A Midsummer Night's Scheme is the second book in Harper Kincaid's A Book Binder Mystery series. I had been eagerly anticipating this installment since I enjoyed the first book so much. However, its release was delayed, originally scheduled to come out about a year after the first. I assumed the delay was due to the Covid situation. Unfortunately, when I finally got the chance to read it, I found myself rather disappointed.

The main plot, which centered on a murder, was overshadowed by too many subplots. Sister Daria is going through a crisis of faith, questioning her commitment to becoming a nun. Meanwhile, Bash, besides being a target of the murderer, isn't speaking to his parents due to a recent argument. With all the focus on Sister Daria’s subplot, there was little room left for the main storyline. The book simply had too much going on, and as a result, it fell short of the first in the series.

This is the 2nd installment in the Bookbinding mystery series. Quinn Caine is finally out and about after healing from her injuries and while in a pet bakery she runs into Chad, a hometown boy who has gone on to Broadway and movies and is back in town to create a new theater. Chad was known as a “player” ten years ago and there are many who are not happy to have him back in town. Sister Daria (Quinn’s cousin) thought he was being nice and when he got into his sports car his car appears to go crazy and when he crashes and the police and fire department arrive it is determined he was locked in with poisonous snakes and he dies. Aiden the police detective and Quinn’s boyfriend is investigating the murder and begs Quinn and Sister Daria to not investigate but when the next person targeted is Quinn’s own brother Bash, Quinn and Sister Daria immediately begin their investigation. Of course, there are lots of twists and turns and both Quinn and Sister Daria figure it out. This book really packed a lot in it and I really enjoyed it as much as I did the first in the series. I really hope there will be a third in the series.

This is the second book in the series. Chad, a high school heart breaker, has returned home to give back to the town. When he is killed and other town heart breakers are attacked Quinn sets out solve the crimes. Like the previous book I liked the setting and the characters but the mystery was just ok. The animals were some of my favorites. There is more romance. I was able to figure out the killer early on. Warning the book does end on a character cliff hanger and there is no third book planned. I was disappointed by that.

Everything is returning to the calm that Quinn Caine and her cousin Sister Daria are used to in their town of Vienna, a movie star crash lands into their peace and quiet. Chad Frivole is Vienna’s prodigal son. The once notorious lothario has returned a Broadway star, ready to make a different kind of mark on his hometown. Not everyone is celebrating his return. When he turns up dead in his car, trapped with a sack full of snakes, and then Quinn's brother's life is threatened, Quinn investigates with the help of her cousin Sister Daria to find the truth.
I really wanted to like this story more but ever since the first page I felt a disconnection. I never read mysteries in order so, admittedly, I didn't read the first story in this series. I got into the story and understood most of what was going on. The characters are likable, and the plot made me want to turn the pages until the end. I was surprised by who the culprit was. The very end of this story left a bad taste in my mouth. I hate when there are cliffhangers. There was really no reason to use such a device for this book. I want my mysteries all tied up in a neat bow at the end of the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the honor of reading this advanced Reader's copy. This review is my unbiased opinion.

I really enjoyed book 1 and was super excited to dive into book 2. Because my life got crazy, I was not able to read this book before it was published. I finally got around to it and am a little disappointed. This book didn't flow well. I still love the author's writing and the characters, but I feel like there was a lot of random arguments and discussions. A lot were based on issues in the real world and I choose to read cozies to escape. I also had a hard time figuring out which POV I was in from chapter to chapter. (Maybe that was just because of the audio version?) The mystery took a backseat and I still have so many questions.

Trina Potter returns home to her hometown of Breham Texas. Soon strange things start to happen. Her high school rival is about to divorce her hairdresser husband and gets jealous of Trina getting cozy with lawyer Wyatt Chastain. While Trina is worried about her mother and niece Mari she decides to buy land and let Mari have a building to renovate and use for the second chance ranch rescue clinic. This book has everything Texas ice cream, dogs, and a fun family all wrapped into a quirky small town package. This was a fun enjoyable book to read with great characters and enticing story line. I recommend to everyone.

I was thoroughly entertained once again…thank you NetGalley! Glad I was honored with this ebook ARC that entertained with the cuteness that was this mystery <3

The story was ok.. the mystery was ok too but I did get bored reading this book. I guess I am just not into cozy mysteries anymore.

I do not recommend it.

Thank you, NetGalley, publishers, and Harper Kincaid for gifting me a copy of A Midsummer Night's Scheme in return for my honest opinion.

2.5/5

Chad Hurt is back in Vienna after becoming a Broadway actor, he is known throughout town as a jerk who has broken more than a few hearts. When he is found dead from a bag of venomous snakes that someone had placed in his car, the town is once again placed in the middle of a murder investigation. But this time Quinn is staying as far away as possible! That is until the same person starts targeting her brother as well. Can Quinn track down the killer before someone else is killed?

This is the second book in the Bookbinding Mystery series, I really enjoyed To Kill a Mocking Girl but this one was a miss for me.

Let's start with what I enjoyed, I loved how Quinn and Aiden were in a relationship from the start of this book. In other cozy's we might have had to wait 3-6 books for the main protagonist to land her man but Harper did not disappoint! Even though it ends with a sort of question mark.
Now for what I didn't enjoy. They introduce Daria as a new narrator and it wasn’t needed and really doesn’t add that much to the storyline. If anything at times it made it more confusing due to the two main characters interacting so much throughout the book. There were many times I forgot who the voice was for certain chapters. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy her as a character, I mean a crime-solving nun, it’s definitely a new one. But if anything giving her her own series, not throwing her into this one would have made more sense. Her confusion and hesitation does not fit the cozy vibes.

Speaking of cozy vibes the last thing I want in mine is politics and religious conflict but for some reason, the author felt it was important to throw that in there. When I read a cozy I want to get that warm and cozy feeling and be able to forget about all the conflicts in the world not be reminded of it.

There is also a lot of random information that doesn’t add substance to the story it was almost like she needed a time filler. She is trying to fit as many pets and animals into the story as she can and it doesn’t work. For example the story about how Daria’s furry friend escaped and how she worried about him, in my eyes not necessary. At points, it seemed like she was trying too hard to be unique and witty.

I will give her another chance because I did enjoy the first of this series but if the next one is anything like this one I will probably give up on the series.

It's really too bad the publisher decided to cancel this series as it was a lot of fun. Solid characters, engaging plots, and a vivid setting make for a wonderful cozy mystery.

This was good but not great. There was parts that tended to drag on. It did however have great characters that included humans and animals. There was some spots that were challenging to get through . The writer keeps the story line going. I would recommend this book to those that love cozy mysteries

“A Midsummer Night’s Scheme” is the second book in Harper Kincaid’s Bookbinding Mystery series, following “To Kill a Mocking Girl.” Once again, the book is set in Vienna, Virginia, with Quinn Caine and the rest of her gang of characters, both canine and human.

Chad Frivole grew up in Vienna and made a lot of enemies along the way. After leaving town he became a celebrated Broadway actor. He has now returned to Vienna, ostensibly to try to make amends for having been the town lothario in his youth. Unfortunately for Chad, he left a lot of women with broken hearts behind when he left Vienna and someone appears to have been angry enough to get revenge by murdering him. His dead body is found in his car along with a sack full of snakes. I’ll spare you the gory details, but if you’re someone who is squeamish or has a fear of snakes, this may not be the book for you as snakes figure prominently in the plotline throughout the book.

Quinn’s brother Sebastian, aka “Bash” is now happily engaged to Rachel but back in his youth he was another town lothario. When Quinn finds out that the killer now has sights set on getting rid of Bash, Quinn feels she has no choice to begin investigating.

The plot advances at a good pace with twists and turns. The characters are for the most part realistic and well-developed, although I found the idea of a woman like Elizabeth, aka Sister Daria, being a so-called “cloistered” nun to be nothing short of absurd. Elizabeth could have been a great character and very believable had the author not chosen to cart her off to a convent to mourn her broken heart.

This could have been a truly great read for me. Unfortunately, the combination of the excess of murderous snake details and the author having carted Elizabeth off to a convent to become the totally unbelievable Sister Daria did me in. Nonetheless, I did finish the book and have to admit that I did like the teaser-type ending. Despite everything, I also have to give the author credit for coming up with such a creative and ingenious method of murder. For that reason I gave the book a four-star rating.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the eARC of A Midsummer Night's Scheme. All opinions in this review are my own.

While this is the second book in the Bookbinding Mystery, this is the first one I read. It wasn't difficult to get caught up on the characters. I also feel like I could still go back and read the first one without it being spoiled too much.

The crimes in A Midsummer Night's Scheme were definitely more shocking than I was used to in a cozy mystery, but they are also what kept me reading. There was a lot of religious discussion in this book that didn't add to the story. Normally, I like books that have multiple points of view in them, but found it hard to keep the two cousins straight at times, especially since I listened to it.

Overall, this book was a miss for me.

I absolutely loved this story! The mystery was very well done with an unusual cause of death and the laugh out loud lines, moments and banter thrilled me. This book was hilarious which always turns a book in to a story I love. Great, great read! I hope book 3 releases much sooner than this one did. This is a fantastic series even with the delay between books 1 and 2.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Midsummer Night’s Scheme by Harper Kincaid is a delightful, cozy mystery set in the beloved town of Vienna. The story revolves around Quinn Caine and her sidekicks, Ruff Barker Ginsburg and Sister Daria, who are enjoying the calm until a Broadway star, Chad Frivole, disrupts their peaceful lives. Chad, once known as a notorious lothario, returns to Vienna as a Tony-award-winning actor with plans to make his mark on his hometown.

However, not everyone is thrilled about Chad’s return. With a cast of characters seeking revenge on him, it comes as no surprise when Chad is found dead in his car with a sack full of snakes. Promising detective Aiden Harrington that she’ll stay out of the local mystery, Quinn’s resolve wavers when her brother Bash becomes the target of threats. Despite Bash’s transformation from womanizer to a changed man, the killer shows no mercy. With time running out, Quinn and her crew must find the killer before her brother becomes their next victim.

Let me tell ya, I had a blast reading this book! The writing was easy to follow and kept me hooked all the way through. The cover is super adorable and perfect. The Shakespeare quotes at the start of each chapter were such a cool touch, and the recipes at the end made my mouth water.

What I especially loved about this cozy mystery is that it had a younger vibe while still being super charming. You don’t need to read any previous books in the series - this one stands strong on its own. The plot was gripping and had me guessing till the end.

The characters were likable and well-developed too. Although I wasn’t thrilled about the cliffhanger ending, since I’m planning on diving into the next book anyway, it didn’t bug me too much.

All in all, A Midsummer Night’s Scheme was such a fun and entertaining read! If you’re into cozy mysteries and want something that’ll keep you hooked, I totally recommend giving this one a go. You won’t be disappointed!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Quinn Caine and nun-in-training Sister Daria are young cousins who can't help but find themselves at the center of any dangerous mystery that befalls their small town of Vienna, Virginia. When a famous Broadway star returns to make a mark on his hometown, tensions rise once again after a bag of venomous snakes attack and kill him in his car. This man was the town's playboy and broke many hearts during his formative years. Hence, not everyone in Vienna welcomed him with open arms. A Midsummer Night's Scheme by Harper Kincaid is the second installment in the Bookbinding Mystery series in which Quinn and Sister Daria return to their amateur sleuthing ways to catch a killer, or else the next victim could be someone close to them.

The first book in the Bookbinding Mystery series is To Kill a Mocking Girl. I didn't read it before diving into A Midsummer Night's Scheme. But I had no problem following along with the overall dynamic of established characters. So the aforementioned Broadway star Chad Frivole returns and announces that he wants to build a community theater in Vienna. And readers learn about several women who succumbed to his charms, only to have their hearts broken. While Chad insists he's not that guy anymore, not everyone is convinced. And before they know it, Quinn and Daria have terrifying front-row seats to Chad's murder. Then emergency services arrive and find a bag full of exotic yet highly venomous snakes in the car he crashed, along with a cryptic note about Chad's fate. Suddenly they realize that they are dealing with a new level of possible revenge.

As the ladies and law enforcement continue to follow leads (separately, of course), Quinn learns that her brother Sebastian – Bash for short – and his fiance Rachel find venomous spiders in their bed. Suddenly Bash is the next target. Apparently he had also broken a few hearts back in the day before he settled down with Rachel. And because investigators find another note in a notebook that Quinn designed, she can't sit back and let her boyfriend/detective Aiden Harrington do all the work. Now it's personal, and the cousins are determined to find the killer before Bash becomes the next victim.

Aside from the cozy murder mystery elements, Kincaid adds some other plot points to make A Midsummer Night's Scheme unique. The story features POVs from both Quinn and Sister Daria, making it an interesting shift from the typical murder mystery. Furthermore, readers get some family drama. Bash informs his parents that he is converting to Judaism for Rachel before the wedding. This news shocks and upsets Mr. and Mrs. Caine, leaving both children disappointed in their parents. While not necessarily essential to the plot, this storyline added depth to the characters and opportunity for growth that readers can relate to.

Aside from all that, the pacing was fine and the mystery wasn't so easy to figure out. However, the story didn't suck me in like other murder mysteries have. Yes the main characters are likable and are unique in their backgrounds. But, even though Daria was questioning her chosen path to become a nun, a new love interest conveniently shows up towards the final third of the book. His attraction to her (and disregard of her pending vows), seemed unrealistic due to how quickly it developed. But after reading that cliffhanger at the end of A Midsummer Night's Scheme, readers will surely want to know what happens next between them.

The book was enjoyable. I was a bit put off by the unnecessary drama over religious beliefs. I read books to escape all of that stuff. It took up too much of the story. Aside from that the book had a strong mystery and a shocking murder. I did remove an extra star for the religious drama.

This is the second book in the Bookbinding Mystery series and was pretty easy to follow even though I haven't read the first book.

I received both an e-Arc and audio Arc of the book and I ended up listening to the book more than reading it. The narration by Renee Dorian was pleasant and livened up the book.

Overall, it was a decent cozy mystery with the first victim getting killed in a disturbing and crazy manner. What a horrible way to die!!

I was a bit put off by a particular scene involving Quinn's parents, her brother Sebastian and his fiancee which included a conversation about Sebastian and his fiancées religious beliefs. Not every concern or viewpoint expressed (political or religious) is necessarily an 'anti-feeling' or 'phobia'.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media and the author for both the e-Arc and audio Arc of the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

I was really looking forward to this book after reading the first and then seeing the pub date for this book pushed into the future a bit. This is an enjoyable cozy mystery with Quinn and increasingly more of her cousin and the nunnery with dog shelter. The mystery was interesting, and Quinn's romance was engaging even though it felt like it was pushed to the side a bit with Sister Daria's issues and Quinn's brother's romance. This book ends with a mild cliffhanger, but it's related to a story bit that doesn't interest me so the cliffhanger didn't do much for me.

The star of the show, bookbinder Quinn Caine, who was teaching abroad has moved back to her sleepy hometown of Vienna, Virginia. She now spends her days working in Prose & Scones, her family's bookshop, along with her dog, trusty German Shepherd 'Ruff Barker' Ginsburg (aka RBG).

I thought this was an excellent, really solid continuation of the series. I enjoyed reading about the quaint small town of Vienna with its strong community vibe. Harper Kincaid has created a delightful set of characters and apart from Quinn herself who I find to be intelligent and smart, though not always very wise, I also like her cousin, Sister Daria for her spirit and vivacity.

The writing was fast paced, and the mystery itself was very well executed, with abundant red herrings and twists to sustain my interest. All in all, a brilliant instalment with a surprise ending.

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