her sister's. It is in the same location that her grandparents had a store many years ago.

At the grand opening party, Juni discovers a dead girl in a closet. Who did it? Her uncle Calvin goes missing and becomes suspect #1. Did he really do it?

I liked that it kept me guessing until the end. It looks like future books may have a romantic triangle between her ex boyfriend, Beau and her BFF, Teddy.

I can't wait to read more books in this series.

4.5/5 stars

Vinyl Resting Place is a debut cozy mystery with wonderful characters and a mystery to keep you guessing, Juniper (Juni) and her sisters Tansy and Maggie reopened their family record shop, Sip & Spin Records. A Murder occurs at their Grand Opening and the sisters' Uncle Calvin is the prime suspect. The police officer who arrests Calvin is Juni's ex-boyfriend. Juni renews her friendship with an old classmate. When Calvin disappears the family is worried and begins to search for him and to figure out the murder. The 3 sisters really make the story enjoyable along with their friends. The ending was good and kept me guessing. A very enjoyable book and I am looking forward to more in this series. #VinylRestingPlace #RecordShopMystery #NetGalley

(3.5 Stars) The start of a new cozy mystery series. The setting is a Cedar Rive near Austin, Texas. Three sisters open a coffee and vinyl record shop called Sip and Spin. They find a dead body in their storage closet after the grand opening. Their uncle Calvin is a suspect and when he is held in jail they don’t hesitate to use the store for bail collateral. Juni Jessup is the primary amateur investigator. Other main characters include; Mom, sisters Tansy and Maggie, Juni’s old boyfriend Beau (now a police detective) and J.T. a lawyer who is Maggie’s husband.

The record store is a fun setting with lots of musical references. And Juni is a good narrator as she rides around on the three wheeler bicycle. The mystery itself isn’t that hard to solve. And there is some repetition. But it is decent world building and I will look for the next book to see if it continues to hold my interest. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an early ARC in exchange for an honest review.

f you love small town Texas, music, coffee, puns and pranks, you've come to the right book. This cozy about three sisters opening a vinyl record shop is a quick, entertaining read. I may stop in again to see what happens in Juni's love life. Her high school honey and best friend both seem to be interested.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S VINYL RESTING PLACE ABOUT?
Tired of all the corporate buyouts and reshuffling in the software business, Juni Jessup returns to her home—a small town just outside Austin, TX. There, she and her two older sisters invest in a record/coffee shop. Years before, the digital music revolution had forced her parents to close the shop that had been in their family for decades. But now, the resurgence of vinyl has given them the chance to reopen—adding a coffee counter is a clever move and something that the neighborhood could really use, too.

The sisters are energized the night of the Grand Opening party—there's a huge crowd (free tacos from a local food truck and beer from a microbrewery helped). Not only are they optimistic about the business, but the family is back together again, after Juni's time in the Northwest. They know the future will have challenges, but for the moment, life is good.

Sadly, that first challenge is less in the future than they realized, and it's a big one. While they're cleaning up after the party and getting ready to open for their first day of business, Juni finds a murdered girl in the closet with their cleaning supplies. Very quickly, the police focus their investigation on the sisters' uncle and arrest him. The family puts up the Sip & Spin as collateral for his bail, convinced that the investigation will clear him.

Then Uncle Calvin disappears and the business is in jeopardy—not to mention the three life savings they invested. The sisters, led by Juni, take the investigation into their own hands—determined not to go down without a fight.

JUNI AND EVERYONE ELSE
I've only mentioned Juni so far because of space, but the book isn't just about her. Juni is clearly the protagonist—but the book isn't just about her. The sisters are the core—with their mother and the husband of the eldest sister rounding out the immediate circle. The emotional core of the novel is about Juni's return to the family and the way they're welcoming her back (it's not that things were ever tense, but hundreds of miles and only brief visits aren't the same as living near each other). It's the sense of family, the way they come together for each other, that makes sure this book (and the series, I'm sure) is filled with the warmth and comfort you need in a cozy.

Of course, you can't have a character come back to a small town without a love interest or two popping up, too. There's the lifelong best friend, who apparently carried a torch the whole time—he's grown into a pretty attractive man. And then the high school/college boyfriend who suddenly and unexpectedly broke up with her one day. He's clearly got his eyes set on reestablishing the status quo.

Also, he's the police detective in charge of the murder. Because why should things be easy?

It's a great recurring cast, and one that'd be easy for a series to use in new and fun ways as the series progresses—mostly because the reader can't help but find them all endearing.

A TINY BONUS
The music-inspired punny drink names for their coffee counter are just perfect. Too many more would've been too much, but I could've used an additional handful. They're the kind of little touch that adds so much to a scene—you get an idea of the characters behind them, if nothing else. Like the names of the stores and restaurants in The Good Place, they add a layer of enjoyment on top of everything else.

I'm not saying I'll pick up book two just to read what names Blacke comes up with. But I've had worse reasons to pick up a book.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT VINYL RESTING PLACE?
I'm a little concerned about how this can be a series—how many murders can happen in one small town record store or involving the family that owns it? I'm sure Blacke can get another one or two out of the premise before it starts to get creepy, but suspending that kind of disbelief is part and parcel of cozies like this, right? So what do I know?

The premise and genre promise certain things about this novel—and Blacke delivers exactly that. The best word to sum this experience up is pleasant—the mystery was clever, the characters are charming, and I like the overall setup for the series. And the book was exactly what a cozy should be—an entertaining and pleasant time.

I don't see how this book won't find fans all of whom will be more than ready for the next murder this family stumbles across.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thanks to both for the opportunity. Opinions expressed are my own.

Juni and her sisters couldn't imagine what would unfold after finding a woman murdered in their record shop on opening night.

I was definitely thrown off from who might be responsible since so much time was dedicated to trying to find Uncle Calvin. Juni became an amateur sleuth in the process. I liked some of the conflict added by Juni's ex being the detective on the case. They definitely knew how to aggravate each other.

The middle of the book was a bit slow, but the setting and explanation at the end were well done. I'm looking to more mysteries surrounding the Sip n Spin record shop!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC for my honest review.

I loved everything about this cozy – the setting, the characters, the writing, the pace of the story; my only concern is an eventual love triangle but I’m not borrowing trouble. I enjoyed getting to know Juni Jessup and her quirky family and friends and really liked the reviving the old record shop idea. Most of the music they mentioned is the stuff I grew up listening to so now I feel a little old, too, but this was a great start to a new series. Highly recommended for those who love cozies, particularly ones without too many silly antics and characters.

There is no better time of year for a cozy mystery and I loved the first book in this new series. Vinyl Resting place is really a hit for me- I love vinyl records and love solving mysteries. 

I love the set up- three sisters, named after flowers (I love a theme) reopen their family's record store...but on opening night a body is found in the closet. All signs point to their uncle Calvin and its made even more complicated when Calvin skips bail. 

I really enjoyed this one. It was a fun mystery with a great cast of characters. I am anxious to see where this series goes and what other trouble these sisters can get into.

An interesting setting for a new cozy mystery series. Sip & Spin Records is a vinyl record/coffee shop run by three sisters: Juni(per), Tansy and Maggie Jessup in their small hometown of Cedar River, Texas. But their opening day is tainted when the dead body of a young woman is found in their supply closet. Their Uncle Calvin is arrested for the murder by Juni's ex-boyfriend detective Beau. When the sisters put up the store for bail collateral, they're shocked when Calvin disappears. Now the fate of their store is on the line so the sisters decide to find the real killer.

I like the interactions between the sisters but the story felt a bit klunky & repetitive. And the constant appearance of Beau was annoying. I wanted to like this book more but give it 3.5 stars.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley and St Martin's Press. My opinions are my own.

An easy, fun cozy mystery with a pretty solid plot, satisfying conclusion, and a small town setting I’ll be looking forward to hopefully returning to in future books.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the advance review copy.