This was a great cozy mystery. I like how they use board. Games to make it mote fun of a story. The characters were fun and thr storyline was fun this book was approved by netgalley and the publisher for me to read and review.

Ben Rosencrantz is leaving his ex husband and professorship behind in Seattle to return home and help is aging father. Taking over the family gaming shop, Ben finds returning home is hard and putting him out of his comfort zone a bit. 

When a customer tries to sell a game to Ben, promising a big payout when he resells it on the open market, Ben passes. Later that evening the man is found stabbed on the porch of the game shop. Ben joins forces with his next-door business owner to find the killer and clear their names. With several warnings, will the two find the culprit, or will they be the next victims?

This is a great start to a new series. My hope is that Ben will gain a bit more confidence moving forward and that the guys will continue making Sugar House safer for everyone. I really like having this LGBTQ+ series set in super conservative Salt Lake City and the fact that Ben is caring for an aging parent. It’s the reality of many younger people and addresses quite a few social and personal challenges and how they deal with them. It make this a real and touching series.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but the description sounded interesting, so I gave it a try.
I was pleasantly surprised by this story, there was a mystery, passion, and some true laugh out loud moments.
Autumn is a concert pianist who suffers from chronic pain due to a horrific tragedy in her teens.
Returning to the stage has Autumn nervous but excited, and she's doing her best to get through each day. She lives in a beautiful townhouse, perhaps a bit isolated, but that's how she survives.
One morning Autumn finds her world turned upside down when a stranger is moving into her home. It seems her landlord is providing a temporary home for Elijah, and Autumn understandably freaks out.
The chemistry between them is obvious, but they each have secrets they don't want to share.
Autumn finds herself drawn to Elijah, especially when he witnesses some odd things happening to her.

As the story unraveled, I found myself cheering for Autumn, she is a great character.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book.

A fun little cozy mystery in a new and interesting setting: a board game shop! I thought the setting was the best part of this book with it's unique spin on a cozy. That being said, the plot of this one was entertaining, but it didn't wow me.

small-business, gaming, contemporary, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, divorced, m/m-cozy-mystery, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, pet-dog, pet-cat, family, family-business, nerds, new-series, first-in-series, Utah, coffee-shop, romantic, witty, threats, snarky, LGBTQIA, collector, PTSD*****

Professor Ben Rosencrantz left his position in Seattle (and memories of his recent divorce) to return home to his father's house and business to help out as his father was being treated for a late onset hereditary Neuromuscular disorder. Things start out all right until an unscrupulous seller of collectible board games enters the scene, is stabbed to death on Ben's front porch, and the police investigation begins, and a backpack filled with money appears. Fortunately Ben has Ezra to help and encourage him as well as other board gamers who are his new friends. And so the sleuthing begins! The characters are well drawn and realistic, the worldbuilding is truly believable. I loved it and will tell anyone who will listen!
I requested and received an EARC from Kensington Books/Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Thank you!